Government - Randolph Record

15 Feb

Toyota announces electric car parts production expansion

The Associated PressBusiness, Government, NewsElectric Vehicles, Toyota

BUFFALO, W.Va. — Toyota Motor Corp. announced Friday that it will further expand production of electric vehicle parts at plants in West Virginia and Tennessee in a $90 million investment. The announcement comes three months after the Japanese automaker said it would invest $240 million to add a production line dedicated to hybrid powertrains at its facility in Buffalo, West Virginia. The latest upgrade involves spending $73 million at the plant to annually assemble an estimated 120,000 rear motor stators, a key component in electric motors. “Toyota is moving quickly toward an electrified future, and West Virginia will play a…

02 Feb

Citizens make voices heard against vaccine mandates

Randolph RecordGovernment, NewsCOVID, covid-19, Joe Biden, SCOTUS, vaccine

PINEHURST — Citizen groups across the globe are protesting vaccine mandates as vaccine effectiveness against new variants of the COVID-19 virus has waned and Americans who are vaccinated are not showing high demand for boosters. On January 23, tens of thousands of people rallied on the National Mall to oppose government vaccine requirements. Mitch Lancaster, a Moore County resident and former Southern Pines councilman, was one of the attendees from across the country to attend the event. “I was thoroughly impressed with the doctors, their speeches and their commitment to the patient/doctor relationship. These men and women have taken a…

21 Jan

Robin Sage set to begin Jan 22

Randolph RecordGovernment, Newsmilitary

In this Jan. 14, 2009 photo, Bob Snyder, also known as Pineland Bob, right, maps out a transportation plan with a soldier during the Special Forces' Robin Sage exercise in Ramseur, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) RALEIGH — Special Forces candidates will participate in a two-week training exercise across 25 North Carolina counties this week, a news release from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School says. The participants are students at Fort Bragg. Robin Sage is the culmination exercise and has been the litmus test for Soldiers striving to earn the Green Beret for more than 40 years.…

19 Jan

White House soft-launches COVID-19 test request website

Associated PressGovernment, NationBiden Administration, covid-19, White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free at-home COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially go online. The website, COVIDTests.gov, now includes a link for Americans to access an order form run by the U.S. Postal Service. People can order four at-home tests per residential address, to be delivered by the Postal Service. It marks the latest step by President Joe Biden to address criticism of low inventory and long lines for testing during a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant. White…

09 Jan

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has COVID

Associated PressGovernment, Nation, NewsAOC, COVID

WASHINGTON, D.C. — New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has tested positive for COVID-19 and “is experiencing symptoms and recovering at home,” her office said in a statement Sunday evening. The Democratic congresswoman’s office said Ocasio-Cortez received a booster shot last fall. With the nation dealing with another surge of the virus since the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant, numerous members of Congress have reported breakthrough cases despite being fully vaccinated and boosted.

15 Dec

Board of Elections meeting nixed for December

Randolph RecordGovernment, PoliticsAsheboro, board of elections, Melissa Johnson, N.C. Supreme Court

ASHEBORO — This week’s meeting of the Randolph County Board of Elections was canceled after the recent rescheduling of 2022 primaries in the state. Melissa Johnson, who’s director of the Randolph County Board of Elections, sent a notice announcing the cancellation of Tuesday’s meeting. The next meeting of the board is set for 5 p.m. Jan. 11. Last week, the North Carolina Supreme Court suspended candidate filing for all offices for the 2022 primary election. This included municipal contests. In doing so, the North Carolina Supreme Court pushed back the date of the primary from March 8 to May 17.…

15 Dec

McNeill won’t run for re-election

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, PoliticsAllen McNeill, government, Neal Jackson, politics

ASHEBORO — Rep. Allen McNeill (R-Randolph) announced last week that he won’t seek re-election for another term in N.C. House in 2022. McNeill is in his fifth full term in the House after replacing long-time Randolph County representative and former Speaker of the House, Harold Brubaker. Neal Jackson, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in Bennet, announced last week that he would run as a Republican to replace McNeill.

01 Dec

General Assembly wraps up long session

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, PoliticsGeneral Assembly, long session, NCGA, wrap up

RALEIGH — The North Carolina General Assembly wrapped up late Monday nearly all of its work for the calendar year, although vetoes, redistricting rulings or other items could bring lawmakers back to Raleigh for more activity within weeks. The session, which began the session in January, ended with votes on more than a dozen measures before members of the House and Senate left Raleigh. One bill heading for Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk — that sources say he is likely to veto — would prohibit election boards and officials in counties from accepting private money to run elections, which happened…

24 Nov

State budget includes county projects

Randolph RecordGovernmentrandolph county, Roy Cooper, state budget

RALEIGH — The recently passed state budget was the first to be enacted in a span of over three years and marked the only budget bill signed by Gov. Roy Cooper. The two-year state budget passed the state House with a vote of 104-10 and in the State Senate 41-7. Both of those vote totals would have been more than enough to overcome a gubernatorial veto. The Randolph County’s three primary representatives in Raleigh — Rep. Pat Hurley, Rep. Allen McNeill, and Sen. David Craven — all have seats on budgetary committees in the legislature. Hurley and McNeill both serve…

20 Nov

County seeks to fill spot on planning board

Randolph RecordGovernmentplanning board, randolph county, zoning board

ASHEBORO — There’s an opening on Randolph County’s planning board and zoning board of adjustment after the passing of Ralph Modlin. Modlin, 69, was an Archdale man. He died Oct. 26. Commissioners praised his dedication to the planning and zoning board along with his impact. Commissioners chairman Darrell Frye said suggestions regarding a replacement for Modlin on the board should be submitted to county manager Hal Johnson. “He was always very diligent and had a great personality,” county attorney Ben Morgan said of Modlin. Frye said funeral services for Modlin were among the highest attended that he could recall at…