SOPHIA, N.C. — Caraway Speedway returns to NASCAR’s Weekly Series in 2026. The announcement was made to competitors at the annual Awards Banquet on Jan. 17th.
Track officials met with many drivers at the speedway rules meeting on Jan. 10 to discuss the possibility of a NASCAR sanction returning.
“I wanted to hear the thoughts of the drivers directly, so we passed out a Q&A form with space for rules suggestions and a yes or no line concerning the sanction,” said track owner Darren Hackett. “The results were extremely positive from the teams represented. That cemented in my mind the decision to ask NASCAR to return.
“They said yes, and the rest is history. We are happy to be part of the NASCAR family again.”
Annual Wage Survey-Please Participate
Each year we conduct a wage survey so everyone can get a sense around pay scale, demographics, and other labor market trends specifically for Randolph County. Once completed and analyzed an executive summary will be provided to all. I am late on compiling the data so feel free to still submit and I will include your responses!
We see the geopolitical environment shaped by shifts that are redefining global political and economic relationships. These include the U.S. resetting trade deals, industrial policy and alliances, intensifying U.S.–China competition with AI at its core and continued volatility from conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and the Caribbean.
The U.S. is fundamentally reshaping its economic and geopolitical relationships with the world, as reflected in its recently released National Security Strategy. The Administration’s approach to trade, industrial policy, government intervention into the private sector, and alliances and partnerships marks a decisive break from the post-Cold War order and the U.S.’ role therein.
Review these risks to understand the backdrop to US Policy shifts.
Six Moves That Saved My Manufacturing Business (and Could Save Yours)
Key Highlights Prioritize quick action to stop financial bleeding before developing long-term strategies. Use analysis to uncover root causes, focusing on patterns rather than assigning blame. Build systems that ensure consistency and reduce reliance on heroics, such as clear definitions of 'done' in processes. Foster a culture of transparency, ownership, and open communication by leaders admitting mistakes and encouraging feedback. Implement disciplined routines like regular reviews and focused metrics to sustain improvements and prevent backsliding.
But it was the model that was released last week (GPT-5.3 Codex) that shook me the most. It wasn't just executing my instructions. It was making intelligent decisions. It had something that felt, for the first time, like judgment. Like taste. The inexplicable sense of knowing what the right call is that people always said AI would never have. This model has it, or something close enough that the distinction is starting not to matter.
I've always been early to adopt AI tools. But the last few months have shocked me. These new AI models aren't incremental improvements. This is a different thing entirely.
And here's why this matters to you, even if you don't work in tech.
The AI labs made a deliberate choice. They focused on making AI great at writing code first... because building AI requires a lot of code. If AI can write that code, it can help build the next version of itself. A smarter version, which writes better code, which builds an even smarter version. Making AI great at coding was the strategy that unlocks everything else. That's why they did it first. My job started changing before yours not because they were targeting software engineers... it was just a side effect of where they chose to aim first.
Are You on the ManufacturedNC Website? Its a database of NC MANUFACTURING.
ManufacturedNC is a public database of North Carolina manufacturers managed by NC State University Industry Extension Services
Get More Visibility—At No Cost List Your Business for Free MNC offers North Carolina manufacturers a dedicated platform to showcase their capabilities and reach new customers.
Local News and Announcements
Randolph Health Lifts Visitor Restrictions:
The visitor restrictions placed on ages 12 and under that took effect Dec. 30 have been lifted, Randolph Health announced.
The decision to lift the restrictions was prompted by a decline in the number of flu cases in recent weeks, as monitored by Randolph Health Infection Prevention.
If you are experiencing respiratory symptoms, vomiting or diarrhea and seeking care at a Randolph Health facility, you are asked to wear a mask.
Health care providers ask individuals of all ages who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to help control the spread of the illness by not visiting patients in the hospital. Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, pain, cough or sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, chills, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Core Technology Molding wins NC exporters award, moves into new $28M facility:
Twenty years after its founding, Core Technology Molding is about to start production in its first owned home as honors come in for the company.
The first injection-molded parts are scheduled to be made at the new $28 million, 100,000-square-foot building that is still being finished this week, founder and CEO Geoff Foster said during an informal tour of the new home for the company.
The facility, built on a greenfield site at 5670 Millstream Road in southeastern Greensboro, is three times the size of the company’s current site on the south campus of the Gateway Research Park, a joint venture of UNC-Greensboro and N.C. Agricultural and State University.
RCSS Recognized as a state leader in Career and Technical Education:
ASHEBORO — North Carolina continues to help set the standard nationwide for Career and Technical Education (CTE), and the Randolph County School System (RCSS) is among those leading the way.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) announced historic gains in CTE during a statewide press conference on Feb. 4, highlighting record credential attainment and strong alignment with workforce needs.
North Carolina now ranks second in the nation for K-12 CTE participation, with more than 36% of students enrolled in CTE courses. Only Nebraska ranks higher.
During the 2024-25 school year alone, students earned a record 382,964 industry-recognized credentials — the highest total in state history. That’s up some 25,000 from the year before and more than 140,000 more from just three years earlier.
The Randolph County School System was formally recognized for being a continued leader in the category of highest total number of CTE credentials earned in the state for the 2024-25 school year.
Randolph Communications sponsors Digital Skills Lab at Randolph Ag Center:
On Feb. 5, Randolph County leaders recognized RandolphCommunications as the naming rights partner for the Digital Skills Lab, a cutting-edge hub to enhance digital literacy and skills in the community.
The Digital Skills Lab, located in the Allen Ray McNeill Education & Resource Center at the Randolph County Agriculture Center campus (1880 US Hwy 64 E, Asheboro), is designed to offer state-of-the-art resources and training programs aimed at empowering individuals with the digital skills essential for success in today’s technologically driven world.
This sponsorship underscores Randolph Communications’ commitment to fostering education, technology and innovation within the community.
Help Rebuild Callicutt Stables After Seagrove Fire:
Help Callicutt Stables Rebuild After Devastating Fire
This Sunday afternoon, tragedy struck Callicutt Stables in Seagrove, NC. A devastating fire tore through the barn while around 45 horses were inside. While some were heroically saved and others are receiving critical care, many beloved horses were lost.
For decades, this barn has stood as more than just a structure — it has been a cornerstone of the walking horse community. Under its roof, generations of exceptional Tennessee Walking Horses were raised, trained, and alwaysappreciated. Riders from near and far came here searching for their next show partner, their next trail companion, or simply just loved to come hang around!
For many of us, Callicutt Stables wasn’t just a barn. It was a home away from home.
North Carolina has made measurable progress toward goals set in 2019 to ensure the state’s workforce is prepared for the evolving economy, but a number of academic benchmarks are falling woefully short, particularly in Randolph County, according a report issued Thursday.
Top North Carolina leaders from government, education, business and nonprofit sectors convened virtually for myFutureNC’s annual State of Educational Attainment update. The group had set a goal in 2019 for the state to have 2 million adults ages 25 to 44 with college degrees or industry-valued credentials by 2030.
Currently there are 1.72 million, an increase of more than 272,000 from 2019.
State and regional leaders highlighted progress across the education-to-employment continuum, including expanded access to postsecondary completion, adults getting new job skills training, and employer-led work-based learning.
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Recent Renewals
Thank you to the companies below which recently renewed their support of the EDC and the Randolph Rises campaign. Your contribution continues to make our service, reach, and impact felt across the county.
If you are interested in becoming a Randolph Rises investor, please click the button below.
