Scott Pelkey, | Randolph News Now

Mar42022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

NCDOT Launches National First with Tethered Drones on IMAP Trucks

Government

NC DOT IMAP truck with a tethered drone in the air (NC DOT Video) ASHEBORO N.C. – In a first of its kind program in the nation, the the N.C. Department of Transportation is putting tethered drones on Incident Management Assistance Patrol (IMAP) vehicles in order to assist first responders and get a birds eye view of an area. The North Carolina Incident Management Assistance Patrol (IMAP) program and the Division of Aviation's Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program recently helped develop and deploy the tethered drones system from select IMAP vehicles. The NC DOT says this is to "help responders assess incidents, provide situational awareness to the NCDOT Statewide Transportation Operations Center (STOC) and Traffic Management centers (TMCs) and assist with overall traffic management...

Mar42022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Despite Warnings Of High Fire Danger, Crews Called To Six Out-of-Control Fires Yesterday

News

Fire crews from several departments responded to an out of control fire on Pine Lakes Dr that threatened two homes. ASHEBORO N.C. - Despite warnings from the North Carolina Forest Service of a High fire danger yesterday, fire crews across the county responded to at least six out of control fires. Yesterday the North Carolina Forest Service warned of an increased fire danger resulting from warm and dry conditions with low humidity and winds of 10 to 15 mph that were gusting as high as 20 and 25 mph. Their warning said that outdoor burning was highly discouraged, but did not go as far as banning outdoor burning. Some people who were either unaware of the fire danger or thought they could burn safely quickly found themselves calling 911. Fire crews in Randolph County respond to 6 ou...

Feb112022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Weather Whiplash | NWS Calls for 60s Saturday, Snow Sunday

Weather

[RNN] - The old joke about "If you don't like the weather in North Carolina just wait a little bit" is an old one, but it's stayed around because it's true and this weekend is going to be the perfect example of that. (via https://www.memesmonkey.com) During the day Saturday the weather is going to be perfect for going out with partly cloudy skies and highs in the mid-to-upper 60s. That will last all day until a cold front begins to cross the Piedmont Saturday night dropping temperatures to around 37°F and bringing with it some lite sprinkles, changing to rain after 1 am. Sunday is going to be the opposite of Saturday with temperatures not moving from their overnight low of 37°F and rain is the morning turning to a mix of rain and snow continuing all day and through the night as...

Feb92022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Federal Ambulance Crews Help Relieve Strain On Randolph County EMS

News

Acme News Archive - Stock Photo (Scott P.) ASHEBORO N.C. - The arrival of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ambulances and paramedics is helping to ease the strain Randolph County EMS is feeling from high call volumes and staffing problems. Three ambulances with a total of 6 crew of EMTs and paramedics arrived in Randolph County late last week on February 3rd. “We applied a month or so ago when we found out there was another allocation being sent to the state.” Said Jared Byrd, Deputy Director at Randolph County Emergency Services in an email. Currently those crews have responded to 65 emergency calls since their arrival. “They are only running 911 calls. They each have a paramedic and EMT. We try our best to add an EMT to their ambulance with local knowledge of hospitals...

Feb92022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

NC By Train Offering Buy 1, Get 1 Free Ticket Valentine’s Day Special

Traffic & Roads

Stock Photo (encierro/Adobe Stock) ASHEBORO N.C. – This Valentine’s Day the NCDOT says to skip the roses and instead take a trip together with a special deal offering Buy 1, Get 1 free tickets for travel on NC By Train. According to a press release by the NCDOT the sale is running Feb. 9th through the 16th. Tickets purchased as part of the sale are valid for travel anytime from March 1st to Aug. 31st, so you don't have to take that trip right now to take advantage of the deal. Fares are one way (adult) with no additional discounts. NC By Train’s Piedmont and Carolinian trains stop at seven stations between Charlotte and Raleigh, and provide service to Washington, D.C., New Jersey and New York. For schedules and more information visit ncbytrain.org or call 1-800-BY-TRAIN.

Feb22022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Patients Angry At Atrium Health Over New Billing Policies

Health

Health care costs. Stethoscope and calculator ASHEBORO N.C. - Patients are expressing anger and outrage over new billing practices put in place after the Atrium / Wake Forest Health merger. Back in December of 2021 we began to be contacted by local residents who were upset after hospital bills they received from Wake Forest Health were sent to collections while they were still making payments. "The hospital bill itself after insurance wasn't unreasonable" said Susan, who asked we not use her last name, "but there was just no way I could pay the minimum monthly payment of $50 and they weren't willing or able to bring down that monthly payment, so I was paying $20-$30 a month because that's what I could afford" Despite actively paying on her bill every month since July Susan sa...

Jan312022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Resident Dies At Asheboro Nursing Home, Found Outside Collapsed In Snow

News

Snow (Vladimir Sazonov/Adobe Stock) ASHEBORO N.C. - Family members are mourning the loss of a loved one after she was found deceased in the snow Saturday morning outside of Northpointe Assisted Living Facility in Asheboro. On the morning of Saturday January 29th 2022, a winter storm dropped 1-2” of snow across Randolph County and plunged temperatures into the teens. At around 07:00 am, a worker at Northpointe Assisted Living Facility on Pineview Rd in Randleman called 911 after finding 89-year-old Thelma Lorraine Armstrong Wray collapsed on the ground outside. She had no pulse and was not breathing. Randolph County EMS would pronounce her deceased at the scene. “This isn't the 1st time a resident has been found outside….but the first that's ended up in death” said Uve Robbinson, a...

Jan292022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Hazardous Travel Conditions Expected Tonight

Traffic & Roads

ASHEBORO N.C. - The National Weather Service and the Department of Transportation are urging drivers of hazardous traveling conditions expected tonight. Road crews were out early this morning working to clear roads of snow and ice and combined with the bright sun today road conditions have dramatically improved. "Most crews were close to completing road clearing efforts Saturday and planned to head home to rest before returning tonight to work on trouble spots where roads could refreeze." said the NC DOT in a press release today. "Transportation officials and the National Weather Service warn that dangerous travel could continue into Sunday morning, as temperatures in the teens and 20s overnight coupled with heavy winds could keep ice on some road surfaces". In a special Weather Statem...

Jan272022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Fire Marshal Investigating Building Fire At Tot Hill Farm Golf Course

News

Photo Provided By Kim Rush Hoogkamp ASHEBORO N.C. - The Randolph County Fire Marshal's Office (RCFMO) is trying to determine what sparked a fire at a maintenance building at the Tot Hill Farm Golf Course earlier this week. Randolph County 911 received the first call about the fire at 11:36am on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. The caller reported a building was on fire at at 2382 Doul Mtn. Rd at the Tot Hill Farm Golf Course. Crews from Ulah, East Side and Westside Fire Departments all responded along with Randolph County EMS and Emergency Management. Kim Rush Hoogkamp who nearby, captured several photos showing the aftermath of the fire. The building which was a barn built by her father in the 1980’ was used by the golf course as a maintenance building. Officials say the fire was b...

Jan272022 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Health Department Offering Free N95 Masks

Health

N95 Mask Illustration (anuwat/Adobe Stock) ASHEBORO N.C. - The Randolph County Department of Public Health is offering free N95 masks while supplies last. In a press release RCPH said the department is now offering N95 masks for the general public. Each individual will get one pack that includes three masks. One pack per person. These packs must be picked up at the front desk of the Randolph County Public Health Department: 2222-B South Fayetteville Street, Asheboro, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.