5TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT. FIVE YEARS OF BRINGING SUNSHINE TO STARK COUNTY!

On March 12, 2008 yours truly started the Stark County Political Report.

And has the time flown by!

It is the nature of government to hide things from its citizenry.  Such has been going on for time immemorial.

Accordingly, it is up to everyday citizens aided by the media to dig, dig, dig in order to bring "embarrassing to government officials" material to "the light of day."

The point of the digging is to hold elected officials (the politicians) accountable for their nonfeasance, misfeasance and malfeasance.

In 2002 the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors started "Sunshine Week."

Why?

From the website of Sunshine Week:

The Florida Society of Newspaper Editors launched Sunshine Sunday in 2002 in response to efforts by some Florida legislators to create scores of new exemptions to the state’s public records law. FSNE estimates that some 300 exemptions to open government laws were defeated in the legislative sessions that followed its three Sunshine Sundays, because of the increased public and legislative awareness that resulted from the Sunshine Sunday reports and commentary.

Several states followed Florida’s lead, and in June 2003, ASNE hosted a Freedom of Information Summit in Washington where the seeds for Sunshine Week were planted.

With an inaugural grant from John S. and James L. Knight Foundation [of Akron Beacon Journal fame], which has continued to support the effort, Sunshine Week was launched by the American Society of News Editors in March 2005. This non-partisan, non-profit initiative is celebrated in mid-March each year to coincide with James Madison’s birthday on March 16.  (LINK)

So it  is propitious that the Stark County Political Report was birthed during Sunshine Week.

The SCPR has had an abundance of revelations to share with the Stark County public from the first date of this blog's publication.

The list of Stark County governmental and political figures who likely have not appreciated The Report sunshine generating activity is long indeed.

"Letting the sunshine pour in" is an apt metaphor for the idea behind the beginnings of the SCPR.

Yours truly is gratified at having been instrumental in informing many, many thousands of Stark Countians of the hidden and unseemly activities (in terms not being in the public interest) being perpetuated by government officials.

Of course, not everything is hidden in the dark recesses of government.

Some of our officials themselves have been the generators of sunshine and for their effort the SCPR has been quick to publicly acknowledge their contribution towards maintaining a healthy democratic republic.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has been a prime generator of sunshine.  Readers of the SCPR should obtain a copy of the 2013 Sunshine Law Manual at this LINK. (the "Yellow Book")

The SCPR encourages readers to follow the lead of the likes of Bruce Nordman of Canton's Vassar Park (9th Ward) who, last week, made appearances at Canton City Hall and at the Stark County Board of Commissioners in an effort to find out why government officials have not produced on their leading-up-to-the-election of November, 2011 promises to have the Stark County jail up to full capacity (LINK).

The Report sees folks like Nordman as being "bringers of light."

For old times sake, yours truly brings forward the original blog (Mach 12, 2008) published by the Stark County Political Report:

Thank you readers of the SCPR for your encouragement and support!