ARCHIVES of 2022 editions

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December 29, 2022
This week's headlines:
• A QUICK LOOK BACK AT 2022
• Retail sales still climbing, but not as fast
• New trail finished at Smith-Collins Park

December 22, 2022
This week's headlines:
• New JCCollege president coming from Illinois
• Holding Foundation boosts Youth Zone
• New board members get school assignments
Editorial comment on Longfellow's disturbing lyrics

December 15, 2022
This week's headlines:
• 4-3 vote elects Lyn Andrews school-board chair
• Ronald Johnson will be able to present "new facts"
• IB Program approved for Smithfield Middle School
• Heritage Center's new JoCo Museum is finished
• Editorial comment on more outdoor Christmas lights

December 8, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Site for new high school grows to 210 acres
• JCC asks for $75-million bond issue in 2024
• Cost of police-station addition jumps again
• Jobless rate rose to 3.5% in October
• History still happening in historic Courthouse

December 1, 2022
This week's headlines:
• New charter school takes $8.5 million of state's funding
• New teaching scholarship directed toward SSS district
• School dropouts increased; SSS had the most
Rainfall better in November, but it's still a dry year
Editorial comment on retiring police chief and racial gaps

November 24, 2022
This week's headlines:
• County OKs $9.6 million for school-safety projects
• County puts up $17.5 million for job-training center
• County grants $200,000 to My Kid's Club
• COVID cases in Johnston schools down to just 3
• Grade "B" for Smithfield hospital; "A" for Clayton's
• JCC e-sports champ signs NIL contract
• High praise for county board's retiring clerk

November 17, 2022
This week's headlines:
• New charter school enrolls 1,759
• Public-school enrollment down 377
• Two new representatives in next Congress
• Candlelight reflections: Alzheimer's awareness
• Editorial comment on unfixed Outlet Center Drive

November 10, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Tippett, Donovan, Antoine win school-board seats
•School bonds approved by comfortable margin
• County OKs $138.5 million for water/sewer projects
• Smithfield-Selma High ends season with 9 wins
• Editorial comment on checking residential speeders

November 3, 2022
This week's headlines:
• 26,000+ Johnstonians have voted early
• Town Council thanks retiring police chief
• Marcia Armstrong N.C. State Bar president
• October was "bone dry" – until the last day
• Jobless dropped to 3% in September
• SSS senior is a National Merit semi-finalist
• Editorial comment on Johnston's "dirty air"

October 27, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Schools' chief gets bonuses, contract extension
• Low-performing schools aim to improve
• COVID cases in schools under control
• Hospitals get five stars for heart care
• Editorial comment on TV political ads

October 20, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Town fires Johnson for "detrimental conduct"
• County OKs purchase of new high-school site
• Commissioners OK $8-million transfer for schools
• JOCO WORKS reaches 3,000+ eighth-graders
• Neuse named national "River of the Year"

October 13, 2022
This week's headlines:
• School board censures Johnson a third time
• Audit: nothing amiss in schools' finances
• Staffs at improving schools get bonuses
• County gets grant to equip new 9-1-1 center
• Editorial comment on undisclosed student transfers

October 6, 2022
This week's headlines:
• New Johnston County museum to open
• Tropical storm Ian left little impact
• Brogden Road industrial project gets incentives
• Town OKs Blue Line Aviation's expansion plan
• Community College's enrollment up 6%
• Wilson's Mills Elementary has a new principal
• Editorial report on school-bond campaign

September 29, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Johnston County Courthouse is 100 years old
• Town to get a bit more state aid for street work
• Johnston's jobless rate rises to 3.5%
• County's media team wins national award
• Editorial comment on Market Street speeds

September 22, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Will commuter rail make it into Johnston?
• Neuse Trail report OK'd; route unsettled
• Retail sales up 15.1% in 2nd quarter
• Chamber CEO in national leadership program
• Edward Earl Sutton: "The Motorcycle Man"
• Update on COVID infections in Johnston

September 15, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Schools' Day 10 enrollment 285 short of last year's
• New charter school opens near Smithfield
• School board finalizes recruitment campaigns
• After-school extra learning at South Smithfield
• New director for Johnston Health Foundation
• Editorial comment on stalled development projects

September 8, 2022
This week's headlines:
• 4 of 5 Smithfield-area schools graded "D"
• Two industries granted incentives to expand
• Town Council permits a second five-story hotel
• Recommended route not a "Neuse River Trail"

September 1, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Schools enroll 36,301; more expected
• Johnston's jobless rate dropped to 3.3% in July
• Amazon delays start-up here till next spring
• Town to study stormwater funding options
• August rainfall was close to what's normal
• Editorial comment on Market Street traffic

August 25, 2022
This week's headlines:
• School board wants Ronald Johnson removed
• Johnston goes back to school Monday
• SSS continues reversal with big win vs. Princeton
• Democrats produce nominee for commissioner
• Crackdown coming on Downtown parking violations
• Editorial comment on school board's transparency

August 18, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Schools' budget adopted, not quite finished
• County Commissioners ponder sewer allocations
• River Rat Regatta postponed again
• Q.K. Wall: a local pioneer in racial integration
• Editorial comment on late-August school start

August 11, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Pay raises ratified for county's school staffs
• Project list adopted for school-bond vote
• School board member chastised for secret recording
• Heritage Center expanding into leased space
• Historical photo: when gasoline sold for 28.9 cents

August 4, 2022
This week's headlines:
• County's No. 1 challenge for growth? (sewer)
• Property-tax collections close to 100%
• Town annexes large tract near Amazon
• Marlon Lee coaching N.C. all-star girls
• Unemployment rate rose to 3.7% in June
• Surprising 7.59 inches of rainfall in July
• Editorial comment on backed-up roads & river

July 28, 2022
This week's headlines:
• COVID uptick: How's it looking here?
• A deal with Campbell to lure more teachers
• 200+ children get "Paws for Reading"
• Editorial comment on town's rough streets

July 21, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Draft of county's new Land Use Plan unveiled
• Black female judge to be honored with portrait
• Teachers say school-bond amount not enough
• Editorial comment on county's most pressing issue

July 14, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Two county officials under investigation:
Dickie Braswell and Ronald Johnson
• Leo Daughtry moves to Board of Transportation
• County funds free tuition for some at JCCollege
• Town adds police officer with master's degree
 • Public Library ends fines for overdue items
• Johnston hospitals earn honors for stroke care

June 30, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Town approves big pay raises for employees
• Council awards limited street-repair contract
• School board adds $8 million to capital budget
• Retail sales up 13.9% in first quarter
• Unemployment rate rises slightly to 3.3%
• Just 1.01 inches of rainfall in June

June 23, 2022
This week's headlines:
• County budget done with more school funding
• Storm felled trees, cut power, left little rain
• Benton Sawrey is Chamber's "Emerging Leader"
• KS Bank moves up in ranks of N.C.-based firms
• Public Library launches 24/7 checkout service
• Editorial update on Smithfield's electric rates

June 16, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Schools' lowest-paid workers plead for raises
•  Smithfield-Selma High School graduates 247
• LuLong Ogburn Medlin in Athletic Hall of Fame
• Food-truck vendor "Chef Dash" opens dine-in grill
• Neuse bacteria at alarming level? Towns says not
Editorial comment on schools' "Public Comment" rule

June 9, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Council OKs 2,005 new homes east of I-95
• Town pays off remaining SRAC loans
• Incentives lure 90+ higher-pay jobs to Selma
• She's "cheese rolling champ" in England
• Hospital gets yet another change in name
• Editorial comment on town's broken streets

June 2, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Town Council receives one new member
• Smithfield's estimated population up 3%
• Kay Kennedy rejuvenates her neighborhood
• 103,245 Johnstonians employed in April
• May had average rainfall, yet year's total lags
• Editorial comment on school shootings

May 26, 2022
This week's headlines:
• County manager's budget: no increase for schools
• Johnston offers booster shots for children 5-11
• Women's League collects lots of peanut butter
• Smithfield's hospital graded "A" for safety
Editorial comment on market's minimum wage

May 19, 2022
This week's headlines:
• PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS
• Schools ask county for $11.5 million more
• County office study offers options for DSS site
•  County increases COVID testing as cases rise
• Johnston Health's "Ambassador of the Year"
• Editorial comment about election shortcomings

May 12, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Delayed Primary Election's finish in sight
• Town Council moves to raise employees' pay
 • School board raises bus-driver pay to $17.50
• Prices for Johnston's school meals going up
• Public Library to lend hotspots, Chromebooks

May 5, 2022
This week's headlines:
• School-bond referendum set for $177 million
• Town awards contract to rebuild amphitheater
• School teachers saluted for outstanding work
• Another month with below-normal rainfall
• How do you get to know political candidates?

April 28, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Town's "draft" budget avoids rate hikes
• Two home-based startups choose Downtown
• 102,278 Johnstonians employed in March
• Last (for now) of weekly COVID reports
• JCCollege names interim president
• Ruffin Johnson's Native American lore
 
April 21, 2022
This week's headlines:
• JCCollege President David Johnson resigns
• County approves immediate pay raises
• School COVID cases far below winter's peak
• Ham & Yam Festival returning May 7
• Editorial comment on Earth Day, Arbor Day

April 14, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Johnston's population rises to 226,504
• 100,796 Johnstonians held jobs in February
• Smithfield attorney new District Court judge
• Landmark event for "Smithfield's" restaurant
• School enrollment nets extra $3.2 million
• Editorial comment on Smithfield's growth

April 7, 2022
This week's headlines:
• School board calls for $253.5-million bond issue
• 2022-23's first semester extended into January
• Second COVID booster shots now available
• County Commissioners fill temporary vacancy
• Town Council rejects 50 apartments for seniors
Editorial comment on misplaced place names

March 31, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Two survive small-plane crash near airport
• COVID test site moving, cutting hours
• Amazon center among top 25 "Project Wins"
Retail sales up 23% in fourth quarter 2021
SSS DECA chapter wins state honors

March 24, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Arts Council celebrates 50th anniversary
• Johnston's COVID status rises to "low risk"
• Commissioners debate capital priorities
• 100,000+ Johnstonians hold jobs
• 20 semi-finalists for Teacher of the Year
Smithfield's "Highway Man" still at work

March 17,2022
This week's headlines:
• Triangle East Chamber has a new CEO
• COVID trending in the right direction
• SSS teacher earns national certification
 • 12 apply for vacant commissioner seat
• Johnston Health gets patient-safety award
• Editorial comment on "Creek Week"

March 10, 2022
This week's headlines:
• County lands another distribution center
• 13 running for school board; just 2 town races
• COVID report: "Things are looking much better"
• Keeping schools up with growth: $720 million
• $150 million sought from state for school needs
• Editorial comment on industrial incentive process

March 3, 2022
This week's headlines:
• 11 candidates file for 3 school-board seats
• Face masks now optional on school buses
• Police station expansion saved by federal aid
• Smithfield's Police Officer of the Year
• African-American health-care pioneers
• Editorial comment on rising traffic fatalities

February 24, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Candidates resume filing for May 17 election
•  Johnston's vaccination status vs. our neighbors
• County Commissioner Larry Wood resigns
• Most popular names for 2021's newborns
• SSS student leaders win "Spirit Stick"
• Black-owned funeral homes stand test of time

February 17, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Masks optional at schools "without stipulations"
• Forecast for growth in Smithfield-area schools
• SSS runner finishes 3rd in state meet
• Johnston's new Literary & Historical Journal
Editorial comment on schools unmasked

February 10, 2022
This week's headlines:
• School masks optional if outbreaks contained
• Six more schools to be built by 2032?
• SSS basketball court to be named for coach
• Annual audit: county "in really good shape"
• Editorial comment on town election delay

February 3, 2022
This week's headlines:
• Spartan girls win conference swim title
• COVID numbers heighten cause for alarm
• Unemployment rate down to 2.7%
• Town salutes Neuse Charter's volleyball team
• Town's electric rates "stable" for another year
Editorial comment on the ongoing COVID battle

January 27, 2022
This week's headlines:
• First measurable snowfall since pre-COVID
• Coronavirus case total still surging
• Police activity had ups and downs in '21
• Another record year for Register of Deeds
• Editorial comment on snow-days remote learning

January 20, 2022
This week's headlines:
• COVID case numbers have jumped this month
• How shall Smithfield spend ARPA windfall?
• Changing of the guard at KS Bank
• Campaign targets commuters leaving Johnston
• SSS sends 30 to All County Honors Band
Editorial comment on Market Street traffic

January 13, 2022
This week's headlines:
• School masks still on as COVID cases spike
• School staffs change jobs to keep buses rolling
• At last, schools' annual budget is finished
• SSS students semi-finalists for major scholarships
• Editorial comment on a very warm December

January 6, 2022
This week's headlines:
• New Year's first day unseasonably balmy
• 2021 rainfall above average, below last year's
•Coronavirus infection rates rising again
• Johnston's jobless rate drops below 3%
• 1,300 households get rental assistance
• Smithfield reports six police vacancies
• Editorial comment on another day of infamy

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