Murder Charges

Two Men Arrested In
Connection With Murder

  Two men, Aaron Hood and Shawn Pridgen, have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a Saluda man.
  The victim was pronounced dead on scene by Saluda County Coroner Keith Turner. The victim has been identified as Xavier Cancer of Saluda County.
  Aaron Hood has been arrested and charged for the crimes of murder and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature following a shooting incident that occurred on March 16, 2021 on Keisha Avenue in the Town of Saluda.
  Hood was seen by witnesses carrying a handgun and walking toward the victim just before shots were heard.
  Sheriff Josh Price said, “through the investigation, it has been determined that Hood along with a co-defendant, Shawn Pridgen, went to Keisha Avenue with the purpose of finding and assaulting the victims.”
  After the shooting, Hood and Pridgen fled the scene on foot. Hood was arrested soon after the shooting. Deputies located Pridgen and took him into custody on the evening of March 16, 2021. Shawn Pridgen has been charged with Accessory to Murder.
  Saluda County Sheriff Price and Saluda Police Chief Kes Holmes would like to thank the Ridge Spring Police Department, Saluda County Coroner’s Office, South Carolina Highway Patrol, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, SLED Crime Scene Unit, and off duty State Transport Police Sgt. Wayne Bryan for their assistance in this investigation.
  Sheriff Price asks that you continue to pray for the victim and victim’s family. If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Saluda County Sheriff’s Office or Saluda Police Department.

Sheriff’s Office Makes Drug Arrests

  The Saluda County Sheriff’s Office made several narcotics related arrests last week.
  Earlier last week, the Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotics search warrant at a residence on Spann Road. Kimberly Hall was arrested for multiple methamphetamine charges to include distribution and possession of methamphetamine.
  Other marcotics arrests this week include:
  Joseph Goodman – possession of methamphetamine
  Leo Abney – possession of cocaine
  Cameron Atkins – possession of methamphetamine, possession of a Schedule lV controlled substance
  Lindsey Davis – possession of methamphetamine
  Bailey Gibson – possession of methamphetamine
  The Sheriff’s Office is committed to decreasing the sale and use of dangerous drugs in Saluda County. The selling and use of such drugs are the leading factors to all other crimes. The Sheriff and the Deputies will continue to combat this problem to ensure Saluda County is a safe place to live and to raise your family.

Receives Wofford Honor

Hector Ortiz , a triple major from Saluda, studying biology, philosophy and Spanish, has been named  Wofford College’s 38th Presidential International Scholar. He will spend the 2021-2022 academic year studying the relationship between public health and culture in Argentina and South Africa. (Wofford photo)

Honors Continue for Champs

My apologies. I had a busy week. On the day I normally post the webpage, I had a eye appointment, followed an hour later by getting the chance to see my mother in person at Saluda Nursing Center for the first time in a year. It didn’t cross my mind that I had not posted the webpage until Sunday night. I guess a day or two posted is better than nothing. Thanks, Ralph

Honors Continue For
2A State Champions

  After winning the 2A girls basketball State Championship, Saluda High’s Lady Tigers are continuing to receive  honors.
  The 2A Player of the Year Kalisha Hill has been selected to play in the North-South All-Star game and head coach Jeanette Ergle will  be the head coach of the North team.
  The games will be played March 27 at Brookland-Cayce High School with girls at 1 p.m. and boys at 4 p.m. Fans will be allowed to attend the game as of now with each player getting six tickets.
  For the second year in a row, Hill was selected the Index-Journal’s Lakelands Girls Player of the Year. She joined the 1,000-point club last season as a junior and averaged a double-double for the third straight year this season.
  Three SHS senior girls’ basketball players, Hill, Tiara Daniels, and Auvia Holland, were selected to play in the Aiken County All-Star Basketball Classic.  
The East team consisted of seniors from Saluda, Silver Bluff, Barnwell, Wagener-Salley and Ridge Spring. The West team consisted of seniors from Aiken, North Augusta, and South Aiken.
  The East won 63-43, and Hill was named the game’s MVP, scoring 19 points and grabbing 20 rebounds.

District Employees Get Vaccines

Thurs., Mar. 11, was a tremendous day in Saluda County Schools! All district students took advantage of an e-learning day at home, while every district employee and many Saluda County residents had the chance to get their first dose of the Covid19 vaccine! Many thanks to district leadership and Self Regional Healthcare for this life-changing opportunity! OneSaluda spirit was shining bright! (District photo)

2021 State Champions

CELEBRATION - The Saluda High girls basketball team celebrates the school’s first ever girls state championship Wed., Mar. 3, at the USC-Aiken Convocation Center. (Standard-Sentinel photo)

TROPHY - Taking part in the trophy presentation were,  L to R, girls baskeball coach and AD Jeanette Wilder, Principal Robert Etheredge, and District Superintendent Dr. Harvey Livingston. (Standard-Sentinel photo)

State Champs!

  Coach Jeanette Ergle Wilder’s Saluda Lady Tigers won the school’s first girls’ State Championship with a convincing 61-41 win over Silver Bluff Wed., Mar. 3, at the USC-Aiken Convocation Center.
  While the outcome was lopsided, the Silver Bluff Lady Bulldogs has some runs during the game that made the game close at times.
  Saluda jumped off to a 14-0 lead and led at the end of the first quarter, 17-6.
  The Lady Bulldogs started hitting some threes, and a strong defense help Silver Bluff make the game more competitive in the second quarter. Saluda only led by six at halftime, 30-24.
  Silver Bluff scored the first four points of the second half to cut Saluda’s lead to 30-28, but then the Lady Tigers’ Kalisha Hill showed why she was named the State 2A Player of the Year.
  Hill took over and Saluda outscored Silver Bluff 15-5 the rest of the way in the third. Hill continued her stellar play in the fourth, leading unbeaten Saluda to the 61-41 win.
  Hill finished the night with 34 points, 20 rebounds and three blocked shots. Maya Carroll  also scored in double figures with ten. Other scorers were: Daniels 9, Nick 4, Holland 2, Drafts 2.
  Along with the first championship, the Lady Tigers are also the first Saluda High basketball team to finish unbeaten, 15-0. Neither of the two boys teams to win titles in 1977 and 1978 were unbeaten.
  For Coach Wilder it was a season of mixed emotions. Along with winning the championship at her Alma Mater, she also recorded her 300th career win. These highs helped Wilder endure the sadness of the death of her father, Richard Ergle, 65, in January. Richard rarely missed a game, and since his death,  a poster with a heart has marked his seat at the games.
  The game marked Saluda High girls basketball’s first appearance in the State Championship game since 1953. It was a win for all who had played before for the purple and white.