ASNE names Sunshine Week Local Heroes

Citizens from Florida, New Jersey and Virginia have been selected as winners of the 2010 Sunshine Week Local Heroes contest.

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Scripps Poll - Government Secrecy is as Strong as Ever

Public cynicism that the federal government operates in an atmosphere of secrecy is as strong as ever, despite President Barack Obama's promises to make government information more easily available to the public.

A new survey of 1,001 adult residents of the United States found that 70 percent believe that the federal government is either “very secretive” or “somewhat secretive.” The largest portion of respondents, 44 percent, said it is “very secretive.”

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48 ‘Local Heroes’ nominated for Sunshine Week award

The nominees represent a broad cross-section of citizens, journalists, lawyers and elected officials. Judging the entries will be Pete Weitzel, formerly with the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government, and a retired ASNE member; Lucy Dalglish, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press; Charles Davis, National Freedom of Information Coalition; Andy Alexander, The Washington Post and ASNE FOI Committee Co-Chair; and Dorothy Brizill, DCWatch. The winners will be announced Monday, March 15.

Covering open government wins awards

From a small paper in Glens Falls, N.Y., comes the powerful voice of Editorial Page Editor Mark Mahoney. His “relentless, down-to-earth editorials on the perils of local government secrecy," won a 2009 Pulitzer Prize. Read his winning entries from The Post-Star.

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Sunshine Week contest to honor ‘Local Heroes’ of open government

The first-place winner will receive an all-expense paid trip in April to Washington, D.C., to be honored at the 2010 ASNE convention. The second- and third-place winners will receive $500 and $250, respectively.

Nominate someone in your area who made a difference last year fighting to make your public institutions more open and accessible.

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