Columbia TV anchor shares message on spiritual gifts during Sumter Mayor's Prayer Breakfast

Judi Gatson, WIS news anchor who served as the keynote speaker, talks to the crowd about spiritual gifts on Thursday, May 2, at Alice Drive Baptist Church. She told the audience of more than 400 that their gifts are important, even if they aren’t aware of the impact they make on their community.
All Christians should use their spiritual gifts given by God to serve others and never think their gifts are trivial or going unnoticed because they truly are impacting someone. That was the message shared by popular Columbia-area TV news anchor …
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

With help from AI, Randy Travis got his voice back

With some help from artificial intelligence, country music star Randy Travis, celebrated for his timeless hits like "Forever and Ever, Amen" and "I Told You So," has his voice back. In July 2013, Travis was hospitalized with viral cardiomyopathy, …

Nation & World
Biden says U.S. won't supply weapons for Israel to attack Rafah, in warning to ally

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said that he would not supply offensive weapons that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza …

House rejects Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's effort to oust Speaker Mike Johnson, but chaos lingers WASHINGTON (AP) — Hard-line Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tried and failed in a brazen push to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, but the resounding rejection by Republicans and Democrats tired of …
Trump is in no hurry as he leans into the pageantry of vice presidential tryouts NEW YORK — As former President Donald Trump remains stuck in the courtroom listening to salacious details of an extramarital sexual encounter he denies, another spectacle is playing out in the …
Haley won 1 in 5 Indiana Republican voters in the presidential primary INDIANAPOLIS — The ghost of Nikki Haley's presidential campaign is ringing up significant support in state primaries despite her withdrawal from the race in March shortly before Donald Trump …
Boy Scouts of America changing name to Scouting America after years of woes IRVING, Texas (AP) - The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy after a flood of sexual abuse …
State News
South Carolina Senate turns wide-ranging energy bill into resolution supporting more power

COLUMBIA — A bill that power companies call vital to keeping the lights on in South Carolina has been turned into a resolution that only expresses support for the idea by the Senate, which …

Refugees welcomed to home in S.C. COLUMBIA (AP) - A church volunteer stood at an apartment door, beckoning inside a Congolese family for their first look at where they would live in America. "Your new house!" volunteer Dan Davidson exclaimed as the couple and the woman's brother …
South Carolina lawmakers rekindle bill limiting how topics like race are taught COLUMBIA (AP) — A small group of lawmakers in South Carolina rekindled debate Tuesday on a bill that would limit how topics like race can be taught in public school K-12 classrooms. Both the …
The FAA investigates after Boeing says workers in South Carolina falsified 787 inspection records SEATTLE (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it has opened an investigation into Boeing after the beleaguered company reported that workers at a South Carolina plant falsified …
Duke Energy Progress proposes cost reduction in annual adjustment for fuel with Public Service Commission of South Carolina GREENVILLE – Duke Energy Progress is seeking to reduce customer bills to account for the cost of fuel used to generate electricity for South Carolina homes and businesses. If approved by the …
Obituaries
RICHARD PORCHER JR.

Richard Porcher Jr.,  57, died Thursday, May 9, 2024, at Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, Sumter.  Born in Sumter County on March 29, 1967, he was the son of the late Richard Porcher Sr. and …

BRAXTON

DR. DANIELLE THOMPSON BRAXTON

Dr. Danielle Thompson Braxton, 37, wife of Christopher Jermaine Braxton and daughter of Leroy Thompson and Vertrena Wright Thompson, was born on Sept. 19, 1986, in Augusta, Georgia. She departed this …

MARY LOUISE LOGAN

Ms. Mary Louise Logan, 80, of 1520 Porter Road, Manning, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, April 4, 2024, at her residence. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at …

SUSAN MAE JACKSON WILLIS

Susan Mae Jackson Willis, 85, widow of Stephen Willis and daughter of the late Louis Gamble and Thelma Jackson Quashie, was born on March 20, 1939, in Sumter. She departed this life on Wednesday, May …

MORRIS

ADAM MORRIS

Adam Morris, 42, born Clarence Adam Morris, AKA Big A, was born Feb. 5, 1982, and passed April 30, 2024. He is missed by his loving wife, Deborah Morris, and his two kids, JR. and Ashlyn Truett, his …

Faith
Column by William F. Holland Jr.: Knowledge and obedience are not the same It's wonderful to be positive-minded and appreciate that God is good all the time because He is! It's common to seek the Lord for His protection and blessings, as this usually takes up a majority of our prayer time, and it's perfectly fine to do so. …
Church news: May 8, 2024 First Baptist Missionary Church, 219 S. Washington St., announces: - Friday, May 10 - A food giveaway will be held from 1 p.m. until supplies last. Hearts United (formerly Knitting Hearts) at Bethesda Church of God, 2730 Broad St., …
‘Pastor Clay’ to retire from Sumter's Alice Drive Baptist after successor is found Alice Drive Baptist Church pastor Clay Smith announced Sunday that he will be retiring after a new pastor is found for the church in a search process. Noting next month will be his 30 th …
Column from Alice Drive Baptist the Rev. Dr. Clay Smith: Storms Trivia question: What place on Earth has more thunderstorms than any other? Answer: The Tampa Bay area in Florida. As the crow flies, it is 48 miles from the ranch to Tampa. We get our fair share of thunderstorms. As people say, in the summer, …
Celebrations
Dear Abby
Pets for adoption
Anastasia would be a perfect companion for any family

Anastasia is a 2-year-old, tortoiseshell/tabby female Manx. She is housebroken and is quite gorgeous. Her coat is a brown, orange and black mottled tortoiseshell, and her temperament is super calm, …

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: Morris College opened in 1908 as Sumter's 1st college

Reflections revisits Morris College and discusses the opportunities it offered to Black children in the Sumter community. "The Negro State Baptist Convention of South Carolina founded the college in 1908. For many years, it has contributed much 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 …
From the opinion pages
Your view