NOVEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER

October 23, 2006

"What Happened Election Day" at Nov. 13 Luncheon

Brian Sanderoff, president of Research and Polling, Inc. and Lonna Atkeson, University of New Mexico professor of political science will polish their glasses for this 20-20 hindsight discussion of the Nov. 7, mid-term election. Both are stand-outs in their field and you've seen them on TV during election cycles.

"Our interest is in looking at how money is spent by groups and candidates and how they use the law to get their message out," said Atkeson, who, with other academics for Pew Charitable Trusts, is studying how soft money contributions change a race, and the impact of negative ads & mailings on races. She's taken a special interest in the NM-1 House race, which has become one of the most-watched races in the country.

F. Chris Garcia, former UNM President, retired political science professor, and noted New Mexico politics commentator said of Atkeson, "Lonna has become one of the leading researchers and experts in campaigns and elections, with an emphasis on House races in New Mexico."

Sanderoff's 20-year-old Albuquerque business conducts market research, polls and other services for businesses, including the Albuquerque Journal and KOAT-TV. Called by Chantal Foster of the DukeCityFix, "the Rosetta Stone incarnate for NM Politics," Sanderoff is sought after by state and national media for comments in political and research stories.

Join us to deconstruct the vote and the voters. Luncheon begins at 11:45 a.m. at the Sheraton Uptown hotel. Members $15, nonmembers $21. Reservations: contact Janet Ford by Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 720-7821 or E-Mail. Please tell Janet if you want a vegetarian meal. Your reservation is our commitment to have a sandwich and dessert for you and your commitment to pay.

October Luncheon--Many of the 44 attendees questioned panelists about the Quality of Life initiative. Panelists were David Campbell, Pamela Chavez, Terri Cole and Sherman McCorkle. And Steve Ranieri of Channel 27 gave a report about public access in Albuquerque as it turns 25 years old!

December Luncheon--Save the Date: Dec. 11 for our lunch about blogs. Whether you are already a blog addict or you are just learning the definition of blog, our "Nuts & Bolts About Blogs" will view the world of blogging from the inside. Stay tuned for details.

Membership News--Try to join us for our luncheons to support the group and to network. Please feel free to invite friends and associates to attend! Remember our special membership offer is join APW now ($35 a year for ABQ-only membership, or $10 a year if you are an NFPW and NMPW member) and get membership through the rest of 2006 and all of 2007!

Member Updates--Laurie Mellas Ramirez has a new title to add to her collection: UNM Parents Relations Director--she spent the past 18 months researching, drafting and proposing duties for the new position to help parents become informed as their high school kids transition to college and as parents of college students. She is still doing much of her old communications job as she adds the administration of this new position to the school's communications and enrollment functions.

Cathy Robbins brought her granddaughter Lilly to the October luncheon. Cathy said she is writing for the best Web newspaper in San Diego, "best, because it is run by a 50-year newspaper veteran" who now runs the Web-news site: www.voiceofsandiego.org You can click back into the archives to find Cathy's work including a story comparing "The Military and the Town" communities of Albuquerque and San Diego and the La Jolla Music Society's SummerFest and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

Drawing for a Prize--Don't forget to buy your chances to win! This is a nifty, SubZero cooler capable of holding 48 cans of cold soda (or its equivalent in other picnic goodies). It is a raffle fundraiser for the Press Women scholarship fund. Tickets will be sold for $1 each or 5 for $3. We will sell the tickets during the Nov. 13 and Dec. 11 APW luncheons. The drawing will be held on Dec 11 – need not be present to win. If you can't use the cooler and its contents yourself, it will make a great holiday gift!

Help with PR?--To get the word out about the APW luncheons and activities, we're starting a committee. Here's a great way to update your PR, marketing, word-of-mouth and other skills for getting the message out. Send a message to Susan Walton at E-Mail to "join" or try it out—we want this group to be boisterous and mutually productive. First meeting: Thursday, Nov. 2 at 5 pm at the Albuquerque Press Club, 201 Highland Park Circle SE.

Member perks--Check out our Web site (abqpw.org) wherein members may promote their services. If you wish to be included, send your information to Janet Ford at E-Mail. Members may also have a link to their own Web sites, if they wish, at no charge.

Contest Deadline--Start choosing your pieces to enter the NMPW 2007 Communicator's Contest, check your mail in the next weeks or check www.newmexicopresswomen.org in a couple of weeks for details.

Fashionable Pens--We have really professional pens as gifts for our speakers. They are embossed with www.apqpw.org and have a soft grip surface. They are available for sale at the sign-in table at meetings. For just $10, they are an appropriate gift for the writer in your life, and you help our chapter at the same time.

Web Address--Here's an address to bookmark for copy editing resources: http://www.nyu.edu/classes/copyXediting/eresources.html Please send Web addresses you find "bookmarkable" for us all. (Susan Walton is looking for a page to offer proper pronunciation of newsworthy names, since she occasionally reads the Albuquerque Journal for Newsline for the Blind.)

If you have news for this EGRAM, please send it to Susan Walton, swalton@sandiaprep.org

November, 2006 E-GRAM (close window)