Borrowing a phrase from Dirty Harry, is the Wake County school system feeling lucky now?

As noted in today's article, school leaders aren't thrilled that they're facing $20 million in state cuts for the coming fiscal year. But they're at least relieved that, for now, they're not looking at teacher layoffs.

"The cuts are pretty severe but I'm glad that Wake County still has some flexibility," said Keith Sutton, chairman of the school board's finance committee.

I got a call today from Gene Britt of Princeton. He'd read our story about census participation and wanted to know how he could get a form. Though many of his neighbors get home mail delivery, he gets his through a post-office box and because of that, he didn't get his form in the mail.

"I would like to fill one out, but I don't know how to get one," Britt said.

It's difficult to tell how many folks in Johnston County are in Britt's position, but the U.S. Census Bureau wants to make sure he's counted. Their Web site asks anyone who didn't get a form by Monday (April 12) to pick up and fill out a "Be Counted" form.

Here are some of the places where those forms are available:

Smithfield:

-Johnston-Lee-Harnett Community Action, 101 N. Fourth St. Forms are available from 8 a.m. till 3 p.m. Monday through Friday; someone's there to help people fill out forms from 2 till 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

-Johnston County Board of Elections, 205 S. Second St. Forms are available from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

-Johnston County Mental Health, 521 N. Bright Leaf Blvd. Forms are available from 8 a.m till 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Someone's there to help people fill out forms from 8 a.m. till 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

Benson:
-Benson Chamber of Commerce, 303 E. Church St. Forms are available from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; someone’s there to help fill out forms from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Wilson’s Mills:
-Wilson’s Mills Town Hall, 101 Railroad St. Forms are available from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. on Fridays. Someone’s there to help from 11:30 a.m. till 2:30 p.m. weekdays.

Princeton:
-Princeton Town Hall, 503 Dr. Donnie H. Jones Jr. Blvd. Forms are available from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. weekdays with help available from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m.

Four Oaks:
-Four Oaks Town Hall, 304 N. Main St. Forms are available from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. weekdays.

Selma:
-Partnership for Children of Johnston County, 1406-A S. Pollock St. Forms are available from 1 p.m. till 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Census Bureau site doesn't list any Clayton locations.

The number of foreclosure filings in North Carolina this year was 46,363 at the end of September, the N.C. state Administrative Office of the Courts reported today, and are on pace to exceed 2008 filings.

There were 873 September filings reported in Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake counties. Foreclosure filings increased in Wake and Durham over the previous month.

Durham County had 176 filings in August and 187 in September, while Wake County's filings totaled 527 in September compared to 468 in August.

Foreclosure filings between June and September in the four-county region were up 35 percent from the previous four-month period.

Foreclosure filings in North Carolina totaled 53,961 in 2008.

What N&O readers have to say about Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell and his comments about illegal immigrants. These letters appear online only.