A SOUTH CAROLINA COUPLE SAYS THEY FEEL HELPLESS.... AFTER A NEIGHBOR BURNED A CROSS IN THEIR FRONT YARD. THE ORGANIZATION.. THAT'S TAKING ACTION IN RESPONSE. CHANGING HOW WE GRADE SCHOOLS ACROSS GEORGIA. THE NEW REPORT RELEASED BY EDUCATION LEADERS.. AND WHY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT .. IS CELEBRATING "IT WAS HECTIC, IT WAS TERRIFYING, BUT IT WAS REALLY FUN." AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.. TRAINING AT SEA.. LEARNING WHAT IT TAKES.. TO SERVE IN THE U-S COAST GUARD. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS STORY .. IN OUR NEW VOICES OF VALOR SEGMENT. THANKS FOR STARTING YOUR DAY WITH WJCL 22 NEWS. GOOD MORNING - - I'M EMMA HAMILTON. AND I'M FRANK SULKOWSKI LIVE FROM MYRTLE BEACH.. WHERE GEORGIA SOUTHERN IS GEARING UP FOR THE MYRTLE BEACH BOWL. METEOROLOGIST CATHERINE LIBERTA IS JOINING US NOW .... NOW, HERE'S YOUR STORM TRACKER RADAR... FRIDAY SUNNY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 62. NORTHEAST WIND 9 TO 14 MPH, WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 21 MPH. FRIDAY NIGHT MOSTLY CLOUDY, WITH A LOW AROUND 48. NORTHEAST WIND AROUND 8 MPH. SATURDAY A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS, MAINLY AFTER 7AM. MOSTLY CLOUDY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 66. EAST WIND 9 TO 14 MPH. NEW PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS BETWEEN A TENTH AND QUARTER OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWERS LIKELY, THEN SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM AFTER 1AM. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL. LOW AROUND 58. EAST WIND 11 TO 14 MPH, WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 21 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 40%. NEW RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES POSSIBLE. SUNDAY SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A THUNDERSTORM. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL. HIGH NEAR 65. BREEZY. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 90%. NEW RAINFALL AMOUNTS BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES POSSIBLE. SUNDAY NIGHT A 60 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS BEFORE 1AM. MOSTLY NEW AT SIX... IT IS NOW MORE COMPLICATED.. TO TELL HOW GEORGIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE PERFORMING. GEORGIA WAS ONE OF SEVERAL STATES THAT PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED THE A-TO- F LETTER GRADES FOR SCHOOLS. BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELEASED A REPORT YESTERDAY.. THAT DIDN'T USE A SINGLE NUMBER...TO SUM UP PERFORMANCES OF ANY SCHOOL OR DISTRICT. STATE SUPERINTENDENT RICHARD WOODS IS CELEBRATING THIS TRANSITION.. SAYING THE OLD METHOD QUOTE "VASTLY OVERSIMPLIFIED THE COMPLICATED FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SCHOOL QUALITY." THIS MORNING ... CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA ... ARE OUTRAGED AFTER A COUPLE SAYS ... A NEIGHBOR BURNED A CROSS ... IN THEIR YARD. MAKAYLA - EVANS HAS THE STORY. SHAWN WILLIAMS/ HOMEOWNER: "THE END RESULT IS WE DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE." A BURNING CROSS IN A NEIGHBOR'S YARD ON THANKSGIVING WEEKEND-- IS THE LAST STRAW FOR SHAWN AND MONICA WILLIAMS. MONICA WILLIAMS/ HOMEOWNER: "LOW AND BEHOLD THERE WAS A CROSS BURNING ABOUT EIGHT FEET AWAY FROM OUR FENCE. AND WE WERE SPEECHLESS BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE THAT." THE COUPLE MOVED INTO THIS HOUSE IN CONWAY AS THE PERFECT RETIREMENT HOME. BUT THE WILLIAMS SAY THEIR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS HAVE MADE THE LAST TWO YEARS A NIGHTMARE. MONICA WILLIAMS: "BLATANT WITH THE N WORD. HE'S CHASED OFF OUR SURVEYORS. HE'S CHASED OFF PEOPLE FROM THE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT." THE COUPLE INSTALLED A FENCE HOPING FOR PEACE BUT IT DID NOT WORK. THE WILLIAMS FINALLY CALLED HORRY COUNTY POLICE. OFFICERS ARRESTED 28-YEAR- OLD WORDEN BUTLER... AND 27-YEAR- OLD ALEXIS HARTNETT... FOR SECOND DEGREE HARASSMENT. POLICE REPORTS CLAIM-- HARNTETT YELLED RACIAL SLURS AT THE COUPLE-- WHICH OFFICERS' BODY CAMERAS CAPTURED. THE REPORTS ALSO SHOW-- BUTLER POSTED THE COUPLE'S ADDRESS ON FACEBOOK SAYING HE WAS QUOTE-- GOING TO MAKE THEM PAY. MONICA WILLIAMS: "THEY WERE OUT THE NEXT DAY. I MEAN SO IT'S LIKE THAT'S IT? SO NOW WHAT ARE WE TO DO? STILL LIVE NEXT TO A CROSS BURNING RACIST THAT'S THREATENED TO CAUSE US BODILY HARM SO WE'RE AT OUR WITS END ON WHAT TO DO. NOW WE FEEL THREATENED. WE FEEL THAT NOT ENOUGH LAWS ARE IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH THIS AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY." LEADERS WITH N- DOUBLE A -C- P SAY *THEY ARE NOW LAUNCHING AN INVESTIGATION. SOUTH CAROLINA ... IS ONE OF TWO STATES ... WITHOUT A HATE CRIME LAW. THIS MORNING A GEORGIA WOMAN IS WAITING TO BE SENTENCED... AFTER SHE PLEADED GUILTY TO STEALING MORE THAN FOUR MILLION DOLLARS FROM FACEBOOK... WHERE SHE WORKED AS AN EXECUTIVE. ACCORDING TO THE U-S ATTORNEY... BARBARA SMILES MADE INFLATED INVOICES .. TO PAY FOR QUOTE "A LAVISH LIFESTYLE." THIS INCLUDES BABYSITTERS.. PRE- SCHOOL TUITION.. AND HAIRSTYLES. HER SENTENCING IS IN MARCH. AN ORGANIZATION OFF TYBEE ISLAND .... IS INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE U.S COAST GUARD. IN OUR VOICES OF VALOR SEGMENT ... WJCL 22 NEWS' LYDIA BLACKSTONE ... GOT TO TALK TO THE TEAM OF **MIDDLE SCHOOLERS** TRAINING IN THE OCEAN. TAKE PKG: "IT WAS HECTIC, IT WAS TERRIFYING, BUT IT WAS REALLY FUN." ((SAL PETIT AND REEF CULVER, TIMA MIDDLE SCHOOLERS)) THIS IS WHAT SAL PETIT AND REEF CULVER DO AFTER SCHOOL. ((NAT)) TRAINING WITH THE U.S COAST GUARD THROUGH A PROGRAM AT THEIR SCHOOL CALLED 'JUNIOR GUARDS'. "SUPER RAD, RIGHT? I MEAN, LIKE THEY WERE SUPER STOKED OUT THERE, YOU KNOW?" I MEAN, COME ON. LIKE, WHO GETS TO BE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH A MULTIMILLION- DOLLAR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT WITH A SUPERSTAR DROPPING OUT OF A HELICOPTER AND THEN COMING TO TALK TO US ABOUT HIS OWN JOURNEY." ((BRAD BUTTERWORTH, FORMER COAST GUARD, JUNIOR GUARDS OF TYBEE FOUNDER)) IT'S A TEAM OF 20 PLUS STUDENTS FROM TYBEE ISLAND MARITIME ACADEMY. "WE PUT THEM THROUGH OUR PHYSICAL FITNESS REGIME." ((CLAY WOODWORTH, COAST GUARD)) THIS PROGRAM STARTED WHEN A FORMER COAST GUARD MEMBER AND COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACH BRAD BUTTERWORTH DECIDED HE WANTED TO GIVE BACK. "LOOK, I LOVE THE COAST GUARD, I LOVE THESE YOUNG KIDS. LET'S LET'S TRY TO BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH JUST BEING ACTIVE IN THE WATER AND WITH THE COAST GUARD." ((BRAD BUTTERWORTH, FORMER COAST GUARD, JUNIOR GUARDS OF TYBEE FOUNDER)) THE HIGH DEMAND PROGRAM TEACHES KIDS THE OPPORTUNITIES THE COAST GUARD HAS TO OFFER WHILE BUILDING DISCIPLINE AND COURAGE. "WHAT YOU SAW TODAY WAS 16, 17 KIDS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, WATER, TREADING INFORMATION FOR A SOLID 15 MINUTES." ((BRAD BUTTERWORTH, FORMER COAST GUARD, JUNIOR GUARDS OF TYBEE FOUNDER)) IT BEING SO SUCCESSFUL THE COAST GUARD NOW LOOKING INTO IT TO HELP WITH GROWING RECRUITMENT NEEDS. "THE UNIQUE THING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS STARTED ON TYBEE, THE COAST GUARD OFFICIALLY IS NOW REACHING OUT TO US. HOW DO WE SCALE THIS PROGRAM?" ((BRAD BUTTERWORTH, FORMER COAST GUARD, JUNIOR GUARDS OF TYBEE FOUNDER)) FOR SAL AND REEF, THIS COMPLETELY CHANGED WHAT THEY BOTH WANT TO DO ONE DAY "AT FIRST I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THIS, BUT THEN WHEN I STARTED IS JUST AMAZING." ((SAL PETIT AND REEF CULVER, TIMA MIDDLE SCHOOLERS)) ON TYBEE ISLAND, LYDIA BLACKSTONE WJCL 22 NEWS. <> THE GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES ARE GETTING READY TO PLAY IN THE MYRTLE BEACH BOWL.. AGAINST THE OHIO UNIVERSITY BOBCATS. I'M LIVE IN MYRTLE BEACH... WHERE THIS WILL BE THE FIRST- EVER MEETING BETWEEN OHIO AND GEORGIA SOUTHERN. A PEP RALLY WILL BE HELD TODAY.. STARTING THIS AFTERNOON. JOIN THE GEORGIA SOUTHERN SPORTS NETWORK FOR A SPECIAL "HAIL SOUTHERN LIVE" AT 5 P.M. THE ONE-HOUR, LIVE BROADCAST WILL FEATURE A PREVIEW OF THE MYRTLE BEACH BOWL, SPECIAL GUESTS AND A RECAP GUESTS AND MYRTLE BEACH BOWL, SPECIAL GUESTS AND A RECAP OF THE 2023 GEORGIA SOUTHERN SEASON. SOUTHERN SEASON. SATURDAY, DEC. 16: PARKING LOT OPENS AT 7 A.M. FAN FEST BEGINS AT 8 A.M. STADIUM GATES OPEN AT 9 A.M. KICK-OFF SET FOR 11 A.M. CHECK OUT HOW THE GEORGIA SOUTHERN EAGLES ARE GETTING READY FOR THE MYRTLE BEACH BOWL. AFTER PRACTICE YESTERDAY.. STOPPED BY DAVE AND BUSTERS FOR SOME FUN. (TOSSES BACK TO EMMA) THANKS FRANK.. WE'LL BE CHECKING BACK IN WITH YOU IN A FEW MINUTES. AND HERE'S A LOOK AT YOUR TRAFFIC TRACK 22. THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS ON THE ROADS THIS MORNING. LIBERTY COUNTY, EAST OGLETHORPE HWY AT COASTAL HWY IN MIDWA