Howell Theatre - Downtown Smithfield NC

04/06/2026

I wonder if North Carolina Main Street Center knows he threw away a $10,000 grant that the Howell Theatre - Downtown Smithfield NC received.

NEW BERN, N.C. — Smithfield resident Todd Johnson has been recognized as one of North Carolina’s 2025 Main Street Champions, an honor awarded to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to downtown revitalization efforts across the state. Johnson was among 42 honore...

04/01/2026

A bit pathetic if you ask me... How's downtown doing with less foot traffic now that you have another charm on controlling bracelet Julia?
I don't think this is what the people want.

Follow my new page!!!

Howell Theatre - Downtown Smithfield NC Town Of Smithfield, NC Government

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574272615834

We steal history so you don't have to.

02/11/2026

GTC Smithfield Cinemas with the permanent closing of the Howell Theatre - Downtown Smithfield NC so end the only movie theater that covered Johnston Harnett and Sampson County area.
Take up the mission. 10am on Saturday
Lights Up - Sound Down - Allowed to Walk Around.
for Autism

02/07/2026

Another one bites the dust

THE FUTURE OF THE VERNON PLAZA THEATER
Please Read!

Folks,

There's no great way to segue into it, so I will simply drop some knowledge on you. This weekend, FEB 6 to FEB 9, will be the last weekend that we show first-run movies. We are not closing altogether; we will still operate as a venue space for parties, field trips, etc. We have a number of field trips booked already as far out as May, and we're happy to talk to anyone who wants to set up a field trip or birthday party between now and June.

Along the way, we'll do at least one or two more garage sales--one for the theater and one for the house. We'll be looking at some special events and a going away party, kind of a "Last Picture Show" situation.

I have agonized over this. We all have. And we are eternally grateful for all of the love and support you've shown over the last twenty years. TWENTY YEARS, folks! I remain committed to figuring out a way for the theater to run as intended for the next twenty years. It'll have to be without me and Janice running it, but that's okay. Someone younger and with more energy than us will have this place thriving, with your help, of course.

It's been my honor to watch your kids grow up here. It's been my privilege to have been a part of your lives, whether I was the guy who helped you escape the real world for a couple of hours, or the person who introduced you to something new and cool, or if I was just your buttered popcorn hook-up. Plaza Corn. Amirite? A whole generation of people in Vernon learned first-hand about the superiority of real butter as a popcorn topping. I regret nothing.

Let's not get weepy. If you have any pictures of the Plaza that you took here, feel free to share them in the comments and tell us about the picture if you want. I may have a few myself, if you all will get the ball rolling.

With Love and Gratitude,
Mark & Janice
(and Cathy & Sonya)
and the Whole Plaza Staff, past and present

02/05/2026

The key to good law enforcement is a working relationship with your Sheriff’s Office or Police Department. It may surprise some people, but folks tend to act differently with people they know than with people they don’t. A county will never have enough good law enforcement on its own—it’s our responsibility as citizens to hold them accountable.

I’ve personally experienced serious failures. In one case, a deputy failed to conduct a proper investigation and removed a child from a safe environment, placing him with a known drug addict. We were left to clean up the aftermath. In another case, a detective never returned my call—and that failure cost me again.

In both situations, I went directly to Sheriff Steve Bizzell. We talked, and to his credit, these are issues he continues to address within his patrol force.

Having a working relationship with the JJohnston County Sheriff's Officehas also helped when dealing with matters in other counties—though even then, some agencies will say one thing to a Sheriff and still ignore the citizen involved.

Which brings me to this:
The IIredell County Sheriff's Department failed to follow up on a statement made during a trial and allowed a murder to go uninvestigated in 1969. That information surfaced only because an old article was digitized and I found it during my research. Sheriff Bizzell contacted the Sheriff to explain what I was working on, and I followed up myself with a phone call and message. Darren never responded. I eventually found the case numbers I had been searching for—but the files had already been destroyed.

Iredell County is the only county where I asked Sheriff Bizzell to make contact. In two other cases, I reached out to Sheriff’s Departments on my own. The response was the same: nothing.

The PPolk County, N.C. Sheriff's Officehas still not responded to my request for information regarding my sister’s murder in 1991 and information on another case that will be addressed in a different post.

So I want to publicly say THANK YOU to the SSpartanburg County Sheriff's Officefor stepping up and picking up my sister’s case.

Accountability matters.
Relationships matter.
And persistence matters most of all.

If anyone has any information, please contact Detective Sgt Tony Brown (864) 503-4500.

HHowell Theatre - Downtown Smithfield NC@@

02/04/2026

This THANK YOU was posted in jest knowing that I would repost this today.

If you ever had an idea of wanting a small business in Downtown Smithfield DON'T. (notice I can't tag them - that's a Constitutional violation that they are OK with)

If you think your efforts will be appreciated by the Town Of Smithfield, NC, they won't.

If you think the that the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce will support you, they won't.

As a business that brought over 250,000 customers to Downtown Smithfield from (4/21/17-4/20/25), you would think that on our 90th Anniversary, would be celebrated but we received absolutely no acknowledgement from any of the "town affiliations". Yet Smiling Andy was all on top of Neuse Little Theatre for hitting 50. And did you notice, as soon as the town got the building, Smiley gave it to the Neuse Little Theatre who had backed out of the purchasing process.

01/28/2026

PSA: In what should have been the 91st year of The Howell Theatre - Downtown Smithfield NC, we will be clearing out the storage. Primarily it will be posters (Marvel/Disney/etc (2017-2024) and if I can get to it some "historical items".

We are trying to make up for the lost revenue from Roy Cooper's LOCKDOWN ($400,000) and the additional loans that we had to take out.

Since we sold the building The Howell Theatre has been working on a few other productions and will post information on those as they progress.

Since Roy Cooper wiped is 🍑with both the Federal and State Constitution with his lockdown. If you don't like my comments, keep it to yourself and unfollow. Please let me know when you're available to meet face to face. You can go maskless just like you did protesting with BLM while my disabled veteran owned business was dying, because of your LOCKDOWN.

The Historic Downtown Smithfield, NC ignored our requests for unrestricted parking on the weekends in a letter I sent to Sara in May 2020. At anytime, anyone could just apply and close down the street or parking for almost anything.
When they started with the fireworks beside the building in 2021 (while movies were showing) and closing down the streets to eat inn 90 degree weather, we new that the Howell was not wanted. In 2024 the new director and I met with to Junior Women's League of Smithfield. I gave alternatives locations for their event to include just shifting it one street over. No one wants to watch a movie with horns blowing. All of our requests were ignored, even after showing that we had still not recovered from the LOCKDOWN.

MOVIE ATTENDANCE HAS STILL NOT REACHED PRE COVID LEVELS AS OF THE END OF 2025

My wife is a state employee and I am a retired state employee. We aren't teachers and never get raises. We aren't made out of money. We lost our investment because Smithfield only has Third Street.

The Town Of Smithfield, NC Government showed their true colors when the weaseling little liar from the Johnston County Heritage Center said he wanted to save history but not the name. The name is the base of the history you idiot. He knew absolutely nothing about the theatre. When he went to my buyer more money to them but would only offered me to match their price. Oh I'm still mad,

I spoke to a county commissioner months ago and that is part of the reason I got off line. He negotiated an open ended agreement that I've seen no movement on, so I'm waiting for now.

The fools had a deal that would have saved the Howell Theatre - Downtown Smithfield NC & given Neuse Little Theatre a great place to perform, but there are too many selfish morons running Third Steet.

I can't say "Downtown" because Andy More doesn't have a downtown. He only has Third Street and it feels great to be gone.
Enjoy the billboards coming your way...

Johnston County Government WRAL TV

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