2A OPINION 4A OBITUARIES 7A SPORTS 2B PUZZLES 5B CLASSIFIEDS QUOTE ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.’ EDMUND BURKE News&Press Vol. 145, No. 52 TWO SECTIONS • 14 PAGES DECEMBER 25, 2019 ESTABLISHED 1874 75¢ Darlington, S.C. WWW.NEWSANDPRESS.NET ‘I would like more stuff, but I don’t want to stress you out’ By Bobby Bryant quotes from this year’s Letters you don’t have magic.” “Please, please, whatever Editor to Santa: you do, please do not wake up [email protected] “I like technology. … I Daddy.” “This is the busy time of the would like an iPad Pro and In today’s issue of the News year for you and I hope you clothes. If you can’t make the “A Special Request: Please & Press, you’ll find our annual are doing okay. You are the presents, I could get a teddy Letters to Santa special sec- awesome and best man.” bear or dairy.” (Editor’s note: help my MOM with MS!!!!!!!” tion. We’re unsure if the student We received about 165 let- “Are you tired of making meant he or she wanted a “I also want to leave some ters from Darlington-area ele- toys yet?” dairy to raise cows or a diary books under the tree for the mentary-school students to write in.) kids who are homeless.” telling the Jolly Old Elf what “Are your elves tiny, medi- they wanted for Christmas – um or big?” “I love Santa! I want my “For Christmas, I would and in many letters, express- family to get rich! I love ing concern for his health “Where do you get all of Christmas!” like for my mom to stop crying because he works so hard and that money from?” for my dad. I just want her to asking about his finances. “I am smart and funny. … I be happy.” Is he getting stressed out? “I would like more stuff, help people up if they fall and Does he have enough money but I don’t want to stress you I ask them if they are okay.” “I would also like to give to do a worldwide gift-drop? out.” you some of my old toys to the Are the reindeer holding up “I did really bad things in children who don’t have any- OK? There’s a tinge of worry “I know that you are very the past, but I have turned it in some students’ letters – busy but please get some rest.” around.” thing to play with.” either about Santa or about a family member. “The elves are tired, I “This year, I have been “All I want for Christmas is We collected memorable think. Santa, you are real, but good some of the time.” my family.” DCSD graduates primed to find success in the workplace Data from the state’s 2019 school district report cards PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LYLES indicate that most Darlington County School District (DCSD) graduates are prepared to find success in the workplace. County airport According to DCSD’s report card issued by the S.C. Department of Education, 75.7 reopens after percent of 2018-19 graduates met the state’s overall criteria to be deemed career-ready. The state average was 72.5 $4 million percent. DCSD Superintendent Tim Newman attributed the suc- cess to an intensive dis- in upgrades trictwide focus on career readi- ness. By Samantha Lyles for a federal grant to help “We certainly concentrate Staff Writer cover the estimated cost of $4 on our academics, but we also [email protected] million to $5 million. place great importance on Construction began in helping students in every way After being shuttered for September, and crews milled possible,” he said. “That three months during an includes work-based learning ambitious runway improve- down between 2 and 7 inches experiences and professional ment project, Darlington of asphalt and laid a thick certifications. We want our County Airport (DCA) held a pad of concrete along the students to be able to transi- ribbon cutting ceremony on 5,500-foot-long runway, pro- tion directly into the workforce Wednesday, Dec. 18, to mark viding a more durable sur- after high school if they so its official reopening. face. choose.” DCA manager Barry This upgrade tripled the In DCSD, 21.4 percent of Kennett told the News & runway's weight capacity, graduates completed Career Press that due to age and the and could lure larger, heavier and Technical Education with regular traffic of heavy air- aircraft in for a local landing certification. That figure is craft on hot asphalt, the 20- – which could mean new eco- Many Darlington County School District diploma earners completed a state-approved, work-based learning double the state average of year-old main runway devel- nomic development for the 10.9 percent. experience with businesses in the region. Austin Sturkie (right), a student at Hartsville High School and the oped ruts. Engineers recom- county. Darlington County Institute of Technology, is completing an internship at Gibson’s Wheel Alignment and mended an overlay to repair DCSD ON 3A Tire of Hartsville. PHOTO COURTESY DARLINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT the surface, and DCA applied AIRPORT ON 3A Darlington Raceway president Kerry Tharp (right) presents Allison Carraway with a $5,000 donation to help build a memorial park for fallen police officers. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LYLES Raceway donates $5,000 to fallen officers’ memorial By Samantha Lyles The Darlington public park tragedy over in Florence. Seven Staff Writer planned to memorialize Sgt. police officers were shot, two [email protected] Terrence Carraway and all of lost their lives in the line of his fellow law enforcement duty,” said Darlington Raceway officers killed in the line of president Kerry Tharp. “One of duty received another boost those was Darlington's own last week as Darlington Terrence Carraway.” Raceway donated $5,000 to the cause. RACEWAY ON 3A “On Oct. 3, 2018, this com- munity was rocked by a terrible Raceway See more of the Christmas lights in Darlington on B1. PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LYLES Word of the Week The Pee Dee’s Oldest Independently xenophobia - fear of anything strange or foreign Owned Newspaper Merriam-Webster.com DECEMBER 25, 2019 | PAGE 2A THE NEWS AND PRESS, DARLINGTON, S.C. opinWWW.NEWSANDPRESS.NETion O P - E D OP-ED The star still shines As newspapers struggle, local broadcast By Bill Shepard stations making money ‘hand over fist’ “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy!” – Matthew 2:10 JKV By Rick Edmonds cast sector has two more note- resources into journalism. gates to both parties’ nomi- The Poynter Institute More than 2,000 years later, the star that shone over worthy features. The answer is equivocal. Total nating conventions. Digital placements are journalists employed, accord- Bethlehem still shines, and people still rejoice with great joy! As legacy print outlets and Bloomberg, skipping the gaining market share each ing to the Bureau of Labor early primaries, is already Over the region where the star first appeared, dark war clouds many digital startups struggle election cycle, but the overall Statistics and the Radio and financially, another segment making big buys in California. overshadow the land, while here in America, voices are being increases in what’s spent Television News Directors of the news industry is doing ensure local broadcast rev- Association, have held steady And he is saturating available heard in protest to the word Christmas. just fine, thanks. enues keep growing nonethe- at 27,000 to 29,000 for rough- ad slots in news programming Thank God, the star still shines just as it did on that wintry Local broadcast, building less. ly a decade. That is not exact- in Virginia and my home state night centuries ago. on an already solid advertis- Local TV stands to get ly expansion but a distinct of Florida. ing and audience base, nearly half of a total $6 billion contrast to the sharply declin- The growth of digital vs. It shines in spite of the skeptics and warmongers; it shines in remains the most popular spend for the cycle, according ing news staff numbers at traditional media has been in spite of those who would snuff it out. medium for political advertis- to consultants BIA and newspapers and magazines. progress for some time. It shines to lighten the path that leads to peace on Earth and ing. 2018 outpaced the last Kantar. Beyond the raw numbers, presidential cycle in 2016, Digital share in 2019-2020 is goodwill to all mankind. Even in the comparatively every election cycle has its and 2019-20 figures to be weaker odd-numbered years, own dynamic. I spoke to two expected to be $1.6 billion. Yes, it shines, and as long as there is a sky above us, the star will much better still. local TV can tap into a reli- veteran forecasters — Steve The majority of that goes continue to shine. That’s the picture I gleaned able source of revenue Passwaiter of Kantar and to Google and Facebook. from recent financial reports Wise men shall see it and follow it and embrace it, and in the growth: the fees cable net- Mark Fratrik of BIA — and “Targeting is of as much inter- from the biggest companies works pay to carry their pro- gleaned these features of the est to Elizabeth Warren as it is end it will lead to peace on Earth! and several consulting firms grams. The trend in those fees 2020 presidential race: to Unilever,” Passwaiter said.