Polk still owed more than $800k in 2012 taxes
Polk County property tax payers who have not yet paid have until Monday, March 11 to avoid being publicized by the county as the Polk County Board of Commissioners has charged the tax collector to collect back taxes by all means available. As of March 1, the county had $854,461 in back taxes owed for 2012.

Polk hears alternative to trapping furbearers
As House Bill 33/S80 moved up the N.C. Legislation ladder to repeal a law prohibiting steel trapping of furbearers, some Polk County residents continued to research other ways to rid the county of nuisance animals. The Polk County Board of Commissioners March 4 heard from Deborah Odonnell, who told commissioners about the Beaver Management Assistance Program (BMAP), which is run by the USDA Wildlife Services.

EMS director/fire marshal/EM director positions split
Polk County Commissioners agreed to split the current joint position of EMS director/fire marshal and emergency management director saying the duties of the combined positions have become too much for one person to handle.

Stott’s Paving to resurface PCHS track, tennis courts
Polk County school board members Monday, March 11 selected Stott’s Paving to complete the resurfacing of Polk County High School’s track and tennis courts, originally put into place when the school was built two decades ago.

Sunny View library to double in size
Polk County school board members voted March 11 to hire John Walters to create the design for an estimated $100,000 expansion to the Sunny View media center.

Landrum 2-year-old killed by furniture in home
A Landrum 2-year-old is dead and a 4-year-old is now in department of social services custody after a dresser fell on the two children Tuesday, March 12, killing the youngest.

Planning board recommends White Oak rezoning
White Oak Development received its first approval to become an equestrian destination in Green Creek. The Polk County Planning Board unanimously approved recommending rezoning part of the approximate 1,000-acre subdivision as a new district called Equestrian (E). The planning board met March 14 and heard from Tryon Equestrian Properties LLC representatives about their plans.

Sheriff’s office arrests Rocha for statutory rape
On March 16 Detective BJ Bayne with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested Carlos Eduardo Rocha for statutory rape of a 15-year-old. The victim’s parents had reported to investigators that Rocha had been having inappropriate contact with their daughter. Rocha, 31, of 2805 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Taylors, S.C., was charged with statutory rape in addition to first degree sexual exploitation of a minor, dissemination of pornographic material to minor, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to sheriff’s office reports.

Advertising on Morris the horse banned
Tryon Town Council March 19 approved, by a 3-2 vote, banning advertising on the newly rebuilt town mascot Morris the Horse. Council members directed staff to work on other means of advertising near the statue for local events.

Telemedicine takes county healthcare to new level
Patients walking into Saluda Medical Center soon will have access to health care that might otherwise cost hundreds of dollars and tanks of gas to experience. WNC Telemedicine Consultants Incorporated, a 501 (c)(3) organization that formed two years ago, installed mobile workstations at the center and at St. Luke’s Hospital that will virtually connect patients with doctors.