2009 CENSUS ESTIMATE puts Johnston County's population at 168,525
That's an increase of 5,097 from the estimate for 2008 and a gain of 46,560 since the 2000 Census. To review historical Census data for Johnston County and its towns, click here.

WEATHER DATA
Temperature and conditions at Johnston County Airport
Regional radar from The Weather Channel
Neuse River depth at Smithfield from USGS
Monthly rainfall
June brought us 3.13 inches of precipitation

OFFICIAL TIME
Click here and set your clock

ALMANAC
Click here for today's times of sunrise, sunset (& moonrise, moonset)
Autumn arrives:
• Sept. 22@11:09pm
Next full moon:
• Aug. 24@1:05pm

FOR THE LATEST LOCAL NEWS, check with radio station WTSB1090AM.
CALENDARS
Click here for the Community Calendar maintained by the Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce.

Click here for a rundown of upcoming entertainment compiled by the Johnston County Visitors Bureau.





SMITHFIELD'S NEW "GREENWAY"
The Riverwalk beside the Neuse River at Smithfield has been widened and paved as part of the larger Buffalo Creek Greenway that now extends three miles from the historic Town Commons to the new Community Park next to Smithfield-Selma High School. That's also the location of Smithfield's new Recreation and Aquatics Center (pictured below). For more information about that facility, follow this link.


WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS?
Click here for the JCS Reporter

TRACKING OUR LOCAL GOVERNING BOARDS:

JOHNSTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Click here for highlights of recent board meetings

JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Click here for highlights of recent board sessions

SMITHFIELD TOWN COUNCIL
Click here for minutes of meetings

SELMA TOWN COUNCIL
Click here for minutes of meetings
JOBLESS RATE
UP SLIGHTLY
AT 9.2% IN JUNE
That's a slight uptick from May's rate of 9.1. The N.C. Employment Security Commission says 70,523 Johnstonians were employed and 7,141 unemployed in June. A year ago, Johnston's jobless rate was 10.6%. To get more labor statistics from the ESC, click here.

RETAIL SALES OFF
6.4% 3rd QUARTER
According to the N.C. Dept. of Revenue, taxable retail sales of $242.2 million in Johnston County during July-Sept. '09 were down 6.4% from $258.8 million recorded for the third quarter of '08. For monthly reports going back 10 years, click here.

JOHNSTON NO. 1
IN CASH CROPS
Local farmers led the state in 2007, generating $132 million from all crops grown here. For more stats about Johnston County agriculture, click here.

N.C. REPORT CARDS
FOR OUR SCHOOLS
Click here to access links to reports on all of Johnston County's schools.

TRAFFIC COUNTS
ON LOCAL ROADS
from N.C. DOT and the S-S Chamber of Commerce

4 AMTRAK TRAINS
STOP HERE DAILY
Carolinian (#79 & #80)
• NYC-Charlotte
Palmetto (#89 & #90)
• NYC-Savannah
Click here to see where else they go and whether they're on time
a Hometown Heritage site: updated 7/25/10
E-mail the editor:
Wingate Lassiter