North Carolina Archives | Randolph News Now

May12024 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

They’re Here: Cicadas re-emerge across North Carolina

Local

Cicada Brood XIX, with their 13-year cycle, have begun to emerge across North Carolina [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO — It’s officially May and on top of flowers from April showers, this month will bring forth two broods of cicadas in the U.S. in a phenomenon not seen since the early 1800’s. If you have scrolled news articles or social media in the last few weeks you’ve probably come across headlines telling of a super rare event with “billions” of cicadas emerging this year. So, what’s happening? Periodical cicadas are insects that spend most of their lives living underground feeding off the sap of tree roots. In summer, as the ground warms, cicadas make their way to the surface to transform into adults and mate. Once above ground and transformed into adults, peri...

Oct242023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

How Safe are School Buses? – A Look at the Data

Investigative

Vehicle crash involving a school bus on Hwy 64 in Asheboro in 2019. [Acme News Archive Photo] ASHEBORO N.C. - Two separate school bus crashes on October 12th, 2023, raised questions online about the safety of school buses, so we decided to look at the data to see just how safe children who ride the bus to school are on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) school bus accidents account for less than 1% of all traffic fatalities. While that 'less than 1%' is a national figure, here in NC, the data backs up that number. Using crash report numbers from the N.C. Department of Transportation's annual traffic facts publication for 2015 through 2022, we analyzed the numbers for school bus accidents for North Carolina. In the eight years we l...

Oct132023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Central Carolina to see Partial ‘Ring of Fire’ Solar Eclipse this Saturday

Weather

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlY79zjud-Q Watch the Solar Eclipse live on YouTube on NASA's live stream. ASHEBORO N.C. - On Saturday, October 14th, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross western North America, and while only a few cities will see the 'ring of fire,' here in North Carolina we may still have something neat to witness. The 2023 solar eclipse is what's known as an annular, or partial, solar eclipse. The moon will pass between the orbit of the Earth and the Sun casting a shadow on the Earth across its path. Due to the distance between the Earth, moon, and Sun, the moon will not fully cover the Sun in the sky, creating a “ring of fire” around the moon when it lines up directly with the sun. Credit: Michael Zeiler, GreatAmericanEclipse.com To see the 'ring of fi...

Oct92023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

N.C. Law Enforcement Cracking Down on Speeding

Traffic & Roads

(Credit: Acme News Archive) RALEIGH N.C. (NC DOT) – The N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program is reminding drivers to follow the speed limit as part of 'Operation Crash Reduction' from Oct. 9-15. The annual campaign enforces safe driving during one of the deadliest months of the year for fatal vehicle crashes. Motorists may notice increased law enforcement efforts to crack down on speeding motorists and bring awareness to unsafe speeds in communities statewide next week, including radar operations and speed display signs. “Ensuring the safety of all drivers is our highest priority,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “We are urging everyone to slow down and obey the posted roadway signs. The choices you make behind the wheel can ...

Sep202023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

One Year In, Construction on Asia on Schedule

NC Zoo

Construction is underway on the new Asia expansion at the NC Zoo. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - One year after breaking ground, construction on the Asia expansion at the North Carolina Zoo is on track, but with the planned opening still years away there is still a lot of work to be done. General construction on Asia is halfway complete with Rodgers Builders, the general contractor for the project, reporting no significant delays thus far. Work constructing the buildings and infrastructure is expected to be completed by fall of 2024. Once Asia’s construction is complete, the work of turning ten acres of gravel, dirt, and concrete buildings into a new continent is where the Zoo’s work will really start, says Diane Villa, Director of Communications & Marke...

Sep82023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments

Tropic Watch – Hurricane Lee

Weather

ASHEBORO N.C. - Forecasters will be keeping a very close eye on Hurricane Lee over the weekend to see if forecast models predicting the storm will make a turn out to sea will be accurate. Current Location / Strength Over less than 24 hours, Lee intensified from a tropical storm into a category 5 hurricane with reported winds of 160+ mph. That rapid intensification is the quickest any system has gone from a tropical storm to a category 5 hurricane in Atlantic hurricane season history. (NOAA / NWS - National Hurricane Center) Lee is currently located around 750 miles to the east of San Juan, Puerto Rico (18.2N 54.5W), and is moving WNW at 13 mph. This morning Lee encountered some wind shear resulting in sustained winds falling below 160 mph dropping Lee back down to a category ...

Aug72023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

Tornado Watch Issued as NWS Warns of Severe Weather Threat [UPDATED]

Weather

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATEDClick Here or scroll down to see the latest update ASHEBORO N.C. - The National Weather Service Office in Raleigh has issued a Tornado Watch admit warnings of the threat of severe weather expected today. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, has placed most of central North Carolina under an Enhanced Risk of severe weather today. An Enhanced Risk indicates there is a larger area with widespread chances of low-to-moderate intensity severe thunderstorms. Local forecasters at the National Weather Service Office in Raleigh say that they are expecting a line of severe storms to move across NC between 3pm and 11pm with widespread damaging winds, isolated tornados, and heavy rain causing minor flooding in some areas. As of 2 pm this...

Jul212023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

State Board Approves Student and Public Employee ID Cards in Upcoming Elections

Government

ASHEBORO N.C. — The State Board of Elections has approved almost a hundred student and employee ID cards for use in the upcoming 2023 municipal and 2024 primary and general elections in North Carolina. With the passage of Voter ID laws in North Carolina, voters will be asked to show photo ID when voting in state starting with the municipal elections this fall. While most voters will simply show their driver’s license, for those who don't have a driver's license there are many other acceptable photo IDs, and that list is growing with the approval of ninety-nine student and employee IDs. These newly approved IDs, which can be used to confirm a person’s identity when they check in to vote, include student IDs for all UNC system schools, as well as other public and private colleges a...

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...

Jun302023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments

Be Safe, Don’t Drink and Drive — On the Road or the Water

Government

Mark Ezzell, director of the N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program, encouraged people during Wednesday's event to enjoy the Fourth of July responsibly and if you're going to drink, don't drive any vehicle. (Provided by NC DOT) RALEIGH N.C. (NCDOT) – People should celebrate and have fun this Fourth of July, but if you drink don’t operate an automobile or boat. That was the message from traffic safety officials and law enforcement officers at Wednesday’s launch in Raleigh of anti-drunk driving campaigns aimed at automobile drivers and boaters. Officials were at the Falls Lake Upper Barton Creek Boating Access Area in Raleigh for Wednesday morning’s launch of the “Operation Firecracker Booze It & Lose It” and “Operation Dry Water” campaigns. “We want people to hav...