'It takes a community': Sumter mother, Durant Children’s Center encourage healing and awareness at annual Heart2Heart event

Attendees leave their mark on the garden wall in honor of Sumter's Angels at Durant Children's Center on April 27 during the Heart2Heart Community Fair.    LEFT: Photographs of Sumter's Angels, Ava Holliday, Aason Holliday-Slacks and Aayden Holliday-Slacks, who died in 2023, are displayed during the event.
After the tears comes hope. Hope that love will act as a light through the shadows of sorrow. Hope that a community can find comfort in each other's company and cherished memories. And hope that in a display of true unity this past Saturday, …
Studio Sumter

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Friends to Follow
SPORTS
Arts & Entertainment

Nicole Kidman, who 'makes movies better,' gets AFI Life Achievement Award

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Morgan Freeman spoke the words, but pretty much everyone who took the stage at the presentation of the AFI Life Achievement Award agreed: " Nicole Kidman. She makes movies …

Nation & World
Ford recalls Maverick pickups in US because tail lights can go dark, increasing the risk of a crash

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford is recalling nearly 243,000 Maverick small pickup trucks in the U.S. because the tail lights may not illuminate. The company says a computer can falsely detect too …

Utah cat with a fondness for cardboard takes surprise trip to California in an Amazon box Galena, a 6-year-old house cat from Utah, likes hiding and playing with cardboard. Earlier this month, the combination of the two made for a stressful trip in an Amazon package, a feverish search, a …
Powell likely to signal that lower inflation is needed before Fed would cut rates WASHINGTON (AP) — After three straight hotter-than-expected inflation reports, Federal Reserve officials have turned more cautious about the prospect of interest rate cuts this year. The big …
Blinken urges Israel and Hamas to move ahead with a cease-fire deal and says 'the time is now' JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli leaders on Wednesday in his push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, saying "the time is now" for an …
Dueling protesters clash at UCLA hours after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one …
State News
Senior Day celebrates South Carolina Seniors on May 1 at S.C. Fairgrounds

The South Carolina Department on Aging (SCDOA) will host Senior Day at the South Carolina State Fairgrounds in the Goodman Building from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, to celebrate Older …

DHEC launches overdose biosurveillance dashboard to tackle drug overdose epidemic COLUMBIA - The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control recently launched an Overdose Biosurveillance Dashboard in an effort to make state- and county-level data on non-fatal opioid overdoses …
South Carolina Senate approves $15.4B budget after debate on bathrooms and conference switching COLUMBIA (AP) — The South Carolina Senate approved its budget Wednesday after debating items like requiring school children use the bathrooms of their sex assigned at birth and whether …
South Carolina Senate wants accelerated income tax cut while House looks at property tax rebate COLUMBIA (AP) — The South Carolina Senate started debating a budget Tuesday that accelerates a planned income tax cut instead of the House plan to use $500 million to give homeowners a one-time …
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life GOOSE CREEK (AP) — Out of air and pinned by an alligator to the bottom of the Cooper River in South Carolina, Will Georgitis decided his only chance to survive might be to lose his arm. The …
Obituaries
REV. BENNY L. MCCANTS

MANNING — The Rev. Benny L. McCants, 77, husband of Mary Samuels McCants, died Monday, April 29, 2024, at his residence, 1561 Lobolly Drive, Manning. He was born March 27, 1947, in Cypress Fork …

TIJAH MARAUN CLARKSON

Tijah Maraun Clarkson, 25, son of Darnell Lakeith Clarkson and Edna Lenore Marson-Canty, was born on March 14, 1999, in Sumter. He departed this life on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Sumter. Family …

FREDERICK ANTONIO SUMTER

Frederick Antonio Sumter, 58, son of the late Isaac Sumter and Sallie Smith Sumter, was born on Nov. 14, 1965, in Sumter. He departed this life on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at his residence. Family …

MARTHA NELSON PRINGLE

Martha Nelson Pringle, 81, daughter of the late Limas Nelson Sr. and Eloise Dais Nelson, was born on Oct. 3, 1942, in Sumter. She departed this life on Monday, April 29, 2024, at Prisma Health Tuomey …

ARTHUR FRANK RUSSELL

Arthur Frank Russell, 54, died Monday, April 29, 2024, at his home. Born in Sumter, he was a son of the late Scott Ham Russell and Shirley Frank Russell. Mr. Russell is survived by a …

Faith
Column: The armor of God includes the belt of truth Have you considered that most individuals are convinced that what they believe is true, and all who disagree with them are not as wise as they are? What is your personal view about this? May I ask, where did you discover your truth? Did God speak …
Church news: Wednesday, May 1, 2024 Love Covenant Church, 245 Oswego Highway, announces: - Saturday, May 4 - A free yard sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Clothing, shoes, household items and furniture will be available. The 7th Episcopal District of the AME Sumter …
The Rev. Dr. Clay Smith: Flies The flies on my cows are bad right now. On my bull, they are a thick blanket. I've got to get some fly dope on them to kill those flies. Flies are bad for cattle. First, they annoy cattle. Annoyed cattle don't eat. Cattle that don't eat get …
Column: Control your thoughts or they will control you We all know the feeling of having something on our minds that we have a difficult time letting go of. Similar to an image or a catchy song that gets stuck in our head, commonly called an earworm, negative thoughts can be very difficult to remove, …
Celebrations
Dear Abby
Pets for adoption
Sadie Mae will steal your heart and be wonderful companion

BELOW: Sadie Mae is a 6-month-old, white-and-merle, female Catahoula Leopard Dog mix. She is a lovable girl who will steal your heart with her sweet personality and big crystal blue eyes. Sadie Mae loves to cuddle and has a blast playing with other …

Engagements
Welch-Barwick Allison Lynn Welch of Sumter and Stephen Daniel Barwick of Dalzell announce their engagement. The bride-elect is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Welch and the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Tschorn Sr. and the late Mr. and Mrs. …
Townes-Lewis Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Mark Townes of Sumter announce the engagement of their daughter, Whitney Elizabeth Townes of Charleston, to Walter Elliot Lewis of Charleston, son of Ms. Karen Lewis of Jackson, Georgia. The bride-elect is the granddaughter …
Reflections

Reflections by Sammy Way: United Service Organizations also known as 'home away from home'

Reflections remembers one of the most important aspects of assisting and providing recreational and other services to military personnel assigned to numerous duty posts at home and abroad. This research focuses primarily on Sumter's commitment to …

Yesteryear
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Horseshoe pitching tourney scheduled; Crime Stoppers telethon returns 75 YEARS AGO - 1949 Aug. 9 - 15 - Rufe Watson of Sumter set a new world record in the senior division at the National Skeet Shooting Association's tournament at Dallas, Texas, on Sunday. Watson copped the senior title in the all-gauge event by …
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Shaw hosts surplus sale; city's 1st Easter egg hunt a success 75 YEARS AGO - 1949 Aug. 2 - 8 - Rebel third baseman Hal Harrigan last night hit his 29th home run of the season to tie the Tri-State league record set last year by Leon Cross of Florence. It was the only prize Anderson could salvage from a …
Yesteryear by Sammy Way: Train car is named for Sumter County; Lee builds new high school 75 YEARS AGO - 1949 July 26 - Aug. 1 - Sumter County runs from New York City to Florida these days, not as a result of "imperialistic conquest" but because of improved service on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. It's a gag, of course. Truth …
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