NEWS BRIEFS: City Paper’s Ariail is finalist in national cartooning contest

One of Ariail’s cartoons.

Staff reports  |  Charleston City Paper cartoonist Robert Ariail is the only weekly newspaper cartoonist to be a finalist in a national contest for excellence in local cartooning. [See more of Ariail’s cartoons.]

On Friday, the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists named Newsday‘s Matt Davies as the 2021 recipient of the “Rex Babin Memorial Award for Excellence in Local Cartooning.” Ariail, along with David Horsey of The Seattle Times and Matt Murphy of the (Louisville, Kentucky) Courier-Journal were named finalists.  

“Robert Ariail tackles his Charleston, South Carolina territory with a new comic strip titled ‘Lowcountry,’” the judges commented. “The narrative is driven by local critters — raccoons, turtles and seagulls — who address political, social and environmental issues that affect the whole state. It’s important work staged in a local, charming style.”

Ariail, who lives in Camden, was the editorial cartoonist for The State newspaper from 1984 until 2009, and was twice named a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1995 and 2000.  His editorial cartoons now are syndicated.

“What an honor for Robert to be recognized nationally by his peers,” said City Paper publisher Andy Brack.  “The City Paper is proud to showcase his talented work to people across the Lowcountry, state and nation.”

The City Paper is the only newspaper in South Carolina with two original editorial cartoonists.  Longtime cartoonist Steve Stegelin, also a member of the AAEC, has won multiple state and national awards and served as a panelist on a Saturday discussion about how cartoonists stayed sane during the pandemic.

In other recent news:

Graham spoofed on SNL.  James Austin Johnson, a new cast member of Saturday Night Live, portrayed South Carolina’s U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in the opening sketch of a new season of the comedy show.  According to the Charleston City Paper, “Johnson’s rendition seizes on Graham’s arcane-but-quaint wonkishness and trailing-off delivery commonly seen on TV, with a little introspective paranoia thrown in.”

Mace says campaign has raised nearly $2.5M. Freshman U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from Daniel Island, announced she has raised more than any other House candidate in the state in 2022 as she seeks to maintain the GOP’s hold on the 1st District. The district flipped in 2018 to Democratic hands, but Mace won it back for her party in 2020. More: AP News.

Newsome honored by maritime group.  Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the S.C. Ports Authority, last week was among five maritime leaders who were inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame during a New York City ceremony. “They have won the respect of the international shipping community based on their successes and professionalism and are much deserving of this distinguished honor,” said Edward Kelly, executive director of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Federal appeals court keeps S.C. mask mandate ban on hold. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied state Attorney General Alan Wilson’s request that South Carolina’s law prohibiting school mask mandates be allowed to take effect while a lawsuit over the COVID-19 pandemic measure goes forward. More: Associated Press, The State, The Post and Courier.

Murdaugh’s former law firm sues over funds.  A lawsuit filed Wednesday claims Alex Murdaugh funneled stolen money from clients and the Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick law firm into a fake bank account for years. Murdaugh’s attorney did not offer comment at this time but said his client has “pledged his full cooperation to get these issues resolved.”  More: The State/The Hilton Head Island Packet, Hampton County Guardian/The Greenville News, The Post and Courier.

MUSC Health gets land to build Sea Islands emergency facility. Kiawah Partners has donated six acres of land near Bohicket Marina, upon which MUSC Health will construct a 22,740-square-foot emergency care facility. More: Charleston Business Journal.

Charleston falls to No. 2 in travel magazine small-city ranking. Plagued by rising sea levels and a high cost of living, Charleston was replaced by Aspen, Colorado, in Conde Nast Traveler’s latest Reader’s Choice Awards, released Tuesday. More: Charleston City Paper, The State.

Charleston’s historic Ansonborough Inn sold. After more than two decades of continuous ownership, the Ansonborough Inn in downtown Charleston has been sold for $18.5 million. More: The Post and Courier.

• Want more headlines every business day that are like this?  Visit our friends at SC Clips.