When Steve Croley, a special assistant to the president, announced on March 14 that federal agencies would proactively post directories on their websites, along with official congressional testimony and agency reports to Congress required by statute, we viewed it as a testament to the growing importance of Sunshine Week. But four months later, only six agencies “are actually making all the specified information available,” according to a survey issued last week by openthegovernment.org. Meanwhile, Secrecy News’ Steven Aftergood reports that the Pentagon recently issued a rule “that appears to subvert the intent” of an Obama administration executive order designed to reverse “unnecessarily restrictive dissemination policies” on unclassified information.

A Washington state woman who used the courts to force the disclosure of public records that revealed corruption in her county auditor's office is the winner of the 2011 Local Heroes contest. The announcement of Gloria Howell of Stevenson, Wash., kicks off Sunshine Week, which began yesterday. She will accept her award at the ASNE Convention, April 6-9 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina.

The Sunshine Week team presents a sample Open Government Proclamation that you, or your group, can take to your public officials to seek a commitment on open government with specific action that will lead to increased transparency.

Sunshine Week, which will be held March 13-19, will once again honor citizens who play a significant role in fighting for open government at the local level. The winner of the "Local Heroes" contest will receive an expenses-paid trip in April to San Diego to be honored by the nation's newsroom leaders at the 2011 ASNE convention. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 18.

"As Sunshine Week begins, I want to applaud everyone who has worked to increase transparency in government and recommit my administration to be the most open and transparent ever, an effort that will strengthen our democracy and ensure the public's trust in their government," said President Obama today, in a statement that also trumpeted his administration's achievements on the open government front. Special Counsel Norm Eisen also issued a Sunshine Week statement that included details about the "many areas where (the Obama administration has) opened government up and let the sunshine in.

Friday, Feb. 26, is the deadline to nominate a local hero and shine the spotlight on an individual who fought tirelessly last year to make his or her state or local public institutions more open and accessible. Three prizes will be awarded, including an all-expenses paid trip to the ASNE convention in Washington this April. The contest is part of the national Sunshine Week, which is funded primarily by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami.

Next year’s national Sunshine Week (March 14-20) will highlight local heroes across America ...