SSS celebrates unique bond with Special Olympics

That's ESPN basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli about to toss the ball for the opening tipoff of a Special Olympics game featuring teams from Smithfield-Selma and North Johnston high schools enthusiastically cheered on by a pumped-up gathering of students inside the SSS gymnasium Monday afternoon.

The occasion was presentation of a banner recognizing SSS as a "National Unified Champion School" – an honor first earned by the school in 2020. Currently, SSS is one of 28 schools in North Carolina and 888 across the nation on the Special Olympics list>

What are prospects for school funding cuts?
Finance chief gives update at breakfast with legislators

• Federal aid that enables free school lunches for all students.
• State allocations for schools in "low wealth" districts like Johnston County's.
• Federal aid for educating special-need students.

Those are among a host of funding uncertainties facing Johnston County Public Schools that were highlighted by Chief Financial Officer Stephen Britt during a breakfast sit-down Monday that included state legislators, county commissioners, and mayors alongside members of Johnston's school board and key school administrators.

Mr. Britt said he's most concerned just now about the future of Johnston's "low wealth" allocation from the state, which he said is likely headed for "a dramatic decrease" because of this year's real-estate revaluation coupled with Johnston's rising household incomes.

"We're probably going to see a crash in low-wealth funding next year," Mr. Britt predicted. He suggested to Johnston's legislators in attendance – State Senator Benton Sawrey and Representative Donna White – that the low-wealth funding formula ought to be revised to lessen the sudden ups and downs related to counties' unevenly timed real-estate revaluations.

Johnston's low-wealth allocation dropped from a recent peak of about $17 million to $14,358,179 this year, and Mr. Britt expects a much bigger drop ahead.

He noted that 100% of Johnston's low-wealth grant is spent for salaries of teachers and support personnel excluding administrators.

Speaking of salaries, Mr. Britt reminded legislators that school staffs are in limbo regarding this year's rates of pay since the General Assembly has still not adopted a complete budget for the current fiscal year that began July 1.

An interim budget bill approved by the Legislature did provide "step" pay raises for some teachers but not for 42% of Johnston's who've been working 15 years and longer, Mr. Britt pointed out. Beyond that, school employees are facing a jump of more than $800 in state health-insurance premiums in the year ahead, he added.

Turning to potential federal spending cuts, the finance chief said Johnston's current position of providing free lunches to all students regardless of household income is in jeopardy unless aid for "school nutrition" is extended by the Trump Administration and Congress.

Other federal funding items in jeopardy, Mr. Britt noted:
• $7.6 million Johnston's schools currently get from IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).
• $9 million from Title I for low-achieving students in high-poverty schools.
• $4 million from Medicaid – "Huge impact if we lose that funding," exclaimed Michelle Antoine, chair of the school board's Legislative Committee which put together Monday's breakfast session.

Returning to concerns at the state level, Johnston's recently installed Superintendent David Pearce asked legislators to revisit recent changes in state penal rules that appear to be signaling to juveniles "that they won't be getting into trouble" if they break the law.

He and Ms. Antoine also implored legislators to avoid last-minute changes in state rules for school operations. Delay effective dates until January or later rather than during the summer when administrators are finalizing preparations to open a new school year, they urged.
 

Ruth Marler, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operating Officer at UNC Health Johnston, is the 2025 recipient of the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce Athena International Leadership Award, which honors honors women who achieve excellence in their profession, give back to their community, and help other women reach their full leadership potential. This is the 38th year the Chamber has presented the award.

Throughout her 43-year health-care career, Ms. Marler has demonstrated compassionate and innovative leadership. Under her direction, UNC Health Johnston has achieved multiple national recognitions for clinical excellence, including Leapfrog “A” ratings and numerous distinctions for patient safety and quality.

A forward-thinking leader, Ms. Marler has implemented transformative initiatives such as tele-health integration, digital rounding tools, and community-based behavioral-health expansions. During the pandemic, she played a critical role in establishing Community Monoclonal Antibody Clinics in partnership with local health-care organizations – efforts that saved lives across Johnston County.

Her dedication to service and innovation has earned her numerous honors, including being named one of the "Top 100 Women Leaders in Medicine" and a N.C. Hospital Association "Healthcare Hero" in 2021.

Ms. Marler’s commitment to community service includes the Johnston County Homeless Committee, Harbor, the CATCH Stakeholders Committee, and the Johnston County Mental Health Crisis Collaborative Committee. Through these efforts, she has helped improve access to care for under-served populations and has worked tirelessly to address homelessness, mental health, and substance-use challenges in the region.

A passionate mentor and advocate for women in health care, Ms. Marler has created externship and scholarship programs for aspiring professionals and has sponsored numerous women re-entering the nursing profession after personal and professional setbacks. Many of the women she has guided now serve as leaders in their own right: business owners, directors, and executives who continue her legacy of mentorship and excellence.

Story & photo posted online by Triangle East Chamber of Commerce
 

 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL REPORT 

Last Friday's results for Johnston County's teams:
(season's records in parenthesis)
SOUTHEAST RALEIGH 57, SMITHFIELD-SELMA 21 (1-7)
LOUISBURG 65, AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 32 (4-4)
CLAYTON 42 (6-2), SOUTH GARNER 7
CLEVELAND 49 (7-0), GARNER 28
CORINTH HOLDERS 30 (4-3), ATHENS DRIVE 13
WEST CRAVEN 52, NORTH JOHNSTON 16 (4-4)
PRINCETON 34 (4-3), SPRING CREEK 0
SOUTH JOHNSTON 35 (4-3), LEE COUNTY 14
WEST JOHNSTON 14 (3-4), HARNETT CENTRAL 6
For game summaries and schedules, visit JoCoSports.com>
 

 WHAT'S COMING UP 

Downtown's Oktoberfest rescheduled for this Saturday
Postponed from last weekend because of inclement weather, the Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation's Oktoberfest and Harvest Market will be open for business from noon till 5 p.m. Saturday along the 100 block of South Third Street and adjacent Johnston Street. German food and games, local vendors, and a Kids Zone are being offered.

Kids Fishing Day at Ennis Community Pond Saturday
Smithfield Parks & Recreation and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are hosting another Kids Fishing Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday at Eva Ennis Community Pond, located between College Road and Smith-Collins Park. Fishing rods will be provided if needed, and children must be accompanied by an adult.

NLT to screen free "Dracula" classic movies Saturday
Something new at the Neuse Little Theatre: a movie night showing a "Dracula" double-feature staring Bela Lugosi from 1931 and "The Killer Shrews" starring James Best from 1959. Admission is free but donations will be accepted at the door to NLT's home in the former Legion Hut on Front Street. "And feel free to dress up, if you so choose," reads the NLT announcement. The event starts at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Johnston County Commissioners meet at 6 p.m. Monday
It's the regular third-Monday evening session at the Courthouse.
VIEW the complete agenda with mostly routine items of business>

Town Council to OK street-resurfacing contract Tuesday
The Smithfield Town Council is scheduled to award a major street-resurfacing contract during its meeting which begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Town Hall. (Bids for the work will be opened Friday.) VIEW the complete agenda for Tuesday's meeting>
 

$97,637 raised locally to fight cancer

   Realtor Susan Lassiter has what it takes to sell Smithfield.  
• Licensed real estate agent since 1992
• Real estate broker since 2001
• Served on the Smithfield Town Council for 8 years
• Past president, Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce
• Past president, Downtown Smithfield Development Corp.
• Past president, Rotary Club of Smithfield
 Susan Lassiter   Long & Foster Real Estate   919-669-9235 

 DEATHS AND FUNERALS 
Click on the name to read an obituary, usually posted by the funeral home:

 A WORD (OR TWO) FROM THE EDITOR 

Plea to legislators: make redistricting representative

Enough already! Having gerrymandered Congressional districts for last year's election to hand Republicans 10 of North Carolina's 14 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, now the GOP leadership in the Legislature plans to adjust the lines once again in an effort to increase their party's advantage to 11 of the 14 seats.

Please: Don't do it again!

Gerrymandering districts for one political party's gain not only undermines the concept of fair elections; but it also goes against the will of a LARGE majority of the state's citizens, according to the polls I've seen (those majorities in opposition to gerrymandering are way better than 70% among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike).

The districts we've already got aren't fair because they deliver a North Carolina delegation to Congress that doesn't represent the political makeup of our state.

One glaring piece of evidence are North Carolina's electoral results for federal offices elected statewide over the past decade:
• 2024 voting for President – 50.86% for Trump, 47.65% for Harris.
• 2022 voting for U.S. Senator – 50.50% for Republican Ted Budd, 47.27% for Democrat Cheri Beasley.
• 2020 voting for President – 49.93% for Trump, 48.59% for Biden.
• 2020 voting for U.S. Senator – 48.69% for Republican Tom Tillis, 49.94% for Democrat Cal Cunningham.
• 2016 voting for President – 49.83% for Trump, 46.17% for Clinton (Hillary).

Curiously, North Carolina law doesn't allow redistricting for election of state legislators between official U.S. Census counts every 10 years, yet does permit redistricting at any time for election of members of Congress!

This year it's all about a nationwide power play to rig the outcome of next year's Congressional elections. It started in Texas where the Republican-dominated legislature changed districts in hopes of adding five more GOP seats to its already one-sided delegation. California is retaliating with a plan to add five more Democrats to its Washington delegation.

Just because Democrats have done their share of gerrymandering over the years doesn't make it right for Republicans to do the same.

CONTACTS FOR N.C. LEGISLATORS RESIDING IN JOHNSTON COUNTY:
• Senator Benton Sawrey>
• Representative Larry Strickland>
• Representative Donna White>


Fall fishing on a weekday afternoon
And a perfect afternoon it was on Wednesday of this week for a pair of fisherboys testing their luck on South Smithfield's Wilson Pond. (Reminds the editor of days long ago with a grandfather and first cousin on ponds around Fayetteville.)

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