Guidelines for Submitting your Church/Community Announcements
These are free as long as there are no personal messages and the event is not being charged for (love offerings do not count). Please keep the announcement to one paragraph with who is presenting the event, what the event is, date, time, where it will be held and contact information. Email them to scrjmedia@yahoo.com. We can not take anything over the phone due to company policy.
Holiday deadlines for 2026: Sumter County Record Journal will be closed Good Friday, April 3. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Memorial Day, May 25. We will have a late deadline for Tuesday morning, May 26 for the May 28th edition. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Independence Day Friday, July 3. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Labor Day, Sept. 8. We will have a late deadline for Tuesday, Sept. 9 for the Sept. 11 edition. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed for Thanksgiving Nov. 23-27. We have to submit the paper early due to the printing company being closed for the holidays. Deadline for the Thanksgiving edition is Friday morning, Nov. 20. Santa Letters are due first Friday in December, Dec. 4. Ads for the Santa Letter edition are due Dec. 11. Both Christmas and New Year’s deadlines are Friday, Dec. 18. We have to submit both papers early due to the printing company being closed for the holidays. Sumter County Record Journal will be closed Dec. 21-Jan. 3 for the holidays.
Sumterville-Hamner Community Association, Inc., Annual Meeting
Sumterville-Hamner community members, we will have our annual meeting at the Sumterville-Hamner park if weather permits. If not it will be at home of Austin and Hasty Robinson on Tues., March 24 at 5 p.m. We are inviting you to come out and support your community. For info: call Austin B. Robinson, 499-6326.
Hale County Extension Garden-to-Pantry Workshop Strawberry and Blueberry Production
Join us for the Hale County Garden-to-Pantry Workshop on April 8, from 9 a.m.- noon! This free workshop will focus on Strawberry and Blueberry Production with expert Extension Agents: Tera Glenn Nutrition & Health, Wade Hummer Horticulture, Alice Moore Food Preservation at Project Horseshoe Farm, 1202 Main Street, Greensboro. Registration is required as seating is limited. Register here: www.aces.edu/go/6016 or call: (334) 624-8710.
Red Cross
This March, the American Red Cross urges donors to help the national blood supply recover following a severe shortage and empower their health by making an appointment to give blood or platelets. Donors of all blood types remain critical to keeping momentum up and the blood supply steady headed into spring. Some parts of the nation are still clearing snow, but the threat of severe spring weather is already growing. Now is the time to book a blood or platelet donation appointment to help prevent any future disruption to patient care. Help is needed right now ─ and a simple act of donating blood or platelets can be the lifesaving gift people are counting on. Book a time to give blood or platelets now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. The Red Cross will perform A1C testing on successful blood, platelet and plasma donations made March 1-31, 2026 (one result in 2026). Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma March 1-31, 2026, will receive a gift card by email. Details on both offers can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/March. Livingston 3/16: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Bell Conference Center, Foust Dr.
4th Annual York Easter Egg Hunt
The 4th Annual York Easter Egg hunt Sun., April 5 at 3 p.m. at Cherokee Park, York. Bring the kids out to enjoy free hot dogs and hamburgers. Three golden egg cash prizes.
Community Foundation Grants
The Community Foundation of West Alabama is now accepting applications for the spring grant cycle. The grants are open to any 501(c)3 organization. Applications can be found on the website at Community Grants | Community Foundation Of West Alabama. The deadline to apply is April 1. Grants may be hand delivered or post-marked by that day.
Thriving In High Cattle Prices
You are cordially invited to attend an upcoming educational program, “Thriving In High Cattle Prices,” to be held in Greene County, Alabama. This program will feature a panel discussion with several highly qualified and knowledgeable Extension professionals who will share timely insights and practical strategies for navigating today’s strong cattle markets. The event will take place at the Boligee Community Center, 17404 County Road 20, Boligee. This is a free educational event, and dinner will be provided. We kindly ask that you RSVP by: scanning the QR code on the event flyer (Hale County Extension Service Facebook), or by visiting the following link: https://aub.ie/BoligeeDiscussion, or by contacting the Greene County Extension Office at (205) 609-0347. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal opportunity educator, employer, and provider. If you require a reasonable accommodation or free language access services, please contact Ken Kelley at (251) 238-0373 by March 12.
NAPS Free Dental Clinic
The National Association for the Prevention of Starvation, McElroy Trucking, Two Rivers Lumber Company, and H & M Construction is sponsoring a free dental clinic at New Generation Church, 119 Louis Barnett, Jr., St., Eutaw, April 4, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. No appointments. First come. First serve. Limited space available. For more information call 334-624-2553.
Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program
Applications are now open for Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP) Class XIII. Designed for young producers, the YCLP offers hands-on industry experience, leadership development, and connections that last a lifetime. Learn more and apply now through March 22 at BamaBeef.org/YCLP.
Alabama Extension Year of Invasive Plants
Have you heard? Alabama Extension and other partners across the state are working hard to increase public awareness, improve identification skills, and control non-native invasive plants on public and private lands. We need your help! You can get in on the action this year in several ways. Follow the ACES – Forestry, Wildlife, & Natural Resources Facebook page where every Sunday we will highlight a different invasive plant. Share posts to your network to help us increase public awareness of these plants in the landscape. Join us at classes, workshops, or volunteer events to learn more and contribute to removing these plants in public spaces. Record control efforts on public or your own private property for participation incentives and additional resources to aid in your efforts. Want to get involved? Take the pledge! Visit www.aces.edu/go/YearofInvasivePlants to learn more about the project, take the pledge, and record your actions!
Community Garden Volunteers Needed at the Coleman Center For the Arts Garden
Help us grow our garden and expand our garden programs. Our garden is open to the public; we are happy to collaborate with community groups, churches, and schools to provide garden programming. Email us at info@colemanarts.org for more information, or to sign up as a volunteer.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
If you or someone you know is struggling to cope emotionally this holiday season, reach out. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support via phone or chat for people in distress, resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Visit 988lifeline.org for more.
Community Prayer
Community Prayer for the Sumter County area will be held every 1st Thursday of each month at noon for one hour at the Bored Well, the Courthouse Square, Livingston. We’re asking all residents, businesses, local leaders, pastors, governmental and city officials to join us as we come together as a community to pray. Submitted by Min. Leola Washington, Volunteer Coordinator for NDPTF, Sumter County.
School Events
Angie’s Caring Hearts Scholarships
Greetings Sumter County and Sumter Central Seniors. Please see information below on how to apply for our annual Scholarship. The deadline to apply will be April 12. Best of luck to all the upcoming graduates! See details on at www.facebook.com/ACHFInc
SSCC Reschedules Cancer Town Hall
Shelton State Community College (SSCC) has rescheduled its community-wide town hall for Tues., March 31, at 10:30 a.m. in the Martin Campus Gym. The event will bring together survivors, advocates, healthcare leaders, and community voices to discuss the impact of cancer on individuals, families, and communities. Doors will open at 10 a.m., and the event is open to the public. The town hall is presented in partnership with Friends of Jaclyn (FOJ) and No Evidence of Disease (NED) and will be moderated by Rick Karle, longtime local sports director, cancer survivor, and creator of the Good News blog, which highlights uplifting human-interest stories throughout the region. Karle’s personal cancer journey and commitment to sharing stories of hope and resilience make him a meaningful choice to lead the discussion. Featured panelists include Dennis Murphy, founder of Friends of Jaclyn and NED; Sarah Patterson, legendary former gymnastics coach at The University of Alabama; and representatives from DCH Hospital, along with other prominent members of the Tuscaloosa community. As part of the program, each panelist will wear a shirt in the color representing the type of cancer that has most impacted their life serving as a powerful visual reminder of the many forms cancer takes and the shared strength of those affected. Shelton State Athletics began its partnership with Friends of Jaclyn in 2023 and has since adopted two young cancer patients, reinforcing the College’s ongoing commitment to service, compassion, and community engagement. For more information about Shelton State, visit sheltonstate.edu.
SSCC’s Terrific Tuesday Concert Series
Shelton State Community College’s Terrific Tuesday Concert Series continues this spring in the Alabama Power Recital Hall on the Martin Campus. Admission is free. All performances will be at 1 p.m. in the Alabama Power Hall unless otherwise noted on the schedule. Upcoming performances and artists include the following: March 10 Student Musicale, March 24 Red Clay Trio Timothy Phillips, clarinet l Amy Catron, cello Benjamin Crook, piano, March 31 SSCC Jazz Combo Martin Atrium, April 7 University of Montevallo Chamber Recital, April 14 SSCC Student Recital Noelle Douglas, mezzo-soprano, April 21 Honors Musicale.
UA Preview: This Week at The University of Alabama
| March 9, 2026 📰 BEST BETS UA Launches New Interdisciplinary Brain Health Evaluation Program The University of Alabama has launched a new interdisciplinary brain health evaluation program housed in the Institute for Social Science Research in the J. Frank Barefield Jr. College of Arts and Sciences. Why This Matters: Comprehensive Post-Acute Specialty Services, or COMPASS, supports individuals across Alabama who continue to experience behavioral, cognitive, neurological or functional challenges after a concussion or traumatic brain injury. For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu. UA Miracle Sets Fundraising Record UA Miracle, the University’s largest student‑led organization, set a fundraising record by collecting $394,178 over the past year to support pediatric care at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham. Why This Matters: The record-setting amount was revealed following the group’s annual BAMAthon event Feb. 28 at the UA Student Center. The 11-hour dance marathon celebrates the patients and families served by Children’s of Alabama while raising funds for pediatric health care, research and family support services. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu. UA’s AMP and Power Center Integrates Honeywell Technology The Alabama Mobility and Power Center will integrate Honeywell’s AI-powered Battery Manufacturing Excellence Platform in its battery research lab. Why This Matters: The battery manufacturing automation platform optimizes operations by improving cell yields and expediting facility startups for battery manufacturers at any scale. This collaboration will allow the lab to train the next generation of engineers and battery professionals nationwide. For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu. UA Reboots Exchange Program Fifteen first-year students are the first cohort of the Alabama-Esslingen-Mercedes Exchange, a continuation of a long-running exchange program in automotive engineering. Why This Matters: The AEMX program for Global Leaders is a cooperative effort between UA, the German university Hochschule Esslingen and Mercedes-Benz US International. For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu. Sports Media Scholar Wins UA’s SEC Faculty Achievement Award Dr. Andrew Billings, a leading voice in the study of sports media, has been selected as UA’s recipient of the 2026 Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award. Why This Matters: The annual SEC Faculty Achievement Awards recognize individuals whose work advances knowledge, elevates their universities and reflects the highest standards of excellence across the SEC. 💬 CURRENT COMMENT Dr. Adam Knowlden, associate professor of health science and director of the SLUMBRx Lab, is available to discuss ways to adapt sleep patterns to daylight savings time and other sleep related issues. 📅 EVENTS Movement in the Museum: Sun Salutations Yoga March 10; Alabama Museum of Natural History Biophilia: Designed by Nature March 6-April 22: Paul R. Jones Museum |