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U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson

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Congress Budget

HUDSON: It’s time to get to work

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It is a new year and the 118th Congress has begun. It’s an honor to continue serving you and our community representing North Carolina’s new 9th District. This includes all or portions of Chatham, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore, Randolph, Richmond, and Scotland Counties. I will continue maintaining a district office in Fayetteville, while also operating a new primary district office in Southern Pines. My office locations can be found on my website at Hudson.House.gov.

Three counties I represented previously – Cabarrus, Stanly, and Montgomery – are now in North Carolina’s 12th and 8th Districts. It has been an honor to represent these communities throughout my time in Congress. Cabarrus County has also been home to me and my family for many years, and I am proud of all we have been able to accomplish together. My family and I are getting settled into the new home we purchased in Southern Pines. I look forward to serving the new 9th District and continuing to work on common sense solutions to challenges facing our entire region, Fort Bragg, and our nation.

Solving problems has always been my focus as your Congressman. Due in part to the misguided policies of Washington Democrats and the Biden administration, we have seen our nation weakened on many fronts. Across the country, families like yours have suffered the highest inflation in 40 years and record prices at the gas pump. In fact, North Carolina is experiencing some of the highest increases in gas prices in the country, up 14 cents from one week ago.

We have also witnessed an ongoing humanitarian and national security crisis at our southern border, as record numbers of illegal migrants crossed into the country over the course of last year. This border crisis has threatened the safety and security of communities nationwide, including exacerbating the fentanyl epidemic robbing countless Americans of their lives. President Joe Biden has been in office for more than 715 days, but last week announced his first ever visit to the southern border. This crisis can no longer be ignored, and House Republicans are ready to pass solutions to secure our border and protect our communities.

Washington Democrats have been largely unable, or unwilling, to address the many issues affecting you and your family. However, with Republicans now in the majority in the House, we have an obligation to address these issues and set things in the right direction. Our “Commitment to America” is a plan to do just that by implementing common sense policies to create an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom. 

Last week, House Republicans hit the ground running to follow through on that agenda. I introduced my first bill of this Congress – the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. H.R. 38 is a key piece of legislation that will protect law-abiding citizens’ rights to conceal carry and guarantees the Second Amendment does not disappear when we cross invisible state lines. It has even been called the “the greatest gun rights boost since the ratification of the Second Amendment in 1791.” I have introduced this bipartisan legislation each Congress and have promised to continue championing this measure until it becomes law.

Additionally, House Republicans voted on legislation to stop the hiring of 87,000 new IRS agents to spy on your bank account, a bill to block the Biden administration from selling oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to communist China, and pro-life bills to protect babies who survive a botched abortion and mothers who rely on crisis pregnancy centers.

We have a lot of work to do and it is an honor to serve as your Congressman. In this new year, and new Congress, I will never waiver from doing everything I can to fight for you and build a better future for your family.

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.

Congress

BISHOP: Accountability is coming

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Last week in the House of Representatives, the 118th Congress kicked off in earnest. Republicans passed our first bills in the majority in more than four years. Though all of these bills will strengthen our country and economy, they were nearly universally opposed by Democrats.

My top focus in Congress is breaking the Swamp’s status quo to ensure the government works for the people – not the other way around. This is just the beginning of what our Republican Conference will accomplish this Congress.

The first order of business was undoing the Democrats’ $80 billion meant to fund an army of 87,000 IRS agents who will undoubtedly only audit and harass hardworking Americans. Every Democrat voted against this bill despite knowing that the bill will preserve upgrades to customer service and operations, while defunding the new IRS army. The last thing that hardworking Americans need are more meddling and ineffective bureaucrats.

In a huge win for the American people, the House officially established a Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. This is something I’ve worked diligently on for months, and securing this investigative subcommittee was a crucial aspect of our successful efforts to reform the House and drain the Swamp last week.

I spoke on the House floor in support of forming this investigative subcommittee. Any bureaucrat who violates Americans’ Constitutional rights is on notice – we are coming for you, on behalf of the American people.

On the same day, Republicans and Democrats voted together to form a Select Committee on China. The Chinese Communist Party is a grave threat worthy of increased Congressional attention, and this committee will treat that threat with the seriousness it deserves.

The House also passed legislation to prohibit the Biden Administration from exporting oil in our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China. When Americans are struggling to afford gas, the last thing our country should be doing is shipping our oil to China.

I proudly cosponsored and voted for my colleague Mike Johnson’s resolution condemning the 78 attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers and 100+ attacks on churches since the Dobbs decision leaked.

We passed this resolution, as well as legislation to protect babies that are born alive during botched abortions. Every Republican voted for this legislation, while nearly every Democrat opposed. These votes show the true divide on the essential question of life that exists between Republicans and Democrats in Washington.

I was proud to support these common sense bills. Our work is just beginning.

RandolphCountySchools

Randolph Early College senior recognized before board of education for United States Presidential Scholar selection

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ASHEBORO – The Randolph County Board of Education met Monday, Jan. 9 with recognitions and quarterly updates the only items on the agenda.

The board recognized the 2023 United States Presidential Scholar Nominee, Toby Cuna Zamora.

“Toby Cuna Zamora, a senior at Randolph Early College High School, has been selected by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) as one of North Carolina’s nominees to apply for the United States Presidential Scholars Program in the General Education category,”  said Public Information Officer Tim Moody. “Nineteen nominees were selected from a pool of submissions through an extensive committee review process. As a result of his selection, Toby has been invited by the NCDPI Presidential Scholars Nomination Committee to move forward in the next round of the scholars program.”

United States Presidential Scholars candidates will go through the application process at the national level and the Commission on Presidential Scholars will notify the semifinalists in April 2023. Scholar finalists will then be announced in May 2023. 

Those selected will receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion at a ceremony in their honor in Washington, D.C. and scholars selected from North Carolina will be honored by the State Board of Education in early June 2023. 

The board also recognized the county’s 2022-23 Lighthouse School nominee.

“The North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development has a prestigious Lighthouse School award that is presented annually to one or more North Carolina schools that are leading the way in innovative programs and practices,” Moody said. “For the 2022-23 school year, the leadership team of Randolph County School System has nominated Archdale Elementary School for the Lighthouse School award.”

Schools selected for the award will be announced at the NCSCD 2023 annual conference in February in Pinehurst.

In its quarterly budget update, the district reported cash balances of $3,511,363 in current expenses, $1,843,158 in capital outlay, $1,849,711 in AT Tax and $4,362,246 in child nutrition funds.

In its quarterly student assignment update, Randolph County Schools saw a net loss in overall enrollments of 82 students. It is also seeing three schools – Archdale Elementary, Hopewell Elementary, and Randleman High – approaching capacity, all currently having enrollment that is over 90% of total capacity for those schools.

The Randolph County Board of Education will next meet Feb. 20.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Bri Hill

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Wheatmore, girls’ basketball

Hill helped the Warriors to a three-game winning streak. Wheatmore won home games against Southwestern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy sandwiched around a road triumph at Providence Grove.

Hill’s 20 points were huge in the 52-43 conquering of Southwestern Randolph. The sophomore guard had 17 points in the Providence Grove game.

Going into this week, the Warriors had won five of their last six games. Wheatmore held a 3-3 record in the Piedmont Athletic Conference after an 0-3 start to league play.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Tyshaun Goldson, Randleman, boys’ basketball

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Randleman’s Tyshaun Goldston puts up a shot against South Davidson in last month’s holiday tournament. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Goldston, a sophomore, had quite a week in a pair of victories for the Tigers.

He rolled up 19 points and six rebounds when Randleman defeated visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy 68-42. 

Then came Goldston’s 15 points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots in a 49-43 victory at Providence Grove.

Goldston holds team-leading marks of 16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds per game, and 2.1 blocked shots per game.

With an 11-5 record entering this week, the Tigers already eclipsed last season’s eight-win mark.

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Asheboro City Council updates subdivision review/approval regulations

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ASHEBORO — The Asheboro city council met Thursday with a handful of public hearings on the agenda.

The council approved an amendment to the Zoo City Social District to slightly expand the map and to also make certain clarifications in specific regulations.

“What we are doing here is tweaking the boundaries of the social district just slightly to include possibly as many as four new businesses that want to be included in the social district,” said Mayor David Smith. “We are just trying to get our ordinance in line with what the state expects in addition to adding just a couple of little areas to this blueprint.”

The amendments in relation to the Zoo City Social District also includes further clarification of specific definitions, regulations, and allowances.

All of the ordinance provisions will take effect on February 1.

The council also approved the closure of a portion of West Pritchard Street that had already been barricaded off.

The council then approved various text amendments that had been submitted for the purpose of updating a broad range of subdivision review/approval regulations.

“The topics include the review/approval/appeal variance process, a number of technical standards to subdivision regulations, as well as approval expiration time frames for major residential subdivision development,” said Community Development Director Trevor Nuttall.

Text amendments included granting the city council sole authority to issue variances or requests to deviate, changing the formal approval authority for subdivisions from city council to Community Development staff, and adding expiration guidelines for subdivision sketch design plants. 

In addition, it also included extending expiration durations for preliminary plats, changing plat certification language and dimensional requirements to improve the accuracy of certification language and reflect changes to the criteria established by state law and the register of deeds office for recording plats, clarification on street lighting responsibilities within new major subdivisions, and establishing private street design standards for larger planned unit developments and other minor changes. 

“For the last two or three years, we’ve sat here many nights debating subdivision proposals, what was in the best interest of the future of Asheboro, and what we wanted Asheboro to look like, and this is a big step in the right direction,” Smith said on the amendments.

The council then held three legislative hearings.

The first was a request to rezone property at 564 Cox Avenue.

“This is a request from the property owner to take property from a conditional commercial zoning district to R10, medium density residential district,” Nuttall said. “We’re looking at one Randolph County pin with this request, and it’s one-third of an acre in size. Currently, there is a single-family dwelling on the property that is being used as a dwelling, and the property is being used residentially. That does constitute a legal, non-conforming use. The conditional zoning that is on the property is from 2007. It was intended to allow professional services as well as business services and personal services with some exclusions as part of that approval. With a conditional zoning B2 district, any additions or improvements to the structure for residential use are very much restricted because that is not a use that is recognized as permitted in the district. In order to make any sort of improvement to the property for residential use, a rezoning is necessary.”

Following the hearing, the council approved the rezoning request.

The second request was to rezone property located on Golda Avenue, east of 210 Golda Avenue, approximately 850 feet east of the intersection of North Fayetteville Street from R10 to RA6 (CZ), for a development with multiple family dwelling units.

The property is 8.5 acres of undeveloped land, and the developer wanted to build 45 units on it.

However, due to concerns over the proposed density and, thereby, increasing traffic, the council voted to table the hearing until their next meeting, when they can get a more precise view of what the city can do to help with the issues brought up by the public on Goldoa Avenue. 

“There are two important points to make here,” Smith said. “First of all, we desperately need the housing. Secondly, it is incumbent upon us as a city council, because that is a city street, to improve that access to accommodate whatever is needed for that neighborhood. If we were to move forward next month and approve this neighborhood, then we will try to have a plan in place to address that traffic problem.”

The final request was a preliminary plat review for the Cane Creek Townhomes subdivision.

“This is a request for a preliminary plat approval, or the second of three approvals for the city’s subdivision approval process,” Nuttall said. “We are looking at 3.67 acres. There are ten lots proposed as well as some common area and the average lot size is 2,500 square feet.”

Following the hearing, the council approved the preliminary plat.

The council approved the application for the NC Housing Finance Agency Urgent Repair Program.

“Under the program, assistance is provided in the form of an unsecured, deferred and forgivable, 0% loan to low and very low-income homeowners,” Nuttall said. “The loan must be used towards authorized and agreed upon home repairs that are necessary to keep the homeowner safe and or prevent displacement from the home due to dangerous living conditions. Eligible applicants must live in the city and reside at the property in need of the repairs. There are other qualifying characteristics in addition to the income limits that are designed to give this funding to the elderly, disabled, military veterans or female head-of-households.”

Nuttall stated that if they get funding from the program, he anticipates being able to repair at least 11 homes. Up to $11,000 in repairs would be available, forgiven at a rate of $3,000 per year till that principle is reduced to $0.” 

The council also approved the retaining of an environmental lawyer to assist with concerns over the renewal of their permit to operate the wastewater plant and a 120-month lease, $2,990 per month, lease agreement with T-Mobile South, LLC for the placement of electronic communications equipment. 

The Asheboro City Council will next meet February 9.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Dylan Hodges

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Trinity, boys’ basketball

Hodges is turning in a splendid senior season on the basketball court.

He was the team’s only player to score in double figures in every game last week as the Bulldogs placed third in the Ledford bracket of the Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic.

Hodges racked up 20, 19, and 14 points in those games.

Hodges, who also has excelled in football and as a high jumper in track and field, is the only senior in the regular rotation for the basketball team.

The Bulldogs entered the new year with a 12-3 record.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Salem Lee

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Asheboro, girls’ basketball

Lee has been a golfer competing at the state level, but she’s also one of the top basketball players for the Blue Comets girls’ team.

The senior forward scored a team-high 16 points last week when Asheboro topped visiting Thomasville 60-9. That outcome snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Blue Comets.

Lee has been the team’s top producer in terms of assists and blocked shots. She also has been the Asheboro leader in field goal percentage.

Asheboro is trying to return to prominence after playing in the Class 3-A state championship game in 2021. The Blue Comets are under the direction of first-year coach Mike Headen.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Spencer May

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Trinity | wrestling

In this match from last season, Trinity’s Spencer May works over Riley Shaw of West Wilkes in a 113-pound bout. (Randolph Record file photo)

May claimed tournament titles on back-to-back weekends.

He won on his home mats Dec. 10 on his way to winning the Most Outstanding Wrestler award in the Trinity Invitational.

In capturing the 120-pound division, May recorded pins in the quarterfinals and semifinals. In a high-level matchup in the final against Asheboro’s Xavier Santos, May prevailed with a 10-7 decision.

May, a junior, followed that performance by winning the title this past weekend’s Porter Ridge Invitational.

RandolphCountySchools

New members of Randolph Board of Education sworn in

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ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Education met on Monday, December 12, to swear in new members and finalize voting for the naming of Trinity High School’s Gymnasium.

The meeting opened up with the swearing-in of three members. Current board member Fred Burgess was sworn into a new term, whereas Phillip Lanier and Shannon Whitaker joined the board as new members.

The board then unanimously voted to reelect Gary Cook as Board Chair.

“Sometimes, especially during COVID, you thought, ‘I don’t know if I want to go back or I could give this up,’” Cook said. “Whether it was worth taking the abuse or having a police escort to your car and the things people said behind the scene when we were just trying to keep kids in school. We were trying to do what we thought was right, and it might not have been the right answer, but I’m proud of Randolph County because while our neighboring school systems were staying at home, we did have our kids in school. We all took a stand to do the best we could. It was a tough two years, but we got through it, and we can hold our heads high.”

“I think all you guys know that we’ve become – especially when you go through tough times, and you get through it – like a family. I don’t think it will change one bit. This board has their hearts in the right place, everyone here. We’re just trying to make a difference, and at the end of the day, if you can make a difference in a kid’s life, that’s something special.”

Following Cook’s election, the board also unanimously voted to elect Sharon Farlow as Vice-Chair.

The board was then presented with an update on the Grassroots Arts Program Grant, which was received by the district.

“The Randolph County School System was awarded a grant in the amount of $2,547.00 from the Randolph Arts Guild through the North Carolina Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Grant Program,” said Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Cathy Waddell. “We received on November 21, 2022, and will provide funding to support the district-wide fourth-grade field trip to the Greensboro Symphony. This year will be the second year that we will take fourth graders to Greensboro.”

“This is a special experience,” said Superintendent Stephen Gainey. “It was well organized last year. It’s a beautiful facility, and you see kids in there from all over with all these school systems, but it was great to see.”

According to Waddell, the field trip will take place in February.

The board then voted to approve the naming request for the Trinity High School Gymnasium for the final time.

“The Randolph County School System was approached about naming the Trinity High School Gymnasium after Tim Kelly,” said Executive Director of Operations Dale Brinkley. “Tim Kelly is the current men’s basketball head coach at Trinity High School and has served in this role for 34 seasons. Since starting his career in 1989-90 as the Trinity High School Boys’ Basketball Head Coach, Coach Kelly’s teams have won various conference, sectional, and state-level championships. He also has received various coaching awards and served as a role model and mentor. The request is to name the gymnasium: Tim Kelly Gymnasium.”

Since Kelly is no longer an employee of the school system, being instead a volunteer, there is no conflict with the naming.

The naming ceremony will take place in the coming months.

The Randolph County Board of Education will next meet January 9.

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