History lives on in Goodwill Cultural Center
Welcome to Sumter Today!
Local stories through a local lens.
Sumter Today is your ticket to anything and everything going on around us. Ideas for the show? Let us know at studio@theitem.com!
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Sumter County Gallery of Art's opening of new exhibits sparks conversation, reflection with artist Kevin Cole
Visiting Sumter County Gallery of Art's newest exhibitions goes beyond an encounter with art but is a profound engagement with history, memory and resilience. The local gallery hosted the opening of Kevin Cole's "Where Do We Go From Here? …
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Fall is bringing fantasy (and romantasy), literary fiction, politics and Taylor-ed book offerings
NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Sanderson, whose epic "Wind and Truth" is a highlight of the upcoming …
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Sumter's Patriot Hall begins renovations with $5M in allocated money
Sumter's beloved Patriot Hall is about to get a fresh, new look. After decades of hosting countless …
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Sumter Little Theatre opens 85th year with hilarious spin on family dynamics
Whether it's the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop or the peeling of an …
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What to Stream: George Strait, 'Rebel Ridge,' Astro Bot, 'Slow Horses' and Mormon influencers
"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," a docuseries following young wives in Utah, and the suspenseful …
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Angelina Jolie dazzles Venice Film Festival with 'Maria,' a biopic about opera legend Maria Callas
VENICE, Italy (AP) — For Angelina Jolie, portraying the famed opera singer Maria Callas meant more …
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What to stream: Adam Sandler, John Legend, 'Only Murders in the Building' and Star Wars Outlaws
"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" returning for its second season and Adam Sandler's …
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The plot to attack Taylor Swift's Vienna shows was intended to kill thousands, a CIA official says
BERLIN (AP) — The suspects in the foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna earlier …
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Your own personalized 'SportsCenter'? ESPN working on that for upcoming streaming service
BRISTOL, Conn. (AP) — ESPN is looking at using artificial intelligence to create personalized …
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Pinewood's Possum Trot returns Sept. 6-7 after nearly 30-year hiatus
Back and better than ever - The Possum Trot returns to Pinewood! After nearly 30 years, The …
WASHINGTON — Hiring by America's employers picked up a bit in August from July's tepid pace, and the unemployment rate dipped for the first time since March in a sign that the job market may be …
COLUMBIA — A condemned inmate forced to choose how he’ll be put to death ended weeks of suspense by leaving the decision to his lawyer, who reluctantly told South Carolina prison …
Henry Lee “Hank” McKinney Jr., 73, husband of Karen Rogers McKinney, died Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, at his home. Born July 22, 1951, in Cheverly, Maryland, he was a son of the late …
Joel David Hughen, age 72, beloved husband of 30 years to Catherine Ann Schaefer, died on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at his home. The family has chosen Bullock Funeral Home for the arrangements.
Lindsay Monte Thompson, 62, son of the late George Thompson and Lula Gamble Thompson, was born on Dec. 21, 1961, in Clearwater, Florida. He departed this life on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at his …
George Thomas “Tommy” Self Jr., 67, died Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, at the MUSC Medical Center in Charleston. Services will be announced by Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & …
Thomasina Evans Johnson, 53, daughter of Dorothy Mae Evans and the late John Blanding, was born on Jan. 25, 1971, in Sumter. She departed this life on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, at MUSC Charleston, …
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Dear Abby: Drunk and handsy brother-in-law creates a mess within family
DEAR ABBY: My sister's fiance, "Logan," always seemed very flirtatious with me. I told her she needed to control her future husband. After they …
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Dear Abby, Sept. 6, 2024: Man prefers to rely on ex instead of current girlfriend
DEAR ABBY: I've been seeing "Pete" for eight months. He has been divorced for the last 15 years. He has two grown children and five …
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Dear Abby, Sept. 5, 2024: Mother-in-law's tardy apology gets no response
DEAR ABBY: My son-in-law and I had words five years ago. Two years ago, I wrote him a letter of apology and told him it was always "family …
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Dear Abby: Man suddenly smitten with woman he's known for years
DEAR ABBY: I have been around "Kendra" since she was 4. I am 59 and not married to her mother, although we are good friends. Kendra is 36 now …
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Stella is a 4-year-old, gray tabby, female American shorthair. She is housebroken and spayed and is super with other cats and children. Stella's favorite pastime is snoozing and taking afternoon siestas in the front cat room at the SPCA. She …
Reflections by Sammy Way: Brogdon Station was Southern micro community in Sumter
Reflections remembers two families who settled in the rural areas of Sumter County that became known as Britton Siding and Brogdon Station. These two families played an important role in Sumter's history. This piece will focus on the Brogdons to …
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Reflections by Sammy Way: T. Douglas Youngblood named Sumter's 1950 'Man of The Year'
Reflections remembers Thomas Douglas Youngblood and his tireless dedication to our city's improvement. …
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Reflections by Sammy Way: Ralph Haddon and Don Browning were named Studebaker dealers in Sumter
Reflections remembers the Studebaker automobile and its contributions to the auto industry. According to …
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Many Sumter landmarks have vanished over time
Reflections remembers many of Sumter's landmarks that have been razed or altered to make room for new …
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Reflections by Sammy Way: Clevenger Business College opened in Sumter in 1950
Reflections remembers Clevenger College and its impact on the city of Sumter. The business school was …
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Reflections by Sammy Way: Part II: John Blount Miller, public spirited and advocate of education
This is part two in a two-part series about John Blount Miller and the numerous contributions he …
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Reflections by Sammy Way: John Blount Miller, public spirited and advocate of education
Reflections remembers John Blount Miller and the numerous contributions he made to the development …
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Reflections by Sammy Way: Mount Vernon Motor Court announces formal opening in 1954
Reflections remembers the arrival of one of Sumter's attractive motor inns. The Mount Vernon Motor …
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Reflections by Sammy Way: Sumter's hotels
This edition of Reflections remembers the construction of numerous hotels in downtown Sumter. These …
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Letter to the editor: All Christians 'hold to' foundational Old Covenant commandments of god
Mark 7:6-8 describes every Trinitarian worldwide, "And he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This …
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Letter to the editor: Priceless shotgun was earned through hard work
In 1959, I was 12 years old and wanted to hunt with my friends. My friend, Jimmy Barwick, had a .410 shotgun for sale for $10. I asked my Dad to …
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Letter to the editor: We already pay county, city enough in various taxes
The Sumter Item recently published an article on the proposed Sumter County "Penny for Progress" sales tax increase that will be up for vote in …
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Letter to the editor: Tide is turning drastically against Republicans
I read with amusement the Sellar and Richardson (Bob) attempts to show their MAGA credentials. Totally incoherent ramblings that even Jethro …
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Letter to the editor: Kenneth Pressley's record is unbroken nearly 40 years later
I heard the desk jockey say, "I am immortal at Newberry College and I helped to fund many of the new buildings and academic programs you will …
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Letter to the editor: Only God in His time will give us the help we need
I would like to share a lifetime story about my childhood in Sumter. I was raised until 1949 on Hunter Street. Beside Hunter Street was Laverne …
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