A former Smithfield police officer has been charged with shooting into a woman’s car According to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after deputies said he shot into his girlfriend’s car The sheriff’s office said the two had been arguing before the shooting and the victim was not hurt Jernigan was an officer with the Smithfield Police Department for five years before he resigned near the end of 2021 Jernigan was a former soldier and helped train enlisted soldiers in the Army a domestic violence service center in Johnston County said situations like the one that played out on Thursday are a growing trend in the county the county has seen an 11% increase in domestic violence-related incidents since 2023 which includes those needing services and filing protection orders “What we see here within our county [is that] it does not matter what your role is,” she said under the condition that he doesn’t contact the victim and stays away from her home and work If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence has a list of resources at nccadv.org You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience President Donald Trump’s escalating trade war with China has made the country a nonviable export market for Smithfield Foods CEO Shane Smith and other executives said during an April 29 conference call with shareholders to discuss the company’s first quarter financials It’s the company’s second quarterly release since its United States stock began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and the first glimpse into the company’s performance since Trump’s return to office and since Foods’ Jan Foods previously released its fourth quarter 2024 results on March 25 China announced in April it would raise tariffs on U.S goods from 85% to 125% in response to the Trump administration’s 145% tariff rate on Chinese imports Agricultural trade publications report China was imposing a 172% tariff specifically on U.S Smith said exports to China account for roughly 3% of Foods’ sales according to the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings “With China no longer essentially being available we’ve really had to pivot our business,” Smith told shareholders Department of Agriculture data spent $1.1 billion to import 467,228 metric tons of pork from the U.S in late April canceled roughly 12,000 metric tons of U.S according to multiple hog-farming trade publications China is “not a viable sales market for us at the moment,” said Donovan Owens Smith and Owens each downplayed the impact tariffs could have on Foods’ profit margin. USDA data shows China was the third-largest importer of pork products behind Mexico and Japan in 2024 “We have a well-established international sales channel and we export to more than 30 countries around the globe Smithfield’s export sales accounted for 13% of total company sales with the vast majority of that from our fresh pork segment,” Smith said “… We continue to execute our next best sales strategy evaluating our options and responses to the recent tariff actions We believe our 2025 operation profit outlook range for fresh pork addresses tariff risk.” “We believe we’re better positioned than others to navigate due to our team,” Owen said We fully expected this tariff interruption as we came into 2025.” Smith, in an earlier interview with the Times, said Foods sells offal, or edible organs, to China rather than what Americans typically think of as pork products. “It’s the head and heart and ears and all the pieces and parts of the pig that we don’t eat here,” Smith told the Times. “China happens to be the best market for that in the world and that’s where our relationship with WH Group, I believe, gives us a competitive advantage as we compete against other U.S. producers trying to go to that market.” Hong Kong-based WH Group purchased Foods for just under $5 billion in 2013 and retains a nearly 93% stake in the company, which remains headquartered in its namesake town. The remaining 7% of Foods’ stock shares have traded on Nasdaq over the past three months. “On April 22 of this year we paid a quarterly dividend of 25 cents per share, reinforcing our commitment to returning value to shareholders, and we expect to pay $1 per share in annual dividends this year, subject to the board’s discretion,” Foods Chief Financial Officer Mark Hall told shareholders on the call. Foods’ stock, which trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “SFD,” saw a boost following the release of Foods’ first-quarter financials, rising from $19.44 per share the morning of April 29 to $22.98 by the 4 p.m. close of business on May 2, according to the Wall Street Journal. It debuted in January at $20 per share. Foods reported just under $3.8 billion in consolidated first-quarter sales as of March 30 across its packaged meats, fresh pork and hog production segments, up 9.5% from $3.4 billion as of March 31, 2024. Smith told shareholders that the company saw a first-quarter adjusted operating profit of $326 million, or an 8.6% profit margin. It marks an 86% year over year increase from the $176 million profit and 5.1% margin Foods saw at the end of the first quarter in 2024, Smith told shareholders. Its packaged meats segment saw a $266 million first-quarter profit, down 7% from $286 million the prior year, resulting in “an impressive adjusted operating profit margin of 13.1% even as we navigated higher raw materials input costs and a later Easter this year,” Smith said. “We continue to increase sales of higher-margin products such as packaged lunch meats and dry sausage.” Foods’ fresh pork segment, which includes exports, Smith said, saw an $82 million first-quarter adjusted operating profit, or a 4% margin. That’s down 25.7% from the segment’s $110 million profit at the end of the first quarter in 2024. Foods’ hog production segment, which includes farming operations, saw a $1 million adjusted operating profit, which “marks an outstanding turnaround from the loss of $174 million in the first quarter of 2024,” Smith said. Smith said the turnaround was driven by “improved market conditions and a more efficient cost structure on our retained farms.” Two hog-farming operations affiliated with Foods – VisionAg and Murphy Family Ventures – became independent entities last year and took ownership of a collective 178,000 sows formerly owned by Foods, which retains minority ownership in both companies. Murphy, according to news releases from last fall, now has the capacity to produce 3.2 million hogs annually for Foods’ fresh pork operations, while VisionAg has capacity to produce another 6000,000 per year. Smith told shareholders to expect future reductions in Foods’ hog-farming footprint. Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5:18 p.m. on May 5 with the current 172% pork-specific tariff China is imposing on imported U.S. pork products. The Norfolk State Spartans versus the North Carolina Central Eagles is one of four games on the Monday… The Miami Heat (28-31) host the Washington Wizards (11-48) in a matchup of Southeast Division teams at Kaseya… MEAC rivals face one another when the Norfolk State Spartans (20-9, 10-2 MEAC) travel to face the North… The Norfolk State Spartans (25-4) will try to continue a six-game road winning streak at the North Carolina… Top-25 teams will hit the court in two games on Monday’s college basketball slate. That includes the Kansas… The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. at the store along U.S. Highway Business 70. Officers said Dian Hovland had left the store and entered the parking lot when she was hit by a GMC Sierra.  Steven White was charged with DWI and felony death by motor vehicle. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker in Art, Books, History | April 9th, 2025 2 Comments These are just a few of the char­ac­ters that grace the pages of the Smith­field Dec­re­tals, the most visu­al­ly notable of all extant copies of the Dec­re­tales of Pope Gre­go­ry IX. When it was orig­i­nal­ly pub­lished as an already-illu­mi­nat­ed man­u­script in the 1230s, writes Spencer McDaniel at Tales of Times For­got­ten “the mar­gins of the text were delib­er­ate­ly left blank by the orig­i­nal French scribes so that future own­ers of the text could add their own notes and anno­ta­tions.” Thus “the man­u­script would have orig­i­nal­ly had a lot of blank space in it the Smith­field Dec­re­tals fell into the pos­ses­sion of some­one in east­ern Eng­land who paid a group of illus­tra­tors to add even more exten­sive illus­tra­tions to the text.” They “drew elab­o­rate bor­ders and illus­tra­tions on every page of the man­u­script near­ly com­plete­ly fill­ing up all the mar­gins,” adher­ing to the con­tem­po­rary “trend among man­u­script illus­tra­tors in east­ern Eng­land for draw­ing ‘drol­leries,’ which are bizarre and humor­ous mar­gin­al illus­tra­tions.” “Some of the nar­ra­tives have no sur­viv­ing lit­er­ary ana­logues; oth­ers con­sti­tute iso­lat­ed visu­al ren­di­tions of once-pop­u­lar tales.” If you view the Smith­field Dec­re­tals’ illus­tra­tions here or in the British Library’s dig­i­ti­za­tion at the Inter­net Archive you’ll also see the medieval satir­i­cal impulse at work “is prob­a­bly sup­posed to be a rep­re­sen­ta­tion of the Dev­il as a pro­fes­sor of canon law.” It seems that “legal schol­ars in Mid­dle Ages had a sim­i­lar rep­u­ta­tion to lawyers today; they were seen as slimy and more inter­est­ed in per­son­al gain than in jus­tice.” They might have been good for a cryp­tic turn of phrase but those in need of benev­o­lent­ly dis­pensed wis­dom would have done bet­ter to ask else­where 8th Cen­tu­ry Eng­lish­woman Scrib­bled Her Name & Drew Fun­ny Pic­tures in a Medieval Man­u­script, Accord­ing to New Cut­ting-Edge Tech­nol­o­gy Why Knights Fought Snails in Illu­mi­nat­ed Medieval Man­u­scripts Killer Rab­bits in Medieval Man­u­scripts: Why So Many Draw­ings in the Mar­gins Depict Bun­nies Going Bad Medieval Doo­dler Draws a “Rock­star Lady” in a Man­u­script of Boethius’ The Con­so­la­tion of Phi­los­o­phy (Cir­ca 1500) Why Butt Trum­pets & Oth­er Bizarre Images Appeared in Illu­mi­nat­ed Medieval Man­u­scripts Make Your Own Medieval Memes with a New Tool from the Dutch Nation­al Library by | Permalink | Comments (2) | We’re hop­ing to rely on our loy­al read­ers rather than errat­ic ads. To sup­port Open Cul­ture’s edu­ca­tion­al mis­sion, please con­sid­er mak­ing a dona­tion. We accept Pay­Pal, Ven­mo (@openculture), Patre­on and Cryp­to! Please find all options here. We thank you! XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media We find the free courses and audio books you need the language lessons & educational videos you want (WJAR) — A massive fire that burned down a gun club in North Smithfield has been determined to have started accidentally according to the Rhode Island Fire Marshal’s Office the fire that burned down the Sayles Hill Rod and Gun Club originated on the deck of the main entry Investigators believe the most likely cause were cigarette butts smoldering in a butt can on the deck Crews rushed to the massive overnight fire on Sayles Hill Road where first responders had to deal with visible flames SMITHFIELD — Thousands of people turned out for the 39th annual Ham & Yam Festival in Downtown Smithfield on May 2-3 The Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation (DSDC) said the event was an overwhelming success the Ham & Yam Festival brings together thousands to celebrate the spirit This year’s festival was no exception—featuring a full day of music the best ham biscuits and sweet potatoes around,” organizers said in a news release on Monday “We are especially grateful to the Town of Smithfield for their incredible support With the new addition of closing Market Street for the festival the Town took on new logistical challenges with grace and efficiency… and community spirit are what bring the Ham & Yam Festival to life each year From sponsors and vendors to musicians and families We’re proud to call Smithfield home—and prouder still to celebrate it with all of you.” Thanks to the county employees it was cleaned an American food company and an industry leader in value-added packaged meats and fresh pork today announced its Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend payment of $0.25 per share of common stock to be paid on May 29 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 15 (Nasdaq: SFD) is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world Monday - Friday 9am-12pm / 2pm-6pm GMT + 1 All financial news and data tailored to specific country editions This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page by LEANNA FAULK (WJAR) — A massive overnight fire destroyed a longtime hunting and social club in North Smithfield early Tuesday morning reducing the Sayles Hill Rod and Gun Club to rubble North Smithfield Fire Chief David Chartier said crews were called to Sayles Hill Road just before 1 a.m by neighbors and Route 146 construction workers who spotted the flames and we brought in seven tanker trucks,” Chartier said noting that the lack of municipal water access delayed their efforts so it took us some time to get tankers from neighboring communities and get a shuttle set up.” Flames raged for hours before crews were able to knock down the fire and contain hot spots the club has remained in the Connolly family for four generations I was sick to my stomach,” said Kathy Connolly He had been president for a long time and of course next was my brother.” Kathy says the club wasn’t just a recreational space “They had bricks that led up to the way in The first one was my grandfather’s and then my father’s after it,” she said “All the pictures on the walls of all the presidents past presidents and families — priceless things — you can’t get back.” She says the club also hosted events for people with special needs Everybody took care of everybody,” Kathy said and the rest of the community is going to come and help as well because there are hundreds of people who have memories from being here.” Kathy hopes members will come together to rebuild The cause of the fire is under investigation SMITHFIELD – The driver of a pickup truck that struck and killed a woman as she walked out of Food Lion with a bag of groceries Friday afternoon has been formally charged of Smithfield is now charged with felony death by motor vehicle and driving while impaired emergency crews were dispatched to the Food Lion parking lot after a pedestrian was reportedly struck by a silver GMC pickup being driven by Mr had just exited Food Lion and while crossing the parking lot was struck and killed Steven White was transported to the police department for further investigation of impairment A driver leaving the Food Lion parking lot a very short time before the crash described the silver truck entering the parking lot at an unsafe speed “He came in on two wheels and almost hit us I tried to look into the truck to see who it was but I couldn’t because of the tinted windows I said to myself he is going to hurt somebody When I saw the picture on Johnston County Report I recognized it was the same truck that almost hit me.” Steven White was held under a $120,000 secured bond at the Johnston County Detention Center An innocent woman died because of his choice to drink and drive have overly tinted windows and not give one second of care to others around him My heart goes out to this family but rather than second guess what our court system has done let us pray for this family and this young man They need to crack down harder on all these criminals People just don’t care for other people and their lives anymore It has at Walmart..A few years ago a old man hit gas and not brake and hit(3 people?) I got to meet Dian as we both worked together I needed her help on something not too long ago and when we met we both hit it off great just like friends from HS At work I pass her office every day and at times I would stop in to talk to her She didn’t deserve this as she was a very nice lady I know she has a daughter as she brought her up in a conversation with me and just wanted to say I feel very bad for you and your siblings if you have any Going to work for me know will be a bit rough when I pass her office now I’m so sorry her family and friends are going through this I work with Dian as she a very down to earth person I have to see her office every day now and she want be in there SOB under the jail after the victim’s family beats him within an inch of his arrogant I feel bad for the family of deceased person but folks when you are walking out these stores don’t assume someone is gonna stop for you!!! Just like your parents taught you growing up would you also like to share some wisdom about drinking and driving she watched me grow at work and was so encouraging for me to go further or Adam Schift the judge that gave such a low bail?! I think 1 million bucks sounds better for this F&$@?R!! there’s more and more vehicles it seems that have over the limit of tinting;what do y’all think??! How can these companies get by with putting more tint on windows than is allowed? We need Elon Musk to figure out how to make the tint go down to zero from 7pm til 2am every Friday and Saturday nights all over the U.S.!!! Then we’d see what’s going on in these “d” vehicles!! I hope they throw the book at him and him under the jail Drinking and driving then taking a life should be charged with murder If it was a Mexican or black person no bond would have not been given if it was a black or hispanic they woulda tackled him to ground Which is why minorities never want racism to stop It is their default excuse for anything that happens to a member of their group I must remind myself daily that we are all innocent until proven guilty I don’t excuse this man’s actions by no means but we are all one decision away from making the wrong one Let’s pray for both families instead of bashing this young man because his family may be reading it too drugs etc all try to fill a void they never can the perpetrator and his family for redemption I hope Smithfield will reconsider their “ social district” as someone may drive drink and kill someone I have a family member is Johnston County Jail right now with the same charge under a 500,000 bond I guess I don’t have to tell you what his race is! The amount of a bond is based on various factors Your information regarding your “family member” is lacking to say the least I was only saying you have to be conscientious of your surroundings!!! but he did stay on the scene instead of running like some in the past have done I wish everyone would not be so ignorant to the fact that there are 2 families going through a very hard time I have read some comments from people that just like to insert themselves into these situations What was seen on the camera is nowhere close to what is being portrayed by so called witnesses You mean other than the diver being impaired White privilege strikes again a Hispanic did the same thing to a 19 year old in Clayton his bond 5 million but because this guy has the skin pigment for protection he gets a low bond smh when they do it they see no wrong when others do it they wanna set an exampley the double standard justice system wins again. Bond is basically set for liability of the arrested fleeing justice When the risk is lower….so is the bond Any individual that has extremely deep roots and and no history of relocating frequently will be considered low risk therefore a lower bond Now if you are from another country or no history of a permanent address …look out He should remain in jail for the rest of his natural born life He made the choice to drink and drive which shows he is not responsible Keep him locked up that way he can never do this again My heart goes out to this sweet lady and her family I hope that the man who drove drunk and killed her……….will be haunted by this forever I hope he never ever has a night of restful Why is everything to you people a racial thing Oh he is white so he gets better treatment I do not see what the bond has to do with it So take your racial opinions somewhere someone gives a crap about will never be the same after a situation like this A drunk at 5:30 in the afternoon is sickening Can’t even take a simple trick to the grocery store without caution Waiting on the “Race Baiters” I mean his name is even “White” … this is a perfect opportunity for them it would be perfect but it’s still good enough for them since it was a white guy I do agree his bond is very low for involuntary manslaughter and DWI It is common place for those amounts of bonds has nothing to do with race It’s felony death by motor vehicle He was impaired It’s goin around he was enjoying time right before this at Smithfield new social district Good job Smithfield for having a new place to get drunk It is just a matter of time before something like that happens at the 40/42 Lowes in Cleveland community Everybody is a keyboard warrior quick to judge when they don’t have all the facts… No where in this article does it say he was drunk… DWI means driving while impaired… Do any of you know Steven personally?? Shame of everyone of you that are so quick to ASSUME anything about this man he is no good to this country… ship him off anywhere No one deserved to die because of his dumb decisions This is not about politics or racism it’s about a family that is suffering from a senseless loss of their loved one Let’s pray for her loved one’s left behind It’s so sad y’all make this about politics and racism Peace and comfort be with this precious family I don’t know y’all but you are in my prayers This isn’t Steven’s first rodeo with the law. a long list with a previous DUI..guaranteed there was an open container inside the truck and/or rolling around in the bed of the truck..everyone who knows Steven knows what I’m saying this fits the description of dozens of redneck Carolina truck drivers passing my house in a residential neighborhood everyday this fits the description of dozens of loud Carolina redneck truck drivers passing my house each day in a residential neighborhood I know Steven and he is and will always be a good guy who made a tragic mistake My heart goes out to the family of the lady who was killed and also to Stephen and his family SMITHFIELD – A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle in the Food Lion parking lot The accident happened around 5:30pm Friday The pedestrian appeared to be just feet from the main entrance to Food Lion when they were struck by a silver pickup Police were seen questioning the driver of the pickup One officer was spotted using a window tint meter on the truck’s windshield and side windows Smithfield Police have not released the name of the pedestrian I’m thinking he was looking for a closer spot to the left I got there the same time as first responders Smithfield needs to get their s**t together Fire trucks that do not have paramedics should NOT be the first out the door when responding to a non fire death they share facilities with actual paramedic’s that could do something Get those f**king ambulances out first you stupid ***** Is that some sort of billing policy by the county you somehow managed to swallow your entire leg when you stuck your foot in your mouth You are a complete dumba** and haven’t a clue how anything concerning the fire service and EMS works! If you don’t know how first responders work maybe don’t comment Her injuries were incompatible with life as soon as it happened Say you have no clue about emergency response without actually saying it There’s excellent and multiple reasoning behind them responding Response plans are determined by dispatch code which is formulated by information provided by the 911 caller Douglas Young SFD does have trained paramedics just in case they make it before EMS He works his a** off and has had to learn both jobs because what you’ve said simply isn’t true let’s be clear Smithfield Fire Department personnel are EMTs but when he’s operating under the fire department let me issue you a challenge: I invite you to come out to the county and do a ride-along with one of our fire departments or better yet it’s clear you have no idea what you’re talking about as first responders whether volunteer or paid are all medically trained in some capacity but we are trained and equipped to provide critical care until EMS arrives Do a little research and look up what Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) is and you’ll start to understand how we’re dispatched and why And another thing: those EMS trucks you claim are always sitting at the station it’s because they’re out handling other emergencies So if a patient is lying in a parking lot and the closest truck is tied up Now imagine if it were your family member lying there you’d be asking why help wasn’t arriving fast enough So before you get online and start making uninformed comments I suggest you take some time to learn what we actually do Do your homework before you criticize those of us who show up a lot of department get paid based on how many calls they respond to unfortunately it creates a perverse incentive for fire trucks to show up when not needed that’s why you see them at so many unnecessary calls Depending how the call is dispatched depends how we respond Such as a department might be out doing training or testing and they are on a larger truth such as an engine or ladder and a call drops However we are fortunate enough to have a 911 center that is able to EMD the call and they dispatch the appropriate units Fire and EMS depends on what the caller is stating when they call 911 Could you send me a private message please I’m looking for anyone who was there and may have helped her I am disabled and no longer live in joco but I can tell you from experience that the slow moving in a crosswalk is dangerous everywhere Almost daily cars and even tractor trailers speed past entrances where young old and children come precariously close to being struck Drivers must slow down and proceed as if you were in your own neighborhood 99% of the time are 2nd or 3rd responders to a scene When i was walking up I heard him run over something When I looked at him through the windshield he was looking at his phone Then when I realized what had happened he started looking around his windows to see what he hit He wasn’t even paying attention to that poor lady who just stopped to get a few groceries I will never get that image out of my head If I heard a sound of him running over something just a person who wants to insert himself in a situation AT THE END OF THE DAY A LADY LOST HER LIFE….IGNORE THE IGNORANCE ON HERE AND PRAY FOR THE FAMILY OF THE LOVED ONE PRAY FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND PRAY YOU NEVER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE SOMONE LOSIN THERE LIFE ,……. People fly through parking lots wat to fast Prayers for this family and lady that didn’t make it home because of someone else stupid choices!!! To be honest and I am not saying this poor lady is guilty of this but people just walk out of these stores expecting drivers to stop for them and you can’t trust that they will do that Drivers need to pay attention and slow down coming through these areas Smithfield police say a new method of retrieving DNA from evidence could generate a lead in a nearly two-year-old unsolved double homicide Police found 22-year-old former Smithfield High School football standout Kyonne Edwards and his girlfriend A’Shoneya Williams shot to death in their shared unit at Jersey Park Apartments in the early morning hours of July 18 Police say they believe a single gunman entered the apartment around 11:30 p.m fired several shots and fled on foot across West Main Street one of the few pieces of evidence recovered from the crime scene Police say the gunman stole the suitcase out of Edwards’ and Williams’ home carried it across the parking lot and dropped it in the front yard of a home across the street where police retrieved it the Department of Forensic Sciences,” Deputy Chief Chris Meier told the Smithfield Town Council at its April 28 public safety committee meeting But that inconclusive testing only examined “high-touch” areas such as the handle Police believe the gunman to have carried the suitcase under his or her arm police saw a sales demonstration by M-Vac Systems a company offering law enforcement agencies a more thorough testing method that uses a vacuum-based DNA collection device “We took this piece of evidence to them and they But testing that filter for DNA and comparing it with a state database of offenders whose DNA is on file isn’t a simple matter The state lab “does not have the technology to test this filter yet Meier said testing the filter will cost  $4,280 and – if Florida-based DNA Labs International is successful in creating a DNA profile that meets state and federal requirements – will require the Smithfield Police Department to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the lab and the Department of Forensic Science which would then upload the profile to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System to search for a match with known offenders If the DNA profile isn’t an exact match to any known offenders Meier said it would cost an additional roughly $7,000 to conduct extended genetic testing to potentially identify a relative of the gunman whose DNA is on file “We will exhaust the efforts we can to try to bring this case to closure,” Town Manager Michael Stallings said The Town Council expects to vote on the MOU and authorize funding at its May 6 meeting Stallings said funding is available in the town’s existing budget to cover the expense “If it does bring about an arrest then I think it’s very important that we try to pursue this,” Mayor Mike Smith said “This thing has been going on for quite some time and it’d be nice to put it behind us if at all possible.” “For two lives that were lost in the manner they were … we owe it to the family and the loved ones of those to expend those monies to attempt to bring this matter to a conclusion,” said Councilman Steve Bowman who retired as the town’s police chief in 2017 Smithfield Police have had success using DNA to solve other cases police identified the first of six suspects in an armed robbery at the former Farmers Bank on South Church Street using DNA from a sweaty ball cap one of them had left in a getaway car according to the Times’ reporting that year police identified a suspect in a car wash break-in by testing blood spatters left behind Among the most recent local examples of using DNA to break a cold case came last year when Virginia State Police named Alan Wade Wilmer Sr. as the likely killer in the 1987 double murder of 20-year-old David Knobling and 14-year-old Robin Edwards at the Ragged Island wildlife refuge in Isle of Wight County after police were able to posthumously obtain a genetic sample from Wilmer’s body to compare to DNA left at the crime scene MEAC rivals face one another when the Norfolk State Spartans (20-9 10-2 MEAC) travel to face the North… Top-25 teams will hit the court in two games on Monday’s college basketball slate Smithfield Foods CEO Shane Smith was paid $14.9 million in 2024 Though the company remains largely under the control of its Hong Kong-based parent company of Foods’ stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market means the company for the first time since its 2013 purchase by WH Group is required to file quarterly financial reports and disclose its CEO’s pay to the SEC and shareholders The April 18 filing states Smith’s compensation package includes a $1.5 million base salary $8.7 million in “non-equity inventive plan compensation,” a $1.6 million “change in pension value and non qualified deferred compensation earnings” and $62,058 in “other compensation.” “Non-equity incentive-plan compensation is cash pay that kicks in only when certain pre-set goals are hit,” said Thomas Schneider a finance professor formerly of Old Dominion University now with the University of Oklahoma “That’s different from discretionary bonuses which aren’t necessarily tied to performance exec pay is tied to verifiable metrics that sit at the heart of the business model a company might design its plan so payouts occur when sales increase or operating costs fall by set amounts Public disclosures suggest that Smithfield Foods bases its awards on net income as well as its packaged-meats segment profit and volume.” An earlier SEC filing states the company ended 2024 with an adjusted profit of $1 billion or nearly triple the $258 million adjusted profit for 2023 Foods defines “adjusted” income as excluding the effects of legal settlements resulting in gain or loss and transactions or events that are “not part of our core business activities or are unusual in nature.” The majority of the overall profit is tied to a record-breaking $1.2 billion profit ($1.1 billion adjusted) within Foods’ packaged meats market segment from the $1 billion operating and adjusted profit packaged meats saw in 2023 “That’s classic performance-sensitive pay: Management wins when the company wins and feels the sting when it doesn’t,” Schneider said Investors also prefer awards in restricted shares rather than cash because stock ownership keeps management’s interests lined up with theirs Now that Smithfield Foods is publicly traded I’d expect to see more stock- and option-based incentives in the mix.” is “an accounting treatment for pension-type benefits,” similar to but separate from an employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement savings plan Smith is far from the highest-paid CEO in the state or nation He would rank among the top 12 highest-paid CEOs in Virginia based on a state-by-state 2023 list maintained by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations which includes 63 national and international labor unions representing more than 15 million workers The list does not yet include Foods because it was created using data from before Foods went public Smith’s compensation is nearly 84% more than the $8.1 million Hormel CEO James Snee was paid in 2024 reported $11.9 billion in 2024 sales and a $2 billion profit in its year-end financials is lower than the $22.7 million Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King was paid last year beef and pork processor saw $53.3 billion in sales and a $3.6 billion profit in 2024 the last year prior to 2025 in which Foods filed a public annual report who was succeeded in 2020 by Dennis Organ and in 2021 by Smith was paid $37.5 million in total compensation in 2014 with $17.5 million of that being stock option awards from WH Group Though Foods would not have been required in 2014 or 2015 to disclose its CEO pay “many private companies choose to disclose” because “it helps with debt issuance and other capital markets,” Schneider said Smithfield. "Form 10-K." Smithfield. "Form 10-Q." Elanco Animal Health IHT Group LANXESS PigTek Connections April 2025 BinSentry PigCentral™ Management System from PigTek Hog Slat Smithfield Foods, the largest U.S. pork processor, reported a strong first quarter but acknowledged a significant market loss—China is no longer viable due to soaring tariffs, executives confirmed on a recent earnings call. The effective duty rate on U.S. pork entering China has climbed to 172%, rendering exports uncompetitive and forcing Smithfield to pivot toward alternative international markets. “With China no longer essentially being available, we really had to pivot our business,” said Smithfield CEO Shane Smith. Despite the export challenge, Smithfield’s total Q1 2025 sales rose 9.5% to $3.77 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $3.62 billion. The company’s hog production segment rebounded from prior losses, and overall shares rose nearly 9% following the earnings release. However, Smithfield noted that while China previously accounted for 3% of its total sales, the tariff impact has become too steep to justify continued volume. Historically, Smithfield has exported variety meats like pig stomachs, hearts, and heads to China—products with limited domestic demand. “China, at 145%, is not a viable sales market for us at the moment,” said Donovan Owens, president of Smithfield’s fresh pork division. Smithfield currently exports to more than 30 countries, and in 2024, exports made up 13% of total company sales. As access to China closes, executives emphasized redirecting pork products to next-best markets. The shift reflects broader changes sparked by global trade tensions initiated during the Trump administration. Beijing’s retaliatory tariffs are part of a broader response to U.S. trade policy, which continues to affect major ag commodities. To offset rising input costs and market constraints, Smithfield has reduced corporate and plant jobs and streamlined operations in Q1. Although packaged meat and fresh pork sales increased, segment profits declined, partly due to raw material cost pressures and shifting consumer preferences. Still, the company remains optimistic about its strategy in diversified export and domestic retail, maintaining its focus on brands like Smithfield, Eckrich, and Nathan’s Famous. Copyright © 2024 swineweb.com . All rights reserved. WILLOW SPRING – An investigation into a shooting involving an Amazon delivery van has led to an arrest. Juelle Amos Thomas, age 21, of Hugh Lane, Smithfield was arrested April 20 by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. Thomas was served with a felony warrant charging him with discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle. On March 29 around 5:16am, an Amazon driver reported a vehicle began following him near the intersection of White Memorial Church Road and Mt. Pleasant Road in the Willow Spring community in western Johnston County. The driver said he pulled onto Raspberry Court for his delivery when the suspect stopped behind his delivery van, blocking him from moving. The suspect reportedly pulled out a .357 handgun with a red laser and fired into the back of the van. The incident was immediately reported and corroborated through dash camera video. After investigating the incident for several weeks, sheriff’s detectives were able to execute a search warrant and recover evidence reportedly linking Juelle Thomas to the crime. A motive for the incident remains under investigation. If he had the same judge as the ex-cop, then he probably told the judge what he wanted to have his bail set at. $2.00 WRAL is a proud community partner for this event Welcome, Mickeymickey@disney.comManage MyDisney AccountLog OutJohnston County jury finds man not guilty of murderFriday 2025A jury found a Smithfield man not guilty of murder in the death of his child's aunt.SMITHFIELD (WTVD) -- A Johnston County man was found not guilty of murder in the death of his child's aunt Investigators said 50-year-old Dorian Thomas of Smithfield shot 44-year-old Emily Christine Steinhoff during a custody exchange last spring took her sister to pick up her sister's 14-month-old daughter on March 17 after the young girl spent a weekend with her dad in Smithfield The jury got the case Friday and came back with a not guilty verdict on all charges "We respect the jury's verdict; our thoughts are with Emily's family," said Jimmy Wilson ALSO SEE | Tractor-trailer flips, catches fire after collision on I-85 northbound near Oxford 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield Foods today announced that it has been added to the Russell 1000 Index The inclusion became effective after the market close on March 21 as part of the quarterly addition of eligible initial public offerings to the Russell Indexes The Russell 1000 Index includes the 1,000 largest publicly traded U.S companies based on market capitalization and is widely used by investors as a benchmark for the performance of large-cap stocks The Russell 1000 is a subset of the broader Russell 3000 Index "We are honored to be included in the prestigious Russell 1000 Index," said Smithfield President and CEO Shane Smith "This inclusion is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees and it reflects the strength and resilience of our business model Being part of the Russell 1000 will help increase our visibility among institutional investors and help solidify our position as a leader in the consumer staples sector." Smithfield has seen significant operating profit growth in recent years The company remains focused on executing its strategic initiatives to drive further growth and value for shareholders The Russell 1000 Index is managed by FTSE Russell and is widely recognized by investors for its representation of large-cap U.S Membership in the index is determined based on a range of criteria About Smithfield FoodsSmithfield Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: SFD) is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release including statements regarding our strategy you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "shall," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," or "estimates" or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations Specific forward-looking statements in this press release include our ability to execute our strategic initiatives to drive further growth and value for shareholders We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this press release primarily on our current expectations forecasts and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business Although we believe that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement contained in this press release events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur events or circumstances could differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements We undertake no duty to update any statement made in this press release in light of new information or future events the iconic brand known for over 100 years of flavor and tradition is bringing the heat to hot dog lovers nationwide with its new.. Food & Beverages Banking & Financial Services Retail Earnings Do not sell or share my personal information: If you heard cheers and honking horns the morning of April 10 don’t worry — East Stroudsburg wasn’t under siege The beloved convenience store chain officially opened its doors in Smithfield Township and community spirit to a whole new corner of the Poconos with Wawa General Manager Eric Karp kicking off the festivities at 7:45 a.m who previously worked at the Wawa across from East Stroudsburg University has been with the company for six years and couldn’t wait to welcome the rush of early birds “We want to serve the community and make sure everybody has a great day and a happy smile,” said Karp The first 100 customers were treated to free “New Friends and Flavors” T-shirts and invited to a brief ceremony that had all the fixings: a Wawa parade a hoagie building showdown between the Pennsylvania State Police and the Marshalls Creek Fire Company Among the first in line was local resident Joy Massey “It’s bigger than the other Wawa,” she said adding that she can't wait to bring the rest of the family The new Wawa is located at 237 Mosier Farm Drive Emmanuella Pierre is the trending and breaking news reporter at the Pocono Record. Reach her at epierre@gannett.com The pork producer is reducing its exposure to agricultural markets as it builds up more profitable and less volatile segments of its business Smithfield is reducing its exposure to agricultural markets as it expands its presence in the more lucrative packaged meats segment which has driven more than $1 billion in profits for three consecutive years has overcome serious headwinds that have reduced earnings across the sector lower demand and higher costs of raising pigs created "the perfect storm" in 2023 The company's hog production division posted a $756 million loss in 2023 and a $152 million loss last year Hog production pressured Smithfield's overall sales last year or around 30% of the needs of Smithfield's fresh pork segment "Smithfield [is] going from a commodity company to more value-added premium products," Steve France, president of packaged meats, said in the firm's earnings call, its first since becoming a publicly traded company. The packaged meats giant is also reducing its presence in holiday hams and other lower-margin seasonal items Instead of targeting consumers who may buy a large ham a couple of times a year Smithfield wants to reach shoppers who purchase deli meats more often "That same consumer or multiple consumers are now buying our product and now we're moving anywhere from 10 to 15 different units instead of two to three units to that consumer," said France Lunch meats have provided a prime opportunity for Smithfield, both through its own Smithfield Fresh brand and as a supplier for private labels. As inflation pushes more consumers to trade down to private label Smithfield can command a profit by maintaining a presence in that space while also selling its own premium product Smithfield's packaged meats unit posted record profits in 2024 Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts The soda giant’s Red Tree Beverages subsidiary is making a bet that its vodka lemonade can help it gain a stronger foothold in booze The CPG manufacturer wants to grow the product into a $1 billion hydration brand by building its presence in everything from energy to cocktails The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines A Smithfield man is facing charges after authorities say he was driving under the influence in Lexington 38-year-old Leroy Connors is charged with Driving Under the Influence – Fifth Offense with Refusal Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test – Fifth Offense An arrest affidavit says just after midnight on April 27 a Lexington Police Officer was dispatched to the area of Highway 283 and Frontier Street in reference to a pickup driving at high rates of speed with no headlights The reporting party was providing updates as they followed the vehicle and told authorities the pickup was going into parking lots of restaurants and then leaving which was stopped in the driveway of a trailer home and had struck another vehicle in the driveway The reporting party advised the suspect had fled from the scene a couple told authorities they had seen a man running and was chased behind homes on West Walnut Street by their dog Officers eventually found Connors hiding in a shed and placed him into custody The affidavit says officers smelled alcohol on Connors and he was taken to the Lexington Police Department where sobriety tests showed he was impaired Court records say Connors refused to provide a breath sample Officers say they also found money on his person where one of the bills had a white crystal-like substance that tested positive for meth Connors was arraigned on the charges Monday His next court hearing is scheduled for May 6 at 11:00 a.m © 2025 Nebraska Rural Radio Association. 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Copyright Information Website ©2025 Nebraska Rural Radio Association | All rights reserved. | Website developed by Hollman Media you will be automatically redirected here whenever you go to https://ruralradio.com you can click the "Clear home" link in the footer of the site I removed the two old and battered daily newspaper tubes at the end of the lane this week and ended one of the longest traditions of my life There’s been a printed daily newspaper in my home I was looking at the Sunday comics in the Virginian-Pilot before I was able to read them things have changed too much for even this old lover of printers’ ink we had both the Daily Press and Virginian-Pilot Sunday editions delivered to the house as well as the DPs on weekdays The Richmond Times Dispatch came to the office and after the Pilot and Daily Press were merged by their current owner it didn’t make any sense to keep subscribing to both so we opted to keep the Pilot and drop the DP keeping the scaled-down offer of Wednesdays and Sundays so we dropped the print editions completely Two weeks ago marked the first time I didn’t have a Sunday paper to sit down and read — ever — and I haven’t yet fully recovered from the transition That’s not to say I don’t read newspapers By dropping the Pilot’s print edition I’m more comfortable financially subscribing to the four dailies I read online — the Pilot which we receive — and always will — by mail as well as online The Smithfield Times remains the best deal among all the options.) I have all the news one can possibly find the time to absorb and am able to try and track what’s happening in Hampton Roads it’s important to stay reasonably informed can be found what’s really happening rather than what’s being spun to reinforce the beliefs of liberals or conservatives The reasons for the decline in printed newspapers during the past several decades are more complicated than they might seem at first glance The internet bears a great deal of responsibility having increased dramatically the options for businesses to advertise and having sucked a huge amount of that ad revenue away from papers as a result There’s also a mistaken belief that the internet is an easy way to stay informed There are actually very few sources easier to use than daily newspapers orderly and can be read in-depth or scanned quickly if you worked your way through a good metro daily you were reasonably sure you had a pretty good feel for the important news of that day You can get the same news from an online version of the newspaper but you need to subscribe — pay for it — to get the full range of news The websites of most papers just don’t offer the full array of their news coverage feel that a quick glance at a website or even a stroll with their browser will give them what they are seeking but what they’re seeking is often a viewpoint and that has more to do with the divisions in our country than with the scaled-down versions of today’s daily papers but the former has certainly contributed to the latter there’s the whole business of reading habits People don’t want to read in-depth stories We’re all guilty of this very bad habit to some degree and it takes discipline to force ourselves to go much beyond the headlines Our desire to reinforce our viewpoint also feeds our drive to read less and less stories that really dig deeply into a subject we might find ourselves questioning one of our fondest-held beliefs None of this rambling makes me feel better about walking away from in-print daily news if I want to read Beetle Bailey or Blondie I suppose the saving grace is that I won’t be getting ink smudges on Sunday’s white shirts anymore John Edwards is publisher emeritus of The Smithfield Times His email address is j.branchedwards@gmail.com Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application at the SECU Hospice House in Smithfield surrounded by her loving family The family will receive friends from 5:00PM to 8:00PM on Saturday 2025 at the Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Four Oaks to celebrate Tonia’s Life 1970 in Johnston County to Gene Harold and Retha Ann Matthews Puckett of Selma She worked at the Department of Social Services in Johnston County and then worked for the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles License Plate Agency in Smithfield for many years Tonia lived life to the fullest loving to dance She loved spending time with family and friends especially going to Momma’s for Sunday lunch Tonia never met a stranger and was always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need Surviving in addition to her parents are her daughter Mataya Grimes and Steve Harder of Four Oaks; sister Michelle Puckett of Selma; father of Mataya The family would like to express their gratitude to each caregiver of the SECU Hospice House of Smithfield Each caregiver showed kindness and compassion to not only to Tonia memorials may be made to the SECU Hospice House at PO Box 1376 Arrangements by Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Four Oaks Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors SMITHFIELD, Va., May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nathan's Famous® is bringing the heat to hot dog lovers nationwide with its new Hot & Spicy Beef Franks Crafted with premium beef and a unique blend of bold spices the new franks are designed for those who like their classics with a kick "Rich flavors have always been at the heart of Nathan's Famous," said Annabelle Gladfelter brand manager for Nathan's Famous at Smithfield Foods we're giving our fans an exciting new way to enjoy the signature taste they crave—with just the right amount of heat." The Hot & Spicy Beef Franks offer the same juicy bite and signature Nathan's Famous flavor consumers crave now elevated with a bold kick of spicy pepper flavor Each 8-count pack features 100% beef bun-length franks with no by-products backyard get-togethers or adding a fiery twist to go-to game day dishes these hot dogs aim to satisfy both spice lovers and flavor enthusiasts Nathan's Famous Hot & Spicy Beef Franks are now available at major retailers nationwide Whether you're a longtime fan or trying Nathan's for the first time this new product brings the perfect balance of heat and heritage to the table About Smithfield FoodsSmithfield Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: SFD) is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products New Products & Services and federal government websites often end in .gov Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address Before sharing sensitive or personal information make sure you're on an official state website Reception Letter (Español) Number of Acres Inside Perimeter: 31 acres Number of Acres Outside Perimeter: 30 acres Average Number of Full-Time Employees: 522 Inmate Population: Current Inmate Population Superintendent's Assistant: Holli Smith $3.2 Million Awarded to Expand Broadband in Johnston County by 2026 Pinwheels for Prevention: Johnston County is Committed to Child Abuse Awareness (Video) Sun Programs for USDA Food Assistance - Summer 2025 Having Issues with Cats? Animal Services can Help! Farm-City Banquet Celebrates Agriculture, Community, and Service Protect your SNAP benefits from Hackers and Scammers Register of Deeds Announces the Most Popular Baby Names in Johnston County for 2024 Johnston County Public Utilities Recognized for Excellence in Drinking Water Treatment View Information about the US 70 Business and NC 42 Road Renaming Project View All Terms of Use   |   Website Disclaimer   |   Privacy Policy   |   Website Feedback Form The public offering came in at $522 million although the pork producer had anticipated more than $900 million Smithfield Foods is raising $522 million through its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Select Market The price was lower than the nation’s leading pork producer had expected The company’s stock began trading on the market January 28 under the ticker symbol “SFD.” Smithfield's offering of nearly 26.1 million shares of common stock was priced at $20 per share or about 25% lower than company estimates from a week ago about half of the stock total — 13 million shares — is from Smithfield and the other half is from its former parent company WH Group There are expected to be 393 million shares outstanding after the IPO bringing Smithfield’s market capitalization to $7.86 billion The final figure is less than Smithfield’s anticipated $11 billion estimate a week ago, but more than the $5.38 billion estimate WH Group shared with investors in November In a previous investor filing Smithfield planned to sell 34.8 million shares valued between $23 and $27 per share That would have raised as much as $939.6 million for the pork producer an emerging technology analyst at Pitchbook called the move a “significant milestone in the food industry,” saying it provides Smithfield with enhanced financial flexibility and access to capital markets as it looks to expand and invest in new opportunities “This IPO positions Smithfield to lead innovation in the pork sector and strengthen its competitive edge in the U.S and international markets,” Frederick said in a statement and Mexico operations after several quarters of income declines and market pressures Though the companies will technically be separate WH Group will retain control over Smithfield after the dust settles Smithfield said WH Group will own about 93% of its shares after the IPO making it a “controlled company” with strong decision-making and voting influence from its former parent company the chairman of Smithfield’s board of directors and chairman of WH Group agreed to purchase 3.2 million shares as part of the IPO the underwriters have a 30-day window to purchase up to 3.9 million extra shares at the initial offering price Herbicide bans and new application restrictions aimed at protecting farmworkers and the environment have also made it more difficult for farmers to manage crops fertilizer and pesticides are expected to decline farmers are forecast to spend more on labor and taxes Subscribe to Agriculture Dive for top news