Scott Pelkey, | Randolph News Now

Aug302022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Corporal Punishment “Opt-Out” Policy back in Spotlight

Government

Classroom - Stock Image (smolaw11 / Adobe Stock) ASHEBORO N.C. - As students return to school parents are reading and signing a lot of forms; one of those forms is back in the spotlight after parents took to social media and spoke with a local TV news station about Randolph County Schools opt-out policy for corporal punishment. Under North Carolina General Statutes school personnel may use reasonable force in what the statute calls “the exercise of lawful authority to restrain or correct pupils and maintain order.” It is this provision that sets up the use of corporal punishment in schools. The Randolph County School System policy regarding corporal punishment was established in 1989 and last updated on November 19, 2012. The policy which says, “while not encouraged, cor...

Aug242022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

NC DOT To Hold Public Meeting To Discuss 421 Intersection Improvements

Local, Traffic & Roads

New road patterns at Browns Meadow Road and US HWY 421 now has a median taken away the cross over to the mega site at the Toyota Mega site in Liberty, NC on July 18, 2022. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL ASHEBORO N.C. - The NC DOT has scheduled a public meeting to discuss proposed changes to intersections on 421 in Liberty near the Guilford County line. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 from 5-7 pm at the Liberty Town Hall (239 S. Fayetteville St, Liberty, NC) and is open to the public. The N.C. Department of Transportation proposes to convert three at-grade intersections (conventional/traditional intersections) on U.S. 421 and make other improvements in Randolph County near the Guilford County line. Improvements include: 1. Conversion of at-g...

Aug172022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

NC Zoo Breaks Ground On Asia Expansion

NC Zoo

ASHEBORO N.C. - The North Carolina Zoo has officially began construction on Asia, the NC Zoo's first new continent since North America in 1994 after a ground-breaking event this morning. The private event was attended by staff at the NC Zoo along with city, county, and state officials and elected representatives, members of the media, and companies and organizations involved with everything from local tourism to construction. "Asia has been a long time coming" said Walker Moffit, North Carolina Zoo Council Chairman and Asheboro Mayor Pro Tempore. Construction on the 10 acers set to become the new continent is expected to take around 3 years, with the goal being to open sometime around the summer or fall of 2026. While its not yet know exactly how many new animals will be coming...

Aug102022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

One Injured in Asheboro Officer Involved Shooting

Breaking News

[Scott Pelkey | Acme News] ASHEBORO N.C. - An armed man was taken to the hospital this evening after being shot by deputies who had responded for a welfare check. According to the Randolph County Sheriff's Office, at approximately 5:00 pm deputies responded to awelfare check on Cable Creek Rd., in Asheboro. A press release says when deputies arrived a male subject exited the residence with a firearm before retreating into the residence, then fleeing out the back on foot, still armed. Deputies set up a perimeter and residents within a mile radius were alerted by Randolph Communication’s community notification system that the Sheriff’s Office was searching for an armed subject in the area, giving a description and warning to use caution. The Sheriff's Office says that at approxi...

Aug102022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

No One Injured in Late Night Asheboro House Fire

News

https://youtu.be/hYUUWCJP4NM ASHEBORO N.C. - No one was injured, and four animals were rescued during a house fire in Asheboro early this morning. At around 2:39 am this morning the Asheboro Fire Department was dispatched to a home on S Main St near Maraduke Cir, after 911 callers reported flames shooting from the roof of a home. "Battalion 1 arrived to find a working fire involving a 2 story residential structure," said Samantha East, Public Information Officer with the Asheboro Fire Department in an email. "Crews were assigned fire attack and search. Fire attack was able to do an interior attack while utilizing Tower 1’s master stream on the exterior." There were no injuries and firefighters were able to locate and rescue four animals from the structure. ...

Aug102022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Bomb Squad Called To Randleman After Pipe Bombs Found [Updated]

News

Greensboro Hazardous Devices Team (Bomb Squad) Trailer - Scott Pelkey / Acme News Archive (2008) ASHEBORO N.C. - The Bomb Squad was called to the Randleman / Level Cross area yesterday after police found several pipe bombs. According to a press release from the Randolph County Sheriffs Office, on August 9th, 2022, at approximately 3:12 pm, a citizen near the 400 block of Providence Church Rd., in Randleman called Randolph County 911 after finding what they believed to be pipe bombs. The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area were able to confirm the devices "to be consistent with the construction of explosive material" after viewing photos taken by the citizen. Nearby residents were asked to evacuate and the Greensboro Police Department's Hazardous Devices Te...

Aug82022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

RCPH Confirms First Monkeypox Case in Randolph County

Health

Image Background Credit - CDC (Microscopic Image of Moneypox) ASHEBORO N.C. - Randolph County Public Health has confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Randolph County. In a press release this afternoon RCPH says they have confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the county and they say that individual, who will remain un-identified due to patient privacy, is currently isolated at home. “At this time, the risk of monkeypox transmission remains low,” said Tara Aker, Randolph County health director. “Our Health Department’s Communicable Disease team is monitoring the situation closely and is working closely with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to respond.” As of today (Aug 8th 2022), the CDC reports there are 7,510 confirmed cases in the United States, wi...

Aug42022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Quik Chek Employees Say New Owners Dismissive of Safety Concerns, Even After Death of Cashier

Investigative

ASHEBORO N.C. - A local woman was killed while working at a convenience store in Star, NC. Now, we are hearing from current and former employees of that chain of stores who say they have been bringing up worker safety concerns for months. Laura Whitman was a graduate of Randleman High School. At 53-years-old she had worked at several local gas stations in Randolph County, but on the night of June 25th, 2022, Whitman was working at the Quik Chek in Star, NC. Around an hour before closing, and on one of her first shifts at the location, Whitman was shot to death by a robbery suspect. Chief David Kime with the Star Police Department told reporters that the suspect was the only other person in the store when he entered just after 10pm, and that after Whitman opened the cash drawer the...

Aug42022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Felons In NC (Not in Jail/Prison) May Register and Vote, Says NC Court

Government

[Scott Pelkey / Acme News] ASHEBORO N.C. - The North Carolina Court of Appeals recently ordered a lower court's ruling to go into effect which allows felons who are not in jail or prison to register and vote. The court's ruling went into effect on July 27th, 2022, allowing an individual serving a felony sentence who is not in jail or prison to register and vote. Previously, North Carolina law barred a person serving a felony sentence from being able to register or vote until they completed their felony sentence which included probation, post-release supervision, or parole. According to voter records 117 residents of Randolph County show as being removed from the voter rolls due to felony convictions, however it is unknown how many felons have never registered to vote due to the p...

Aug42022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Idea For Access Road to McCrary Ballpark DOA

Local

Drone photo of the renovations of McCrary Park from March of 2022 (Scott Pelkey / Acme News Archive) ASHEBORO N.C. - Homeowners around the newly renovated Historic McCrary Ballpark have been vocal against a now dead set of ideas for improving access to the ballpark. On July 26th, 2022, the City of Asheboro held a special meeting to discuss ideas for improving access to the newly renovated Historic McCrary Ballpark. Among those ideas, an access road nicknamed "Power Alley" which would have connected Lexington Rd to Southway Rd, which received vocal opposition from nearby homeowners. Now, just a week after that meeting, any plans the city had to improve access from Lexington Rd are dead. The McCrary Mill built the ballfield in 1946 as a home for the company's Industrial League team...