Commencement 2023

Saluda High School Class of 2023

The Saluda High School Class of 2023 will hold cemmencement ceremonies Sat., June 3, 9 a.m., at the Bettis Herlong Stadium at Matthews Field. Names of the graduates will be published at a later date.

King Academy Class of 2023

Pictured Top to Bottom Tucker Crawford, Collin Woodward, Elijah Brazell, Jacob Bonner, Seth Gross, Colten list, Colby Woodward, Carson Woodward, Cooper Buzhardt, Rita Luther, Caylee Holsonback, Marlee McCormick, Chole Herron, Kailey Goodrich, Rebecca Sauls, Janie Powell.

Saluda County Motor
Vehicle Crash Fatality

  On the afternoon of Saturday, May 20th, Saluda County Coroner’s Office responded to a one vehicle crash on Denny Highway / SC-194 near Bridle Path Road in Saluda.
  A small two door passenger car was traveling southwest appeared to travel off the right side of the highway before overcorrecting causing the vehicle to exit the left side of the highway hitting a tree and overturning, ejecting the driver.
  Coroner Keith Turner identified the driver and only occupant of the vehicle as Sarah Nichole Stone, age 34 from Prosperity. Unfortunately, Ms. Stone died at the scene. The Coroner’s Office is working with the SC Highway Patrol to fully investigate this traffic fatality.
  The Coroner’s Office extends thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Ms. Stone.
  The Coroner’s Office appreciates the response and assistance of Saluda County EMS, Saluda County Fire Service, Saluda County Sheriff’s Office and SCHP.  

Amick Receives
ACC Honors

  Sophomore Billy Amick (Batesburg, Saluda County) was named ACC Co-Player-of-the-Week, announced  by the league office.
  He joined NC State’s Cannon Peebles, who was named ACC Co-Player-of-the-Week.
  It was the second week in a row Amick was named player of the week.
  Amick (DH/UT) was also named to the first team All-ACC squad.
  He becomes only the second Clemson athlete from Saluda County to be named All-ACC, joining Jonathan Brooks who made the All -ACC football team in 1977-78.

Forrest Named To Hall

BRAD & LYNETTE FORREST

Brad Forrest Named To
Hereford Hall of Fame

  Brad Forrest of Saluda was inducted into the South Carolina Hereford Association Hall of Fame on May 6.
  He became the third cattleman from Saluda County  to be bestowed the honor. His later father Earl was inducted ion 2013 and the late O.W. Black joined the hall in 2016.
  Forrest was born May 16, 1951, the oldest of five children to Earl and Marie Forrest. He grew up around multiple family businesses, including the family farm operation, and a retail clothing store, C.B. Forrest & Son in downtown Saluda.
  Forrest Polled Hereford began in the 1940s when his father Earl purchased his first Polled Hereford from Clemson University. As Brad grew up and finished his education, he became a partner with his dad in he farm and store business.
  In the 1980’s the crop operation came to an end so that more focus could be applied to the cowherd. Brad has prided himself in never stopping improving the herd, year after year, always striving to make Polled Hereford the best they can be. Since 1990, Forrest Polled Herefords has held a  biennial sale on the 4th Saturday in September.
  After completing his education at Newberry College, Brad returned to work in C.B. Forrest & Son, which celebrated its 100th year in business last October.
  Brad is an active member of Saluda Baptist Church, where he teaches Sunday School at Saluda Nursing Center, served as a deacon and on numerous other committees
  He married his Saluda High School sweetheart, the former Lynette Black, on June 24, 1973. They have two sons, Will and Jeff, two daughters-in-law, Melinda and Jeanette, and five grandchildren, Cade, Ava, Finley, Kempson and Kason.

County Employees To Get
Cost Of Living Increase

  At a called meeting May 15, Saluda County Council voted to give all employees a three percent cost of living increase, starting July 1.
  The bulk of the meeting was in executive session, since all items discussed involved personnel.
  Out of executive session, Council also voted in favor of:
  •A part-time administrative clerk for the Coroner’s office, Grade 10.
  •Not absorbing tax assessments on any state supplements.
  •A part-time administrative clerk for the Judge of Probate’s office, Grade 10.
  •Paid Fire Service personnel attending PORS
  •Increasing some deputies from grade 15 to 16, and some from 16 to 17
  •Increasing assistant EMS director to Grade 23
  •Changing job description of Delinquent Tax Assessor to add Public Information Officer, Grade 19
  •Job description of a library assistant, with funding from library budget.
  All other requests failed for lack of motion or lack of second.

Staff Sergeant  Johnathan Dean instructs Afghan soldiers.

Memorial Day Program

  The Reverend Jonathan Deal, (Ret. Staff Sergeant, South Carolina National  Guard) will  be the key note speaker at the Memorial Day Service to be held at the Saluda Theater, in Saluda, SC.
  The event will be celebrated on the last Monday in May, May 29, 2023 at 11 am. Please mark your calendar. The program is free and open to the public.
  Memorial Day 2023 is a day that commemorates all men and women who have died while serving in the armed forces for the United States of America. It is viewed as a time of honor and remembrance.
  Reverend Deal served two deployments:  Iraq and Afghanistan War. South Carolina service includes Saluda, Hartsville and Columbia.
  In 2017 Reverend Deal came to Red Bank Baptist Church as Youth Director. Three years later he became Adult Ministries leader, being Ordained in 2022. Reverend Jonathan Deal is currently serving as Pastor of Red Bank Baptist Church and Pine Pleasant Baptist Church.

Jail Referendum

Referendum Set For Detention Center
Emergency Services Buildings

  Saluda County Council at its May 8 meeting passed a resolution setting the stage for a referendum on building a new jail, and other emergency services building improvements.
  According to the resolution:
  “Shall the County Council of Saluda County be empowered to issue and sell, either as a single issue or as several issues, general obligation bonds of Saluda County, South Carolina in the principal amount of not exceeding $7,500,000, the proceeds of which shall be applied to defray the costs of designing, constructing, equipping and furnishing of (i) facilities to house County emergency medical services, fire protection services, (ii) an expansion of the Saluda County Sheriff’s office, and (iii) a new County jail, along with all associated costs and costs of issuance?”
  The referendum will be held August 8. (See referendum legal notice on Page 3 of today’s paper).
  Council gave second reading to the school and county  budgets,
  School Superintendent Dr. Harvey Livingston said unfunded state mandates had added $1 million to the school district budget. He said the district will be able to absorb half of the shortfall, but would need additional millage to take care of $500,000 of the unfunded mandates. Livingston said the school board is very mindful of the taxpayer’s  money. Council passed second reading.
  The county budget is also facing unfunded state mandates and will require a five mill increase, Council Chairman Jim Moore said.. The budget currently stands at $16,127,323, with a $255,314 deficit.
  The new state  law the school county and county mentioned exempts from property taxes “farm buildings  and agricultural structures owned by a producer in this State used to house livestock, poultry, crops, farm equipment, or farm supplies and all farm machinery and equipment including self-propelled farm machinery and equipment except for motor vehicles licensed for use on the highways. For the purpose of this section 'self-propelled farm machinery and equipment' means farm machinery or equipment which contains within itself the means for its own locomotion.”
  While passing the law, the General Assembly did not provide funds to the schools and counties to make up for the property tax money they will lose.
  A public hearing was held at the beginning to the agenda on an ordinance allowing the Saluda County Water and Sewer Authority to decrease its boundaries. This will allow the Saluda Commission of Public Works to provide water and sewer to the county Commercial Park on the Columbia Hwy. No one spoke at the public hearing.
  Council later passed second reading on the ordinance by a 3-1 vote. Moore, Councilmen Carey Bedenbaugh and Frank Daniel voted in favor. Councilman Jack Atkinson voted against. Councilman Justin Anderson was absent from the meeting.
  Council approved a $6,274 match to a FFA Planning and Design Grant. The grant will go toward planing an upgrade of the lighting system at the Saluda County Airport. The current lighting system is 40-years old, Assistant Emergency Management Director Jill Warren said.
  Warren also presented a match request for a Hazard Mitigations grant. This grant comes from funds from Hurricane Ian relief, and would go toward funding a $200,000 emergency disaster trailer used as a teaching tool for surviving fires, earthquakes and other disasters. It would  be used a schools, festivals and other events. This was approved. If the county gets the grant, the match would be $50,000.
  Council also approved an updated grant policy and updated pipe/driveway policy.
  At the beginning of the meeting, Moore announced the county now has an animal control officer and a truck. No animals will be picked up until a shelter is available, however.

SC FFA Members And Ag Educators Donate
Plants To Landscape State House Grounds

  COLUMBIA, SC…On April 26th, FFA members and Agricultural Educators from across the state contributed hundreds of flats of spring bedding plants to landscape the grounds of the state house and governor’s mansion.
  The plants were grown by students enrolled in agricultural education courses in secondary schools and technology centers across the state.
  The Presentation of Flowers is an annual project of the SC FFA Association and the SC Association of Agricultural Educators.   Chris Smith, Horticulturalist with the Division of General Services, Laurie Funderburk, Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency, and Representative Bill Hixon, Chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee accepted the plants on behalf of the state.
  Fourteen students from the Saluda High FFA Chapter were in attendance.

Good Rainfall Continues

  Good rainfall continued in Saluda in April
  During the month 5.03 inches of rain fell, bringing the yearly today to 20.85. This compares to 16.79 during the same time in 2022.
  April had typical spring high temperatures.
  The temperatures ranged from a high of 46 on April 9 to 87 on four days. The lowest morning temperature, 33, was recorded on April 11.
  This information was reported by NWS observer James D. Gayle at the Saluda CPW.