ASHEBORO – Politics tended to dominate much of the conversation in Randolph County during 2024.
Even the presidential campaign made inroads in the county.
There was an August campaign event featuring Donald Trump, who was voted back into office in November.
The November results weren’t only favorable for Trump among Republicans. The party maintained its stronghold on local politics.
That included the Randolph County Board of Commissioners, who remained dominated by Republicans. Lester Rivenbark was elected to become a newcomer on the board.
There were heavy voter turnouts in Randolph County, pretty much mirroring what was happening around the state and in other parts of the country.
Also in the political circles, David Smith said he won’t run in 2025 for the Asheboro’s mayor seat that he has held for four terms.
Tragedy strikes youth
The year was also accompanied by grief for some school communities.
Prior to the school year beginning in late summer, two Eastern Randolph High School students were killed in an automobile accident. Mario Lara and Tyler Franklin died as a result of the wreck not far from the school.
Later this fall, Southwestern Randolph student Adrian Jimenez Alvarado, 15, died from injuries stemming from an automobile accident.
Last spring, the killing of Southwestern Randolph student Pedro Ortiz-Perez resulted in great sadness and then the spawning of an outpouring of support from pockets of the community. He died in Asheboro from a gunshot wound in an incident in Asheboro. A teenager faces charges in the case.
Ortiz-Perez was a member of the Southwestern Randolph boys’ soccer team. Months after his death, the team put together a strong season and came one victory shy of winning the Class 2A state championship in November.
Projects peak
From a business and development standpoint, there were ongoing projects.
One that seemed to reach a form of completion came with the formal opening of the Zoo City Sportsplex. That was a years-long project that was spearheaded by the City of Asheboro.
Plus, the Greensboro-Randolph megasite is often in the news as the sprawling Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant impacts the Liberty area in particular.
As part of an offshoot of that facility and the increased traffic stemming from it was the designation of U.S. Highway 421 as future Interstate-685.
