August 3, 2026
Justice Beyond the Bench For nearly two decades, Judge Addie Rawls served as a District Court Judge with one guiding belief: "A judge who stands for justice does more than sit on a bench." That philosophy shaped every decision she made. After serving as a prosecutor for ten years, she…
July 27, 2026
Judge Addie Rawls has spent decades serving Johnston County in the courtroom, in the community, and now through ministry. In this first of a two-part conversation, she joins Jonathan Breeden to share the experiences that shaped her career and the values that continue to guide her work today. From navigating…
July 20, 2026
Real Estate Through Every Market The real estate market has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Buyers have experienced historically low interest rates, bidding wars, and now a return to a more balanced marketplace. Through every stage of those changes, Lynn Hellman has remained focused on one thing: helping…
July 13, 2026
More Than Just a Red Hot Dog When most people think about Carolina Packers, they immediately think of one thing, the famous Bright Leaf Red Hot Dog. But after sitting down with Justin Raymond, I quickly realized there is much more to this Johnston County company than many of us…
July 6, 2026
Most people don't spend much time thinking about retirement accounts until they're planning for retirement. Unfortunately, divorce often forces those conversations much sooner. In this special edition of The Best of Johnston County Podcast, Jonathan Breeden sits down with social media coordinator Raena Burch to answer some of the most…
June 29, 2026
There are some conversations that impact almost every family sooner or later. This week, I sat down with Irene Brooks, owner of No Place Like Home Senior Services, to talk about one of the biggest challenges many families face: caring for aging parents. What stood out most was that Irene…
June 22, 2026
One of the things I enjoy most about hosting The Best of Johnston County Podcast is getting the chance to sit down with people who are helping shape the future of our community. This week, I had the opportunity to talk with Ryan Overcash, a real estate agent with Costello…
June 15, 2026
A Johnston County Native with Deep Agricultural Roots Nicole Youngblood's story begins right here in Johnston County. Raised in the McGee's Crossroads community, she attended local schools, participated in FFA from middle school through high school, and later earned a degree in Crop Production from NC State University. While she…
June 8, 2026
When Social Media Becomes Courtroom Evidence Many people assume social media is separate from their legal case. In reality, Jonathan explained that social media appears in court far more often than most people realize. The surprising part is that it is rarely used to show someone in a positive light.…
June 1, 2026
Some people build businesses. Others build people. Melissa Overton has spent her career doing both. When Melissa first joined The Best of Johnston County Podcast, we focused on her growing businesses, medicaltraining.me and The Overton Experience. This time, our conversation centered around something even bigger, her new book, Focused and…
May 25, 2026
Sometimes the most interesting conversations happen around industries most of us know very little about. I’ll be honest, before sitting down with Gabriel Smith, I knew enough about animation to enjoy video games and movies, but not much about what goes into creating them. By the end of our conversation,…
May 18, 2026
When Change Starts With One Decision Sometimes the biggest transformations do not begin with a grand plan. They begin with a moment. Amy admitted that fitness was never originally on her radar as a career path. Growing up, she enjoyed movement and running, but healthy habits were not always part…
“Best of Johnston County" is a heartwarming, educational podcast that dives into the stories that make this community unique. Brought to you by the trusted legal experts of Breeden Law Office and hosted by Jonathan Breeden, this show creates a platform showcasing all aspects of life in Johnston County. It features insights from business owners, political figures, community members, and even engages with significant subjects in the realm of family law. Amid the daily hustle and bustle, sometimes, we just take a step back to appreciate what lies at the heart of Johnston County.