News for Community

McGee’s Crossroads – Benson, NC – On November 18, 2025, CommWell Health a Community Health Center System serving Southeastern North Carolina, announced the reopening of its 7,700 sq ft McGee’s Crossroads office for improved patient experience located at 70 Crape Myrtle Dr., in Benson, after extensive renovations. CommWell Health has been serving the Johnston County community for nearly 50 years. ...read more

Mayor Andy Moore and Mayor Pro-Tem Sloan Stevens have formally requested a 90day extension from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) on the Market Street project to allow time for additional collaboration and evaluation of alternatives that better serve the Town’s downtown corridor.  Market Street is a critical artery through Smithfield’s historic downtown and a key driver of ...read more

The Town of Smithfield is proud to announce that Mayor Andy Moore has been honored with the Golden Pinecone Award from the Central Pines Regional Council (CPRC). The award was presented on Thursday, December 4, during the organization’s End of Year Celebration in Durham. Selma Mayor Byron McAllister, who also serves as CPRC Board President, presented the award, recognizing Mayor Moore’s ...read more

Scam Targeting PPP Loan Recipients  KS Bank, the NC Bankers Association, as well as state and federal banking regulators are seeing a scam increasingly spreading across the country that targets recipients of Paycheck Protections Program (PPP) loans issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Scammers have contacted PPP loan recipients and impersonated bank employees, local law enforcement, or ...read more

Starting or scaling a marketing firm is a thrilling pursuit — but success doesn’t come from creative ideas alone. It’s built on the foundation of predictable systems, disciplined financial management, strong teams, and trust-based client relationships. Whether you’re serving local businesses in Johnston County or expanding across North Carolina, understanding these fundamentals will help you ...read more

When growth hits hard and fast, control becomes the first casualty. Whether you’re a local café that’s suddenly gone viral or a SaaS startup adding hundreds of new clients a month, scaling without structure can turn success into chaos. The key isn’t just growing faster — it’s growing in formation.    TL;DR Rapid growth strains finances, team systems, and customer experience.   Build ...read more

CommWell Health Announces New Name Change to its Operations Center Building Following Generous Donations Four Oaks, NC – September 02, 2025 – CommWell Health, a large not-for-profit Community Health Center system in southeastern North Carolina, recently announced the renaming of its Operations Center Administrative building located in Four Oaks, to the Nathan Johnson Tilghman Professional ...read more

Johnston County to Host Voter ID Events  at Local Libraries this Month Smithfield, NC – Johnston County will host a series of Voter Photo ID events this September to help residents prepare for upcoming elections. These events, similar to the successful outreach events held in 2024, will provide voters with the opportunity to obtain a free voter photo ID. Staff from the Johnston County Board of ...read more

Johnston County Recognizes Summer Interns and Highlights Local Government Opportunities Smithfield, N.C.- The Johnston County Board of Commissioners recognized this year’s class of summer interns during their regular meeting on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. More than a dozen high school and college students gained valuable work experience this summer through internships across multiple County ...read more

Johnston Community College Awarded Second NSF Grant to Advance Cybersecurity Education Smithfield, N.C. — September 3, 2025 – Johnston Community College (JCC) has been awarded a three-year, $565,044 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support its cybersecurity programs. The funded project focuses on integrating employability skills, which employers seek from graduates, with ...read more

More than a local initiative, Chamber foundations have become a national best practice—empowering chambers across the country to tackle big-picture challenges like workforce readiness, small business resilience, and inclusive economic growth. By establishing our Foundation 14 years ago, we positioned ourselves ahead of the curve, recognizing early on that a 501(c)(3) arm would allow us to access ...read more

The Triangle East Economic Development Foundation and the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce hosted Workforce Housing: Understanding the Challenge, Creating Solutions, the Foundation’s inaugural event, addressing workforce housing challenges and their impact on local businesses. The event took place at First Baptist Church of Smithfield on April 1st. Panelists included: Jill Homan, President of ...read more

The Corporate Transparency Act may require certain U.S. companies to disclose beneficial ownership information to FinCEN to combat financial crimes. While a Texas federal district court’s preliminary injunction puts this requirement on hold, many experts expect that to be overturned. In that event, failure to file could lead to fines of $500 per day, up to a maximum of $10,000, and possible ...read more

Bridge over I-95 at Exit 95 will be upgraded SMITHFIELD – The U.S. 70 Business bridge over Interstate 95 at Exit 95 will be reconstructed into a taller, longer and wider structure, thanks to a new $38.3 million contract. The two-lane bridge over I-95 will be replaced with a five-lane bridge with a sidewalk. In addition, the on/off ramps will be reconfigured to meet modern standards, and ...read more

Presented by Crystal Roberts at the 45th Annual Meeting on January 26th, 2015 The Chamber Athena Award is presented each year to recognize the outstanding achievements of women in the Smithfield-Selma community. A national award, it is presented in over 300 communities and is sponsored locally by Corestaff Services. The Chamber would like to thank Corestaff for their continued sponsorship of this ...read more