Bob Sutton - Randolph Record

02 Feb

UCA, Trinity head to state finals Saturday in Greensboro

Bob SuttonSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, Dual team state finals, Greensboro Coliseum complex, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, UCA Eagles, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Members of the Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team pose for a photo after winning the Class 1-A East Region title Wednesday night at home. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) GREENSOBORO – Trinity and Uwharrie Charter Academy will try to capture state championships in dual team wrestling Saturday afternoon. Trinity is bidding for its first state crown when it takes on Seaforth in the Class 2-A final at noon. UCA (34-1) will tangle with Avery County (30-1) for the third year in a row and for the fourth time in as many tournaments in Class 1-A at 3 p.m. Avery County won in…

01 Feb

Asheboro police chief to retire, successor named

Bob SuttonNewsAsheboro Police Department, City of Asheboro, Mark Lineberry, Robbie Brown

Mark Lineberry (Courtesy photo) ASHEBORO – Police chief Mark Lineberry is retiring from the City of Asheboro after more than three decades with the department. The retirement is effective March 1. At that time, assistant chief Robbie Brown will be promoted to police chief, with major Jay Hanson becoming assistant chief. “These two individuals are very capable of leading the Asheboro Police Department and this should be a smooth transition for the department and the City of Asheboro,” the city’s release on the transition said. Lineberry began a career in law enforcement in 1992. He became police chief in October…

01 Feb

Yarbrough leaves Wheatmore football post

Bob SuttonSportsPhilip Yarbrough, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Wheatmore athletics, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore coach Philip Yarbrough, left, talks with quarterback Ben Walker during a 2021 game. (Randolph Record file photo) TRINITY – Philip Yarbrough called it a move that he agonized about before resigning as Wheatmore’s football coach after seven seasons and 13 total years as a coach at the school. But family matters and professional pursuits led him to the conclusion to step down. “It’s bittersweet,” he said. “Going to take a step back and catch my breath. There’s a lot going on that I thought it was best for the program. … This is, by far, the hardest decision I’ve…

25 Jan

Eastern Randolph basketball teams still hope for rewards

Bob SuttonSportsEastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Johnny Thomas, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball

Coach Johnny Thomas talks to his Eastern Randolph boys’ basketball team during a game last month. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – The win-loss record looks drastically different for Eastern Randolph’s boys’ basketball team from a year ago. But second-year coach Johnny Thomas said there could be a payoff in the coming weeks. Thomas lined up the Wildcats for a stiff schedule this season and the game results have been mixed. “What a lot of people don’t understand,” Thomas said. “They ask the question: Why would you play this team? Why would you play this team? Why would I not?” So…

20 Jan

Escapee caught in Liberty

Bob SuttonNewscrime, N.C. Department of Adult Correction, Randolph County Sheriff's Department

Ronnie Dwayne East (N.C. Department of Adult Correction) LIBERTY – A Raleigh prisoner with Randolph County ties was apprehended near Ramsey Julian Road in Liberty on Friday at least a couple of hours after he left a Raleigh work site. Ronnie Dwayne East, 41, was captured by Randolph County sheriff’s deputies around 5:10 p.m. He had been discovered missing shortly after 3 p.m. based on information from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. Based on reports from law enforcement, East stole a state-owned pickup truck from the work site. Upon his capture, East was transported to another correctional facility.…

20 Jan

New councilman reconnects Trogdon family to Asheboro city hall

Bob SuttonGovernment, NewsAsheboro City Council, City of Asheboro, Joey Trogdon

Joey Trogdon (Courtesy photo) ASHEBORO – With a family legacy of involvement in City of Asheboro government, Joey Trogdon figured if he was going to participate this might be the last chance. So he ran for a spot on the Asheboro city council and won in November. “I thought about it in the past,” Trogdon said. “Then (around 2008) with the recession it was kind of all hands on deck to keep the business. Now seemed like a good time.” His father, Joe Trogdon, spent about three decades in Asheboro politics, first on the city council and then as mayor.…

17 Jan

Trinity keeps strong grip on wrestling opponents

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Coggins, Levi Dennis, prep wrestling, Spencer May, Trinity Bulldogs

TRINITY – Trinity’s wrestling team has rolled into the final week of the regular season with numerous accomplishments and visions of even more. The Bulldogs held a 29-0 record after posting five more victories in Saturday’s Patriot Duals. Coach Brandon Coggins of Trinity said the Bulldogs are motivated, in part because of failing to reach the Class 2-A dual team championships two seasons ago with a narrow loss in the regional finals. “I think they still have a bad taste in their months,” Coggins said. “They’ve always had that chip on their shoulders for two years.” A core group of…

13 Jan

Asheboro man heard around the state

Bob SuttonFeatures, SportsAmerican Legion baseball, Asheboro, Don Bullins, N.C. State athletics, PA announcer

Don Bullins of Asheboro makes some pregame announcements recently at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) RALEIGH – Don Bullins of Asheboro has been a busy man behind the mic as a public address announcer for various sports events during the past month. In some ways, it’s a continuation of assignments during many stretches of the year. Just since December, he has handled assignments for high school football and basketball and college basketball. “It has been a busy few weeks,” Bullins said. “I didn’t take off a lot of time.” Bullins spends a good amount of time as a…

09 Jan

Archdale’s new library branch manager makes shift

Bob SuttonFeatures, NewsArchdale Public Library, Ashley Rose, Randolph County Public Libraries

Ashley Rose (Courtesy photo) ARCHDALE – Ashley Rose is the new branch manager of the Archdale Public Library and thankful for the opportunity. “It’s a pretty rare occasion when one of these becomes open,” Rose said last week. Rose replaces retired Matt Shaw, who finished at the end of 2023. He retired after 13 years. “I had been training with Matt in December,” Rose said. “I already worked with the Randolph County Public Libraries, so it was a good transition.” Rose came from the Asheboro Public Library, where she was primarily in the children’s room. The Randolph County library system…

08 Jan

Full Moon shines on downtown Asheboro

Bob SuttonBusinessAsheboro restaurants, downtown asheboro, Full Moon Oyster Bar

Full Moon Oyster Bar and Seafood Kitchen opened its Asheboro location last week in downtown. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The management of the Full Moon Oyster Bar and Seafood Kitchen couldn’t wait to get started in Asheboro. Vice president and part-owner Rob Russell said the eatery got off to a grand start last week in its downtown location. In some ways, landing in Asheboro was an unexpected development. “I didn’t know if it would suit us,” Russell said of the process that began about 15 months ago. “Like almost all the Full Moons we have, this location kind of…