And Tucson kept coming up during discussions throughout the convention. The reason? The Tucson Weekly is going to be hosting the 2009 AAN annual convention. That means that sometime around June 2009, some 300 to 600 alternative-newsweekly folks will be arriving in our dusty little burg for several days of meetings, seminars and fantastic parties at some of Tucson's most interesting spots. This is a big deal to us, and it could mean a great deal to the city as well--after all, many of the attendees will return to their hometowns and let their readers know just what they thought about Tucson.
(As for what I thought about Philadelphia: It was bustling, with friendly people, tons of history and way, way too much humidity.)
Anyway, we'll keep you posted on the convention as it develops.
Other news worth noting from Philly: The Weekly won two awards in the AAN's annual contest. Tim Vanderpool nabbed second place in the Short Form News category (circulation less than 55,000), and Jim Nintzel's Project White House earned third place in the Innovation category (circulation less than 55,000).
Next time you talk to Tim or Jim, offer them hearty congratulations; these are national awards and are, as far as newspaper honors go, a pretty big deal.
