Most Recent Podcasts

November 17, 2025

How Johnston County’s New Tourism Leader Plans to Celebrate Our Community

When I sat down with Aaron Mullins for this episode of The Best of Johnston County Podcast, I knew he was brand new to the job. He had started at the beginning of August and was just finishing his fourth week as the new President and CEO of the Johnston…

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November 10, 2025

What Every Blended Family Should Know About Stepparent Rights in North Carolina

On this week’s episode of The Best of Johnston County Podcast, we’re tackling a topic that hits home for a lot of families—stepparent rights. This was one of our special “Ask Jonathan Anything” episodes, where my social media coordinator, Raena Burch, joins me to ask some of the most common…

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November 3, 2025

From Family Roots to Community Revival

If you’ve followed The Best of Johnston County Podcast for a while, you already know I have a soft spot for Selma. The town has changed so much over the last decade, and every time I walk down Raiford Street I’m reminded how far it’s come. In this episode, I…

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October 27, 2025

A Local Leader with a Global Impact

One of the things I love most about this podcast is how often I get to sit across from someone who, on paper, might look like a big-time executive — but turns out to be just as down-to-earth and rooted in this community as anyone I’ve ever met. That’s exactly…

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October 20, 2025

From Brooklyn to Selma: The Heart and Hustle of Adele Walker

When I first started The Best of Johnston County Podcast more than two years ago, my goal was simple: to shine a light on the people who make this community special. Every week, I’ve had the chance to sit down with business owners, civic leaders, and neighbors who care deeply…

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October 13, 2025

More Than Firefighting: How Cleveland’s Fire Department Keeps the Community Together

I’ve had the privilege of sitting down with a lot of local leaders over the past two years, but few have shown the kind of community-first thinking that Cleveland Fire Chief Chris Ellington does. This was my second interview with him for the show, and while the first one dug…

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October 6, 2025

Building Community Through Service: The Woman’s Club of Clayton with President Trish Perna

On this week’s episode of The Best of Johnston County Podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Trish Perna, the president of the Woman’s Club of Clayton. We talked about her journey to Johnston County, how she got involved in community service, and the tremendous impact the club…

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September 29, 2025

Ask Jonathan Breeden Anything: Celebrating 100 Episodes

When we started The Best of Johnston County Podcast back in November 2023, I honestly wasn’t sure we’d even make it to 20 episodes. We had one camera, a clunky software setup, and no idea if anyone would watch. Now here we are, celebrating episode 100 — and I can…

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September 22, 2025

Building Parks, Building Community: An Update from Johnston County’s Parks and Open Space Director

Every so often on The Best of Johnston County Podcast, I have a guest whose episode sparks more questions than any other. For me, that’s Adrian O’Neal, Johnston County’s Parks and Open Space Director. Nearly two years after his first appearance, people still ask me about that conversation at least…

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September 15, 2025

From Peer Pressure to Leadership: The Journey of Cleveland Fire Chief Chris Ellington

As host of The Best of Johnston County Podcast, I get the privilege of sitting down with people who truly make this community special. In this episode, I had the chance to talk with Cleveland Fire Chief Chris Ellington, and his story is one of small-town roots, unexpected beginnings, and…

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September 8, 2025

Finding Light in Loss: Camp Courage and the SECU Hospice House

One of the things I love about hosting The Best of Johnston County Podcast is that it gives me the chance to highlight people who are doing meaningful work in our community. In this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with April Barbour-Capps, a social worker and bereavement…

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September 1, 2025

Ask Jonathan Breeden Anything: What Happens to the House in a Divorce?

One of the most common and emotional questions I hear as a family law attorney is simple: what happens to the house in a divorce? In this special “Ask Jonathan Anything” edition of The Best of Johnston County Podcast, I sat down with my social media coordinator, Raena Burch, to…

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