Saluda works out kinks in shared water system plan
A report by engineers indicated problems in the recently installed waterline connection between Columbus, Saluda and Tryon. Engineers said Columbus and Tryon are set up to send water to Saluda, but the Saluda connection would not be able to send the 400,000-gallon capacity of water to the other two towns without causing too-low water pressure for residents of the north side of Saluda.

Tryon ABC store six months behind on rent
Tryon officials announced the ABC store was behind six months on rent. The ABC board updated town council that it would try to get a loan to reopen the store, but discovered because the store is owned by the town, the store itself cannot obtain a loan.

Polk sheriff’s office installs alert system
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office began utilizing Nixle, a community information service that allows the sheriff to alert the public with needed announcements.

Standing commission crowd debates legal trapping
The idea of being able to legally trap furbearers in Polk County drew a standing room only crowd to the Feb. 4 commissioner’s meeting. Some said the practice was inhumane, while others said it’s the logical solution for nuisance animals.

DSS and PF3 work to bring 2-1-1 system to Polk County
While the Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked to bring Nixle to community members in an effort to better inform them, the Polk County Department of Social Services (DSS) and June Beddingfield of Polk Fit, Fresh and Friendly (PF3) also worked to bring 2-1-1 to the area. The 2-1-1 system is an easy-to-remember telephone number that connects people with information about the health and human services available in their area.

Polk schools plans to spend $500k in major repairs
Polk County Schools voted to make repairs this summer, including replacing the track and tennis courts at the high school, estimated to cost a total of $325,000.

PETA sends letter to Polk about trapping law
A bill currently in the hands of N.C. legislators to allow steel trapping in Polk County received national attention from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).PETA sent a letter to the Polk County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 4 saying it had been inundated with calls and emails from area residents concerned about House Bill 33.

Chocolate Drop discussion stirs debate
A developer and residents debated during the county commissioner meeting Feb. 4 about what caused the Chocolate Drop development to fail. Chocolate Drop has been a heated topic of discussion since 2007 when the mountain was cleared for a subdivision and erosion problems occurred. Some say Chocolate Drop is the reason local leaders enacted new ordinances for the county’s mountains.

Tryon fires second manager in just over a year
Tryon Town Manager Caitlin Martin was terminated Feb. 8 after working with the town for five months. Council met in a special closed session and made the decision to terminate Martin. Mayor Pro-tem Roy Miller said only that the town decided to go in a different direction.

St. Luke’s Commons & Plaza getting continued facelift
A crew and a crane hoisted trusses atop the St. Luke’s Commons building under renovation in downtown Tryon in February to give the historic building a facelift. Crys Armbrust said he submitted a grant proposal in early February to the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Main Street Solutions Fund (MSSF). Proposal specs requested $50,000; the maximum Tryon can receive under this grant cycle. Last year the town was awarded a $150,000 MSSF grant for the Depot plaza project.