Scott Pelkey, | Randolph News Now

Apr112023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Smoke, No Fire at Hobby Lobby in Asheboro Overnight

News

ASHEBORO N.C. - Firefighters responded to the Hobby Lobby in Asheboro late last night for a fire alarm and found smoke but no fire. Late last night between 10 and 11pm, Asheboro Fire and Rescue Deptartment was dispatched to 1422 E Dixie Dr, in Asheboro for a report of a fire alarm. Crews arrived to find smoke in the building but were not able to locate any fire. According to information from the department this morning, the source of the smoke was determined to be a compacter motor that had locked up. The extent of the damage is undetermined.

Apr62023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Vehicle Thefts and Property Crimes Trending Up

Crime

ASHEBORO N.C. - Last month the Randolph County Sheriff's Office investigated eight vehicle thefts, which makes up almost half of the vehicle thefts reported in 2023 and data is already showing a spike in theft related calls this month. The crime dashboard maintained on the Sheriff's Office website shows that so far this year 18 motor vehicle thefts have been or are being investigated, eight of those occurred in March. To avoid being the victim of a vehicle theft the Sheriff's Office recommends the following advice: Lock your doors every time you leave your vehicle and take your keys. Many vehicles that are burglarized have been vehicles that were unlocked and those that were stolen had keys in them. Do not leave a spare key inside the vehicle. Do not leave your car running u...

Apr52023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Power and Internet Outage Caused by Tractor Trailer Accident

News

Repair crews working on Albemarle Rd during the early afternoon on April 4th, 2023. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - Today we are learning details about what led to customers across Randolph County losing power, internet, and cell service Tuesday. On April 4th, 2023, at 1pm, Randolph County Emergency Services dispatched Asheboro Fire/Rescue to a utility call on Albemarle Rd. According to Samantha East, Public Information Officer for the department, their crews arrived on scene to find a power pole that was broken with several lines in the roadway and one lying across a truck. https://youtube.com/shorts/bZeiHjyLCvI (Video Credit - Alex Perdue) By email the Asheboro Police says an Eveready Battery truck was involved however they were unable to say to what...

Apr32023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Sewer System Smoke Testing Starts in Ramseur Today

Government

Sewer / 'manhole' cover (BGStock72 / Adobe Stock) ASHEBORO N.C. - The town of Ramseur is planning is warning residents that they will be conducting smoke testing of the local sewer system, starting today. According to an announcement on Facebook, starting today, April 3, 2023, the Town of Ramseur will be smoke testing all sanitary sewer lines in this area to locate defects in the sewer system. "The "smoke" that you see coming from the vent stacks on houses or holes in the ground or streets is non-toxic, harmless and creates no fire hazard. Smoke should not enter your house unless you have defective plumbing or dried up drain traps. Should smoke enter your home, you may contact a member of the smoke testing crew working in the area." According to the Town, the information gath...

Mar292023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Law Changes After Veto Overridden – Pistol Purchase Permits No Longer Required

Government

Handgun sits in display case in gun store (AS Photo Family / Adobe Stock) ASHEBORO NC - Individuals looking to purchase a handgun in North Carolina are no longer required to obtain a pistol purchase permit from the local Sheriff's Office after the NC General Assembly overrode Gov. Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 41. Senate Bill 41, also known as the “Guarantee 2nd Amendment Freedom and Protections,” was passed by the NC General Assembly and sent to Gov. Cooper on March 16th, 2023. Last Friday, Gov. Cooper vetoed the bill saying that "eliminating strong background checks will allow more domestic abusers and other dangerous people to own handguns and reduces law enforcement's ability to stop them from committing violent crimes. Second Amendment supporting, responsible gun owners know thi...

Mar172023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Body Found in Submerged Vehicle Linked to Missing Person

Breaking News

[Scott Pelkey | Randolph News Now / North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - A body found in a vehicle submerged upside down in a creek on Caraway Mountain Rd this morning has been identified as a missing person from Thomasville. According to the Randolph County Sheriff's Office, at approximately 10:20 am this morning, a 911 caller reported a gray Nissan upside down in Caraway Creek on Caraway Mtn. Rd., near Conference Center Dr. Ash-Rand Rescue, Westside Fire Department, Randolph County EMS and Emergency Management all responded, and emergency crews were able to extricate the subject who was pronounced deceased at the scene. Steven Paul Soles The Sheriff’s Office along with the NC Highway Patrol responded to investigate after the vehicle description and plate matched a miss...

Mar162023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

More than 12.5 million in Funding Approved for Liberty Wastewater Treatment Plant

Government

ASHEBORO N.C. - Late last month Governor Cooper announced millions of dollars in water and sewer infrastructure funding projects for communities across North Carolina including more than 12.5 million for Wastewater Collection System Improvements for the town of Liberty. In a press release on February 24th, 2023, House Democratic Leader Robert Reives announced that $12.5 million had been allocated for wastewater collection system improvements in Liberty, as well as a $400,000 grant for pre-construction planning. Approval is still needed from the Local Government Commission (LGC). The funding comes as a part of billions of dollars in federal money made available through the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. “Chatham and Randolph are growing quickly -- ...

Mar102023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Asheboro Fire/Rescue Receives New Insurance Rating, Lower Insurance Rates Coming Soon

Government

https://youtu.be/YpGOKhpRbnQ Commissioner of Insurance and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey speaks at Station 1 to announce the department's new ISO rating. ASHEBORO N.C. - Lower insurance rates will soon be coming to residents in the Asheboro Fire/Rescue district after the department received its new ISO rating from the NC Department of Insurance. ISO ratings are set by the NC Department of Insurance every five years after an inspection looking at everything from staffing, training, equipment, maintenance, and water supply to emergency communications. The ISO ratings are a measure of how well a department can respond to fires and emergencies and range from one (the highest) to ten (not recognized as a certified fire department by the state). Higher ISO ratings significantly lower ...

Mar102023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Get Ready to ‘Spring Forward’ This Weekend as Daylight Savings Starts

Local

(Clock / Stock Photo / Acme News) ASHEBORO N.C. - Daylight Saving Time starts this Sunday as most of the country 'springs forward' for the annual trade of an hour of sleep for more daylight in the coming spring and summer months. When Does the Time Change Daylight Saving Time starts on Sunday, March 12th, 2023, at 2 a.m. As clocks 'spring forward' 2 a.m. becomes 3 a.m. resulting in a lost hour of sleep but more daylight hours during the summer. Daylight saving time for 2023 will end on Sunday, Nov. 5, at 2 a.m. I Thought We Were Done with This? In April of 2021, the North Carolina House passed a bill titled "NC Time Zone/Observe DST All Year" that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent (year-round). The bill was sent to the Senate on February 2nd, 2021, but has not mo...

Mar82023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Asheboro Social District Changed Last Month

Local

ASHEBORO N.C. - Last month the City of Asheboro made changes to the Social District downtown. Here is what you need to know. The Zoo City Social District is a special area in historic downtown Asheboro where visitors carry and consume alcoholic beverages in outdoor public spaces during specified times, so long as the beverages are in designated containers and were purchased from participating businesses. Current participating businesses include AmVets 905, Cantina Taco Loco, Carolina Tap House, Four Saints Brewing Company, The Flying Pig Food and Spirits, Leo’s Whiskey Bar, Lumina Wine & Beer, and Positano. On February 1st, 2023, the Zoo City Social District map was changed to allow more business participation. As a reminder, the city says visitors with open container...