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CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Following the Charleston County School District’s decision to hire a new superintendent last week, questions surround the legitimacy of her contract.

Anita Huggins signed the contract after the district’s Board of Trustees Chair Keith Grybowski made the final signature on the contract.

Other board members, including Dr. Carol Tempel, said they were not notified of Grybowski signing off on the contract. The agenda for Feb. 5 special-called meeting also did not state the conversation of any contractual matter, just changes to the superintendent’s power over the district’s organizational chart.

Attorney William Hamilton says the way Huggins’ contract was approved is the third violation of the States Freedom of Information Act by the board.

“You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand this law, but you do need to understand what violating a law like this means. It means that somebody has picked the most important thing the school board does to clearly and willfully violate a crystal-clear state law,” Hamilton says.

South Carolina Code of Laws Section 59-19-80 addresses requirements for teacher and other employee employment. It states in part “no such action or the memoranda of terms of any such contract of employment or purchase shall be duly recorded in the minutes of such meeting and approved by the board.”

Charleston County School District’s Attorney, Wilbur Johnson, says that specific law does not necessarily include a superintendent contract.

“There is no language at all in 59-19-80 that refers to a superintendent contract,” Johnson says. “It is not entirely clear that the statute governs the contract with a superintendent for a school district. "

As for the chairman’s roles specifically, the district’s policy BD says in part “The chairman shall call all special meetings of the board and when required, sign all legal documents on behalf of the board, keep all members informed.”

The policy also states, “The chairman shall not exercise any authority as an individual to supervise or direct the superintendent or serve as a barrier between the superintendent and the board.”

“The superintendent does not have a valid contract under SC law right now,” Hamilton says. “This contract is null and void, because it has not been approved by the school board in a vote at a meeting.”

Johnson attributed the original motion made by the board in January that approved District Counsel to negotiate a 3-year employment contract with Huggins. The motion did not say the contract had to be shown to the board once created.

“I do not believe from a legal standpoint there was a violation of law or policy involved in how the contract for the current superintendent was handled,” Johnson says. “Clearly there could have been a motion that was more explicit in how it was handled, but based on the motion I conclude there was no violation of law.”

Hamilton is asking the Attorney General’s Office to become involved and hold the board accountable for the violations.

“The law has been violated here,” Hamilton says. “The public has not been heard from. They’ve been deprived of the opportunity to look at the documents that are involved.”

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State utility regulators have approved a discount electricity deal for the secretive owner of a $510 million data center proposed near the Pine Hill Business Campus west of Summerville.

The S.C. Public Service Commission issued its decision Feb. 8 allowing Dominion Energy South Carolina to supply power to the mystery company, which has not been identified except by a series of aliases. They include Autumn Timber LLC, Project Dawson and Mallard LLC.

Dominion will provide a special “economic development rider” rate that amounts to 6 cents for every kilowatt hour of power, or less than half the 14 cents that residential customers pay, according to a heavily redacted public version of the service contract.

The commission approved the deal with Mallard LLC after the S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff, which looks out for the public’s interest in utility matters, said it had no objection.

A directive by the commission will require the Dorchester County data center’s operator to file an annual report to ensure the power deal is self-sufficient and not being subsidized by Dominion’s other customers.

“According to Mallard, it will invest a significant amount of capital in its data center, which will result in the creation of many new jobs in South Carolina,” the Richmond, Va.-based utility said in a letter to state regulators.

Mallard is believed to be affiliated with a major technology infrastructure investor, possibly Google, but Dorchester County officials have declined to comment on the data center’s ownership.

The contract with Dominion provides some potential clues. The billing address matches the Delaware address that Google has used for data centers it has built in other parts of the country and the person identified as Mallard’s manager has the same name as Google’s director of corporate strategy.

Dorchester County Council took steps last week to resolve a zoning issue that was holding up the project. It removed 231 acres adjacent to the Pine Hill Business Campus from a development agreement hammered out more than a decade ago by a previous landowner and rezoned the property for industrial use.

Time to dust off the golden shovels.

One of the most-touted and priciest economic development deals for South Carolina will mark a ceremonious milestone this week when officials break ground on the $2 billion Scout Motors electric truck plant in Blythewood. The dirt-turning ritual is set for Thursday, according to Gov. Henry McMaster’s schedule.

Technically, work got underway at the 1,100-acre property last year, when crews began clearing trees and preparing the land to accommodate roads, utilities and buildings. Scout halted activity at the site from September until last month to resolve permitting issues.

It was nearly a year ago that the Volkswagen-owned brand announced plans to build the Richland County factory that will employ 4,000 workers and produce 200,000 battery-powered sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks annually by the end of 2026.

The state offered a record-setting incentive package valued at $1.3 billion to reel in the EV maker, including new roads, a rail line and tax breaks.

Scout recently released a promotional teaser video, “Revealing Summer 2024” confirming roughly when it plans to unveil its first vehicle, which will be priced in the $40,000 range.

The company also has opened an outpost in downtown Columbia where its South Carolina-based staff works. Late last month, Scout held a supplier summit for companies interested in providing parts, materials and services to the factory about 20 miles northeast of the state capital.

Made in SC

March is just around the corner, and that can only mean one thing — it’s Manufacturing Madness once again, baby!

The annual promotion to find the coolest product made in South Carolina is in its third year. And the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance announced Feb. 12 that it’s seeking nominations. The winner will be announced at the Statehouse on March 28.

Any product manufactured in the Palmetto State can be nominated through Feb. 22 at scmanufacturingmadness.com. The list of the contenders will be whittled down by popular vote to the top 16, which will then compete head-to-head in a bracket-style event similar to the NCAA’s “March Madness” hoops tournament that will be taking place at the same time.

“Manufacturing Madness is a celebration of our innovative and diverse manufacturing industry, as well as the thousands of skilled men and women who produce world-class products every day in the Palmetto State,” Sara Hazzard, the SCMA’s president and CEO, said in a written statement.

Since its inception, more than 321,000 votes have been cast and more than 250 different products have competed for the “Coolest Thing Made in South Carolina” title. The F-16 Fighting Falcon jet that Lockheed Martin builds in Greenville soared to victory last year. Steel made by Nucor Corp.’s Berkeley County mill won the inaugural contest in 2022.

The SCMA is a trade group that advocates for the interests of more than 200 manufacturers statewide employing more than 100,000 workers. This year’s tournament is sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina.

Bank note

A subsidiary of the former Charleston-based CresCom Bank franchise has closed many a home loan over the past 31 years.

Now it, too, is closing as rising borrowing costs hurt demand for its services.

Crescent Mortgage Co. will shut its 65-worker location near Atlanta and cease operations by the end of the quarter, according to a federal layoff notice filed with employment officials in Georgia.

The move is part of an efficiency-driven merger plan by West Virginia-based United Bank to combine the multiple home loan businesses it operates under separate names.

“In an effort to better serve our communities and provide a best-in-class mortgage business, we are consolidating our mortgage subsidiaries into one unified mortgage business. This consolidation will allow us to continue to take care of our customers and promote homeownership throughout our footprint,” a spokesperson told HousingWire.com.

Crescent was formed in 1993 and was acquired a decade later by Charleston-based Carolina Financial Corp., which made it a standalone subsidiary that eventually did business in nearly every state.

The publicly traded parent company also owned what would become CresCom in 2012. The acquisitive retail lender grew to become the second-largest bank headquartered in the Palmetto State, with more than 70 offices and about $4 billion in assets.

United Bank, which also owns George Mason Mortgage in the Washington D.C., area, took ownership in May 2020 when it snapped up Carolina Financial for about $1.1 billion.

Crescent has suffered as elevated interest rates keep some homebuyers from jumping into the market. The company “saw its production drop continuously over the years after peaking at $186.2 million in origination volume … in 2021,” according to the HousingWire.com report. The total fell to about $98 million last year.

United told investors last month that it will continue to offer home-loan products through its existing retail branches and through the 10 George Mason Mortgage offices, which take on the bank’s name.

Staking a claim

A North Charleston-based chemical company has a new shareholder to add to its proxy statement.

Victory Capital Management informed market regulators last week that as of Dec. 31 it had acquired a stake in Ingevity Corp. exceeding 5 percent of the outstanding stock, which triggered a mandatory disclosure rule.

The Ohio firm, which manages about $167 billion in total assets, did not specify when it bought the roughly 1.85 million shares. The 5.12 percent stake was valued at around $86 million as of Feb. 12.

The purchase makes Victory the fourth-largest shareholder in the O’Hear Avenue company. The biggest is Wall Street behemoth BlackRock, which has increased its holdings by than a third to 16.6 percent over the past 12 months. Next up is index-fund giant Vanguard Group, which owned about 10 percent as of a year ago, and Wellington Management Group, with 5.93 percent as of last week.

It’s been a trying run for shareholders of “NGVT,” which started 2023 strong and peaked at nearly $91 a year ago. The stock began to slide in the spring and summer and was down to about $48 as the new year rolled around. The shares popped 3 percent to the upside Monday at $46.32.

The Big Board-listed chemical maker releases its fourth-quarter and year-end earnings Feb. 21.

The company was created as a division of the old Westvaco Corp. and was housed within the papermaker’s now-shuttered Cooper River mill. It became an independent, publicly traded company in 2015. Last year, Ingevity announced a cost-reduction plan that included 300 job cuts and the shutdown of a Gulf Coast plant later this year.

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A Charleston area luxury boat manufacturer will expand its Dorchester County headquarters with a $10 million investment.

The investment by Scout Boats will expand and renovate the company’s corporate headquarters and will facilitate the production of the new 67 LX series yacht, one of the largest outboard-powered sportfishing yachts to be built in the world, according to a news release from the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Scout Boats plans to enlarge its 36-acre campus by expanding and renovating its corporate headquarters located at 130 Spaniel Lane in Summerville, the release stated. Scout will also build a new 35,000-square-foot facility, which will allow the company to build component parts for its yacht division and support its new product line for the 67 LX series, a 67-foot model that debuted at this year’s Miami International Boat Show in February.

Related content: Summerville boat company plans new yacht, plant expansion

“We meet with the craftsmen and women in each of our four plants every month for award ceremonies, and I often remind them that we ship our boats all over the world to some very affluent customers who choose our brand because of the pride they put into each and every build,” Scout Boats CEO Steve Potts said in the release.

Scout Boats designs and manufactures world-class, luxury models ranging currently from 17 feet to 53 feet, according to the release. The company’s portfolio includes custom, state-of-the-art sportfishing center and dual consoles, and inshore and bay boat models.

“We have a long-standing partnership with Scout Boats and are proud to see its continued growth in Dorchester County,” said South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III in the release. This expansion underscores not only the strength of South Carolina’s growing boat manufacturing sector but speaks to the ability of our workforce to produce luxury products that are available worldwide.”

Renovations are expected to be complete by spring 2024, and operations are expected to be online by summer 2024.

“Since 1989 Steve Potts and Scout Boats have been important assets to Dorchester County,” Dorchester County Council Chairman S. Todd Friddle said in the release. “We are thrilled at Scout Boats’ newest commitment to our community, their employees and recreational boating. Dorchester County looks forward to supporting many more years of Scout Boats’ growing success.”

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Santa has a jam-packed schedule this holiday season. Are you wondering where to take the kids to see Santa? Below, you’ll find a breakdown of all the areas Santa will be across the Lowcountry.

Summerville

– Head to Top Dawg Tavern in Summerville on Dec. 20 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and grab some pictures with Santa. Kids are welcome to attend, and there will be live music from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., with specials running all night.

– Children of Summerville can take pictures and give Santa their wish list letters at the Old Time Summerville Christmas Celebration on Nov. 28 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Mount Pleasant

– Support local children’s charities and see Santa and Mrs. Clause by attending Winter Wonderland at The Belle Hall Shopping Center in Mount Pleasant. The event will be Dec. 1 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

– All kids can get a free chocolate pop and a photo shoot with Santa at Mt. Pleasant Towne Centre from Nov. 24 to Dec. 24. To see the photo shoot schedule and make reservations, go to https://mtpleasanttownecentre.com/events/photos-with-santa-claus/

– Ahead of the Folly Beach Christmas Parade, citizens can grab photos with Santa Pierview, Pavilion Ballroom, Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. There will be ornament-making craft tables and a hot and cold food buffet. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.tidesfollybeach.com/breakfast-with-santa/?utm_source=third_party_listings&utm_medium=calendar_listing&utm_campaign=santa-breakfast

Isle of Palms

– Eat at Rudolph’s pancake buffet and have breakfast with Santa on Dec. 2 in the Tides Ballroom at Wild Dunes Resort from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Call 877-230-9224 to book a reservation.

Cottageville

– Bee City Zoo’s Wonderland of Lights will feature Santa visits from Nov. 22 to Dec. 31. To purchase tickets and see Santa’s schedule, visit https://www.beecityzoo.com/

North Charleston

– Visit with Santa at the City of North Charleston Christmas Festival and Parade at Felix C. Davis Community Center, Dec. 2, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

– Santa’s Workshop will be set up at Northwoods Mall in North Charleston on Nov. 22. To reserve your visit or find visitor hours, click here: https://www.shopnorthwoodsmall.com/store/santas_workshop

Charleston

– Santa will be at the Citadel Mall Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Nov. 24 through Dec. 24. You can also make reservations and skip the line at citadelmall.net

– Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be at The Charleston Place on the 2nd-floor landing Dec. 2,9 and 16 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

– The Charleston Santa welcomes visitors at The Best Friend Train Museum every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Reservations are required; however, admission is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except on Dec. 16, 17, and 23, which will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

– Visit with Santa in the library at The Restoration Hotel on Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

– On Christmas Eve, Santa will be at the Crown Ballroom for a breakfast buffet filled with sweet and savory foods. If you want breakfast with Santa, call 843-990-5460 or make reservations online at https://www.opentable.com/r/hotel-bennett-special-events-charleston. Tickets are $82 per adult and $47 for children under 12.

LEXINGTON — Yannick Smith fell to his knees at midfield.

The 6-2, 200-pound senior receiver turned to look at the scoreboard one more time, hoping that the final score would be different this time.

It wasn’t. Summerville’s dream season had come to an end.

Landon Sharp threw for 181 yards and a touchdown and running back Tiyon Fanning rushed for two more scores to lead White Knoll past Summerville by 21-14 Friday night before a standing-room-only crowd in the Class AAAAA Lower State finals.

The Timberwolves (14-0) will take on Dutch Fork, a 31-30 winner over J.L. Mann, on Dec. 1 for the Class AAAAA state championship.

The Green Wave, who had been the state’s top-ranked team for most of the season, finished the season at 13-1.

The Green Wave offense had been almost unstoppable during the regular season and playoffs. Summerville was coming off a 63-point outing last week against Carolina Forrest.

White Knoll was more than equal to the task, limiting the Green Wave to a season-low 14 points and 281 yards of total offense.

“Our kids battled the whole game; we played about as badly as we could offensively during the first half,” said Summerville coach Ian Rafferty. “We had a chance in the end, but we didn’t make enough plays. That’s a really good team over there.

“That’s the best defense we played against this year. We were a couple of plays short tonight. It’s playoff football. It’s a great environment. This one game doesn’t define us. We had a great run this year.”

Smith, one of the state’s top wide receivers, had a couple of big plays, but the Timberwolves defense kept his impact to a minimum.

“They hit us with a few big plays, (Smith) is a great player, I think I aged a few years watching him run out there,” White Knoll coach Nick Pelham said. “We did a really good job of getting off blocks and making tackles We pride ourselves on tackling, we tackle four times a week normally and in a game like this is when it pays off.”

Chuck Reedy had heard the rumors.

There had been sightings of a ‘big kid’ walking the halls of Goose Creek High School, and coaches and players warned Reedy that he needed to reach out to the ‘big kid’ before the basketball team came and scooped him up.

“There were these rumors about a sophomore transfer that was coming to Goose Creek,” said Reedy, who coached the Gators from 2002-14. “A couple of coaches told me they’d seen him walking around and that I needed to go get him.”

The ‘big kid’ in question turned out to be Javon Kinlaw, who at the age of 15 was already 6-foot-5 and weighed in at almost 300 pounds.

“I can still remember the first time I saw him,” Reedy said. “He got out of his father’s truck, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh’ that’s what a real football player looks like.’”

The ‘big kid’ will be playing on the biggest stage this Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

Kinlaw, who is in his fourth season with San Francisco, is one of a handful of players in Super Bowl LVIII with connections to the state of South Carolina.

The Palmetto State connections include 49ers wide receivers Deebo Samuel (South Carolina) and Ray-Ray McCloud (Clemson) and defensive lineman Javon Hargrave (S.C. State); Kansas City wide receiver Justyn Ross (Clemson) and Chiefs assistant coach Rod Wilson, who went to Cross High School, and played for South Carolina.