Latest news with #GuilfordCounty
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
High Point's growth rate cools slightly
HIGH POINT — The population surge that followed the COVID-19 pandemic continued into 2024 but slightly slowed for High Point, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The new figures also show that High Point's post-pandemic growth was somewhat faster than estimates released a year ago showed. The new estimates for incorporated cities and towns, released today, show High Point's population reaching 118,601 on July 1, 2024, up 1,003, or nearly 0.9%, from a year earlier. That compares to a national average growth of 1.1% in metro areas and an overall national average of 1%. The Census Bureau also revised the city's growth from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2023, upward to 1.6% from the original estimate of 1.2%. From mid-2020 to mid-2024, High Point's population grew by 3.3%. In the immediate High Point area, Kernersville had the greatest growth rate from 2023 to 2024, 2.2%, more than double the rate from the previous year. Since 2020, Kernersville has grown 8.2% to 28,760. Other neighboring towns' growth rates from 2023 to 2024: Wallburg grew just under 2.0% to 3,255; Thomasville grew 0.7% to 27,605; Archdale grew 0.3% to 12,147; and Trinity grew by 0.3% to 7,190. County-by-county population estimates released in March already had shown that Guilford County's population grew 1.1% from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, up from 0.6% the previous year, with four-fifths of the growth attributed to immigration. Like the county estimates in March, today's new city population estimates show the Raleigh and Charlotte areas with the greatest numerical growth in the state. Charlotte, the largest city in the state, grew 2.5% to 943,476 up from 1.7% the previous year, and Raleigh, the second-largest, grew 1.8% to 499,825, down just a hair from 1.9% the previous year. High Point remains the state's ninth-largest city, behind Wilmington — which grew 1.4% to 125,284 — and ahead of Concord — which grew 1.8% to 112,395.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County manager issues budget proposal
GUILFORD COUNTY — The Guilford County budget proposed by County Manager Michael Halford would keep the property tax rate at 73.05 cents per $100 valuation, a rate that has been consistent for the past several years and reflects a pledge by the board to not raise taxes. Halford was scheduled to present the proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget during the Guilford County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday night. A copy of the proposal indicates that the general fund budget, the county's main operating fund, would total $841.68 million. In remarks through the budget proposal, Halford was candid in saying that his spending plan 'will not support' the budget sought by the Guilford County Board of Education for Guilford County Schools. 'I hear and understand that additional funding for the education systems in our county is needed,' Halford says. 'However, the full responsibility for addressing the funding deficits cannot rest on Guilford County, which already allocates nearly 60% of its flexible revenues to education.' Halford said that his proposed budget does extend to meet many needs of Guilford County Schools. The budget proposal recommends $464 million for Guilford County Schools, an increase of $32 million from the total allocation in the current fiscal year. The proposal includes an additional $2.5 million in operating support. Guilford County Schools would receive a capital outlay of $50 million in bond proceeds, an increase of $40 million, to address major system replacement needs. The budget proposal also allocates $53.2 million, an increase of $1.1 million, for debt service on the $2 billion in bonds approved by county voters in November 2020 and May 2022 to raise funds meant to transform school facilities. The formal budget process began this past November when department directors began indicating their needs to commissioners in work sessions. In April, the commissioners hosted three budget town halls at community locations to get public input. The sessions included one at Jamestown Elementary School for people in the greater High Point area. The commissioners will hold a public hearing on the budget proposal during their meeting at 5:30 p.m. June 5 at the Old Guilford County Courthouse at 301 W. Market St. in downtown Greensboro. The board should vote on the budget at its following meeting June 18 at the same time and location. The balanced budget should be in place by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Absolutely adorable toddler died the most needless death after parents dropped him at unlicensed day care
An adorable boy was found dead in a car seat after he was left in the care of a woman who operated an unlicensed day care in North Carolina. Mercedes Rodriguez, 59, was arrested on April 30 after a one-year-old boy named Jacob Machado Carlos was found blue and unresponsive in her care. Authorities found Jacob in a car seat with the straps around the upper half of his body. Jacob's parents dropped him off with Rodriguez around 5:30 am. Another parent noticed the child needed medical attention around 9 am and called 911. Rodriguez was arrested for operating a child care facility without a license and will face an additional homicide charge. The child's heartbroken parents had to bury their adorable child before attending Rodriguez's court hearing. 'My son Jacob was very friendly. He loves to run outside and play with his sibling,' Jacob's mother tearfully recalled in an interview with local Fox affiliate, WGHP. His father added that he was 'filled with love, and was a very happy kid.' 'He got that from our family. Always went up to everyone with open arms. He did that to the rest of the world,' his father said. Jacob's parents told WGHP that their other children are struggling to cope with their little brother's death. Another family member told the outlet, 'We took him to her [Rodriguez]. We thought she was taking care of him like the mother she is, but we never thought she'd leave him … in the car seat all morning.' The Guilford County District Attorney's Office said that Rodriguez was caring for 13 children at the unlicensed day care center. Another child in her care was hospitalized on the same day as Jacob's death. WGHP also reported that Rodriguez was investigated in 2019 after an alleged assault of a child. Jacob's parents wanted the judge to raise Rodriguez's bail, fearing she was a flight risk since she was under a deportation order. However, the judge declined to increase Rodriguez's $10,000 bail until official homicide charges were filed. Jacob's family attended the hearing and told WGHP they were disappointed with the results. reached out to Guilford County Police for an update on the case but didn't immediately hear back.
