Foundation, the content management system developed by The Stranger/Portland Mercury and DesertNet, is now scheduling 45 minutes demos at the convention. Click here to get more info about Foundation and reserve your spot.

As another convention service, Laura Dell will be providing one-on-one coaching sessions to help you with the people and/or process challenges that are under your skin. Laura is a leadership consultant that has served many AAN papers. Sign up in advance or when you get to the convention. Laura can be contacted before the convention by email or at (847) 682-4694.

Week in and week out, you crank out your paper. Show us the fruits of your labor by sending copies to the Convention. We suggest from 25 to 30 copies, but you may send as many you want. Schedule your shipment -- preferably one that can be tracked -- to arrive by Weds., Jun. 24. Then remember to come down to the exhibit area in the Ballroom Foyer and see what other members are doing. Send them to:
AAN Convention Newspaper Display
US EXPO & Convention Services
1859 W. Grant Road, Suite 107
Tucson, AZ. 85745
(520) 573-3200

Yes, there’s still time to make your reservation at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort for the AAN Convention. The new deadline is June 12, but don’t delay…reservations are just a click away.

The Tucson Weekly believes that our city has some of the best dive bars anywhere -- and we'll prove it to you with this optional bus tour. We'll transport you to Tucson's best (or worst, in a good way) dive bars. After the drunken revelry, the bus will take you back to the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort. Click here to see where you may (or may not) wind up. Sign up for the tour at the Convention Registration Desk.

Bring your walking shoes and sunscreen and join Tucson Weekly Account Executive Laura Bohling and Circulation Manager (and Convention Jane-of-all-Trades) Laura Horvath on a morning walk/hike on Friday, June 26. You'll head off into Tucson Mountain Park adjacent to the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and have a firsthand chance to experience the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. If that doesn't fit your schedule, check with the resort's concierge for the times of hotel-led hikes.

Save $50 by registering for the Annual Convention by May 22. Click here to register.

"It's a way of rewarding people at a time when we're really demanding a lot from them," says Seven Days' Paula Routly, who will be making the long trip from Burlington, Vt. to Tucson with four of her employees. Isthmus' Vince O'Hern, who is also sending four staffers, adds a couple of practical benefits:  "It's the best way I know to expose them to the most current thinking and knowledge in their various disciplines. They also come back with a lot of practical ideas that have been field-tested in other markets." Read more here.

It's 13 miles from the Tucson airport to the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort. Attendees not renting a car have the option of using the commercial airport shuttle, taxi, or private car. Hiring a private car may provide an economical option for attendees traveling in a group. Click on the Transportation link on the left for additional information on various ground transportation options.

Enterprise is offering AAN convention attendees a five-percent  discount on car-rental rates and the flexibility to pick cars up and drop them off at the airports in Tucson or Phoenix. Only want a car for a day or two? Enterprise will pick you up at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and take you to their downtown Tucson location. Click on the Transportation link on the left for complete details. Note: Construction continues on Interstate 10, so check the Arizona Department of Transportation page and be sure to get clear directions from Enterprise or by calling the Resort.

The Ania Terrace of the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort is the place to be on opening night of the Convention. Chat up old friends and make new ones over a drink and light hors d'oeuvres as you enjoy the view of the city of Tucson below -- all while surrounded by the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. And say a thank-you to the folks from Google for their sponsorship.

The JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort offers a range of activities for the entire family. Cool off in the pool, float down the Starr Canyon River, take a morning hike or bike ride. Check their site for a complete list of activities, including programs just for the kids. Be sure to bring your gear.

Although located just 13 miles from the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort, Tucson International Airport may not be your only airport choice. Some attendees may want to investigate flights in and out of Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport. Sky Harbor is located about 115 miles and a 90-minute to two-hour drive to the convention site. Visit both sites for valuable travel info.

"It's clear that the old days of relying solely on display and classified advertising are over," AAN executive director Richard Karpel says. "So this year's convention will feature a great deal of programming on new products and revenue streams, and new business strategies." Seizing opportunities and getting though the recession will also be big topics this year in Tucson.

Lucy Dalglish, the executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP), will be the First Amendment Lunch speaker on Saturday, June 27. She will discuss what we can expect from the Obama administration in terms of open government and press freedom issues.

The Great Depression 2.0 has forced us to cancel this year's dedicated track for Design & Production programming. However, we will include some programming in the editorial and web streams that will be of interest to the art directors and production managers who plan to join us in Tucson. We'll also organize roundtables and other networking opportunities.

We are once again offering free registrations for member papers that step up to the plate registration-wise. You pay for three registrations for representatives of the same paper, and we'll give you a fourth registration for free. And there is no limit: You pay for six, we give you two for free, you pay for nine, we give you three for free, etc.

Great resort -- bring the family and stay a little longer!

 

Great host paper -- the folks at the Tucson Weekly are gonna treat you right.

 

Great programming -- to help you get through the tough times.

 

Great food and drink -- did someone say margaritas?

 

Don't miss it!