Liberty - Randolph Record

17 Jun

Green Metals to join Liberty’s jobs scene

Bob SuttonNewsGreen Metals, jobs, Liberty, Toyota

LIBERTY – Green Metals Inc. is coming to Liberty, providing another jobs boost connected to the Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant at Greensboro-Randolph megasite. The company is a partner in the Toyota Tsusho family associated with scrap/waste handling and recycling solutions. Based on information from the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation, Green Metals will process dry battery material for offsite recycling, as well as handle and store other waste streams. Materials will be packaged and sent off for recycling. Green Metals could make an investment of nearly $19.8 million across five years in the Liberty project, according to RCEDC. The site…

03 Jun

Liberty Public Library announces shift in hours

Randolph RecordNewsLiberty, Liberty Public Library, Randolph County Public Libraries

LIBERTY – Hours for the Liberty Public Library are changing as of this week. The adjustments come for Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the library opening at 11 a.m. rather than 9 a.m. In making the announcement on the time shifts, the library pointed out that mornings on Tuesdays and Thursdays were generally the slowest periods in the building. By opening later on those days, the intent is provide staff opportunities for community outreach programs, largely in the local school and preschools. Updated library hours are: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, 11…

24 May

U.S. 421 to become I-685 through Randolph County

Jordan Golson and PJ Ward-BrownNewsGreensboro-Randolph megasite, I-685, Liberty, megasite

N.C. Transportation secretary Joey Hopkins, left, and N.C. Transportation board member Lisa Mathis stand next to a Future I-685 sign during Monday's ceremony in Liberty. (P.J. Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Upgrading the highway to interstate standards will take years LIBERTY — With an interstate cutting through Randolph County, it’s going to contribute to the area’s growth, Darrell Frye said. Frye, chair of the Randolph County commissioners, was among the state and local leaders gathering Monday to celebrate the designation of U.S. Highway 421 as the future Interstate 685. “I think it’s a recognition of what’s happening here in this part…

25 Apr

Liberty Antiques Festival ready for first go-around in 2024

Randolph RecordEvents, NewsLiberty, Liberty Antiques Festival, randolph county

STALEY – The Liberty Antiques Festival is scheduled from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 2855 Pike Farm Road. There are 400 dealers from more than 25 states expected to be present. Organizers say that items will include 18th to 20th-century furniture, accessories, pottery, glass, clocks, dolls, toys, military items, advertising memorabilia, decoys, jewelry, quilts, folk art, and “in the rough” country Americana. Admission is $10, with ages 12 and younger free. Parking is also free. The event is held twice a year – normally the last Friday and Saturday of April and the final Friday and Saturday of…

02 Apr

Board of Education passes support for Randolph County School System growth plan

Ryan HenkelNewsLiberty, Randleman, Randolph County School System, Randolph County Schools, RCSS, Stephen Gainey

Construction of a new Liberty Elementary School and Randleman High School are the main focus of the plan ASHEBORO – The Randolph County Schools Board of Education approved the first phase of the school system’s growth plan at its final March meeting. “Phase one of our growth plan is really focused on facility and student assignment needs associated with our current school facilities,” superintendent Stephen Gainey said. The two main items are the construction of a new elementary school in Liberty and high school in Randleman. “The preference will be to build Randleman High School and Liberty Elementary at the same…

27 Oct

Liberty man repeats title with big watermelon

Bob SuttonFeaturesAndrew Vial, Liberty, North Carolina State Fair, watermelons

RALEIGH — Andrew Vial of Liberty calls his watermelon-growing expertise a hobby. It’s a pretty good one. Vial was the winner again in the Great Pumpkin & Watermelon Weigh-off that’s associated with the North Carolina State Fair at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. Vial was the winner with an entry of 306 pounds. There were 22 watermelons entered into the contest. A year ago, Vial’s 341-pound entry was the largest in the history of the N.C. State Fair. Vial, 39, puts in up to 60 hours a week tending to his crop of watermelons. Second place went to Patrick VanBeck…

30 Sep

Liberty to change water meters

Bob SuttonNewsLiberty, water

LIBERTY – The Town of Liberty will replace old, outdated water meters with new digital water meters during the month of October. Vepo Solutions is assisting with this project. According to information provided by town officials, the goal is to have most customers’ water meters replaced by Oct. 31. Once the change takes place at each site, a door tag will be left indicating the switch has been made. The Town of Liberty also issued an announcement pointing out that utility bills were sent out with incorrect amounts due last week. Corrected bills were to be sent out. The memo…

28 Sep

Toyota tags funds for education to aid workforce

Bob SuttonNewsLiberty, North Carolina A&T University, Randolph County Schools, Toyota

LIBERTY – Toyota wants to help mold the workforce for the new plant at the Guilford-Randolph megasite. In what company officials describe as an effort to boost workforce readiness and exposure, donations totaling $1 million will be used to expand education opportunities. The effort comes to boost what’s called STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics). Communities in Schools of Randolph County and North Carolina A&T University will each receive $500,000 to help strengthen STEAM education programs that support career readiness. This could be a big deal in Randolph County. Grant funds will be used to support students, empowering…

08 Sep

NCDOT meeting draws big turnout in Liberty

Bob SuttonNewsGreensboro-Randolph megasite, Liberty, North Carolina DOT, Toyota

New road patterns are in place along U.S. 421 and Browns Meadow Road near Liberty. (PJ Brown-Ward/Randolph Record) LIBERTY – There was considerable interest from Randolph County residents at a public meeting held by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to discuss potential changes based on the Greensboro-Randolph megasite. There were 247 attendees signing in for last week’s session. “That’s sizable,” said Harris Kay, a communications officer with NCDOT. “That’s what we want, people coming to ask questions.” Liberty Town Hall was packed with members of the public at some points during the two-hour meeting. There’s much curiosity about the…

05 Sep

Toyota adds to plans for megasite

Randolph RecordBusiness, NewsGreensboro-Randolph megasite, Liberty, Toyota

LIBERTY – Toyota announced an additional investment of $2.5 billion in its newest North American facility, Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina at the Greensboro-Randolph megasite. Last week’s announcement means added capacity to support battery electric vehicle battery production and adds 350 jobs, bringing the total employment to approximately 2,100. Scheduled to begin production in 2025, the facility will produce batteries for hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles. Construction has begun. Last year, Toyota Motor Corporation announced a global investment of approximately $70 billion for electrification efforts. Last week, as part of this aspirational goal, TMC announced a future battery production…