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County schools extend superintendent’s contract

County schools extend superintendent’s contract

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Education met Monday and voted to extend the contract of system superintendent Stephen Gainey. The board members said in a release they appreciated the difficulty of navigating the delivery of education during the Covid-19 pandemic and applauded Gainey’s dedication, long hours, and focus during the constantly changing situation. The board extended Gainey's contract through June 30, 2025, and awarded him a salary increase of 4%.
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Zoo collecting cell phones … for gorillas

Zoo collecting cell phones … for gorillas

ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Zoo is asking people to donate old cell phones, tablets or music players such as iPods to help gorillas around the world. The initiative, known as Gorillas on the Line … Answer the Call, is part of a worldwide project to protect gorilla habitats. A key component to cell phone electronics is a metal called coltan. One of the few places it can be mined is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the mining destroys habitats.
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Water main break causes damage in downtown Asheboro

Water main break causes damage in downtown Asheboro

ASHEBORO -- A water line broke under the downtown water tower in Asheboro today causing localized flooding, a sink hole and damage to a telecommunications structure. The 10-inch water main failed around midday a resulted in damage to a Verizon communications building which was located beneath the prominent water tower. Red mud covered Church Street and cleanup efforts were underway around 1pm. City crews as well as private contractors were on sight to assess and mitigate damage. The downtown water tower houses many telecommunications antennae. No major outtages have been reported. North State Journal has reached out to city officials…
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BUDD: Delivering a Critical Win for NC Chicken Farmers

BUDD: Delivering a Critical Win for NC Chicken Farmers

Even though hyper-partisan legislation has dominated Congress this year, I’ve remained focused on identifying ways to support the largest industry in North Carolina: agriculture. As you may know,  I grew up on my family’s cattle and chicken farm in Davie County, and I still live there with my wife and children. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many farmers saw a significant decline in their business. As a result, Congress swiftly established the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). This important relief program within the CARES Act helped farmers across America who suffered a 5% or greater price decline as…
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Randleman racks up baseball recruits

Randleman racks up baseball recruits

RANDLEMAN — As if the past season wasn’t good enough for Randleman’s baseball players, the offseason has been productive in many ways as well. The Tigers, who are fresh off a Class 2-A state championship won in late June, have been racking up college offers and subsequent commitments. “It has been amazing,” catcher Brooks Brannon said. “I don’t think the state championship alone did it. All the guys are grinders. It’s awesome.” Brannon had committed to North Carolina prior to the latest season. Others in the now-senior class have been accepting offers in the weeks since the Tigers won the…
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Labonte contends in Caraway feature

Labonte contends in Caraway feature

SOPHIA – Bobby Labonte, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, had to settle for second place at Caraway Speedway. That’s because Jonathan Brown won for the first time in the SMART Modified Tour, edging Labonte in Saturday night’s 99-lap race. Brown became the seventh different driver to win on the SMART Modified Tour this year. Labonte previously won this year at Dillon Motor Speedway and Carteret County. “We were off a little bit in qualifying, I didn’t feel like I got a good lap, but we were able to start third on the redraw and get some points for the 30-lap…
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Patriots pad early resume

Patriots pad early resume

CLIMAX – Each week there has been something to cherish for Providence Grove’s football team. That came in various doses in Friday night’s 28-14 triumph against visiting Asheboro. “Anytime you can beat one of the bigger schools in the county, that’s huge,” Providence Grove coach Calvin Brown said. Providence Grove is 4-0 for just the second time in school history. It’s shaping up as a potential special season for the Patriots. “They’re aware of it,” Brown said of the place in history early in the season. “I want them to understand that it’s something special.” This week, the Patriots try…
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Boutique adds to Ramseur business landscape

Boutique adds to Ramseur business landscape

RAMSEUR — Hannah Harper’s vision for a thriving boutique began to come together even during the challenging days of the pandemic. When she realized that expansion was feasible, she wanted that growth to happen in a place where she’s comfortable. So downtown Ramseur became the destination for Stella Laine Boutique. “We just grew so fast and we were looking for something much bigger,” Harper said. “I was trying to bring something like this here.” A grand opening for the business is scheduled for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Weatherly Square store. Harper, 24, began the business online in 2020.…
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Athlete of the Week: Jensen Auman

Athlete of the Week: Jensen Auman

Jensen Auman Providence Grove | Cross Country | Sophomore Auman, a sophomore, won the Millennium Charter Academy Invitational, helping the Patriots to the team title at Beeson Park in Kernersville. Auman finished the 5-kilometer race in 23 minutes, 55.61 seconds for about a 13-second victory on runner-up Annika Bell of East Wilkes. There was a field of 43 runners. On the boys’ side, Wheatmore was the team champion among a field of 12 scoring teams. Providence Grove, led by third-place individual Robert Burton, was the team runner-up. Burton finished in 20:00.03, with Wheatmore’s Zach Hazelwood fourth in a personal-best 20:06.90.…
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