Sunshine Lady, Speakers and the Star City: Virginia’s E-Press for April 11‏

VPA Conference 2012: The Sunshine Lady, speakers, superheroes and the Star City!
It's almost here! VPA's 2012 conference is April 20-21. Will you join us at the Hotel Roanoke? There's still time to register!

Doris Buffett, Fredericksburg's Sunshine Lady, will be honored as VPA's Virginian of the Year at a banquet on Friday evening, April 20.

The schedule includes programs with nationally known speakers Lucy Morgan, senior correspondent of the Tampa Bay Times; Tony Casale, CEO of American Opinion Research; and Jan Hargrave, the "Body Language Lady."

Jim Brady, editor-in-chief of Digital First Media, will speak at the VPA luncheon on Saturday. At the Associated Press luncheon on Friday, the speaker will be Wendy Benjaminson of the AP Washington bureau.

And don't forget those much-anticipated awards to be announced on Saturday evening, recognizing the accomplishments of our VPA stars!

If you're planning to come only for the awards banquet on Saturday night, tack on some extra time: come in the afternoon and attend our sessions with Jan Hargrave and Tony Casale for free. And plan to stay around after the banquet for a SUPER after-party!
Registration Form: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/2012conferenceregistration.pdf
Preliminary Schedule: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/2012schedule.pdf

PARTY LIKE A SUPERHERO!
Coincidence that some of our favorite superheroes are journalists by day? Now more than ever, we should honor our glamorous past and look ahead with the confidence of Clark Kent, Brenda Starr and Peter Parker.

Let's toast our awards with a few pints and mingle with your fellow superheroes during the VPA after-party on the lower level of the Hotel Roanoke, following the awards banquet on Saturday, April 21.

Just be prepared to answer: What's your super power? Capes, fedoras, and/or bright tights welcome. No ... encouraged.

Many thanks to The Roanoke Times for planning this event, and to our after-party sponsors: Daily Press, The Free Lance-Star, The Free Press, The News & Advance, Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Roanoke Times, The Virginian-Pilot
and The Washington Post.

AD DIRECTORS, WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We need your feedback ASAP for our survey.
You should have recently received a survey for a new proposed online VPA network. Please make sure you complete the survey and return it to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) as quickly as possible. Please contact Diana Shaban with any questions at 804-521-7580.

COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER WORKSHOP

Spaces still available for publishers and editors to attend this unique learning opportunity on April 19
The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute, Missouri School of Journalism-University of Missouri, Walter B. Potter Local Journalism Fund, Washington and Lee University Department of Mass Communications and Virginia Press Association have put together an exciting program for newspaper publishers and editors.

Past participants have praised it for presenting "such cutting-edge info about technology and trends -- and yet so practical and useful 'on the ground,'" and as "a watershed moment in my professional career."

"Community Newspapers: Tomorrow Has Arrived: How to Take Charge of the Opportunities in the Print and Digital Worlds," will be offered on Thursday, April 19, at the Hotel Roanoke Conference Center, one day before VPA's conference which starts April 20. It's been described by one past participant as "the most informative and inspiring community newspaper workshop I've ever attended."

Walter Potter, a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism and a retired community newspaper owner in Virginia, is graciously underwriting the cost of the event in honor of his late father, Walter B. Potter Sr. That is why we are able to offer the following costs to VPA members:
* First 12 to register: One free overnight room at the Hotel Roanoke, free registration, free breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks (one per paper only, must work at a paper with at least an hour's drive to Roanoke). SOLD OUT!
* Next 28 to register: Free registration, free breakfast, free lunch and free coffee breaks (not limited to number of people per paper or location). ***SPACES STILL AVAILABLE, BUT GOING FAST!***
* After first 40 registrations received: Cost $70.00 to cover cost of breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks.

Our goal is to help community newspapers grow and thrive in a new era. This event is proving to be very popular, and so we encourage you to sign up as soon as possible:
Schedule and Registration Form: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/41912regform.pdf

If you have any questions, please contact Kim Woodward at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 804-521-7574.

SPRING TRAINING SPOTLIGHT

MAY 10
Learn How to Put Data Online Without Programming:
This workshop, led by Jeff South, Chris Young and Abdellatif Boudaouch, will show participants how to put data online -- so readers can easily view and search lists of information, such as campaign donations, crime statistics, school test scores and census demographics -- with mostly free tools that don't require programming or computer-server resources.

Please register by May 1.

Read more at http://www.vpa.net/index.php/education/article/23703/
Registration Form: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/51012DataOnline.pdf

JUNE 21-22
Community Journalism Workshop:
The Community Journalism Workshop (CJW) is an intensive two-day program aimed at beginning journalists and those who want to refresh their skills. Interns and copy editors also benefit from the workshop. The emphasis is on the fundamentals of reporting and writing, with special attention to ethics. CJW alumnus Mike Jones, Washington Redskins beat writer for The Washington Post, will be this year's keynote speaker.

Please register by June 1.

Read more at http://www.vpa.net/index.php/education/article/23202/
Registration Form: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/2012CJWregis.pdf

For more information about these and other training opportunities, please visit our Training page at http://www.vpa.net, or contact Kim Woodward at 804-521-7574.

SPJ VIRGINIA PRO CHAPTER NEWS

SPJ National President John Ensslin visits Richmond April 14 for ethics program, showing of 'Page One'
The Society of Professional Journalists, Virginia Pro Chapter, will host John Ensslin, the SPJ national president, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 14, at the University of Richmond, Jepson Hall Room 109.

Ensslin will speak about ethics issues SPJ has weighed in on this year. His remarks will be followed by a screening of the documentary, "Page One." A team of filmmakers followed editors and reporters at the New York Times for a year to produce a movie that gives a fly-on-the-wall view of a newspaper and profession in transition. When the movie premiered at the 2011 Sundance Festival, it got a standing ovation. Following the screening, all guests over 21 are invited to continue the discussion at The Cellar, UR's campus pub.

Admission to the whole event is free and open to guests.

LEGISLATIVE/PUBLIC NOTICE UPDATES
For an overview of VPA's 2012 legislative efforts and their results, please see our online legislative charts for access and public notice bills. For additional information about the General Assembly, visit the Legislative Information System at http://lis.virginia.gov or the General Assembly website at http://legis.state.va.us.

Visit the Public Notice Resources page for VPA members on http://www.vpa.net to access online and print ads, our general information page, and more!

Executive Management Retreat registration information is here!
July 13-14
The Cavalier
Virginia Beach
Click here: http://www.vpa.net/images/pdf/EMRagenda12.pdf

SPJ scholarship applications due May 1
Applications are now being accepted for two scholarships of $1,500 each, available to rising juniors or seniors attending a Virginia college or university. The Virginia SPJ,SDX Educational Foundation awards the scholarships annually, with support from Society of Professional Journalists, Virginia Pro Chapter. Applications must be postmarked on or before May 1, 2012. Details are available at http://virginiaspj.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/2012scholarships/.

RT-D hosts 'Deadline' premiere on April 17
The Richmond Times-Dispatch will host the April 17 Richmond premiere of "Deadline," a movie inspired by the true story of journalists investigating the decades-old unsolved murder of a young black man. Proceeds from ticket sales will support the Science Museum of Virginia Foundation.

The movie is based on the book Grievances by former Charlotte Observer Managing Editor Mark Ethridge, who also wrote the screenplay. "Deadline" stars Eric Roberts and Steve Talley and was directed by Curt Hahn.

Tickets for the "Deadline" premiere on April 17 at the Regal Short Pump start at $25, with larger sponsor contributions available. Red-carpet arrivals start at 6 p.m., the movie begins at 7 p.m. and there will be a Q&A panel afterward with Ethridge, Hahn and select cast members.

For more information, visit http://www.deadlinefilm.com/richmond.

Ad networks pay rewards -- join today!
The Statewide Classified Ad (SCAN) and 2x2 Networks recently welcomed the following new members:
SCAN: The Lebanon News, Martinsville Bulletin, The Richmond Voice
2x2: The Lebanon News, Page News & Courier, The Richmond Voice, Shenandoah Valley-Herald, The Smithfield Times, The Valley Banner
By joining the networks, they are eligible for the network reward programs. Are YOU? If you are not participating in the network reward programs and would like to begin, or if you are only participating in one of the networks and would like to participate in both, please contact Adriane Long, Statewide Classified/2x2 Coordinator, at 804-521-7585 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Job hunting? Start with VPA Classifieds!
If you're job hunting, VPA's online classifieds at http://www.vpa.net/index.php/classifieds/ are a great place to start. Listings are added each week; check back often to see the latest opportunities. And if you have a position to fill, remember that VPA members can post classifieds for free.

Know a student who's just starting out? VPA also lists daily (http://www.vpa.net/index.php/services/article/daily_internships/) and non-daily (http://www.vpa.net/index.php/services/article/non_daily_internships/). Keep your listing up to date to attract the best and brightest!

Expert Advice: Ask the Columnists
Newspaper Technology: Kevin Slimp
Common Sense Journalism: Doug Fisher
Writing Matters: Jim Stasiowski
Design for Readers: Ed Henninger
Ad-libs: John Foust
Visit http://www.vpa.net/index.php/education/article/expert_advice_ask_the_columnists1/ for contact information!