There are only two days left in the rest of 2012, the year the Mayans predicted would be the Earth’s last. I’m pretty happy they were wrong.
As you can see throughout today’s edition of Ye Olde Kinston Daily Free Press, we’re taking the time to recap the top stories of the year in news and sports (on Tuesday).
The employees of TFP voted for their top stories – here’s how I voted in the news and sports categories, followed by a brief explanation of why I did so.
My top 5 news stories of 2012:
1. State Rep. Stephen LaRoque is indicted on federal charges of theft and misuse of funds from his small business lending agencies: Rep. LaRoque is – according to whom you speak – the perfect public servant or the devil. I’ll say this much about him: he has a certain cult of personality that attracts some people and revolts others at the same time. His legal woes are far from over and he’s set to go to trial in 2013. Stay tuned – the conclusion of LaRoque’s time in court are sure to be one of the top stories of the New Year.
2. Former Kinston City Council member Will Barker charged with third-degree sexual exploitation of a child: Was there a more shocking story in 2012 than the arrest of Barker, one of the bright young minds in Kinston? Like LaRoque, he’ll have his day in court in the New Year, and we’ll see if there is any truth to the allegations.
3. U.S. Department of Justice reverses itself and OK’s nonpartisan elections in Kinston: Finally, common sense prevailed and the DOJ allowed the citizens of Kinston to think for themselves. Finally. And props to Rep. LaRoque, John Nix and the others who stood up for voters’ rights in Kinston.
4. CSS Neuse is moved from his outdoor location to a new indoor home downtown: It was a beautiful day to move 110 tons of the future of Kinston’s downtown tourism. The sight of the remains of the Neuse on Vernon Avenue and Queen Street is one I’ll never forget.
5. Kinston’s Woodmen Community Center opens to the public: For years, this town has not had a YMCA-type facility that would help attract new businesses and residents. Now, we have a state-of-the-art gym, swimming pools and water park that are going to bring in exponentially more dollars than the ones invested in it.
My top 5 sports stories of 2012:
1. Kinston’s boys basketball defeats Waxhaw Cuthbertson 58-55 to win state 2A title for third time in last five seasons: Three titles in five seasons – all coached by Wells Gulledge, who would later resign – has helped reestablish Kinston as the center of the prep basketball universe in North Carolina.
2. New York Jets take Kinston native Quinton Coples with the 16th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft: While Kinston has produced other NFL players, never had a player been drafted in the first round – until Coples, a hard-hitting defensive lineman who leads the Jets in sacks as a rookie.
3. NCHSAA approves 2013-17 realignment, which groups Ayden-Grifton, Goldsboro, Greene Central, Kinston, North Lenoir and South Lenoir into the same conference for the first time: It’s a dream conference for prep sports fans in Lenoir and Greene counties and should help strengthen the rivalries at all six schools. I’m particularly excited to see Kinston and Goldsboro in the same league again for the first time in more than a decade.
4. Carter Capps gets called up to big leagues, makes Seattle Mariners debut in Yankee Stadium: And what did the former North Lenoir High School and Mount Olive College star do with his first pitch? He hit 100 mph on the radar gun. With Capps in Seattle and Chris Hatcher in Miami, Lenoir County has two MLB players who are going to make significant contributions in 2013.
5. Parrott Academy wins back-to-back state softball titles: The Patriots softball team continued its proud tradition with yet another title.
Bryan C. Hanksis the managing editor of The Free Press and his column appears in this space every week. You can reach him at 252-559-1074 or at Bryan.Hanks@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at BCHanks and check out his blog at bhanks.encblogs.com.