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Johnston Community College (JCC) is the first community college in the state to offer truck driver training through the Career and College Promise (CCP) dual-enrollment program for high school students. Students who wish to apply to the truck driver training pathway must be high school seniors who will turn 18 years old by April 30th of their graduating year. Graduates of the program will earn a certificate from JCC and will be prepared to take a Commercial Driver License road test. North Carolina drivers with a CDL between the ages of 18 and 21 can drive within state lines. JCC expects this training to be a boon to the regional economy. “If we can train a pipeline of graduates who are ready to drive tractor-trailers when they turn 18, they can get the three years of road experience needed to drive for big companies as soon as they turn 21,” says Maxie Kirby, department chair of advanced technologies and truck driver training at JCC. “We believe this is a game changer for the logistics industry in Johnston County,” Kirby adds. “For the last 50 years, we have operated the first Truck Driver Training School established in this country,” says Dr.…
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Johnston County’s 911 Communications Department has been reaccredited for the fifth time by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) as a Triple Accredited Center of Excellence. The IAED is a standard-setting organization for emergency dispatch protocols worldwide. Johnston County first received this Tri-Accredited status on August 22, 2011 and was the third 911 center in the world to reach this milestone. “I would like to humbly thank all of our staff,” said 911 Communications Director Brett Renfrow. “Our telecommunicators do an outstanding job of processing calls on a daily basis to ensure we provide the appropriate assistance and guidance to our citizens as well as our public safety partners.”This reaccreditation was awarded on January 17, 2024, and represents a significant and continuous accomplishment for the County’s 911 Communications team. The honor also exemplifies the department’s dedication to offering the highest caliber police, fire, and medical dispatch services.Mr. Renfrow points out that his staff works extremely hard to meet and exceed state and international standards. “O Training/Quality Assurance Division has done a phenomenal job preparing our staff and validating that our performance standards are met in order to continually provide our citizens with the highest level of service to save lives…
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Johnston Regional Airport (JNX) continues to be a major driver of economic activity in Johnston County and is now being recognized as the busiest general aviation airport in North Carolina. “In 2023 Johnston Regional Airport (JNX) was recognized as the #1 busiest airport for general aviation operations. Additionally, we were recognized as the 4th busiest airport overall, behind Charlotte-CLT, Raleigh-RDU, and Greensboro-GSO. This is an extraordinary accomplishment for a non-towered airport, and a direct reflection of the dynamic growth and demand we continue to see here in Johnston County,” said Phil Lanier, Executive Director at Johnston Regional Airport. Reporting from 1200 Aero and NCDOT data shows record setting operations at Johnston Regional Airport (JNX). In 2023, Johnston Regional Airport (JNX) surpassed all other general aviation airports in North Carolina to become the busiest general aviation airport. For the past year, daily operations (landings and take-offs) are consistently high throughout the day at JNX, sometimes exceeding 500 operations in a single day. The airport serves as an operational base for Duke Life Flight which conducts a significant number of life-saving medevac helicopter operations throughout the state. In 2023 Johnston Regional Airport (JNX) saw record setting numbers with the following: In 2023…
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Johnston Community College achieved record-breaking enrollment for the second semester in a row. JCC enrolled 4,766 degree-seeking students as of the second day of the spring semester. That is more than any spring semester in the college’s history and a 12.4% percent increase from last spring. The college’s full-time equivalent (FTE) numbers were 1,738 – the highest it has ever been in a spring semester. In North Carolina, community colleges are currently funded based on total FTE. Applications were also up 20 percent from last spring. “We see no reason why we will not continue on this upward trajectory, given the booming population in Johnston County, the Commissioners’ Promise for free tuition to recent high school graduates again this year, and our commitment to education and workforce development in our region,” says JCC President Dr. Vern Lindquist. “We are adding classes, instructors, and program offerings. We appreciate the county’s ongoing support of its only higher education institution. We need that support more than ever, as we work to expand into major service areas like Clayton,” Lindquist adds. More than 840 students entered JCC for the first time this semester. The college also had record-breaking enrollment in the fall semester. Hundreds…
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Pipe and Bar Manufacturer Will Create 21 Jobs in Four Oaks January 2, 2024. Wisconsin-based Scot Industries Inc., a leading North American supplier of specialty tubing products, plans to invest at least $40 million in a new manufacturing plant in Johnston County. The privately held company selected approximately 77 acres in Four Oaks near the convergence of I-95, US 301 and US 701. Its operations here will employ a 21-person workforce. Earlier today, the Johnston County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a nearly $1.2 million Economic Development Investment Grant, a performance-based incentive payable over five to seven years. County Commission Chairman R.S. “Butch” Lawter, Jr. says the selection by Scot Industries “kicks off 2024 on a winning note.” The company’s Johnston County facility will be its 12th location in the U.S. and Canada. “This move creates good-paying jobs, brings another prestigious name to our industrial directory and boosts the county’s economic diversification,” Lawter says. Four Oaks town leaders will consider a similar package of municipal incentives for the project later this month. Scot Industries also will receive free customized training from Johnston Community College, in addition to about $46,000 in workforce development grants from the state’s Division of Workforce Solutions.…
Read MoreThe Johnston County Board of Commissioners is made up of seven Commissioners, who are each elected from seven residency districts. Residency districts mean that each Commissioner must reside in his or her district, but all voters in the County are able to vote for all seven seats on the Board. These are distinct from electoral districts, in which only voters in that district can vote for that commissioner seat. It is also distinct from an at-large voting system, in which candidates can reside anywhere in the County and all voters elect representatives from all at-large seats. Generally, counties with residency districts are not required or allowed to redistrict every 10 years, like counties with electoral districts. However, the North Carolina General Assembly recently passed a local bill that allows the Johnston County Board of Commissioners to redistrict their residency districts. See 2023 SL 24. The redistricting must be completed in advance of the 2024 election cycle. Candidate filing for the 2024 election begins on Monday, December 4, 2023 and ends at noon on Friday, December 15, 2023. Guiding Principles for Redistricting The Board of Commissioners had decided on the following principles to guide the redistricting of its residency districts: 1. Equalize…
Read MoreTravel statewide rose 15.2 percent in 2022 to set a record in visitor spending. That increase followed a 2021 turnaround from the pandemic’s 2020 peak, which brought a devastating drop of 32 percent in visitor spending in NC. Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $33.3 billion in 2022. In Johnston County, visitors spent $284.93 million in 2022, which is an 11.5% increase over 2021 spending. This places the county 28th in the state in total spending and 32nd in spending growth rate. In the Triangle Region, Johnston County is ranked third in total visitor spending behind Wake ($2,951.56m) and Durham ($1,018.33m), and fourth being Orange County ($236.29m). “Although these numbers are encouraging, tourism recovery continues to be impacted by the higher costs of goods and services, and workforce shortages for our tourism partners. Many small businesses have cut back hours and raised prices to overcome some of these challenges. We continue to hear the real struggles from our hospitality industry, and we encourage all of Johnston County to support your local businesses – it means a lot for their prosperity,” stated Donna Bailey-Taylor, President/CEO, Johnston County Visitors Bureau.What does $284.93 million in visitor spending mean for the…
Read MoreJohnston County’s growing economy and sound fiscal leadership have earned notice from two of the nation’s most-watched credit ratings services as S&P Global and Moody’s Investors Service announced upgrades of the County’s General Obligation bond rating to AAA and Aaa, respectively. Both ratings are the highest the agencies award. Higher credit ratings enable Johnston County to issue bonds for capital projects on more favorable borrowing terms, saving County taxpayers on debt servicing costs. The two agencies updated their ratings in conjunction with the County’s upcoming issuance of $30 million in general obligation school bonds. Those funds, which Johnston County voters approved by a wide margin last November as part of a larger bond referendum, will support construction of new school facilities in Johnston County. “This rating is another example of this Board taking steps to responsibly plan for the future of the County and continuing to stay the course,” said R.S. “Butch” Lawter, Jr., Chairman of Johnston County’s Board of Commissioners. “I want to express my gratitude to County staff and all of the Boards that came before us on their diligent work and being attentive stewards of taxpayer funds. The Triple-A ratings are excellent news for our County as we…
Read MoreAfter many months of strategic planning, public input, and arduous discussions the Johnston County Board of Commissioners adopted the County’s new comprehensive land use plan, Envision Johnston, earlier this week. Envision Johnston is a policy guide that details Johnston County’s long-term vision and outlines the steps to achieve it. The County will use the plan to inform land use decisions, regulations, capital investments, conservation, and economic development initiatives. Development of the plan has been a multi-year effort involving the entire community through various methods of public engagement. “The Board of Commissioners is excited to take this step forward in ensuring a common vision for Johnston County for decades to come,” said Board Chairman, Butch Lawter. The plan’s strengths include a focus on preserving Johnston County’s rich agricultural industry and its role in the County’s economy, while also balancing the continued anticipated growth. Envision Johnston encourages, if not even incentivizes, higher densities in areas where an infrastructure backbone already exists and around the County’s municipal partners. Strengthening relationships with our municipal partners will ensure current and future residents the access to amenities and commercial services that will contribute to a higher quality of life. “Through the hard work of the land use committee,…
Read MoreOn Monday, April 17, the Johnston County Parks and Open Space Department presented the final version of the Johnston County Regional Park Master Plan before the Board of Commissioners. After review, the department was approved to host a public hearing for the adoption of the Johnston County Regional Park Master Plan. The public hearing will take place at the next Board of Commissioners Meeting on Monday, May 15 at 6:00 p.m in the Commissioners Meeting Room located at the Johnston County Courthouse at 207 E. Johnston St., Smithfield, N.C. 27577.Johnston County Parks and Open Space staff started the master plan process in June of 2022 selecting Stewart, Inc. as the design firm. The planning process took nine months to complete and a final draft of the master plan has been made available to the public and can be viewed on our website.For more information about the master plan or public hearing, contact the Johnston County Parks and Open Space Department at 919-989-7275 or email [email protected]. The meeting will also be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.
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