To The Sumter Item readers: Please be patient with us through Florence

To all of our wonderful readers and subscribers,

With Hurricane Florence at our doorstep, please be patient regarding your newspaper delivery over the next several days.

While delivering your local news is very important to us, nothing is more important than the safety of our employees and carriers.

We will be diligently updating our website at www.TheItem.com throughout the storm. Our website will be completely free to all users for the duration of the hurricane.

Please send any storm photos or information to editor@theitem.com.

Our office will be closed on Friday with plans to reopen on Monday.

Stay safe, Sumter.

Vince Johnson, publisher