Alfred named Long Cane District Ranger
The USDA Forest Service is pleased to announce the selection of Roderick Alfred as the new Long Cane District Ranger on the Sumter National Forest in Edgefield.
“Roderick is no stranger to South Carolina and its forests,” said JaSal Morris, forest supervisor. “He has spent the past two decades as a professional forester and program manager on forests across the Southern, Mid-Western and Western United States. We look forward to having him continue his leadership on the Sumter National Forest.”
Alfred will oversee the 120,000-acre Long Cane Ranger District in the Piedmont counties of Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick and Saluda. The district office is in Edgefield.
Alfred most recently served as the supervisory natural resource specialist with the Forest Service on the nearby Savannah River Site, where he managed both timber and wildlife programs on more than 170,000 acres of forest land.
Alfred is an Alabama native. He earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry and a master’s degree in plant science, both from Alabama A&M University. He began his professional career as a forester with the state of Alabama in 2000. He then served for more than five years on the tree seedling production team with Weyerhaeuser Company at its nursery in Aiken.
Alfred joined the Forest Service in 2006 as a forester trainee and later a pre-sale forester on the Mark Twain National Forest in southern Missouri. He then worked as a timber management assistant for four years on the Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. Alfred has served in several acting line officer roles on the following national forests: Medicine Bow–Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland in Colorado, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada, Inyo National Forest in California, Carson National Forest in New Mexico, Talladega National Forest in Alabama, National Forests in Mississippi, and the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.
Having lived and worked in the Aiken area for nearly a decade, Alfred is familiar with the Long Cane Ranger District. “We have so many recreational opportunities on the Long Cane with close proximity to both Augusta and Columbia,” he said. “Ours FATS biking trail system is world-class, and our rifle ranges are high quality. We have hiking, fishing, hunting, camping and picnic areas, but in many ways, we are considered a hidden gem.”
Kimberly-Clark awards scholarships
Kimberly-Clark recently announced the recipients of its 2022 Bright Futures Scholarships. In Beech Island, where Kimberly-Clark has a tissue and diaper manufacturing facility, college scholarships were awarded to: Emily Augenstein, a senior at Greenbrier High School and the daughter of Richard and Lynette Augenstein, who plans to attend Augusta University; Lindsey Malyszek, a senior at Aiken High School and the daughter of Brian and Kelly Malyszek, who plans to attend Presbyterian College; Abigail Sukowatey, a senior at Greenbrier High School and the daughter of Steve and Tram Sukowatey, who plans to attend the University of Georgia; Noah Theobald, a senior at Aquinas High School and the son of Barbara and John Theobald, who plans to attend Clemson University; Emma Troup, a senior at Midland Valley High School and the daughter of David and Sabrina Troup, who plans to attend the USC Beaufort; and Haley Winburn, a senior at North Augusta High School and the daughter of Kenneth and Danielle Winburn, who plans to attend the USC Columbia.
Geddes named Grand Marshal of parade
The parade Grand Marshal for the 2022 Peach Blossom Festival Parade is Ellen Geddes. Geddes represented the U.S. in the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021 where she finished 10th overall in the individual foil and 11th in the individual epee.
In addition to fencing, Geddes breeds horses through Magnolia Sport Horses in Aiken, and has 17 additional Magnolia Sport Horses broodmares and young stock at Maplewood Farm in Johnston.
Dean wins Herlong scholarship
Taylor Dean is the winner of the 2022 Robert H. Herlong Scholarship.
Dean is the student body president at Strom Thurmond High School where she is also a competitive swimmer. Dean also has raised money for the Ronald McDonald House, volunteers with Special Olympics and Project Unify and was one of two delegates for Palmetto Girls State.
She plans to attend Lander University.
