You may be asking yourself: Do those AAN whackjobs really expect me to travel to scorching-hot Tucson, in June, in the middle of an economy that could best be described as "putrid"?

Well, yes, indeed we do. Let me break down these concerns:

• "Do those AAN whackjobs …" OK, I can"t really argue that AAN = whackjobs remark. Sorry.

• "… really expect me to travel to scorching-hot Tucson, in June …" I’ll concede that it gets hot in Tucson -- but as we like to say around these parts, it is a dry heat. Really; there's almost no humidity here at all. That makes the heat a little more bearable. A little. Plus, you'll be spending your time at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa, our host location for the convention, where there's plenty of moisture, both in the multiple pools at the resort and in the multiple cocktails at the bar. The JW Marriott Starr Pass is so lovely that Tim Redmond of the San Francisco Bay Guardian told AAN it is "one of the nicest places AAN has ever used for a convention." And if you know Tim, you know he's a tough guy to impress.

• "… in the middle of an economy that could best be described as 'putrid'?" What better time could there possibly be for alternative newsweekly publishers, managers and staffers to convene for discussion, education and commiseration? Our industry and our economy are facing numerous daunting challenges, and that's exactly why we all need to meet and collectively figure out how we can not only survive these challenges, but emerge from them stronger than ever. Furthermore, with AAN West and the Web Publishing Conferences put on hold until the economy improves, the convention in Tucson may be your only opportunity this year to take advantage of everything AAN offers.

Those of us here at the Tucson Weekly are hard at work to make sure the 32nd Annual Association of Alternative Newsweeklies Convention is one of the best ever -- because we know it has to be, given these tough times. You have my word that we'll pull it off.

Sincerely,

Tom Lee
Publisher, Tucson Weekly