News for Community

Partnership for Children Hosts Community Advocacy Night, Paving the Way for Child Care Solutions   Selma, NC — The Partnership for Children of Johnston County hosted a powerful event in August to engage families and community leaders in a discussion about the child care crisis and its impacts on Johnston County residents. The evening brought together parents, child care providers, and elected ...read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THE DUPREE HOUSE TO HOST "I DO, RE-DO" EVENT FOR SUSTAINABLE WEDDING SHOPPING SMITHFIELD, NC – September 2, 2025 – The Dupree House is excited to announce its inaugural "I Do, Re- Do" event, a unique wedding market designed to connect recent brides and wedding planners with brides-to-be seeking beautiful, budget-friendly treasures. The event will be held on January 11th, ...read more

Johnston Community College will host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of its new Advanced Manufacturing Training Facility in Four Oaks. Members of the media are invited to attend and cover this milestone event. This 67,000 square foot, cutting-edge facility serves as the advanced manufacturing training hub for Johnston County and the eastern region of the state. You will ...read more

Read to Grow Announces 4th Annual Poster Contest to Celebrate Attendance Awareness Month  Johnston County, NC – Read to Grow Johnston County is excited to announce its 4th Annual Poster Contest in honor of Attendance Awareness Month this September. The contest encourages K-5 students to create posters highlighting the importance of regular school attendance.  On August 18th, the Johnston County ...read more

Johnston Community College Announces Record Enrollment    JCC sees another semester of double-digit percentage increase in credit students   Smithfield, N.C., (August 19, 2025) – Johnston Community College (JCC) has once again set a new enrollment record, achieving its highest-ever curriculum headcount.    On the first day of fall semester classes, JCC welcomed 6,513 degree-seeking ...read more

JoCo Sports Launches Weekly Football Podcast SMITHFIELD — Johnston County high school football fans can get their fix in a new way this season. The JoCo Sports High School Football Podcast replaces JNOW Media’s long-running “Game of the Week” Friday night live broadcast format, shifting to a podcast structure that provides coverage of every high school team in the county each week. Hosted by Randy ...read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASELocal Filmmaker’s “Black Honey” to Premiere at PLJCS on Sept. 11JOHNSTON COUNTY, NC – August 11, 2025 – Local filmmaker Char Vinar announces the premiere of her highly anticipated independent short movie, “Black Honey,” on Thursday, September 11, 2025, starting at 5 pm in the Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield, 305 E. Market Street in downtown Smithfield. The ...read more

Launched on July 1, 2015, this program was created as an innovative approach to provide preventive care to the most vulnerable in Johnston County and to lower ambulance use by focusing on frequent callers. By working with these patients prior to the 911 call, the community paramedics have been able to help the patient understand their medical condition, better adhere to prescribed medications, ...read more

You’re sitting on a goldmine and don’t even know it. Right outside your storefront, in the coffee shops and laundromats and food trucks humming a block away, are patterns, habits, and whispers that—if read right—can tell you exactly what your next move should be. Strategy isn’t just spreadsheets and quarterly forecasts, it’s how well you can read the room, especially when the room is your zip ...read more

The Corporate Transparency Act may require certain U.S. companies to disclose beneficial ownership information to FinCEN to combat financial crimes. While a Texas federal district court’s preliminary injunction puts this requirement on hold, many experts expect that to be overturned. In that event, failure to file could lead to fines of $500 per day, up to a maximum of $10,000, and possible ...read more

Bridge over I-95 at Exit 95 will be upgraded SMITHFIELD – The U.S. 70 Business bridge over Interstate 95 at Exit 95 will be reconstructed into a taller, longer and wider structure, thanks to a new $38.3 million contract. The two-lane bridge over I-95 will be replaced with a five-lane bridge with a sidewalk. In addition, the on/off ramps will be reconfigured to meet modern standards, and ...read more

Distinguished Citizen Award Presented to Will Crocker by Chandler Pernell at the Annual Meeting on January 26th, 2015.   Our second Distinguished Citizen Award will be given to someone who has served Johnston County and the Smithfield-Selma area for his entire life. The award also is sponsored by Woody’s Computing Service.   When my parents first moved back to Smithfield, they became this ...read more

Speech Given By Crystal Roberts: Ladies and gentleman, the Smithfield-Selma Chamber is again excited to present the prestigious Athena Award to a well-deserving recipient. This award celebrates the potential of all women as valued members and leaders of the community and honors individuals who strive toward the highest levels of professional accomplishment. Tonight’s recipient is a fierce ...read more