NC Open Government

From jdnews.com (3/20/09): The topic of open government has been basking in attention this week as First Amendment advocates across the country observed Sunshine Week.

More than half of North Carolinians are unaware that state laws exist to allow public access to government records, according to the latest Elon University Poll, but nearly all respondents feel democracy is best when it operates openly.

The N. C. Open Government Coalition is reacting today to news that 63 percent of the citizens polled are not familiar with the state’s public records and open meetings laws.

From the Winston-Salem Journal (3/20/09): Sunshine is an apt metaphor for openness and transparency in government. Very little grows in darkness; good does not dwell there. Light, on the other hand, is necessary for life and renewal. So it is with knowledge. We don't learn if we cannot see.

From the Hendersonville (N.C.) Times-News (3/20/09): A survey by the Associated Press ranked North Carolina near the top in posting public records on the Internet.

From the Charlotte Observer (3/18/09): For Sunshine Week, the Observer has asked public officials to discuss their views about open government. A different official will be featured each day.

From the Charlotte Observer (3/18/09): E-mails to a city council member, county commissioner, state agency head or the governor are usually public records, available for anyone to view upon request.

From the Raleigh News & Observer (3/19/09): For the past several years, this week in March has been noted, and even celebrated, by those in the business of news and opinion as "Sunshine Week," wherein newspapers, including The News & Observer, offer stories on the benefits of the people's access to their own business.

From the Asheville Citizen-Times (3/19/09): The annual observance of Sunshine Week has rolled around again, and its importance is greater than ever.

From the Charlotte Observer (3/19/09): Gov. Bev Perdue said this week she'll seek new legislation to publicly disclose information about those who die in state mental hospitals and homes for the developmentally disabled, including the names of the dead and an explanation of how they died.