The story that seems to be high on the Liberty Community discussion list at the moment as we head into 2011 ... "Who will be the next Liberty High School Football Coach?"I believe this question was not only answered, but answered to the satisfaction of MANY in the community and to the surprise of many in the State.
atlibertytosay.com had exclusive coverage and was the ONLY news source to correctly name Coach Kyle Stewart before the official announcement was made.
Stewart topped many Coach of the Year polls and was named Anderson Independent Mail's Coach Of The Year on December 30th, 2011.
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| * former LHS principal Randy Gilstrap |
The indictment of Liberty High School Principal Randy Gilstrap for embezzlement made national headlines.
Liberty managed to get into national news again with Liberty resident Susan Hendricks shooting family members and the controversy that surrounded the original coroner report.
In January 2011 …
The Liberty branch of SC Telco announced that they would close. Several businesses chose the new year to close their doors in Liberty including; Nora's Place and Big League Barbeque. A couple of business names tried their hand at making the closed Big League BBQ a success; one by the name of Getchie Reds … but, it too, proved unsuccessful.
Elliot Southard was named the principal of Liberty's new Chastain Road Elementary School that would open in the fall. The new school divided the elementary school attendance in the community by the railroad track. While the line was promoted by the school district as being equal socioeconomically - it seems as time has gone by - this may not be the case.
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| * photo credit Dustin Atkins |
Again, this story broke on atlibertytosay.com … other news sources used atlibertytosay.com information for their reporting.
February 2011 …
On February 3rd, Liberty High played it's last home games in the gymnasium and made internet viral infamy with this amazing shot …
Shot at the buzzer from Liberty High's #14 Dalton Kirby / Sophomore
On February 18th, and 19th 2011 … When Randy Gilstrap, Liberty High School Principal, and Buea DeNard, Liberty High Finance Secretary were accused of embezzlement of funds from the high school, I had this pegged as the biggest story of the year and it was only February! Again, atlibertytosay.com was not only first with this story, but had exclusive details relating to it! Multiple news sources around the Upstate credited atlibertytosay.com for breaking the story … while others, I suppose, stole the credit. No news source other than atlibertytosay.com had details until February 20th, 2011, 3 full days after details had been disclosed by the breaking news; here and only here! This has become atlibertytosay.com's biggest story in it's 2.5 year existence receiving over 126,000 hits over the course of the year!
March 2011 …
On March 7, 2011, Robert Ingle, founder of Ingles grocery stores passed away. Ingle was personally involved in the construction and location of the Ingles in Liberty.
On March 30th, Mayor Mac Martin Of Central, asked atlibertytosay.com to post a press release about vandals breaking windows in Liberty and Norris. The vandals were eventually located by police; thanks to a Liberty resident's tip.
April 2011 …
Liberty Idol, in it's final season, started auditions.
The City Of Liberty got a quilt pattern for display in the downtown from the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail.
May 2011 …
Liberty High School announced it would have a new basketball coach, Liberty Elementary teacher; Jason Blalock.
The City of Liberty announced a dramatic tax raise. The raise of 6 mils means an increase of 2012 property tax bills will be about $24.00 per $100,000 in value of property (car, boat, home, rental property) Only Clemson has a higher millage rate (tax rate) than Liberty in Pickens County, yet Liberty has the poorest gross income per capita and the highest drop out rate. Liberty has the highest business tax in the county! If you consider that most Liberty business owners are Liberty residents; this is an especially big burden.
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| LES teacher/LHS Varsity Head Coach Jason Blalock |
The City announced that it had won the bidding rights to the Old Liberty High School Stadium on Highway 93. The City spent $50,000 and the county pitched in an additional $50,000 for the purchase ~ which included a considerable amount of land and could potentially be developed.
Roger Swords, lifelong Liberty resident passed away. Roger worked several years for the City of Liberty in various capacities, including Director of Public Works.
June 2011 …
Rain was scarce throughout May and the problem continued into June. The City Fire Chief stated that more calls than normal were coming in for brush fires.
The last high school class to walk the halls of the Old Liberty High graduated. The students would move to their new location on Ruhamah Rd in the fall. Work continues on the old high school; prepping the school for a transition to a new Middle school location while the old Middle School will close during 2012.
Liberty 1st Baptist Church started a soup kitchen program each Tuesday. The program, successful, continues each Tuesday.
Pickens County lawmakers announced that residents would soon be required to prove they live in the county before they will be allowed to use county recycling centers. The law is now in effect and residents must obtain a decal from the County Bailing Facility located in Liberty before personally delivering trash or recyclables.
July 2011 …
The 6th season finale of Liberty Idol occurred over the 4th of July weekend. The band R.U.S.H. was named the winner of the 2011 Liberty Idol season. Roy Costner, emcee and creator of the event, critiqued by a handful of Liberty residents, decided to make 2011 the final year for his participation in the event. No word on whether the City will continue to hold the event.
The City Of Liberty Police Department held another successful Youth Adventure Camp. The camp, held each summer, features a host of activities for the youth of Liberty. Each day, Liberty police officers aid in counseling and chaperoning.
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| John Schumpert / LHS Girls Varsity Basketball Coac |
Liberty High School named John Schumpert as its new head LHS Girls’ Varsity Basketball Coach. Schumpert is currently a teacher (Physical Education, Teacher Cadets) at the high school and also serves as Assistant Athletic Director and an Assistant Football Coach.
On July 28th, atlibertytosay.com featured exclusive news that Liberty Mayor Brian Deese would resign his position. Deese re-elected to a second term in 2009, said, "an opportunity in Vancouver Washington to manage a family member's property has presented itself, but the ultimate reason was my wife's health."
Mayor Pro tem/Liberty City Councilman Michael Sheriff would fill the Mayoral spot until a special election that would be held in November.
On July 29th … a Liberty Police car was damaged as a fleeing motorist left the Ingles parking lot. Mayor Pro tem Michael Sheriff's truck was also damaged in the incident.
August 2011 …
Interim Principal Lori Gwinn was named Principal of the new Liberty High School ~ taking the position after the release of Randy Gilstrap from the Pickens County School District payrolls ~ for the involvement in issues surrounding Liberty High finances. Gwinn, loved by students, has settled into the challenging role with poise and professionalism.
A Liberty resident, serving a 30 year jail term, was busted for carrying out an elaborate prison escape plan.
Corrections investigators had received a tip that 44-year-old inmate Robert Darnell of Liberty, SC, who is in prison on First Degree Burglary charges, had planned to escape while at a doctor's appointment in Sumter County. As Robert Darnell was preparing to leave the institution, corrections officers searched the inmate and found that he had a handcuff key hidden under a bandage.
Corrections officers received further information that Darnell had family members waiting for him at a medical center in Santee. Deputies discovered three people in a car, including Darnell's 18-year-old son.On August 23rd, 2011 … an earthquake that registered as high as 5.9 on the richter scale in Virginia was felt as far away as Liberty. The atlibertytosay.com facebook and twitter feeds lit up with reports ~ as did many local news stations.
On August 24th, 2011 … Liberty residents reported seeing black bears around the location of St. Jude Medical.
On August 25th, 2011 … I announced that I would officially run for Mayor of Liberty. As the town's only source of local news, I had decided that I knew too much about the City ~ too much that needed to be changed. Unfortunately, I may not have known enough about the politics and the people of Liberty to pull off a win.
The Liberty High School Varsity Football Team played it's season opener against Christ Church.
Final score:
Liberty Red Devils 20
Christ Church Cavaliers 6
Highlight of the game:
Liberty scored with 3:00 left in 1st quarter
#8 Rainwater made a 70 yard run then #14 Alexander scored a two point conversion by completing an acrobatic cartwheel jump over the Cavalier defense.
Liberty would go on to finish the season 9-3 and make it to the second round of their division playoffs. Liberty ended up being Christ Church's only loss for the season and they would go on to win their division title.
On August 31st, 2011 … an accident occurred at Liberty Denim that resulted in the death of Liberty resident Lewis Edward Smith. Smith fell from a platform and into a processing machine at the textile plant at around 3:15AM.
Liberty Denim would later be fined for the incident by the Department of Labor and shut down in mid December of 2011.
1 COMMENTS / Make your own:
A lot happened in and around our small town. Thanks for this review. I look forward to the rest of it.
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