2008 CENSUS ESTIMATE puts Johnston County's population at 163,428
That's an increase of 6,548 from the estimate for 2007 and a gain of 41,463 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
4.58 inches recorded here in January

OFFICIAL TIME
Click here and set your clock

ALMANAC
Click here for today's times of sunrise, sunset (& moonrise, moonset)
 Next full moon:
• Feb. 28@11:38am
Spring arrives:
• Mar. 20@1:32pm

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.
a Hometown Heritage site: updated 2/4/10
E-mail the editor:
Wingate Lassiter





SMITHFIELD'S NEW AQUATICS CENTER
It's open for business! Located beside Smithfield-Selma High School and Smithfield Community Park, the brand-new Recreation and Aquatics Center is a long-held dream come true for this community. For more information, 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
FOR DEC. 9.8%
The N.C. Employment Security Commission estimates that 69,835 Johnstonians were employed and 7,619 unemployed in December 2009. A year earlier, the jobless rate was 7.9%. Two years ago it was 4.2%. 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