School-bus
driver situation
"worse," board is told
Melanie
Autry, a teacher assistant
at Cleveland High School,
stood before the Johnston
County Board of Education
during the Public Comment
portion of Tuesday's
monthly meeting to declare
that teacher assistants
doing extra duty as
school-bus drivers
continue to be overworked
despite steps taken over
the past year to close
gaps in staff shortages.
"Instead of this year
being better than last,
it's worse," she said.
There's even talk among
some employees of a
walkout, she added.
Ms. Autry said some
classified employees are
working 12-hour days doing
classroom duty plus as
many as three bus routes
in the afternoon. "They're
spending more time on the
bus than in the classroom
that you hired them for,"
she said. "Students are
being neglected."
She said some employees
are "coerced" into driving
more than their assigned
bus routes. Furthermore,
she added, "some of the
buses are overloaded. It's
unsafe to travel that
way."
Later during Tuesday's
meeting, Chief of Human
Resources Brian Vetrano
denied her claim that
employees are forced to do
extra driving. "We do not
require any employee to
drive both a.m. and p.m.,"
he declared, acknowledging
that some employees
volunteer for the extra
duty to get
time-and-a-half overtime
pay.
"Our hearts are with you,"
responded Board Chair Lyn
Andrews to Ms. Autry's
plea for relief. "We'll
take this under
advisement."
Before adjournment of
Tuesday's meeting, board
members asked staff for a
full report on the status
of student transportation
at their February meeting.
Board
splits vote on
"transformational" SEL
contract
In
what resembled the recent
political squabble over
"Critical Race Theory,"
the board voted 5-2 to
approve a contract to
expand Capturing Kids'
Hearts – a teacher
training initiative for
social-emotional learning
(SEL) – into three
elementary schools (it's
already in place in
several of Johnston's
schools).
Newly installed board
member Michelle Antoine
questioned use of the
adjective
"transformational" in
describing the program –
apparently in reference to
a national backlash that
sees such initiatives as
inappropriate
indoctrination of
students. She cited a
study showing shortcomings
in Capturing Kids' Hearts
elsewhere and was joined
in voting against the
contract by Ronald
Johnson.
Defending the contract,
Chief Academic Officer
Nicholas King said the
adjective
"transformational" is
being used to describe the
program's anticipated
outcome of improving
student behavior and
academic performance, and
that Johnston's school
system is pleased with
results so far. Added
board member Kevin
Donovan: "A lot of
principals and teachers
are very excited about the
program."
Cost of the contract
approved Tuesday is not to
exceed $285,000 and will
be covered by grants from
the state.
SSS
and South Smithfield to
be added to Restart
efforts
The
board approved staff's
request to add three more
schools – Smithfield-Selma
High, South Smithfield
Elementary, and West
Clayton Elementary – to
the list of Johnston
County's low-performing
schools that have already
qualified for the state's
Restart option that gives
them administrative and
budgetary flexibility to
address their particular
shortcomings. That request
now goes to the N.C. Board
of Education for final
approval. Local schools
already taking part in
Restart are West
Smithfield Elementary,
Selma Middle, Benson
Elementary and Middle,
Cooper Academy at Clayton,
and North Johnston Middle.
New
board chair announces
committee assignments
Included
in those assignments by
Chair Lyn Andrews is a new
Legislative Committee she
said would work with state
and federal officials on
matters before the N.C.
General Assembly and the
U.S. Congress affecting
Johnston's public schools.
She named to that
committee herself and
newly installed board
members Terry Tippett and
Michelle Antoine. The
other committee
assignments:
• Finance – Mike Wooten,
Kevin Donovan, and Mr.
Tippett.
• Legal – Kay Carroll, Mr.
Tippett, and Mr. Donovan.
• Policy – Mr. Tippett,
Ronald Johnson, and Ms.
Andrews.
• Bond – Mr. Carroll and
Mr. Johnson (one other to
be appointed later).
South
Smithfield Advisory
Council appointment made
Brian
Jones won the board's
approval to a three-year
term on the South
Smithfield Elementary
School Advisory Council as
recommended by Susan
Jones, the school's
principal, and present
council members.
Ronald
Johnson's chance to
present "new facts"
delayed
At
the end of Tuesday's
meeting, Vice Chair
Tippett (and newly named
chair of the board's
Policy Committee)
apologized to Mr. Johnson
that the promised process
for him to present "new
facts" regarding his
censure by the previous
board was not produced in
time for this month's
meeting.
"We want to make sure we're
focusing on the kids and we
want to get rid of all the
baggage left from the last
school board," Mr. Tippett
said. "I appreciate your
patience," he said to Mr.
Johnson. "You're going to
get your opportunity to say
everything you've got to
say." Responded Mr. Johnson:
"I certainly thank you for
that."
Love
the Space You're In!
And
to make sure that's
the way it is in your
home...
<Call
Pernell today.
Or visit callpernell.com>
Construction at Johnston's
general-aviation airport
has been almost continuous
since the county-owned
facility opened in 1978.
Next up is another hangar
– to be erected on a site
(shown here) next to the
airport's terminal.
Johnston
Airport's economic impact
celebrated
State
and local officials
gathered at Johnston
Regional Airport Monday
morning to showcase the
economic impact of North
Carolina's 72 airports on
their host communities.
The occasion was release
of the N.C. Department of
Transportation's "State of
Aviation" report. Here are
the numbers for
Johnston County's airport:
• 1,110 jobs
supported, producing
personal income of
$74,170,000.
• $210 million in local
"economic output."
• $13,596,000 in state and
local tax revenues.
All those numbers are
significantly higher than
what was shown in a similar
report two years ago: 860
jobs, $40.5 million in
personal income, $121
million in economic output,
$5.9 million in state and
local tax revenues.
Beyond that,
the airport at Smithfield –
located just 28 nautical
miles southeast of
Raleigh-Durham Airport – is
gaining more users as "a
reliever airport" for
corporate as well as
recreational aircraft.
"Ten years ago we couldn't
give away a hangar," noted
Ken Starling (left),
chairman of the Johnston
County Airport Authority.
"Now Phil gets calls weekly
from people want to
reposition here" – a
reference to Phil Lanier,
the airport's director since
2017.
As a result, 146 planes are
currently based at JNX (the
official federal designation
for Johnston Regional
Airport). The airport logs
73,350 operations annually.
Originally known as Johnston
County Airport, JNX over the
past 45 years has expanded
from a facility with a
3,700-foot runway to today's
5,500 feet. A larger and
much nicer terminal building
replaced the original
headquarters in 2014.
JNX sits on county-owned
property beside Swift Creek
Road south of US 70 Business
about four miles from
Downtown Smithfield. Its
operations are overseen by a
seven-member Airport
Authority appointed by
the County Commissioners.
Bobby Walston, director
of NCDOT's Division of
Aviation, addresses
Monday's gathering of
state and local officials
inside a hangar housing
corporate aircraft.
Johnston's
state legislators: two
returnees, one newcomer
On
hand for Monday's
gathering of officials at
Johnston Regional Airport
were: (left to right)
State Representatives
Larry Strickland and Donna
White and newly installed
State Senator Benton
Sawrey. Mr. Strickland, a
resident of Pine Level, is
beginning his 4th two-year
term in office
representing a new N.C.
House district that
encompasses all of
Smithfield and areas of
Johnston southeast of
here. Ms. White, a Clayton
resident, is also
beginning a 4th term, this
time representing a new
district that covers
fast-growing northwestern
Johnston (her previous
district included South
Smithfield). Mr. Sawrey, a
Clayton resident,
represents a new Senate
district that encompasses
all of Johnston County
alone. All three are
Republicans. This year's
session of the N.C. General
Assembly convened on
Wednesday.
WEST
SMITHFIELD LAND FOR
SALE
2.4-acre
vacant lot at 1558 W.
Market Street, US 70
Business. Mostly level
ground with 323-foot road
frontage. It's less than 3
miles from Johnston
Regional Airport and about
5 miles from I-95.
Listed at $525,000 (MLS#2447472)
SUSAN
LASSITER, Broker •
FONVILLE MORISEY
REALTY • 919-669-9235
19
applications received for
police-chief vacancy
The
Town of Smithfield has
received 19 applications
for chief of police,
including five from within
the town's Police
Department and 12 from
outside of North Carolina.
That's the report
following Tuesday
evening's public forum on
the vacancy, when a dozen
or so citizens showed up
to voice what they'd like
to see in the town's next
chief law-enforcement
officer.
The position became vacant
with the retirement of
Chief Keith Powell
November 30.
Council
said to be pleased with
town manager's
performance
That's
the word from Mayor Andy
Moore following Tuesday
evening's closed session
of the Town Council to
evaluate Town Manager Mike
Scott.
"The feedback
was positive," Mayor
Moore reported. "The
council is pleased with
Mike's overall
performance, and the
consensus of the council
is that Mike is doing a
great job as
Smithfield's town
manager."
Mr. Scott came to
Smithfield as chief of
police in 2009 and was
elevated to the town
manager's position in
2016.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS REPORT
Smithfield-Selma's football coach is
moving on
After
restoring respectability
to the Spartans' football
program since he took the
job at SSS three years
ago, Deron Donald is
leaving to become Head
Coach at Garner High
School in neighboring Wake
County.
"Coach has done an amazing job these last three seasons making Spartan football a sense of pride for our school and community," Smithfield-Selma's Principal David Allen wrote in his weekly announcements to students, staff, and parents. "We are very sad to see him go, but we are so proud to see him advance his career in a 4-A program. Thank you doesn’t seem to be quite enough for how he has changed our culture, helped our young boys become young men, and shaped our community."
After a COVID-shortened
season during his first year
here, Coach Donald led the
Spartans to an 8-4 record in
2021 and a 9-2 record this
past year – the school's
best records in varsity
football in a quarter of a
century.
Prior to his arrival, SSS
had not posted a winning
record since 2009 and had
won just eight games in 10
seasons.
Neuse
Charter boys improve to
14-3; girls are 8-7
The
Cougar boys basketball
team improved its record
to 14-3 with two wins this
past week: 72-58 over the
N.C. School of Science and
Math in a non-conference
game last Friday and 67-50
over North Duplin on
Tuesday in the first
Carolinas 1-A Conference
game of the season for the
Cougars.
Leading Neuse Charter in
Friday's game were Cameron
McCain, Sire Holmes, and
Jayvin Bradley with 13
points apiece. Holmes was
the leader scorer in
Tuesday's game with 23
points, followed by
Bradley with 13 and Jayden
Atkinson with 10.
The Cougar girls are 8-7
after losses to the School
of Science and Math 57-14
and North Duplin 55-33.
Cayley Cochran scored 14
points in the game at
North Duplin.
WHAT'S COMING UP?
Monday
is M.L. King Holiday for
all government services
That
includes all federal,
state, county, and
municipal offices as well
as the U.S. Postal Service
and financial
institutions. Public
schools will also be
closed Monday. The
national Martin Luther
King Holiday, in memory of
the slain Civil Rights
leader, was established by
Congress in 1983 to be
observed on the third
Monday of January. Dr.
King's birthday was
January 15, 1929.
County
Commissioners meet
Tuesday instead of
Monday
Because
of the Martin Luther King
Holiday, the Johnston
County Board of
Commissioners will hold
this month's "third
Monday" meeting at 6 p.m.
next Tuesday at the
Courthouse. A relatively
short agenda includes an
update on expansion of
Broadband Internet service
in rural Johnston and
continued discussion
regarding proposed
revisions to the county's
Comprehensive Land Use
Plan.
VIEW the
complete agenda posted
on the county's
website>
Dates
to register for Parks
& Recreation spring
sports
The
Smithfield Parks and
Recreation Department has
announced its registration
schedule for spring
sports, as follows:
• Intramural Basketball
(Ages 16-18) – Now through
January 20.
• Baseball (Ages 7-15) –
Now through February 10.
• Softball (Girls Ages
7-12) – Now through
February 10.
• Kinder Basketball (Ages
3-4) – January 30 until
full.
• T-Ball (Ages 5-6) –
February 6-March 10.
• Fun & Fellowship
Softball (Adults) –
January 30-February 24.
More
information is available
at these links:
Youth Sports
| Adult Sports
| Parks &
Recreation Home
"Trusted
by families since 1977"
840 S. Bright Leaf
Blvd. • 919-934-7164
• www.carrollpharmacy.com
DEATHS
& FUNERALS
Click
on the name to read an
obituary, usually posted
by the funeral home
BILL G.
JOHNSON, 76 – died
January 7
JANE
CARRAWAY LAWRENCE, 80
– died January 5
MILDRED
JOHNSON CRUMPLER, 99
– died January 4
ROSE MARIE
BENTON GATHERS, 63 –
died January 2
JACKIE MOORE
GRANTHAM, 69 – died
December 31
Eastbound traffic on Market Street was backed
up late Wednesday
afternoon to get across
Bright Leaf Boulevard
onto the single lane
beneath the railroad
underpass.
A
WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE
EDITOR
Smithfield's
road priorities have
been out of whack
The
Town Council last week
voted to remove from
Smithfield's
transportation plan a
proposed third
crossing of I-95. Planning
Director Stephen Wensman
said the course of
commercial development
coupled with future
upgrades to I-95 make
another crossing near the
Outlet Center untenable.
Furthermore, its proposed
route – an extension of
Peedin Road – would
preclude recently sought
development of vacant
property just north of the
outlets, he reported.
I didn't know such a route
had been proposed in the
first place. And I don't
understand why it was
deemed necessary. If it
were built, where would it
take us? The only road
directly across I-95 from
the outlets is a loop road
off 70 Business that once
extended into Selma but
was severed when the 70
Bypass was built.
We've got the 70 Business
and Brogden Road crossings
of I-95 and a short
distance up the road is
Selma's 70 Business
crossing of the Interstate
– all three with full
interchanges. Who said we
needed yet another way to
get east of I-95?
What the highly developed
commercial area around
I-95's Exit 95 needs more
than that is a widening of
Market Street (70
Business) from Bright Leaf
Boulevard to the I-95
interchange that's going
to be rebuilt in the next
few years. The present
entrance to Downtown
Smithfield from the
Interstate – with a single
travel lane in both
directions – is a
bottleneck made worse by
the undersized railroad
underpass that was built
in the 1930s.
Why has the Town Council
shunned giving priority to
that project, which has
been a need for many years
now? I've seen numerous
examples of rebuilt
railroad underpasses
across North Carolina in
recent times to
accommodate more lanes of
vehicular traffic in
growing commercial places
like Smithfield. For the
most part they appear to
be NCDOT projects, but my
guess is they got done
because local officials
made them priorities.
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