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| PUBLISHED ONLINE JANUARY 9, 2020 • VOL. 2, NO. 2 | |||
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| School board chairman
answers charges of corruption from fellow board member
Standing with Mr. Sutton were board members Traci Zukowski, the subject of Mr. Johnson's conflict-of-interest allegation, and Terri Sessoms. READ Mr. Sutton's prepared statement in full> REVIEW the earlier JoCoReport interview with Mr. Johnson>  SCHOOL BOARD POSTPONES HIRING ASSOCIATION TO HANDLE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH TILL NEXT WEEK Meeting in special session Monday afternoon, the Johnston County Board of Education appeared ready to employ the North Carolina School Boards Association to administer the recruitment of candidates for superintendent of Johnston County Public Schools, but decided to postpone that action till the board's regular monthly meeting next Tuesday (Jan. 14). Allison Schafer, the association's general counsel and director of policy, was the only person to appear before the board on Monday. She emphasized the association's commitment to protect "confidentiality" in the recruitment process. Board members said they respect that position yet expressed support for involving Johnston County citizens in the superintendent's selection. That can be done through online surveys and perhaps a few public forums, Ms. Schafer suggested. "This is a nationwide search," board member Mike Wooten declared. "We need to find the best leader for this school district." Ms. Schafer added: "This is the most important decision you make as a board." Meanwhile, Jim Causby has agreed to serve as Johnston's interim superintendent through June 30. He worked here as superintendent 2004-2013. The agenda for next Tuesday's regular school board meeting was not posted online in time for this edition.... Follow this link to the school system's website where the agenda will be posted> |
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| Johnston Health hospital gets "5-Star" rating for cardiac pacemaker procedures
That stellar rating for Johnston Health is included in the Healthgrades 2020 Report to the Nation --- based on data collected for the years 2016-2018. Eric Janis, M.D., is the cardiologist who has helped shape the cardiology program here during the past 25 years (he's currently chairman of Johnston Health's Board of Directors). He said the 5-Star rating is a result of investments in training and technology as well as expansion of services, including electrophysiology and, most recently "interventional cardiology procedures" such as stenting. Also notable, he said, was the opening in 2016 of a modern catheterization lab alongside a "dedicated" holding and recovery area --- a project boosted by donations through the Johnston Health Foundation. "Our doctors and nurses, as well as our services and quality of care, are superior," said Dr. Janis. "Our expertise in cardiology, vascular disease, orthopedics, oncology care, and hospital care allow us to be a hospital where you go to get the very best." Geoffrey F. Lewis, M.D., is head of the electrophysiology lab at Johnston Health. "Our team has great expertise and experience with pacemakers and defibrillators, and we're continuing to advance our cardiac ablation program," he said. "The future is bright here." Johnston Health has been part of the UNC Health Care System since 2014. The Smithfield facility was opened as Johnston Memorial Hospital in late 1951. It has been expanded several times with large additions since then. |
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| Chairman's State of the County report
cites challenge of "managing residential growth" Board Chairman Ted Godwin read the annual "State of County Address" during Monday morning's meeting of Johnston's County Commissioners. While he took note of 2019's "low unemployment, continued job growth, strong bond ratings, and sound financial health," he acknowledged one shortcoming yet to be satisfactorily addressed: "a balanced approach to managing residential growth." "Our Planning Department has developed some proposed ordinance revisions that would reduce density in rural areas and hopefully drive the higher-density growth to our municipalities," Mr. Godwin said. "We recently held a public meeting at the Agricultural Center and have another session scheduled at the West Johnston High School on Thursday January 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to share information and receive feedback from all interested parties." READ the "State of the County" report in full, including the chairman's comments about school funding, on the county's website> MORE news from Monday's sessions of the County Commissioners> |
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 She has served
onPublic Library's board for nearly 36 years! Carolyn Ennis has stepped down from her seat on the Board of Trustees of the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield after serving nearly 36 years. Mayor Andy Moore read a proclamation in honor of her service at the outset of Tuesday night's monthly meeting of the Smithfield Town Council. Later during Monday's session, the council appointed Jane Shipman, a retired school teacher, to take Mrs. Ennis's place as one of six Smithfield representatives on the library's board, which also includes six representatives from the county at large. READ MORE about what took place at Monday's Town Council meeting> |
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DEATHS & FUNERALS Each week we post links to obituaries about persons who have died during the past week or so. We 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.... DONALD KEITH POLLARD, 88 - died Jan. 7 SCOTT ALLEN OLDHAM, 47 - died Jan. 7 KILBY MERRITT, 90 - died Jan. 7 ALBERT EUGENE CASEY, 65 - died Jan. 4 HOWARD L. HAMMOND, 73 - died Jan. 4 MALIK MUHAMMAD SHEPHERD, 19 - died Jan. 4 ETTA MARIE HODGE, 74 - died Jan. 3 LUTHER ORVILLE CLEMONS, 77 - died Jan. 3 DOUGLAS LLOYD JR., 85 - died Jan. 2 WILLIAM CARROLL WOOTEN, 82 - died Dec. 31 |
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THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS  Smithfield High boys
basketball team of 1955
From the 1955 yearbook of Smithfield High School comes this picture, captured from the online DigitalNC archives of yearbooks: (left to right) front row --- M.T. Baggett, Lehman Barnes, Frank Skinner, Steve Upton, Shelton Stanley; second row --- Harold Underwood, Jerry Joe Stephenson, John Laughter, Hal King, Fred Hoyt; third row --- Coach Harold Bain, P.E. Jones, Virgil Early, and Coach Roy Brown. An actual copy of this yearbook and many others may be found in the archives of the Johnston County Heritage Center in Downtown Smithfield. Here's a link to the center's list> |
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"INSIDE" PAGES IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION SPORTS & RECREATION Visit our archives |
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