So Long Reno

Not much blogging has been going on here for a lot of reasons; one of which explains why I’m leaving Reno soon. Some of you may have noticed my growing interest in government transparency, egovernment, online organizing, and online civic participation as I participated in projects like TwitterVoteReport (returning soon for the 2o1o midterm elections) and TweetProgress and events like the Sunlight Foundation’s TransparencyCamp and the Nevada Interactive Media Summit.

I have been personally inspired by the potential technology presents in terms of creating an empowered citizenry and feel incredibly lucky to have found a job which will enable me to work on civic engagement full time. I am moving to Alexandria, Virginia to become the Community Manager for ACTion Alexandria (no website…yet!), a technology-enabled initiative for citizen engagement. ACTion Alexandria is an initiative of Act for Alexandria and is one of 24 innovative initiatives awarded a Community Information Challenge grant from the Knight Foundation.

I will begin work in Alexandria on July 15th. Any while I’m excited to begin working for ACTion Alexandria, I am definitely leaving Reno with some regret. Reno has been my home for 10 years and is a community I’ve obviously become very engaged with myself. In fact, much of what I’ve learned about civic engagement began right here on this blog. Whether we agreed or not, you helped give me a push toward the road I’m now on. So, really, I have you to thank for this incredible new opportunity.

So what happens to this blog? I’m not sure. I’ve written 2,440 blog posts, many of which are about life in Reno. I guess I’ll just leave it up for posterity, and who knows, maybe I’ll post updates once in a while. It’s hard to tell at this point.

So, I guess this is goodbye…..for now

I leave you with these parting words from The Specials.

Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink
The years go by, as quickly as you wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself,
It’s later than you think

Watch Out for The Parking Police River Festival Contestants

Consider this a warning. The Reno Police Department is taking parking A LOT more seriously this year. So much seriously that they are enforcing the 2 hour parking rule in the lot in Barbara Bennett Park (across the street from Wingfield Park–something they really didn’t enforce in years past. So let this be a warning to contestants arriving early and camping out in Barbara Bennett Park again this year. You will get a ticket. In fact, you might get several as one contestant did today.

Take Blue Star Families’ 2010 Military Family Issues Survey

Blue Star Families has launched their 2010 Military Family Lifestyle Survey. The survey offers a unique opportunity for military families to let our civilian and military leaders hear the issues most important to military families in this time of war and increased OpTempo. BSF’s 2009 survey results were released in Congress, led off a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee and were quoted frequently by the First Lady.

Participants in the 2010 survey will have the chance to win a randomly selected $300 prize and one of 3 $1000 prizes awarded to the best ideas to help military families.

The survey runs until June 1st so take it soon and pass it on!

The survey link is: http://bit.ly/9uHzPB

Blue Star Families is conducting this survey in partnership with many prominent military and service organizations, including the USO, Military.com, the American Red Cross, the National Military Family Association, the National Guard Association of the United States, the VFW, the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network, Be the Change, the Military Child Education Coalition, the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the Veterans Innovation Center, the Armed Services YMCA, the Reserve Officers Association, Operation Homefront, the Military Officers Association of America, and Military Spouse Magazine.

The survey results will be published in a release and sent to participants via email in September. Blue Star Families will use the results of this survey to examine how military support organizations can affect positive outcomes via involvement with the greater community, and ensure that we are involved with other key governmental agencies when discussing military issues and the broader community and provide them with a more nuanced perspective of military family life.

If you have any questions about the survey, please email Blue Star Families at survey@bluestarfam.org or email me directly at stephanie@bluestarfam.org.