2022 ESTIMATE RAISES
JOHNSTON POPULATION
TO NEW HIGH OF 234,778
That's up 8.7% from the 2020 Census, which officially put Johnston's population at 215,991. Johnston's percentage rate of growth over the two-year period ranks us fourth in the state behind three smaller coastal counties: Brunswick, Currituck, and Pender.

SMITHFIELD & SELMA
POPULATIONS ARE UP
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Smithfield's population grew to 12,129 in 2022 – up 499 from the previous year. Selma's population is up to 6,806 – a gain of 205 above the 2021 estimate. View updated Census estimates for Smithfield, Selma, Johnston County, and all of North Carolina>

FOR LOCAL NEWS:
the Smithfield Weekly Sun and the daily JoCoReport.

LOCAL OBITUARIES
Links to funeral homes posting obituaries online:
Parrish & Underwood
Sanders Funeral Home
Walter Sanders F.H.

WEATHER DATA
Temperature and conditions at Johnston Regional Airport

Regional radar from weather.com

Neuse River depth at Smithfield from National Weather Service (current readings, predicted levels, historical high marks)

ALMANAC
View today's times of sunrise, sunset (plus moonrise, moonset)>

AUTUMN  ARRIVES:
Sept. 23 @ 2:50 a.m. EDT


NEXT FULL MOON:

Sept. 29 @ 5:58 a.m. EDT


OFFICIAL TIME
Set your clock according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology>

a Hometown Heritage site:
updated 8-30-23
E-mail the editor:
Wingate Lassiter






SMITHFIELD'S AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER
The 620,000-square-foot processing facility off US 70 Business West appears to be finished but it is not yet in operation. Hiring is set to begin in the first quarter of 2024.
(Johnston County Economic Development photo)

TRACKING OUR LOCAL GOVERNING BOARDS

JOHNSTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Agendas for upcoming meetings
Highlights of recent board meetings
Minutes of board meetings
BUDGET for FY 2023-24
 

JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Meeting agendas and minutes
  Proposed BUDGET for FY 2023-24


SMITHFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
Meeting agendas and minutes
  BUDGET for FY 2023-24

SELMA TOWN COUNCIL

Meeting agendas and minutes
  Proposed BUDGET for FY 2023-24
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
STEADY AT 3.3% IN JULY
Johnston County's jobless rate remained at 3.3% in July even though the number of Johnstonians employed rose to a new record-high of 108,537. At the same time, the number looking for work rose from 3,677 in June to 3,748 in July, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce. Get more news and stats from NCDC>

RETAIL SALES UP 3.8%
IN 1st QUARTER 2023
According to the N.C. Dept. of Revenue, taxable retail sales of $726,014,693 in Johnston County in January, February, and March were almost $26.9 million above the $699,162,295 total reported for the first quarter of 2022. Get more reports from NCDR>

JOHNSTON RANKS 5th
IN CASH FROM CROPS
Local farmers reported cash income of $119,453,911 from crops in 2021, ranking us 5th among the state's 100 counties, according to the latest report from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. That includes a ranking of No. 3 for sweet potatoes, No. 4 for vegetables, fruits, and nuts, and No. 4 for "all other crops" which includes tobacco and greenhouse products. We rank 19th in livestock, dairy, and poultry production – up from 29th in 2020 after a doubling of income from to almost $149.9 million.
Here's the latest report for all of the state's counties>

MORE ECONOMIC DATA
ABOUT JOHNSTON CO.
Visit the website of the county's Economic Development Office>

AMTRAK STOPS HERE Here's information about passenger trains that serve Selma Union Station>

THINGS TO SEE & DO
Check out this rundown of upcoming cultural events – compiled by the Johnston County Visitors Bureau.

SMITHFIELD-SELMA MAP

Open an interactive Google map of our area>