News - Randolph Record

29 Dec

First scholarship awarded honoring long-time deputy

North State Journal staffNewsdeputy, Randolph Community College, scholarship

Colonel Fred “Freddie” Wilson Rutledge, II created a legacy of service during his 38 years of law enforcement service. Following his death in July of 2020, Rutledge’s friends and family ensured that his legacy would extend to future generations with the founding of a scholarship fund in his memory. Last week, the first Fred Rutledge scholarship at Randolph Community College was awarded to Cadet Justice McDaniel. He will be part of the 89th Basic Law Enforcement Training class at RCC. Randolph County District Attorney Andy Gregson began promoting the scholarship fund, along with other friends and family of Rutledge, just…

29 Dec

A look back at 2021’s top stories

North State Journal staffNews2021 top stories, community, local government, randolph county news, top stories

ASHEBORO — As 2021 draws a close, Randolph County’s year is going out with a bang in terms of major news stories. While the year was filled with important news stories from Randolph County, the biggest story of the year came in the last month. Toyota Motor North America announced on December 6 that it will build a large-scale battery manufacturing plant in Randolph County, bringing 1,750 jobs to Liberty. While the Toyota story was felt worldwide, there were many other important news stories in 2021 in Randolph County. Here’s a look back at what transpired on the pages of…

28 Dec

Omicron takes over, cases rise among vaccinated

Randolph RecordNewsbreakthrough cases, CDC, COVID, delta, omicron

9 year-old Josie Murdoch holds her vaccination card at Chapel Hill Pediatrics and Adolescents after being innoculated with the Pfizer child COVID-19 vaccination in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) RALEIGH — On September 9, President Joe Biden called COVID-19 "a pandemic of the unvaccinated." New data from the U.S. and around the world suggests the new omicron variant may be impacting vaccinated people more than the unvaccinated. U.S. government figures show the omicron variant continues to account for a growing proportion of new coronavirus infections in the country. Omicron accounted for 59% of new cases…

20 Dec

McNeill named jobs champion

Randolph RecordBusiness, NewsAllen McNeill, NC Chamber

RALEIGH — The NC Chamber named Rep. Allen McNeill (R-Randolph) to its list of 2021 Jobs Champions in its annual “How They Voted” report. The report details the voting records of members of the N.C. General Assembly on bills identified as critical to preserving and enhancing North Carolina’s position in the global race for jobs. McNeill was recognized as a Jobs Champion for voting with the Chamber’s Jobs Agenda at least 80 percent of the time during the 2021 legislative session. “In my first campaign for the North Carolina House, I campaigned on “jobs”. I have tried to support every…

17 Dec

Feral swine program starting in Randolph County

Blake SzilvayNewsagriculture, feral swine

ASHEBORO — For years, feral swine populations have been growing across the United States and can now be found across North Carolina. Randolph County will play a critical role in helping eliminate feral swine in N.C. thanks to a new program targeting the animals in Randolph and five other counties. The destruction feral swine cause is a significant threat to agriculture and the environment and costs $1.5 billion in damages annually in the U.S. Known as feral swine, feral hogs, or wild hogs — these animals have few natural predators, which allows them to spread unfettered without human intervention. While…

15 Dec

REMC awards $14,000 to teachers for ‘Bright Ideas’

Randolph RecordBusiness, NewsEducation, schools

ASHEBORO — Randolph Electric Membership Corporation recently honored educators by awarding $14,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to twelve local educators. “Randolph EMC is committed to making our communities stronger. One way we accomplish that is by investing in education,” said Nicole Arnold, Communications and Public Affairs Manager for REMC. “For almost 30 years, Randolph Electric has provided grants to local schools. We commend these educators for continually striving to create classrooms conducive to innovation.” Bright Ideas grants, sponsored by Randolph EMC and North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, are available to teachers for hands-on projects that would not otherwise be funded.…

15 Dec

Zoo welcomes new grizzly bear

Randolph RecordFeatures, Newsgrzzly bear, NC Zook

ASHEBORO — After the death of a 31-year-old grizzly named Tommo in July, the N.C. Zoo’s grizzly bear habitat has sat empty awaiting a new resident. That time is over as the zoo welcomed 740-lb Ronan to the zoo this week. The 9-year-old grizzly is being relocated from Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona, based on a recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Ronan and his twin sister Finley were rescued in 2013 and relocated to the Reid Park Zoo when they were just barely one year old. That decision was made after wildlife officials in Yellowstone deemed…

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.

06 Dec

Toyota will bring 1,750 jobs to Randolph County

Randolph RecordBusiness, NewsLiberty, Phil Berger, randolph county, Tim Moore, Toyota

LIBERTY — Toyota Motor North America announced they will build a large-scale battery manufacturing plant in Randolph County, bringing 1,750 jobs to Liberty. Toyota will invest $1.29 billion at the Randolph County Megasite, which will initially produce batteries for Toyota’s hybrid electric vehicles and later produce batteries for battery electric vehicles in the long term. This is the first North American battery manufacturing facility for the world's largest automobile manufacturer. "I am proud of the hard work the General Assembly has done to ensure North Carolina is a state ripe for new business and innovation," said House Speaker Tim Moore…

01 Dec

County museum proposal would convert historic courthouse

Bob SuttonNewscourthouse, historic, museum, randolph county

ASHEBORO — There’s movement toward the creation of a Randolph County museum to be housed on the first floor of the historic courthouse. “Placing a museum on the first floor here is quite feasible and in and of itself not all that costly,” said Ross Holt, the Randolph County Library director who presented a feasibility study on the project to county commissioners. “We are at a decision point.” Much of the cost associated with the museum is connected to renovations to the courthouse, Holt said. He said it’s a two-pronged project. In all, the price tag could be as high…