Lots of stuff to share with you this week, so let’s get to it, shan’t we?
QUINTON COPLES COMMUNITY WEEKEND RETURNS: The second annual Quinton Coples Community Weekend is Friday, July 12 through Sunday, July 14.
Last year’s inaugural event was an overwhelming success; so much so that Coples and his team of organizers — including Millennium Sports Management Group’s Kurtis Stewart — have added more activities to the weekend.
This year, there’ll be a basketball tournament, a silent auction and a reception at the Arts Council, among many other features, including the free cookout for folks in the Southeast community. The Free Press will have more details in the coming weeks.
However, there is a significant need for volunteers for all the events. A meeting for potential volunteers will be held at the Teachers Memorial Gymnasium, 500 Marcella Drive, on Thursday from 6-7:30 p.m. If you’re interested in volunteering, it’s very important you attend the meeting.
And kudos again to Coples, the former Kinston High School and UNC football star who is getting ready to start his second season with the New York Jets. The young man simply gets it — being good to others is his mantra.
SUCCESSFUL FOCUS GROUPS: For a few weeks, we asked you, dear reader, to be a part of a focus group to help us reshape The Free Press for the future. We held our meetings with readers on Tuesday — and it was extremely informational.
Personally, I learned some very important things and you’re going to see some of the lessons in The Free Pres over the next few months. A big-time “thank you” is owed to the folks who came out to help us shape your newspaper.
If you wanted to come out but were unable to do so, please don’t hesitate to send suggestions to me by any of the methods listed below.
CONGRATS TO CLASS OF ’13: Saturday was a big day in our neck o’ the woods as graduations were held at five area high schools: Kinston, North Lenoir, South Lenoir, Greene Central and Jones Senior.
I’m not going to throw any life advice out there other than this: use the example of folks like Quinton Coples, Felix Harvey and Jerry Stackhouse — local people who have “made it” and use their celebrity or wealth to help others.
There are literally a couple of dozen 2013 graduates I could shout out but I have to especially congratulate two: Kinston’s VeQuain Joyner and North Lenoir’s Alex Brownlee.
VeQuain and Alex played for three seasons on a 12-and-under basketball team for me at Fairfield Recreation Center and it’s been an absolute pleasure watching them grow up through the years. The neatest thing for me was that they — intelligent young men with considerable leadership abilities — were quarterbacks for their respective football teams this past year.
I’m very proud of you, VeQuain and Alex.
LEFT SIDE/RIGHT SIDE MISSING: Through the focus groups, we found out many of you enjoy the Left Side/Right Side of our Sunday Opinion pages. Unfortunately, with all the graduation stories and two pages of Capital Correspondence, we were unable to find the space to fit it in this week. It’ll return next week.
WELCOME TO JUNIOUS SMITH III: After several months of interviews and auditions, we’ve hired a City of Kinston/Lenoir County government reporter: Junious Smith III.
Junious comes to us from Fayetteville, where he worked in the sports department of that city’s fine newspaper, the Observer. He’s excited about getting to know you in his first full-time gig at a newspaper.
Please join me in welcoming him and feel free to contact him at 252-559-1077 or at Junious.Smith@Kinston.com with story ideas.
Bryan C. Hanks is the managing editor of The Free Press; his column appears in this space every Sunday. You can reach him at 252-559-1074 or at Bryan.Hanks@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at BCHanks.