Scott Pelkey, | Randolph News Now

Aug152023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

NC Zoo Says ‘Opps’ – Corrects Sand Kittens Sex and Name

NC Zoo

One of three Sand Cat kittens born in May of 2023 at the NC Zoo. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - Apparently, determining the sex of a kitten can be difficult, and the North Carolina Zoo says they "made an oops" when they announced the sexes of their trio of sand Kittens born in May. On June 2nd, 2023, the Zoo anounced the birth of three sand cat kittens. Several weeks later, in a press release, the zoo revealed the sexes of the kittens, one male and two females, as well as an online poll to allow the public to choose names for the tiny desert felines. The public naming poll had more than 15,000 responses with the winning names being chosen as Amira and Cleo for the females, and Jabari for the male. Now, the Zoo says they made an "oops," when they determi...

Aug122023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Summer Underway at NC Zoo

NC Zoo

ASHEBORO N.C. - With Asia not expected to be completed until 2026 it's easy to think there isn't much to do or see at the North Carolina Zoo this summer, but you'd be wrong. From adorable babies, an impressive dog show, and newly renovated habitats, this summer is the perfect time to take a trip to the Zoo. Canine Champions for Conservation Alyssa Buller watches as one of her dogs performs during the Canine Champions for Conservation attraction at the NC Zoo. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] Chris Collier and Alyssa Buller will be at the North Carolina Zoo this summer with their highly trained dogs for a show that features jumps, obstacle courses, and other demonstrations. Collier and Buller have performed all over the country, and their dogs have even been featured on sea...

Jul282023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Starting September You Can’t Legally Fly Your Drone Without Broadcasting Your Location [UPDATED]

News

Fernando Lurie / Adobe Stock ARTICLE UPDATED - CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LATEST UPDATE ASHEBORO N.C. - If you own a drone, you need to know about the upcoming changes to FAA regulations and how these changes will make it illegal to fly a drone, even in your own backyard, without broadcasting your location and other data. In the first half of 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published its final rule for “Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft”, now known simply as “Remote ID.” These new rules are the biggest change to drone regulations to date and came about in response to requests from Congress reacting to the growing number of recreational and commercial drones. As of this month, the FAA says 869,472 drones have been registered and sixty percent of those drones...

Jul252023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

One Charged after Vehicle Chase End in Crash in Seagrove

Crime

SEAGROVE N.C. - One person was arrested after a short vehicle chase ended in a crash in Seagrove last week. According to J. Auman Chief of Police for the Seagrove Police Department, just after 2 p.m. on July 17th, 2023, while on patrol in the town, he ran a tag on a vehicle that came back as ficticious. Chief Auman says when he attempted to pull over the driver on Little River Road near Boone Farm Rd, the suspect failed to yield, leading to a brief vehicle pursuit. The chase ended after only around one mile when the driver lost control and crashed into an embankment while making a turn from Little River Rd on to Old Troy Rd. No injuries were reported and the driver, identified by police as 22-year-old Matthew Layton, was arrested, and charged with reckless driving, ficti...

Jul252023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Dangerously High Temperatures Forecast for Later This Week

Weather

ASHEBORO N.C. - Forecasters are warning that dangerously hot temperatures are expected across much of central North Carolina later this week and into the weekend. Starting Wednesday and into Thursday, heat and humidity will roll into the area with highs in the lower 90s and heat-index values reaching into the mid-90's. The real threat from dangerous heat starts on Friday and extends through Sunday. Heat advisory and/or warnings are expected during this time as hot temperatures combined with high humidity will push heat index values into the upper 90s to above 100 degrees over central NC, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service in Raleigh. For Randolph County, the hottest temperatures are expected Friday and Saturday with temperatures hanging around 96 degrees ...

Jul182023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

NC Zoo Working to Secure Funding to Rebuild Aviary

NC Zoo

A sign outside the entrance tells guests the Aviary is closed. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - The Aviary at the NC Zoo is going to be demolished, but the Zoo is working on securing funds and putting together plans to rebuild. With its ninety-three species of birds, hundreds of tropical plants, and an environment that mimics the tropical rainforest, the Aviary was a guest favorite since it first opened in 1982. In January of 2022, when the Zoo announced the Aviary would be closing due to the threat of Avian Flu, guests expected it would be temporary. Around the same time, a team of engineers was brought in to conduct an inspection of the building and the results were not good. “The Aviary is a very humid environment, it's a very rough environme...

Jul142023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Historic Franklinville Church Comes Down – Members Plan to Rebuild

Local

Franklinville United Methodist Church is being torn down after one of its walls collapsed. (PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL) FRANKLINEVILLE N.C. - Members of the Franklinville United Methodist Church are saving what they can as the church is demolished following a wall collapse last week. On the night of July 6th, 2023, emergency crews responded to the Franklinville United Methodist Church on S. Main St after receiving a report of a commercial fire. Arriving units reported didn't find a fire, but rather a partial structure collapse of one of the walls of the church with a strong smell of gas. Initial reports of the collapse being caused by an explosion from a gas leak were dismissed as the cause. The gas leak was believed to have been triggered by an A/C unit falling onto a ga...

Jul62023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Emergency Crews Respond to Structure Collapse at Franklinville Church

Breaking News

https://youtu.be/cDO73bYd0xk FRANKLINVILLE N.C. - Emergency crews and officials are on the scene in Franklinville investigating what caused a portion of the Franklinville United Methodist Church to collapse. Just before 9 p.m. emergency crews from Franklinville Eastside, and Westside Fire Departments along with Randolph County EMS, Ash-Rand Rescue, and Randolph County Emergency Managment were called to the Franklinville United Methodist Church located at 227 W Main St, in Franklinville for a report of a commercial fire. Arriving units did not find a fire but instead reported a possible gas explosion and structure collapse. It remains unclear at this time if there was an explosion or if a portion of the wall collapsed for some other reason, possibly striking a gas line. Pied...

Jul52023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

No Injuries in Early Morning House Fire in Randleman

Breaking News

RANDLEMAN N.C. - Officials are saying that no one was injured during an early morning house fire in Randleman. Just after midnight on July 5th, 2023, Fire crews from Randleman, Sophia, Level Cross, and Westside Fire Departments were dispatched along with Randolph County EMS to a report of a house fire on Allred Way. Crews arrived to find a home nearly fully involved. Fire crews responded to a fully involved house fire on Allred Way in Randleman early in the morning hours of July 5th, 2023. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] According to officials with the Randleman Fire Department the homeowner was home at the time of the fire and all occupants were able to safely exit the structure with no injuries reported. The home, however, suffered heavy damage. Crews remained on scen...

Jun202023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Crime Stoppers Raising Money with ‘Back the Blue’ Shirts & Gun Raffle

Crime

ASHEBORO N.C. - Randolph County Crime Stoppers is raising money to help prevent crime and pay rewards for tips. Here is how you can help. Since 1983 Randolph County Crime Stoppers has been helping citizens and law enforcement communicate to help solve crimes and make a safer community. What is less known is that as a non-profit organization the organization does not receive tax money from any County or Municipal governments. All the money used to run the organization, including paying rewards for tips, comes from the community through donations and fund-raising activities. Through partnerships with all Randolph County law enforcement agencies, Randolph County Crime Stoppers provides ways for citizens to submit anonymous crime tips and information. Those tips are passed on to law enf...