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 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.
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/Kids Events
Koach Jazz Basketball Camp
July 25, ages 5 -18, join “Koach Jazz” Councilman and Athletic Director Jasmin Mitchell for Koach Jazz Basketball Camp 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Sumter Central High School. Free t-shirts, balls and food.
UCS Lyon Back-to-School Night
UCS Lyon Back-to-School Night will be 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Aug. 10
Shelton State Community College Summer Commencement
The College will welcome Dr. Mike Daria as its keynote speaker for commencement ceremonies. Dr. Daria has dedicated his career to serving the students, families, and educators of Tuscaloosa City Schools. Over the years, he has served in a variety of roles, including English teacher, assistant principal, principal, executive director of personnel, assistant superintendent, and now superintendent. All ceremonies are open to the public and will be held in the Martin Campus Gymnasium unless otherwise noted. Each event will also be live-streamed by the College on SSCC Live. Additional information about each event is below. Nursing Pinning Ceremony Thurs., July 30, 6 p.m.;Commencement Ceremonies Fri., July 31, 9 a.m. – Technical Programs,11 a.m. – Academic and Health Services Programs; Workforce Development Women’s Foundation CDL Graduation Ceremony Mon., Aug. 24, 6 p.m. Martin Campus Atrium. In the event of inclement or severe weather, the College will assess conditions and share any delays, relocations, or changes through official communication channels. Ceremonies will proceed as scheduled unless otherwise communicated by the College. Please monitor the College website and social media platforms for updates. For more information about other upcoming events at Shelton State, visit sheltonstate.edu.
Governor Ivey Launches Annual Summer Reading Challenge for Alabama Students Ahead of America’s 250th Birthday
Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced her 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, inviting Alabama students entering kindergarten through eighth grade to celebrate a patriotic summer through reading as America prepares to mark its 250th birthday. The challenge encourages students to read six books between now and August 1, 2026, while exploring stories about America’s history, heroes, values and spirit. Students participating in the challenge are asked to track the books they read using a Summer Reading Challenge log and submit either a written reflection or drawing describing what they learned about the United States of America during their summer reading. Governor Ivey encourages students to choose books they enjoy while especially considering stories focused on America’s history, culture, hardworking people and enduring values. Completed reading logs and reflections must be mailed by August 1, 2026, to:
Governor Kay Ivey
Attn: Summer Reading Challenge
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130
UA Preview: This Week at The University of Alabama
| June 29, 2026 📰 BEST BETS Expanded academic advising to give students more personalized support The University of Alabama is launching a new, three-year initiative to transform and expand academic advising across campus, representing UA’s commitment to ensuring every student graduates with clear direction and prepared to begin their career. Why This Matters: This strategic investment focuses on strengthening the student advising infrastructure by investing directly in advisers, who serve as mentors, problem-solvers, advocates and guides through academic pathways. The University is freeing advisers for more meaningful one-on-one mentorship and proactive outreach by lowering adviser caseloads through a phased, college-by-college approach. For more information, contact Alex House at alex.house@ua.edu. 5 faculty named Fulbright Scholars Five UA faculty members have been selected for Fulbright awards for educators to teach and research around the globe. Why This Matters: The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program offers more than 380 awards in over 120 countries for U.S. citizens to teach, conduct research and complete professional projects abroad. Open to faculty, researchers, artists and other professionals, the program has connected nearly 450,000 Fulbrighters through new skills, global networks and deeper mutual understanding. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu. 10 students offered Fulbright awards The Fulbright Program selected 10 UA students for various awards for the 2026-2027 academic year. Why This Matters: The Fulbright U.S. Student Program broadens perspectives through academic and professional growth and cross-cultural exchange. In partnership with more than 140 countries, it offers opportunities for graduating seniors, graduate students and young professionals to study, conduct research or teach English abroad. The program also supports knowledge, innovation and solutions to complex global challenges. For more information, contact Bryant Welbourne at bryant.welbourne@ua.edu. Study shows national identity found through international sports This summer, the United States will be hosting FIFA World Cup games for the first time since 1994. Dr. John Vincent, a professor of sport management at The University of Alabama, has studied the fanfare around huge international sporting events for three decades. His recent book, “Sport, National Identities and the Media: Battling Brits”, explores the way these competitions become a stage on which national identity is celebrated, contested and reimagined. For more information, contact Jessica Nelson at jessica.nelson@ua.edu. |