Vote for OR's Best Public Achievement; Then Party W/ The Bus

Having watched up close how efficiently and cheerfully the folks at Bus Project can put together a public event, LO is happy to endorse the next constructive/creative effort from our favorite volunteers: The Wheelie Awards, an event for "stuff that matters." And as usual, they're trying to entice you into becoming part of the process--you get to help nominate the winners! Here, let them tell you:

The Rubber Hits the Road Award: The Wheelie for Outstanding Public Interest Achievement

What has been the most innovative public policy accomplishment to hit Oregon in the twenty-first century (so far)? The 1970's brought land use planning; the 1990's produced Death with Dignity; the 1980's lent us acid-wash jeans. What will be the legacy of the first decade of the 2K?

Send us your nomination for the best new idea to come out of the last six years.

Submit a nomination and win a prize! Anyone who nominates will be entered into a drawing and be randomly selected for one of the following prizes:

* A gift certificate to Food Front Co-Op on NW Thurman
* Two beautiful bracelets from Lake Oswego artist Faith Walmer
* A cookbook from Bo Rinaldi, former Silicon Valley power agent and current owner of Blossoming Lotus
* A Bus Project pint glass

What the winner gets: A Wheelie! The Wheelie will be presented by the Bus Project at the Armory in Portland on June 9th.

How the winner will be picked: Nominations will be taken until June 1st, and attendees to the Wheelies Gala on June 9th will have the opportunity to vote immediately prior.

Criteria for nominees: The Wheelie will be awarded to a recent innovative Oregon public interest accomplishment. What do we mean by that?

1. Recent: We can't just rest on the laurels of the bottle bill. Nothing wilts faster than laurels rested upon. Anything this century is eligible; preference for even more recent.
2. Innovative: Showing public policy leadership.
3. Oregon: Makes Oregon better for the public – whether the whole state, or a locality. Local innovations count!
4. Public Interest Achievement: Something that got done – whether it's a law put in place or a program launched – that has real promise for positive public interest results.

Nominate now! So whether it's priority-based budgeting, fair-housing standards, or re-capturing power taxes, biofuels support, nominate the thing you think is making Oregon better.

Its late and ultimately kind of flaccid profile notwithstanding, my vote would be for gay anti-discrimination and civil unions protections. As much as it felt like a travesty to not have those things locked down in law by now, the truth is that Oregon is still waaaaay ahead of the curve when it comes to those rights, and that's a large part of the reason I moved back--I want to be around people who are at least trying to move forward, even if they succeed only in spurts.

The big gig (no relation) is a week from this Saturday, June 9 at the Portland Armory (a.k.a. Gerding Theatre a.k.a. Portland Center Stage), 128 NW 11th Avenue. If you want the standard party (doors at 7, event at 8), you can hook up for just $24, and can order them here. If you're feeling like getting your VIP on, come by at 6 when the doors open or 630 when things get going, and they'll reward you with fancy food, footrubs and girls waving palm fronds to cool you off*--for just $125. Of course, if you're a Bus Project Monthly Member, you'll catch a big break on prices--and you'll be earning your own Wheelie in your own small way by supporting the programs of The Bus.


*rubs and fronds not explicitly guaranteed