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| PUBLISHED
ONLINE DECEMBER 24, 2020 • VOL.
2, NO. 59 |
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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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WHAT WE'VE WISHED FOR THIS CHRISTMAS: the first batch of coronavirus vaccinations!
Johnston Health has begun vaccinating 1,000 front-line workers at its hospitals in Smithfield and Clayton from 1,950 doses received from Pfizer last week and stored in a freezer "to cover all employees and medical staff at both hospitals," reports UNC Health Care's Suzette Rodriguez. Meanwhile, Johnston County Health Director Marilyn Pearson said her department expects to receive 1,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by Christmas Eve --- to be given to health-care workers "at high risk" in places like nursing homes and assisted-living centers. "We plan to start vaccinating this week and will be contacting those eligible to vaccinate in the coming weeks" according to priority guidelines set by the federal Centers for Disease Control and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Pearson said. Both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines require two doses for each recipient, about 3-4 weeks apart, and both have been rated as 95% effective. The Federal Government is covering the cost, so there's no charge for the vaccinations. When the public at large "gets in line" has yet to be determined. |
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CORONAVIRUS
REPORT
11,009 cases, 102 deaths since March; hospital ICUs have been filling to capacity Early last year, before the coronavirus pandemic, the Johnston Health hospitals at Smithfield and Clayton averaged a combined 4.5 patients a day in their Intensive Care Units (ICUs). So far this month, the Smithfield ICU is averaging 13 per day, with all 16 of its beds occupied on three days recently. The Clayton ICU is averaging 4 patients per day --- its maximum capacity. "We're running at full census at both hospitals," reports Johnston Health's Suzette Rodriguez. "We're licensed for 199 beds, 20 of which are for behavioral health. As of noon today, we have 225 patients in beds," she told the Sun on Tuesday. "Of those, 54 are being treated for COVID-19." Furthermore, she continued, "we're now running 14 ventilators a day" --- mostly because of coronavirus patients. "Before the pandemic, it was normal to run 2 or 3 ventilators per day," she noted. Rising hospitalizations along with a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases this month have placed Johnston among 65 of North Carolina's 100 counties with "Critical Community Spread" --- the highest level of alarm in the state's COVID-19 County Alert System. The County of Johnston issued these numbers at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday: • 11,009 cases --- up 1,114 since last week (by far the largest weekly increase to date) including 229 new cases in Smithfield ZIP 27577; 102 deaths; 57 hospitalized (down from 65 last week) + 2,213 at home for a total of 2,270 active cases (up from 2,042 a week ago). MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL OUTBREAKS: Barbour Court Nursing & Rehab --- 81 current/former residents, 36 staff. Smithfield Manor Nursing & Rehab --- 51 current/former residents; 21 staff. Johnston Correctional Institution --- 115 inmates, 10 staff. Johnston County Jail --- outbreak considered over. VIEW the county's COVID-19 Information page for more details> SCHOOLS' DAILY REPORT TAKING A BREAK Here's the lastest COVID-19 report posted by the school system (updates are suspended till January, the end of the schools' holiday break): STUDENT DATA: 76 active cases among students; 511 active quarantines. STAFF DATA: 35 active cases among employees; 101 active quarantines. VIEW more details, including individual school data, on the schools' Dashboard>
VIEW the current list of COVID-19 test sites and testing events in all of Johnston> |
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 A JOYFUL SIGHT BENEATH A "GREAT CONJUNCTION" Here's the main portion of one of the winners of Smithfield's "Light Up The Town" Christmas decorating contest --- at a residence in West Smithfield. In the upper-left hand corner of the photo is a white speck: the planet Jupiter, which this week was positioned in our skies almost on top of Saturn (tiny dot to Jupiter's right). It's an astronomical "Great Conjunction" that hasn't been observed since 1623! Photos of all the contest winners are on the FEATURE PAGE> |
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More than 80,000 free meals distributed to county's school children for the holidays Story
& photo from Johnston County Public
Schools
JCPS
Director of School Nutrition Dana Edwards said the
response to the Meal Kit program surpassed her
expectations as families pre-ordered 5,721 kits
for pickup. The kits
consisted of seven days of breakfast and lunch
meals as well as a gallon of milk for each
student. In total, School Nutrition provided
80,094 meals to students in Johnston County. |
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SSS gives mid-year graduates their due
She was one of 40 graduates who walked across the stage in the school's auditorium --- socially distanced, one at a time --- to receive diplomas from Principal David Allen. Besides Ms. Arena, the others were Bashar Hamood Ahmed Algozy, Chase Devonte Atkinson, Angie Juliethe Avila, Uziel Galindo Beltran, Sarai Vanita Black, Phoenix Judeya Bolden, Allison Whitley Carcione, Laneisha Danielle Carpenter, Angel German Cortez-Calix, Malik Daquan Council, Stefanie Esquivel-Favila, Lesly Yadira Gallegos Alvarado, Brandon Garcia Perez, Dayana Naomy Hernandez Rodriguez, Lenny Rae Holland, Adrian Jaramillo-Morales, Ethan Shaun Jenkins, Daniela Landeros Vargas, Jhalyn Daron Minor, Ajaycia Chanelle Mitchell, Anyeli Yumira Navarijo Rodriguez, Ana Michelle Navas-Robles, Citlaly Olvera-Celeya, Gabriel Antonio Ortiz Ramos, Mia Afeni Parnell, Evelyn Nohemi Pineda Carranza, Zina Isaiah Pulley, Armin Roblero Vasquez, Berenise Rodela-Marcial, Sandra Noemi Rodriguez Ramirez, Jennifer Rojo Gonzalez, Candelaria Sanchez Reyes, Ceasia Monea Stancil, Michael Lance Stell, Megan Gray Stoneman, Sandra Lorena Turcios, Katelyn Vi Vo, Devin Jerard Williams, Jermauriyia Tananacia Inique Williams. |
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Schools name three more "Living Legends"  This year's
honorees are (pictured, left to right) Sandra
Edwards, Shelly Marsh, and Valerie
McCormick --- retired Johnston County educators
with more than 100 years of service altogether.Ms. Edwards spent most of her years teaching at South Smithfield Elementary School, where she continues to serve as a tutor. The three join others honored by Johnston County Public Schools in years past as "Living Legends." Here's the full story about the trio on the schools' website> |
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WHAT'S COMING UP? HOLIDAYS FOR SOME CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY  Government agencies in
North Carolina are closed Thursday, Friday, and next
Monday for Christmas.The Post Office is closed just for Christmas Day on Friday. Most banks will close early Thursday and re-open with normal hours next Monday. Garbage and trash collection schedule for Smithfield residents: • Thursday and Friday households were served earlier this week. • Next Monday's collections will be made as usual. The town's "convenience center" on Hospital Road will be closed Thursday and Friday but open next Monday (even though it's a holiday for town offices). |
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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.... CHARLES LANDIS NORRIS, 82 - died December 21 LARETTIE EDWARDS HIGGINS SCHMIDT, 99 - died December 20 KATIE WILLIFORD PILKINGTON, 88 - died December 18 NINA VINCENT BLACKMAN, 66 - died December 18 EVA DENISE ZURCHER, 53 - died December 15 |
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THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS  AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE PHOTOSHOP TO PULL THIS OFF! Showing off a professional darkroom trick, photographers Doris and Fuller Rice sent this wacky greeting card that had them "performing" a high-wire act atop Market Street's decorations in the 1950s. That's son Fuller II hanging on below. With digital software such as Photoshop, a composition like this can be done on just about anyone's computer these days. Back then, it took some patiently administered "magic" to produce an illusion like this. (Photo from the Fuller Rice Collection, Johnston County Heritage Center) |
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LINKS TO MORE PAGES IN THIS EDITION
Rewind with our archives |
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PLEASE THANK THESE FAITHFUL SPONSORS OF THE SUN!
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School Nutrition staff served
Holiday Meal Kits to nearly 6,000 children ahead
of the district’s winter break.
