The Paper won 36 North Carolina Press Association awards for 2025-2026, including 13 first-place honors and four category sweeps, recognizing excellence across local reporting, sports, commentary, design, advertising and special publications in Burke County journalism.
The Paper won 36 North Carolina Press Association awards for 2025-2026, including 13 first-place honors and four category sweeps, recognizing excellence across local reporting, sports, commentary, design, advertising and special publications in Burke County journalism.
The Paper, promoted Josh McKinney to managing editor, a newsroom leadership role designed to strengthen daily operations, story planning and communication across the newspaper’s editorial operations.
The Paper launches its fourth year with a redesigned 32-page edition, new sections, expanded sports coverage and updated design elements, while outlining financial transparency and long-term plans to sustain independent local journalism in Burke County.
After dire forecasts for Winter Storm Fern, Burke County saw sleet instead of snow, sparking confusion, empty shelves, school closures, and fresh skepticism as meteorologists now predict yet another uncertain weekend wintery mix forecast debate.
In an unprecedented move, the Burke County Board of Education unanimously voted Monday to revoke The Paper’s special media access — a decision the newspaper’s legal counsel says violates the First Amendment and punishes protected speech.
The Paper promotes Angela Kuper Copeland to Executive Editor, a new role for the newsroom’s fourth year in Burke County. She will lead editorial strategy, ethics, and investigations as education reporter Jacob Christopher joins staff.
