Sign up for wireless service two simple ways: Click here or text "Get AAN" to 21321 from your mobile device. Verve will send links to mobile versions of the AAN convention and Willamette Week websites. You'll get conference updates, schedule changes, daily poll questions and Portland trivia. Between sessions you can act like a local with Willamette Week's restaurant guide, event listings and more.

Continue ReadingVerve Wireless Puts Portland In Your Palm

The comic strip by Weekly Dig art director Tak Toyoshima has been picked up by the United Feature Syndicate and will become a daily feature in papers nationwide, Editor & Publisher reports. "Thanks to all of you who have been supporting the strip for years and to those who criticize me, disagree with me and tell me I'm a moron," Toyoshima says on his site.

Continue Reading‘Secret Asian Man’ Gets Syndicated

The North Carolina alt-weekly took home a first place prize in the nondaily category for Mosi Secret's story of one man's struggles to overcome addictions to find meaningful, legal work through a Durham jobs program. The paper will receive a Casey Medal and $1,000 at a ceremony this October. AAN members swept this category, with Seattle Weekly's Nina Shapiro finishing second, and Phoenix New Times' Sarah Fenske receiving an honorable mention.

Continue ReadingThe Independent Weekly Wins Casey Medal

One party a night is for amateurs. AAN members are professionals, which is why we've lined up after-parties every evening this week in Portland.

Thursday’s welcome reception at the Portland Art Museum is followed by a 9 p.m. screening of "Touch Me Someplace I Can Feel," a one-hour documentary about Willamette Week's quadriplegic cartoonist, John Callahan. And then at 10, Dark Horse Comics presents an after-hours party at Ace Cleaners. DJ Stay in School spins while AAN delegates hobnob with some of Portland's top comic and film artists.

On Friday night, join the Portland Mercury staff for food, drink and some of the city's best DJs at the Ace Hotel. There's a rumor going around that the evening's entertainment will feature vicious canines dueling to the death, a traditional Portland pastime. The Mercury party kicks off at 8. If you're feeling mobile that evening, perhaps you would prefer to hop aboard the BarFly Bus (which stirred some controversy recently) for a tour of all-nude revues with hostess and party girl, Jen Lane. The bus takes off after the Wieden + Kennedy party ends at 8:30. To sign up, pay $15 cash or check at the AAN registration desk in the Hilton.

And if you find yourself looking for a short respite from the racket emanating from the stage at the Pre1 Party on Saturday evening, take a break by crossing the street to the Saucebox, which will be offering a special cocktail in honor of our special brand of alt-ness.

Continue ReadingMore Parties in PortlAANd

The Mercury caused quite a stir when they organized a freelance janitorial crew Friday evening to put an end to a Rose Parade tradition: the "reserved" seat. In the City of Roses, people tape off sidewalk spots up to a week in advance of the annual parade, and, according to KOIN-TV, some were even selling their spaces on Craigslist. "If you go to the DMV or the bank, you don't get to tape your spot off in advance and then come back the next day," the Mercury's Matt Davis explains. "It's ridiculous." But as a local TV news reporter says, some folks "really don't care for the idea of messing with tradition." One inexplicably frightened bystander tells KATU-TV that the Merc's peaceful group of tape-and-chalk exterminators had her a little rattled: "It is quite interesting; kind of scary. I was worried for a second what might happen."

Continue ReadingPortland Mercury Organizes ‘Civic Clean-Up Squad’

There will be lots of parties this weekend in Portland, but if you have any musical talent the last one will be hard to top. On Saturday evening, Pre1 Software will host a jam session at the Tugboat Brewing Company, a funky little club where they'll supply the instruments so you can take turns onstage rocking out with your fellow AANies. Or you can just stop by for some microbrews and join the shindig.

Continue ReadingPre1 Party: Your Turn to be a Rock Star