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| PUBLISHED
ONLINE OCTOBER 8, 2020 • VOL. 2,
NO. 48 |
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Stories and photos by Wingate Lassiter unless otherwise noted (click highlighted link to e-mail the editor) |
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Advising flu shots now, Johnston's health director says they don't bring on COVID-19 Dr. Marilyn Pearson, Johnston County's director of public health, assured the County Commissioners Monday that "the flu vaccine itself would not put you at higher risk for COVID-19."  Commissioners'
Chairman Ted Godwin said that fear had been voiced
during a weekly teleconference with other local
government leaders.Dr. Pearson acknowledged there's some risk any time "a foreign substance" like a vaccine is injected into the human body, and some folks have reactions like aches and fever, but "most people will be fine" getting a flu shot in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. "I encourage everyone to get your flu vaccine," she emphasized. Last season Johnston County recorded two deaths because of influenza, Dr. Pearson noted. Since March of this year, COVID-19 has taken the lives of 57 Johnstonians. In her monthly update to commissioners, Dr. Pearson said 2,500-3,000 coronavirus tests are being administered in Johnston County weekly by the Health Department and commercial health-care providers. Johnston's "positivity rate" from those tests was down to 4.6% in early September but has risen above 5% since then, she said. At one point over the summer that rate in Johnston went well above 10%, a level of alarm for state and federal health officials. CORONAVIRUS REPORT
Number of active cases
rising again;
• 4,809
cases, 57 deaths, 14
hospitalized + 420 at
home for a total ofschool-related quarantines way down Here's the County of Johnston's official report as of 4:55 p.m. Wednesday: 434 active cases --- up from 377 a week ago, 4,318 presumed recovered. • 2,556 female cases; 2,253 male. • Cases by age: 710 ages 0-17 (679 last week); 677 18-24 (660 last week); 1,984 25-49 (1,913 last week); 910 50-64 (868 last week); 528 age 65+ (435). • Cases by race: 2,763 white, 619 black, 764 other (663 not known). • Cases by ethnicity: 1,995 Hispanic, 2,363 non-Hispanic (451 not known). JOHNSTON COUNTY SCHOOLS' INFECTION REPORT Confirmed active cases among employees as of Monday of this week: 2 (down from 16 last week) --- both at high schools. Employees quarantined: 19 (down from 137 last week) --- 9 from elementary schools, 6 from high schools, 1 from middle school, 3 from the Central Office. (Staff quarantined 1-24 days based on guidance from the Johnston County Health Department.) VIEW the current list of test sites and testing events in Johnston County>
HOWELL THEATRE PLANS TO RE-OPEN THIS FRIDAY Closed since March because of the state's coronavirus restrictions, Downtown Smithfield's venerable Howell Theatre (going back to 1935) will re-open this Friday. Since occupancy is restricted to 30% of seated capacity by Governor Roy Cooper's latest COVID-19 order, you'll have to buy tickets online. Here's the website> Meanwhile, Smithfield Cinemas off Outlet Center Drive has not announced a date for re-opening, according to what's currently posted on its website. |
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 AMONG THE FIRST AT DOWNTOWN'S "THIRD STREATERY" Last Friday evening brought the inaugural "Third StrEATery" outdoor dining event to Downtown Smithfield's South Third Street, where patrons of nearby restaurants gathered around socially-distanced tables to enjoy their meals and listen to live music. Among the first (pictured above) were Dr. Kathleen Coates with husband Jordan and daughters Dylann and Kelsey. The event continues every Friday and Saturday through October as a result of the Town Council's approval of a second evening each weekend. The 14 tables spaced along the 100 block of South Third are open from 6 to 9:30 p.m., limited to 50 diners at a time. There's no extra charge for occupying a table. (Photo by Sarah Edwards, Downtown Development director) READ MORE from Tuesday's meeting of the Smithfield Town Council> |
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Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, retail sales in Johnston County were up 11% April-June March brought a shutdown of many businesses and services as the coronavirus pandemic descended upon North Carolina. Surprising, then, is the N.C. Department of Revenue's latest report that shows retail sales in Johnston County increased by 11% during the months of April, May, and June above sales during that same period in 2019. Here are the numbers:
At the same time, retail sales statewide were down 1.5% for the quarter --- from about $41.5 billion in 2019 to $40.9 billion in April-June 2020. The Johnston County numbers bode well for our county and municipal governments that rely on sales taxes as a significant part of each year's revenue. Chad McLamb, the county's finance director, told the Sun that sales-tax receipts since the start of the current fiscal year July 1 are running 4.1% higher than last year. The county's 2020-21 budget, adopted in June, anticipates a reduction in sales-tax revenue because of the pandemic. CORONAVIRUS HASN'T SLOWED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT Over the past couple of years, the County of Johnston has approved about 2,000 new residential building lots annually. This year, despite COVID-19, the county's Planning Department had approved 1,962 new lots through September, with another 625 under consideration. "We're ahead of pace" and likely headed toward a record-setting 3,000 new lots approved by the end of 2020, Planning Director Braston Newton told the County Commissioners this week. Connected to those numbers was a report to the board from Public Utilities Director Chandra Farmer that 1,950 new water-service connections have been added to the county's rural and suburban system over the past 12 months --- a 5% increase over the previous year. That puts the total number of customers over 40,000, she noted. READ MORE from Monday's sessions of the County Board of Commissioners> |
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 212 E. Church Street • 919-934-1121 • johns@johnscovil.com |
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 She's Johnston
Health's"Ambassador of the Year" Story and photo from Johnston Health Sheila
Nixon of Smithfield --- a nurse of 28 years in the
endoscopy department --- has been named Johnston
Health's "Ambassador of the Year." "She
is a great teacher and mentor who loves co-workers
and patients,” CEO Tom Williams said during a
surprise presentation at the hospital in
Smithfield. “We applaud her exemplary service to
Johnston Health, and deeply appreciate her
contributions.” Smithfield
Mayor Andy Moore was on hand to proclaim “Sheila
Nixon Day.” He noted the nurse’s passion for
providing safe and excellent care, and for
encouraging others to be vigilant about their
colon health. A
lifelong resident of Smithfield, Ms. Nixon was
born at Johnston Memorial Hospital, and at an
early age decided she wanted to become a nurse.
Her co-workers say she's one of the reasons why
the department feels like family. Mr.
Nixon said she was touched by the tribute. “I love
this organization,” she said. “I am so honored to
receive this special award.” As
part of the UNC Health Care System, Johnston
Health operates the Smithfield hospital that
opened as Johnston Memorial in 1951 and a newer
facility in Clayton. |
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WHAT'S COMING UP? LOOK UP FOR A "SKYFEST" SHOW THIS WEEKEND  The 2020 edition of
the Skyfest festival won't be held
at Johnston Regional Airport as
originally planned because of
coronavirus restrictions. In its
place, the Triangle East Chamber of
Commerce has made arrangements with
help from the U.S. Veterans Corps
and the airport for a "Skyfest Over
JoCo" event featuring Air Force F-15
fighter jets "buzzing" communities
across the county starting at noon
Friday. The schedule calls for the
jets to pass over Smithfield at
12:09 p.m., but be advised that
times could be off as much as 30
minutes.For the complete flyover schedule for Johnston County, follow this link> COLUMBUS DAY A MONDAY HOLIDAY FOR SOME It's mostly a holiday for federal agencies. In addition, banks will be closed and normal mail deliveries won't be made. It's not a holiday for public schools as well as state, county, and municipal offices and services. SCHOOL BOARD'S MONTHLY MEETING TUESDAY The board meets inside the Evander S. Simpson Building at 2320 U.S. 70 Business east of Smithfield. The agenda, which should include an advisory about the public's in-person attendance and online live-streaming, was not available before the Sun's "press time" on Thursday. This link will lead you to it once it's posted online> VIRTUAL FORUM ON RACISM IN EDUCATION TONIGHT The Johnston County Heritage Commission's round-table discussion on racism in education will be live-streamed at 7 p.m. today (Thursday) on YouTube (JohnstonNC Heritage) and Facebook (jocoheritage). If you miss it, you can watch it later via those same Internet links. |
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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.... MARTHA RILEY BARBOUR, 80 - died October 5 LAURIE (JILL) BRANAM LANGDON, 49 - died October 5 ROBERT EARL (BOB) ABBOTT, 92 - died October 4 MARY LOUISE FILICKY, 89 - died October 2 CLEVELAND ROWLAND, 81 - died October 1 SYLVESTER WILLIAMS DUBLIN, 79 - died September 29 WALTER RUSSELL (RUSTY) STANLEY, 70 - died September 25 |
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THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS  SOUTH THIRD STREET BEFORE THE AUTOMOBILE AGE Horses and a carriage on a dirt street beneath tall poles carrying telephone and telegraph wires, but no power lines (they didn't come till 1913) --- this was Downtown Smithfield's South Third Street circa 1900. None of the structures visible in this picture remain standing today. Also gone are the "street trees." And where are the women? Only men, and boys in knickers, are seen holding still for the photographer. (Photo from the Johnston County Heritage Center) |
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LINKS TO MORE PAGES IN THIS EDITION OBSERVATIONS Rewind with our archives |
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For more information
about our community, check out my 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 government website links • Local weather data, current & past • Neuse River levels & forecasts • Official time & Farmer's Almanac • Monthly unemployment reports • Quarterly retail-sales reports • Official population estimates • Agricultural statistics • Things to see and do www.smithfieldselmasun.com |
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