Johnston County is growing. The bigger question is how we grow — and what we want that growth to look like. That was the focus of the 2026 Triangle East State of the Region, where Local70’s Susan Keller joined local leaders for a conversation about infrastructure, utilities, development, economic opportunity and what Johnston County needs to support continued growth. The morning included an economic outlook from Ted Abernathy of Economic Leadership, followed by a panel discus

On May 21, one of our Local70 developers, Susan Keller, had the privilege to attend a meeting of the Triangle East Prospers Regional Economic Initiative's Implementation Committee at the historic Triangle East Chamber of Commerce building in Smithfield. "As a representative of Keller Development and Local70, I am proud to serve on the committee helping guide this ambitious public-private partnership," says Keller. "Local70 was happy to be one of the first investors in the Tri

Cold. Rained most of the day. Didn’t really slow anybody down. People still showed up anyway. Families stayed out longer than you would’ve expected. Kids were stomping through puddles like that was half the fun. Downtown stayed busy most of the day, and somehow the ducks at the Local70 booth became a bigger deal than we planned for. We spent most of the afternoon talking to whoever stopped by — residents, business owners, volunteers, people visiting Ham & Yam for the first ti

Growth is happening across Johnston County. What stood out to us recently isn't just the pace of that growth - it's the intentionality behind it. At both the Corridors of Opportunity event hosted by the Triangle Business Journal and the Annual Meeting of the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce, leaders across healthcare, business and local government shared a common message: Growth must support quality of life. That means strong local business. Accessible healthcare. Walkable