For many folks across The Roanoke Times, 2012 was dominated by redesigning — and re-imagining — roanoke.com.

During our annual newsroom staff meeting Wednesday, editor Carole Tarrant and multimedia producer Ryan Loew presented this 8-minute video, which took a quick look back at our highlights of 2012.

But more importantly, you’ll hear our top editors and staffers look ahead to the redesigned website, which we hope to unveil next week. Enjoy!

“My Valentine, Shizzy Snarlena, is special and should win because she’s by far the sweetest, most loving and faithful friend I’ve ever had,” writes Melessa R.

So far, we have almost 30 touching tributes to spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends — and even rescue dog Shizzy Snarlena (pictured) — entered in our “My Valentine” photo essay contest.

Upload your photo through Feb. 2 and tell us in 100 words or less why your Valentine is special. Voting begins Feb. 3.

To sweeten the deal, we have more than $2,000 in fabulous jewelry prizes from Henebry’s!

Get started now at roanoke.com/contests

Thanks to senior editor Dwayne Yancey, who brings us news from our community publications:

In about a week, four of our community news editions will launch their annual “Best Of” voting, in which readers in those areas pick the best of everything, from best burgers and best pizza to best teacher and best rec league coach.

For The Botetourt View, So Salem and SWoCo (in southwest Roanoke County), this will be the fifth year of voting, and we’ve seen huge increases in the number of participants. Last year, we had 11 times as many voters in Salem and SWoCo as we did our first year, 12 times as many in Botetourt County.

In the New River Valley, “Best Of” dates back further, so this will be our eighth year there. The voting is also up there, as well, having quintupled since 2009.

Because the competition has grown more fierce, many businesses or organizations like to launch their own promotional campaigns. This year, we have a way for them to download their own materials — just go to roanoke.com/bestof and fill out the form.

When the voting opens, we’ll post links here to all four ballots.

In the meantime, if you want to find out more about new additions to this year’s ballot, or who has won in previous years, you can check out these links:

Best of Botetourt

Best of Salem

Best of southwest Roanoke County

Best of the New River Valley

We have another first for Times Square today: The Roanoke Times company events calendar.

Perhaps it’s just a symptom of my obsession with planning and Google calendars, but I’ll be regularly sharing all of the noteworthy dates you should know about.

Examples include our Paparazzi schedule; radio appearances and coffeeshop hours by our journalists; Roanoke Times-sponsored events; and important contest deadlines.

>> This week, our Paparazzi red carpet will visit Tons of Fun, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Tanglewood Mall. Besides the free indoor games, storytelling and more for children ages 12 and younger, the Roanoke Camp Fair will be held in conjunction with the event for the first time this year. Details here.

>> Also of note: Our “A Chorus Line” ticket giveaway ends Friday, and the deadline for entries in our “My Valentine” photo essay contest is Saturday.

I hope our calendar helps you keep up with all that we have to offer. If you have any suggestions or questions, leave a comment below or email stephanie.ogilvie@roanoke.com.

If winning free tickets to “A Chorus Line” would make you a do a happy dance, then you should tap your jazz hands over to this link and enter by Friday:

Enter here

Not “one” … (*wink*) … but two winners will each receive a 4-pack of tickets to the show on Feb. 15 at the Roanoke Performing Arts Theatre. (Perfect Valentine’s surprise for your sweetie, eh?)

In the meantime, this video sampler from the touring show should get you in the mood.

Top 5 stories on roanoke.com (Jan. 19-25)

1. Weather Journal blog: A few flakes in windy cold this morning; a few inches possible Friday

2. Va. Tech’s new OC gets rave review

3. Weather Journal blog: Winter comes blowing in; still watching late-week snow/ice threat

4. Weather Journal blog: Some lingering doubts about Friday snow potential

5. Weather Journal blog: Snowy Friday: Snow tapering by 3 p.m., flurries into evening

_________________________________________________________________

BLOGS

This week’s top 5 blogs (Jan. 19-25)

1. Kevin Myatt’s Weather Journal

2. Andy Bitter’s VT football

3. Columnist Dan Casey

4. Amanda Codispoti’s Storefront

5. Lindsey Nair’s Fridge Magnet

Find all of our blogs here.

_________________________________________________________________

COMMUNITY BLOGS
This week’s (Jan. 19-25) top community blog stories.

1. TheBurgs.com: Opinion: Montgomery County makes a silly Smart Road request

2. BotetourtView.com: Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department members sound off in letter

3. SoSalem.com: Blue Ridge Music Festival coming to Salem in June

4. SWoCo.com: Inflatable play center JUMP! has closed

_________________________________________________________________

Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

FACEBOOK
This week’s (Jan. 19-25) most talked-about posts on the Roanoke Times Facebook wall.

1. IMAX coming to Blacksburg’s First & Main shopping center

2. Ernie’s closes in downtown Roanoke closes, burger joint to open

3. Valley Metro buses back on schedule after bomb threat

Sneak peek: Roanoke Dr Pepper trivia is in this week’s quiz. Photo by Don Petersen | Special to The Roanoke Times

The list of those pulling out of the Pennsylvania Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show in protest of the show’s ban of AR-style firearms includes retail giant Cabela’s, the NRA and Olympic gold medal shooter Jamie Gray (pictured).

You can find spirited debates about gun control happening pretty regularly on columnist Dan Casey’s blog and our editorial department’s RoundTable blog.

But you might not know that hunters and sportsmen continue to discuss the issue on the Wild Life blog, where outdoors editor Mark Taylor strives to maintain a cordial atmosphere.

Here’s the latest from Taylor, who tells us about a huge outdoors show catching flak for its decision to ban the display of AR-style rifles:

Pennsylvania’s Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show, known as the Harrisburg Show, is one of the largest hunting- and fishing-related expos in the East.

It won’t be as large this year.

Exhibitors and speakers are pulling out by the dozens  — the list stands at 200-plus and counting — in protest of the show promoter’s decision to not allow the display of AR-style rifles and accessories at this year’s show.

Update: As of today, the Harrisburg show has been postponed, according to the show’s website.

Join the conversation on Mark Taylor’s blog.

You have two opportunities to share your love for Valentine’s Day in words and pictures:

1. Enter to win the ‘My Valentine’ photo essay contest

Upload a photo and tell us in 100 words or less why your Valentine is special.

You have until Feb. 2 to enter our contest. Voting begins Feb. 3, and the most popular Valentines will win prizes. Look for the winners in the paper and on roanoke.com on Feb. 14.

Find contest details here

2. What do you know about love?

Share your tips on how to make relationships work, for people who have been together for days or decades.

Email extra@roanoke.com by Monday (Jan. 28), or mail Extra, Valentines Day, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, VA 24010

Keep your words of wisdom at fewer than 300 words. Our favorites publish Feb. 10.

In a column today, Editor Carole Tarrant lays out the growing number of options for reading the digital version of The Roanoke Times. Do you like roanoke.com’s updated feel, or the electronic replica of the printed page?

She also directs readers to our FAQ on digital subscriptions. It’s where you register to get the iPad app, available free to subscribers. Watch a how-to video to get started with our iPad app here.

We’re eager to hear what you think!

Droid fans don’t need to download an app. You’ll get an app-like experience by going to http://www.roanoketimes.com on your phone’s browser and logging in.

The Roanoke Times digital replica app for the iPad