Hospice counselor to discuss coping with grief in Asheboro library talk

ASHEBORO – Grief is an all-encompassing experience that impacts the griever physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

And although it is universal and touches everyone at some point, it also is a highly personal experience.

Join Hospice of the Piedmont bereavement counselor Kirsten Goard, MW, LCSW-A, for “Grief 101” at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 16, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Her talk is free and the public is invited.

Goard will provide an introduction to the grieving process and explore common reactions to the grief experience, in order to normalize the grief journey, dispel common myths associated with grief, and equip participants with practical strategies for coping.

A Greensboro native, Goard holds a bachelors degree in social work from Appalachian State University, and a masters in social work through UNC-Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University. She joined Hospice of the Piedmont as a bereavement counselor with prior experience in crisis work and grief counseling in the healthcare setting.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Shepherd Shakespeare to stage Christmas plays at Randolph libraries

ASHEBORO -- Three Randolph County libraries will host Christmas performances by the Shepherd Shakespeare Company in December.

At the Seagrove Public Library, the Charlotte-based  troupe will present Louisa May Alcott’s A Christmas Dream at noon Thursday, December 7. A Christmas Dream is a Christmas Carol-like tale of a young boy who learns that the greatest gifts are not the ones you receive, but the ones you give.

The Seagrove library is located at 530 Old Plank Road. 

At the Asheboro and Randleman libraries, the company will present ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. Performances will take place at the Asheboro library, 201 Worth Street, at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 19; and at the Randleman library, 142 W. Academy St., at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 19.

This envisioning of the famous verse has author Clement Moore facing a case of writer’s block as he tries to pen a poem about the wonders of Christmas Eve.

Frustratingly funny trials and errors lead him to acting out his ideas with the help of puppets, found objects and friends from the audience. Watch as the magic of this cherished classic unfolds.

The shows are free and the public is invited. For further information, call 336-318-6804.

Friends of Randolph Library bookshop to offer Christmas book bundle deal, author event

 ASHEBORO – Need a literary Christmas gift, or want to stock up on reading material for the holidays?

The Friends of the Library Bookshop will offer author book bundles in December, and host an author appearance during Asheboro’s Christmas Downtown on Friday, December 8.

The bookshop will be open 6-9 p.m. during the Christmas Downtown event. Loretta Lutman, author of I Shoot Squirrels on Sundays and Other Stories, will be on hand to sell and sign books.

Beginning December 2, the bookshop will offer bundles of four books by the same author for $5 each. Books in each bundle will be tied together with a Christmas ribbon, making a lovely gift for fellow readers.

The bundles will feature a variety of authors.

The bookshop is located at 226 Sunset Avenue. Regular hours are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Gently used hardback books go for $3, paperbacks for $2 and trade paperbacks for $2.50, with prices increasing by $1 for books published in the last four years. All children’s books are $1. Some special books are priced individually. 

A portion of bookshop proceeds support Randolph County Public Libraries book budgets. For more information about the bookshop, call 336-629-1536 during regular hours.

True Grass to perform a ‘Country Christmas Concert’ at Asheboro library

True Grass members William Britt, Tim Moon, Matthew Nance, Nolan Moon and Gary Callicutt

 ASHEBORO -- The popular and long-lived local bluegrass and gospel band True Grass will present a “Country Christmas Concert” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 5, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The performance, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, is free and the public is invited.

Over 20 years, the group has played numerous local venues including the Sunset Theatre, the NC Zoo, Randolph Community College, at churches and at corporate events for Klaussner and Energizer, among others.

Founding members Tim Moon and Gary Callicutt remain with the group.

Moon, a well-known music teacher for over 30 years, plays mandolin and sings lead vocals. Callicutt plays bass and sings tenor vocals.

Matthew Nance plays banjo and sings baritone vocals. William Britt plays guitar and sings most lead vocals. Moon’s 16-year-old son Nolan Moon plays blistering fast solos as well as beautiful waltz styles on fiddle. 

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. Call 336-318-6803 for further information.

Caleb Sigmon’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ returns to Randolph libraries

The Grinch and his dog Max delight an Asheboro audience.

ASHEBORO – He’s mean! He’s green! And he’s back — again — to steal Christmas.

Everyone’s favorite grouch will visit five Randolph County Public Libraries locations during the week of December 11 as illusionist and storyteller Caleb Sigmon returns with his highly-celebrated rendition of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Audience members’ hearts will grow three sizes as the classic story unfolds in a musical performance that includes live actors, puppets and lots of audience interaction.

The performances, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, are free and the public is invited.

Performance will take place at the libraries as follows:

• Archdale, 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 12;
• Asheboro, 201 Worth Street, two shows at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 12, and 10 a.m. Wednesday, December 13;
• Franklinville audience members are invited to attend Ramseur’s show.
• Liberty, 239 S. Fayetteville St., 6 p.m. Monday, December 11;
• Ramseur, 1512 Main Street, 1 p.m. Wednesday, December 13;
• Randleman, 142 W. Academy St., 4 p.m. Thursday, December 14.

 Contact Asheboro library Youth Services at 336-318-6804 for further details.

‘Company K’ film to debut on Veterans Day in Sunset Series event

Randolph County soldiers come to grips with the end of the war in a scene from RhinoLeap Productions’ Company K: From Asheboro to the Fields of France.

ASHEBORO – RhinoLeap Productions’ moving stage play Company K: From Asheboro to the Fields of France is now a film, and will have its world premiere in a Veteran’s Day event at the Sunset Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 11.

A Q&A with the actors and playwright Barbara Presnell will follow the screening.

The presentation is part of the Friends of the Library Sunset Signature Series, sponsored by the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, the City of Asheboro and the Friends of the Randolph County Public Libraries. It is free and the public is invited.

Company K, Randolph County’s unit of the State Militia (now the National Guard), was called into service and sent to fight in France during World War I. With the Randolph County soldiers in the vanguard, Allied forces attacked the German Hindenburg Line defensive position at Bellicourt on September 29, 1918, breaking the enemy line and hastening the end of the war.

In the single day of battle, Company K suffered over 60 percent casualties, with 23 young men killed.

The play was conceived by staff at the Randolph County Public Libraries and commissioned by the City of Asheboro to memorialize the 100th anniversary of the battle in 2018.               

The  production was directed by RhinoLeap Artistic Director Jeremy Skidmore and features original music by Christen Blanton Mack and Mark Dillon.

Presnell crafted the script using original documents and letters home from the troops, including those from her own grandfather, First Sergeant Ernest E. Bunting.

Rhinoleap first produced the show as a one-time event on September 29, 2018.  Since the original staging, it has been revived twice in Asheboro, and toured to Troy, N.C.

During the second revival in February 2023, RhinoLeap filmed the production onstage at the Sunset Theatre and at other Asheboro locations, including the theatre rooftop, the Historic Courthouse, the Old City Cemetery, Mill 133, Back to Earth Farm, Leo’s Whiskey Bar, and on Worth Street. The film will be packaged with educational material about World War I for use in school classrooms.

Begun in 2018, the Sunset Signature Series brings high profile speakers and performers to the Sunset Theatre to showcase the theatre and downtown Asheboro.

The theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. For further information, call 800-626-2672.

Beth Yarborough and Ashley Olipnhant

ASHEBORO – Did the colorful New Orleans pirate Jean Laffitte fake his death in battle and live out his life in Lincolnton, North Carolina? 

Mother/daughter author duo Beth Yarborough and Dr. Ashley Oliphant will present their evidence as they discuss their book Jean Laffitte Revealed: Unraveling One of America’s Longest-Running Mysteries at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 17, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The talk is free and the public is invited.

Laffitte and his brother Pierre, smugglers and pirates, roamed the Gulf of Mexico in the early 1800s.  During the War of 1812, Laffitte famously accepted a pardon in return for supporting U.S. Gen. Andrew Jackson against the British in the battle of New Orleans.

Laffitte was believed to have died of wounds in 1823 following a battle with Spanish ships off Honduras. But rumor said that he survived, and owing to his connection with a Lincolnton family, resided there under the name Lorenzo Ferrer until his death in 1875.

Jean Laffitte

In their book, published in 2015 by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, Oliphant and Yarborough trace Laffitte through his rise to power as a privateer, his involvement in the war, his flight to Texas, and his eventual disappearance in the waters of the Caribbean.

With stunning revelations, the book picks up a trail to Lincolnton that no one knew existed.

The authors will take the audience on their journey to discover Laffitte’s fate, and talk about how researchers use genealogical methods to solve mysteries.

Oliphant is a retired English professor whose academic work focused on Ernest Hemingway. A Lincoln County resident, she is author of six books, including Shark Tooth Hunting on the North Carolina Coast. 

Yarborough is an author, artist and photographer whose depictions of historic homes across the South are featured on her website, Southern Voices, and in an extensive collection of published calendars and fine art prints. Her licensed artwork has reached millions of consumers worldwide through major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot and Hobby Lobby.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Learn about, create advance directives in Asheboro library workshop

Kat Gibson

ASHEBORO -- What are advance directives, and why are they important?

               

How do I share my heath care wishes with my loved ones?

Learn the answers to these questions and more in two “LiveSMART” workshops from Hospice of the Piedmont, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, September 12 and September 19, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The workshops will be led by Kat Gibson, Hospice vice-president of Clinical Services.

The September 12 session will empower participants to think about what’s most important to them and equip them with practical steps for documenting health care wishes.

At the September 19 session, attendees can go over their advance directives with a professional in 30-minute sessions, with free notarization services provided.

Participants in the first session will have priority for slots in the second session. Couples or members of the same family can sign up for one slot.

Gibson, a graduate of the joint Masters of Social Work program through UNC-Greensboro and N.C. A & T, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and recently obtained Advanced Palliative and Hospice Social Work certification.

 

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Ogburn Yates to discuss new memoir in Asheboro library talk

Ogburn Yates Jr.

ASHEBORO – Asheboro resident Ogburn Yates Jr. will talk about his newly-published autobiography,
Trust Is Essential… for People of Faith, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 14, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Yates’s talk is free and the public is invited.

The book traces Yates’s religious awakening in the context of his life story and that of his family — in particular his extensive travels, from a solo trip around the world as a young man and continuing with numerous personal and church mission trips.

He estimates that he has visited some 50 countries on five continents.

A businessman well-known locally for his franchise of the Belk Department Store chain — Belk Yates — Yates is a lifelong Christian.  But it wasn’t until an epiphany at a particularly difficult time in his life that he came to fully trust God with his concerns and problems.

His book describes the new joy and fulfillment he felt following his awakening, in hopes of inspiring a similar experience in others. 

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Tutor.com goes live through Randolph County libraries

 ASHEBORO -- Students throughout Randolph County now have access to Tutor.com, a live, one-to-one, online tutoring service through Randolph County Public Libraries.

Students can access the anonymous, safe and secure service from noon to midnight seven days a week from any Internet-connected device anywhere with their Randolph County Public Libraries card or REAL2 student ID, or from noon to closing at any library branch.  

Access Tutor.com at www.randolphlibrary.org/tutor or randolphlibrary.org/real2.

Tutor.com connects students with carefully vetted online educators and covers over 100 academic subjects. Among its features are interactive classrooms and test preparation resources from The Princeton Review. 

Text chat and two-way voice options also are available. The service also is available for adult learners, and includes support for jobseekers

Tutor.com is part of an “Equal Access Tutoring” grant of Library Services and Technology Act funds through the State Library of North Carolina. The grant will also purchase new laptops, Chromebooks and iPads for in-house use at the Asheboro library to use with Tutor.com.

For assistance accessing Tutor.com or for further information, contact Asheboro library Youth Services at 336-318-6804.

This project is supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-23645-OLS-23).

Seagrove library to celebrate 50 years of service

SEAGROVE –The Seagrove Public Library will hold a birthday party from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, September 9, and everyone is invited.

The event will celebrate the library’s 50 years of service to the community with live music, clogging, comments from dignitaries, a bounce house, games and activitie
s for the kids. Harking back to the library’s famed hot dog sale fundraisers, free hot dogs will be available. 

Crystal King Pottery has created a library-branded mug for the occasion in a nod to another library fundraising effort in which a different local pottery created a mug each year for sale.

After hearing citizens express their interest, the Seagrove Town Council chartered the library on December 5, 1972, and appointed a board of trustees. Board members included Jack Lail, chairman; Jane King, vice-chairman; Mae Auman, secretary; Martha Comer, treasurer; Mary Ann Teague; and DeWitt King. Thomas Marsh, Seagrove’s mayor pro-tem, represented the town council.

The Seagrove Grange Hall,
first home of the library.

The trustees secured space on the main floor of the Seagrove Grange Hall. Seagrove Lumber Company bought and donated a library showroom lock, stock and barrel from the Alma Desk Company in High Point to furnish the library.

Some 100 local residents made donations, including books to stock the shelves and funds to run the library until town government could contribute in the next budget year.

Sarah Auman, a former history teacher at Seagrove High School, was hired to be the first librarian.

With more books provided by the Randolph County Public Library, the library opened on March 11, 1973.

Recognizing that the Seagrove library served the whole southern part of the county, Randolph County Board of Commissioners in 2005 funded construction of the current library building, and the Randolph County Public Library took over full operation of the library.

The Seagrove library is located at 530 Old Plank Road. For further information, call the library at 336-873-7521.

Kyle Petty to share songs, stories in Sunset Series appearance

Kyle Petty

ASHEBORO – At age 12, he picked up his first guitar at a NASCAR track and started writing songs.

And from the stage at Randleman High School to the sacred circle of the Grand Ole Opry, Randolph County native and former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty has proven that stock car racing isn’t his only talent.

Come hear for yourself as Kyle performs a selection of original tunes from his personal songbook at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 9, at the historic Sunset Theatre in downtown Asheboro, in Friends of the Library Sunset Signature Series event.

Begun in 2018, the Sunset Series brings high profile speakers and performers to the Sunset Theatre. It is sponsored by the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, the City of Asheboro and the Friends of the Randolph County Public Libraries.

Although widely known as a NASCAR driver and analyst, Kyle always has had a passion for music. He received his first guitar at age 12 from a traveling preacher at the racetrack.

Soon after, he began writing his own music, finding creative influences in Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Carole King, James Taylor, Harry Chapin and Jim Croce.

In the 1980s, Kyle took to the stage for a brief period after signing with RCA Records. He has opened up for acts such as Randy Travis, The Oak Ridge Boys and Hank Williams, Jr., and has performed on the Grand Ole Opry.

Today, Kyle frequently performs his original music in intimate shows across North Carolina and surrounding states.

Outside of his music, Kyle can be seen twice weekly on ”NASCAR America,” streaming on Peacock; on pre- and post-race NASCAR Cup and Xfinity coverage on NBC and USA Network; and as host on his new show, ‘Dinner Drive with Kyle Petty’ on the Circle Network. He also co-hosts the weekly radio show, "Fast Talk" on the Performance Racing Network.

He penned the best-selling memoir Swerve or Die: Life at My Speed in the First Family of NASCAR Racing in 2022.

Kyle also leads his annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, one of the country’s most popular charity motorcycle rides, which raises funds and awareness for Victory Junction – a camp for children with chronic and serious medical conditions created by the Petty family in honor of Kyle’s late son, Adam.

The Sunset Theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro. Seating is first-come first-served.

For more information, contact the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau at 800-626-2672.

Asheboro library ‘Back-to-School Night’ to showcase new online tutoring service

ASHEBORO – All Randolph County students – including those in the city and county school systems, Uwharrie Charter Academy, private schools, and home schools, are invited to a “Back-to-School Night” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 15, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The event will showcase free resources that the library offers to support K-12 students, including Tutor.com, an new, online service that provides live, one-to-one tutoring in all subject areas through carefully vetted educators.

Students are invited to wear school colors to show their pride and will be able to test virtual resources, participate in brain games, and win prizes to help out in the new school year.

Availability of Tutor.com is part of an “Equal Access to Tutoring” project developed by the Asheboro library Youth Services staff and funded by a federal Library Services and Construction Act grant via the State Library of North Carolina. At the Asheboro library alone, staff estimate they receive five requests for affordable tutoring each week.

Tutor.com will be accessible at all seven library branches and remotely to anyone with a library card or REAL2 student ID.

In addition, the grant will fund 10 each of laptops, Chromebooks and iPads for the Asheboro library that students can check out and use anywhere in the library to access Tutor.com and other resources.

The Asheboro City Schools is a partner in the project to help promote the new resources.

The Asheboro library is located at 201 Worth Street. Call 336-318-6804 for further information.

The Equal Access to Tutoring project is supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-23645-OLS-23).

Author Judith Turner-Yamamoto, Asheboro native, returns for Sunset Series appearance

Judith Turner-Yamamoto

ASHEBORO – Randolph readers will recognize familiar locales — Little Beane Store, Blue Mist Drive-In, the Sir Robert Motel and others — in Asheboro native Judith Turner-Yamamoto’s debut novel, Loving the Dead and Gone.

Turner-Yamamoto — Judith Cox, growing up in Asheboro — will appear in conversation with Randolph Hub journalist Larry Penkava in a Friends of the Library Sunset Signature Series event at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 19, at downtown Asheboro’s historic
Sunset Theatre.

Her appearance is free and the public is invited. The Sunset Series is sponsored by the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, the City of Asheboro and the Friends of the Randolph County Public Libraries.

In Loving the Dead and Gone, a freak car crash in a place not unlike Randolph County puts in motion moments of grace that bring redemption to two generations of women and the lives they touch. The choral novel delves into the minds of four characters, and explores how the traumas of the present stir those of the past.

Set in the world of 1920s tobacco farms and 1960s textile mills, the novel exhibits a lyric strength and deep and empathic understanding of working-class daily life in rural and small-town 20th century North Carolina.

Loving the Dead and Gone was named a Gold Medal winner in Southern Regional Fiction in the 2023 Independent Publisher Book Awards. It was shortlisted for the 2023 UC-Berkeley Eric Hoffer Book Awards Grand Prize, where it was an honorable mention in General Fiction and finalist for the Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award for Debut Fiction.

Publisher’s Weekly calls Loving the Dead and Gone “a bittersweet and fantastical debut.” Foreword Reviews says “Loving the Dead and Gone is a moving, insightful novel about growing through tragedy.”

Turner-Yamamoto’s work has appeared in over 30 journals and anthologies. She has received more than fifteen awards and fellowships, including the Washington Prize for Fiction and the Virginia Screenwriting Award.

She has taught fiction at the Chautauqua Writers’ Center, the Danville Writer’s Conference, and the Writers’ Center at Bethesda, Maryland. A featured author and panelist, she has appeared at various book festivals and is a keynote speaker at the 2023 Santa Barbara Writers Conference.

As an art historian, Turner-Yamamoto’s on-air interviews have been featured on NPR affiliate WVXU. She has penned over 1,000 articles on the arts, travel, design, books, fashion, and food that have appeared in The Boston Globe Magazine, Elle, Interiors, Art & Antiques, The Los Angeles Times, Travel & Leisure, and many others.

Begun in 2018, the Sunset Series brings high profile speakers and performers to the Sunset Theatre. The theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro.

For further information, contact the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau at 800-626-2672.

Accidental witness: historian to recount McGlohon’s A-bomb experience in Asheboro library talk

John McGlohon's photograph of the
Hiroshima atomic bomb blast.

ASHEBORO – Many Asheboro residents are aware that legendary 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. Thursday, August 10, at the Asheboro Public Library.

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.

John McGlohon with his
aerial reconnaissance camera

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, Illinois, 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.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Learn beekeeping basics in Asheboro library talk

ASHEBORO – Get buzzing about beekeeping as Cooperative Extension Horticulture Agent Cody Craddock talks about how bees make your garden bloom in “Basics of Beekeeping,” 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 27, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Craddock will offer beekeeping tips, share information about hive supplies, and answer questions.

The talk is free and the public is invited.

Craddock has been an avid gardener since childhood, when he grew a large garden and pulled a wagon to sell produce to neighbors. He graduated from the University of Mount Olive in 2021 and has worked for North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Randolph County office ever since.

The Asheboro library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Kid-friendly Shakespeare comes to Randolph libraries in July

ASHEBORO – A troupe of traveling players will bring three of William Shakespeare’s plays to life in interactive theatrical adventures for the whole family at five Randolph County Public Libraries locations in July.

Shepherd Shakespeare of Charlotte will perform at the libraries as follows:

• Asheboro: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 10 a.m. Monday, July 7;
• Franklinville/Ramseur: As You Like It, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, at Ramseur Lake (Ramseur Municipal Building in case of rain);
• Liberty: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18;
• Randleman: The Tempest, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 20;
• Seagrove: As You Like It, 3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20.

Shepherd Shakespeare is comprised of the husband-and-wife team of Chester and Katy Shepherd. Both are theater veterans whose shows are designed for maximum fun and understanding of William Shakespeare’s timeless stories.

The shows are free and the public is invited. For further information, call 336-318-6804.

Learn about shark teeth and seashells at Asheboro and Liberty libraries

ASHEBORO – Dig into an interactive fossil and seashell event with Dr. Ashley Oliphant, author of Shark Tooth Hunting on the North Carolina Coast, at the Asheboro and Liberty public libraries on Thursday, July 6.

Oliphant will appear at the Liberty library at 2 p.m. Her presentation is aimed at children will include a show-and-tell segment with dinosaur, whale and shark fossils followed by a dig activity in which kids will get to keep the shark teeth and seashells that they find. Please call 336-622-4605 to sign up.

At Asheboro, Oliphant will present a talk for all ages at 6:30 p.m. Learn about her passion for beachcombing, research and the time before dawn when good shells and shark teeth are easiest to find. No registration is required for her Asheboro appearance.

Oliphant is a retied English professor from Denver, N.C., and author of six books.

For further information, contact the Asheboro library at 336-318-6803 or the Liberty library at 336-622-4605.

The Liberty library is located at 239 S. Fayetteville St. The Asheboro library is located at 201 Worth Street.

Randolph libraries to bring everyone “All Together Now” for summer reading fun

Yasu Ishida

ASHEBORO – Get “All Together Now” for summer reading fun at Randolph County libraries.

The community-themed summer initiative will feature over 100 performances, storytimes, hands-on activities and other events for children in June and July at the libraries in Asheboro, Archdale, Franklinville, Liberty, Ramseur, Randleman and Seagrove.

Teens can join in too, and adults will have opportunities to enhance their reading experiences with speakers, book clubs and more.

In addition to all the activities, children and teens can report minutes read to their local library for rewards and prizes, including cool gadgets and books, and be entered into grand prize drawings for large prizes, like Amazon Fire Kids Tablets and Leap Frogs.

Visit www.randolphlibrary.org/summer for all the details, or contact your local library.

“Library summer reading initiatives offer children and teens a no-pressure way to stay engaged with learning while they are out of school, so they are less likely to experience a ‘summer slide’ when they return in the fall,” says Samantha Martin, the library’s head of Youth Services.

Summer Reading kicks off at the Asheboro library from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 10, with an outdoor event featuring community helpers such as fire, police, the NC Zoo, animal services and more, and a performance by the 208^th Army Band. At the Liberty library, summer gets underway with a community talent show, 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 9 – call the library at 336-622-4605 and sign up to perform.

Criss Cross Mangosauce will appear at each library in June with a bilingual English/Spanish musical performance featuring riddles, songs, finger games, dramatic play and storytelling. In July, storyteller Yasu Ishida will combine traditional Japanese theatre, lion dance, music, origami and magic to guide audiences at each library to the enchanting land of Japan.

Other performers include family-friendly rock ‘n’ rollers Big Bang Boom, Caleb Sigmon’s “The Fun Factory” and Shepherd Shakespeare. All will appear at various libraries over the summer. The North Carolina Zoo and Wild Tails NC will bring live animal ambassadors to several libraries, as well.

All libraries also will offer an array of storytimes, craft activities, STEAM events and more, and the Mobile Library will be on the move around the county.

For further information, contact the Asheboro Children’s Room at 336-318-6804, or call your local library.

Appearances by Criss Cross Mangosauce and Yasu Ishida are sponsored by the Friends of the Library with support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Historian Smallwood returns to Asheboro library for Juneteenth talk

Dr. Arwin Smallwood

ASHEBORO – The history and importance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the 1865 proclamation announcing the end slavery in the United States, is the topic of a talk by Dr. Arwin Smallwood at the Asheboro Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15.

Smallwood, chair of the History Department at North Carolina A& T State University, will talk about the impact of enslavement not just on African Americans, but on all Americans, and the historic effort require to abolish it. He will draw attention to slavery in North Carolina, and the over 5,000 African Americans, Native Americans and white people who fought to end it.

He also will explain why the celebration of Juneteenth brings a strong sense of pride about the commitment that African Americans have made to the betterment of their lives and those of their children, grandchildren and future generations.

Smallwood’s talk is free and the public is invited.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. Fur further information, call 336-318-6803.

Library gardening talks to focus on irises, companion planting

ASHEBORO –Tips for growing irises in your garden and companion planting are the topics of talks at four Randolph County libraries in May.

At the Asheboro Public Library, join Heather Haley, president of the Eastern North Carolina Iris Society, for “Irises in the Garden, a Month-by-Month Calendar,” at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25.

Haley will explore the relationship between iris growth cycles and common cultural practices. Members of the Iris Society will conduct live demonstrations, answer questions, and share tips and tricks for planting, digging and dividing the flowers in the Piedmont.

Attendees will receive a calendar describing irises in 15 horticultural classifications, expected bloom times in North Carolina, and month-by-month recommendations to help them thrive in the garden.

The Asheboro library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Haley also will discuss “Bearded Irises for the Home Landscape” at the Randleman Public Library, 142 W. Academy Street, at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 9. Call 336-498-3141 for further information.

Franklinville and Seagrove libraries will offer “Is This Plant Friend or Foe?” The talk will focus on companion planting, which can be used to attract pollinators, deter pests, invigorate production and keep weeds down, and will offer tips about beneficial combinations and ones to avoid.

The talks will take place at the Franklinville library, 111 Sumner Place, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 10; and at the Seagrove library, 530 Old Plank Road, at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 24.

For further information, call Franklinville at 336-685-3100 or Seagrove at 336-873-7521.

 ASHEBORO – Show off your coolest superpowers at the first annual Asheboro Public Library Comic Con, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, May 13.

 

Hosted by Asheboro library Youth Services, the family-friendly event will feature 13 comic book authors, illustrators and other creators (as of this writing — there may be more) who will demonstrate their techniques and display their work, which will be available for purchase.

Because every hero needs a sidekick, Randolph County Animal Services and Ruff Love Rescue of Thomasville will be on hand to share information about pet adoption and feature some of their furry friends. 

There also will be a costume contest with prizes for different age groups; special visitors; giveaways; and other surprises. The event, best for ages four and up, is free and the public is invited.

Authors, artists and other creators include: 

• Will Boyer, illustrator of Gospelman Ministries, Super Milo and Hip Hop;
• Rodney Bennett, writer and artist at Vision Alive Studios, Legend of Black Starr;
• Kev Lyerly, K.L.A.W.S. of Kreation artist;
• John Czop, Marvel Comics illustrator;
• Rick Davis, Marvel and DC comics illustrator;
• Chris Rigo, Beardy Weirdy's Comics and Toys;
• Hector Miray, author of Faith and Fandom book series;
• Dan Johnson, writer and editor-in-chief at Red Line Comics Studio;
• Marshall Lakes, artist and graphic novelist, Marshall Lakes Art;
• Jo Knorpp, UNCSA filmmaking graduate with a concentration in animation;
• Jennifer McCollom, special effects makeup artist;
• John Tompkins, professional cosplayer and prop builder.

The TeenZone will feature the work of local teen artists, and a Youth Services booth will share all the scoop on this summer’s Summer Reading activities.

At 10:30 a.m., Jo Knorpp will screen her own short film, followed by a Q&A. At 11:30 a.m., Rodney Bennett will present an art creation demonstration. John Thompkins will bring his Indiana Jones mobile museum. 

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6804.

Caleb Sigmon to bring ‘Fun Factory’ to Randleman library

RANDLEMAN – Get an early jump on Summer Reading as master illusionist and storyteller Caleb Sigmon brings “The Fun Factory Starring CJ & Fidget” to the Randleman Public Library, 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18.

It’s fun for all ages when audience members help an incredible factory come to life as gears turn, games unfold and toilet paper goes flying through the air!

The high-speed show is guaranteed to capture attention with lots of music, interactive play, and a valuable lesson that audiences will take away with them: that we are strongest when we work together. Stick around afterwards for an exclusive meet and greet with characters from the show.

Sigmon is a veteran performer who travels across the nation sharing theatre and magic. He is especially noted locally for his always-popular performances as the Cat in the Hat and the Grinch. 

The performance launches “All Together Now,” the library’s Summer Reading initiative, which keeps kids reading while school is out so that they don’t experience “summer slide” when they return in the fall.

It’s free and the public is invited.

The library is located at 142 W. Academy Street. For further information, call 336-498-3141.

Transform plastic bags with artist Cassandra Liuzzo in Asheboro library event

Cassandra Liuzzo

ASHEBORO – Create beautiful art and useful objects from plastic bags in an Asheboro Public Library Community Craft & Learn event, 4-6 p.m. Monday, April 24.

Join mixed media fiber artist and art educator Cassandra Liuzzo to transform single-use materials that would otherwise be thrown away. The project is inspired by compassionate work being carried out at local resource center Keaton’s Place, which is reusing plastic bags to make bedrolls for people experiencing homelessness.

All ages and abilities are welcome, and no registration is required. Participants are encouraged to bring their own crochet hooks and scissors to supplement those provided.

Liuzzo is founder of Shelf Life Art & Supply Co., a new and used art supply store in Greensboro. Her work has been exhibited in galleries such as the Center for Visual Artists in Greensboro, the Catherine Smith Gallery in Boone and Brooklyn Fireproof in New York. She holds a bachelor of science in art education degree from Appalachian State University.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6804.

‘Declutter Your Life’ in Asheboro library workshop

ASHEBORO – Are you thinking about downsizing, but don’t know where to start?

Do you spend too much time looking for your keys? Do you miss deadlines because your schedule is out of control?

Learn how to “Declutter Your Life” in a workshop led by Jeannie Leonard, Family and Consumer Sciences agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Randolph County Center, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13, at the Asheboro Public Library. The class is free and the public is invited.

Clutter, whether it’s mental, digital or physical, can be a frustrating barrier to a fulfilling and functional home, office and personal life — and it can get in the way of peace of mind.

Leonard’s workshop will help you get control of your possessions and enjoy a newfound sense of space and freedom. The process and tools you will learn can be applied in any area, from closets to email inboxes to sentimental items.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Randleman library to kick off Storywalk in park with activities for kids, families

Liberty cuts the ribbon last June on its Storywalk

RANDLEMAN – Children and families in Randleman will be able to take a stroll with a book as a new Storywalk in Stout Street Park kicks off with a “Springtime in the Park Celebration” on Saturday, April 1.

Storywalks are panels containing consecutive pages of a children’s book spaced along an outdoor path. The panels also include information about early literacy and resources available at the library and in the community.

Randleman’s is one of three developed by the Randolph County Public Libraries with funds from a federal Library Services and Technology Act grant. The other two are going up at Creekside Park in Archdale and Clay Presnell Memorial Park in Seagrove

Randleman’s Storywalk celebration will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. following the Randleman Parks and Recreation Easter Egg hunt at 10 a.m. for children through age 12. The event will include a Storywalk Challenge with a prize at the end; face painting and balloon animals; a “Stones & Bones” fossil display with an opportunity to dig for fossils to take home; an egg and spoon race; and a rubber chicken toss.

 After the kickoff, books in the Storywalk —all of which are presented in bilingual format — will be changed out monthly.

A “Storywalk Festival” kickoff in Seagrove, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 15, will feature animals from around the world with Wild Tails of NC, as well as challenges and activities such as Giant Jenga, Giant Bubbles, and face painting for a chance to win a prize. The Kona Ice Truck also will be present.

Franklinville/Seagrove library
manager Charity Neave Johnson
at a Storywalk panel in Riverside Park

Archdale’s “Storywalk Kickoff,” 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 29, will feature a live animal show at 10:30 a.m. with Wild Tails NC. Kids can complete an activity quiz and qualify for a grand prize drawing for a scooter and a helmet.

The Storywalk project is a partnership among the library, the Randolph Partnership for Children, and the municipalities of Archdale, Randleman and Seagrove. The new Storywalks join two installed last year in Franklinville’s Riverside Park and Liberty’s Paul Henry Smith Park.

The project is made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Bigfoot researcher to be sighted at Archdale library

ARCHDALE – Keep an eye out for everyone’s favorite cryptid as the Mike Familant Bigfoot Experience Tour makes a stop at the Archdale Public Library, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 29.

Familant, lead investigator and producer of the television show “In the Shadow of the Big Red Eye,” will share his experiences researching and tracking down the truth behind Bigfoot.

Familant has researched the creature for over 12 years from the Florida swamps to the North Country of Maine. He will exhibit evidence he and his team have collected, and talk about some unfortunate experiences that come along with Bigfooting.

A Q&A will follow the presentation.

The event is free and the public is invited. The library is located at 10433 S. Main Street.

For further information, call 336-431-3811.

Learn ‘Backyard Gardening’ in Asheboro library class

ASHEBORO – Learn about “Backyard Gardening” in a free class at the Asheboro Public Library, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14.

 The class will be led by Cody Craddock, Horticulture Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s Randolph County Center.

The comprehensive class will cover the basics of gardening, including weed, disease and pest management; soil management; starting seeds; and gardening design and construction.

Afterwards there will be a question and answer period for any and all gardening questions.

Craddock is a life-long resident of Randolph County, and graduated from Mount Olive College in 2021. He has enjoyed gardening since he was a child, when he maintained a large garden and pulled a produce wagon to sell to neighbors.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

Crack cold cases with SBI agent in Asheboro library talk

 ASHEBORO – Join Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nathaniel Thompson to learn how the State Bureau of Investigation tackles cold cases, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 6, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The talk is free and the public is invited.

Thompson is supervisor of the SBI’s Cold Case Investigation Team (CCIT). The CCIT collaborates with local law enforcement agencies to pursue new leads and leverage new forensic techniques focusing on unsolved criminal cases — particularly homicides.

Thompson is a 24-year veteran of the SBI. During his law enforcement career, he has investigated numerous homicides, high-level drug trafficking organizations, fraud and corruption cases throughout the state.

 The library is located at 201 Worth Street. Call 336-318-6803 for further information.

Country recording artist Stephanie Quayle brings ‘On the Edge’ to Asheboro’s Sunset Series

Country music artist and CMT Next Women of Country inductee Stephanie Quayle

ASHEBORO – Over 13 years ago, Stephanie Quayle experienced a profound tragedy when the love of her life died in a fiery plane crash.

But what she thought was the worst day of her life soon turned surreal: as she was stumbling through the layers of grief, pain and confusion, a shocking story came to light: she was not the only woman in his life.

Over time, she dug deep, transcended th
e pain, found her voice again and with collaborator Tori Tullier, created On the Edge, an eight-song album charting her path from a life shattered to the place of grace where she finds herself today.

Quayle and Tullier will perform the entire album followed by a Q & A in a Friends of the Library Sunset Signature Series event at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 10, in downtown Asheboro’s historic Sunset Theatre.

The performance is free and the public is invited. The Sunset Signature Series is sponsored by the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, City of Asheboro and the Friends of the Randolph County Public Libraries.

Quayle is a country music recording artist and a repeat performer at the Grand Ole Opry. In 2019, she was named as a member of that year’s class of the CMT Next Women of Country. 

Her songs have hit the Billboard Country Airplay chart twice, and her last three singles have reached 100 million listeners on Country Music radio. On tour, she has shared the stage with Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Aaron Watson, Gabby Barrett and others.

She has appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show and Ellen, and was named an “Artist to Watch” by Rolling Stone Country.

Quayle grew up on a farm in Montana, where her family raised bison and cattle, kept drafting and riding horses, and grew alfalfa. She came to music early, starting with piano lessons.

Her creativity flourished in the form of stories, poems and songs and making music on piano and guitar. On graduating high school, she moved to California to pursue a music career, working day jobs and performing wherever she could.

After the trauma she experienced, she moved to Nashville and saw her songs hit the charts as she gained industry accolades.

Quayle is married to businessman David Couch, an Asheboro native.

The Sunset Theatre is located at 234 Sunset Avenue. For further information, contact the Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau at 800-626-2672.

Experience Bright Star Touring Theatre’s ‘Black History Hall of Fame’ at libraries countywide

A scene from 'Black History Hall of Fame'

ASHEBORO – Young audiences can meet some of the most significant Black Americans in Black History Hall of Fame, an interactive show by Bright Star Touring Theatre coming to each Randolph County Public Libraries location in February.

Some of the people introduced in the fast-moving production will include Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Madame CJ Walker, Louis Armstrong, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mae Jamison, among many others.

The shows, which are sponsored by the Friends of the Library, will take place as follows:

• Archdale, 10433 S. Main St., 3:30 p.m. Friday, February 17;
• Asheboro, 201 Worth Street, 10:30 a.m., Thursday, February 16;
• Franklinville, 111 Sumner Place, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 15;
• Liberty, 239 S. Fayetteville St.,  6:30 p.m. Thursday, February 16;
• Ramseur, 1512 S. Main St., 10 a.m. Friday, February 17;
• Randleman, 142 W. Academy St., 3:30 p.m. Thursday, February 16;
• Seagrove, 530 Old Plank Road, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 15.

 This project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

 For more information, call 336-318-6804.

Vocalist, Duke prof Mary D. Williams to present ‘Sounds of Freedom’ at Asheboro library

Mary D. Williams

ASHEBORO --  Hear “The Sounds of Freedom: From Slavery to Civil Rights” as vocalist and academic Mary D. Williams performs at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, February 16, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Williams, an adjunct professor at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, will sing spirituals and protest songs as a means of exploring the role music played from enslavement through the Civil Rights movement. Her performance is free and the public is invited.

“There is something about music that seems to bring us closer to each other, often connecting us as a community,” she says. “This is true today, and it is true historically, even through some of the most difficult periods of our past.”

Williams’ knowledge of the music and the culture from which it emerged is rooted in her scholarly work. Her goal is to share what she has learned, performing the best traditions of North Carolina while dissecting their subtleties in a manner accessible for a wide audience.

She has provided her voice to various media projects, including the movie Blood Done Sign My Name. She sang at the North Carolina State Capitol for the 150th anniversary celebration of the 13th Amendment, and has appeared on National Public Radio.

She holds a bachelors degree in American Studies and a masters in Folklore from The University of North Carolina  at Chapel Hill.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

From Worth Farm to Center City Garden: Holt to trace evolution of ‘the lawn of Asheboro’ in library talk

Ross Holt

ASHEBORO – The history and genealogy of the Jonathan Worth farm in the middle of old Asheboro — soon to become the David and Pauline Jarrell Center City Garden arboretum — is the topic of “From Worth Farm to Center City Garden,” a talk by Randolph County Public Libraries Director Ross Holt at 6:30 p.m. Monday, January 23, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The talk is free and the public is invited.

Jonathan Worth, who would become Asheboro’s leading citizen and serve as North Carolina governor, was 24 when in 1826 he purchased the 12 acres now bounded by Worth, Main, Academy and Cox streets.

The area, which remained undeveloped for much of the 19th century, would involve two other prominent Randolph County families — the Moffitts and the Walkers — before being acquired by Acme-McCrary Hosiery Mills founder D.B. “Doc” McCrary and his family in the 20th century.

Holt sifted through newspaper accounts, deeds and other records to uncover fascinating details about the property and surprising connections among the people associated with it. Owners of various parts of the site — including five Asheboro mayors — have represented each era of the city’s development, from an agrarian economy through industrialization and modern manufacturing.

Holt is a member of the Randolph County Historical Landmark Preservation Commission and author of A Man of Restless Enterprise: The Diary of Simeon Colton, 1851-1852.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803.

HPU prof to discuss Chinese New Year in Asheboro library talk

Dr. Daliang Wang

ASHEBORO – Traditions and customs of Chinese New Year will be the focus of a talk by Dr. Daliang Wang, chair of World Languages and professor of Chinese at High Point University, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, January 19, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The talk is free and the public is invited.

The most important Chinese holiday, the new year celebration marks the arrival of spring on the Chinese lunar calendar. It is celebrated in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan and the U.S. as well as in China.

The presentation will focus on the traditions, customs, timelines and cultures associated with Chinese New Year celebrations.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street. For further information, call 336-318-6803 or visit the library.