Blog - Randolph Record

24 Apr

Furniture-related jobs take dip in county; High Point Market coming up soon

Bob SuttonEvents, Newsfurniture, High Point Market, randolph county, Randolph County Economic Development Corporation

Here's one of the world's largest dressers in Jamestown in nearby Guilford County. ASHEBORO — The number of furniture-related jobs has declined in recent years in Randolph County, but the impact from the furniture industry remains crucial in the county. The status of the furniture industry will be one of the major topics of conversation revolving around High Point Market, with the spring dates scheduled for April 26-30. This is an international trade fair for residential furniture and interior design. Lisa Bennett, manager for marketing and research with the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation, said a couple of years ago…

23 Apr

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Emma Julian

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, athlete of the week, Emma Julian, prep soccer

Asheboro, girls’ soccer The senior captain has helped Asheboro keep control at times in the back end. She is a defender for the Blue Comets. She’s often described as an anchor on the defensive end, though her contributions have extended up the field. Asheboro won four of its last five games entering this week to reach the 10-win mark overall. Two of those results came via shutouts. The Blue Comets will go into next week with a share of second place in the Mid-Piedmont Conference with four league games remaining.

23 Apr

Asheboro council approves playground repair contract at sportsplex

Ryan HenkelGovernment, NewsAsheboro City Council, David Smith, Joey Trogdon, Kevin Franklin, Zoo City Sportsplex

ASHEBORO – The City of Asheboro is aiming for a summer reopening of the playground area at the Zoo City Sportsplex. At its April meeting, the council approved a $200,000 allocation for needed repairs to the playground. “Basically what we had were drains that were stopped up and a compaction issue,” city manager Donald Duncan said. “So we’re going to go back, remove some of the equipment, kind of do a surgical operation in place, repair the equipment and compact and solidify the area to get it back in service.” Barring any setbacks, the reopening is anticipated for the middle…

22 Apr

Champion teen driver from Asheboro goes full speed ahead

Bob SuttonSportsARCA, Asheboro, London McKenzie, Stock car racing

London McKenzie, a teenager from Asheboro, has a role with a racing team to compete in ARCA races this year. (Courtesy photo) ASHEBORO — At 15 years old, London McKenzie has already experienced the thrill of stepping out of a race car in victory lane. The Asheboro boy has been driving on various tracks since before he was a teenager. He’s a national champion. He’s in his first season with CW Motorsports in the ARCA series, steering the No. 93 Chevrolet. “Being in ARCA still feels like a dream to me,” McKenzie said. “Flying through the corners in a big-body…

21 Apr

College baseball: Atkins holds role with Catawba

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Catawba College, College baseball, Gage Miller, Hunter Atkins, Randleman Tigers

Hunter Atkins had a productive season with the Asheboro ZooKeepers last summer before his first season for Catawba. (Randolph Record) The roles for Hunter Atkins on the baseball field have evolved the past couple of years, but he’s still making contributions. The former Randleman standout is a left fielder for Catawba, which is one of the top Division II baseball teams in the country. Atkins played in 40 of Catawba’s first 44 games. He’s batting .317 with 11 doubles, two triples and 26 runs batted in. The No. 11 Indians began this week with a 32-12 record, including first-place mark…

18 Apr

Prep baseball: Area teams collect mixed results during spring break

Randolph RecordSportsAndrew Thomas, Asheboro Blue Comets, Braxton Walker, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jake Riddle, Prep baseball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Trinity’s Nick Beane dives toward the plate to score a run against Wilmington Christian. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) There were many winners among Randolph County baseball teams during spring break. Asheboro and Randleman both won twice, while other teams largely struggled. Here’s a look at some of the results: ** In the ZooKeepers Classic at McCrary Park in Asheboro, Wheatmore, Southwestern Randolph and Eastern Randolph all finished with losing marks. Southwestern Randolph went 1-2, winning with an 11-1 whipping of Southern Lee behind three runs batted in apiece from Brady Armfield and Jake Gainey combined with Lane Poole’s pitching…

18 Apr

County lures manufacturer to former Hughes Furniture site

Bob SuttonNewsDarrell Frye, randolph county

ASHEBORO — A manufacturer that has been mostly based in Mid-Atlantic states is coming to Randolph County. Gillespie Precast is expected to bring about 60 jobs across a five-year period to a location in the southwestern part of the county on High Pine Church Road based on this week’s announcement. Gillespie Precast is a family-owned and operated precast concrete manufacturer serving utility and site contractors in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. “While we had several locations within North Carolina and Virginia targeted in our expansion plans, once we walked the property at High Pine Church Road it was…

16 Apr

Public hearing to be held for potential closure of Virtual Academy at Randolph

Ryan HenkelNewsEducation, Randolph County Board of Education, Randolph County School System, RCSS, Stephen Gainey, The Virtual Academy at Randolph

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County School System is looking to close the Virtual Academy at Randolph. At the Randolph County Schools Board of Education’s meeting this month, the board was presented with a study the district had done which focused primarily on the “welfare of the students who are enrolled in the school should the Virtual Academy at Randolph be closed.” “If we sent the students back to their schools that they were assigned to because of the closure of this school, it would not lead to any disruptive enrollment increases in those schools,” said Stephen Gainey, RCSS superintendent. “The closure…

16 Apr

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Jose Ramirez

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Jose Ramirez, Prep baseball, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy, baseball Ramirez, a senior outfielder, has been one of the leading batters for the Eagles, who are contenders in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Ramirez had four runs batted in last week when UCA pummeled Eastern Randolph. The Eagles entered this week with victories in three of their last four games, with the lone loss during that stretch in extra innings.

15 Apr

Davidson, Ward split top results in Caraway’s Limited Late Models

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Dylan Ward, Grant Davidson, Ron Mock, Stock car racing

Dylan Ward, a regular driver at Caraway Speedway, and his team members and supporters celebrate a victory from one of the Limited Late Models features Saturday night at Caraway Speedway. (Caraway Speedway photo) SOPHIA — Grant Davidson and Dylan Ward split the Limited Late Models features Saturday night at Caraway Speedway. Ward, the fast qualifier, held the lead in the first event until Davidson’s mid-race pass gave him the lead that he didn’t relinquish. Bryson Brinkley finished third ahead of London McKenzie, Brandon Cox, Daniel Schadt, Cody Griffin and Larry Isenhower. In the second race, Ward kept the lead amid…