The White House Media Affairs shop has agreed to join members of the Regional Reporters Association for a happy hour tomorrow, Tuesday, July 7, at the National Press Club. Your regional spokespeople have been invited, and I hope you can join us to chat off-the-record in a social environment.

The board has approved some funds so that everyone should be able to enjoy at least one free drink. Members who have not yet paid their 2009 dues may do so at the event.

The deets:

When: Tuesday, July 7, starting at 6:30pm
Where: National Press Club’s McClendon Room (529 14th St, NW)
Who: The White House Media Affairs Office and the Regional Reporters Association

Best, Tommy

Thomas Burr
RRA President

Another quick reminder of the general board meeting and elections today at noon at the National Press Club. Please join us if you can. Free appetizers for those who can make it.

General membership meeting and board and officer elections:
Today, Monday, June 22
Noon
National Press Club, Mezzanine, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, DC

The following positions are up for election:
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and nine board of directors spots.

Please feel free to nominate yourself or another member by emailing president@rra.org. Nominations also will be accepted at the general meeting.

In accordance with our bylaws, members who have paid 2009 dues will be eligible to run for office and vote. You must be in attendance to vote. No proxy votes are allowed. Uncontested races will be voted on by a raise of hands or voice vote; contested races will be resolved by secret ballot.

Please feel free to email with any questions.

WHAT: Happy Hour with press secretaries for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) & National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)
FEATURING: Brian Walsh of NRSC and Ken Spain of NRCC and a myriad of other folks from their respective press shops
WHO’S INVITED: Members of the Regional Reporters Association (RRA) — If you are not a member or haven’t paid up for 2009, now’s the time!
WHERE: Bobby Van’s Grill, 1201 New York Avenue (the Deuce, not the original steakhouse)
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15
WHY: To celebrate the filing of your taxes by drinking — And networking with Republican political operatives and fellow regional reporters
RSVP: Malia Rulon, mrulon@gannett.com (as a courtesy, so we know how many of you to expect, but feel free to swing by at the last minute too)
FYI: We’re working on a forthcoming event with the D side too

The Senate Press Secretaries Association and the Regional Reporters Association would like to invite you to a happy hour on March 26 for a get-to-know-you event featuring the press secretaries from Senate offices, Republican, Democrat and nonpartisan, and the regional reporters from papers across the country.

Grab a drink and bring extra business cards to exchange at one of the Senate side’s famous haunts, Lounge 201. Please RSVP to president@rra.org if you plan to attend.

Who: Press Secretaries from Senate offices and regional reporters

What: A happy hour to meet and great the people you talk to all the time but have never met, and a chance to grab some business cards and make new contacts

Where: Lounge 201, at the cross streets of 2nd St NE and D NE, near Hart

When: Thursday, March 26, 6:30 p.m.

Why: Because the RRA and the SPSA would like to buy you a drink or maybe two (until we hit our tab limit, and then it’s up to you).
Please note: This event is for members of the Regional Reporters Association. If you haven’t paid your 2009 dues, please visit rra.org.

Attention fellow regionals:

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has invited RRA members to a briefing with Alissa Fox, the association’s senior vice president and top lobbyist. Fox will offer an overview of today’s healthcare system - how it works and how it doesn’t - and various reform proposals.

For reporters who haven’t been closely covering the debate, this is a good chance to get up to speed with insights from a central player. Fox is part of Ted Kennedy’s stakeholder group, and the Health Reform Dialogue group. The BCBSA’s president and CEO, Scott Serota, was among the participants at the recent White House health summit.

One in three Americans has coverage through the 39 Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies - 102 million, more than any other insurer. BCBS companies operate in every ZIP code.

Where: BCBSA office, 1310 G Street, NW

When: Monday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

What: briefing plus coffee, bagels, muffins etc.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to: president@rra.org

The Senate Press Secretaries Association and the Regional Reporters Association would like to invite you to a happy hour on March 26 for a get-to-know-you event featuring the press secretaries from Senate offices, Republican, Democrat and nonpartisan, and the regional reporters from papers across the country.

Grab a drink and bring extra business cards to exchange at one of the Senate side’s famous haunts, Lounge 201. Please RSVP to president@rra.org if you plan to attend.

Who: Press Secretaries from Senate offices and regional reporters

What: A happy hour to meet and great the people you talk to all the time but have never met, and a chance to grab some business cards and make new contacts

Where: Lounge 201, at the cross streets of 2^nd St NE and D NE, near Hart

When: Thursday, March 26, 6:30 p.m.

Why: Because the RRA and the SPSA would like to buy you a drink or maybe two (until we hit our tab limit, and then it’s up to you).

Please note: This event is for members of the Regional Reporters Association. If you haven’t paid your 2009 dues, please visit rra.org.

Fellow members,

In the past year, the Regional Reporters Association has brought you roundtables with top surrogates of the presidential campaign, briefings on covering the inauguration, the budget and the stimulus package, and we’ve worked to push for better access to the White House for regional reporters.
I hope you’re ready for more this time around.
I want to invite you to sign up for another year with the RRA, the only group dedicated to boosting opportunities for regional reporters and helping all of us do our jobs better. We have a lot of ideas and plans to improve RRA’s efforts, and welcome your suggestions as well.
At $20 a year, we’re probably the best deal in town these days. We’re keeping our membership cost low because we know times are tough, but as far as professional dues go, you can’t get a better return on your money.

Please visit www.rra.org to join. (Once you fill out the online form, our site gives you the option of mailing a check or paying through Paypal.)

A quick preview of what’s on the horizon:

• Revamped Web site - an updated site for regionals with a blog to keep you informed, a list of members and their papers and links to resources you might find handy.
• Members-only source list - A collaboration by members of good and accessible sources on issues we all cover; Leave your secret sources in your notebook, but if you’re willing, share your best academics on campaign finance reform of ethics, your go to political prognosticator and any other experts you find handy.
• Member-to-member exchanges - a new email address that will allow you to reach the other members to suggest coverage ideas or ask questions.
• RRA Facebook - improvements to our social networking group to help keep you informed, and provide a message board to interact.

Coming attractions:
The RRA is working to score roundtable discussions with Cabinet members and other top Washington officials. We’re organizing separate happy hours with spokespeople from the Senate and House, the White House and political committees. We’re planning other programs to

Please e-mail me at president@rra.org if you have any questions or ideas for RRA.

Best, Tommy

Thomas Burr
RRA President

Some more depressing news in the NY Times today that I’m guessing y’all saw. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/business/media/18bureaus.html?_r=1&ref=business).

Don’t forget to apply for those PIC credentials. Deadline is Monday!

Also: Your RRA Board is now fully stocked and ready for the New Year. The board met Wednesday and voted in four new members to replace those lost in the last year. Your new board members:

Bart Sullivan, Memphis Commercial Appeal/Scripps Howard
Jessica Wehrman, Dayton Daily News
Michael Coleman, Albuquerque Journal
Paul Merrion, Crain’s Chicago Business

The full officer/board slate:

President — Thomas Burr, Salt Lake Tribune
Vice president – Joe Morton, Omaha World Herald
Treasurer – Malia Rulon, Gannett News Service
Secretary – Lisa Mascaro, Las Vegas Sun

Board

Todd Gillman, Dallas Morning News
Josh Drobnyk, Allentown Morning Call
Herb Jackson, The Record ( Bergen County , NJ )
Alex Daniels, Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Keith Chu, Bend Bulletin
Bart Sullivan, Memphis Commercial Appeal/Scripps Howard
Jessica Wehrman, Dayton Daily News
Michael Coleman, Albuquerque Journal
Paul Merrion, Crain’s Chicago Business

Best,

Thomas Burr
RRA President

Monday’s event on covering the inauguration will be held at the National Press Club’s Murrow Room at 11 a.m. We have nearly 100 people who have signed up for this event, so I’d advise showing up early if you want a good seat. It will be recorded and available on the press club web site at some point as well if you can’t make it.

Thomas Burr RRA President

The Senate has posted a site to apply for credentials for covering the inauguration here: http://www.senate.gov/galleries/daily/

Also, we’re making plans for an event looking at how to cover the inauguration for those of us who haven’t done that before. I’m tentatively looking at Dec. 8 as a possible date for the event and will keep you all informed.