Happy New Year, North Okaloosa County!
Here's a fun fact: Since November, the News Bulletin's management has been planning 2016's long-term initiatives and goals.
You see, just reporting what happens in Crestview, Baker and Laurel Hill isn't good enough; we always want you to look forward to reading your News Bulletin, and we hope you will increasingly find stories that no one else is covering.
To that end, the CNB will continue its award-winning coverage and commentary on North Okaloosa County, but the staff also has much more in store.
Such as:
Fresh features: Expect long-form stories and a feature-oriented focus in our Sports section, which began with our Jan. 6-8 Midweek Edition.
Telling stories like Crestview High School graduate Anthony Brown's accidental career path toward becoming a Northwest Florida State College assistant baseball coach informs but also inspires readers.
The same is true for sports editor Randy Dickson's feature on former Bulldog Tate Sweatt's culture shock and wake-up call while playing baseball in the Dominican Republic.
Randy's skills are so versatile that he can cover the games and play-by-plays on crestviewbulletin.com, and slow down to find the heart in such inspiring features that work so well in print.
More school news: Reporter Brian Hughes and I met with Crestview High School teacher Shanna Suggs this week to cement plans for more Bulldog-driven news in the print edition and on our website.
You may be familiar with "Paw Prints," the school's student-produced online news source. Well, we will share some of the talented student reporters' content and expand CHS news.
In addition, Bulldogs can read more about their school, free of charge, thanks to a new sponsored rack the CNB will have on campus.
The CNB staff has received only positive response for its in-depth news focus that began in 2015. Like this type of story on Fairchild Road's progress. Focusing efforts on deeply researched and interviewed stories means we rely more on community partners like CHS and you-reports, but our commitment to cover everything we know about (in some way, shape or form) remains firm.
The newspaper's staff hopes to form similar partnerships with Baker School and Laurel Hill School.
More everyday folks: I've always thought that newspapers, without meaning to, tend to cover many of the same folks, day in and day out.
I call them "usual suspects": city council and county commission members, certain businesses, students and teachers, and of course star athletes.
Whatever the case, we're always looking to level the playing field. An obituary shouldn't be the only time everyday folks get in the paper.
Enter "Everybody has a story," a new weekly feature. Reporter Brian Hughes will talk to everyday folks who are awesome just because — well, he'll figure it out.
You see, he'll talk to unusual suspects, find out what makes them tick and the interesting secret talents, passions or experiences they harbor.
It should be fun for him and for readers, who can make suggestions about whom we'll cover each week.
There's much more in store, too. But I am running out of space (in the print edition) of this column!
Thank you for reading the News Bulletin.
What's your view? Email tboni@crestviewbulletin.com or tweet @cnbeditor.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BONI: Expect fresh content, more unusual North Okaloosa suspects in 2016