Meet the Team
The Paper newsroom is located in the heart of downtown Morganton at 110 S. Sterling Street. Stop by anytime with story ideas, questions, to meet a reporter, enjoy a cup of coffee, or whatever. A human will always answer the phone when you call during business hours. No call center, no transfers to someplace you never heard of speaking to somebody you never met who has not a clue about Burke County. Just us, your fellow community members.
Publisher - Allen VanNoppen
Journalism - Richmond Times Dispatch, The (Morganton) News Herald, Greensboro News & Record, 1978 - 1985: Furniture industry - Sales and Marketing Executive, 1985-2001:Â VanNoppen Marketing, LLC, Founder, CEO, Board Chair, 2001 - present: Leading Civic Activities: Board of Directors, UNC Health - Blue Ridge (2004-2023); Grace Healthcare Foundation (past Chairman of Board);Â Western Piedmont Community College Foundation (former Board member); Rotary Club of Morganton (past president); Morganton Day School (past Chairman).Â
VanNoppen and his family are multigenerational residents of Morganton, NC, all of whom have a demonstrated record of business leadership, economic entrepreneurship and civic stewardship. Allen and his wife, Jean, are both business owners in downtown Morganton.
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Editor Emeritus - Bill Poteat
Former editor (18 years) and political reporter of The News Herald, teacher at East Burke High School and Draughn High School, columnist for Gastonia Gazette. BA- UNC-CH journalism.
Earned multiple North Carolina Press Association First Place Awards for editorials, business writing, and serious, critical, and humorous columns.
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Executive Editor -Â Angela Kuper Copeland
A South Carolina native, Copeland holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Auburn University and a master’s degree in English from Troy University. She recently moved to Burke County from Texas. She has worked as a reporter and editor for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, in community relations and economic development for the municipality of Castle Rock, Colo., and as the public information officer for Montgomery Public Schools in Alabama.
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Director - Business Development - Janina Linens
Former advertising/marketing director for The News Herald. Under her leadership, The News Herald received several First Place NCPA awards for advertising effectiveness and special sections.
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Managing Editor - Josh McKinney
Josh McKinney began working at The Paper in 2023 as assistant sports editor. He is a native of Burke County, McKinney attended public school here and is a 2008 graduate of East Burke High School. After two years at Western Piedmont Community College, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Over the past decade, McKinney has served as assistant sports editor of the Wilkes Journal-Patriot in North Wilkesboro, sports editor of the Daily Courier in Forest City, and sports editor of the Hickory Daily Record.
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Sports Editor - Paul Schenkel
Best known to Burke County readers for his award-winning tenure as sports editor of The News Herald for more than 11 years. An honor graduate of the University of South Carolina – Upstate, Schenkel also worked as a sports writer for the Spartanburg Herald and as assistant sports editor of the Shelby Star before coming to Burke County in 2010.
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Government Reporter - Mica Banks
Mica Banks is a Georgia native who earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication with a focus on journalism from Georgia College & State University (2020). Mica has previously written under the name Miya Banks for The Eatonton Messenger (Georgia) and Hickory Daily Record. While at the Hickory Daily Record, Mica earned several first place feature writing awards from the North Carolina Press Association.
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Municipal Reporter - Madison Lipe
Madison is a Catawba County native, whose reporting experience in North Carolina ranges from the mountains to the beach. Most recently, she was a Government Watchdog and Education Reporter for the Wilmington Star-News. While a student at Appalachian State in Boone, she was an intern for the High Country Press and was a reporter and associate editor for the Appalachian, the school’s student-run newspaper. Madison spent two summers at home interning for the Hickory Daily Record.
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Education and Courts Reporter - Jacob Christopher
Jacob joined this team in September 2025. A native of Burke County, he holds a bachelor’s in English–Communication and Journalism from the University of Maine, and a Modern Journalism Certificate from New York University. While pursuing those credentials, Christopher wrote and published articles on global health and technology for The Brogen Project, a globally focused nonprofit addressing poverty and hunger.
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Visual Creative Director -Â Jessica Beane
Jessica Beane oversees page design, graphic presentation, prepress production, and an assortment of other design-related needs. These services had previously been outsourced.
Beane has 30 years of experience in newspaper production, including a decade of page design and layout for the Lee Enterprises family of regional media properties including those in Marion, Morganton, Hickory, Statesville, and Concord.
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Office & Circulation Manager - Lilly Brown
Jack of all trades, master of some.
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Visit Our Office
110 S Sterling St
Morganton, NC 28655
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Affiliations: Member, NC Press Association.
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