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UPDATE May 9: Here’s our news coverage from the discussion.

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UPDATE May 6: Here’s a quick Q&A with the panelists, who talk about the role of government in the arts, and about why residents of the region should care about the success or failure of arts and cultural organizations.

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The Role of Arts in Economic Development (part of the Cox Business Executive Discussion series)

What: As the arts in our region undergo transformation — some are expanding, some are struggling — the local business community is watching. Our panel of experts (listed below) will provide insights from several industry perspectives on this critically important topic to our region.

When: Wednesday, May 8, 2013
7:30 to 8 a.m.: Check-in and breakfast
8 to 9:30 a.m.: Panel discussion

Where: Sheraton Roanoke Hotel and Conference Center

Cost: Admission is free, but space is limited. Registration deadline has been extended to Monday, May 6.

Panelists include:

David Mickenberg
Former President/CEO of the Taubman Museum of Art

Amy Moorefield
Director of the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum at Hollins University

Chris Morrill
City Manager, City of Roanoke

Wayne Strickland
Executive Director, Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission

Ruth Waalkes
Associate Provost for the Arts and Executive Director of the Center for the Arts, Virginia Tech

Moderator: Connie Stevens
News Director, WVTF/Radio IQ

For more information and to register, click here.

The Roanoke Times | File 2012
2012 Minority Journalism Workshop participants: back row (left to right): Colin Johnson Sam Wright, Marta Khudoyerko, Julia Rogan; front row (left to right): Alexis Huffman, Alexis Holland, Beth Boyer

Another summer is looming, and that means we’re planning another Minority Journalism Workshop!

The week-long program for rising sophomore, juniors and seniors from Roanoke and New River Valley high schools aims to introduce the participants to journalism and show them how their hometown newspaper operates. It happens this year from June 17-21. We cover their lunches and any transportation expenses.

I’ve been involved with planning the workshop since at least 2003, and every year, I’m impressed by what the students take away from the program. I say “take away” because it can be difficult to tell during the workshop what the students are learning (it’s hard to read teenagers, right?). But when they give their group presentation at the end of the week, I’m always surprised. They leave with an understanding of one another, of reporting and a better insight into themselves.

How is this accomplished? By giving the students first-hand experience as reporters. Through our partnership with Washington & Lee University (full disclosure, it’s my alma mater), the students get to sit in a broadcast studio and read a teleprompter. They also get assignments that teach them how to hunt for public records. They’re asked to interview one another — and perfect strangers — for other assignments. The students also spend time with Roanoke Times reporters and photographers to see what journalists do.

Kathy Lu, features editor and MJW coordinator

The workshop aims to make more minorities aware of job opportunities at newspapers so they may consider careers in the business. By minorities, we mean people of various backgrounds and with different experiences.

The deadline to apply is April 19. So if you know of a student who would benefit from this experience, please click here and scroll to bottom to download an application!

– Kathy Lu

A couple of highlights from the Roanoke Times calendar this week …

That’s our own Shoptimist blogger Rebecca Holland (right) and her sister posing with an Easter Bunny.

FUNNY BUNNY PHOTOS: This Easter, we would like to take a trip down memory lane and showcase your funny — or awkward — precious Easter Bunny photos.

If you have photos you would like to share, please email them (at 300 dpi or higher) to
extra@roanoke.com. You also can mail hard copies to Kathy Lu, Easter Bunnies, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, VA 24010.

Please include your full name, hometown, a brief description of who’s in the photo and a phone number for verification purposes.

Photos can be returned upon request.

Deadline for submission: Monday, March 18. Publication date, March 30. Find more information here.

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DON’T FORGET: The deadline for voting in our popular ‘Best Of’ reader polls is coming up soon: Sunday, March 10, at midnight. Find all four ballots here.

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Here’s our full calendar:

Besides our roanoke.com redesign project, we have a couple of exciting projects going on this week — and they both rely on your votes.

First up: Need some feel-good reading to start your week? We have 48 touching entries in our “My Valentine” photo essay contest. You can help pick the winners by voting here. The winning Valentines will be announced on Feb. 14 (and they will receive more than $2,000 in jewelry prizes from Henebry’s!).

Coming Friday: Four of our community news editions 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. Those sections include The Burgs in the New River Valley, the Botetourt View, SoSalem and SWoCo (southwest Roanoke County). Businesses can find promotional materials to help rally your customers at www.roanoke.com/bestof.

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

Happy voting!

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.