School's in; Renfrow's out

The Prayer Shawl Ladies

A report from the U.S. Travel Association shows visitor spending in Johnston County rose by $17 million to more than $256 million in 2018 --- an annual increase of 7.1% that ranked Johnston third among North Carolina's counties in terms of percentage growth.

That figure includes spending by visitors on shopping, hotels, dining, attractions, and travel-related services.

While Johnston ranked near the top in visitor-spending growth, we ranked 21st among the 100 Tar Heel counties in dollars spent. Mecklenburg (Charlotte) led the way with its visitors spending more than $5.6 billion. Wake (Raleigh) was second with expenditures totaling $2.4 billion.

The Johnston County Visitors Bureau notes that $198,090 from the county's 3% occupancy tax on overnight accommodations last year "was invested back into tourism development projects such as recreation facilities, museums, historic preservation, performing arts, and community meeting places.

Included in those allocations was $40,000 to Smithfield's Ava Gardner Museum for a "conservation grant" and roof replacement.

In addition, $133,919 from Smithfield's separate 2% occupancy tax was allocated to the town's "wayfinding" project to erect signs directing visitors to important public facilities and other points of interest. Another $4,445 from that tax was earmarked for plans to improve Smithfield's Town Commons amphitheater.

Labor Day, the "end-of-summer" holiday

Just about every public agency and service will be closed next Monday for the Labor Day holiday, traditionally observed as the "end of summer."

That includes our public schools, all government offices, garbage-collection and landfill services, public libraries, banks, and post offices.

Of course, we who've lived here for a while know that summer's heat and humidity will be around for another month or so. Astronomically speaking, summer won't end till the autumnal equinox at 3:50 a.m. September 23.

Speaking of labor, view an update of local construction projects
on the FEATURE PAGE>

Cindy Brookshire is now leading the Writers Group.

Johnston County Writers Group story & photo

The Johnston County Writers Group will begin meeting the second Thursday of every month on September 12 at the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield. The group's meetings --- from 6 to 7:30 p.m. --- are open to the public free of charge.

Guest speaker for the September session will be Wanda Robinson Lee, author of the autobiography God’s Voice: Choices That Led My Journey.

The Johnston County Writers Group is a diverse group of working writers ranging from beginner to advanced. They share information, critique each other’s work, host guest authors, and schedule meetups, write-ins, and open mics in various local places.

The group was founded in 2014 by retired educator Gary Ridout, who is working on his second book manuscript. Group members include YA Christian, fantasy and romance author Gabrielle Bryant (Her Prince of Dreams), inspirational romance writer Hope Dougherty (Rescued Hearts), children’s book authors Sherry Storrs (The Giraffe, the Sun and the Apricot) and Evelyn Wool (Mischievous Misty), and freelance writer Dot La Motta, who has penned feature articles for Johnston Now magazine.

Mr. Ridout has passed the group's leadership to Cindy Brookshire. Her short story “Ain’t Just a River,” won second place in the 2019 Carolina Woman magazine’s creative writing competition. Her poem “Miranda at the Rail” appears in the Franklin County Arts Council’s 2019 County Lines Literary Journal. Her poem “Death Cleaning” was a finalist for the 2019 James Applewhite Poetry Prize.

For more information visit the Johnston County Arts Council website at www.jcartscouncil.org/literary-arts.html or e-mail jocowriters@gmail.com.
On social media, look for hashtags #jocowriters and #writehereinjoco.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENDAS

THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS

"Johnston County's School Bus Fleet --- Largest In North Carolina"
proclaimed the caption beneath this photograph on the front page of The Smithfield Herald of October 12, 1937. From this view we can understand why these vehicles were originally called "school trucks" --- because that's the way they were put together in the early years of transporting children from farm to school. This photograph was taken atop the three-story Smithfield School building that once stood on Rose Street. The "school bus fleet" covered the large playground that once served as the school's athletic field. (Photo from the Henry Burwell Marrow Collection at the Johnston County Heritage Center. Mr. Marrow served as Johnston County's superintendent of schools from 1922 until 1951.)