**Public announcement**

It's never too early to start planning for Sunshine Week 2007 (March 11-17), the national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information! The 2nd annual webcast conference will include the results of a nationwide information audit organized by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Sunshine Week, the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government and the National Freedom of Information Coalition.

But they need your help! The audit, which is set to be conducted in early January, 2007, will consist of requestors going to pre-selected government offices, asking for copies of a particular public document and then recording how well the agency responds.

If you are interested in participating or would like additional information, please contact Debra Gersh Hernandez, Sunshine Week coordinator, at dghernandez@asne.org or (703) 807-2100 as soon as possible. If you are ready to begin the audit but need a local partner, please contact the national audit facilitator Judith Burrell at judith_burrell@cox.net or (703) 281-3836.