Nearly 30 volunteers show up to fix 'Grandma's porch,' page 3
Tryon Daily Bulletin
The World’s Smallest Daily Newspaper
Vol. 83 / No. 122
Tryon, N.C. 28782
Friday, July 23, 2010
Only 50 cents
BBQ festival will continue, chamber says The Blue Ridge Barbecue and Music Festival still lives. The Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce, which manages the event, announced Wednesday night that it will continue to hold the BBQ festival, whose future has been in doubt. The chamber canceled the 16-year-old event in early January, citing the financial risks and drain on the chamber’s volunteers and staff. But the community rallied to save it. The chamber board relented and offered to consider Scenes from this year's Blue Ridge BBQ and Festival, held June 11-12 at Harmon Field continuing one more year, if the Music in Tryon. (photos by John Clayton) financial risk could be reduced. By the end of January, the chamber had com- ficial tallies. munity pledges of up to $83,000 for a “rainy According to chamber presiday” fund, money which could be called on dent Andy Millard in an email only in case of a financial loss on the 2010 to chamber members, a group of festival event. supporters put together a proposal for The festival, which was held on June 11- continuing the event and presented their 12, drew an estimated crowd of 14,569 and turned a profit of $30,000, according to unof(Continued on page 6)
Here’s a list of upcoming meetings and events for area nonprofit community and governmental organizations:
Today
Saluda Senior Center Friday events: chair exercise, 10 a.m.; Game Day, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Meeting Place Senior Center Friday activities include Movie Matinee, 10 a.m. Bingo, 12:30 p.m. 828-894-0001. Tryon Little Theater/Tryon Youth Center box office for “Charlotte’s Web” (Continued on page 2)
St. Luke’s raise raises eyebrows by Leah Justice
A two percent raise given to St. Luke’s Hospital employees recently has become a political issue for the eight candidates seeking seats on the Polk County Board of Commissioners this fall. That’s because last June, the current county board gave the hospital $285,000 to back the hospital’s growth plans after hearing reports that without assistance the hospital could be in trouble. The county had received the $285,000 from the sale of the county-owned James Tool building in Columbus. Polk County began renting its 111 Locust
Street building to James Tool Machine & Engineering in 2005 as an incentive to bring in jobs. James Tool began its operations with 10 employees with plans to grow to 30 employees. In 2008, James Tool decided to purchase the building from the county for $285,000. At the time the county planned to use the money as seed money for other business incentives in the future. Although all five sitting commissioners and the five candidates now seeking seats unanimously expressed support for St. Luke’s as a vital part of the community, their opinions
Serving Polk County and Upper Spartanburg and Greenville Counties
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