Arkansas Press Association

From The Arkansas Publisher Weekly:

This year's Sunshine Week celebration, to be observed March 14-20, will honor individuals who fought tirelessly last year to make their state or local public institutions more open and accessible.

During Sunshine Week, media organizations and other groups throughout the nation will highlight the efforts of these “Local Heroes” whose work has made their communities better places to live. In addition to that coverage, the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) will conduct a contest to identify the top three Local Heroes of 2010.

The first-place winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip in April to Washington, D.C., to be honored at the 2010 ASNE convention. All of the winners will be profiled on the Sunshine Week Web site, and their accomplishments will be publicized by Sunshine Week staff and participating groups.

Sunshine Week, launched in 2005 by ASNE, is held annually to promote dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include hundreds of print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know.
Arkansas Sunshine Week Coordinators Brenda Blagg and Eric Francis recently sent a mailing with more information to all Arkansas Publisher Weekly subscribers and Freedom of Information Coalition members. They are encouraging all recipients to consider nominating their own deserging "local hero."

More information and an array of promotional materials are available at www.sunshineweek.org.