GOOD NEWS: 33 schools take part in Giant Greeting Card Competition

Staff reports  | First Baptist School in Charleston, Summerville Catholic School and Orange Grove Charter School in West Ashley won top awards in their divisions in the annual Giant Greeting Card Competition at the Holiday Festival of Lights.

Entries in the school art competition, which was held by Charleston County Parks,  are on display in Santa’s Village during the annual event, which runs nightly through Dec. 31 at James Island County Park.   

This year’s competition had 33 entries on display from Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester County student groups in elementary, middle and high school divisions. The winning top three schools in each division, and four honorable mention winners, received a trophy and cash award to use for their school arts program. Winners were:

High school division:  1st Place: First Baptist School; 2nd Place: Cathedral Academy; 3rd Place: Crown Leadership Academy

Middle school division:  1st Place: Summerville Catholic School; 2nd Place: Ridge Christian Academy; 3rd Place: Camp Road Middle School

Elementary school division:  1st Place: Orange Grove Charter; 2nd Place: Nativity School; 3rd Place: Live Oak Little School

Honorable mentions:  Harbor View Elementary; Charleston SDA School; Live Oak Preparatory School; Northside Christian Academy

• To learn more about the festival, now in its 30th year, click here.

Also in recent news:

ACLU hires new state director. The American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina, which is based in Charleston, has hired Frank Knaack as its next executive director. He will come on board in January. He most recently led the Montana Innocence Project and prior to that he led the Alabama Appleseed Center. He also has held positions at the National ACLU and at ACLU affiliates in Virginia and Texas. 

Lawmakers frustrated with state utility regulators.  House and Senate members on both sides of the aisle are finding common ground in expressing frustration with the state’s utility regulators. The S.C. Public Service Commission has drawn renewed scrutiny after a November staff directive that would create the cheapest solar rates in the nation, which solar industry advocates say would effectively ending new solar investment in the state. The directive isn’t final yet.  Some lawmakers see the proposal, which would slash utilities’ reimbursement for solar field generation and keeping contracts to 10 years, as an affront to the unanimously-passed Energy Freedom Act in May.  Read more in the latest issue of our sister publication, Statehouse Report.

On protecting residents from lung cancer.  New research from the American Lung Association says states like South Carolina need to do more to protect residents from lung cancer and aid in cancer-patient recovery. South Carolina ranks 36th in the nation for incidence of lung cancer, making its incidence of lung cancer above the national average. The state ranks 32nd for survival rates, mean those diagnosed with lung cancer in S.C. are less likely to survive than the national average. The nonprofit says state lawmakers need to support early lung screenings and protect health care access for those with pre-existing conditions. Read more. 

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