The annual VISIONS journal was The Covington Information’ yearly alternative to spotlight a couple of of the individuals in Newton County who deserve a bit of additional particular recognition. And annually, the journal is unveiled in a particular banquet honoring award recipients and their dedication to Newton County.
Oftentimes, these people or teams catch The Information’ eye over the yr via a sequence of contributions which individually might not warrant conventional newspaper protection. The VISIONS journal permits The Information to place these steadfast cornerstones of Newton County beneath a highlight, together with a night to spotlight their contributions.
This yr’s VISIONS ceremony was held on Thursday, April 24 within the Banquet Room at Turner Lake. The theme is “Newton County Marches Ahead.”
Group Spirit Award
The crown jewel of this yr’s VISIONS journal is the Group Spirit Award. The 2025 recipient was none apart from Brian Coates.
Coates is the band director at Alcovy Excessive Faculty, so he is aware of a factor or two about marching. In his function, Coates routinely goes above and past, working in earnest to safe all the very best alternatives for his younger musicians. This consists of over $8 million in scholarship funds in simply the final two years alone.
This dedication to the county’s subsequent era made Coates a shoo-in for an award that goals to spotlight somebody who retains Newton County’s spirit alight.
“My motivation for getting up each morning is, on the finish of the day, I wish to see our college students succeed after highschool,” Coates stated. “It’s nice to have an excellent band program, I like it. That’s my job, however what are you doing after highschool? That’s why I spend a lot time attempting to get these children into faculty, attempting to get them into scholarships and all that stuff.”
Youth of the 12 months
Newton County’s budding leaders deserve their time to shine. That’s the reason The Information established the Youth of the 12 months award: To focus on a younger particular person who reveals nice promise.
The eighth Youth of the 12 months award was offered to Robby Thomas, Jr. Thomas is a senior at Eastside Excessive Faculty, the place he stands out as one among Newton County’s brightest.
Thomas goals for the celebs – each actually and figuratively.
He was named the 2025 Newton County Faculties STAR pupil for his distinctive SAT efficiency. Within the years to come back, Thomas hopes to land among the many stars extra actually by working at NASA.
“Whereas this award is singular, this isn’t a person award,” Thomas stated. “I wish to thank all of my assist: My household, my coach, my principal, the entire academics and college students and pals who helped me to get right here. I simply needed to say thanks to all of them, and thanks to God as properly.”
Employer of the 12 months
Every year, the Employer of the 12 months award is earned by a company or enterprise that embodies the very best of Newton County. The Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority (NCWSA) actually stepped up within the final yr, incomes this honor.
The NCWSA is really in every single place. Any group occasion that Newton County may dream up doubtless had a sales space manned by the NCWSA, staffed with a number of workers displaying off their well-known ‘Water Monster.’
The award was accepted by a number of NCWSA workers, led by Govt Director Mike Hopkins and Human Sources Director Tracey Clark.
“All of us try for a similar factor, and that’s to serve the general public…” Clark stated. “I say, don’t come to work right here in the event you don’t wish to serve the general public. That’s what we’re right here for.”
Unsung Heroes
The Information selects three people from Newton County to acknowledge as Unsung Heroes in each VISIONS publication. The standards to face among the many trio is slim however important: Taking part in a task that deserves a bit of extra recognition than what has been bestowed.
This yr, the three people chosen as Unsung Heroes are Lanier Sims, Ron Carter and Doug Bolton.
Lanier Sims has served Newton County his entire life, however lately, he answered the decision greater than many know.
Sims served as a county commissioner for a number of years earlier than stepping right down to be with household. Nonetheless, he remained an energetic cog within the county’s wheel of operations, working tirelessly with the Chamber of Commerce, Industrial Improvement Authority and Hospital Authority, to call a couple of. Sims answered the decision as soon as extra final fall when he agreed to function interim chairman of the Newton County Board of Commissioners.
“Every thing I do isn’t for me,” Sims stated. “It’s for our group, it’s for my children, it’s for the betterment of Newton County.”
Ron Carter’s face is one that each Covington customer is aware of. Carter is the primary individual that anybody who enters the town’s welcome heart sees, and he by no means fails to greet a stranger with a smile.
Carter takes customer support to unprecedented ranges, making him, in some ways, the face of Covington.
“I’m very humbled by this,” Carter stated. “As I inform individuals, I’ve the very best job on this planet.”
Doug Bolton is the primary award recipient whose honor is being bestowed posthumously.
Bolton, a lifelong Rotarian who woke every day with a spirit of service, has greater than earned the popularity of being an Unsung Hero.
Sadly, Bolton handed away final Christmas Eve. His legacy lives on via many, together with his spouse Sherri, who accepted the award on behalf of her husband Thursday evening.
“Doug was a person of religion,” Sherri stated. “He was an optimist, and he was very beneficiant together with his time, his consideration, his assets and his coronary heart. Every thing that he did in his life was about serving different individuals.”
The 2025 version of VISIONS is comprised of story after story displaying the guts of Newton County, which is lived out every single day by those that embody a real spirit of service and dedication to group.
“The rationale why I selected to be in journalism, and the actual purpose why I come to work every single day with a smile on my face is as a result of I imagine in protecting those that actually wish to push Newton County ahead – or reasonably, March Newton County Ahead,” stated Evan Newton, managing editor of The Covington Information and the night’s host.
VISIONS: Newton County Marches Ahead will probably be out there beginning Saturday, April 26 within the weekend version of The Covington Information. Copies will probably be out there for buy at our workplace beginning the next Monday.
The journal will spotlight the six award recipients in depth and consists of different tales of studying, wellness, enterprise and group drawn from the final twelve months of Newton County residing.