Commissioner
Dickie Braswell
convicted, ousted
Jury returns guilty verdict on
indecent-liberties
charge
County
Commissioner Richard
(Dickie) Braswell was
arrested in June 2022 on a
charge of taking indecent
liberties with a 13-year-old
girl
following investigation of
a complaint filed with the
Johnston County Sheriff's
Office.
More than two years later –
on Monday of this week – a
jury in Johnston Superior
Court found him guilty of
the felony. He was sentenced
by presiding Judge Taylor
Browne of Randolph County to
serve an active prison term
of 20 to 33 months and was
required to register as a
sex offender for 30 years.
Mr. Braswell is 76 years
old.
Under
North Carolina law,
Monday's conviction
immediately removed
Commissioner Braswell from
office. Almost two years
remain on his four-year
term. (Screenshot
above from a recent
Board of Commissioners
meeting)
"Our thoughts are with the
victim and their family
and all those affected by
this situation," stated
Commissioners' Chairman
Butch Lawter as he
announced Mr. Braswell's
conviction and removal at
the outset of Monday
evening's regularly
scheduled meeting of the
county's principal
governing board.
State law requires the
remaining board members to
appoint a replacement for
Mr. Braswell within 60
days. "It is the consensus
of this board that we go
ahead and do that as quick
as we can," Mr. Lawter
said.
Mr. Braswell was appointed
to the Board of
Commissioners in November
2021 to fill the unexpired
term of then-Chairman Chad
Stewart, who resigned to
go to work as full-time
manager of Johnston
County's Alcoholic
Beverage Control agency.
In March 2022 – before his
arrest in June on the
indecent-liberties charge
– Mr. Braswell filed
unopposed as a Republican
Party candidate for the
District 3 seat on the
county board and
subsequently began serving
his four-year term in
December 2022. His
successor, by law, must be
a Republican resident of
District 3 as it stood in
2022, which stretched
across southern Johnston
County from Benson to
Princeton, Mr. Braswell's
home community.
Mr. Braswell has rarely
missed a meeting of the
Board of Commissioners
since his initial
appointment, even after
the felony charge was
filed two years ago. Early
on, several citizens
appeared repeatedly before
the board demanding that
Mr. Braswell resign or be
removed from office. But
the other commissioners
refrained from commenting
on the case through it
all, leaving the matter up
to the judicial process.
DA
Susan Doyle's office
issues a statement on the
case:
“The
District Attorney’s Office
is very pleased with the
verdict and the sentence
imposed. We are very
grateful to the jurors in
this case who were able to
see and hear the survivor’s
truth.
“We are also grateful to the
brave survivor of the
defendant’s horrible crime.
With amazing courage and at
great personal cost, this
child came forward and
exposed a powerful member of
our community. She
agreed to testify in hopes
that no other child would
ever have to suffer a sexual
assault at the hands of the
defendant. We all owe
her a debt of gratitude for
courageously coming forward
and for her brave testimony.
“We also appreciate the
Johnston County
Sheriff’s Office and
Detective Meredith
Langston for immediately
recognizing her
credibility and
truthfulness.
"The Johnston County
District Attorney’s
Office will continue to
aggressively prosecute
anyone, regardless of
their power or stature,
who preys upon children
in our community.”
Sheriff
Steve Bizzell and Chief
Deputy Bengie Gaddis (on
the right) pose with some
of the participants in
last week's
disaster-relief drive:
(from left) Remington
Garner, Adam Boswell,
Chris Boswell, Roy
Boswell, and Oscar Lopez.
Airflow Products, a Selma
company operated by the
Boswell and Holt families,
provided the trucks and
drivers for hauling
donated items. (Photo from
County of Johnston
Facebook page)
Helene
relief drive filled 15
tractor-trailer trucks
Chief
Sheriff's Deputy Bengie
Gaddis reported to the
County Commissioners
Monday morning that 15
fully loaded 53-foot
tractor-trailer trucks
have been sent to a
disaster-relief
distribution center in
Hendersonville as a result
of last week's
donation-collection
drive-thru at Johnston's
new Public Safety Center.
"The citizens of Johnston
County really showed up!"
Mr. Gaddis exclaimed. "It
was overwhelming," he said
of the public's response
to calls for donations of
food and other goods to
help victims of the
catastrophic flooding in
Western North Carolina
brought on by Tropical
Storm Helene week before
last.
Mr. Gaddis said 35
employees of the
Sheriff's, Emergency
Services, and 9-1-1
departments kept the
donation line moving
during last week's
operation. "This was very
special to all of us," he
said.
Commissioner Patrick
Harris added later during
Monday's meeting that
county employees from
several departments along
with personnel from
Johnston's fire
departments have traveled
to areas hardest hit to
lend a hand. Even the
county's Animal Services
office has helped by
loaning equipment for
rescuing pets, he noted.
More about personal
connections to the
disaster zone for
Commisioner Harris and
Butch Lawter, the
board's chairman, in an
editorial report below.
County's
"rebranding" project
produces a new logo
Commissioners
on Monday approved a new
logo and slogan for the
County of Johnston and its
affiliated agencies.
Public Information Officer
Adam Carroll said elements
of the leaf-topped J have
special meanings. The J
represents "the stem, the
trunk, the backbone of
Johnston County: its
people." The
different-colored leaves
represent "the three
things that are integral
parts of who we are":
• Burnt orange for "our
rich soil, from which our
crops and hopes come to
life."
• Blue for water "that
nourishes all that takes
root here: plants and
people alike."
• Green "for all that we
grow here, including our
thriving communities."
A "little hidden piece" in
the logo, Mr. Carroll
noted, are the edges of
the J, which are angled
according to the latitude
and longitude of the
historic Courthouse: 36
degrees North (at the
top), 78 degrees West
(bottom) – "the place
where Johnston County
Government has taken place
for a long time."
Mr. Carroll said the
process that produced the
new logo has been going on
"for almost a year now" as
a collaborative effort
involving county
commissioners and
employees as well as
selected citizens. The
county employed Engine
Brandmakers 
of Durham
for technical assistance
at a cost of $120,000.
The new logo replaces one
the county has been using
since the early 1980s (shown
here) and will
start showing up on county
vehicles, stationery,
Internet web pages, and
documents as the old logo
is phased out.
County
will test a new
arrangement for
controlling cats
On
a recommendation from
County Manager Rick
Hester, commissioners
agreed to authorize an
organization called Best
Friends Animal Society to
trap, vaccinate, and
either spay or neuter cats
captured in the wild in
response to complaints
from citizens. It will be
a six-month test to see if
the effort is effective in
relieving that burden from
the county's Animal
Services office.
The organization, not the
county, will cover the
project's expense with
help from volunteers. The
cats will be placed with
willing recipients or else
released back to where
they are caught,
commissioners were told
during a meeting last
month.
The county presently
captures stray cats and
euthanizes them if they
aren't adopted or quickly
claimed by owners.
Commissioners were told by
representatives of the
Best Friends group that
Johnston is among the "top
three" N.C. counties that
kill captured cats.
Heritage
Commission, Drainage
District reappointments
Voting
by written ballots,
commissioners reappointed
to the Johnston
County Heritage
Commission Pam
Lipscomb Baumgartner, Dr.
John M. Booker, Suzanne
Benton Cook, Matthew Dean,
Warren Grimes, Pascual
Goicochea, and Angelique
Legette and added new
member Nathaniel L.
Sanders Jr. Reappointed to
the Moccasin
Creek Service District
Board: Rodney
Cabe and John T. Stallings
as Rural Area
representatives and Gray
Sasser as Town of Selma
representative.
County
issues proclamations for
this month's observances
Commissioners
approved resolutions for
the following:
• Domestic
Violence Awareness Month
throughout October –
drawing attention to the
fact that 3,000 "direct
victims and others" were
aided in Johnston County
last year by Harbor, Inc.,
according to Kay Johnson,
the non-profit agency's
director.
• National 4-H
Week October
6-12 – a salute to more
than 3,000 youth along
with more than 90
volunteers presently
active in Johnston
County's 4-H clubs.
• Johnston County
Employee Appreciation
Week October
21-25 –a thank-you to the
county's 1,000-plus
employees serving in 31
departments and agencies.
2.4
acres for sale at 1558
W. Market St.
in West
Smithfield
Located
across from Rose Manor
Shopping Center close to
intersection with
M.Durwood Stephenson
Parkway. Just west
of Downtown Smithfield.
Zoned commercial by the
Town of
Smithfield. $498,000 MLS#
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by
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JCC's
enrollment spike to
require more county aid
Johnston
Community College
President Vern Lindquist
served notice to the
County Commissioners
Monday evening that
another $350,000 may be
needed by the spring
semester to fund the JoCo
Commissioners Promise
Program that
provides free tuition for
all students who are
residents of Johnston
County.
Enrollment
at JCC is heading toward a
30% increase over the past
couple years, Dr.
Lindquist said. As a
result, the college has
already used $415,000 of
$480,000 appropriated for
Commissioners Promise this
fiscal year and likely
will need another $350,000
between now and June 30,
he predicted.
The number of JCC students
currently receiving the
county's aid is 392 – up
from 109 when the program
was launched two years
ago, Dr. Lindquist
reported. "This is really
good bad news," he
quipped. "It doesn't get
much better than this."
The county's aid program
comes into play whenever
federal and/or state
assistance falls short of
covering a student's full
tuition expense, the
president noted.
"We do not fully
understand why this is
happening," Dr. Lindquist
said of the current
enrollment spike, "but it
doesn't appear to be
showing signs of slowing
down."
On another county funding
matter, commissioners
approved a special
appropriation of $135,000
to help JCC pay for
replacement of a structure
used for the fire-training
program that was damaged
beyond repair this past
summer by what Dr.
Lindquist called "an
incident." Insurance was
available to cover just
$50,000 of the $185,000
rebuilding expense, he
said.
JCC
signs pact for "assured"
admissions to Campbell
Campbell U. story & photo
Campbell
University added a sixth
community college to its
Assured Admission Program
Monday when President J.
Bradley Creed signed a
formal partnership agreement
with Johnston Community
College.
Joined by JCC Vice President
of Instruction and Chief
Academic Officer Marc David
(at left in photo),
Dr. Creed signed a
Memorandum of Understanding
that will offer students
currently enrolled at the
college in Smithfield an
“assured entry” pathway to
Campbell upon completion of
their two-year associate
degree. The University’s
Assured Admission Program
guarantees admission to
students who meet specified
academic criteria from
participating schools,
simplifying the application
process and providing a
clear pathway for their
educational journey.
Dr. Creed said he is
impressed with North
Carolina’s community college
system, especially workforce
development programs offered
throughout the state.
“I’m particularly impressed
with our neighbor, Johnston
Community College,” he said.
“I’ve gotten to know
President Vern Lindquist
over the last year, and I’m
grateful we can form this
partnership. The transfer
pathway enables JCC students
to become prospective
Campbell students. They’re
able to become a part of our
academic community while
still being firmly rooted in
their courses at JCC.”
Smithfield
names its new town clerk
Elaine
Andrews has been selected
to serve as Smithfield's
town clerk. She will begin
her new duties Monday.
Ms. Andrews has been
employed with the town
since 1998, serving in a
variety of capacities,
most recently as its
payroll and accounting
technician. She replaces
Shannan Parrish, who was
recently promoted to the
position of director of
the town's Human Resources
Department.
Among her duties as town
clerk, Ms. Andrews will be
responsible for keeping
the official minutes of
Smithfield Town Council
meetings.
She attended DeVry
University and has Career
Readiness certifications
from Johnston Community
College as well as career
training from UNC
Charlotte’s College of
Continuing Education.
WHAT'S COMING
UP
Another concert beside the river this
Friday
The
Chis Hagan Band, a
"Pop/Rock" ensemble, is
next up on the Smithfield
Parks and Recreation
Department's "Fall Fridays
on Front" concert series
at the Neuse River
Amphitheater on the Town
Commons below South Front
Street. It's scheduled to
begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Admission is free of
charge.
"Movie Villain Trivia Night" at
Downtown coffee shop
Friday
One
of several October "Hallo
Pride" events scheduled by
JoCo Pride is "Movie
Villain Trivia Night" at
The Gilded Pear in
Downtown Smithfield from 6
to 9 p.m. this Friday. The
coffee stop is located at
234 East Market Street.
For information on
additional Johnston County
"Hallo Pride" events,
visit the JoCo Pride
website>
Gonna be a Saturday full of
entertainment in
Smithfield
It
starts with Downtown's Oktoberfest at
10 a.m. with a "Brew Zone"
on South Third Street
featuring selections from JoCo
Brewing Company, Hatchet
Brewing Company, Fainting
Goat Brewing Company, and
Crossbones Brewing
along with brats and hot
dogs served by Sodosopa plus
dessert trucks, musical
entertainment, and various
vendors. Johnston Street
will be a place for kids –
with bounce houses, slides,
a petting zoo, and pumpkin
painting. There's no charge
for admission.
The
town's Parks and Recreation
Department will host "Tackle
Time" Kids Fishing Day from
11 a.m. till 1 p.m. at the
Eva Ennis Pond across from
Johnston Community College.
Fishing rods will be
available for youngsters who
don't have one. No admission
charge.
The
Police Department and
LifeSpring Church will
host Faith
& Blue Day from
noon till 5 p.m. at
Smith-Collins Park on East
Lee Street. It's an annual
nationwide event to bring
together law-enforcement
officers and local
residents through
connections with
faith-based organizations.
Activities will include
free video games courtesy
of Games on Wheels, free
hot dogs from Stevens
Sausage, pumpkin painting,
face painting, and bounce
houses. No admission
charge.
Town
cancels Drone Fly-In
that was scheduled this
Saturday
The
Town of Smithfield
announced Monday that it
has canceled the event
"due to the fact that many
of the drone-operator
presenters for our Drone
Fly-In Event are involved
in the recovery efforts in
Western North Carolina."
Town
Council to hear revised
subdivision plan Tuesday
Carolina
Land Group, LLC seeks
rezoning of 47.8 acres
across from the Amazon
distribution center to
allow 168 townhouses
rather than 360 apartments
previously approved by the
town. It's part of a
larger subdivision already
under construction now
known as Finley Landing
(formerly it was Floyd
Landing). The council's
regularly scheduled
third-Tuesday session
begins at 7 p.m. at Town
Hall.
VIEW the
complete agenda for
Tuesday's meeting>
Business
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DEATHS
& FUNERALS
A
WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE
EDITOR
Hallowed
ground for two of our
commissioners
Flood-ravaged
Western North Carolina
hosts hometowns for two of
Johnston's county
commissioners, who didn't
know each other when they
were growing up there just
a dozen miles apart.
Reflecting on the disaster
during Monday's board
meeting, Commissioners'
Chairman Butch Lawter
disclosed that he was born
in Bat Cave and grew up in
Chimney Rock, both
villages practically
destroyed by the raging
flood. "My grandparents
had a fruit stand there...
where I spent many hours,"
he said, adding that he
was moved by his
daughter's participation
in collection of
disaster-relief supplies
that are "probably going
to people that I know."
Commissioner Patrick
Harris said he grew up in
nearby Hendersonville,
which also sustained flood
damage. "We didn't know
each other," he said,
until both became county
commissioners. And now as
vice chairman he sits next
to Chairman Lawter during
meetings of the county
board.
On a personal note, I'm a
life-long "flat lander"
yet have fond memories of
many visits to our
mountains since I was a
child. But I had never
been to the top of the
Chimney Rock until a quick
trip through there just
two months ago.
Here's my photo taken in
August from the Chimney's
top, overlooking
picturesque Lake Lure,
which was covered with
debris after the flood
that swept away the
villages upstream.
Even though many of us
have never lived in those
magnificent mountains,
what happened there hits
home nonetheless; and it
hurts.
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