Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Things to do across the Midlands: Waterfowl Heritage Festival brings live music, family fun to Pinewood on Saturday; Veterans Day events will be Saturday and next week

SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO A contestant competes during the duck-calling contest at the annual Duck Fest in 2023. The name of the annual festival has changed, but it will still include live music, family fun, vendors, food trucks, a vintage gear market and the Heritage Cup and Duck Olympics on Saturday, Nov. 7, in Pinewood.

To make a submission to our events list, email pressrelease@theitem.com with EVENTS in the subject line. SUMTER COUNTY South Carolina Waterfowl Association will host the Waterfowl Heritage Festival on Nov. 7 at its Wildlife Education Center in …

Waterfowl Heritage Festival comes to Pinewood on Nov. 7

A band plays during the 2024 Duck Fest. Live music is always part of the festival.

South Carolina Waterfowl Association will host the Waterfowl Heritage Festival on Nov. 7 at its Wildlife Education Center in Pinewood. Formerly known as Duck Fest, the event has a new name and look but will continue celebrating the people, …

Charleston Gospel Choir coming to Sumter for Christmas on Dec. 5

Charleston Gospel Choir is coming to Sumter for Christmas at Patriot Hall on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, at 7 p.m.

Charleston Gospel Choir is coming to Sumter for Christmas at Patriot Hall on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. The performance will take place at the newly renovated Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. The choir, founded in 1998, consists solely of …

Patrick Stewart, legendary actor of 'Star Trek' and 'X-Men' fame, dies at 86

Patrick Stewart arrives at the premiere of the third and final season of "Star Trek: Picard" on Feb. 9, 2023, in Los Angeles.

Patrick Stewart, the classically trained actor who added Shakespearean gravitas to the "Star Trek" and "X-Men" franchises, has died. He was 86. Stewart died Wednesday in Los Angeles, following …

Halloween happenings in Sumter, Lee counties

Detective Sgt. Howie Austin of Sumter Police Department and with DJ Howie D Entertainment dresses as Batman for Trick-or-Treat with Sumter's Superheroes during a past year. This year's event is on Friday, Oct. 30, at Crosswell Drive Elementary School.

It's almost time - the guys, girls, ghouls and goblins will have their buckets in hand, ready to gather treats to take them through the spooky weekend festivities. To know where to go, here is a list of local Halloween happenings in the …

Food

Quick Chicken and Dumplins

Cozy up to some country cooking as the calendar turns to November

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Halloween food fun isn't just for pumpkins

Cottage Pie

This hearty meal chases away the chill of fall

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The scary truth about added sugar: Prisma Health dietitian shares tips for healthier Halloween

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A convenient homecooked solution without the slow cooker

Grilled Chicken Kebabs

Score big on game day with winning tailgate recipes

Faith

Church news: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026 To update your listing or add a listing, please email pressrelease@theitem.com and include Church News in the subject line. Tiverton Baptist Church, 2420 Old Hwy. 261, Wedgefield, announces: - The church will be celebrating the 16th Pastoral …

Waiting does not mean God is saying no Life has its ups and downs, and no one is exempt from struggling every now and then. We've heard that how we react to situations is based on how much spiritual peace we can maintain, and I certainly believe this is true. In order to hear God's …

Takeaways from AP's report on the taxpayer-funded growth of classical Christian schools Conservatives are banding together to grow classical Christian schools by leveraging new taxpayer-funded scholarships. These scholarships have rapidly expanded in states around the country. They …

Ministry launches foundation to sustain its mission for generations What someone builds to outlast them says something about where their heart lived while they were still here. For Mark Champagne, his heart lives in Sumter United Ministries. He knows he won't be in the executive director's role forever, and …

Church news: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026 To update your listing or add a listing, please email pressrelease@theitem.com and include Church News in the subject line. Providence Baptist Church, 2445 Old Manning Road, announces: - Through Wednesday, Oct. 21, we will kick off our Revival …

Life / Health

U.S. doctors offer updated flu, COVID vaccine recommendations, aiming to ease confusion Leading U.S. medical groups are urging people to get updated flu and COVID-19 vaccinations this fall, banding together Wednesday to issue shot guidelines - and highlight the science behind them - saying they hope to ease confusion caused by the …

A guide to choosing mums for the fall garden - beyond the classic cushion September marks the beginning of the great summer-to-fall garden transition and, although most summer plants still have life left in them, many gardeners are turning their attention to the iconic chrysanthemum. The majority of mums sold in …

Beyond numbers: Looking at the food label, ingredient list Walk through any grocery store, and you will see packages covered with phrases such as "high protein," "low fat," "organic," "multigrain" or "made with real fruit." These claims may be accurate, but they do not necessarily mean the product is the …

FDA approves landmark pancreatic cancer drug that's shown to improve survival WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a groundbreaking new drug for advanced pancreatic cancer, offering U.S. patients a more effective treatment against one of the deadliest types of cancer. FDA officials gave …

Inflammation: Take steps to help your body heal Inflammation often gets a bad reputation, but it is not always the enemy. In fact, inflammation is one of the ways your body protects and repairs itself. When you get a cut, develop an infection or injure a muscle, your immune system sends cells and …

Pets for Adoption

Harley the shepherd and husky mix has beautiful eyes Harley is a gorgeous 4-year-old German shepherd and husky mix with the blue eyes. She is a sterilized female and ready to find a family to call her own. Just look at that sweet face. Come meet Harley …

Sully the young hound mix wants a family to grow up with Meet Sully! Sully is a 5-month-old male hound mix. Sully is one handsome little guy with the sweetest puppy dog eyes and those adorable floppy ears. He's still just a baby with so much growing and learning ahead of him, and he's looking for a …

Rip is a handsome young dog who loves to socialize Rip is a big, gentle fellow who finds himself at the shelter and is now hoping to find a family to call his own. At 62 pounds and approximately 2 to 4 years old, this handsome boy is looking for someone who loves the bigger dogs and has room …

Yabor may be small, but he has plenty of energy and love to give Meet Yabor! This adorable little fellow weighs just 10 pounds and is approximately 2 to 4 years old. He's looking for a new family to love, and he has so much love to give in return. Yabor loves to snuggle, adores attention and would be …

Dodi has a beautiful coat and friendly personality Just look at this beautiful girl! Dodi is a stunning gal with a gorgeous coat and a friendly personality that will make you fall in love. At 3-5 years old and 39 pounds, Dodi is the perfect bundle of happiness just waiting for someone to …

Dear Abby

- Dear Abby, Nov. 3, 2026: Holidays bring up issues of gratitude
  
  DEAR ABBY: My sister-in-law lives across the country. For years, we shipped each other's children Christmas gifts. A few years ago, she went …
- Dear Abby, Nov. 2, 2026: Readers call for action to protect neglected senior
  
  DEAR READERS: The mailbox was bursting with responses to the Oct. 9 letter from Frustrated Neighbor, whose 94-year-old neighbor is bedridden and …
- Dear Abby, Nov. 1, 2026: Neighbors tire of maintaining derelict property
  
  DEAR ABBY: How much should a neighborhood do to keep up a vacant house? About 15 years ago, a couple in their 50s moved into the end of my …
- Dear Abby, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026: Beloved niece lacks respect for relatives' time
  
  DEAR ABBY: We live 500 miles from our nearest relatives, but a niece is attending a university about 50 miles away. We invite her to join us for …
- Dear Abby, Oct. 30, 2026: Wedding invitation clashes with dream vacation
  
  DEAR ABBY: I'm 78, and my husband is 79. This past year, he lost $500,000 through a fraudulent bitcoin site. Fortunately, we have $500,000 left, …
- Dear Abby, Oct. 29, 2026: Woman with great life dreams of doom
  
  DEAR ABBY: Let me start off by saying I have a great life, a good job, a loving boyfriend and family I adore. I'm a 42-year-old woman with grown …

Yesteryear

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