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Chronicle reporter receives 2 awards
from N.C. Press Association
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
The Chronicle and its
staff have received numer
ous awards for reporting,
photography and design
over its 46 years of publi
cation. This year its senior
reporter, Tevin Stinson,
earned two awards. He re
ceived first place in Ledes
(the opening sentences
in an article) for his story
“Local board of educa
tion scheduled to make
decision on reopening for
schools” for this lede: “In
the blockbuster film ‘The
Matrix,’ Neo, played by
Keanu Reeves, is offered
the choice of a red pill and
a blue pill by Morpheus,
who was played by Lau
rence Fishburne. Take the
red pill and you suppos
edly reveal the ‘unpleasant
truth’ about society or take
the blue pill and remain in
‘blissful ignorance.’ While
their decision won’t in
volve colorful capsules or
special effects, just like
Neo, today, Oct. 1, the
Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Schools (WS/
FCS) Board of Education
is faced with their own
tough decision when they
vote whether to allow stu
dents to return to class-
rooms or continue virtual
learning for at least nine
more weeks.”
Stinson also received
a third place award for
News Enterprise Editing
for his series of stories on
the wrongful conviction of
Submiited photo
Senior reporter Tevin Stinson sits down with Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough. Stinson received two awards at the N. C. Press Association’s annual
convention held virtually last week.
Ronnie Long.
Submissions were
for the period of Oct. 1,
2019, to Sept. 30, 2020.
The Chronicle has been a
long-time member of the
N.C. Press Association
and competes in Division
B with newspapers of sim
ilar size. This year the Di
vision B category had 20
newspapers from around
the state in competition for
awards.
James Taylor, The
Chronicle’s publisher,
said, “Tevin Stinson is a
well-rounded reporter who
knows his way around
both the community and
the newsroom. Mr. Stin
son’s character matches
his journalistic ability and
it- is an honor to be able
to serve with him at The
Chronicle.”
“It feels good to know
my hard work is paying
off,“ Stinson said.
The news depart
ment consists of Editor
Bridget Elam, Associate
Editor Judie Holcomb-
Pack, Graphic Designer
Gregg Penn, Sports and
Religion Reporter Timo
thy Ramsey, and Senior
Reporter Tevin Stinson.
Speaking about Stinson,
Elam said, “Tevin’s recog
nitions are well-deserved.
He embodies the tenants
to being a true journalist.
His hard work and dedi
cation to reporting news-
in our community deserve
the highest of honors. We
are proud that he is a part
of our team.
“Although we are con
sidered a small newsroom,
our team is big in heart and
expertise. Our passion to
bring news that’s relevant
to our community is a
driving force that propels
us toward excellence. The
Chronicle has the perfect
combination of expertise
and talent and it shows
when we can compete with
larger media outlets and
continue to win awards for
our journalism.”
Winning . awards is
nothing new for The
Chronicle. Last year pho
tographer Alphonso Ab
bott Jr. and graphic design
er Gregg Penn won awards
for best use of photos and
graphics. Abbott’s pho
tos are often used on our
sports page. In 2018 our
graphic designer, the late
Ron Rogers, was honored
for his political cartoons.
Due to the pandemic,
the N.C. Press Association
convention was held virtu
ally this year and includ
ed workshops, speakers,
business session and the
awards ceremony. Com
plete information on the
convention can be found at
www.ncpress.org.
Local woman organizes network to help bring resources to
local tent cities
♦
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
While scrolling
through her Facebook
newsfeed a few weeks
ago, Arnita Miles came
across a video that showed
a homeless tent city that
had formed on Akron
Drive and the hazardous
conditions the people were
living in. “When I saw
the conditions out there,
I knew I had to do some
thing to help,” Miles said.
And that’s exactly what
she did.
That night Miles went
to the tent community lo
cated near the Rainbow
Laundromat, spoke with
the people living there, and
promised she’d be back.
She came back the next
day with her close friend
and provided a few blan
kets. The next day she re
turned and was able to pro
vide a hot meal. By day
three, word of what Miles
was doing started to circu
late around town, and by
the end of the week dozens
of people, local churches,
businesses, and non-prof
it organizations started
reaching out to Miles, ask
ing how they could help.
“People from the com
munity have donated ev
erything - toiletries, blan
kets, coats, socks. We’ve
had hot meals twice a day
since day three,” Miles
said while discussing
“Tent City Akron.”
“It’s been a blessing to
see how the community
has rallied together to help.
People from all walks of
life have come and do
nated and we’re not an of
ficial group with a title or
anything like that, we’re
just people who care about
the community'.”
According to a report
www.wschronicle.com
Photo by Tevin Stinson
Volunteers help clean up the tent community located on Akron Drive.
by the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban De
velopment, in recent years
the number of tent cities
has been on the rise. A tent
city in Charlotte recently
gained national media at
tention after more than
150 homeless people were
given 90 days to vacate
the property near the city’s
downtown area.
Tent City Akron
formed about a year ago
near the Rainbow Laun
dromat and 10 to 12 peo
ple call the wooded, grassy
area home. The land where
the encampment is located
is owned by the N.C. De
partment of Transporta
tion and last week, people
living in Tent City Akron
were told that they had to
clean up the property by
the end of the month or re
ceive a nuisance and abate
ment order. Miles respond
ed by partnering with local
community organizations,
HOPE Dealers Outreach
and Enough is Enough, to
host a clean-up day last
weekend.
On Saturday, Feb. 27,
dozens of volunteers rolled
up their sleeves and helped
residents clean up. Frankie
Gist, who is the founder
of HOPE Dealers Out
reach, said when he saw
what Miles was doing, he
immediately reached out
and asked how he could
help. Gist, who organized
a march and rally down-
town last summer in the
wake of the murder of
George Floyd, said, “We
should have the same en
ergy we had this past sum
mer around this issue. The
same people that had that
energy in the summer have
to have that energy today.”
Monday, March
1, marked Miles’ 17th
straight day at Tent City
Akron. Most days she ar
rives around noon and
doesn’t leave until after 5
p.m. Miles said after she
saw that video and issued
that clarion call to the
community to help the res
idents of Tent City Akron,
she knew the people would
answer. “I had faith in the
community and I knew the
See Tent on A6