News for Community

FLOWERS, NC – October 9, 2026 – Flowers Plantation is excited to announce its first-ever Flowers Business Expo, taking place Thursday, October 22, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Concert Park, located in the Harris Teeter shopping complex at Flowers Crossroads.This exciting new community event will bring together more than 40 local brick-and-mortar businesses, including retail shops, restaurants, ...read more

The American Pickers are excited to return to Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina! They plan to film episodes of The History Channel hit television series throughout the region in November 2026. AMERICAN PICKERS is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique “picking” on The History Channel. The hit show follows skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for ...read more

SMITHFIELD, N.C. — September 21, 2026 — The Triangle East Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2026 nominees for the prestigious ATHENA International Leadership Award, recognizing eight outstanding women whose leadership, professional accomplishments, community service, and commitment to developing others exemplify the spirit of the ATHENA Award. The 2026 nominees are:Randa Gay — ...read more

What Is Adobe Firefly? Adobe Firefly is a standalone web application focused on generative artificial intelligence for visual content creation. It works by converting text descriptions into images, vector graphics, and video elements through an intuitive browser interface. The platform delivers standard digital file formats like JPEG and MP4, and all features out of beta are fully cleared for ...read more

(SMITHFIELD, NC) – KS Bank celebrated a major milestone with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new branch facility in Wendell on Thursday, May 28th. The modernized branch represents a significant investment in the Wendell area which the bank has served since 2007 and reflects its continued growth and commitment to local customers.  The ceremony featured remarks from the Wendell Chamber of ...read more

KS BANK EXPANDING THEIR COMMUNITY-FOCUSED BRAND OF BANKING TO LILLINGTON, NC(SMITHFIELD, NC) – KS Bank is expanding its community-focused brand of banking to Lillington, NC. The bank recently purchased property at 709 W. Front Street in Lillington, where it intends to operate the new branch. KS Bank has received regulatory approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and is pending ...read more

When a business faces financial distress, the fastest path back to stability starts with a clear-eyed look at the numbers — not a reflexive cut across the board. Most turnarounds follow the same sequence: identify the critical issues, reduce the burn, renegotiate what you can, and keep your team together long enough to recover. For Johnston County's 568+ chamber member businesses, those steps ...read more

In the digital age, trust is currency, and credibility is infrastructure. Every business—whether a local service provider or a global SaaS company—must earn confidence through what it shows, how it communicates, and how it behaves online. Clients do not just evaluate your offer; they evaluate your signals.Key Takeaways For Earning Digital Trust Clear communication reduces uncertainty and ...read more

Local businesses across the Triangle East region face a pivotal moment: customers now form impressions long before they walk through your doors. Modernizing your digital presence isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about creating a trustworthy, easy-to-navigate experience that reflects how people actually search and make decisions in 2026. Learn below: Why mobile-first customer journeys matter ...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

You’re sitting on a goldmine and don’t even know it. Right outside your storefront, in the coffee shops and laundromats and food trucks humming a block away, are patterns, habits, and whispers that—if read right—can tell you exactly what your next move should be. Strategy isn’t just spreadsheets and quarterly forecasts, it’s how well you can read the room, especially when the room is your zip ...read more

Employee Wellness is Good Business Companies that prioritize employee wellness are finding its a tool to recruit and retain employees and a way to reduce healthcare costs. Research conducted by Workforce Magazine found that 87 percent of employees considered wellness programs when choosing an employer. In addition 67 percent of employees who worked for organizations with wellness programs ...read more

Distinguished Citizen Award Presented to Will Crocker by Chandler Pernell at the Annual Meeting on January 26th, 2015.   Our second Distinguished Citizen Award will be given to someone who has served Johnston County and the Smithfield-Selma area for his entire life. The award also is sponsored by Woody’s Computing Service.   When my parents first moved back to Smithfield, they became this ...read more