Sunshine award bestowed on open government advocate Terry Francke

From East County Magazine:

March 28, 2013 (San Diego) – When it comes to open government and public access to government records, times have changed dramatically in California. Much of that change can be attributed to the tireless efforts of Terry Francke, General Counsel of Californians Aware.

Last night, Francke received the coveted Sunshine Award from the Society of Professional Journalists in San Diego. The award was presented by Donna Frye, Director of Open Government for the City of San Diego and a prior recipient of the Sunshine Award. Mayor Bob Filner also presented a proclamation honoring Francke.

J.W. August, president of SPJ’s San Diego chapter, observed that transparency in government is the “cornerstone of democracy.”

Francke recalled how times have changed since he first became involved in advocating for open government back in the 1980s. View a video with excerpts of his remarks.

Terry Francke is the General Counsel of the Californians Aware. The Californians Aware is a member of NFOIC. –eds