News - Randolph Record

03 Nov

County schools use federal COVID education funds for bonuses

Bob SuttonGovernment, News, PoliticsCOVID, Education

Randolph County Schools employees will receive $5,000 RALEIGH — Some North Carolina school boards have announced they will use federal COVID-19 relief funds to give bonuses to educators. The Randolph County Public School System will pay every employee a $5,000 bonus, according to a resolution adopted by the school board on Oct. 25. The resolution described the bonuses as “retention” and “premium pay.” Alamance County schools are giving full and part-time employees a $3,000 bonus while Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools employees will get a $1,400 bonus. According to the American Rescue Plan’s ESSER "FAQ," a district can use federal Elementary and…

02 Nov

High turnout, GOP ground game impacts contested municipal races

Randolph RecordGovernment, News, PoliticsAsheboro, Education, local, schools

Hailey Lee, left, and current Asheboro School board member Gidget Kidd react to Lee winning a seat on the Asheboro City School board Tuesday, November 2, 2021 (The North State Journal) ASHEBORO — Municipal races in Randolph County are technically non-partisan races but the presence of partisan poll workers and field operations in this year's Asheboro races proved that politics is rarely without partisan influence. In this year's race for Asheboro City School board, the county Republican Party endorsed four candidates and sent mailers on behalf of their preferred candidates. Those four candidates — incumbents Baxter Hammer and Beth Knott…

02 Nov

Two newcomers win seats on Asheboro City Council

Randolph RecordGovernment, News2021, Asheboro City Council, election

Republican Walker Moffitt is top vote-getter ASHEBORO — In an off-year election where Republicans flexed their muscle in municipal elections, the only Republican candidate for Asheboro City Council received the most votes in a race for four seats. Incumbent Walker Moffitt, the lone GOP candidate on the Asheboro ballot, received more than 1,325 votes. His fellow incumbent Clark Bell received the second-most votes. Newcomers Bill McCaskill and Kelly W. Heath will join the city council. Incumbent Katie L. Snuggs finished fifth in a race where the top four vote-getters win seats. Delilah Perkins Warner was sixth.

02 Nov

Randolph County School Board votes to remove mask requirement

Randolph RecordNewsCOVID, Education, masks, masks COVID, schools

ASHEBORO — In a special meeting focused on mask rules, the Randolph County School Board has voted to end mandatory mask wearing. The mandate had been in place since the start of the school year. Prior to the school year starting, the county's largest school system had made masks optional. However, after pressure from Governor Roy Cooper — who had removed a statewide mask mandate for schools — the board reversed course just before students returned. The change at the county's largest school system came on election night where GOP-backed candidates swept the four open seats for the Asheboro City…

02 Nov

GOP-backed candidates sweep Asheboro School Board

Randolph RecordGovernment, NewsAsheboro City Schools, election 2021

ASHEBORO — In a technically non-partisan race, the Randolph County Republican Party showed the strength of its ground game as the four candidates backed by the GOP swept to victory Tuesday in the race for Asheboro City School Board. In a race that featured seven candidates where voters could pick their top four, the Republican Party backed only four candidates and fielded poll workers who handed out yellow cards with the party's recommendations. With masks mandates, vaccines requirements and critical race theory as key issues, incumbents Baxter Hammer and Beth Knott cruised to victory with newcomers Hailey Trollinger Lee and…

02 Nov

Early voting draws more to polls

Bob SuttonGovernment, News, Politics2021, election

Candidates and poll workers gather outside the polling place at Sunset Avenue Church of God on Election Day 2021 in Asheboro. (L-R) Justin Lee, Asheboro City School Board candidate Hailey Trollinger Lee, Asheboro city councilman Walker Moffitt, poll worker Laura King, school board member Baxter Hammer, school board member Beth Knott and poll worker Nicki McKenzie (The North State Journal) ASHEBORO — Early voting turnout was higher this year than in recent municipal elections on odd-numbered years in Randolph County. The 13 days of early voting drew a total of 1,288 voters to the Randolph County Board of Elections office…

01 Nov

Redistricting debate begins in earnest at NC legislature

Associated PressGovernment, News

RALEIGH — The North Carolina General Assembly is starting to debate some redistricting maps drawn by lawmakers for the state's legislative and congressional seats. Senate and House committees were scheduled to meet Monday to consider boundaries redrawn based on 2020 census figures. The Senate panel was likely to advance a Republican-penned map for the U.S. House delegation that redistricting experts estimate would give the GOP a good chance to win 10 of the state's 14 seats. And the House committee was slated Monday to take up a state House map that likely would help Republicans retain their majority in that…

29 Oct

County schools will hold mask vote Tuesday

Randolph RecordGovernment, NewsEducation, schools

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Education will meet for a Special Called Meeting on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 6:30 pm at the R. Alton Cox Resource Center Auditorium at Randolph Community College. According to a release from the school system, the meeting is for the purpose of discussing the school mask mandate which has been in place since the start of the school year. The school board will hear information from the Randolph County Board of Health which precedes a vote on the system-wide mask policy, according to the announced agenda. The county Board of Health recently…

29 Oct

Youngkin’s school warnings intensify the GOP’s suburban push

Associated PressNewssuburban, warning, Youngkin

ASHLAND, Va. — Glenn Youngkin wants voters in Virginia to hear an urgent message: Your children are in danger. In a speech in Northern Virginia’s suburbs last week, the Republican candidate for governor highlighted the murky case of a student who allegedly committed sex crimes in two area schools. He said the incidents, which have sparked community outrage, are the result of failed Democratic leadership. “What other tragedy awaits Virginia’s children?” Youngkin asked from the podium, flanked by a collection of parents and schoolchildren. On the eve of the Nov. 2 election, Youngkin’s message represents a new front in his…

28 Oct

Democrats still critical of Republican redistricting proposals despite increased transparency

Associated PressNewsdemocrats, proposal, redistricting, republicans, transparency

RALEIGH — A decade ago, North Carolina Republicans redrew their legislative districts to help their party in a way that a federal court ruled illegally deprived black voters of their right to political representation. A partisan state court later struck down Republican-drawn maps as based on pure partisanship. As the once-a-decade redistricting process kicks into high gear, North Carolina is one of at least three states where Republicans say they are drawing maps without looking at racial and party data. Democrats are incredulous, noting that veteran lawmakers don’t need a spreadsheet to know where voters of various races and different…