Scott Pelkey, | Randolph News Now

Nov302023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Solar Storms Expected to Impact Tonight, Could bring Auroras to North Carolina

Weather

A coronal mass ejection bursting from the edge of the Sun on May 1, 2013. (NASA) ASHEBORO N.C. - Four explosions on the surface of the sun have sent waves of charged particles flying through space resulting in a geomagnetic storm and auroras tonight. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) operates the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) which is tasked with providing space weather forecasts and alerts. On Wednesday, November 29th, 2023, the Space Weather Prediction Center issued an alert that a fast moving coronal mass ejection (CME) could combine with three other CMEs already headed towards Earth, resulting in one larger geomagnetic storm, which is expected to impact the Earth in the tonight and into the early morning hours on December 1st, 2023. According...

Nov302023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

No Injuries after Fire at Georgia Pacific

News

Fire Hose - Stock Photo (Acme News Archive) ASHEBORO N.C. - No one was injured during a commercial fire at Georgia Pacific Wednesday evening, according to Asheboro Fire & Rescue Department. On Wednesday November 29th, 2023, at 7:40 p.m. crews from the Asheboro Fire and Rescue Department responded to Georgia Pacific, located at 200 McDowell Rd, for a report of a commercial fire. According to information released by the department, the first unit arrived on scene just three minutes after dispatch to find a small fire in a cardboard cutting machine. Firefighters were able to gain access to, and extinguish, the fire by 9:19 pm. In total seven units, consisting of seventeen personnel from Asheboro Fire & Rescue were on scene, along with a Randolph Coun...

Nov202023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Much Needed Rain on the Way, Bringing Threat of Severe Weather

Weather

Fire fighters on the scene of an out building fire on Oakland Ave on Sat Nov 18th, 2023. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - Fire crews have been dealing with brush and forest fires locally and across the state this month and much-needed rain in the forecast should bring some relief, along with the threat of severe weather. A local weather station, part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), recorded only 0.06” of rainfall since the beginning of November. Going back to October 1st, only around 1.5” of rainfall has been recorded in Randolph County. Those dry conditions have kept local firefighters busy. According to officials at Randolph County Emergency Services, as of Nov 13th, firefighters in Randolph County had responded to ove...

Nov162023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Firefighters Respond to Smoke at Asheboro Dollar General

News

Photo courtesy - Dollar General, Corporate (Newsroom) ASHEBORO N.C. - No one was injured after smoke inside an Asheboro Dollar General resulted in a commercial fire response overnight. On the evening of November 15th, 2023, the Asheboro Fire and Rescue Department (AFRD) responded to a report of a possible commercial fire at the Dollar General, located at 1450 Zoo Parkway. Fire crews were dispatched at 8:38 p.m., and the first unit arrived on scene at 8:42 p.m. to find light smoke in the store. The business had been evacuated before the AFRD's arrival and it was determined that the source of the smoke was a malfunctioning freezer. Power was cut to the freezer and crews used fans to ventilate the store to remove the smoke. Six Asheboro Fire & Rescue units with a t...

Nov142023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

City of Asheboro Authorizes Offer on Land for New Fire Station / Emergency Center

Government

Ladder 1 at Asheboro Fire & Rescue Station 1 in 2020 (Archive Photo / Acme News) ASHEBORO N.C. - The City of Asheboro has authorized an offer to purchase land on Zoo Parkway for a new Fire Station and Emergency Operations Center with construction set to start as soon as next year. At the City Council Meeting held on November 8th, 2023, council members voted unanimously to authorize $120,000 from the city’s general fund to make an offer to purchase 3.25 acres of land on Zoo Parkway at Crestview Church Rd. That land would be used to build a new Fire Station and Emergency Operations Center which is needed to help keep up with increasing call volume and to ensure response times stay at or under five minutes now and into the future. Those goals are especially ...

Nov142023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Increased Fire Danger Today as Crews Return from Battling Poplar Drive Fire

News

ASHEBORO N.C. - A warning from the National Weather Service of increased fire danger today comes as local fire crews return from assisting with the Poplar Drive Fire in Henderson County. Today at 9:15 a.m., the National Weather Service Office in Raleigh issued a notice that low humidity, dry conditions, and northeasterly wind gusts of up to 15 mph will create conditions for an increased fire danger today through 7 p.m. Officials strongly encourage citizens to avoid any outdoor burning, properly discard cigarette butts and matches and be careful with equipment that may cause sparks. The warnings come amid an uptick in brush and forest fires. In Randolph County, in just the last two weeks fire crews have responded to around 70 grass, brush, or forest fires. The...

Nov22023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Get Ready to Fall Back as Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday

News

ASHEBORO N.C. - This Sunday you’ll be getting that hour of sleep you lost back in March back as we ‘fall back’ to end daylight saving time. Daylight Saving Time (DST) will end on Sunday November 5th, 2023. At 2:00 a.m. (DST) clocks will be moved back one hour to 1:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). “When you set the clocks back at the end of daylight-saving time, it's crucial to remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms as well,” says Samantha East, Public Information Officer with Asheboro Fire and Rescue Department. “This simple task ensures that your smoke alarms are able to provide life-saving early warning in case of a fire.” East added that If the alarm chirps it’s a warning that the battery is low, and you should replace the battery or entire smoke alarm righ...

Nov12023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Police Response Through Randolph County Linked to Cary P.D. SWAT Team

Breaking News

ASHEBORO N.C. - More than half a dozen police vehicles speeding east on U.S. Hwy 64 drew the attention of drivers across Randolph County resulting in multiple news tips and calls. At around 2 p.m. on Wednesday November 1st, drivers and residents noticed approximately 9-10 police vehicles responding in a group with lights and sirens going heading East on U.S. Hwy 64. Screenshot of Reel from Facebook (Click or tap to open in a new tab) In a video shared to the ‘What’s happening Asheboro?”‘ group on Facebook, nine Police and other vehicles can be seen traveling down US Hwy 64 E near the Randolph Mall. The large number of vehicles resulted in multiple news tips, messages, and phone calls to news outlets and law enforcement in Randolph County from curious residents and drivers. So...

Oct302023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

One Injured After Driver Crashes into Asheboro Golden Corral Saturday

News

[Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - A driver crashed into the Golden Corral in Asheboro Saturday evening, injuring one person inside the restaurant. On Saturday October 28th, 2023, just before 6 p.m. emergency crews were dispatched to the Golden Corral in Asheboro, located at 1070 E Dixie Dr., for a report of a vehicle that had crashed into the building. According to a crash report by the Asheboro Police Department, a 79-year-old driver of a 2005 Ford Focus was attempting to park her vehicle when she “accidently pressed the accelerator instead of the brake,” causing the vehicle to strike the front of the restaurant. One person inside the business was struck by the front end of the vehicle and debris from the structure and was transported to a...

Oct272023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

NC Zoo to Investigate Death of Polar Bear While being Transported

NC Zoo

Photo provided by N.C. Zoo ASHEBORO N.C. - The North Carolina Zoo says they will investigate what led to the death of a male polar bear during a transfer to another zoo earlier this week. In a press release, the North Carolina Zoo announced that on October 25th, 2023, Payton, the Zoo’s male polar bear, had died while being transported to the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky. According to the N.C. Zoo, an experienced care team, left the North Carolina Zoo with Payton, performing routine checks on the 1,000-pound polar bear during the trip. “On the second check, less than two hours away from the North Carolina Zoo, the care team found Payton non-responsive. He was immediately transported to a nearby large animal veterinarian, who confirmed that Payton had passed,” said the Zoo in the ...