Black Lives Matter Event

CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER WALKS - Charlie Sam Daniel, 90, A longtime Saluda County civil rights leaders, walked from the Saluda Park  to the Courthouse Sat morning, June 20, the Black Lives Matter event. Obie and Cory Combs walked with him. (Photo by Dibbie Shealy)

SIGNS OF THE TIMES - Participants in Saturday’s Black Lives Matter event in Sauda held signs on the Courthouse steps. (Photo by Dibbie Shealy)

SCDOT Releases Paving Projects

The S.C. Department of Transportation has released the statewide paving projects for 2020-21. Saluda County’s projects are listed above.

2020 Primaries

Incumbent Councilmen Lose

  Two incumbent County Councilmen lost in the Republican Primary on Tues., June 9.
  District 2 Councilman Wayne Grice fell to former Elections & Registration Chairman Jack Atkinson.
  District 4 Councilman Jones Butler lost to Carey Bedenbaugh in a three-man race. Gary Therrell finished third.
  Sheriff John Perry won his contest with former Chief Deputy Chris Cockrell.
  Following are the results in the local races:

  COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 (R): Jack At-kinson 185; Wayne Grice 162.
  COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4 (R): Carey Bedenbaugh 415; Jones Butler 174; Gary Therrell 157.
  SHERIFF (D): John Perry 735; Chris Cockrell 394. Perry will meeting Republican Josh Price in November.
  STATE SENATE DISTRICT 10 (R); Bryan Hope 516; Billy Garrett 469. Garrett won the nomination district-wide.
  STATE SENATE 25 (R): Shane Massey 919; Susan Swanson 147.
  STATE SENATE 26 (R): Chris Smith 41; Perry Finch 33.
  In the Third District Congressional Democratic  race, Mark D. Welch defeated Hosea Cleveland 582-489.  Republican Jeff Duncan is the incumbent.
  Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham had no problem beating his two challengers, drawing 1786 of the 2161 votes cast.

School Budget Reading Delayed

  Changes at the state level caused County Council’s reading of the School District One budget scheduled for June 8 to be delayed.
  In the first two readings, the District asked for the same figures as last year. Most of that was due to the legislature not taking action due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 At the June 8 meeting, District One Supt. Dr. Harvey Livingston said new information received from the SC Revenue and Fiscal Affairs office has cause the District to considering requesting the full increase for CPI and county growth in the 2020-21 county appropriation amounts. Based on the District calculation, a change of $133,298 will be considered for the Ad Valorem Taxes. Livingston said the Board had not met to vote on the request.
  Vice-chairman Frank Daniel said with the change, the final reading will be postponed until June 22.
 Council gave second reading to an ordinance that would transfer $225,000 from the county reserve fund balance to general operating fund to balance the 2020-2021 budget. Daniel said the transfer may not be needed.
  Council voted to approve a memorandum of understanding between the Marine Forces Special Operations Command and the county. This will allow the Marines to conduct training exercises in the county.
  Bill Keisling was appointed the Midlands Fire Department’s representative on the Fire Board, and Melissa Rodgers was appointed the alternate.

County COVID-19 Now At 164

Saluda County’s COVID-19 case total has grown to 164.
  The report says the county had 1007 estimated cases, and 1171 possible cases. One hundred forty-nine of the county’s cases are in the 29138 zip code.
  Counties neighboring Saluda had the following case totals: Edgefield - 60; Aiken - 232; Greenwood - 304; Lexington - 1155; Newberry -99.
  The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) today announced 799 new cases of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and 1 additional death.
 This brings the total number of people confirmed to have COVID-19 in South Carolina to 18,795 and those who have died to 600.
  How South Carolinians Can Stop the Spread
Evidence is increasing about the high rates of infection in people who do not have symptoms and don’t know they are infectious. This places everyone at risk of getting the virus or unknowingly transmitting it to someone else. Steps we can take to protect ourselves and others include:
    Practicing social distancing
    Wearing a mask in public
    Avoiding group gatherings
    Regularly washing your hands
    Staying home if sick
  For the latest information related to COVID-19 visit scdhec.gov/COVID19. Visit scdmh.net for stress, anxiety and mental health resources from the S.C. Department of Mental Health.
 
 

Food Lion Buys BI-LO

Food Lion Purchases Saluda BI-LO

  SALISBURY, N.C., June 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Food Lion announced lasr week it has entered into a transaction to purchase 62 BI-LO/Harveys Supermarket stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia from Southeastern Grocers.
  Included in the purchase is the Saluda BI-LO store, that, ironically, began life in Saluda as a Food Lion gthat became Reid’s, then became BI-LO.
  The addition of these  stores will deepen the com pany’s ability to serve more customers with fresh and affordable products to nourish their families.
  “We are so excited to add these new locations to our more than 630 stores across Georgia and the Carolinas,” said Food Lion President Meg Ham. “We’ve been serving customers in these larger regions for almost 60 years. We’re thrilled to add these locations and serve even more towns and cities across these three states with fresh, quality products at affordable prices every day with the caring, friendly service customers expect from their local Food Lion.”
  Food Lion expects to hire more than 4,650 associates to serve customers at the 62 new stores.
  The stores will remain open as BI-LO and Harveys Supermarket until the transaction is complete, which is expected to take place over a staggered period from January to April 2021, pending regulatory approval and customary closing requirements. Food Lion plans to operate all the stores under the Food Lion banner.
  With more stores in more neighborhoods across its footprint, Food Lion is easy to get to, easy to get in and out of, and easy to shop. In addition to its longstanding heritage of low prices, Food Lion also makes shopping easy and affordable for customers through its MVP loyalty program, its award-winning Shop & Earn personalized monthly rewards program and with weekly promotions, hot sales, and everyday low prices. Food Lion also has a convenient mobile app that provides easy access to digital coupons, mobile shopping lists and much more.
  Food Lion also has a longstanding history of caring for its neighbors in need. As the first grocery retailer in the country to establish a partnership with Feeding America to develop a retail food rescue program more than 20 years ago, all stores in the Food Lion network are paired with a local feeding agency to receive donations through Food Lion’s retail food rescue program and support through its hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds. Through its network of 30 Feeding America® food bank partners across its 10-state footprint, Food Lion ensures food that is unable to be sold in its stores but is perfectly safe to eat, is donated to serve those in need.
  “Caring for families and communities is at the heart of our brand. We believe no one should have to choose between dinner and rent and gas and groceries,” Ham said. “That’s why Food Lion recently announced a goal of providing 1 billion more meals through our hunger-relief platform, Food Lion Feeds, to feed our neighbors in need. As part of that commitment to the most vulnerable in our communities, these new stores will also be paired with local food bank partners. Caring is who we are and what we do at Food Lion.”  
  Food Lion will be served by ADUSA Distribution, LLC, through the Mauldin, S.C., distribution center once the transaction is complete. The distribution center will support the newly acquired 62 stores and Food Lion’s network of stores. The handover is anticipated to be complete in the first half of 2021.
  About Food Lion: Food Lion, based in Salisbury, N.C., since 1957, has more than 1,000 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs 77,000 associates. By leveraging its longstanding heritage of low prices and convenient locations, Food Lion is working to own the easiest full shop grocery experience in the Southeast, anchored by a strong commitment to affordability, freshness and the communities it serves. Through Food Lion Feeds, the company has donated more than 500 million meals to individuals and families since 2014, and has committed to donate 1 billion more meals by 2025. Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize. For more information, visit www.foodlion.com.

THE BONHAM TROPHY

Museum Now Open

  The Saluda County Historical Society and Museum is now open again, after following the guidelines set forth by S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster for the coronavirus, COVID-19.
 Hours for the museum are Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sat., 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
 On display for a short time is South Carolina’s 350th celebration of the European Settlement Travelling Exhibit in the Theater and supporting exhibit in the museum.
  Also, on permanent load is a 1/3 scale replica of the Bonham Trophy, given to the museum by Richard Peterson.
THE BONHAM TROPHY Sculpted by Jeff Gottfried
  The Bonham Trophy represents the bond forged by a son of South Carolina who gave his life for Texas. The Trophy, awarded each year to the winner of the Southeastern Conference Football Game between Texas A&M and the University of South Carolina, will be an etemal reminder of this bond.
James Butler Bonham
  A University of South Carolina-educated lawyer was born F ebruaiy 20, 1807 in the Edgetield District that is now Saluda County, SC. On March 3, 1836, during the siege of the Alamo, Bonham, a childhood friend of Col. Travis, braved intense fire from enemy troops to retum to the Alamo and deliver the message that reinforcements would not make it in time. Despite urging from General Houston to remain, the Alamo fell and Bonham fell at his post along with the rest of the defenders in the name of Liberty and Freedom.
 Dedicated August 28, 2014
  This trophy was initiated in 2014 by Govrnors Rick Perry of Texas and Nikki Haley of South Carolina as a symbol of the friendly competition between the two states exemplifying both the success it brings to each state and the productivity it adds to the benefit of the entire country.