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Blake Szilvay | For the Randolph Record

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Irene NC Farmers

Safely sharing the road with farm equipment

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ASHEBORO — During the Spring and Fall, the volume of farm equipment appearing on the road increases significantly. In the Fall, farmers are working hard to harvest crops in a narrow window of time with unpredictable weather. They rely on large equipment designed to aid them in these tasks, equipment that is not designed to match the speed of a common automobile on the road. Generally, this equipment will be travelling no more than 30 mph.

Public roads are dangerous with passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles interacting. Adding farm equipment increases accident risks for farmers and for motorists. Studies in N.C. in the 1960s resulted in new laws to protect everyone on our roadways. Those laws include special markings and lighting on slow-moving equipment.

According to the N.C. Farm Bureau, between 2015 and 2019, there were more than 1,000 accidents on N.C. roads involving farm vehicles. Studies show that most farm equipment crashes involve a non-farm vehicle. The Farm Bureau also says that an accident involving a farm vehicle is five-times more likely to result in a fatality than other road accidents.

When a motorist interacts with a farm vehicle on a road, there are several key principles to insure safety. It may seem easier to pass a tractor without slowing down than to follow the slower vehicle. But, sight lines on large equipment are not optimized for high-speed traffic so the operator may not be able to see a passing vehicle. A safer way to pass is to first slow down to give the farmer a chance to be aware that a vehicle is behind them.

Often a tractor will pull over when the driver notices a passenger vehicle. But drivers should not immediately assume that is what they are doing. Larger equipment often needs to make wide turns, so they may veer off to the side of the road just before making the turn. Mistaking this for pulling over could be costly. Left turns are especially dangerous for farm vehicles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most common types of collisions involving farm vehicles are side swipes and angle crashes. These crashes typically occur when farm equipment is turning left and another vehicle attempts to pass.

New equipment may come with traffic signals, but older equipment may require the operator to use hand signals. Hill and curves may hide an approaching vehicle in the other lane. A car traveling at 70 mph requires almost 400 feet to stop.

Because of the increased risk of accidents during harvest season, Presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 have declared the third week of September as National Farm Safety and Health Week.

Never maneuver to pass unless you are certain it is safe. Above all, be patient. Everyone involved wants to get to their destination safely and patience goes a long way to make that happen.

Blake Szilvay is a Field Crops and Forestry Agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension, Randolph County Center

 

 

 

 

Tobacco fields growing in North Carolina

Tobacco growers will vote on research funding

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ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Tobacco Research Referendum will be held on Thursday, November 18, 2021, from 8:30am to noon. Blake Szilvay, County Referendum Chairman, said one polling place has been established in Randolph County at the Randolph County Extension Office located at 1003 S. Fayetteville Street, Asheboro.

The referendum lets tobacco growers vote on whether they desire to continue the self-assessment program that funds research and extension projects at the Tobacco Research Commission housed at NC State University.  This program has been in place since 1991, and the law requires that a new referendum be held every six years.

A two-thirds favorable vote will mean that growers are willing to continue to assess themselves to support tobacco research and education.  The assessment is ten cents per hundred pounds of tobacco produced in North Carolina.

The funds, about $250,000 annually, are collected at buying stations by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and then allocated by the Tobacco Research Commission.

For more information, please call your County Extension Office at: 336-318-6004.

 

McKee

Hunting season opens with a bang

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ASHEBORO — Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer for many but it’s also the beginning of hunting season. The first hunt of the season for North Carolina sportsmen is often opening day of dove hunting on the Labor Day Saturday.

Dove hunting season is separated into three segments: Sept. 4 through Oct. 2, Nov. 6 through Nov. 27 and Dec. 9 through Jan. 31. All hunters must follow applicable migratory game bird licensing requirements and hunting regulations. The daily bag limit is 15 mourning or white-winged doves, either as single species or combined, and shooting hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Hunting of migratory game birds by any method is not allowed on Sundays.

Here’s a look at a few Randolph County hunters on the first day of the season.

If you have a trophy to show off, send it to [email protected].

PG_hcBrown

Providence Grove builds early success

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ASHEBORO — Providence Grove’s football team is in a groove early in the season.

Providence Grove’s against Jordon-Mattews at PGHS in Climax, NC on September 3, 2021. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL

The Patriots attempt to match a school record for the best start to a season when Asheboro visits Friday night.

For just the second time in school history, Providence Grove holds a 3-0 record. The most-recent result was last week’s 54-0 whipping of visiting Jordan-Matthews.

The only time Providence Grove – a school that opened in 2008 – began a season with four consecutive victories came in 2009.

Combined with winning their last two games of the past season (played in the spring), the Patriots hold a five-game winning streak overall.

In the Jordan-Matthews game, Zander Cheek set the tone by returning the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.

Cheek also scored on a reception and a rushing play. He gained 138 rushing yards on three carries. Luke Thomas threw two first-half touchdown passes. Caleb Rogers had touchdowns with a reception and a rushing play.

Here’s a look at other area football:

NORTH FORSYTH 30, RANDLEMAN 27: Thursday night at Randleman, the Tigers dropped their third home game to fall to 0-3, equaling the team’s number of losses from the three previous seasons combined.

North Forsyth (1-2) never trailed despite failing to cash in on a conversion play following any of its five touchdowns.

Christian Long threw two touchdown passes and Ervodd Cassady, who scored on a 27-yard run, picked up 107 rushing yards on 20 carries for Randleman. Thomas Dobias scored on a 34-yard pass and Jozey Akines made a 13-yard touchdown grab for the game’s last touchdown prior to a two-point conversion.

Chris Gentry kicked field goals from 20 and 33 yards out. The Tigers were charged with all four of the game’s turnovers.

Randleman was supposed to play Montgomery Central for last week’s game, but that was scrapped because of COVID protocols involving the Montgomery Central team.

EAST DAVIDSON 50, TRINITY 19: The visiting Bulldogs lost a lopsided game for the second week in a row to drop their record to 1-2.

POSTPONED: Last week’s games sending Ledford to Wheatmore along with Walkertown going to Eastern Randolph were called off because of COVID protocols.

This week’s game for Eastern Randolph (2-0) is at Burlington Williams. Some initial schedules had that game listed for a home game in Ramseur, but athletics director Foster Cates said that was adjusted to help balance schedules so it’s a road game.

 

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Friday’s area schedule

Eastern Randolph at Burlington Williams, 7

Asheboro at Providence Grove, 7:30

West Davidson at Southwestern Randolph, 7:30

Jordan-Matthews at Trinity, 7:30

Wheatmore at Chatham Central, 7:30

 

 

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Athlete of the Week: Hannah Hinshaw

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Randleman’s Hannah Hinshaw spikes the ball against SWRduring the first set in a PAC-7 volleyball match in Randleman, NC on September 7, 2021. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL

HANNAH HINSHAW

Randleman | Middle Blocker | Senior

Randleman’s Hannah Hinshaw is this week’s Strider Auto “Best Overall” Athlete of the Week.

The senior middle blocker led the team in multiple categories as the Tigers won twice. Randleman swept Montgomery Central and then topped Wheatmore in four sets to improve its record to 7-2.

In the Montgomery Central match, Hinshaw collected 16 kills and 21 digs, both the top numbers for the team. Against Wheatmore, she chipped in with 16 kills to go with a team-best six blocks.

 

 

 

 

 

norman_obit

OBIT: Martha Norman

Martha Louise (Lawrence) Norman

August 16, 1927 ~ September 4, 2021 (age 94) 

Martha Louise Lawrence Norman was born In Albany, Georgia on August 16, 1927 to Jerrial Turner Lawrence and Vivian Ross Lawrence. Mrs. Norman graduated from James A. Gray High  School.

Martha had a wonderful life, a deep faith in Jesus Christ, walking daily with her savior. The happiness of Martha’s life was on the tennis court. She played in Asheboro and on the Senior Circuit for over forty years; she represented the National Senior Women’s Tennis Association in 2001 playing in Austria 2004. Martha’s devoted friend, Hazel Anderson was her doubles partner. Her mother introduced her to the sport at eight years of age. Martha’s theory and motivation of her health and tennis was “use it or you are going to lose It” and with no injuries under her belt, that goal was attainable.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Albert L. Norman and brother Jack Lawrence of Rock Hill, SC. She is survived by daughters Marty Norman Disney (Dave, deceased) of Asheboro, NC and Nancy Norman Huneycutt (Ross) of Lewisville, NC; two grandchildren Beth Tyndall (Chris) and Lee Stroud both of Asheboro, NC, and sister Lucille Kimel of Winston-Salem, NC and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Louise and Bonnie for their compassionate care to our mother. Due to Covid 19, there will be a private memorial service for the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to North Carolina Tennis Foundation, 2709 Henry Street, Greensboro, NC 27405 or Hospice of Randolph, 416 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203.

Services entrusted to Midstate Cremation & Funeral Service.

DOVE SEASON

Boating, dove hunting highlight long weekend

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ASHEBORO — Labor Day Weekend is a big weekend for outdoor enthusiasts. The weekend marks a traditional to the summer boating and beach season but kicks off the hunting season with Dove hunting.

Saturday is the first day of dove season. The season opens September 4 and runs through October 2. The bag limit for dove hunters is 15 and shooting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset. According to a release from the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission, no migratory game birds may be taken with the use and aid of bait.

The long-weekend will also see Wildlife Resources officers performing sobriety checkpoints on the water as part of the “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign. This is the 11th year of the campaign which is centered on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

There were 188 boating incidents investigated in 2020 in North Carolina with 29 fatalities. Twenty-four of the incidents were alcohol related, including 8 fatalities. Not wearing a life vest was a contributing factor. Of the 29 fatalities, only 11 were wearing personal flotation devices.

The State Highway Patrol, local police and local sheriff’s offices are also part of the Labor Day enforcement and education campaign.

GOP 2016 Carson

Lexington BBQ festival cancelled due to labor shortages

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ASHEBORO — An annual tradition showcasing Lexington-style barbecue will be postponed for a second straight year. The Lexington Barbecue Festival announced Friday that the street festival and pork spectacle would be held next in October of 2022.

“After months of consultation with local officials, sponsors, and official festival restaurants, the 2021 Barbecue Festival set for October 23, will not happen as planned,” according to a statement released by the festival. ‘It was a difficult decision, but one we ultimately concluded was the responsible and necessary decision to make.”

The group blamed labor and supply challenges for the cancellation. “The restaurant owners unanimously decided that they could not meet the enormous challenge of preparing and serving thousands of pounds of BBQ for the festival this year, and we respect that decision.”

According to the festival, Lexington restaurant’s Smokey Joe’s, Lexington Barbecue Center, Speedy’s and Stamey’s issued a joint statement saying, “With our deepest regret, due to supply chain challenges, the current labor shortage, and concerns with the ongoing pandemic, we will not be able to participate in The Barbecue Festival this year. We look forward to celebrating our World Famous BBQ Heritage again in 2022.”

The festival also said concerns about the community’s health also played a factor in the cancellation. “Based on current trends, we feel it would not be in the best interest of our community to invite more than 100,000 people from across the country to converge on our city, when the Delta variant is so prevalent,” said the festival. “We were very much looking forward to the 2021 festival, but now we’ll turn our focus and energy to the 2022 festival.”

Restaurants around North Carolina are suffering from labor shortages. Rep. Ted Budd (R-NC) visited Alamance and Randolph counties this week to highlight the effect of federal government policies on restaurants.

ER_Letterlough

Schedules shift for some area football teams

ASHEBORO — Several area football teams have had schedule adjustments for this week, mostly based on COVID-related protocols.

Randleman will play Thursday night at home against North Forsyth in a matchup of two teams with 0-2 records. That means Friday night’s game that would have sent Randleman to Montgomery Central has been called off.

Wheatmore’s home game against Ledford is off for Friday and instead has been rescheduled for Sept. 24.The schools will play a junior varsity game Sept. 23at Ledford.

That leaves Walkertown at Eastern Randolph, Jordan-Matthews at Providence Grove, and Trinity at East Davidson on the area schedule for Friday night. Asheboro and Southwestern Randolph were scheduled to be off this week.

SWR_Volleyball

SWR tops Trinity in volleyball

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ASHEBORO — The Southwestern Randolph Cougars topped the Trinity Bulldogs in varsity and junior varsity matches today.

In the varsity match, the Cougars took down the Bulldogs in three sets with scores of 25-13, 25-9, 25-10. Payton Shiflet had 19 kills, 7 digs and 2 aces, Josie Allred had 8 kills, 4 blocks and 5 aces, Raegan LeRoy had 27 assists, and Coley Shiflet had 8 digs. The Cougars are now 2-0 in conference play and 10-2 overall. The Bulldogs fell to 1-1 in conference.

In the JV match, SWR defeated Trinity in two sets with scores of 25-20, 25-17. Micah Wilson had 13 assists and 10 aces, Lileigh Payne had 5 kills and 5 digs, Zoey Hammer had 3 kills, 8 digs and 4 aces, and Maria Foust had 2 blocks! The JV is 1-1 in conference and 2-3 overall.

The Cougars travel to Randleman on Tuesday. The Bulldogs host Uwharrie Charter Tuesday.

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