News - Randolph Record

24 Jun

There have been big catches at Ramseur Lake

Bob SuttonFeatures, NewsHampton Spivey, Ramseur, Ramseur Lake, recreation

The pier at Ramseur Lake draws some people to fish. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RAMSEUR — New rules for Ramseur Lake have been good for fishing, town officials said. Mayor Hampton Spivey said the recreational area has seen steady use since it opened for the year in March. “The lake is rather busy,” Spivey said. “It’s pretty steady.” Starting this year, gas-powered motors are no longer allowed on the lake. So watercraft must be powered by electric motors or man powered. “Some of the fishermen who were opposed to (the new watercraft regulations) told me it’s the best thing…

23 Jun

Country store in Liberty closes

Bob SuttonBusiness, NewsArt's Town and Country, Liberty

The building that used to house Art’s Town and Country is now vacant. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) LIBERTY — Art’s Town and Country, a store that provided a variety of goods on the outskirts of Liberty, has closed. The last day of business apparently was May 31. Owner Art Jordan was unable to be reached for comment as the phone number for the store is no longer in service. The store had been in operation for 13 years at 6976 N.C. 49 North. In a social media post from the store, the management expressed appreciation for the loyalty and…

18 Jun

City of Asheboro approves 2025-26 budget

Ryan HenkelGovernment, NewsAsheboro City Council, City of Asheboro, Donald Duncan

ASHEBORO – The Asheboro City Council approved its 2025-26 operating budget, which is balanced at about $75.7 million, at its June meeting. Of that, the general fund is balanced at approximately $50.5 million, which is approximately a $2 million increase from the prior year, mostly due to personnel expenses, city manager Donald Duncan said. “We’re going to do a base pay increase for every full-time employee of $2,000, except for fire and police, who are getting a $3,000 increase because that is where our biggest deficit is in trying to recruit and keep good talent,” Duncan said. Essentially half of…

16 Jun

Randolph County Agricultural Center construction reaches late stages

Bob SuttonNewsrandolph county, Randolph County Agricultural Center, Taylor Wright

The main sign is up as work continues in advance of the opening of the Randolph County Agricultural Center. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — The opening of the Randolph County Agricultural Center is a few months away. Construction work is in the late stages on the 104 acres purchased by Randolph County in 2016. “Folks are definitely getting more curious about what’s out there,” Taylor Wright, the agricultural center’s coordinator, said last week. Wright said a fall completion should be in the works after initial projections had targeted an opening for this past January. The site is off…

14 Jun

Graduating classes grow around Randolph County

Bob SuttonEvents, NewsAsheboro City Schools, Asheboro High School, commencement, Education, Randolph County School System, Southwestern Randolph High School, Stephen Gainey, Uwharrie Charter Academy, Wheatmore high school

Big graduating classes were among the themes for high school commencements this spring in Randolph County. The largest class was at Asheboro High School with 352 graduates. That marks the school’s biggest class in 25 years. Most high school commencements in the county were held this week, though there were a couple earlier. Within the Randolph County School System, there were 1,075 graduates across eight high schools. RCSS, citing a transition from one student information system to another, was unable to provide a school-by-school breakdown of graduates. The schools in RCSS include six traditional high schools (Eastern Randolph, Providence Grove,…

12 Jun

Water main break causes lane closures in Asheboro

Randolph RecordNewsAsheboro, traffic, water main

Workers try to fix a water main break on North Fayetteville Street in Asheboro on June 12. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Southbound lanes on North Fayetteville Street were closed to traffic Thursday because of a water main break. The lanes closure extended from Presnell Street to Salisbury Street. This stretch is part of U.S. 220 Business. There are four lanes in that area. Two of the lanes were closed. This wasn’t far from the area of a closed bridge on West Salisbury Street due to an automobile wreck June 3.

12 Jun

Changes come for Liberty’s farmers market

Bob SuttonEvents, Newsfarmers market, Kolby Riddle, Liberty

The farmers market in Liberty is located along West Swannanoa Avenue. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) LIBERTY — The farmers market in Liberty has new rules this year as organizers hope to jumpstart interest. Kolby Riddle, director of the parks and recreation department for Liberty, said the farmers market near downtown is somewhat evolving. “It kind of depends,” Riddle said in reference to the turnout of vendors. “Some of them may come and stay for an hour. You might get five or six.” Riddle said rule changes require certain certifications for vendors selling food items such as meats or eggs.…

10 Jun

Board of Education reverses decision, will close Virtual Academy

Ryan HenkelNewsboard of education, Education, Gary Cook, Randolph County School System, Stephen Gainey, The Virtual Academy at Randolph

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County School System will be closing The Virtual Academy at Randolph. The decision comes following a unanimous vote by the Randolph County Schools Board of Education at its June 2 meeting, which reversed a prior vote made just a few weeks earlier. “Last month, it was a 3-3 tie and it stayed as is,” said board chair Gary Cook. “I voted to leave it open. We didn’t have the full board here and we probably should have tabled it until we had a full board for a decision like that. I’ll own that mistake.” Board members…

09 Jun

Truck strikes Asheboro overpass, causes road closures

Randolph RecordNewsaccident, Asheboro, interstate

A truck overturned on the interstate in Asheboro. (Asheboro Police Department photo) ASHEBORO — A bridge over Salisbury Street in Asheboro has been closed for about a week after it was damaged last week. An accident over northbound Interstate 73-74 involving a tractor-trailer caused the damage June 3. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, crews need to perform inspections for damages and make any repairs before traffic is permitted back on that stretch of the road. Because of the wreck, traffic was detoured off the interstate and into Asheboro. It took several hours for authorities to get the…

04 Jun

Commissioners approve loan to Seagrove for cannery development project

Ryan HenkelGovernment, NewsDavid Fernandez, Randolph County Board of Commissioners, Seagrove

ASHEBORO – Randolph County is aiding the Town of Seagrove with one of its major projects. At its meeting Monday, the Randolph County Board of Commissioners approved a $250,000 loan to the Town of Seagrove to assist with its upfit of the Historic Lucks Cannery. “As of now, Seagrove has spent a little over $3 million to try and get the cannery up and operating,” Seagrove mayor David Fernandez said. “We don’t have a certificate of occupancy right now, which means two-thirds of the building we can’t use. So our request to the commission is to not give us money,…