GALLERY: Horse Parade in downtown Asheboro
Hundreds of riders came out during the 20th annual Asheboro Fall Roundup Horse Parade in downtown Asheboro, on November 7, 2021.
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County schools to spend some COVID relief funds on employee bonuses
ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Public School System will pay every employee a $5,000 bonus, according to a resolution adopted by the school board on Monday. The resolution says the bonuses will be paid from funds received by the system from the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief Funds from the federal government.
Randolph County Schools has received nearly $50 million in ESSER funding which was included in the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide premium pay to employees and substitutes to address COVID-related disruptions and staff shortages.
According to the school board, substitutes who work the equivalent of 20 full-time days between October 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022, will be paid a one-time COVID-19 incentive bonus of $1,000 on February 25, 2022.New hires between October 2, 2021, and January 10, 2022, will received a $2,500 recruitment bonus.
ESSER awards are made by the federal government to State education departments who then administer the funds for their respective states and pass funding on to local education units.
In North Carolina, the Charlotte-Mecklenberg and Wake County systems has have received $459 million and $310 million, respectively, of the over $4.6 billion in funds received through the two most recent ESSER funding rounds. Asheboro City Schools received over $14 million and Uwharrie Charter received $1.4 million.
School COVID numbers decline
ASHEBORO — Positive cases and quarantines in schools are on the decline in Randolph County and around the country. In the Asheboro City Schools, 13 positive cases were reported last week resulting in 43 people quarantined. In Randolph County Schools, there were 73 positive cases and 361 people quarantined. Just 10 of the 361 people quarantined were from a school exposure.
Asheboro City Schools reported a 33% reduction in positive cases in the first three weeks of October compared to the first three weeks of September. Randolph County reported a 46% reduction in positive cases during the same period.
Last week Union County, which does not require masks, reported a 65% drop in weekly positive cases from the prior month. Masks are were made optional by Gov. Roy Cooper ahead of the school year. Local school boards are required to revisit mask rules each month. The Cabarrus County Board of Education voted Monday to make masks optional starting next week. Stanly County has scheduled an emergency meeting for Thursday that will include a discussion of masks.
Quite a Fair growth spurt
Andrew Vial of Liberty brought the largest watermelon in North Carolina State Fair history (The North State Journal)
Liberty man sets mark with large watermelons
ASHEBORO — Andrew Vial calls growing big watermelons a hobby. Yet for the Liberty man, it’s truly a passion.
He took another watermelon to a big stage and collected another special distinction. His 341-pound watermelon was the largest ever at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh.
“You just don’t get melons like that every day,” Vial said.
Vial, who calls his remodeling carpentry work his full-time job, said he logs 50 to 60 hours per week tending to watermelons.
“It’s a hobby,” Vial said. “I’ve been growing giant watermelons for about seven years. It doesn’t pay much when you look at the number of hours, but it’s bragging rights.”
Vial’s latest big watermelon came within nine pounds of the world record. He has grown four of the top 10 largest watermelons in the world, according to his record-keeping.
He’s also proud of the actual size of the 237-inch watermelon from this year. That includes the total of the circumference, side-to-side and end-to-end measurements.
Vial, who turned 38 at the beginning of this year’s State Fair, farms just outside of Liberty on N.C. 49 toward Burlington.
He begins the process in March, along the way keeping the ones growing largest. He tended to 15 total plants this year, up from the normal 10.
“It gives you better odds, but it’s more work,” he said.
Vial said watermelons can be eaten after about 60 days, while the normal growth period lasts around 90 days.
“I’m feeding it every day,” he said, also pointing out he examines the watermelons for potential disease. “The longer you can keep that plant healthy (is the key).”
For this year’s biggest entry, it grew for 127 days, Vial said.
After a competition, the watermelons are cut open and the seeds are taken out. Vial said some seeds are sent around the world and auctioned off for various causes.
Vial takes his watermelons on the road. He has attended competition shows in Kentucky, and he makes annual visits to the Tennessee Valley Fair in Knoxville. He won in Tennessee in 2019 with his largest-ever entry at 341½ pounds.
He has two watermelons on display at the North Carolina State Fair, which wraps up this weekend. They are the two largest on record in the state this year.
It’s part of a competition that also includes giant pumpkins.
“These growers face many obstacles when growing giant fruit,” North Carolina State Fair manager Kent Yelverton said. “Excessive heat, drought, too much rain, impacts from local wildlife can all impact these giants. Just getting to the fair with a giant pumpkin or watermelon can be an adventure and achievement.”
The North Carolina State Fair competition is endorsed by The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, an international organization that promotes growing giant vegetables. It’s sponsored by AgriSupply.
Classic opportunity
Local group starts a classic car dealership
ASHEBORO — While new car sales are stalled by technology shortages, a new business in Asheboro is focused on vehicles that celebrate carburetors, manual transmissions and American steel. Carolina Classic Cars celebrated their business and showroom opening last week with a grand opening event scheduled for October 16.
Carolina Classic Cars bills itself as a classic car dealership and will offer traditional dealership service like financing, service and detailing. Car collectors Charlie Glass and Mike Allen have been in the classic car business together for five years and have a passion for fine-tuned, restored classic automobiles.
On Thursday, September 30, the company held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Carolina Classic showroom and business offices. Asheboro Mayor David Smith along with Asheboro City Councilmen Charlie Swiers and Walker Moffitt attended.
In an interview with North State Journal, Glass, the showroom manager, said the dealership would be focused primarily on American-made cars.
The company will provide service through Allen Automotive, which is adjacent to the showroom. Glass said they are working with several financing companies to provide multiple options for people wanting to buy a classic vehicle.
“We have 18 cars in the showroom right now,” said Glass. “Our target is to have about 20 cars in inventory.” They will also have a few project cars on their outside lot for sale.
Glass and Allen are partnering with owners Candace and Mike Bongiovanni to make the new business a reality. “Mike and I have been doing this for years on our own. We met Candace and Mike and decided to become partners with them,” said Glass.
When asked about his existing inventory, Glass said he was excited about the diversity of vehicles they have on site for the company’s grand opening on Sept. 16. “We have a beautiful 1937 Ford Coupe that has been restored and modified,” said Glass. “It has everything a new car has.”
Glass also highlighted a newer classic 1974 Jeep CJ. “Every nut and bolt on it is brand new. It’s show quality,” said Glass. The orange Jeep is listed as a complete restoration on the company’s web side “with absolutely no flaws.
The company plans to buy, sell, trade and consign vehicles but they are still looking for more inventory before their grand opening. Glass and Allen are headed to Myrtle Beach to prospect for new cars this weekend. “We buy at car shows and auctions. These cars are hard to find,” said Glass. “There is a lot of work in tracking them down.”
Carolina Classic Cars, located at 120 Spring Forest Road Asheboro.
Community College System President visits RCC
ASHEBORO — North Carolina Community College System President Thomas Stith III toured Randolph Community College in Asheboro last week. Stith, in his first year at the NCCCS helm, has now visited 31 of the state’s 58 community colleges. Stith visited the new Allied Health Center, Continuing Education and Industrial Center, Photography Imaging Center and JB and Claire Davis Corporate Training Center.
“We have 58 great community colleges throughout the state of North Carolina,” said Stith in a release from RCC. “We just saw state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, and I’m just so impressed with the programs that are offered here and the leadership of Dr. Shackleford. They’re preparing the next generation of nurses and healthcare technicians.” Stith toured the Allied Health Center, which houses the College’s Associate Degree Nursing, Radiography, Medical Assisting, and Emergency Medical Services programs.
Stith also toured the JB and Claire Davis Corporate Training Center where members of the North Carolina Association of Community College Business Office Professionals were having a training session.
“The one thing I find as I go across the state that’s consistent is the passion and commitment of the people within the community college system,” Stith said. “They care about our students. They care about the future of our state. In many cases, they could be in the private sector or in industry, but to be a part of the community college family, that commitment shows as we grow as a state.”
County schools honor teacher, principal of the year
ASHEBORO — Katie Husband of Franklinville Elementary is the Randolph County School System 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year. Finalists for Teacher of the Year were Paige Rollins of Eastern Randolph, Philip Schuyler of Randolph Early College, Emily Caudill of Trindale Elementary and Eliza Sanders of Northeastern Randolph Middle.
Jamie Armfield of Seagrove Elementary is the RCSS Principal of the Year.
NASCAR Day returns with big crowds
Randleman Festival roars back to life to celebrate racing heritage
RANDLEMAN — Last weekend’s NASCAR Day Festival went off pretty much without a hitch as several thousand people roamed Randleman streets.
“We had a perfect weekend for it,” said Jeff Freeman, director of the festival. “The attendance was wonderful.”
Saturday’s festival came after the 2020 version was cancelled because of the pandemic. There were precautions taken for this year’s edition, but Freeman said there were largely positive reviews. Asheboro cancelled it’s annual Fall Festival for the second year in a row citing concerns over hospital capacity for such a large event. Randolph County saw an overall 50% drop in COVID hospitalizations as September came to a close with six patients hospitalized for COVID the week before NASCAR Day.
“I felt we could do a great event,” he said.
Freeman, who’s executive director of the Randleman Chamber of Commerce, said crowd estimates ranged from 10,000 to 15,000.
The presence of NASCAR legend Richard Petty was once again among the highlights. Petty, who’s from nearby Level Cross and is usually the focus of the event, made appearances.
While autograph-signing sessions with Petty were nixed because of the pandemic, he did pose for photos with festival goers.
“Some people were a little disappointed in that (there weren’t autographs),” Freeman said. “But he did have pictures made. I’d rather have that. That shows you were there with him.”
Randleman’s festival has been held for more than three decades. Part of its focus is honoring racing heritage and the Petty family.
There were also no NASCAR show cars this year. Freeman said that partly came because of the expense related to having those on site.
Freeman said festival organizers were cognizant of the concerns related to COVID-19. He said there was additional spacing between vendors and sanitation areas set up. There also was a vaccination station for anyone interested in receiving a shot.
Some vendors pulled out because of the pandemic, though that was offset by others who filled in those slots. That might have come in part because of the cancellation of Asheboro’s fall festival, which had been scheduled for two days across the same weekend.
“We did pick up vendors from other canceled festivals from throughout the state,” Freeman said.
As part of the festival’s car show, Del Crawford of Fayetteville won Best of Show along with a special award for traveling the farthest to enter that competition. Crawford brought a 1937 Ford slantback.
COVID cases decline in Randolph, nationwide
ASHEBORO — New daily cases of COVID dropped about 35% since September 1 nationwide along with a 25% drop in the number of people hospitalized. In Randolph County, there was an 18% drop in new cases for the week preceding Oct. 3 along with a 79% drop in hospitalizations. Over 75% of Randolph County seniors have received at least one shot of a vaccine and 50% of the population over 12 years old has received one shot. All 100 counties in N.C. are still classified as areas of high transmission.
What’s in Season? NC Apples
ASHEBORO — Apples are by far America’s favorite fruit. Apples contain modest amounts of nearly all the most important nutrients. Because of their universal flavor appeal, versatility and convenience for use, nutritionists and dietitians rate them high on any list for eating right and staying fit. They are good for your teeth, stomach, skin and complexion, nerves, and overall good health.
North Carolina typically ranks seventh in apple production in the United States. The state has over 300 commercial apple operations comprised of 10,000 bearing acres of apple orchards. Eight million bushels of apples can be produced in a given year. Forty percent of the state’s crop is marketed as fresh apples through packing/shipping operations and direct marketing outlets while the remaining 60% is utilized in the processing industry, mainly as apple sauce and juice.
When selecting apples for purchasing, be sure to select firm apples with unbroken, well-colored skins and no bruises. Brown streaks on the skins (called scald) do not affect quality of the apples. Apples will keep in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week. For longer storage, refrigerate in a plastic bag for 4 to 6 weeks. Be sure to select types of apples based on how they will be used: raw (for eating out of hand and adding to salads); cooked (for applesauce, pies and other desserts); or baked whole. All-purpose apples can be used for both eating raw and cooking. Varieties include: Braeburn, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan and McIntosh. Red Delicious apples are strictly for eating raw and Rome Beauty apples are best for baking whole.
When you are ready to use your apples, you will need to wash apples just before using. They may be eaten peeled or unpeeled. To core apples, quarter them lengthwise and use a paring knife to carefully remove the seeds and core. To prevent cut apples from turning brown by dipping them in a small amount of lemon or other citrus juice. If adding apples to a salad, the acid in the salad dressing also prevents them from browning. When you are baking whole apples, remove a 1/2-inch-wide horizontal strip of peel from around the center of each apple. This will prevent the skin from cracking by allowing the steam to escape during baking. If stuffing the baked apple, remove the core with an apple corer.
Apples can be eaten raw, straight from the field. But there are ways to integrate them in other dishes and to bring out their natural flavors. Apples are great sliced or diced on salads, mixed into coleslaw, dried into chips for use on a charcuterie board, and – of course – in apple pies. Apples also pair well with cheeses, including gorgonzola, goat cheese, and cheddar.
Jeannie M. Leonard is a Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent with the N.C. Cooperative Extension – Randolph County Center.