Ryan Henkel

34 Posts
Asheboro receives grant funding for downtown garden project

Asheboro receives grant funding for downtown garden project

ASHEBORO – The City of Asheboro took a big step toward beginning a long-planned downtown green-space project. At its regular business meeting earlier this month, the Asheboro City Council accepted a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant award totaling nearly $300,000. The grant will be put toward the David and Pauline Jarrell Center City Garden project, a three-acre public, open space located in walking distance from downtown Asheboro, which has a total projected buildout cost of $1.4 million. “This is a funding source that we began pursuing about two years ago,” assistant city manager Trevor Nuttall said. “That just shows…
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Commissioners welcome new member, select Frye to remain as chairman

Commissioners welcome new member, select Frye to remain as chairman

Darrell Frye, center (File photo) ASHEBORO – Darrell Frye will remain chairman of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners after voting during the first meeting of the newly elected board. At its Dec. 2 meeting, the board swore in new commissioner Lester Rivenbark, who replaced Maxton McDowell as the District 5 representative, and re-elected commissioner Kenny Kidd. Frye was selected as chairman of the board and Kidd was elected as vice chairman. “I thank all of you for your support,” Frye said. “I look across this room tonight and I see many faces that have been here and have been…
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Standout students, employees recognized by RCSS Board of Education

Standout students, employees recognized by RCSS Board of Education

ASHEBORO – The Randolph County Board of Education recognized a few standout performers from across the district at its Nov. 18 regular business meeting. Makayla Eibach, a fifth grade teacher at Ramseur Elementary, was selected as the Outstanding Elementary Math Teacher of the Year for the Randolph County School System. “Each year, the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the North Carolina Department of Instruction recognize outstanding math teachers in our schools,” said public information officer Amber Ward. “They recognize and reward those teachers who make mathematics exciting, nurture their students’ enthusiasm in mathematics, motivate students to excel…
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Asheboro recognized as a top veteran employer

Asheboro recognized as a top veteran employer

ASHEBORO – The City of Asheboro was recognized for its commitment to employing and retaining military veterans as it was awarded a 2024 Gold HIRE Vets Medallion Award. The virtual award ceremony was held Oct. 31 and the board was presented with the information at its Nov. 7 meeting. “The HIRE Vets Program is administered by the US Department of Labor and the acronym stands for Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing Military Veterans,” said human resources generalist Kristen Terry. “This program honors employers who demonstrate exemplary efforts in recruiting, employing and retaining veterans. While we do not have a…
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County approves Ramseur’s request for sheriff’s office connection

County approves Ramseur’s request for sheriff’s office connection

ASHEBORO – The Randolph County Board of Commissioners approved various sheriff’s office items, including an agreement between the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and the Town of Ramseur for the provision of law enforcement services, during a meeting earlier this month. The agreement will pay for five officer and one clerk positions as well as a few additional costs at a total of approximately $478,000, which will be fully reimbursed by the Town of Ramseur. “These additional positions would be utilized to patrol the town, respond to calls for service, conduct crime prevention activities, assist with criminal investigations and provide general…
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Randolph County School System receives more than $100,000 in grant funding

Randolph County School System receives more than $100,000 in grant funding

ASHEBORO – The Randolph County School System has found itself with a bit of extra funding. At its Oct. 21 meeting, the RCSS Board of Education approved the acceptance of two grants. The first was a $50,000 Career and Technical Education Grade Expansion grant from the Education and Workforce Innovation Commission. The grant will provide partial funding to support a middle school career development coordinator whose job is to ensure students have a documented career development plan and will support staff with facilitation of each student’s plan. The second grant is a $60,000 Innovation Grant from the North Carolina Department…
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Asheboro City Council tackles busy October agenda

Asheboro City Council tackles busy October agenda

ASHEBORO – The Asheboro City Council met for its monthly meeting last week with quite a busy agenda. The council first held three legislative hearings with the first being for an application to apply initial city zoning on more than 2,200 acres of NC Zoological Park and NC Zoological Society property recently annexed into the city limits. “The property was relatively recently annexed into the city limits by an act of the General Assembly and under state law, the city has to apply city zoning to all property within its jurisdiction,” assistant city manager Trevor Nuttall said. Nuttall said the…
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Commissioners approve purchase of property for new elementary school in Liberty

Commissioners approve purchase of property for new elementary school in Liberty

ASHEBORO – Randolph County has taken a big step toward the construction of a new elementary school as the Randolph County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of land for the new Liberty Elementary School. At its Oct. 7 meeting, the board approved the purchase of 32 acres of land at a sale price of $62,500 per acre located at 4547 Starmount Road for the site. “The board and myself believe this is the best site for the new school,”  Randolph County School System superintendent Stephen Gainey said. “The feasibility study may require us to buy more, so we’ve been…
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Contract extended for RCSS superintendent Stephen Gainey

Contract extended for RCSS superintendent Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO – Stephen Gainey, who has been the superintendent of the Randolph County School System since 2013, had his contract extended by the Board of Education for an additional four years with his term now set to end June 30, 2028. “Dr. Gainey continues to lead the Randolph County School System with strategic, long-term thinking and thoughtful attention to the needs of our students and staff,” the board said in a released statement. “Over the last year, Dr. Gainey planned for the future in our county. At the same time, Dr. Gainey elevated the parts of the school system that…
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Asheboro City Council hears multiple property matters

Asheboro City Council hears multiple property matters

ASHEBORO – It was a busy agenda for the Asheboro City Council at its Sept. 5 regular business meeting as the council held five hearings all dealing with zoning or land-use requests. The first was for 0.9 acres of property located at 841 Cross St. to be zoned as an amended B2 (General Commercial) conditional zoning in order to construct a covered seating area, walk-in cooler and outdoor grill at an eating establishment (The Taco Loco). “I’d love to see it go in there, but I personally think they need to show us a little more parking,” council member Joey…
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