Scenes from National Night Out in Randolph County
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Rose races to victory at Caraway Speedway
SOPHIA – Cory Rose won the 35-lap Challengers feature Saturday night at Caraway Speedway.
Rose held the pole position after qualifying and then briefly lost the lead to Enoch McNeil following a restart. But once Rose got back in the groove, he cruised to the victory.
McNeil finished second, followed by Daniel Schadt, Matthew Smith and Blake Shupe.
In UCARs, the winner was Sammy Bullins in the 15-lap race. The runner-up was Justin Smith, followed by Ron Mock, Blair Patterson and Jason Garwood.
Jon Morton won two different competitions.
Morton became a 10-time winner in 2023 in Bootleggers competition, with Jason Garwood in second place followed by Robbie Perkins and top qualifier Bentley Black.
In the Any Car Division, Morton navigated the 50-lap event to prevail in an 18-car field. All other drivers fell off the lead lap except for runner-up Brandon Collins.
The theme for the night was “Crashin Hackett’s Night of Destruction” and so other activities revolved around demolitions.
Allen Vance was deemed the winner of the “bowling with cars” exhibition and also won the school bus races. Buddy Allred was the top entrant in “figure-8 watermelon crawl” races. Jeff Ferree was tops in the trailer/boat race. Marty Coble was the winner of the Demolition Derby.
The next race night at the speedway comes Aug. 26 when Late Models, Challengers, Mini Stocks, UCARs, 602 Modifieds, Legends and Bandoleros will be on the card.
Florence leaves Asheboro with Southeast Regional title
ASHEBORO – Florence (S.C.) Post 1 completed a sweep of the Southeast Regional in American Legion baseball, winning Sunday afternoon’s title game by 8-5 against Fuquay-Varina Post 116.
Florence went 5-0 in the regional at McCrary Park, including Saturday night’s 5-4 decision in 11 innings against host Randolph County Post 45.
Florence (30-5) needed just one victory Sunday, but an extra game wasn’t required as Post 1 topped Fuquay-Varina, the North Carolina state champion, for the second time in the regional.
Post 1 goes on to the American Legion World Series later this week in Shelby. This marked Florence’s third regional championship and its first in 11 years.
Zach Hunt’s three-run home run set the tone as Post 1 notched four runs in the top of the first inning. Florence led 7-3 after three innings.
Fuquay-Varina finished with a 30-7 record.
McGlohon’s story to be revisited at library event in Asheboro
Here’s the late John McGlohon speaking at the Asheboro Public Library in August 2016 about his experience photographing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima during World War II. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record – File photo)
ASHEBORO – Many Asheboro residents are aware that former fire chief John McGlohon, as an aerial reconnaissance photographer in World War II, snapped images of the atomic bomb blast at Hiroshima.
What they may not know is that as McGlohon began to tell his story, doubters arose — and because his images were classified “top secret” until 1995, proving it was problematic.
McGlohon friend and oral historian Ken Samuelson will share McGlohon’s unique story, and detail his own efforts, through archives, museums and service members’ memories, to substantiate it, in a talk at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Asheboro Public Library.
A large crowd could gather for this session based on interest when McGlohon spoke on the subject during an August 2016 presentation. An overflow crowd was on hand for that event.
Although only the three B-29 bombers assigned to the Hiroshima mission — including the “Enola Gay,” which dropped the bomb — were supposed to be in the area, a misunderstood order put McGlohon’s reconnaissance aircraft nearby. McGlohon captured images of the explosion and its aftermath.
After the war, McGlohon returned home and operated a photography business. In 1955, he joined the Asheboro Fire Department, and served as Chief from 1961 to 1985. After retirement, he served on the city council from 1987 to 2005 as mayor pro tem.
Samuelson, from Moline, Ill., graduated from George Washington University and served in the U.S. Navy as a supply officer. He later worked in financial management.
He has a long and deep interest in World War II, and has conducted oral histories with veterans for the North Carolina Museum of History, The National World War II Museum and the University of Florida Oral History Collection. He has published numerous articles on veterans he has interviewed.
His oral history work led him to McGlohon.
Post 45 blasts off, keeps season going in Southeast Regional
Hunter Atkins, above, and several of his Randolph County Post 45 teammates had strong offensive games in Friday’s Southeast Regional game. (Randolph Record file photo)
ASHEBORO – Hunter Atkins drove in three runs and six of his Randolph County Post 45 teammates racked up two runs batted in a 17-1 whipping of Owensboro (Ky.) Post 9 in Friday afternoon’s elimination game of the Southeast Regional at McCrary Park.
The American Legion baseball game ended after five innings. Post 45 (25-7) scored in every inning, including seven runs in the top of the fifth.
For the second year in a row, Randolph County has advanced to the second-to-last day of the regional. It will be one of four remaining teams when Saturday’s action begins at 4:30 p.m.
Tanner Marsh, Tyler Parks, Josh Meadows, Connor Adams, Carson Whitehead and Pierce Leonard all knocked in two runs. Adams had three of Randolph County’s 10 hits and he also scored three runs. Marsh rapped two doubles.
Post 45 drew six walks and had six batters hit by pitches.
Braxton Walker pitched the first four innings and Drew Harmon threw in the fifth for Post 45.
Owensboro finished with a 21-12 record.
The Randolph County / Owensboro game was the first of three games on Friday’s schedule. Post 45’s opponent Saturday will be the loser of Friday’s nightcap between Florence (S.C.) Post 1 and West End (Va.) Post 361.
Lemons pitches gem as Randolph County Post 45 stays alive in Southeast Regional
Austin Lemons throws a pitch earlier this season (Randolph Record file photo)
ASHEBORO – Austin Lemons made sure Randolph County Post 45’s season has a little more life.
Lemons threw a four-hitter as Post 45 defeated Belleview (Fla.) Post 284 by 3-0 in Thursday afternoon’s elimination game of the Southeast Regional for American Legion baseball.
Lemons, a former Randleman High School pitcher headed for UNC Greensboro, walked three batters and struck out seven. The game lasted only 79 minutes at McCrary Park.
The outcome puts Post 45 (24-7) in another must-win matchup at 12:30 p.m. Friday against the loser of Thursday’s game between Owensboro (Ky.) Post 9 and Florence (S.C.) Post 1.
Randolph County, which dropped Wednesday night’s game to Columbia (Tenn.) Post 19, bounced back behind several extra-base hits.
Tanner Marsh’s second-inning triple with two outs drove in Connor Adams, who began the inning with a single.
Josh Meadows homered with one out in the third. Hunter Atkins made it 3-0 when his two-out single in the sixth drove in former Randleman teammate Caleb Dunn, who reached on a lead-off single.
Atkins, who doubled earlier, and Dunn both finished with two hits. John Dobkowski had two of Belleview’s hits.
In Thursday’s first game, North Carolina state champion Fuquay-Varina Post 116 sent Evans (Ga.) Post 192 home with a 6-1 decision in an elimination game.
Accountability on the issues impacting you
President Ronald Reagan famously said, “A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.”
President Joe Biden’s open border policies have fueled a historic surge in illegal immigration and the flames of our ongoing border crisis.
Since Biden took office, there have been over 5.6 million illegal crossings encountered at our Southern border, and while approximately 1.6 million illegal immigrants have escaped apprehension that we know of. According to Customs and Border Protection, 144,500 illegal immigrants were encountered at the Southern border in June alone—a 186% increase from the number of June encounters during the last administration.
To date in FY23, Border Patrol agents have seized more than 22,000 pounds of fentanyl, surpassing the total amount seized in all of FY22. Fentanyl poisoning is the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45, and is killing 300 Americans every single day—including over 3,000 North Carolinians in 2022. An amount small enough to fit inside the ear of Lincoln on a penny can be lethal. For anyone who cares about the safety of our young people, it’s heartbreaking and frustrating to witness this rapid decline in border security.
Every state, including North Carolina, is suffering from the impacts of Biden’s open border policies. That’s why last week, I confronted Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra following the recent announcement that a facility for unaccompanied minors will begin operating in Greensboro within the next few weeks.
In 2021, while testifying before the Energy and Commerce Committee, Secretary Becerra told me there were no plans to open such a facility in North Carolina. He knew that very day he had people doing a site visit at American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro. After Secretary Becerra blatantly misled me and several members of our delegation, the people of North Carolina deserve to know the truth. We have received nothing but delayed and vague responses.
You deserve real answers and real solutions. Housing illegal immigrants in schools across the nation will not solve our border crisis. When House Republicans made our “Commitment to America,” we promised to secure the border and protect innocent Americans from the consequences of President Biden’s radical agenda. Real solutions like H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, and the recently passed Schools Not Shelters Act, will deliver on our promise to secure the border—something Washington Democrats refuse to do.
As the Sandhills’ Congressman and representative of the largest military base in the country, I am also committed to our resilient energy grid. Physical attacks on our nation’s power grid, like the one we experienced in Moore County, increased by 71% in 2022.
Earlier this month, I joined a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing to further examine emerging threats to our electrical grid. This hearing built on what we learned at the field hearing I hosted in Moore County last month. We heard from expert witnesses about tangible solutions to strengthen our grid and prevent future attacks on the infrastructure you depend on.
One threat to our grid is the lack of a viable supply chain for grid components. Biden’s Department of Energy is about to make matters worse through proposed rules that will make it harder to find transformers. Their new rules will increase the time to procure new transformers from months to years.
To combat these proposed standards, I introduced Protecting America’s Distribution Transformer Supply Chain Act to delay these new bureaucratic regulations for energy distribution transformers. I was able to include this in the FY2024 Department of Energy authorization bill. This will not totally solve the supply chain problem, but it will prevent Washington bureaucrats from making it worse.
Our government exists to serve and protect you. From securing our borders to protecting your way of life, I am committed to building a safer future for you and your family that promotes long term economic prosperity, public safety, and freedom.
Richard Hudson is serving his sixth term in the U.S. House and represents North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. He currently serves as the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and is a member of the House Republican Steering Committee.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Zane Cheek
Providence Grove, multi-sport
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Cheek was active in each of the sports seasons, beginning as a multi-purpose back for the football team. He averaged more than 90 rushing yards per game as a senior in 2022. He again was selected as an All-Piedmont Athletic Conference player.
He was one of Providence Grove’s key players in boys’ basketball as a guard.
He wrapped up his prep career as a sprinter on the track and field team.
His twin brother, Zander Cheek, also was a standout athlete for the Patriots.
** During the summer, we recognize seniors from the past school year.
Randolph Health adds inpatient services
ASHEBORO – TeleNephrology consultations and dialysis for inpatient hospitalizations are being added as part of expanded services at Randolph Health.
The hospital has partnered with Renasolve and nephrologist Dr. Rubin Chandran to provide inpatient nephrology services. Renasolve specializes in providing daily 24-hour inpatient nephrology and TeleNephrology services to rural communities, according to Randolph Health.
This is the first time the hospital has offered these services even when the hospital was under different ownership, spokeswoman Paula Richards said.
The hospital’s announcement said this will “allow patients to remain in their local community – close to family and close to home. Our goal is to improve patient care and bring necessary access to nephrology specialists to our inpatient population, eliminating the need for patients and their families to travel long distances.”
Randolph Health’s nephrologists and kidney care team have extensive clinical expertise in all aspects of nephrology, according to information from the hospital.
Richards said the services don’t extend to outpatient levels at this time.
York, Murphy win in Late Models; Challengers race becomes rough, feisty at Caraway
Chase Murphy was a trophy winner in Late Models on Saturday night at Caraway Speedway. (Courtesy photo)
ASHEBORO – Jason York and Chase Murphy were winners in the Late Models class Saturday night at Caraway Speedway.
Twin features were held in many classes.
York had the fastest qualifying time and went on to win the first race in the division. Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Jeremy Mayfield placed fifth in the first race and 10th in the second race.
Murphy moved to the front at the beginning of the second race and went on to win.
Camden Thomas was the runner-up in both races. York, the track’s points leader, was fourth in the second race.
In Challengers, Allen Vance had a wire-to-wire victory in the first race, but that result was later overturned.
The second race involved a scrap between Vance and Brody Duggins following a wreck, which wrapped up with Duggins’ car on top of Vance’s car. Vance’s actions in the ensuing scuffle resulted in his disqualification and wiped out all his results for the night.
Matthew Smith was the original runner-up in the first Challengers feature, but his car failed inspection. So Duggins, who was third in the first race, was moved to the top spot on that rundown of results.
The second race standings showed Blake Shupe in first place and Nicolas Graham in second.
In 602 Modifieds, Jaxon Casper captured first place in both features. Second place in both races went to Josh Lowder and third place belonged to Justice Calabro each time.
There were a pair of 10-lap UCARs races with Steven Collins winning the first and Justin Smith prevailing in the second.
In Bootleggers, Jon Morton won both races, with the 10-lap events having identical results for all the entrants. Bentley Black had a pair of second-place finishes.
In U.S. Legends, Josh Lowe was the winner after leader Neal Dulin’s crash. London McKenzie placed second.
The Bandoleros victory went to Rylan Lowder.
The next race night for Caraway Speedway comes Aug. 5. That includes a Demo Derby plus class racing in Challengers, UCARs and Bootleggers.