Bob Sutton - Randolph Record

01 Oct

Election board sets times for early voting

Bob SuttonNewsAsheboro, early voting, Randolph County Board of Elections

ASHEBORO -- Early voting begins Oct. 20 and runs daily, except on Sundays, through Nov. 5. Election Day is Nov. 8. Early voting runs from 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays (Oct. 22 and 29), and from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 5. There are four early voting locations. Randolph County residents can cast ballots at any of those. On Election Day, voters can only vote at their designated precincts. The early voting sites are: Randolph County Board of Elections, 1457 North Fayetteville St., Asheboro; Braxton Craven School gym, 7037 NC Highway 62, Trinity; Randleman Civic…

30 Sep

Liberty to change water meters

Bob SuttonNewsLiberty, water

LIBERTY – The Town of Liberty will replace old, outdated water meters with new digital water meters during the month of October. Vepo Solutions is assisting with this project. According to information provided by town officials, the goal is to have most customers’ water meters replaced by Oct. 31. Once the change takes place at each site, a door tag will be left indicating the switch has been made. The Town of Liberty also issued an announcement pointing out that utility bills were sent out with incorrect amounts due last week. Corrected bills were to be sent out. The memo…

28 Sep

Toyota tags funds for education to aid workforce

Bob SuttonNewsLiberty, North Carolina A&T University, Randolph County Schools, Toyota

LIBERTY – Toyota wants to help mold the workforce for the new plant at the Guilford-Randolph megasite. In what company officials describe as an effort to boost workforce readiness and exposure, donations totaling $1 million will be used to expand education opportunities. The effort comes to boost what’s called STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics). Communities in Schools of Randolph County and North Carolina A&T University will each receive $500,000 to help strengthen STEAM education programs that support career readiness. This could be a big deal in Randolph County. Grant funds will be used to support students, empowering…

27 Sep

Prep Notes: Dates change for football games; Check on soccer successes, streaks for volleyball teams

Bob SuttonSportsprep football, prep soccer, Prep volleyball, Thomas Dobias

Lyndsey Cassell of Faith Christian spikes the ball last week in a volleyball match vs. visiting North Moore. Faith Christian won the non-conference match in five sets. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Football games for this week in Randolph County have been adjusted because of the potential of an impact to weather in the area coming from Hurricane Ian. Some announcements about changes came at the beginning of the week. Asheboro’s game against visiting Oak Grove in a Mid-Piedmont Conference opener has been shifted from Friday night to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. All three games in the Piedmont Athletic Conference also are set…

23 Sep

Spooky Woods scares up attention for Archdale

Bob SuttonFeaturesArchdale, Haunted houses, Kersey Valley, Spooky Woods, Tony Wohlgemuth

Kersey Valley has become a must-visit attraction for many thrill seekers each autumn. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ARCHDALE – While Kersey Valley’s Spooky Woods has grown to become more technical with special effects, owner Tony Wohlgemuth said he understands the grassroots nature of the themed venue. Now the Archdale business has gained considerable national attention. “This particular year, it got picked up a lot,” Wohlgemuth said of listings among the best haunted attractions nationally. “It puts Archdale on the map with a lot of big cities.” The scene is a fictional town called Kersey Valley. The oldest attraction at Kersey Valley…

22 Sep

Eastern Randolph QB cuts weight, but still wants to feast on victories

Bob SuttonSportsBurton Cates, Eastern Randolph, football, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, prep sports, Stratton Barwick

Quarterback Stratton Barwick of Eastern Randolph bulls his way for a touchdown against Walkertown earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – The thought of the quarterback for Eastern Randolph’s wildly successful football team being the big man on campus wasn’t a grand idea for veteran coach Burton Cates. He put Stratton Barwick on a diet. Now a bit swifter, Barwick hopes to put the Wildcats on the fast track again this year. Listed at 6-foot-1, Barwick is down to about 235 pounds after playing the 2021 season at 250. “He has gotten a step quicker,” Cates said. This weight…

20 Sep

Elementary teacher takes pride in RCSS honor

Bob SuttonNewsRandolph County School System, Randolph County Schools, RCSS, Teacher of the Year

Sophie Herring was selected as the Teacher of the Year for the Randolph County School System. (Courtesy photo) ASHEBORO – Once Sophie Herring discovered the joys of teaching, she became hooked. The elementary school teacher has been rewarded for her efforts in classrooms and among her peers by being named the Teacher of the Year for the Randolph County School System. “I know I’m young in the career,” she said. “It’s a huge honor. I’ve been overwhelmed with the love I’ve gotten from this.” She spent the past six school years teaching third grade at Trindale Elementary School. Her selection…

16 Sep

Former Asheboro AD takes conference role

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Charlie Chapman, Mid-Piedmont Conference, Steve Luck

ASHEBORO – Steve Luck didn’t stay away from high school athletics for long. The former Asheboro High School athletics director is the new commissioner of the Mid-Piedmont Conference. “Those ADs in the Mid-Piedmont know me and I know them,” Luck said. “I’m working with six ADs and those guys are good at what they do.” Luck replaces long-time commissioner Charlie Chapman, who reduced his workload and yet remains commissioner of the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Luck retired from Asheboro in the spring. Yet he remained an interested observer of the Blue Comets as his son, sophomore Ben Luck, is a participant…

15 Sep

Wolfspeed should have impact in Randolph County

Bob SuttonNewsCarolina Core, Chatham County, randolph county, Siler City, Wolfspeed Inc.

SILER CITY — Randolph County officials had roles in helping secure a major industrial project for nearby Siler City. Certainly, the impact will be felt in neighboring counties when Wolfspeed, Inc. cranks up operations in 2023 in Chatham County. The 1,800 new jobs should be created by 2030. Wolfspeed will construct a manufacturing campus for the production of Silicon Carbide materials. The governor’s office reported that an investment of approximately $5 billion across the next eight years will be made in the Town of Siler City. Founded and headquartered in Durham, Wolfspeed is described as a global leader in the…

13 Sep

Area Prep Notes: Asheboro hits pause in volleyball season; Blue Comets excel in soccer

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Mid-Piedmont Conference, prep cross country, prep soccer, Prep volleyball

Cristian Ortiz, right, of Asheboro makes a move on Southwestern Randolph’s Richard Dominguez during a boys’ soccer game earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The Asheboro volleyball team hoped to be back in action this week after a health-related pause. The Blue Comets called off two matches last week and another for Monday night. Athletics director Wes Berrier said five team members were hit by COVID-19, so team activities were shut down. A Mid-Piedmont Conference match with Oak Grove was reset for Thursday at South Asheboro Middle School, which is the team’s temporary home court. A non-conference match…