Thank
goodness. Remnants of the
hurricane named Ian that
devastated coastal
communities on Florida's
West Coast brought some
gusty winds our way but less
than three inches of
rainfall, which was spread
over most of the day on
Friday and therefore
produced no flash flooding
of Smithfield's streets.
"We had two trees that fell
and brought power lines down
on Friday evening: one
behind the Belks building
near Booker Dairy Road and
one behind JCC," reported Town
Manager Mike Scott. That
cut electric power to about
850 customers; "all had
power restored within three
hours," he said.
"We had a few other trees
down – a couple in Sunset
Cemetery and one in the 200
block of Church Street that
did not impact power lines,"
Mr. Scott noted.
"The (town's) street sweeper
was out cleaning up debris
(Saturday morning) in case
another round of rain came
through" but "no reports of
flooding were received or
sewer back-ups," he added.
"I think everyone did a good
job of preparing and the
rain fell throughout the day
rather than all at once,
which helped the storm
water."
The National Weather Service
at Johnston Regional Airport
recorded
2.69 inches of rainfall
between 4:35 a.m. Friday
and 8:55 p.m. Friday.
Cornell Cox recorded 2.66
inches at his Backyard
Weather Station in South
Smithfield, bringing total
rainfall for the month of
September to 5.64 inches,
the total since January 1 to
34.70 inches.
Rainfall to the northwest
pushed the Neuse River's
official depth at Smithfield
to just over 14 feet
Saturday night, causing
minor flooding along the
greenway. In contrast,
Hurricane Matthew in October
2016 sent the river to an
all-time record of 29 feet.
Here's
the type of industrial
building that could occupy
the 19-acre site
developers want to market.
(Rendering from Johnston
County Economic
Development Office)
Brogden
Road industrial project
OK'd for incentives
Both
the Johnston County Board
of Commissioners and the
Smithfield Town Council
this week approved cash
incentives for a proposed
industrial building at
Brogden Road's interchange
with I-95.
A joint venture of
commercial real-estate
investment firms CBRE |
Raleigh and Al Neyer,
which operates in several
states from Cincinnati to
our Triangle region, plans
to construct a
264,800-square-foot "spec"
(speculative) building on
19 acres of open land at
the corner of Brogden and
Wal-Pat roads.
An occupant has yet to be
recruited, but such
facilities are essential
in luring new industries
in a competitive
environment, Chris
Johnson, the county's
economic development
director, told
commissioners during a
public hearing on the
project Monday morning. He
said Johnston has come up
short with some 50
prospects during the past
12 months for lack of an
immediately available
building.
In addition to agreements
with both the county and
the town to refund 50% of
property taxes paid on a
capital investment of at
least $20 million in the
Brogden Road facility, the
county also agrees to pay
the project's builders
$25,000 a month in rent
until the building is
leased or purchased by an
industrial prospect. Those
payments would continue up
to 24 months but no
longer.
The agreements approved
this week make the tax
rebates contingent upon an
industry coming in that
employs at least 25
persons at salaries
averaging no less than
$50,000. The rebates from
the county and the town
would continue to be paid
for five years once the
operation is up and
running.
Commissioners
pick 3 new Heritage
Commission members
They
are Lyda Boone of Meadow
Township, Pascual
Goicoechea of Clayton
Township, and Angelique
Legette of Smithfield –
selected by balloting at
Monday's monthly meeting
of the County
Commissioners. Six of
eight current Heritage
Commission members were
reappointed, including Pam
Lipscomb Baumgartner, Dr.
John M. Booker, Suzanne
Benton Cook, Matthew Dean,
Warren Grimes, and Raymond
(Frank) Knott Jr.; current
members
Mary Nell Lee Ferguson and
William Royce Lambert Jr.
had applied for
reappointment but were not
approved.
The Heritage Commission
oversees operations of the
Johnston County Heritage
Center, an outgrowth of
the Johnston County Room
in the Public Library
across the street in
Downtown Smithfield that
was led for many years by
the late Margaret Lee,
Mrs. Ferguson's mother.
Also appointed by
balloting Monday was
Timothy M. Little of Pine
Level Township as a new
member of the Johnston
County Planning Board.
The other applicant for
that position was Hunter
T. Boone of Meadow
Township.
READ the board clerk's summary of all matters
addressed by Johnston's
County Commissioners at
Monday's morning and
evening sessions>
Town
OKs Blue Line Aviation's
expansion plan
The
Smithfield Town Council
Tuesday night approved
rezoning of 14.43 acres
across Swift Creek Road
from Johnston Regional
Airport for expansion of
Blue Line Aviation's
pilot-training center,
which opened in newly
constructed quarters at
the airport a year ago.
Blue Line's master plan
for the vacant property
includes buildings for
classrooms and student
dormitories, a hotel, and
"flex" space available for
industrial use. Adam
Walters, Blue Line's
president, told the
council that the company
wants to expand its
enrollment from 75 student
pilots at present to 200
once the new facilities
are built. The company
employs 54 now and is "on
track" for 70 jobs here,
Mr. Walters said.
Mark Lane, a member of the
Smithfield Planning Board,
said the group had voted
unanimously to deny Blue
Line's rezoning request,
primarily on grounds of
inadequate parking.
Stephen Wensman, the
town's planning director,
told the council his staff
now supports the rezoning
since Blue Line has
altered its parking plan
in response to the
Planning Board's concerns.
As a result, sufficient
parking plus "enhanced"
landscaping and buffering
will be provided, he said.
Among conditions added to
the council's approval of
the rezoning is a
requirement for a
well-lighted crosswalk
with warning signals on
Swift Creek Road between
the new buildings and Blue
Line's existing
headquarters.
On a separate request from
Blue Line, the council
approved satellite
annexation of the 14-acre
rezoned site, which is not
contiguous to any
properties currently
within Smithfield's
corporate limits.
New
police officer added;
department has 7
vacancies
Joshua
Lynch was sworn in as a
new officer in the Police
Department during
Tuesday's council session.
He's currently enrolled in
Johnston Community
College's Basic Law
Enforcement Training
program. In his monthly
report to the council,
Police Chief Keith Powell
said the department has
seven vacancies, two
officers on "light duty,"
and another out on sick
leave.
New
member for two boards;
attendance rules
tightened
The
council appointed Emery
Ashley Jr. as a new member
of both the town's
Appearance Commission and
its Historic Properties
Commission. Also, the
council adopted ordinance
amendments reducing the
number of members on the
town's Board of Adjustment
from seven to five and
tightening attendance
requirements for that
board as well as the
Planning Board and the
Historic Properties
Commission.
Crosswalks
to be added at First
Baptist Church
The
council approved two
pedestrian crosswalks at
First Baptist Church – one
on South Fourth Street in
front of the church;
another on Johnston Street
between the church's
Colbert Ministry Center
and a playground. Cost to
the town: $200.
Resolutions
draw attention to
special observances
The
council adopted
resolutions in support of
three:
• Public Power
Week October
2-8 in recognition of
Smithfield's status as one
of 70 or so municipalities
across North Carolina that
operate their own electric
systems.
• Fire Prevention
Week October
9-15 encouraging residents
to check their smoke
alarms and to formulate
and practice a home-escape
plan.
• Operation Green
Light from now
through Veterans Day
November 11 asking
businesses and residents
to burn a green light in
honor of military
veterans.
Community
College's enrollment is up
6% this fall
From
Johnston Community College
Curriculum
enrollment at Johnston
Community College is up this
semester, with nearly 4,300
students enrolled in
classes. That is an increase
of more than 6% over the
Fall 2021 semester.
Continuing Education and
Basic Skills classes also
saw increases in enrollment.
"It is a new day and there
are new beginnings for JCC,"
said Interim President
Kenneth A. Boham. "I am
delighted that we will be
able to touch more lives and
that the college is on a
positive trajectory."
JCC is currently ranked 14th
out of the 58 community
colleges in North Carolina
in both total curriculum
headcount and curriculum
full-time equivalent
enrollment (FTE). Each
college in the system is
funded according to FTE,
which is based on the number
of hours students take each
semester. As a result, JCC’s
state budget allocation is
approximately $28 million
for fiscal 2022-23.
Meet
the new principal at
Wilson's Mills Elementary
Story
& photo from Johnston
County Public Schools
Wilson’s Mills Elementary’s new principal, Dondi Pate, is one of the latest additions to Johnston County Public Schools for the 2022-23 school year, and it’s no accident that she is here. A 25- year veteran in education, Pate has spent the last 18 years in Sampson County. Looking for a new challenge, personally and professionally, she immediately sought out a position with JCPS because she felt the school system has a lot to offer. READ the complete story and watch a short video on the schools' website>
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS REPORT
Smithfield-Selma still unbeaten, tied
for league lead
The
Spartans started strong,
scoring two touchdowns
during the first quarter
of last Thursday's Quad
County 3-A Conference game
at home against Wilson's
Fike High. But the SSS
lead had been cut to 14-12
by halftime, and Fike's
Demons were on the verge
of going ahead early in
the fourth quarter with
first-down, goal-to-go at
the 10-yard line.
But the Spartans held on
fourth down at the
1-yard-line, then busted
out of that hole with an
86-yard run by senior
Jalill Howell all the way
to the Fike 11-yard line.
That scoring threat
fizzled, however, and Fike
subsequently drove upfield
to the Demons' 45-yard
line where a fumble gave
the pigskin back to the
Spartans.
A second fourth-quarter
surge toward the goal by
SSS got as far as the Fike
18 but the Demons' defense
held again. The Spartans
got a third chance to
score in that sequence
after Fike came up short
on fourth down at the
30-yard line. From there
SSS finally reached the
end zone with a 27-yard TD
scamper by junior Isaiah
Dawson, who had scored on
a similar running play
covering 51 yards in the
first quarter. A two-point
conversion attempt failed
after a holding penalty,
leaving the Spartans with
a 20-12 lead.
But that was enough as the
SSS defense stymied the
Demons in the game's
closing moments.
The Spartans' running game
was dominant, producing a
total of 403 yards
rushing. Leading the
ground attack was
sophomore Julian Dobbin
with 122 yards on 11
carries while Dawson ran
for 119 yards on eight
carries. Sophomore Devyn
Grant accounted for the
third SSS touchdown with a
4-yard run.
Leading tacklers on
defense for the Spartans
were senior Michael
Thompson Jr. with 14 and
Devyn Grant with 13.
Next up for SSS, now 6-0,
is a conference showdown
at West Johnston High this
Friday. The Spartans are
3-0 in league games, tied
with C.B. Aycock High for
first place. West Johnston
is 2-1 in conference play,
4-2 overall.
| Last
week's football
scores for other
Johnston County
schools |
Cleveland (6-0)
21
Fuquay-Varina
13 |
Clayton (3-3)
35
Southeast Raleigh
6 |
Corinth Holders (2-4) 12
South Garner
50 |
South Johnston (3-3) 28
C.B. Aycock
34 |
West Johnston (4-2) 21
East Wake
7 |
Princeton (5-1)
49
Eastern Wayne
12 |
|
North Johnston (2-4) 30
Spring
Creek
12
|
For more
information about
football and other
sports
at each of our
high schools,
search MaxPreps.com>
|
Spartans'
soccer team gets two
conference ties
The
SSS boys soccer team has
an overall record of 4-8-4
and a Quad County 3-A
Conference mark of 4-2-2
after Monday's 1-1 tie
versus East Wake and
Wednesday's 3-3 tie versus
South Johnston – both
conference matches.
SSS girls volleyball team
is 6-12 overall and 1-9 in
conference matches after
last Thursday's 2-1 loss
at Wilson Fike.
Neuse
Charter's volleyball
team 7-0 in conference
play
The
Cougars' girls volleyball
team is 7-0 in Carolina
1-A Conference play and
15-3 overall after
Monday's 3-0 victory over
North Duplin and Tuesday's
3-0 triumph at home versus
Hobbton.
The boys soccer team is
6-6 overall and 2-4 in
conference games after
Monday's 4-3 win at Union
High and Wednesday's 5-3
loss at home to North
Duplin.
WHAT'S
COMING UP?
Ava Gardner Festival
this weekend in her
100th-birthday year
The
festival opens Friday with
the unveiling of new
exhibits at the Ava
Gardner Museum at 325 East
Market Street in Downtown
Smithfield. Admission is
$12 each day, $25 for a
three-day weekend pass. A
"Musical Tribute to Ava
Gardner" is set for 7:30
p.m. at The Clayton Center
featuring the N.C.
Revelers Orchestra (tickets must
be purchased online).
Saturday's activities
include a 10 a.m.
dedication of the mural
and rose garden beside the
museum and "Heritage
Tours" of Ava's birthplace
in the Brogden community
(she was born on December
24, 1922) as well as her
grave site in West
Smithfield's Sunset
Memorial Park. Screenings
of several of her
best-known movies are
scheduled Saturday and
Sunday at Smithfield
Cinemas. For more details
including links for
purchasing tickets, visit the
festival's
website>
Drone
Fly-In at West
Smithfield town park on
Saturday
The
Town of Smithfield is
hosting a Drone Fly-In
Demonstration this
Saturday at Gertrude
Johnson Park, where a
field was designated last
year for recreational
drone flying. The event
continues from 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. The park is located
in West Smithfield beside
West Market Street (US 70
Business). There's no
charge for admission to
Saturday's activities,
which include a
drone-racing demo.
Faith
& Blue activities at
Smith-Collins Park on
Saturday
Hosted
by the Smithfield Police
Department and Lifespring
Church, the Faith &
Blue Community Event –
part of National Faith
& Blue Weekend linking
law enforcement and
faith-based communities –
continues from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. Saturday at East
Smithfield's Smith-Collins
Park. Activities include a
free pig-pickin', pumpkin
painting, bounce houses,
with popcorn and cotton
candy offered free to all
comers.
School
board's monthly meeting
scheduled next Tuesday
The
Johnston County Board of
Education will convene at
4 p.m. Tuesday in the
Evander S. Simpson
Building on US 70 Business
east of I-95 at
Smithfield. The agenda
should be posted
online no later than
Friday>
DEATHS
& FUNERALS
Click
on the name to read an
obituary, usually posted
by the funeral home
BARBARA
ERWIN JONES LEE, 79
– died October 4
JOSEPHINE
LEE McLAMB, 84 –
died October 2
BESSIE
LOUISE MUSTGRAVE WOOD,
70 – died October 2
BENJAMIN
(BEN) ALLEN BUNCH, 84
– died October 1
LONNIE RICKY
McGEE, 57 – died
September 30
STEVEN WAYNE
PARRISH, 61 – died
September 30
CINDY
CLAYTON HUNTSBERRY, 72
– died September 29
A
WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE
EDITOR
How's
the school-bond campaign
coming along?
In
case you've forgotten,
Johnston County's voters
are being asked in this
fall's General Election to
endorse or reject a
proposed $177-million bond
issue for facility needs
of Johnston County Public
Schools.
I learned at Monday
evening's informational
meeting at South
Smithfield School that
attendance at the recent
series hosted by Friends of
Johnston County Public
Schools has been
rather sparse, in most
cases. Especially notable
is the absence of parents
of school children, bond
promoters told me.
The promoters said they're
not aware of any organized
opposition at this point
but are worried about a
negative backlash among
Johnstonians currently
upset by seemingly
uncontrollable growth as
the County Commissioners
consider an update to
Johnston's Comprehensive
Land Use Plan.
Since the mid-1990s the
county's voters have
overwhelmingly supported a
series of bond issues that
have produced both new and
renovated school
facilities in line with a
rising student population.
A big reason for the
success of those
referendums was a
financing plan that phased
in the borrowing of money
over the years without any
noticeable jump in
property taxes paid by
most Johnstonians.
That continues to be the
conservative approach
behind the proposed
$177-million bond issue
before us now. School
leaders estimate
construction and
renovation needs to keep
pace with Johnston's
growth through the end of
this decade will cost $720
million. The $177-million
issue is the first of
three to spread out the
financing toward that
goal, with subsequent
referendums tentatively
scheduled for 2024 and
2026. Of course, that's
dependent on approval of
this year's bond vote.
As the campaign's
promoters are reminding
us, unprecedented
population growth coming
our way is inevitable; and
if we don't continue to
approve these bond issues,
the County Commissioners
will have to take some
"drastic" steps, including
major increases in the
county's property-tax
levy.
Furthermore, our failure
to keep up with the influx
of more students will
require more mobile
classroom units parked on
many of our school
campuses – a situation
educators say produces a
substandard learning
environment, not to
mention safety concerns in
this era of random gun
assaults.
Johnston County Public
Schools currently have 186
mobile classrooms in
place. The $177-million
bond issue will build
enough new classrooms to
eliminate 83 of those, the
school folks say. As you
can see, this year's
referendum is only a start
toward the finish line.
GET MORE
information about the
November 8 General
Election in Johnston>
What
newspapers mean for our
communities
David
Woronoff, nationally
acclaimed publisher of The
Pilot in Southern
Pines plus several
complementary online
newsletters like the
Weekly Sun, wrote
these inspiring words this
week, which is being
celebrated as National
Newspaper Week:
Whether it’s ink on paper or pixels on
silicon, I remain
bullish on the future of
local journalism. We are
the rare local
institution that can
still unite a community
by creating a sense of
place through a shared
experience.
Subscribers
to this edition: 1,404
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