Believe it or not, as fun as being the Coppell/Valley Ranch neighborsgo editor is, it does entail some work.

A few contributors and readers have asked me recently exactly what I actually do during the week, and how the paper gets put together. Well, wonder no more, readers: you’re about to get a sneak peek into the production of an edition of neighborsgo.

It all starts on Thursday. No, not the day before the paper comes out: a full eight days ahead. That’s when all of the people in the Lewisville office – all eight of us – get together for our weekly budget meeting. We discuss story ideas, what we’re going to put on the cover and other important stuff.

Over the course of Thursday and Friday, I do a lot of the nitty-gritty work: reverse-publishing stories from neighborsgo.com, putting together the calendar, writing our editor’s notes, doing interviews and writing stories, blogging. I send a lot of e-mails, Twitter a lot of Tweets and make a bunch of phone calls.

On Monday, I reverse-publish whatever has come in over the weekend and have another meeting with the staff. Then, I meet with designer Lauren Billman, who begins to work her magic.

Notice how nice this paper looks compared to a lot of other community newspapers? That’s all Lauren. She’s awesome, I know.

From there, Monday through Wednesday is a mad scramble to copy-edit stories, proofread them on printed-out pages, get more or better photos, make clarifications on stories, get a couple really important stories that have come in late into the edition and finish the paper by 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Which brings us back to Thursday, when we do it all again.

It’s work, no doubt, and it’s a never-ending cycle of finishing one paper and starting the next.

But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

FACEBOOK US!

A bunch of Coppell/Valley Ranch residents use Twitter. So, we created a Twitter account (@CoppellGo) to stay in touch with them.

But quite a few readers don’t like Twitter, opting for Facebook in lieu of the 140-character social networking tool.

And now, we’re covered there, too! Coppell/Valley Ranch neighborsgo is now on Facebook! Make sure you become our friend – you can find us at http://www.facebook.com/coppellgo – so we can keep in touch with you about the latest news in Coppell/Valley Ranch!

 

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an important time to help the fight to cure this devastating disease. There have been a few events around the Coppell/Valley Ranch area, but one of my favorites is the CoppellHigh School volleyball team’s annual Dig for the Cure. You can find pictures of the event in the HS Gametime section on page XX!

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Dear Mom-

I’m writing you today to wish you a happy Mother’s Day. I’m probably not going to buy you flowers. Chocolates are probably out of the question. And I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting on me to make you breakfast.

But what I can do is this, writing to you in my first official editor’s note as the new editor of Coppell/Valley Ranch neighborsgo.

I know you’re wondering how I’m feeling about all of this. What do you get when you cross terror and giddiness? Because that’s what I’m feeling.

On one hand, I’m ecstatic at the opportunity to be in charge of my hometown paper. Only a very small percentage of people get to come home to help inform their friends and family. That I am part of that very small percentage is a great honor, something I take enormous pride in.

On the other hand, I’m cowering under my desk in fear. How do you follow the incomparable Aly Fleet, who did such a great job with the Coppell section as the interim editor? And furthermore, how in the world can anyone expect me to be as good as Kandace Dodson, Coppell’s last permanent editor?

I’m like a middle school garage band, with the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton as opening acts.

So, just like I did when I was a kid, I’m going to need your help, Mom. I’ve got these big plans for what I want to do with the Coppell/Valley Ranch edition of neighborsgo. I hope you’ll tell your friends that I’d love to find someone with a passion for politics to write about local happenings.

Maybe you can help me find someone to cover CoppellHigh School sports. Heck, I’ll even try to get them a press pass to games.

Do you know anyone that would want to write movie reviews? Or write a cooking column? Or take pictures of local events, like Saturday’s Family Fish event?

You taught me to dream big, Mom, and I thank you for that. Now, I’ve got only the biggest dreams for the Coppell/Valley Ranch neighborsgo.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. But seriously, don’t expect breakfast.

Love, Your Middle Son,

Greg

 

Greg Tepper is the new editor of Coppell/Valley Ranch neighborsgo. Say hi to him at gtepper@neighborsgo.com

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Dear Coppellites and Valley Ranchians,

These past few months have been great. Really, they have. But I think it’s time for us to move on to new things. Please know it’s not you — it’s me. I hope we can still be friends.Love,Aly

 

OK, I’ll take the dramatics down a notch. We’re not really breaking up, but you get the drift. Starting next week, I’ll no longer be the Coppell/Valley Ranch neighborsgo editor.

I’ll be handing the reins over to the ever-capable Coppell native (and former assistant editor) Greg Tepper. So get excited.

No one knows your community better than he does. He grew up in Coppell and graduated from CHS; his family still lives in the area, and he’s totally committed to bringing you the best community newspaper he possibly can.

I’m confident he’s going to do an incredible job.

And don’t think I’m saying goodbye forever. I’ll still be around. For one, I live in Valley Ranch (yeah!). I’ll also still be heading up the Irving section of neighborsgo, so you Valley Ranchers, can expect to hear from me.

I’ve had a great time getting to know all of you since former editor Kandace Dodson’s departure in February, and I promise, Greg will take good care of your paper.

Take a minute to introduce yourself; contact him at 972-436-5551, ext. 3008, gtepper@neighborsgo.com or at neighborsgo.com/tepper. He’ll be so happy to hear from you!

Also, you can always contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Goodnight, and good luck, Coppell/Valley Ranch!

 

NEW EDITOR

Five interesting facts about Greg Tepper:

1. He went to the University of Missouri, and got scared the first time it snowed more than an inch.

2. He won the Coppell football team’s Cowboy Spirit Award in 2004, which is a nice way of saying that he rode the bench.

3. He’s lived portions of his life in DeSoto, Houston, Atlanta, Tulsa, Columbia, Mo., and Coppell.

4. He couldn’t pick pop sensation Miley Cyrus out of a crowd, but would get nervous around former Texas Ranger Charlie Hough.

5. He’s currently addicted to Twitter: Follow him at twitter.com/coppellgo or twitter.com/tepper.

 

 

The weather’s finally starting to warm up, and it seems like everyone everywhere is getting into the sports state of mind.

Baseball season began last week, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m a huge Houston Astros fan, so I trekked down to Houston and watched the last Spring Training game. We lost, but just being back in the ballpark was enough to make my heart go pitter patter.

I can’t wait til the Lone Star Series begins next month, when I can watch the rivalry between the Texas Rangers and ’stros heat up.

On the field
Watching is all good and fun, but nothing’s better than getting outside to throw the ball around yourself. I played softball all through high school, so when assistant editor Greg Tepper threw out (pun!) the idea of a neighborsgo softball team, I couldn’t have been more excited.

We’ve played three games so far, and though we’re winless, we’ve progressively gotten better each game. I think we just need a good cheering section to help us get on our feet. So who’s up for it? We play every Thursday at Fair OaksPark, 7501 Merriman Parkway in Dallas. Drop by and watch us play. We’d love to see you and to have your support!

Neighborsgo actually had a team last year, but I think about two-thirds of the games were rained out (fingers are crossed that this will be a sunnier season). Bad weather is a bummer, but not for all sports teams. A coach in Frisco has solved the problem of pesky rainouts — build an indoor athletic complex. Read reporter Lindsey Bever’s story on Fieldhouse USA.

Coppell ISD superintendent Jeff Turner will speak at tonight's April 6 Coppell Gifted Association's meeting about the upcoming May 9 bond election. The meeting runs from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. at Coppell High School, 185 W Parkway Blvd. There will be time for questions.

The meeting will also honor the winners of the CGA Creative Writing contest.

Welcome back to the real world!

After a five-day stint in the capital of Texas, I’ve returned home to the neighborsgo office.

I spent the latter part of last week having a blast at the South by Southwest 2009 music festival in Austin. I saw some of my favorite bands and artists play, caught up with old friends and ate some great food.

I even got a chance to watch 1990s-hit makers Third Eye Blind play a set. It brought me back to eighth grade, when I saw them in Houston. It was my first concert… ever.

Speaking of firsts, I also had my first face-sized doughnut (see above) while on the trip.

We found out about Round Rock Donuts on the Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food” show. In it, host Adam Richman challenges himself to eat the “Texas Donut,” a two-pound orange-tinted glazed doughnut. When we found out that Round Rock Donuts was just five minutes from our hotel, we just had to take the leap ourselves.

I ate about a quarter of it … maybe. But let me tell you, that was the most delicious quarter-of-a-doughnut I’ve ever eaten.

 

Twilight heartbreak

Later that evening, I got a call from fellow neighborsgo staffer Jocelyn Delgado. She and Emily Goldstein (Frisco neighborsgo editor) had gotten the scoop on where Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke was set to do a signing and attend a DVD release party in Dallas that night.

Ah! I’m a huge Twilight fan, so naturally, I was extremely jealous.

Then, I found out they were going to interview her, and if I hadn’t been four hours away, I could have joined in.

I was heart broken. Why couldn’t I be in two places at once?

The girls were sweet enough to get me an autograph from Hardwicke, though, and of course, they took tons of photos.

Take a look at them at neighborsgo.com. Looks like I missed out on a ton of fun.

Well, it’s my third week on the job as your neighborsgo editor, and I’m slowly but surely starting to learn more about the community and recognize the area’s contributors.

I’ve already heard from regulars such as Angie Drake, Tracie Starkweather, Beaux Hill and Sheri Lewis. But there is still a bunch of you that I’ve yet to meet.

Let’s change that.

Head out to my meet-and-greet event from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the Starbucks at MacArthur Boulevard and

Belt Line Road

in Coppell. We can chat about neighborsgo, and I’ll answer any questions you may have. Also, grab a free coffee on us.

I hope to see you there.

 

Gimme a break

Students in Coppell, Carrollton-Farmers Branch and Irving ISDs will have next week off for spring break. Do your kids have plans?

I know times are tough, and the economy’s not the best right now, but believe it or not, you can have a blast on spring break – without breaking the bank.

There are plenty of fun and affordable things to do just down the street. Take a look at some of our cool ideas in tomorrow's issue.

Plenty of movies just came out, too, so grab yourself a cheap matinee and have a good time. To help you decide what to see, check out Irving movie critic Matt Mungle’s reviews at neighborsgo.com/blog/movies. Most recently, he reviewed the graphic novel juggernaut Watchmen.

And be sure to take some photos while you’re out having fun. Your neighbors (that includes me) would love to see them.

I’ll be headed to the South by Southwest music festival in Austin for most of the week. I’ll definitely be posting some great concert pictures first chance I get.

 

Saving dough

Speaking of the tough economy, Cheryl Jackson from the Sisters of Savings is now sharing her cost-cutting tips at neighborsgo.com. We’ve got her first deal of day suggestionin tomorrow's issue. Give it a look!

If you just can't wait, check her blog at neighborsgo.com/blog/lifesavings.

 

 

 

It’s true; we only come out in print once a week.
But it’s not just Fridays when you can get great neighborhood news. Have you taken a peek at our Web site yet?
There are loads of new stories, photos and videos every day, all specific to our wonderful city of Coppell. Residents from all over the area head there to post their news and events, so there’s never a shortage of things to look at.
We’ve got great Scout news all the time, thanks to Rosa Gordon, our resident Scout writer. If you haven’t read her stuff, head to neighborsgo.com/blog/scoutlady and browse through her latest updates.
For you movie buffs, there’s also a cool movie critic from just down the street in Irving. Recently, he reviewed the new film “Fired Up!” Check it out at neighborsgo.com/blog/movies. We have book reviews, too -- tons of ’em. Coppell resident Kimberly J. Smith reads and reviews children’s books. She posts them at her blog, Cool Kids Read, at neighborsgo.com/blog/coolkidsread. For the teens, Irving librarian Allison Jenkins posts her thoughts on the latest and greatest young adult books at neighborsgo.com/blog/bookit. It’s definitely worth a read. So is Uncle McFestus’ column. The mysterious library posts his recommended themed reading lists at neighborsgo.com/blog/mcfestus.
Susan Zeff, a Coppell dietician, uses the site, too. She regularly posts healthy tips and ideas for keeping your body in tip-top shape. Take a look at her latest story at neighborsgo.com/stories/30222.
And with the economy in such a flux lately, we know it’s important to stay up to date on the local business scene. For that, we’ve created a business blog at neighborsgo.com/blog/business.
I’ve got a few blogs up my sleeve, as well. My favorite, The United States of Hurley, is all about my wonderful Beagle/mini-Yorkie mix Hurley. It’s loaded with pictures and funny stories. Give it a read at neighborsgo.com/blog/hurley. And if you miss one week’s editor’s note, I keep them all at my Calling Coppell blog at neighborsgo.com/blog/coppell.
Occasionally, I’ll post news and city updates there as I get them. So be sure to check it regularly. And if there’s something you’re interested, start your own blog. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Coppell blogs Neighborsgo.com/blog/scoutlady Neighborsgo.com/blog/movies Neighborsgo.com/blog/coolkidsread Neighborsgo.com/blog/mcfestus Neighborsgo.com/blog/bookit Neighborsgo.com/blog/hurley Neighborsgo.com/blog/business Neighborsgo.com/blog/coppell

Well, former editor Kandace Dodson has left for Oklahoma City, and our office is in mourning.

Kandace ran the Coppell/Valley Ranch section with ease for nearly a year, so I’m sure many of you feel the same. She was great at working with contributors and really knew the communities she covered. I know I have some big shoes to fill.

But I’m definitely up for the challenge.

Let me tell you a little about myself.

I’ve been with neighborsgo since December 2007. I started as an assistant editor, then became a copy/layout editor and finally, I was named a section editor. I’ve served communities from Rockwall to Lewisville, and I’ve loved getting to know each and every one of those communities.

I’m the current editor of the Irving section. Now, I’m adding Coppell/Valley Ranch to my plate.

It really is the perfect fit. As a resident of Valley Ranch, I sit proudly on that blurry line between Irving and Coppell. I feel akin to both communities.

I can’t wait to dive in and start getting you the best, timeliest and most important Coppell news out there.

This week is a great start -- it’s loaded with lots of great stories.

We’re kicking off a new feature called Schools in Brief. From now on, when you want your classroom news, look to this page. It’ll have everything from sports news to student and teacher honors. Be sure to give it a look this week and let me know what you think.

There’s also a great health column. In honor of National Heart Awareness Month, Coppell dietician Susan Zeff has some great tips on staving off heart disease.

This issue also gives you a great chance to get to know some humanitarians in the area. Learn about Carol Klein, who recently knitted and donated 65 caps for chemo patients at BaylorMedicalCenter. Read about 22-year-old Dustin Weidner. He’s about to embark on a 2,800-mile bike trip to raise money for cancer research.

And Mary Harris, a client service coordinator for Senior Adult Services, gives us a glimpse into her life as a “people patcher."

As for business news, we’ve got our weekly column from assistant editor (and Coppell resident) Greg Tepper.If that’s not enough business news for you, take to our business blog.

 

GET TO KNOW ME

 

Want to learn more about your new editor? Check out Aly on neighborsgo.com:

Profile

Aly Oops (blog)

The United States of Hurley (blog)

The Adventures of Kandace and Aly

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