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| PUBLISHED
ONLINE DECEMBER 26, 2019 •
VOL. 1, NO. 52 |
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BYE! BYE!
 Our Top 10 stories of the year . . . Here are the editor's picks (in order of occurrence): • SMITHFIELD-SELMA CHAMBER REMADE AS "TRIANGLE EAST" (January) • JOHNSTON HOSPITALS GET NATIONAL HONORS FOR PATIENT CARE (February, June, November) • REVALUATION RESULTS IN HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES (June) • PLANS UNVEILED FOR JOHNSTON COUNTY'S NEW "JAIL" (July) • RAINSTORMS CAUSE FLOODING, END OPPRESSIVE HEAT WAVE (July)  •
JOHNSTON COUNTY HAMS GOES OUT OFBUSINESS (August) • SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS ABRUPTLY "RETIRES" (August) • TRIANGLE LAND CONSERVANCY BUYS 1,120 ACRES OF NEUSE "BOTTOMLANDS" (October) • N.C. SUPREME COURT HOLDS HISTORICAL SESSION IN SMITHFIELD (November) • BOOKER DAIRY ROAD PROJECT COMPLETED (December) To review the Smithfield Weekly Sun's headlines with links to every edition since our startup last January, visit our ARCHIVES> Noteworthy photos from the year gone by . . . on the FEATURE PAGE> Property taxes due Jan. 6 to avoid penalty You have until Monday, January 6 to pay 2019 property taxes due before late-payment penalties kick in. That's the bill property owners received last summer for taxes assessed by the County of Johnston as well as the Town of Smithfield. To pay online or get more information, follow this link to the county's tax office> |
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 7th Street Marketplace & The Chicken Barn |
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16 candidates file for Board of Education, ensuring a March Primary to get 8 finalists Obviously, recent events involving Johnston County Public Schools have agitated the political waters, producing a record number of candidates for the four seats on the Board of Education that are up for election in 2020. As a result, the sixteen will compete in a nonpartisan Primary Election on March 3 to whittle the number down to eight candidates on the ballot in next November's General Election. Among those who have filed are three incumbent board members: Teresa Grant, Ronald Johnson, and Mike Wooten (incumbent Peggy Smith decided not to seek re-election to a fourth four-year term). Former board member Kay Carroll of Smithfield is among the 13 candidates challenging the incumbents (the complete list appears below). And it's worth noting that six of the challengers have Clayton addresses. Among the issues that have stirred up the electorate was last summer's removal of Clayton High School's popular principal, Bennett Jones, by the administration of Superintendent Ross Renfrow. The community's outcry over that move led to Dr. Renfrow's sudden retirement, and Principal Jones was subsequently reinstated. Dr. Renfrow was immediately replaced by former Johnston Superintendent Jim Causby, who has since brought to light a large shortfall in the 2019-20 budget for the county's schools. After making major spending cuts, Dr. Causby has asked the County Commissioners for an additional $8.8 million to balance the revised budget. The commissioners have yet to act on that request.
Mr. Johnson along with Ms. Grant are seeking re-election to their second four-year terms on the school board. Mr. Wooten, who earlier this month relinquished the board's chairmanship, is seeking his fourth term. THREE PRIMARY CONTESTS FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY SEATS Republican State Representative Lisa Stone Barnes of Spring Hope has entered the race for the District 10 seat in the N.C. Senate alongside Republicans Dennis Nielsen of Middlesex and County Commissioner Patrick Harris of Smithfield, thereby setting up a GOP Primary for that seat on March 3. Albert R. Pacer of Creech-Johnson Road, Zebulon will contest former State Senator Allen Wellons of Smithfield in the Democratic Primary for the District 10 seat. The only local Primary contest for N.C. House of Representatives pits incumbent Republican Donna White of Clayton against Justin Tate of Monarch Trail, Selma. The winner will face Democrat Corey Stephens of Benson in November. THREE MORE CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER Justin David King of Peach Blossom Court, Clayton --- a Democrat --- has filed for the District 1 seat on the County Board of Commissioners presently held by Jeff Carver, who is not seeking re-election. A Republican Primary for that seat pits former Commissioner Fred Smith Jr. against Michelle Pace Davis. Democrat Wendy Ella May of Micro is a candidate for the District 2 seat on the Board of Commissioners. She will face Republican incumbent Ted Godwin in next November's General Election. Democrat Gettys Cohen Jr. of Smithfield has filed for the District 6 seat presently held by Republican Tony Braswell, who is facing opposition in the GOP Primary from former Commissioner Lee Jackson of Smithfield and Mike Powell of Cleveland Road, Smithfield. ONLY ONE CONTEST FOR DISTRICT COURT JUDGE Republicans Terry F. Rose of Smithfield and Charlene B. Nelson of Clayton will compete in the March 3 Primary for the District Court judge seat presently held by Chief District Court Judge Jackie Lee, who is not seeking re-election. No Democrat filed for that seat. Judges filing without opposition for re-election --- all registered as Republicans --- are Jason H. Coats, Resson Faircloth, JImmy L. Love Jr., Frank Wood, Mary Howard Wells, and O. Henry Willis. THE FINISHED LIST OF OFFICIAL LOCAL CANDIDATES Here's the rundown of candidates, in the chronological order of their filing, for Johnston County offices as well as federal and state district offices [ (D) denotes Democrat, (R) denotes Republican, asterisk (*) denotes incumbent ] : U.S. House of Representatives, District 7 (one seat for newly drawn district): David Rouzer (*) (R), Wilmington Mark Judson (D), Apex Christopher M. Ward (D), Tabor City Robert Colon (D), Wilmington N.C. Senate (one seat per district): District 11 --- Allen Wellons (D), Smithfield Patrick Harris (R), Smithfield Lisa Stone Barnes (R), Spring Hope Dennis Nielsen (R), Middlesex Albert R. Pacer (D), Creech-Johnson Road, Zebulon District 10 --- Brent Jackson (*) (R), Autryville Vernon R. Moore (D), Warsaw District 12 --- Jim Burgin (*) (R), Angier John Kirkman (D), Sanford N.C. House of Representatives (one seat per district): District 26 --- Donna McDowell White (*) (R), Clayton Justin Tate (R), Monarch Trail, Selma Linda Bennett (D), NC 96, Zebulon District 28 --- Larry C. Strickland (*) (R), Pine Level Corey Stephens (D), Benson District 10 --- John Bell (*) (R), Goldsboro Carl Martin (D), Goldsboro District Court Judge: Seat 4 --- Jason H. Coats (*) (R), Four Oaks Seat 5 --- Resson Faircloth (*) (R), Erwin Seat 6 --- Paul A. Holcombe (*) (R), Clayton Seat 7 --- Terry F. Rose (R), Smithfield Charlene B. Nelson (R), Clayton Seat 8 --- Jimmy L. Love Jr. (*) (R), Sanford Seat 9 --- Frank Wood (*) (R), Benson Seat 10 --- Mary Howard Wells (*) (R), Clayton Seat 11 --- O. Henry Willis (*) (R), Dunn County Commissioners (four seats, by residential district, elected countywide): District 1 --- Fred J. Smith Jr. (R), Pritchard Road, Clayton Michelle Pace Davis (R), Buffalo Road, Clayton Justin David King (D), Peach Blossom Court, Clayton District 2 --- Ted G. Godwin (*) (R), Hawkins Road, Selma Wendy Ella May (D), Micro District 4 --- Larry Wood (*) (R), Benson Alan Lamont (D), Everland Parkway, Angier District 6 --- Tony Braswell (*) (R), Gor-An Farm Road, Selma Lee Jackson (R), Smithfield Mike Powell (R), Cleveland Road, Smithfield Gettys Cohen Jr. (D), Smithfield County Board of Education (four seats, at large, non-partisan): Kelly O'Hanlon-Peedin, Hawks Nest Circle, Smithfield Melynda Slay, Durwood Drive, Raleigh Lyn Andrews, Afton Lane, Smithfield Teresa M. Grant (*), Crestwood Court, Garner Kay Carroll, South Lakeside Drive, Four Oaks Kenon Crumble, Sugarfield Lane, Clayton Ava Atkinson Gaines, Second Avenue, Smithfield Mark Lane, Yelverton Grove Road, Smithfield Chuck Williams, Neuse Ridge Drive, Clayton Ronald Johnston (*), Westminster Drive, Clayton Carolyn Cash, Collinsworth Drive, Clayton Rick Mercier, Fireweed Place, Clayton Michelle Antoine, Plaza De Luke Square, Clayton Terry Tippett, Simon Road, Middlesex Mike Wooten (*), Cedar Springs Drive, Princeton Yvonne Marlowe, Aleah Court, Clayton Visit Johnston County Board of Elections website and click "Candidates who have filed" to view the complete list of those seeking local as well as statewide offices> |
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 A Christmas mission to the Bahamas Bob Hugel loaded up his plane with children's toys and family necessities for a flight to the hurricane-ravaged Bahamas last weekend under auspices of Adventist World Aviation, an international missionary service based at Johnston Regional Airport. One of several local volunteer pilots associated with the service, Mr. Hugel has made the trip with his family several times since Hurricane Dorian inflicted record-setting destruction back in September. Added to his cargo this time, he said, were automobile parts and tools to repair several vehicles sidelined by the storm. Visit the website of Adventist World Aviation> |
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gets $2.2-million federal transit grant  The
Federal Transit Administration has awarded a
$2.2-million grant to Community & Senior Services
of Johnston County (CSS) to help pay for a new
operations and maintenance building for the Johnston
County Area Transit System, better known as "JCATS."The $3-million project will bring about a redevelopment of the 4.6-acre property on Selma's Noble Street that serves as headquarters for the service. The local project was one of 94 selected among 318 applicants in 43 states for the federal grant, which is being supplemented by county matching funds and agency reserves.  "As Johnston County becomes more and and
more urbanized, new demands on public transportation
continue to grow as well," said Neal Davis, executive
director of CSS. "We are actively developing plans to
coordinate service into the Go Raleigh and Go Triangle
fixed-route networks (and) to provide first-mile,
last-mile connectivity to Johnston Regional Airport,
Amtrak-Selma, and eventually to commuter rail into the
Triangle.""This infrastructure project positions JCATS to provide full-service public transportation well into the future," added Mr. Davis, who thanked state legislators Donna White, Larry Strickland, and Brent Jackson as well as Selma's Mayor Cheryl Oliver, Johnston's County Commissioners, and County Manager Rick Hester for their support of the JCATS project. Visit the website of Community & Senior Services> |
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WHAT'S COMING UP? JOHNSTON COUNTY NAACP SCHEDULES THESE EVENTS: • January 1 --- Jubilee Day Celebration, 11 a.m. in the Reginald Ennis Pavilion on Massey Street in East Smithfield. Minister Lestee Foye will address the gathering. • January 11 --- Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast, 7:30 a.m. at the Johnston County Agricultural Center on NC 210 west of Smithfield. State Senator Floyd McKissick Jr. will be the guest speaker. • February 15 --- 4th annual MLK Parade, 3 p.m. in Downtown Smithfield. For more information, contact Dr. Gettys Cohen Jr., NAACP branch president, at 919-934-0339. |
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DEATHS
& FUNERALS
Each week we'll post links to obituaries about persons who have died during the past week. We'll monitor the websites of local funeral homes to compile our list, and we welcome links provided by readers to obituaries of persons with Smithfield connections who have died outside our immediate area. JOHN LEE McLEAN, 77 - died December 23 HUGH BAKER, 80 - died December 21 KATIE LEE WARREN SNEAD, 73 - died December 20 ALVIN RAMSON (SPUD) PEEDIN, 80 - died December 19 ARNOLD LEE (MAC) McLAIN, 92 - died December 19 REBECCA MONROE ZIADY, 78 - died December 13 |
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THAT'S THE WAY IT WASAirport's groundbreaking in November 1976  "From
Cornfield to Airport" was the headline beneath
this Smithfield Herald photo of
groundbreaking for the Johnston County
Airport: (pictured, left to right)
County Commissioner Howard Benton; Airport
Authority Chairman Jimmy Rogers Flowers, and
Jarvis Pate of the N.C. Department of
Transportation. Expanded
several times over the past 43 years, the
446-acre facilitynorthwest of Smithfield has become "Johnston Regional Airport." (Johnston County Heritage
Center archives)
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"INSIDE" PAGES IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION |
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For more
information about our community, check out
our online "newspaper parent" via the link shown
below. This website is a handy "portal" to
important sources of current information about
Smithfield and Johnston County.
 Here's what you'll find there:• Local weather data, current & past • Monthly jobs reports • Quarterly retail-sales reports • Official population estimates • Agricultural statistics • Local government links • Things to see and do www.smithfieldselmasun.com |
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