2 Sumter High seniors earn top national honors

Two Sumter High School students received individual accolades by the National Merit Scholarship Program and were honored at the school's annual homecoming pep rally on Friday morning, Sept. 22. Tae "Aiden" Kim, left, is a semifinalist and Jeshua Espiritu a commended student.
Sumter High School seniors Tae "Aiden" Kim and Jeshua Espiritu are best friends and share many commonalities: a strong work ethic, top-of-their-class rankings, and both recently earned national distinction for their academics. At the school's …
Studio Sumter

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SPORTS
Arts & Entertainment

Movies with Isaiah: See 'Fellowship of the Ring' during special showing in Sumter on Wednesday, Sept. 20

On September 17 th and 20 th, the Beacon Stadium Cinemas will feature the beginning cinematic masterpiece where its associated trilogy in my opinion will never be surpassed. As much as I adore the …

Nation & World
White House prepares for government shutdown as House Republicans lack a viable endgame for funding

WASHINGTON - The White House is preparing Friday to direct federal agencies to get ready for a shutdown after House Republicans left town for the weekend with no viable plan to keep the government funded and avert politically and economically costly …

Inside the delicate art of maintaining America's aging nuclear weapons KANSAS CITY NATIONAL SECURITY CAMPUS, Mo. - In an ultra-sterile room at a secure factory in Kansas City, U.S. government technicians refurbish the nation's nuclear warheads. The job is exacting: Each warhead has thousands of springs, gears and …
Airbnb says it's cracking down on fake listings, has removed 59,000 of them this year Fake listings have emerged as a major problem for Airbnb, threatening to scare off consumers and prompting the short-term rental service to use AI in an effort to crack down on fraudsters. Airbnb says it has removed 59,000 fake listings and …
Amazon Prime Video will soon come with ads, or $2.99 monthly charge to dodge them Amazon Prime Video will include advertising during shows and movies starting early next year, joining other streaming services that have added different tiers of subscriptions. Members of Amazon Prime can pay $2.99 per month in the U.S. to keep …
U.S., China launch economic and financial working groups WASHINGTON - The U.S. Treasury Department and China's Ministry of Finance launched a pair of economic working groups on Friday in an effort to ease tensions and deepen ties between the nations. Led by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Vice …
State News
Free admission offered to SCHS Museum, Charleston, in October

SUBMITTED The South Carolina Historical Society (SCHS) is proud to announce its "Fall for History" campaign, which will provide free admission to the SCHS Museum in Charleston on every Saturday in October for all patrons. The exact dates for free …

Get ready for autumn at Midlands Fall Plant and Flower Festival STAFF REPORT Grab your gardening gloves and wagon and head over to West Columbia for the South Carolina State Farmers Market's Fall Plant and Flower Festival Oct. 6-8. Shop for fall plants and flowers, pumpkins and an array of home, yard and …
Marines say F-35 feature to protect pilot could explain why it flew 60 miles on its own WASHINGTON (AP) - A feature on fighter jets meant to protect pilots in an emergency could explain how an F-35 managed to fly 60 miles after its pilot bailed out before crashing in a rural area in South Carolina, the U.S. Marine Corps said …
Alex Murdaugh pleads guilty in federal court to financial crimes CHARLESTON - Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh did something Thursday he hasn't done in the two years since his life of privilege and power started to unravel - plead guilty to a crime. Murdaugh admitted in federal court to 22 counts of financial …
Alex Murdaugh pleads guilty to financial crimes — the first time he's admitted blame to a judge CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh did something Thursday he hasn't done in the two years since his life of privilege and power started to unravel — plead guilty to …
Obituaries

COCHRAN

JANET COCHRAN

GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Janet Cochran, beloved mother, wife and educator, died on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 7, 2023, at Friends Homes Guilford in Greensboro, where she lived since 2013 …

MITCHELL

WILLIAM ROGER MITCHELL

William Roger Mitchell, 73, widower of Rosita Adan Mitchell, died on  Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital. Born on Sept. 6, 1950, in Statesville, North Carolina, he was …

GARRICK

HERCULES GARRICK SR.

Funeral services for Hercules Garrick Sr. will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at St. Paul Pentecostal Holiness Church, 129 ½ W. Moore St., Sumter, with Elder Barrington Pierson, pastor, and …

DECTRIC LEMETRICE BARNES

Dectric Lemetrice Barnes, 50, son of Larry W. Barnes and Evangelene Gamble Barnes, was born on Aug. 16, 1973, in Florence. He departed this life on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at his residence. Family will receive friends at the home, 855 Farrier …

DONNA MARIE BYER

Donna Marie Byer, 81, widow of the late Michael Joseph Byer Sr., died on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital in Sumter. You may go to www.bullockfuneralhome.com and sign the family's guest book. The family has chosen Bullock …

Faith
Church News: Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 211 Alice Drive, announces: * Saturday, Sept. 30 - Pumpkin Palooza Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring bounce houses, face painting, music, food trucks, games, crafts and more. Goodwill Baptist Church, 1329 …
Food, family and the Jewish South Carolina table; 2 women, 1 from Summerton, pen 'Kugels & Collards' cookbook, holding talk and signing at Sumter County Museum Anita Moise, whose family fled the Spanish Inquisition on the Nina and to Morocco, still cooks her Grandmother Nita's white chicken stew. For Max Dickman, whose mother emigrated to Newark from Russia, and who was a plane inspector at Shaw Army …
Church News: Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 211 Alice Drive, announces: * Thursday, Sept. 21 - Blood drive from 2 to 7 p.m. * Saturday, Sept. 30 - Pumpkin Palooza Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring bounce houses, face painting, music, food trucks, …
Sumter Pastor Clay Smith: Bullwhip or yoke... Once, we were working cows with an uncle of mine (when I tell this story, you will understand why I'm not sharing his name). His horse was acting up. By "acting up," I mean he wouldn't stand still so my uncle could put his foot in the stirrup. The …
Celebrations
Five generations of the Scarborough family Five generations of the Scarborough family are shown from left: Kash Coleman, child; Jordan Coleman, father; Travis Scarborough, grandfather; James Scarborough Jr., great-grandfather; and James Scarborough Sr., great-great-grandfather.
Dear Abby
Pets for adoption
Sumter SPCA's Hercules has a super friendly personality

FAR LEFT: Hercules is a housebroken and neutered 1-year-old gray-and-white American short hair. He is great with children and other cats. Hercules has a super friendly personality and loves to play and chase cat toys. Sometimes he likes to be a …

Engagements
Byarlay-Hart Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lee Byarlay of Clover announce the engagement of their daughter, JoyceAnn Rose Byarlay of Clover, to Zachary Lee Hart of Tega Cay, son of Mrs. Barbara Lee Elder of Clover and Mr. Edward Eugene Hart III of Tega Cay. The …
Reflections

Reflections by Sammy Way: Memory Acre: Honoring the life of John Charlton Holladay

Reflections remembers the life of Marine Sgt. John Charlton Holladay, who sadly was killed during a military operation on the island of New Georgia during World War II. The data used to prepare this piece were obtained from the March 4, 1962, …

Yesteryear
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Sumter veteran describes Red Cross help; Federal-Mogul workers create choir 75 YEARS AGO - 1949 March 1 - 7 - A 14th team has entered the annual basketball tournament which will begin here in the high school gym. The new entry is Chicora of Charleston, and the Eagles will meet Hartsville in the second game of the …
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Skeet clubs meet for competition; group talks ideas for Palmetto Trail 75 YEARS AGO - 1949 Feb. 22 - 28 - W. B. (Billy) Gibson is director of the 1949 solicitation campaign which the local chapter of the American Red Cross will get underway March 1. Gibson will work with R. L. McLeod, campaign chairman, E. C. …
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Riley Park gets 1st-class renovation; Shaw group focused on preparedness takes stock after Bonnie 75 YEARS AGO - 1949 Feb. 15 - 21 - The Alsbrook Furniture company, which has been at 105 N. Main St. here for the past year, is expanding its present store to include the downstairs part of the building formerly occupied by the B and W Bowling …
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