Moving to Clayton soon

[zthatzmanz28]

We love living in Clayton as well. That doesn't meant what bleighorr posted is fiction. Being honest is a far cry from slander.
JoCo is very much the "god old boys" institution. Actually it's based more on your family name than gender. But if you are not part of the family (look at the road signs throughout the county to know who they are) or accepted by one of the power brokers, you are out when it comes to being involved in sports, politics, and even cetain career fields.
We do much of our business in and around Clayton / Smithfield, but we do not interact with the influential on a daily basis, so we have met some great folks.
By influential I mean those in a position to make decisions like coaches, government folks, school board members and those who hire and fire for local positions.

[claytonmom]

I moved to Clayton 6 years ago from Raleigh and love it.

BTW- Novo Nordisk is expanding (85 new jobs) Novo Nordisk announces Clayton expansion; 85 new jobs to be created (http://claytonnews-star.com/novo-nordisk-expansion-to-create-new-jobs-commissioners-to-hold-oct-p1581-106.htm - broken link)

[bleighorr]

Sorry Tassy :-) I was talking about the interracial perspective (the first issue on the initial post)....It is well-known in these parts (if you've been around for a number of years and I see that you have) that Johnston County/Smithfield is often historically considered "red neck" by races other than caucasian. KKK capital based right out of Smithfield NC (not sure if it's still there, don't keep up with that craziness). I've had a few moments here as a mother of multi-racial children...I just happen to be a very strong person and don't take personal offense to ignorance, and I've raised my children the same.

Being a mother of multi-racial children, I may be more "in tune" with this than, say, a same-race family. Sorry if I offended you....it can often be a sensitive topic.

Thanks, ZThats....you're right: Everyone has a different perspective, depending on community status, bank account, neighborhood, whether or not you have a husband/wife and who he/she is, social circle, etc. I am honestly sharing my perspective as someone who is not "connected" (have no interest and never will be - don't travel in "circles" and "buttkiss" lol). People tend to be happier when there is financial security and stability, wherever they are. Therefore, my perspective will be different from the successful business-owner who's family was born and raised here, who lives in a $300,000 neighborhood, who can afford tutoring and travel ball for the kids and who has a stay-at-home spouse who can take care of business while one partner makes the hour long commute home from work. All of this dips into the quality of life for sure. My children don't have those types of luxuries, unfortunately...so we're at the bottom of the "food chain" so to speak (and not mad or crying about it either).

When I lived in GA for a few years, my older son played football for a 5A school that won the GA State football Championship two years in a row - his senior year and the year after....We were "nobodies" that moved into town, he tried out for the team, made the team, started, was scouted by several big schools the three seasons he played there (UGA, Florida State, USouth Carolina, TN, and some smaller schools) until he tore his second ACL his senior year). However, when he screwed up as a player he got benched, no question; the coaches treated everyone like that, regardless of size, whose kid you were...it didn't matter....it was that way for the entire team = fair and square, hard workers got the PT, slackers got the bench even if they were "stars." This coaching staff were a bunch of straight-up professing Christian dudes that didn't play anything political - As a matter of fact, his head coach won GA High School Coach of the Year -think it was 2007 or maybe 2008 - team ended up like 5th in the entire nation on ESPN polls...In fact, the school as a whole was probably the most non-political schools I've ever encountered all the way around. Yes it was strict (my boy ended up in alt school for using his cell phone in class and not turning it over to a teacher when asked) but I was ok with that. Rules are rules. Period. I can say it was, by far the best school any of my kids attended: Virtually ZERO gang activity - not tolerated; county paid their teachers very well; and the school still maintains every imaginable activity for students, allows them to take their books home, and doesn't scream 'broke, let's steal from the kids' - all in an area that is much more poverty stricken than ours... by far!) ....It's nice to know that those environments do exist (especially in big, successful programs and schools) and "powerful" people can be fair to adults and kids alike, regardless of who one knows or the size of a bank account.

This is a VERY political area, hard to believe about small-town Clayton, but it's true, hate to shatter those dreams --- but if you're into that and find it challenging, then you should love it here lol

- And yes, Z, there are some good country folks around here too (not to be confused with "red necks") lol

p.s. thanks for the link, Claytonmom - here's the skinny from the article:

"The Governor’s Office said in a statement that the jobs will be created over the next four years and that the overall average pay for the new positions will be $42,976 annually, not including benefits. The Johnston County average is $31,408."

Now, what's the average price of a 1,700 sq. foot home again??? Sorry, folks, this is NOT the Johnston County of 10 years ago where houses were cheap and rent was cheaper....Clayton is being swallowed up by Wake County (minus the salary benefits associated with RTP companies). So the average salary is what around here??? $31,500!! It's right there in that Clayton paper article. In an area where average 3-bedroom rentals for local apartment communities and smaller 1,200 sq ft. homes in Garrison s/d are $900-$1000 a month (unless you want to live on the drug infested side of town or in a trailer park). p.s. first year teachers in Johnston County make less than the average. If you're not a scientist or in manufacturing, you don't stand a chance getting a pharma job around here - as many people who actually get those higher paying pharma jobs are coming from other same-company plants or recruited from across the nation (transplants). I have a buddy who was recruited from KANSAS to the Clayton plant lol. "Regular Joes" are making $12.00/hr. in this area (or they're commuting to RTP). So what this means: You're okay if you have a job, but when you buy that 300,000 house and LOSE your job (like so many are), you're screwed....it's not cheap to live here...so stay smart and recognize....we're in the "Great Depression" of our time, people!