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ST. GEORGE — The elections have come and gone, but another competition had its results released on election night. The biennial Lt. Governor’s Campus Cup came to a close with a powerful showing by Brigham Young University to win it.

However, local universities competed and did well, finishing in fourth and fifth place. Southern Utah University was heavily behind up until the end of October when they jumped over Utah Tech University to third place. UT was in third most of the length of the contest.

At the end, though, Davis Technical College sped ahead of SUU and UT near the end to secure third place.

Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson and Campus Cup Co-Chair and Elections Specialist Mallory Underwood answered questions about the election-based college competition that occurs every even number year.

“I am very happy to see all of these students taking it seriously and get engaged,” Henderson said.

The competition involves all college campuses in which they compete in election and political type events to earn points as outlined in the contest rules. The one with the most points wins the Campus Cup for two years to be at their campus.

The student body government for each college and the Department of Political Science coordinate the individual campus efforts for the contest. Sometimes, the contest is coordinated through a political center such as SUU’s Michael O. Leavitt’s Center for Politics and Public Service.

“The biggest part of the contest is the voter registration,” Underwood said. “Each campus gets 50% of their points from the amount of voter registration collected.”

Underwood explained the purpose of the cup challenge was to get the younger adults excited about the importance of elections and that every vote, even theirs, counts.

Besides collecting voter registrations, the colleges earned points in three other events. The first of the events is to visit the local County Clerk’s office and tour, learn about the voting process, how votes are tabulated and more. This event gave them 20% of the total points.

The next event is called “Expedition Vote.”

“Expedition vote is basically a treasure or scavenger hunt based around questions and items about the election process, Utah history, Utah facts and random miscellaneous subjects,” Underwood said.

The Expedition Vote similarly awarded 20% of the contest points.

The last event awarded 10% of points. The campus partnership event gives out points for partnerships formed with departments, offices and specific places for having voter registration cards available for dispersal. They also get points for having the QR code visible for people to scan and register online.

“The events and competitions change every time, except for the voter registration,” Underwood said. “When Cox was Lt. Governor, the events were more service projects.”

Former Lt. Governor Greg Bell launched the competition in 2012, with Salt Lake Community College taking home the inaugural victory.

There were three major days for the competition: Sept. 20 for National Voter Registration Day, Oct. 28 was the last day to register to vote and Nov. 8th, Election Day.

The contest ended on Election Day when the polls closed.

Utah Tech has never won the Campus Cup, but SUU was able to display the trophy for 2018-2020 on campus as the champion. The last Campus Cup was won by Snow College in 2020.

Besides bragging rights and having the trophy on campus, the winning team receives other prizes, including a day at the Capitol as VIP guests, a breakfast with the Lt. Governor, being promoted on the news and several prizes donated by Utah businesses. The Utah business prizes include donations from The Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, Minki, Larry H. Miller Megaplex and more.

The final results of Campus Cup 2022:

Utah Tech University Director of the Institute of Politics, Vince Brown, commented about the student effort in the competition.

“Students at Utah Tech made significant efforts to register student voters this year and we are very proud of their efforts,” Brown said. “They canvassed across campus, set up booths and reached out digitally through social media. Unfortunately, one of the students spearheading the effort fell ill and Utah Tech did not do many of those side activities. Nevertheless, even though Utah Tech did not win the Cup, we believe it is always a win for democracy when more students are registered to vote and are engaged in the political process.”

Henderson expressed deep, strong feelings towards the right to vote and the importance of voter registration. In fact, she was the floor sponsor of H.B. 218: Modifications to Election Law which allows voters to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day. The same-day voter registration law was passed in 2018.

“We need to make sure government is not arbitrarily putting barriers in place, making it harder for people to vote. I am a firm believer in the ‘and,” Henderson said. “We can have great access for eligible voters to the ballot and safe and secure elections.”

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Students at Burton Elementary finished collecting nearly 1,000 boxes of cereal for the Family Crisis Center last week in a service project with a scientific twist. Prior to donating the boxes to the local food bank, students learned about Newton’s laws of motion through a giant domino course composed of each of the cereal boxes that was assembled in the school’s gymnasium.

“For the last month we’ve been collecting cereal boxes,” said Torri Black, a second grade teacher at Burton Elementary. “(Last Tuesday) morning and afternoon, we did a huge domino run with them. So we had spirals, we had it go up a staircase, under a bridge, and we had a great big tower. So that’s part of our STEM program too. We had some awesome parents and our PTO that pulled in to work on this food drive, and they also helped us to design and put together this domino event.”

The colorful cereal boxes spelled out the word “Burton” as part of the domino run in the middle of the gymnasium. The course also incorporated a basketball, stairs, lever, string, splits and a tower that toppled as one by one the cereal boxes fell down on top of one another. It was designed as a giant Rube Goldberg machine, where each tipping cereal box collided with another in a massive chain reaction.

“Specifically, that’s teaching kids about Newton’s laws of force…” Black said. “The idea is applied force – when one cereal box applies force to the next one and the next one, that creates the domino effect.”

In all, 940 cereal boxes were donated. The kindergarten won the competition to see which grade at Burton could collect the most cereal boxes per student. Together the kindergarten brought in 247 boxes, while second place went to second grade with 236 boxes.

The students also helped design the domino course with third graders and second graders helping create the splits, tower and various elements that were included, said PTO STEM volunteer Melissa Sanders, who spearheaded the project.

The idea for the cereal drive started with a kindergarten lesson on force.

“I had friends in St. George in their elementary school who had done it through the hallways,” Sanders said, “so I decided to combine our food drive with my science lesson.”

In preparation for the domino assembly, Sanders taught age-tailored lessons to third graders, a second grade class and the kindergarten afternoon class about force.

“An object at rest remains at rest unless acted upon by another force,” Sanders said. “So as each domino falls, it acts on the other, and so it goes from a state of rest to a state of motion and it transfers the energy to the next domino.”

However the dominoes in the run occasionally failed to knock over adjacent boxes.

“(It worked) unless your mass and acceleration is not enough force to knock over the boxes, which happened a couple of times because we didn’t take into account when we set it up the box size and weight for all of it,” Sanders explained. “For some places we did, but the places where (the chain) stopped, it just didn’t have enough force to knock over the next box.”

The students and teachers still considered the experiment a success.

“The nice thing about doing it with elementary school was that even though there were times we had to go help it along, they didn’t care because they were young and excited,” Sanders said.

The drive will make a positive difference at the Family Crisis Center. The center is facing record demand for its food bank.

“They said it will last them probably three weeks of pick-ups. But they did say that they had their record number of families show up the week before to do a food pickup,” Sanders said. “(They) said they had 308 families. So it seems like a lot of boxes of cereal, but when you divide it out amongst that many families, it doesn’t go very far.”

During the drive, local grocers held sales that allowed students to donate more cereal boxes to the Family Crisis Center.

“Broulim’s and Albertsons both ran sales for us. We also capitalized on the Walmart after-Halloween sales,” Black said. “I brought in 56 boxes for my second grade ‘cause the $4 boxes of cereal ended up being just over a $1.”

The video of the massive cereal box experiment falling over like dominoes can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ1r0XuxC34 and at 2x speed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9DlEObQQBY.

Teachers and students enjoyed the domino science project and can’t wait to do more.

“That’s science in action– kids can learn about force, but then they can see it,” Black said. “I think that when they can see it, and they experience it, they are going to remember… I definitely think our school is doing some great things when it comes to STEM and generally overall for our kids.”

PICKENS — In observance of Native American Heritage Month, Hagood Mill Historic Site will be hosting their annual Native American Celebration on Saturday, November 19^th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

This very popular annual event celebrates Native American history and traditions. A number of tribal groups from the Southeastern region of U.S. will be represented.

Visitors and guest performers will participate in the festivities of the day which will include: traditional drumming, singing, dancing, Native American flute playing, storytelling, Cherokee hymns in the Cherokee language, and traditional crafts. Demonstrations will be going on all day throughout the Mill Site including traditional Cherokee blow-gun demonstrations, traditional Catawba pottery making, beadwork, basket making, flint-knapping, finger-weaving, atl atl spear throwing, bow and arrow shooting and more. Many of the participants will have traditional handmade crafts for sale, as well.

Featured performers for this year’s event will include Keepers of the Word drumming group from Saint George, SC. Members of Keepers of the Word are of Ojibwa, Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Catawba, and Wassamassaw tribal heritage from Colleton, Berkeley, Dorchester, Orangeburg, and Sumter counties. Directed by Cathy Nelson, Keepers of the Word has presented a variety of Native American educational programs as well as spiritual formation seminars and retreats throughout the Southeast.

This event will also feature the Edisto River Singers from the state recognized Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. Don’t miss these talented entertainers as they demonstrate the traditional drumming, singing, and dancing from one of South Carolina most ancient indigenous tribes.

Nancy Basket will be demonstrating her world class basket making skills. Nancy will also share some Native American myths and legends with visitors and guests.

Tradition Native American cooking demonstrations such as stone grinding of cornmeal, preparing and cooking fry-bead, and roasting corn will take place throughout the day.

Collected over generations, some of the truly awesome Crawford Collection of local prehistoric stone points, blades, and tools will be on display for the day. Barry Crawford’s pre-historic cooking demonstration using ancient soapstone bowl is too artful to be missed.

Members from the Archaeological Society of SC will be on site to identify Native American stone tools and artifacts.

There will be a special “children’s corner,” where visitors can make beaded necklaces, and have their face painted in a Native American style. For a special treat, visitors will be allowed to “paint” live horses with their hand prints in the style of the Plains Indians. This is always lots of fun for everyone.

There will be much more to see and do on November 19^th as we host a variety of folk life and traditional arts demonstrations. There will be blacksmithing, bowl-digging, flint knapping, chair-caning, moonshining, broom-making, basket-making, pottery, quilting, spinning, knitting, weaving, woodcarving, hearth cooking, metal-smithing, leather-working and more. You can ask questions of the artists and make a purchase of their Traditional Arts to take home.

The Centerpiece of the Hagood Mill historic site is the water-powered 1845 gristmill. It is one of the finest examples of nineteenth century technology in the Upcountry and operates just as it has for the last century and a half. The mill will be running throughout the day. In the old mill, fresh stone-ground corn meal, grits, and wheat flour will be available.

Admission is $5 for adults. Kids 12 years and under will receive free admission for this event.

Primitive camping will be available Friday and Saturday nights– $10/tent for one or two nights (tent/car camping) or $20 for RV spaces. Limit 6 people per site. Car and RV spaces are limited, so register online soon. Folks with loud generators will be asked not to use them during special events.

Visit our website for full event details and to access the ticket portal:

Text GRITS to 85100 to stay in the loop of all things happening at the Hagood Mill and to receive exclusive offers.

So, head on out, grab a plate of great food on site from one of our fabulous food trucks and enjoy a fun-filled day exploring our ancestral grounds. This will be a very special November Third Saturday at the Hagood Mill Historic Site – a day that will make memories for you and your loved ones. It is sure to be a day well spent.

Hagood Mill Historic Site is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. all year long. The Hagood Creek Petroglyph Site is open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. The mill operates, rain or shine, with a major festival the Third Saturday of every month.

Hagood Mill Historic Site is located just three miles north of Pickens off US Highway 178 west or 5.5 miles south of Cherokee Foothills SC Scenic Hwy 11 off Highway 178 E at 138 Hagood Mill Road.

For additional information please contact Hagood Mill at (864) 898-2936, or check us out on Facebook and Instagram.

The 22nd Annual ACE Basin A.B.A.T.E. Christmas Toy Run project is currently underway to collect Christmas toy donations for children in need who live in Colleton County.

The ACE Basin A.B.A.T.E. (A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments) is a motorcycle organization advocating for biker rights in South Carolina. The organization members and their friends have a firm belief that it is important to give back to the community and those in need.

The Colleton Baptist Association (CBA) sponsors the annual Colleton Baptist Association Christmas Project. The local A.B.A.T.E. chapter has adopted this project as a charity and works with CBA in partnership to propel the program.

The two organizations work together, collecting donations to help local children and families in Colleton County at Christmas with new clothes, toy gifts, and food boxes. The motorcyclists ride for miles all over the Lowcountry gathering toys and raising money.

Currently, all the collection jugs and barrels have been placed in local businesses.

The participating business include:

COTTAGEVILLE: Bee City Zoo at 1066 Holly Ride Ln.

EDISTO: O’Hair by Lisa at 1444 Hwy. 174

RUFFIN: Ruffin Farm Supply at 11382 Bells Hwy.,

SUMMERVILLE: The Mortgage Firm at 502 N. Pine St.

WALTERBORO: Ace Hardware at 1050 Bells Hwy., A.H.A.B.s at 255 E. Washington St., All Country Real Estate at 689 Bells Hwy., Barrel House at 104 Robertson Blvd., Body Basics by Natalie at 236 E. Washington St., Cannalina Hemp Company at 126 N. Memorial St., Clayton Homes at 2354 Jefferies Hwy., Attorney Dan Boles at 248 E. Washington St., Farm Bureau at 1206 N. Jefferies Blvd., Foodland at 199 Ireland Creek Dr., Front Porch Salon at 3554 Sidney’s Rd., Island Tan at 623 Bells Hwy., Josie’s Flower Barn at 840 S. Jefferies Blvd., Main Street Grille at 256 E. Washington St., Olde House Cafe’ at 1274 Bells Hwy., Palmetto Parcels at 1033 Bells Hwy., Paper Converters at 1298 Thunderbolt Dr., Piggly Wiggly at 299 Bells Hwy., Sarah’s Salon at 2553 Jefferies Hwy., Simply Yours’ Interiors at 1260 Bells Hwy., The Press and Standard at 1025 Bells Hwy., Walker Accounting at 1476 Jefferies Hwy., and Walterboro Eye Care Center at 201 Eddie Chasteen Dr.

The community members are invited to participate in this collection by dropping off monetary donations or an unwrapped gift at any listed participating business locations between now and Dec 1.

The toy run event day is set for Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Elks Lodge in Walterboro. Registration begins at 9 a.m., riders leave at 10:30 a.m., and the last bike-in starts at 3 p.m.

For bikers who want to join the run, the entry is $20 for each rider and $10 for each passenger or a toy equivalent or greater than the registration fee. The ride includes a meal. The first stop is at Crocketville Country Store with lunch provided for the rider and passenger. The second stop is at Skynyrd’s Grill & Sports Bar in St. George, and the third is at Barrel House Grille in Walterboro.

Starting at 3 p.m.. a spaghetti dinner will be available for carry-out only for a $10 donation. Monetary or toy donations will also be accepted for drop-off as well.

All monetary and toy donations collected for the children of Colleton County will be presented to the Colleton County Baptist Association starting at 5 p.m.

The ACE Basin chapter coordinator is Ray Richards and the events coordinator is Sandy White. For more information about the A.B.A.T.E. motorcycle organization please call Richards at 803-491-5145 or White at 843-568-8915. Emails can also be sent to ace-basin-chapter-coordinator@abateofsc.org.

South Carolina is famous for the southern-charm-filled cities of Charleston and Beaufort, sparkling sea islands with Gullah heritage, and the up-and-coming capital city of Columbia.

When planning a visit, there’s no shortage of things to do – from prime fishing lakes and streams to champion trees towering above record-breaking bottomland forests or hiking trails through waterfall-filled woodlands.

Forge new connections on your next adventure with the latest advice from our weekly newsletter.

But before you book your trip, make a list of the top things you want to do in South Carolina and check the weather forecast. The last thing you want is to be sweating through Charleston’s cobbled streets in the unforgiving humidity or going to the beach during a hurricane threat.

Here’s our guide to the best time to visit South Carolina.

The high season is the best time to go to the beach (June-August)

There’s no way around it – summer in this subtropical state is miserably hot and humid. The best place to escape the heat is along the palm-bedecked coast. Expect crowds, higher prices and lower availability. Pack sunscreen, sunglasses, and beachwear.

Consider visiting attractions that have air-conditioning, such as Columbia’s plethora of excellent museums like the South Carolina State Museum and Columbia Museum of Art. The restaurant scene in the capital city is a mix of traditional favorites and pioneering newcomers with Terra and SmallSUGAR at the top of the list.

Fishing and splashing in the Upstate lakes and rivers are an option, too. The temps are slightly cooler as you travel toward the hills of Appalachia, in the state’s northwestern corner.

The hardest time to get a room (or a cheap flight) in Charleston is during Spoleto (Memorial Day to mid-June), the several-week event when the city’s churches, theaters and outdoor spaces are filled with performances.

The city sees fewer visitors from July to mid-September, thanks to the heat. On the flip side, it’s a good time to go if you want to snag dinner reservations at one of the city’s coveted restaurants. Bring an umbrella to protect yourself from sudden thunderstorms.

Enjoy outdoor festivals during shoulder season (April/May and September/October)

South Carolina is in glorious bloom in April and May, with relatively fewer visitors and mild, sunny weather. Festivals explode throughout the state, celebrating food, wine, music and horses.

This is also a good time to explore the offerings of Charleston, Columbia, Beaufort and Greenville. Keep in mind that early spring is tornado season and there’s a chance of thunderstorms – pack light layers, an umbrella, and a jacket.

Fall brings spectacular foliage in the mountains and tolerable temps throughout. It’s a great time for mountain hikes, scenic drives, and golfing. Festivals continue with an autumnal theme, including beer, shrimp, food, and music. Bring a sweater for cooler nights.

Low season is perfect for budget travelers (November-March)

As winter blankets the land, the tourist crush subsides, and accommodation rates become less expensive.

The temperatures are mild, with crisp nights and brief cold spells. Along the coast, the average daytime temp is 60°F – perfect for a walk on the beach. Bear in mind that the farther inland you go toward Appalachia, the cooler it gets – nighttime temps can drop to freezing.

There is some snowfall, though snowstorms are rare. Pack a mid-weight jacket and sweaters. Though you'll spot locals wearing scarves and mittens, it's generally in the interests of fashion rather than warmth!

When is hurricane season?

Hurricane season kicks in late August through October, with September being the highest risk. Tornados threaten again in November.

The state’s coldest month, the average daytime temp is 58°F – not too bad for a winter’s day. Though if you head to the mountains, the thermometer can dip into the 40s and below. Accommodations are at their lowest rates.

Winter is on its way out and temperatures start to climb, though it’s still chilly and there can be rain. Festivals gain momentum. Camellias start to bloom, especially gorgeous at Middleton Place. There are still deals to be found for hotels.

Key Events: Southeastern Wildlife Exhibition in Charleston, Lowcountry Oyster Festival in Charleston, Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival

March can be wet, though temperatures are mild. Wildflowers start appearing everywhere. Birds start their spring migration along the Atlantic Flyway; hot spots include Huntington Beach, considered by many to be the best bird-watching spot along the East Coast. Triple Crown equestrian events take place in Aiken.

Key Events: Charleston Food & Wine Festival, Craftsmen’s Classics Art & Craft Festival in Columbia

Azaleas and dogwoods bloom, and the temps are mild, making this the ideal time to hike, bike, cycle and golf.

Extraordinary spring wildflowers ignite the landscape from April into May, from the Upstate to the Lowcountry. Local farmer’s markets open up throughout the region, their stalls laden with squash, zucchini, and sweet peas.

In late spring look for soft-shell crabs – Atlantic blue crabs that have recently molted their hard shell and are deep-fried or pan-seared and often tucked into a sandwich. You’ll find them on menus across the state, though the best places are in the Lowcountry.

Key Events: Aiken Horse Show, World Grits Festival in St. George, Charleston Jazz Festival, Historic Pendleton Spring Jubilee, RBC Heritage Classic Golf Tournament in Hilton Head

Everything, including prices, starts to heat up. Water parks and other summer attractions open their doors. Look for Georgia peaches, field peas, and okra at farmer’s markets and roadside stands.

Key Events: Freedom Weekend Aloft in Anderson, Original Gullah Festival in Beaufort, Artisphere in Greenville, Cook Out Southern 500 in Darlington

This month is one of the best times to be outdoors in South Carolina – summer wildflowers line the trails and the river rafting in the mountains is sublime. It starts heating up toward the end of the month. Shrimp is plentiful along the coast into late December.

The state’s hottest month, it’s miserably warm and muggy (the seasonal norm is 94°F, plus humidity). It’s also the state’s wettest month, with an average of 5.5 inches of rain. It’s a good time to head to the beach or the mountains. Pack an umbrella, just in case.

Fourth of July events explode throughout the state, with some of the best in Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Columbia, and Greenville.

Lake Murray hosts thousands of purple martins, which depart from their summer home on Doolittle Island in a flurry of flapping wings, returning at dusk in another spectacular show.

Key Events: Beaufort Water Festival, South Carolina Peach Festival in Gaffney, The Sweetgrass Festival in Mount Pleasant

Peak tourism season arrives, with the beaches especially crowded with visitors. Keep an eye on hurricanes potentially brewing along the coast.

Key Events: Gullah/Geechee Nation International Music & Movement Festival in Charleston, Low Country Jazz Festival in North Charleston

The heat slowly retreats, which is why September (and October) offer an inordinate amount of food, wine, music and arts festivals. Fall colors begin to show, especially in the Upstate, and U-pick farms are abundant. The oyster season kicks off; watch for oyster roasts along the coast.

Key Events: Euphoria in Greenville, MOJA Arts Festival in Charleston, South Carolina Tobacco Festival in Lake City, South Carolina Apple Festival in Westminster

The festival season continues, including house tours, food-and-wine fests, and the state fair. Football is in the air everywhere; good luck finding a room in Columbia and Clemson if the Gamecocks and Tigers are playing at home. Polo and steeplechase tournaments take place in Aiken.

Fall foliage in the Upstate is at its crowning glory (though you’ll see color well into December in some places); enjoy it along trails in state parks including Caesars Head and Table Rock, which you can access along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway.

Late October into November is peak monarch butterfly migration season when thousands of these orange-and-black beauties stop by Lowcountry beaches to fill up with nectar; they prefer groundsel trees, a large shrub with stiff, spreading branches.

Key Events: South Carolina Jazz Festival, The Fall Tours of Homes and Gardens, Beaufort Shrimp Festival, South Carolina State Fair in Columbia

The temps start dipping into the 50s, with the possibility of rain. Fall foliage continues in the Upstate.

Key Events: Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival, Dickens Christmas Show & Festivals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Pecan Festival in Florence

As the temperatures cool – averaging in the mid-50s – the holiday season brings parades, holiday lights, and other festive events.

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