Happening Now
 Sumter officers seek information in fatal drive-by shooting
Charles Hodgin sits with the plaque he received when the main court at Palmetto Tennis Center was named Hodgin Stadium Court when the facility opened in 2004. Hodgin was inducted into the South Carolina Patrons Tennis Hall of Fame in December 2019.
Longtime Sumter tennis coach known for his love of the game, helping players grow
Sumter Item, Morris College partner for monthly contest to recognize high school guidance counselors
Sumter man, 31, dies in motorcycle wreck
PHOTOS BY KAREEM WILSON / THE SUMTER ITEMConstruction is underway for the new Habitat for Humanity ReStore and administration office at 812 S. Guignard Drive.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Sumter relocating to building on South Guignard Drive

Sumter Item wins 25 awards in 2020 South Carolina Press Association contest

Two swans come together on New Year's Day at Swan Lake-Iris Gardens in Sumter. Micah Green placed second in pictorial.
Local journalism brings you information you need to know in your community to make informed decisions for you and your family daily. Only local news does that. We spent the last year covering a global pandemic, an election and national calls for …

Public comment, next year's budget on Sumter School District board's table
Instructional staff update before Sumter Liberty STEAM charter board
CORRIGAN
Sumter Y's Missy Corrigan: Support your hormones

Saturday-Monday, April 10-12

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Studio Sumter

Sumter Today: Wilder Elementary takes their STEAM night online

Wilder Elementary’s teacher of the year Meghan Branham had a task in front of her. How to transform their annual STEAM night, an event that students and their families both look forward to, …

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SPORTS
The Wilson Hall baseball team will face Laurence Manning for a crucial two game series this week.
5 THINGS TO WATCH
Wilson Hall, Laurence Manning baseball highlights 5 Things to Watch This Week
South Carolina head coach Frank Martin received a 2-year extension on Friday.
USC's Martin gets 2-year extension, but no raise
Laurence Manning first baseman Britton Morris leads the Swampcats with a .447 batting average to go along with four home runs and 21 RBI on the season.
Laurence Manning baseball looks to carry momentum into home stretch
Justin Rose tees off on the 13th hole during the second round of the Masters on Friday in Augusta, Georgia.
Rose clings to 1-shot Masters lead as Spieth, Thomas lurk
Clemson's Kameron Jones is lobbying to save the men's track and field program - along with cross country - from being cut by the school for budgetary reasons.
Clemson men's track and field athletes trying to save program
Poll of the Week

Will you attend or send your child in Sumter School District to a drive-through prom?

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Doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are prepared at Manning High School recently.
Trinity Missionary Baptist in Sumter to offer COVID-19 vaccine
Sumter coroner releases name of Broad Street shooting victim
Sumter coroner: 1 death reported after Broad Street shooting
Nathan Miles and Nicole Ouellette-Miles postponed their wedding date originally set for last spring because of the pandemic and were married March 27.
In pandemic, Sumter sees more apply to be married
A handler walks Major, one of President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden's dogs, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on March 31.
The Rev. Dr. Clay Smith of Alice Drive Baptist Church: A Major scandal ...

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More Sports
PHOTOS: Lee Academy baseball hosts Wilson Hall
Wilson Hall, Laurence Manning pick up easy baseball victories
Former Sumter forward Isaih Moore (13) is still in the transfer portal after electing to leave St. John's after one season at the school.
Moore's future unclear after deciding to transfer
Sumter baseball falls to Dreher in tournament championship
Wilson Hall's Tyler Jones won the Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week after pitching the Barons to a key region win over Florence Christian, before a strong game at the plate against Pee Dee.
Wilson Hall's Jones throws gem and goes yard to win Hines Furniture Athlete of the Week

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Panorama
After three or four weeks, these lettuce plants will fill their "cells" and be ready to transplant outdoors in the garden.

Try growing some flower or vegetable transplants

If you've never grown your own transplants for your garden, perhaps this is the year to do it. It's economical, it allows you to grow varieties you might not be able to buy as transplants, it's satisfying, and …

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Nation & World
President Joe Biden has ordered a study on overhauling the Supreme Court, creating a bipartisan commission Friday that will spend the next six months examining the politically incendiary issues of expanding the court and instituting term limits for justices, among other issues.
Group to study adding justices, term limits to Supreme Court

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden has ordered a study on overhauling the Supreme Court, creating a bipartisan commission Friday that will spend the next six months examining the politically incendiary issues of expanding the court and instituting …

This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S.
Virologist explains how concerned we should be about COVID-19 variants Spring has sprung, and there is a sense of relief in the air. After one year of lockdowns and social distancing, more than 171 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the U.S., and about …
Gov't. data: U.S. suicides dropped last year, defying pandemic expectations NEW YORK - The number of U.S. suicides fell nearly 6% last year amid the coronavirus pandemic - the largest annual decline in at least four decades, according to preliminary government data. Death certificates are still coming in, and the …
This combination of photos from July 2020 to April 2021 shows 21 nuns from the Felician order who have died from COVID-19. From left, top row: Sisters Mary Clarence Borkoski, Mary Madeleine Dolan, Mary Felicia Golembiewski-Dove, Mary Alice Ann Gradowski, Victoria Marie Indyk, Mary Evelyn Labik and Celine Marie Lesinski; middle row, Sisters Mary Seraphine Liskiewicz, Mary Christinette Lojewski, Mary Michele Mazur, Mary Bronisia Muzalewski, Christine Marie Nizialek, Mary DeAngelis Nowak and Mary Estelle Printz; and bottom row, Sisters Mary Patricia Pyszynski, Mary Martinez Rozek, Mary Danatha Suchyta, Thomas Marie Wadowski, Mary Luiza Wawrzyniak, Rose Mary Wolak and Mary Janice Zolkowski.
'How many of us will be left?' Catholic nuns face loss, pain GREENSBURG, Pa. - At the front desk, the kindly nun who greeted visitors is missing, and in the chapel, where stained glass paints the walls with pastels, she no longer waves hello from the last pew on the left. In the convent's living room, …
Dr. Sanduk Ruit performs cataract surgery at the Tilganga Eye Center in Kathmandu, Nepal, March 26, 2021. Nepal's "God of Sight" eye doctor renowned for his innovative and inexpensive cataract surgery for the poor is taking his work beyond the Himalayan mountains to other parts of the world so there is no more unnecessary blindness in the world. Ruit, who has won many awards for his work and performed some 130,000 cataract surgery in the past three decades, is aiming to expand his work.
'God of Sight' to take work beyond Nepal's border LUMBINI, Nepal - Just next to the Mayadevi temple where Buddha was born more than 2,600 years ago, hundreds of people lined up outside a makeshift hospital on a recent hazy day, hoping their fading eyesight could be restored. A day later, these …

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State News
AP FILE PHOTO Dr. Robert Lesslie is seen in Rock Hill in 2009. Authorities say a gunman, identified as former NFL player Phillip Adams, killed Lesslie, his wife and grandchildren on Wednesday in Rock Hill.
Slain S.C. doctor wrote of faith, life's fragility

COLUMBIA - Robert Lesslie - the South Carolina physician and author who authorities say was killed, along with three family members and a repairman, by former NFL player Phillip Adams - frequently wrote of the fragility of life and a deep-seated …

SCDNR shares tips for dealing with black bears in South Carolina With the onset of spring, black bears are emerging from dens. During this time, bears are looking for easy food located in the Coastal Plains and Piedmont areas of South Carolina.The S.C. Department of Natural Resources wants to remind South …
Open carry, hate crime bills clear deadline in S.C. Statehouse COLUMBIA (AP) — Thursday marked a key deadline in the 2021 South Carolina General Assembly.It's called the crossover deadline. Bills that pass the House or the Senate after Thursday will need a …
S.C. GOV. HENRY MCMASTER
South Carolina governor meets with Guardsmen at US-Mexico border COLUMBIA (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster is making a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border to visit National Guardsmen from the state who are stationed there, according to his office.The …
Suspect found in South Carolina killings of 2 kids, 3 adults ROCK HILL (AP) — A gunman killed five people including a prominent doctor and his grandchildren in South Carolina, prompting an hourslong search that led to a suspect in a nearby home, the York …

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Obituaries
KAYLA A. MCCRAY

REMBERT - Kayla A. McCray, age 33, departed this life on Thursday, April 8, 2021, in Rembert. She was born on April 20, 1987, in Sumter, to Barbara Raysor Bradford and Leonard McCray. The family is receiving friends from 2 to 7 p.m. daily at …

KENDALL HARVIN

Kendall "JoJo" Harvin, age 40, departed this life on Thursday, April 8, 2021, in Asheville, North Carolina. He was born on April 23, 1980, in Sumter, to Rachel Harvin and Bobby Maple. The family is receiving friends from 3 to 9 p.m. daily at …

JEAN BLACKWELL

Jean Blackwell, 93, departed this life on Thursday, April 8, 2021, at NHC HealthCare in Sumter. She was born on March 6, 1928, in Wedgefield, a daughter of the late Hamilton D. and Minnie Jones Blackwell. The family will receive friends at the …

WALTER WILLIAMS

Walter Williams, 64, widower of Patricia Williams, departed this life on Thursday, April 8, 2021, at Prisma Health Richland Hospital, Columbia. He was born on June 17, 1956, in Sumter, a son of the late Walter Colier and Catherine Vaughn. The …

PRINGLE

JOHNNY PRINGLE JR.

Johnny Pringle Jr., 87, was born on July 26, 1933, in Sumter. He departed this life on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital in Sumter. Mr. Pringle retired from the United States Air Force after 20 years of honorable service as …

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Faith
Church News: Friday, April 9, 2021 Knitting Hearts for Christ Ministry, meets at Bethesda Church of God, 2730 Broad St., announces:* Saturday, April 10 — Knitting Hearts will meet from 9:45 a.m. to noon. Come celebrate our 17th …
Image by Raheel Shakeel from Pixabay
Christians mark Good Friday amid lingering virus woes JERUSALEM (AP) — Christians in the Holy Land are marking Good Friday this year amid signs the coronavirus crisis is winding down, with religious sites open to limited numbers of faithful but …
THE REV. DR. CLAY SMITH
The Rev. Dr. Clay Smith: The Centurion ... He took off his helmet and set it on the stone pavement. Then he unbuckled his breastplate and let it fall onto the stone floor. Sitting on his cot, he unbuckled his sandals and rubbed his tired feet. He could feel the fatigue of a long, strange …
Church News: Friday, April 2, 2021 Dalzell United Methodist Church, 3330 Black River Road, Dalzell, announces: * Saturday - Easter egg drive-thru event from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Bring your children and keep them safe by following the signs and picking up Easter treats to help them …
Celebrations
Mr. and Mrs. Benny Hodge Jr.
Hodges of Sumter celebrate 65 years of marriage Mr. and Mrs. Benny Hodge Jr. of Sumter will celebrate 65 years of marriage on March 24, 2021. The couple has one daughter, Cindy Hodge Timmons, who passed away in 2015. The couple has two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Mrs. Hodge …
MR., MRS. GARY HALL
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Hall of Sumter celebrate 60 years of marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gary Hall, of Sumter, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. They were married on Feb. 25, 1961. The couple's two children are Randy Hall of McDonough, Georgia, and Michelle Cipov of Sumter. The …
MR., MRS. TOM WINSTEAD SR.
Winsteads of Sumter celebrate 71 years of marriage Mr. and Mrs. Tom Winstead Sr. of Sumter celebrated their 71th wedding anniversary on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. They were married on Feb. 1, 1950, in San Antonio, Texas. The couple's three children are Tom Winstead Jr. of Elkin, North Carolina, Rick …
ELVIE EVANS SCHUMACHER
Schumachers announce birth of a daughter, Elvie Evans Blake Edmund and Sarah Cutler Schumacher of Columbia announce the birth of a daughter, Elvie Evans Schumacher, on Jan. 13, 2021, at Lexington Medical Center, Lexington. Elvie weighed 8 pounds and 3 ounces. She was 19 1/2 inches …

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Dear Abby
Pets for adoption
Noah is a 1-year-old brindle-and-white male pit mix. He is an active boy who loves to run and play with other dogs. He is friendly and affectionate and would make a wonderful new buddy for a family with other dogs and children. The Sumter SPCA is located at 1140 S. Guignard Drive, (803) 773-9292, and is open 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Visit the website at www.sumterscspca.com.
Sumter SPCA's Noah is a beautiful brindle boy

LEFT: Noah is a 1-year-old brindle-and-white male pit mix. He is an active boy who loves to run and play with other dogs. He is friendly and affectionate and would make a wonderful new buddy for a family with other dogs and children. The Sumter …

Weddings
MRS. RAYMOND BRADLEY DAVIS
Wilson-Davis ALCOLU - Olivia Dean Wilson and Raymond Bradley Davis were united in marriage at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 6, 2021, at New Harmony Presbyterian Church. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Joe Wilson Jr. of Manning and the granddaughter of …
MR., MRS. HERVEY FRIERSON
Hodge-Frierson Faith Hodge and Hervey Richardson Frierson were married on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, at the home of the couple in Sumter. The bride is the daughter of the late Mr. Judge Thomas Hodge and the late Mrs. Noonie Lee Frierson Hodge. The bridegroom is …
MR., MRS. SAMUEL L. JOHNSON
Curtis-Johnson LENOIR, North Carolina - Sara Suzanne Curtis of Lenoir, North Carolina, and Samuel Lawrence Johnson of Sumter were united in marriage at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at Yadkin Valley Baptist Church. The bride is the daughter of Jeff and …
MRS. ZACHARY S. COKER
Lynch-Coker Katherine Lorena Lynch of Alcolu and Zachary Scott Coker of Turbeville were united in marriage at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, at First Baptist Church in Sumter. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Neal C. Lynch of Alcolu and the …

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Engagements
MISS ALLAN
Allan-Miles Mr. and Mrs. Troy William Allan of Summerton announce the engagement of their daughter, Morgan Addison Allan of Summerton, to Mason Hunter Miles of Manning, son of Ms. Stacy Leigh Mosier and Mr. Laurence Wade Andrew McLeod, both of Manning. The …
MR. WINN, MISS MORRIS
Morris-Winn Mike and Tammie Morris announce the engagement of their daughter, Tiffany Alexandria Morris, to Arthur Ryan Winn, son of Arthur and Eileen Winn, all of Sumter. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of the late James and Edna House and Carol Morris …
MR. SOWARDS, MISS COX
Cox-Sowards Richard and Sherry Cox of Dalzell announce the engagement of their daughter, Allison RayAnn Cox of Dalzell, to Garrett Hunter Sowards of Merritt Island, Florida, son of Bradford and Stephanie Sowards of Melbourne, Florida. The bride-elect is the …
Reflections
This home at 126 Salem Ave. was built in 1885. Salem Avenue was originally known as New Street.

Reflections by Sammy Way: The intersection of Sumter's New and Broad streets

Reflections remembers one of the more impressive intersections found among the roadways of Sumter. Numerous prominent families chose to build magnificent residences on these two streets, particularly at the intersection. The information and photos …

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Yesteryear
A. L. DuRant of Florence, Clemson Extension specialist, demonstrates a hay curer to Sumter County farmers on their farm tour Sept. 16, 1946.
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Missing Shaw Field cadet's remains found; Manning voters choose new mayor 75 YEARS AGO - 1946 Sept. 17 - 24 - South Carolina's share of a $12,000,000 fire loss of cotton and property in the United States during the 1945-46 marketing season is too great to accept without real effort to prevent such losses this …
Mrs. J. W. Wilson, of the country club road near Sumter, won this collie dog at the showing at the Sumter Theater of "Courage of Lassie" on Sept. 9, 1946. She came with her family to the movie and held the winning stub. The dog was given to her 9-year-old son, James, a student at Jordan school.
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Stairway to the Stars held at Sumter NCO Wives' Club; Stateburg residents want zoning change 75 YEARS AGO - 1946 Sept. 10 - 16 - Teenagers will meet at the Birnie Community Center to organize a club for the school year 1946-47, Edward C. Jones, director of the center, announced. Officers will be elected, committees appointed and …
The Jaycee clock, on the corner of Main and Liberty streets, points to five deathless days, Monday through Friday, in the county during the safety campaign conducted in the city in September 1946. Standing from left are Bentley Fishburne, chairman of the Jaycee committee, Fred Baker and Elbert McLeod. The clock was across the street from the state highway trailer, which had a loudspeaker with a person there to call attention to traffic errors.
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Sumter gridiron gets better lighting for fall games; relay event held at stadium 75 YEARS AGO - 1946 Sept. 3 - 9 - Carolina veterans and others seeking to get automotive parts will have an opportunity to buy some of the $14,000,000 worth of such property to be sold by the War Assets Administration, Sept. 9-14, at Salt Lake …

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From the opinion pages
Columnists
 Editorial cartoon: Saturday, April 10, 2021
PATRICK BUCHANAN
Opinion: American vaccine patriotism vs. vaccine globalism
Editorial cartoon: Friday, April 9, 2021
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