Matt Mercer - Randolph Record

14 Feb

Rep. Hudson meets with farmers, discusses ag and rural issues

Matt MercerNewsagriculture, rep. richard hudson, rural

SILER CITY — Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09) joined farmers and agricultural interests for a discussion on Thursday, Feb. 8 at Bestfood Cafeteria in Siler City. In between bites of fried chicken and refills of sweet tea, Hudson talked about the importance of the agriculture industry in North Carolina. “Our farmers are backbone of our communities and in addition to providing us with the most abundant, cheapest food in the world, the food and fiber we need to survive as a country comes from our farmers,” Hudson told North State Journal. “I’ve always been committed to helping them fight off federal…

30 Aug

Annual Randolph County visitor impact report shows 3.8% increase

Matt MercerNewseconomic impact report, nc tourism, nc travel

ASHEBORO — Domestic and international visitors to and within Randolph County spent $178.63 million in 2022, an increase of 3.8% from 2021, according to new data. The spending report comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. State tax revenue generated in Randolph County totaled around $7.9 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. About $4.7 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses. Statewide, North Carolina set a record for visitor…

27 Sep

Will NC become latest state to offer sports betting?

Matt MercerSports

RALEIGH – A bill currently in the General Assembly would add North Carolina to a growing list of states offering sports betting following a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that permits states to do so. The decision in the case, Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, opened sports betting to each individual state. In a 6-3 decision, Justice Samuel Alito said that, “Congress may not simply ‘commandeer the legislative process of the States by directly compelling them to enact and enforce a federal regulatory program.’” The result permitted each state to consider their own plans for sports betting. Since that…

07 Jul

Celebrating freedom is a local tradition

Matt MercerNewsIndependence Day, Millboro, Tony Trogdon

MILLBORO — Taking the scenic route home can take you through some interesting places in North Carolina. Taking the scenic route in 1999 led Tony Trogdon to start a Randolph County tradition that has lasted 22 years — an Independence Day parade. Trogdon and his wife, Sondra, took a drive to Mount Airy in 1999 on the Fourth of July. They decided to take the long way home and found themselves in the middle of a parade in the town of Shoals in Surry County. The Trogdons saw classic cars, trucks, bicycles, floats, and emergency vehicles parading along a rural…