the Smithfield Weekly Sun Vol. 8 No. 41

Even Johnston County, a Republican stronghold in recent national elections, joined Tuesday's "blue wave" that swept Democrats to legislative majorities in both Washington and Raleigh.

Johnston's voters gave pluralities to Democrat Roy Cooper for U.S. senator and Democrat Paul Barringer for U.S. representative. They also favored Democrat Anita Earls for re-election to the N.C. Supreme Court, and they ousted long-time Republican state legislator Donna White from the N.C. House representing northwestern Johnston.

Republican Larry Strickand survived a challenge for his seat representing an N.C.
House district that includes Smithfield. So did Republican incumbent Howard Penny representing a district that includes a swath of western Johnston (he trailed his Democratic challenger among Johnston's voters).

Republican State Senator Benton Sawrey barely won re-election in a contested race for his seat representing all of Johnston County.

As a result of Tuesday's General Election, Democrats will control both houses of Congress and both houses of the N.C. General Assembly for the next two years.

U.S. Representative-elect Paul Barringer of Sanford>

On the local level, all Republican incumbents were re-elected without any Democratic opposition on the ballot. That includes county commissioners Butch Lawter and Patrick Harris (against a write-in candidate); school board members MIchelle Antoine, Kevin Donovan, and Terry Tippett; Sheriff Steve Bizzell, Clerk of Court MIchelle Ball, Register of Deeds Craig Olive, District Attorney Jason Waller, and several District Court judges.

The only local newcomer is Adam Caldwell, elected to the District 3 seat on the Board of County Commissioners after ousting incumbent Mike Rose in last spring's Republican Primary.

Meanwhile, incumbent members of the Johnston County Soil & Water Conservation District's Board of Supervisors – Dewitt Hardee and John Michael Langdon – outpolled seven challengers in a non-partisan contest for two available seats.

All three proposed amendments to the N.C. Constitution – regarding limits on state income taxes and local property taxes and making voter IDs permanent – were approved by comfortable margins in Johnston County as across the state, winning about 65-68% of votes cast here and 59-62% statewide.

This year's voter turnout

"We had 89,123 voters out of 173,058 registered," reports Johnston County's director of elections Leigh Anne Price. That's a turnout of 51.5%. In the "off year" non-Presidential election four years ago, 75,718 of Johnston's 151,767 registered voters cast ballots (49.9%). Two years ago, more than 123,800 voted for President.

Following the last day of early voting (last Saturday, Oct. 31), the N.C. Board of Elections compiled a breakdown for all counties. It showed Johnston had 55,809 early voters this year, including 54,215 who voted in person and just 1,594 ballots mailed to the local elections office: 1,474 civilian, 36 military, and 84 overseas. Johnston had 38,859 early voters in 2022.

They're fashioning hats in Downtown Smithfield

Jose Sanchez (right) is assisted by Angel Vazquez (left) in operating 8 Seconds Hat Bar – a shop for producing custom-made hats "while you wait" at 119 South Third Street in Downtown Smithfield. Jose had a similar shop in Raleigh but decided to move his operation here since his customer base is east of the capital city. They invite folks of all sizes and ages to come watch them work.

After several public sessions in recent months seeking citizens' opinions about proposed new rules in the county's Unified Development Ordinance, Johnston's County Commissioners hosted what was supposed to be a final public hearing Monday evening that drew only a handful of speakers, and they were the same folks who've criticized the proposal at previous UDO forums.

The result? "This document is not close to where it should be," declared Commissioner Bill Stovall. A "level of clarity is not in here yet," he said.

The biggest obstacle standing in the way of a new UDO is disagreement over the size and composition of buffers between new real-estate subdivisions and established farms. The proposed UDO presented at Monday's hearing offers three options to developers: (1) a 10-foot buffer with a seven-foot solid fence or wall and dense evergreens; (2) a 30-foot planted buffer; or (3) a 50-foot open-space buffer.

Several of Monday's speakers wondered what had happened to a proposed 75-foot buffer favored by many at previous public gatherings.

Referring to the proposal for three buffer options, Leon Cobb said "it's pretty clear who wrote this." He said real-estate developers are like locusts "who swarm in, take what's good, and leave a path of destruction behind."

Eddie Rowe, a hog producer, said "a farmer should not have to consistently worry about the next development coming down the road (that) will bring new restrictions, complaints, and pressure to change his operation to stay in business."

Commissioners are laying the blame for their hesitancy to exercise tighter control of development at the feet of the state's legislators, who two years ago put the brakes on what's known as "down-zoning" by local governments as a means of reducing the density of real-estate development. "We've got to put a square peg in a round hole as best we can" to control growth in Johnston, said Commissioner Butch Lawter. "A judge is going to decide if it's down-zoning or not."

So what's next? Commissioners were working toward adoption of a new UDO at their next regular meeting on November 16, but that's a no-go as things now stand. County Attorney Jennifer Slusser said staff will work to present a revised draft of new rules at that meeting. The process remains uncertain.

Senior housing to be purchased by foundation

Much of Smithfield lost electricity last Friday morning after a single-vehicle accident on Hospital Road knocked a power substation offline. The collision happened around 9 a.m. when a passenger car ran off Hospital Road, traveled through a deep ditch, and struck guy wires supporting a Duke Energy utility pole.

The impact triggered a power surge that caused the nearby substation to go offline, resulting in a widespread outage across town. Duke Energy crews responded to restart the substation. Power was restored to most customers around 10:30 a.m.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Duke Energy feeds the Town of Smithfield's system at its substation near the water-treatment plant as well as a second feed off Brogden Road that wasn't impacted by Friday's outage.

Town of Smithfield Water & Sewer personnel investigated a report of discolored water in a creek flowing into the Neuse River near the boat ramp last Thursday (October 29).

"This is not a sewer-related issue, and the investigation has not identified any connection to the town's sewer system," stated a news release issued by the town. "Crews responded and traced the discolored water upstream to a construction site along Buffalo Road."

"The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is aware of the situation," the town's statement continued. "A similar concern was reported to the agency approximately two weeks earlier."

SouLe & The SuperBand at the amphitheater Friday

It's the finale for this year's "Fall Fridays on Front" concert series hosed by the Town of Smithfield at the Neuse River Amphitheater below Front Street. The act is billed as "one of the region's premier Soul, Motown, and R&B bands" featuring "powerful vocals, a dynamic horn section, and timeless classics." The concert begins at 7 p.m. and is free of admission charge.

School board's monthly meeting Tuesday evening

The Johnston County Board of Education will convene at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the school system's headquarters on US 70 Business east of I-95. The meeting normally begins with a closed session followed by the open business session about an hour later. VIEW the agenda once it's posted>

Annual Veterans Day observance at SSS Wednesday

Johnston County's military veterans, their families, and community members are invited to the 2026 Veterans Day Celebration at 11 a.m. Wednesday (Nov. 11, Veterans Day) in the Smithfield-Selma High School gymnasium, followed by a Thanksgiving-style meal served in the cafeteria. The program will be live-streamed on the Johnston County Public Schools YouTube channel.>

Annual Alzheimer's tribute at Courthouse next week

"Candlelight Reflections" is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. next Thursday (Nov. 12) in the Johnston County Courthouse atrium. During the program, a video screen will show photos of loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s and those lost to the disease. To submit your loved one’s photo, e-mail it to Register of Deeds Craig Olive, one of the event's organizers: craig.olive@johnstonnc.gov> For more information, call Mr. Olive’s office at 919-989-5160.

DEATHS AND FUNERALS
Click on the name to read an obituary, usually posted by the funeral home:

County Attorney Jennifer Slusser on Monday gave the County Commissioners a list of rules for the "Public Comment" segment of their regular meetings – mostly putting into print how they've been handling speakers all along, including provisions for a three-minute time limit, "no campaigning for political office," and a warning about "forum decorum and orderly conduct."

"Speakers wishing to address items subject to a scheduled public hearing during the same meeting will be asked to hold their comments for that designated public hearing," states another rule. Yet commissioners agreed Monday that persons from now on may address any other item that's on the agenda, contrary to a previous directive that recently drew a citizen's complaint.

That seems reasonable. One reason we publish meeting agendas in advance is to give the people a chance to voice their opinions before the board takes action on particular matters coming up for a vote – and that doesn't have to be expressed prior to the meeting (although e-mails are encouraged).

Here's a link for e-mailing the commissioners>

On a related topic, here's another appeal to members of the Johnston County Board of Education to resume live-streaming of the Public Comment segment of their monthly meetings. Starting this past year those are now "blacked out" in the middle of the meetings. Such practice runs counter to frequently heard pledges from elected public leaders about "transparency."

Newly elected commissioner pays tribute to his heritage

Adam Caldwell portrayed one of the characters in the Johnston County Heritage Center's recent Historical Ghost Walk: John Rufus Coats, one of Mr. Caldwell's forebears who served as a county commissioner during the 19th Century (county Facebook photo).

Mr. Caldwell ran unopposed for a commissioner's seat in this week's election. A resident of Morgan Road near Benson, he'll take office next month representing southern Johnston's District 3.

Speaking in his role as the ghost of John Rufus Coats, Commissioner-elect Caldwell said public service on the Board of Commissioners "took the most out of me – and gave the most back." He summed up the responsibility: "When you sit in that chair, you aren't just dealing with abstract ideas; you're dealing with the survival of your community."

Great to see a new generation of public servant with a keen eye on history.

Johnston voters favor Democrats in races
for U.S. senator and U.S. representative

This year's voter turnout

They're fashioning hats in Downtown Smithfield

Senior housing to be purchased by foundation

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SouLe & The SuperBand at the amphitheater Friday

Newly elected commissioner pays tribute to his heritage

Johnston voters favor Democrats in races for U.S. senator and U.S. representative