• Today, we continue our Black History Month celebration with two stories: a front page piece on Potter’s Computer in Lugoff a People & Places highlight of the county’s annual Black History Month exhibit. Black History Month celebrates a very large part of our country’s -- and county’s -- diverse culture. Camden Mayor Tony Scully’s recent column on Black History Month highlighted a number of African-Americans most people, unfortunately, have likely never heard of before. Our aim in highlighting local companies, like Potter’s Computer, is to show minorities can and should succeed in small business. Here’s hoping people -- from all walks of life -- will be inspired to reach higher and recognize the potential and contributions of all our county’s citizens.

• Congratulations to Bill Funderburk, known locally as the owner of Books on Broad, on his election to an administrative law judgeship. Funderburk, husband of State Rep. Laurie Slade Funderburk, is currently serving as a Camden municipal judge, has been involved in administrative law through his work at a state agency and is an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina. Funderburk’s background, personality and professionalism should serve the state well in this important position.

• We’re glad to see the Kershaw County Board of School Trustees pick employee compensation as its No. 1 budgetary priority for the 2015-16 school year. There is no doubt things have been tough on teachers and other employees for the last seven years as, following the economic downturn in 2008, the school district froze salaries for a time and instituted other financial and hiring cuts. A commitment by the board to seek competitive salaries for its employees and restoring cuts speaks volumes about who should benefit most from any economic gains the district may receive: students. They will be the actual winners as there will be a better chance of retaining great teachers and hiring new ones in the years to come. As Superintendent Dr. Frank Morgan told trustees a week ago, this is not just a district issue, but a county-wide quality of life issue. We believe the state and county should see things the same way.