RALEIGH—An era is ending in the newspaper world.

       Tim Stevens, the long-time high school sports editor for the Raleigh News and Observer, has announced his retirement from the paper coming in June.

       Stevens has covered high school athletics, first for the Raleigh Times and then for the News and Observer, going back to 1973.

       A graduate of Garner High School and North Carolina Wesleyan, he has won a number of awards for his coverage. He has been the driving force behind such outstanding events as the Holiday Invitational basketball tournament in Raleigh and the Triangle Pigskin Preview. He has served as a member of the McDonald’s All-American basketball selection committee.

      One of only six North Carolinians now in the National High School Hall of Fame, Tim has held membership on a number of NCHSAA committees during his career.  He also authored the commemorative history book celebrating the NCHSAA's centennial.

      Along with Rick Strunk of the NCHSAA staff, he helped to develop the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Record Book, which published three hard-copy editions before going exclusively on line at the NCHSAA web site.

      Tim is a former winner of the NCHSAA Media Representative of the Year award, which is now named in his honor.