What does it take to step back into public service after stepping away? In this episode, Keith Branch shares why he’s running for Johnston County Commissioner in District 7 and what he believes the county needs most right now: financial discipline, collaboration, and fresh perspective. From fund balance debates to school funding and growth management, this conversation dives into the future of Johnston County.

Why would someone step away from power… only to ask for it back?

After serving eight years as County Commissioner, Chad Stewart resigned. Now he’s running again. Was it strategy? Service? Or unfinished business?

In this episode, we unpack fund balances, tax debates, growth fears, and the pressure of public life in the internet age.

When experience meets controversy… who do you trust to lead?

What does the sheriff actually do when the cameras are off?

Behind the patrol cars and flashing lights is a role most people never see, managing a $32M operation, supporting deputies through trauma, making decisions the public may never agree with, and carrying the weight of every call that comes in. After nearly three decades in the job, Sheriff Steve Bizzell explains why he still believes this role isn’t a position. It’s a calling.

Why would someone run for sheriff after being hired by the same department three times?

This episode isn’t about attacks or politics. It’s about perspective. I talk with Randall Ackley about what he’s seen on patrol, inside investigations, and from years of working in a rapidly growing county. When staffing can’t keep up, presence disappears. What does that mean for safety, trust, and the future of Johnston County?

What happens when someone who’s seen government from the inside decides to run for local office — not for power, but to protect a way of life?

Adam Caldwell isn’t a career politician. He’s a father of three, a former public servant, and now a candidate trying to balance growth, taxes, and heritage in Johnston County.

Can one person help a fast-growing county stay grounded in its roots?

What really decides a local election before Election Day? I sit down with Vice Chair Butch Lawter to ask the questions that shape your wallet and your weekend. Can a county actually build parks without piling on taxes? What fixes a strained school budget when enrollment barely moves? How do you plan water for peak days, not averages? And why does fund balance matter more than slogans? If you live in Johnston County, these answers touch your street, your bill, your vote.

Why would a small town business owner take a pay cut to serve, hire extra staff to cover him, then ask voters for four more years? In this episode, Commissioner Mike Rose unpacks the revaluation year in plain numbers, the billion in building needs, and why the county set the rate it did. Are incentives giveaways, or a smarter way to win jobs? What happens when the state stalls and the courts still need staff? If you care about taxes, growth, and the future of Johnston County, lean in.

What if domestic violence isn’t what you think it is? What if the most damaging scars are the ones you can’t see? In this episode, I sit down with Harbor’s Executive Director, Kay Johnson, to unpack the power and control behind abuse, why it often takes about seven attempts to leave, and how a simple plan can change everything. How do you know if it’s abuse when there’s no bruise? What does real help look like at 2 a.m.? And how can a community thrift shop fuel safety and healing? Listen in and decide what your next step could be.

What keeps a community walking—year after year—for a cause that never sleeps? In Johnston County, Relay for Life has evolved from overnight laps around a track to a full-day festival of hope, remembrance, and resilience. In this episode, I sit down with two women who refused to let the mission fade after COVID. Why does Relay still matter? What drives people to keep showing up? And how does it change lives right here at home?

Clayton is growing, but what does that really mean behind the scenes? How does a town prepare for five new people every single day? What happens when land meant for jobs turns into rooftops instead? And why do water, sewer, and timing matter more than most people realize? In this conversation with Clayton’s Economic Development Director, Joe Stallings, we unpack what growth actually takes, what’s coming next, and how a community decides what kind of future it wants to build.