Commitment to excellence: Sumter School District honors campus teachers of the year and 3 finalists for district teacher of the year

Sumter School District held its annual Celebration of Excellence ceremony on Tuesday at Crestwood High School. From left are the district's Teacher of the Year finalists, Terri Johnson, Rachel Pressley and Octavia Green.
Teachers fulfill a special purpose for today's generation of kids, consistently grow, give and foster positive change. Those words resonated as themes several times Tuesday night when Sumter School District honored many of its finest educators at …
Studio Sumter

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!

You can watch our most recent episode here or click the "Watch on YouTube" button to see more video content produced by Studio Sumter.

Friends to Follow
SPORTS
Arts & Entertainment

Children of reality TV's Chrisleys hope court hearing is step toward bringing convicted parents home

ATLANTA (AP) — Lawyers for reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who are in prison after being convicted on federal charges of bank fraud and tax evasion, on Friday challenged aspects of …

Nation & World
Mandisa, Grammy-winning singer and 'American Idol' alum, dies at 47

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mandisa, a contemporary Christian singer who appeared on "American Idol" and won a Grammy for her 2013 album 'Overcomer', has died. She was 47. A representative for the …

Ukraine, Israel aid advances in rare House vote as Democrats help Republicans push it forward WASHINGTON (AP) — With rare bipartisan momentum, the House pushed ahead Friday on a foreign aid package of $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian support as a robust coalition …
Full jury of 12 people and 6 alternates is seated in Trump's hush money trial in New York NEW YORK (AP) — A full jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated Friday in Donald Trump's hush money case, setting the stage for expected opening statements next week in the first …
Russia pummels exhausted Ukrainian forces with smaller attacks ahead of a springtime advance Russian troops are ramping up pressure on exhausted Ukrainian forces to prepare to seize more land this spring and summer as muddy fields dry out and allow tanks, armored vehicles and other heavy …
Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of …
State News
South Carolina making progress to get more women in General Assembly and leadership roles

COLUMBIA (AP) — At first glance, the all-male South Carolina Senate subcommittee deciding whether to approve a proposal to remove the sales tax from feminine hygiene products was a reminder …

Treasurer denies South Carolina Senate accusation he risked cyberattack in missing $1.8B case COLUMBIA (AP) — Days after a contentious public hearing with state senators, Treasurer Curtis Loftis nearly put South Carolina's entire financial system at risk of a cyberattack by saying he …
Senate opposition leaves South Carolina energy bill with listless future COLUMBIA (AP) — Before a bill that supporters said will help South Carolina keep the lights on as the state rapidly grows could get debated on the Senate floor, several senators spoke out …
Boeing pushes back on whistleblower's allegations and details how airframes are put together Boeing is defending the integrity of the fuselages on two of its largest planes, which have come under criticism from a whistleblower who warns that panels on the outside of one of the planes could …
Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham are again at odds, now over abortion. The strife could help both men COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The long and occasionally quixotic relationship between Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham has again turned negative after the South Carolina senator criticized the former …
Obituaries
NOBLE SYLVESTER TIMMONS JR.

GRAYSON, Georgia — Noble Sylvester Timmons Jr., age 93, beloved husband of 40 years to the late Gladys Virginia Thames Timmons, died on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at Benton House Senior Living …

BROWN

VANESSA KARINE FINERSON BROWN

Vanessa Karine Finerson Brown, 68, wife of David Eugene Brown and daughter of the late Willard E. Finerson and Karine Adams Finerson, was born on March 1, 1956, in Norfolk, Virginia. She departed …

FREDDIE JIM SOUTER SR.

Freddie Jim Souter Sr. died on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Fayette, Georgia. Born in Sumter County, he was the son of the late Malcolm Eugene Souter Sr. and Cornelia Allice Weston Souter. The family …

DAVID GRANBY JR.

David Granby Jr., 79, son of the late David Granby Sr. and Alverta Bonner Granby, was born on June 15, 1944, in Edenton, North Carolina. He departed this life on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at Dorn VA …

ROSE

WENDELL ROSE

Wendell Rose, 43, son of Carrie Rita Mae Green Rose and the late Alfred John Rose, was born on April 8, 1981, in Sumter County. He departed this life on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Sumter.Public …

Faith
Column by First Presbyterian Church Pastor Stewart Rawson: We can build a better community if we try a little harder to be kind My name is Stewart Rawson, and I am the new pastor at First Presbyterian Church here in Sumter. It is my privilege and honor to serve this historic church, and I will look forward to working hard to maintain its commitment to this community. It is …
Healing Guatemala through prayer, teamwork and intentionality Missionary trips are more than just medical missions; these trips are transformative and focus on intentionality, teamwork and gratitude. Twenty-two mission team members, many from Sumter, spent a week in Guatemala seeing approximately 750 …
Church news: Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Church of Christ, 313 Mooneyham Road, announces: - Sunday, April 21 - The 28th pastoral anniversary of the Rev. James L. and Lady Alethia Clark will be celebrated at 3 p.m. The Rev. Emmanuel Davis, pastor of New Bethel AME Church in Bishopville, …
The Rev. Dr. Clay Smith: Holding on for dear life When I was a little boy, rodeos had calf scrambles. To give the adult cowboys and cowgirls a break, they would call for all the boys to come into the arena for the calf scramble about midway through the rodeo. The boys were paired up, and then about …
Celebrations
Dear Abby
Pets for adoption
Tess is waiting for her family at the Sumter SPCA

Tess is a 1-year-old, tan female hound mix. She is very friendly and affectionate and enjoys playing and getting hugs and kisses. Tess has a happy and loving personality and would be perfect for a …

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: Have you seen these photos from Sumter's past?

This issue of Reflections takes a look at photos taken across the Sumter area through the decades.

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 …
From the opinion pages
Your view