ARCHIVES of 2026 editions
July 23, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Stadium site rezoning barely clears council
• Split vote rejects rezoning from commercial to residential
• Downtown Development director touts accomplishments
• School board shortens discrimination policy
• County presents first "Cypress Legacy Award"
• County pledges funding for airport control tower
• Two industrial expansions to add 252 jobs
• Opening of county's first recreation park this Friday
• Editorial comment on smoother roads and streets
July 9, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Smithfield takes the heat with a little outdoor relief
• SSS JoCo TEACH students shine at conference
• Town approves more automated accounting
• Street resurfacing back in full swing
• Nine candidates file for two Soil & Water positions
July 2, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Johnston celebrates nation's "Semiquincentennial"
• TLC acquires "Neuse Islands Wilderness"
• Johnston jobs down slightly; jobless rate 3.0%
• June rainfall falls short, adding to year's deficit
• Editorial comment on auditorium's performance
June 25, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Smithfield Freedmen's Schoolhouse restored
• What county's cost-of-services study found
• Junior Women's League awards scholarships
• Bookstore joining Downtown's business mix
• Extension adds Family & Consumer Sciences agent
• Editorial comment on Freedmen's Schoolhouse
June 18, 2026
This week's headlines:
• County budget adopted with 1¢ property-tax cut
Schools' requests fully funded; college boosted too
• Town Council delays decisions on three items:
DSDC contract, electric-service fees, loitering in parks
• Clear-cutting begins for subdivision beside greenway
• Editorial comment on Down Home NC slightly off target
June 11, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Schools to get renovations, new furniture
• Bonds buy big-ticket items for Wilson's Mills High
• Schools have reduced mobile classrooms to 53
• Smithfield-Selma High graduates 394
• County urges conservation as drought persists
• Editorial comment on Downtown business survey
June 4, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Town accepts state's Downtown parking plan
• Council adopts budget with no further changes
• County receives plan for future fire stations
• County board OKs $160,000 to finish UDO work
• Ample rainfall in May yet we're still far behind
• A history-making Johnston County commissioner
May 28, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Memorial Day salute to a WWII surviving veteran
• Clayton's population 32,633; Smithfield's 13,144
• Town to continue aid to schools, non-profits
• Town raising fees for some services
• Another employment record set in March
• Editorial comments on power outage, TLC's gift
May 21, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Rose Dairy Farm's 308 acres given to county
• Proposed county and town budgets unveiled
• Town's audit puts Fund Balance above $20 million
• Buffalo Road industrial rezoning denied
• Four SSS seniors get teaching scholarships
• Johnston hospitals continue to get high ratings
• Editorial comment on property-tax relief
May 14, 2026
This week's headlines:
• School board wants 5.7% more from county
• School board blasts Sysco's food-service contract
• Lampe family offers college aid to top students
• Downtown regains "Main Street" accreditation
• JCC adds volleyball to interscholastic sports
Editorial comment on "Walk to School"
May 7, 2026
This week's headlines:
• A soggy day for Ham & Yam
• County looking at "Behavioral Health Urgent Care"
• County approves lease of Downtown building
• Hospital volunteers donated 21,795+ hours
• Our hospitals again graded "A" for quality, safety
• Editorial comment on gas prices above $4
April 30, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Here comes Ham & Yam #40
• In a drought, no doubt; how dry has it been?
• Teachers get "Flame for Learning" awards
• A coming together of Johnston's United Methodists
• Smithfield native writes about growing up in 1940s-60s
• Editorial comment on Tuscarora mural's dedication
April 23, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Town chooses yet another site for stadium
Donated land at Community Park now favored
• County may lease former Tucker Furniture building
• Drought prompts water-conservation advisories
• Johnston jobless rate jumped to 3.4% in January
• Editorial comment on cost of new baseball stadium
April 16, 2026
This week's headlines:
• NCDOT previews upcoming highway projects
• Construction of 301 river bridge on pause
• School board lifts caps on SSS, Smithfield Middle
• Smith-Bryan DAR chapter marks 50th anniversary
• Johnston's Vietnam Veterans chapter disbanding
• Editorial comment on new day for Downtown
April 9, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Stadium for Tobs going to Legion Field after all
• Council clears way for "upscale" bars Downtown
• County board urged to pursue 2nd water plant
• Johnston's airport continues to make money
• SSS students selected for N.C. Governor's School
• West Smithfield's "Greytown" gets a new sign
• Editorial comment on rural-development identity
April 2, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Local gasoline prices approach $4 a gallon
• It's not raining much and it feels like summer
• Johnston's retail sales up 6.5% in 4th quarter
• SSS students were "job shadows" for a day
• Editorial comment on town's undisclosed land buy
March 26, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Johnston County UDO re-write isn't done yet
• What Downtown wants in state's parking plan
• SSS senior wins Morehead-Cain Scholarship
• Todd Johnson is a "Main Street Champion"
• Editorial comment on Ham & Yam quilt raffle
March 19, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Mayor breaks tie to move stadium forward
• Boys & Girls Club will share Sarah Yard Center
• What are prospects for a county tax cut?
• Major street resurfacing starting this week
• Editorial comment on county's newsletter
March 12, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Record-setting heat this week?
• Neuse Charter adding an elementary building
• Town to start ticketing for parking on Market
• Wilson's Mills High devices, furniture ordered
• Editorial comment on Bradford pears living on
March 5, 2026
This week's headlines:
• PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS
All but one local incumbent re-nominated
• Town accepts NCDOT parking ban on Market
In return for angled parking on one-way streets
• Town employs new finance and planning directors
• Johnston losing licensed child-care facilities
• Editorial comment on recovery from surgery
February 26, 2026
This week's headlines:
• New houses for adults with disabilities
• UNFINISHED: No parking on Market, county's UDO
• Smithfield Town Council dressed in red
• Schools salute "Leading With Heart" recipients
Editorial comment: Johnston's statistical profile
February 19, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Subdivision near Wilson's Mills rejected again
• New zoning encourages new look for Downtown
• New Indian restaurant officially open
• Audit shows County Government's growth
General Fund up 48.65% since 2021
• County's 911 center in test of interstate calls
• Editorial comment on county communications
February 12, 2026
This week's headlines:
• County records first measles case since 2018
• Early voting: local choices limited to GOP ballots
• Schools have one bad-weather to make up
• Jobless rate down to 2.9% in December
• Sewage spills near bridge construction site
• Editorial comment on school sports attendance
February 5, 2026
This week's headlines:
• 6-inch snowfall most we've seen since 2010
• January's rainfall: 1.79 inches
• Candlelight vigil for slain Minneapolis nurse
• New zoning to extend downtown's identity
• More editorial comment on public notifications
January 29, 2026
This week's headlines:
• Weekend's winter storm: we "dodged a bullet"
• County has "capacity" to finance new buildings
• Community College's spring enrollment up 12%
• Hospital foundation's board has new members
• Johnston County's top baby names in 2025
• Editorial comment on county's UDO hearing
January 22, 2026
This week's headlines:
• County delays adoption of new land-use rules
• Retiring town manager praised for his service
• Unemployment rate rose to 3.6% in November
• Teachers, school nurse saved student's life
• Project Lifesaver to keep track of vulnerable folks
• Editorial comment on Market Street woes
January 15, 2026
This week's headlines:
• No-Parking signs installed along Market Street
• County to acquire 300 acres for multi-use park
• Schools' finances remain in good standing
• Town's planning director takes Rolesville job
• Salvation Army Red Kettle donations were down
• Editorial comment on schools' calendar
January 8, 2026
This week's headlines:
• County advances new Social Services building
• Clerk of Court asks county to pay for 11 more staffers
• Town Council OKs mid-year salary adjustments
• Johnston's retail sales up 12.8 % in 3rd quarter
• Editorial comment on "miraculous" I-phone camera
January 1, 2026
This week's headlines:
• TOP 10 EVENTS of 2025
• Smithfield awaits start of four large subdivisions
• Industrial prospects pending, perhaps more to come
• Final candidate filings produce more contests
• Community Action has new executive director
• Power outage followed collision with pole
• Editorial comment on neglected teacher salaries
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