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| PUBLISHED ONLINE MAY 8, 2020 • VOL. 2, NO. 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stories and photos by Wingate Lassiter unless otherwise noted (click highlighted link to e-mail the editor) NOTE: Starting next week I'll
return to publishing the Sun once rather than
twice weekly --- back to Thursdays --- in
hopes that the coronavirus pandemic is closer
to being under control --- around here, at
least. In the meantime, please proceed with
caution and vigilance as you move about our
community!
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| CORONAVIRUS
UPDATE: Some businesses are allowed to re-open despite continuing rise in COVID-19 cases Starting this weekend, more of Johnston County will be open for business, thanks to a lifting by N.C. Governor Roy Cooper of some Stay-At-Home restrictions put in place six weeks ago to lessen the spread of coronavirus across the state. That includes a reopening of Smithfield's Carolina Premium Outlets, whose 80-something retail stores have been closed since late March. The Governor's order, officially effective at 5 p.m. today (Friday), allows retailers previously closed to re-open so long as they limit numbers of customers, maintain six-feet-apart social distancing, and keep their stores disinfected. Remaining in place are previous orders from the Governor that prohibit on-premises dining at restaurants and keep barber shops and beauty salons, fitness centers and swimming pools, movie theaters and other entertainment enterprises closed. While parks and greenways have been open all along, public playgrounds are still closed, according to the Governor's latest order. Mass gatherings of more than 10 persons continue to be prohibited. Exempt from that rule are households and outdoor worship services; and up to 50 persons may gather for funerals. Long-term care facilities must continue to restrict visitors, except for "compassionate care" such as "end-of-life situations." Day-care centers are now open to children of anyone who works for a business no longer closed by Executive Order as well as children of persons leaving home to seek employment. Day camps for children and teens may operate but cannot allow sports except where close contact isn't required. The Governor's latest order, in effect till May 22, says this week's easing of restrictions is justified because "North Carolina has 'flattened the curve' and prevented a surge or spike in cases across the state" and has "increased its capacity for testing, tracing, and the availability of personal protective equipment." READ the full text of the Governor's latest coronavirus order and advisory>  Carolina Pottery, the original flagship store at Carolina Premium Outlets, has been open this past week and is doing quite well, reports manager Don Gainey. Most of the outlet center's stores were still closed at mid-week. JOHNSTON'S CORONAVIRUS CASE TOTAL RISES TO 193 Johnston County released the following coronavirus data at 5:00 p.m. Thursday: • 193 confirmed cases (158 a week ago); 17 deaths, 12 hospitalized, 164 at home. • 65% of cases female (125); 35% male (68 cases). • Cases by age: 3 ages 0-17; 8 18-24; 65 25-49; 46 50-64; 71 age 65 and older. • Cases by race: 123 white, 59 black, 7 "other," and 4 "unknown," The state's report by ZIP shows the number of cases reported for Smithfield 27577 doubled this week --- from 10 on Tuesday to 21 today (Friday), with no deaths.
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Schools may be able to re-open August 17 Depending on statewide progress against the coronavirus pandemic, North Carolina's public schools will be allowed to open August 17 this summer as a result of legislation passed by the N.C. General Assembly this week. That's a week earlier than what state law has dictated in recent years --- in effect, granting repeated requests from school systems including Johnston's for a mid-August opening allowing a full fall semester to end before the Christmas holidays. Meanwhile, the Governor's latest order allows local school leaders to stage graduations and other year-end ceremonies this spring so long as social-distancing and other state guidelines for gatherings are followed. Johnston County Public Schools has posted a survey on its website to get student and parent feedback on how high-school graduations should be handled here> SCHOOL BOARD'S MONTHLY MEETING NEXT TUESDAY The board will meet remotely again, starting out with a closed session at 4 p.m. followed by the public meeting at 5 p.m. Chairman Todd Sutton said the agenda will include discussion of the proposed 2020-21 budget for Johnston's school system. The proposed budget is posted on the school system's website> Once it's released, the full agenda for Tuesday's meeting will be posted on the schools' website along with instructions on how to access the meeting online> Meanwhile, the board held another closed session Wednesday evening to discuss its superintendent's search. No action was taken as a result of that meeting. |
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Smithfield Council reviews large budget increases sought for police and fire services Town Manager Mike Scott's draft budget for 2020-21 includes an 18% increase for the Police Department and a 28% increase for the Fire Department, but no money for police pay raises he recommended back in January. During this week's budget deliberations via teleconference, Councilman David Barbour said the earlier call for more competitive pay for Smithfield's police officers ought to be considered before the new budget is adopted. "It's very important to a lot of people," he declared. Currently, the Police Department has seven positions vacant, Chief Keith Powell told the council Tuesday night. Manager Scott in January recommended a revised salary schedule that would raise starting pay from $39,600 to $45,540 along with higher pay for all other police positions proportionately. That would put Smithfield's salaries closer to Knightdale's --- one of several nearby towns that have lured officers away from Smithfield, Mr. Scott said then. If the proposed pay raise is added to the 2020-21 budget, the price tag would be $174,000, Mr. Scott told the council this week. A decision on that was put off until the council meets again next week to make its budget decisions. The final budget needs to be adopted before July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. BIG INCREASES FOR POLICE AND FIRE EQUIPMENT Mr. Scott's draft budget includes $696,000 for enlargement of the Police Department's headquarters building, $145,142 for 35 new radios for police vehicles, and $91,000 to replace three aging patrol cars, among other items. The big item added to the Fire Department's budget would be $560,500 for a new fire engine already ordered. Other large items in the proposed budget are $87,000 for repairs to the roof of Fire Station No. 1 on South Fourth Street Downtown and $65,100 for a couple of pickup trucks. MORE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS REQUESTED Not included in Mr. Scott's draft budget are funds requested by Fire Chief John Blanton to increase the number of volunteer firefighters by 10. Presently, the Fire Department has 20 volunteers but needs additional help to meet state standards for numbers of firemen responding to structure fires, Chief Blanton told the council. Those standards call for at least 12 firemen to respond to those calls --- including full-time employees as well as volunteers --- but that number was met on just 20 of 84 structure calls this past year, the chief said. He suggested a federal FEMA grant could provide funding for stipends paid to volunteer firemen, thereby enabling the town to sign up the extra firefighters he wants. Those stipends range from $50 to $85 per volunteer per shift, and are restricted to volunteers who help fill all the department's shifts during a year, he noted. Of the 20 volunteers currently called to duty, five do not receive stipends because they choose to make themselves available just 25% of the time, the chief said. (Included in that group are three town councilmen: John Dunn, Steve Rabil, and Travis Scott.) In response to the chief's request, the council authorized the town to apply for the Federal Emergency Management Administration's Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the amount of $232,700 annually over four years. That would cover the expense of the 20 current volunteers plus the additional 10 requested by Mr. Blanton.  17 FIRE
HYDRANTS OUT OF SERVICEThe council was disturbed to learn that 17 of the town's 960 fire hydrants are currently out of service, including the one pictured here beside Pitchi Street near the American Legion Building. "That is absolutely unacceptable," exclaimed Councilman Roger Wood when he heard that some of the hydrants have been inoperable for as long as two years. When asked why, Public Utilities Director Ted Credle said his crews have been preoccupied with other pressing duties such as emergency water-line repairs. Councilman Travis Scott asked if contractors could be employed to get the hydrants fixed in short order. "Absolutely," responded Town Manager Mike Scott. WEST SMITHFIELD'S FIRE STATION "A GREAT ADDITION" Councilman Scott asked Fire Chief Blanton how the new fire house in West Smithfield --- designated as Station No. 2 --- is working out. "It has been a great addition," the chief replied. It's enabling the department to respond to calls quicker than before, especially calls for heart-related emergencies, he said. Added Councilman David Barbour, who represents West Smithfield: "The community as a whole feels more Smithfieldish" because of Station No. 2. REQUESTS FROM PARKS & RECREATION The council resumed its budget work on Wednesday evening by reviewing proposed budgets for Parks & Recreation and Public Works. The draft earmarks $114,500 to replace fitness equipment inside the Recreation & Aquatics. Recreation Director Gary Johnson said the typical lifespan of those devices is four years, yet the SRAC's equipment has been in use almost six years. Other allocations in the draft budget would cover repairs to the Girl Scout Hut ($26,000), Community Park shelter ($25,000), and Talton Park shelter ($11,500). Mr. Johnson is also requesting money to allow for a 50-cent pay raise for the SRAC's part-time lifeguards, who have been paid the federal minimum wage of $7.50 an hour since the center opened in 2009. "There's a lifeguard shortage across the state," he noted. Councilman Wood said he "strongly encourages" granting that raise. Even then, "eight dollars an hour is not enough" for a lifeguard's responsibilities, he added. Regarding East Smithfield's Sarah Yard Community Center, Councilman Marlon Lee (who represents that district) asked for expanded hours of operation, especially on weekdays when school is in session. Present plans call for the center to be open from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the school year as well as noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday during the summer months. Mr. Lee said there's "a multiple of people willing to help" as volunteers to enable the center to be more open more hours. The proposed budget does include $22,000 to pave the center's parking lot. PUBLIC WORKS SEEKS A SECOND MECHANIC Public Works Director Lenny Branch made a case for employment of a second mechanic to work on his department's vehicles at the Public Works Garage. His lone mechanic is presently taking care of 75-80 vehicles, he noted. Councilman Barbour asked if a second mechanic would enable the garage to do routine maintenance of vehicles from other departments including Police and Fire, thereby saving town money by doing much of that work in-house. In response, staff agreed to take a look at that possibility. Reviewing his department's operations, Mr. Branch reported that the volume of household refuse picked up by his crews has soared from an average of 400 tons a month to more than 500 tons since stay-at-home orders were issued because of the coronavirus outbreak. ANOTHER BUDGET SESSION SET FOR 6:30 P.M. NEXT THURSDAY The council recessed Wednesday's session until 6:30 p.m. next Thursday (May 14). Unlike this week's session via teleconference, that session will be held in the training room inside Fire Station No. 1 so council members can be physically present (while observing social distancing) to make decisions on the new budget. Public access to that session will continue to be via teleconference by phoning 919-391-3517 or 1-800-719-7514 and entering conference code 808829 when prompted. |
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 MAKING OUR SIDEWALKS HANDICAP-COMPLIANT N.C. Department of Transportation contractors have been busy lately rebuilding portions of the sidewalk beside North Bright Leaf Boulevard to comply with new standards for handicapped access. The Town of Smithfield has been doing similar work on sidewalks in residential neighborhoods. |
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DEATHS & FUNERALS Each week we post links to obituaries about persons who have died during the past week. 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.... ROSSIE LASSITER ADAMS, 94 - died May 7 MARJORIE CLIFTON WALLACE, 89 - died May 6 TRACY LEON TERRY, 55 - died May 4 |
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THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS  DEJA VU: WE'RE REPEATING SUCH SCENES FROM 1918 "WEAR A MASK OR GO TO JAIL" exclaims the sign on the lady on the right in this 1918 photograph former Smithfieldian Julia McCullers sent us --- from the collection of a neighbor where she resides in Raleigh these days. Location and source of the picture aren't known, but we can surely identify with it --- and it's likely how Smithfield folks were dressed during the worldwide flu outbreak a hundred years ago that killed millions, including a large number of residents here. Some local memories about it, compiled by Mrs. McCullers, appear on the FEATURE PAGE> |
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LINKS TO ADDITIONAL PAGES OBSERVATIONS |
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