News

LOCAL BRIEFS: New nature area in Saluda, Honeycrisp pitcher drafted, Rotary grants

The Cart family said their vision for Henry’s Nature Center is for ‘everyone, especially children, to feel comfortable in the woods.’ [ROSE JENKINS LANE/Conserving Carolina]

By Lightning Reports, Published: July 20, 2026

Henry's Nature Center opens in Saluda

SALUDA — A new 20.7-acre nature center has opened in Saluda, offering a 1.2-mile trails, a pavilion and native plant gardens on the route of the future Saluda Grade Trail.

Free and open to the public, Henry’s Nature Center was funded in part by a gift from Rob and Roberta Cart in memory of their son, Henry Robinson Cart, who lived from 1989 to 2006.

“It is the Cart’s family’s dream and our vision to preserve this outdoor space where one can enjoy the solitude and healing power of being in nature, where children can learn about being a steward of this beautiful place, and where families and friends can gather for fellowship,” said Josh Huffstetler, the director of operations at Saluda Community Land Trust.

The trust acquired the property in 2015, through the a donation from the Polk County Community Foundation. The Cart family then provided the pavilion that is the centerpiece of the nature center. Additional support came from the Bradley Foundation and the descendants of R.H. Moody, who once homesteaded this land.

Earlier this year Conserving Carolina became a partner on the project and is collaborating with SCLT to manage the nature center. Conserving Carolina is spearheading the Saluda Grade Trail project on the North Carolina side; the new nature center is located directly along the historic rail line.

“Conserving Carolina is delighted to partner with our colleagues at Saluda Community Land Trust to welcome community members to Henry’s Nature Center for public recreation, outdoor education, and enjoyment of the natural world,” said Rebekah Robinson, assistant director of operations at Conserving Carolina. “We look forward to the center becoming one of the crown jewels along the future Saluda Grade Trail.”

Henry’s Nature Center is located at 9214 Spartanburg Highway. The trails, which are steep in parts, include the DeKay Way loop and Pine Passage, which connects to Irving Street, creating a link to downtown Saluda. Signage along the trails offers information about the natural community in the forest, from oak trees to owls.

The property includes a pavilion with a statue of Henry as a boy, playing with his dog and holding a pinecone. Colorful signage with a turtle and mushroom represent Henry’s love of nature. The Cart family has said that their vision for the nature center is for “everyone, especially children, to feel comfortable in the woods.”

Saluda Community Land Trust is a nonprofit that works to preserve Saluda’s rural character, with an emphasis on community—connecting people through their relationship with the land. SCLT has helped to protect over 2,000 acres and has now created eight preserves that are open to the public.

Hendersonville-based Conserving Carolina is a land trust that serves Henderson, Polk, Transylvania, and Rutherford counties, as well as the Landrum area in South Carolina.

Honeycrisp pitcher picked in MLB draft

Hendersonville Honeycrisps player Jacob Sammis was drafted 349th overall by the Los Angeles Angels recently during the 12th round of the 2026 Major League Baseball draft.

The right-handed pitcher and infielder was ranked 58th overall in the state of Georgia in 2026 and played in nine games during his tenure as a Honeycrisp. He was drafted as a pitcher.

In the spring of 2026, Sammis graduated from Glynn Academy in Brunswick, Georgia, and was committed to Western Carolina University (WCU) to play collegiate baseball as a Catamount. Since the draft, Sammis, 18, has signed with the Angels and decommitted from WCU.

Sammis throws a fastball that tops out in the mid-90s, making him a valuable addition to a bullpen and with the potential to move into a starting role as he grows his game in the minor leagues.

The Angels’ selection marks the second Honeycrisp player to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team. In the 2025 draft, North Henderson High School alumnus Brayden Corn was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 15th round.

The Hendersonville Honeycrisps club plays in the Old North State League, a wooden-bat league in Western North Carolina. Games are at East Henderson High School.

Applications open for Four Seasons Rotary's Impact Grants

Applications are now open for the Four Seasons Rotary Club’s Community Impact grants to local non-profits.

The club awards grants of up to $1,500 each that support projects in one of Rotary International’s seven areas of focus: Promoting Peace, Fighting Disease, Providing Clean Water/Sanitation/Hygiene, Saving Mothers and Children, Supporting Education, Growing Local Economies, and Protecting the Environment. Deadline to apply is Aug. 31. All funds must be used by June 30, 2027.  Any 501(c)3 nonprofit serving residents of Henderson County may apply. Email fourseasonsrotary@gmail.com for an application. For more information visit fourseasonsrotary.org.

The Four Seasons Rotary Club, which has 29 members, meets at 5:30 p.m. Mondays at Janitzio’s, 1053 Spartanburg Highway.