The Manning Times earned First Place for General Excellence in Division F on Mar. 6 at the 2026 South Carolina Press Association Annual Awards, recognizing the newspaper’s overall excellence in reporting, writing, photography, design and community coverage.
The contest honors the best work produced by newspapers across South Carolina during the previous year. Entries in the 2026 contest were judged by members of the Virginia Press Association.
In addition to the General Excellence honor, members of The Manning Times staff received recognition across multiple categories for reporting, writing, photography and design.
Managing Editor Melissa Foust-McCoy earned several individual awards, including first place in Column Writing for her Manning Mama column. Foust-McCoy began writing the column in 2013 and also received first place in the category that year.
Foust-McCoy also received first place in Series of Articles for a Black History Month series highlighting local history and community voices. She placed third this year in the same category for her ongoing Teacher of the Year profile series featuring Clarendon County educators. The series earned first place in the contest last year.
Her work also received first place in Food Writing, second place in Business Beat Reporting, second and third place in Short Story, third place in Food Writing, and third place in Photo Series or Photo Story.
Office Manager and reporter Alex Feagin received third place in Arts and Entertainment Writing for her feature on local musician Joshua Graham and the release of his first single, “Purpose.”
Freelance designer Stephanie Schumer-Vandeven received third place in Feature Page Design for the special section page “No Way Out: 10 Years Later — How Clarendon Endured, Rebuilt and Remembered.”
Longtime designer Ted Spencer received first place in Page One Design. Spencer previously worked full time for The Manning Times, earning several first-place awards for his design work before opening his own business, QSigns. He continues to assist the newspaper with occasional freelance design projects.
Publisher Leigh Ann Maynard and Foust-McCoy also received third place in Obituary Writing for the article “Live like you are dying.”
Editor’s note: Entries in the South Carolina Press Association contest are judged by members of another state press association. This year’s contest was judged by the Virginia Press Association.
