The Roanoke Times

Dan Beatty joined The Roanoke Times in 2006 as director of photography. He came to the paper from the Richmond Times-Dispatch where he had worked as photo editor and liaison between the editorial and visual teams of that newsroom. Prior to that he worked for more than 20 years as the design editor of the award-winning theCOMMISSION magazine based in Richmond.

Chris Morris, Botetourt County's school nutrition specialist, reported that she has made contact with at least one local grower from the Botetourt View blog and expects to speak with others about the earlier reported Virginia Department of Agriculture program called from Farm to School. (See our July 9 post about how the schools are seeking local food growers.) Have any contacts? You can email her at Morris@bcps.k12.va.us Morris@bcps.k12.va.us .

Christian Trejbal: The philosopher, mathematician and historian discovered editorial writing. "Who needs to finish a Ph.D.?" he asked. From Cleveland, by way of Indiana, Minnesota and Oregon, Christian Trejbal landed in Southwest Virginia.

Donna Alvis-Banks is a features reporter at the Roanoke (Va.) Times. Raised in Christiansburg, Va., she worked as a classroom teacher at Blacksburg High School before joining the Roanoke Times in 1988. As a features writer and news reporter she has won a Landmark Award and Virginia Press Association Award. On April 16, 2007, she reported the breaking story of the Virginia Tech shootings and led the newspaper's coverage of its aftermath. She now has a new beat, covering the ongoing mental health and social fallout of the shootings.

Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas and has taught at Texas A&M. She answers all your pet questions in her weekly column.

Kris Sanchak, assistant professor of music at Hollins University, entertained a group of thirty at The Glebe on Wednesday afternoon with stories of Franz Liszt and performed many pieces on a grand piano. On Wednesday, March 26, Kris Sanchak, Assistant Professor of Music, presented "Liszt: Keyboard Virtuoso, Visionary, Lady's Man and Priest," part of the Hollins University Lecture Series held at The Glebe, a retirement community in Daleville. Professor Sanchak, a doctoral candidate at Indiana University, described the colorful life of Franz Liszt, the Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist. Included in the presentation were musical pieces including Sposalizio and the "Dante" Sonata from Bk. II of the years of Pilgrimage, La Chapelle du Guillaume Tell from Bk. 1 of the years of Pilgrimage, The Sonata in B Minor, "Invocation" from the Poetic and Religious Harmonies, "Nuages Gris" from Book. 3 of the Years of Pilgrimage. Sanchak also gleefully described the romantic life of the composer and his quest to reconcile religious belief with lifestyle.

Leslie Taylor: A military brat born in Anchorage, Alaska, Leslie Taylor has called the Roanoke Valley "home" for more than 20 years. She has worked as staff writer, Neighbors editor and most recently as a metro editor at The Roanoke Times before joining the newspaper's editorial staff in November 2006.

Lindsey Nair is an Alleghany County native who was raised on venison roasts, homegrown vegetables and catheads (that's biscuits, not felines). Before moving to the food beat in February 2007, she covered police and courts for The Roanoke Times. Lindsey credits a food-loving family with introducing her to everything from scrapple to scaloppine and claims that Apple Brown Betty beats chocolate cake any day of the week. She has eaten and enjoyed squirrel, snake and bear but refuses to let brains of any kind ever pass her lips. She lives in Northwest Roanoke with her husband and two fat cats.