JHN – Local news

Fare Game is ready for play

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Bar with arcade, pizza and appetizers will open Wednesday in downtown Clayton


CLAYTON — Friends Paul Auclair, C.J. Batista and Jason Turner were just hanging out when they hatched the idea for Fare Game, an arcade, bar and pizzeria in the heart of downtown. Lynn Auclair, Paul’s wife, was there too. “Fare Game is a combination of three friends who were drinking beer around a campfire one night,” she said. “And we […]

Do Good Foods abandons Selma

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SELMA — In June 2022, town leaders, county commissioners and company executives gathered in the Selma Civic Center to announce a new industry. Do Good Foods would turn surplus groceries into chicken feed at a plant in Selma’s Eastfield Crossing industrial park. The company would employ some 100 workers, paying them an average of more than $60,000 a year. It […]

CarMax planning Smithfield outlet

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SMITHFIELD — If the town says OK, used-car seller CarMax will open a dealership on Outlet Center Drive. The company has submitted plans for a dealership on 13.13 acres next to the Smithfield Business Center, the former home of Sylvania and, later, Channel Master. But to move forward, CarMax needs exceptions to a couple of town rules. For one, the […]

Archer Lodge seeking input on land-use plan

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ARCHER LODGE — The town is seeking citizen input on a comprehensive land-use plan. Public forums to share information and receive input are scheduled from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21, at the Archer Lodge Community Building, 14009 Buffalo Road.

Red Cross to host two blood drives

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The American Red Cross will stage two blood drives this week in Johnston County. One is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, March 21, in the Tart Building at Johnston Community College, 245 College Road, Smithfield. The second is scheduled from 2 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 22, at Oakland Presbyterian Church, 8927 Cleveland Road, Clayton. That’s in […]

County OKs cell tower near McGee’s Crossroads

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SMITHFIELD — Once a month, during an evening meeting, County Commissioners rule on rezoning requests and other land-use matters. Normally, a crowded meeting room suggests opposition to a request. But that wasn’t the case with a bid to erect a cellphone tower at the 50-210 Fire Department station on Jackson-King Road near McGee’s Crossroads. Speaker after speaker lined up in […]

Council again tables Buffalo Road homes

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SMITHFIELD — In February, the Town Council tabled a request to building 222 single-family homes on 139 acres on Buffalo Road. The council balked at the minimum lot size — 4,200 square feet — but gave the developer time to alter his plans to perhaps win town approval. The council had expected to see those revised plans at its meeting […]

Clayton hospital’s medical oncology clinic moves upstairs, doubles capacity

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Patients seeking cancer treatment closer to home are discovering an expanded option in Clayton. UNC Health Johnston Hematology & Oncology more than doubled its capacity after moving up to the third floor of Johnston Professional Plaza. The clinic had operated on the first floor since opening in 2015. “More often, patients are calling to see if we can schedule them […]

Johnston fire marshal earns professional designation

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SMITHFIELD — Johnston County Fire Marshal Ryan Parker has earned the professional designation of fire marshal, or FM. The Commission on Professional Credentialing met on Jan. 15 to confer the designation. Parker becomes one of only 238 FMs worldwide. The designation recognizes experience, education, professional development, professional contributions, association membership, community involvement and technical competence. In addition, all applicants must […]

Master Gardeners to hold plant sale

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CLAYTON — The Johnston County Master Gardeners will hold their annual plant sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at Clayton Municipal Park, 325 McCullers St. The sale will offer trees, shrubs, natives, annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, house plants and more from local nurseries and Master Gardeners. Handmade crafts and garden art will be for sale too. […]

Clayton resident earns master’s degree

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ROLLA, Mo. — A Clayton resident has graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Kaylee O’Connell earned her master’s degree in geological engineering. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a STEM-focused research university of more than 7,000 students. Missouri S&T offers 101 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return […]

Commissioners still talking trash — or at least how to pay for its disposal

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SMITHFIELD — Johnston County Commissioner Ted Godwin has led the charge to abandon trash decals. Those are the not-so-cheap stickers Johnstonians must purchase and display to carry their trash to one of the county’s solid waste convenience sites. Godwin thinks the cost of the decal encourages Johnston residents to dump their trash roadside instead of at convenience site. “A lady […]

Shooting suspect apprehended in Delaware

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SMITHFIELD — The suspect in a Smithfield shooting is in custody. U.S. marshals and police in Wilmington, Delaware, apprehended Benjamin Blakely on March 6. He is suspected in the Feb. 29 shooting of his girlfriend at a house on Whitley Drive in West Smithfield. She was seriously injured. Blakely faces a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent […]

These school employees lead with their hearts

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SMITHFIELD — Johnston County’s public schools have recognized dozens of employees for “Leading with the Heart.” During an annual reception, the schools salute staff members who demonstrate leadership, compassion and heart on a daily basis. Honorees often sign on for extra work duties, volunteer in the community and go over and beyond in their everyday roles. “Our district is so […]

Veterans salute registrar of deeds

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SMITHFIELD — The Johnston County Veterans Council recently recognized Registrar of Deeds Craig Olive for his years to service to Johnston veterans. Olive created and implemented the county’s Thank-A-Vet program in 2016. Among other things, the program encourages veterans to record their military discharge paperwork in the deeds office. The aim is to protect the paperwork from identity theft, damage […]

Egg hunt coming to Benson’s P.K. Vyas Park

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BENSON — A community Easter egg hunt is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at P.K. Vyas Community Park, 401 S. Elm St. The hunt will be a 1 p.m. The event will also feature food, inflatables, a clown and informational vendors

Smithfield farmers’ market hopes to return in 2024

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SMITHFIELD — Terri Bilott, an organizer of last year’s downtown farmers’ market, would like to see the twice-monthly event return this year. But she needs a “yes” or “no” soon from Smithfield leaders. “I put all the paperwork in, and I hear it’s not going to be discussed until April 2,” Bilott told the Town Council on March 5. That […]

Smithfield households likely to pay more for electricity

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SMITHFIELD — Public Utilities Director Ted Credle didn’t ask the Town Council for a decision on raising household electricity rates. “But staff felt this conversation needed to begin in the open so all customers would understand why this is occurring,” Credle said at last week’s council meeting. He was referring to a 2024 rate increase that could be 6%, not […]

Nearly 150 attend schools’ job fair

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SMITHFIELD — A Johnston County Public Schools job fair on March 2 drew nearly 150 jobseekers to Smithfield-Selma High School. They came from as far as South Carolina to learn about the jobs available in the county’s 48 schools and the school district’s support departments. Ten signed contracts to work for Johnston schools in 2024-25, bringing the number of early […]

DECA students fare well at conference

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GREENSBORO — Four Smithfield-Selma High School students were among the top finishers in contests at this year’s N.C. DECA Career Development Conference. The team of Andrew Hartman and Lillian Mizner placed seventh statewide in decision-making in buying and merchandising. Hailey Stephens and Magali Santiago-Olmedo posted the highest possible score in role play in food marketing. Storme Harbinson Wheeler is a […]


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