5th Annual NC News & Information Summit addresses AI impact, breaks attendance record
Raleigh, N.C. — The NC Open Government Coalition presented its annual Sunshine Awards on March 27 at the fifth annual NC News & Information Summit on the campus of NC State University. The awards recognize public servants, journalists, student reporters and advocates who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to government transparency, press freedom and the public’s right to know.
“It’s never been more important to honor individuals and organizations who embody the principles of open government and freedom of information,” said Pate McMichael, director of the NC Open Government Coalition. “Their work ensures that citizens, journalists, advocates and communities can access the information they need to hold power accountable.”
Sunshine Award for Lifelong Advocacy
Hugh Stevens — Media Law Attorney and Open Government Champion
Raleigh attorney Hugh Stevens was honored for a lifetime of exceptional open government advocacy in North Carolina. A founding board member and past president of the NC Open Government Coalition, Stevens practiced law for six decades and served as the NC Press Association’s legal counsel for 20 years. A founding partner of Stevens, Martin, Vaughn & Tadych, Stevens has mentored generations of media lawyers and journalists. In 2006, he was inducted into the NC Journalism & Media Hall of Fame.
“I am extremely grateful for this award,” Stevens said, “not only because I was privileged to be a founding director of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition, but also because the Coalition’s home is at Elon University.”
Amanda Martin, supervising attorney of Duke Law’s First Amendment Clinic and a Coalition board member, presented Stevens — her mentor and friend — with the award. Beth Soja, senior staff attorney at Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, provided the nomination.
“In addition to counseling hundreds of journalists, editors and publishers over the years,” Soja wrote, “every transparency and media law attorney in the state of North Carolina has benefitted from Hugh’s mentorship. His guidance and example have shaped the lives and careers of every government transparency advocate in our state, and consequently, every journalist and every member of the public.”
Sunshine Awards for Public Service
The Sunshine Award for Public Service recognizes public employees and government agencies that have provided outstanding access to public information through their programs, policies, best practices, and compliance with access laws.
Lexington Mayor Jason Hayes
Mayor Jason Hayes was honored for his exemplary commitment to supporting local journalism, civic dialogue and the essential role of a free and independent press. Antionette Kerr, publisher of Davidson Local, nominated Hayes for his commitment to transparency.
“In recognition of his exemplary commitment to supporting local journalism, civic dialogue, and the essential role of a free and independent press,” Kerr wrote. “In an era when misinformation spreads quickly and trust in institutions is fragile, Mayor Hayes stands out as a public servant who values the role of local journalism not simply when it is flattering, but when it holds power accountable.”
Public Records Officer Joel Ferdon & Records Analyst Samantha Rivenbark, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Public Records Officer Joel Ferdon and Records Analyst Samantha Rivenbark were recognized for their outstanding public records management at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. By the end of 2025, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education had received 710 public records requests and released more than 12,000 records. The Charlotte Observer acknowledged that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools had supplied all relevant records requested by the newspaper since the beginning of 2025.
Sunshine Awards in Journalism
The Sunshine Award in Journalism recognizes journalists and news organizations that have effectively utilized public records to tell stories of significant importance to their communities. Judges included Kate Martin of APM Reports, Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism at Elon University, Natalie Jennings, senior managing editor of Wake Forest Magazine, Amanda Sturgill, associate professor of journalism at Elon University, and Pate McMichael, director of the Coalition.
Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica — NC Power Grab Investigation
Clark was recognized for his sweeping investigative series on North Carolina’s judicial and political landscape, including investigations into how conservative court-packing reshaped state government and how a legislative power grab diverted funds meant for sexual abuse survivors.
Clark filed dozens of public records requests to numerous North Carolina institutions, ultimately amassing thousands of pages of emails, calendars, contracts, budgets, and other records. When state court officials attempted to block access to certain documents, ProPublica successfully compelled their release, illuminating how the legislative maneuver had harmed victims of sexual violence.
Kyle Ingram, The News & Observer — Judge Griffin Election Challenge Investigation
Ingram was honored for his data-driven reporting on the Judge Griffin election challenge, which revealed that Black North Carolina voters were twice as likely to have their ballots contested as white voters — a disparity that persisted regardless of party affiliation. Ingram’s analysis of the demographics of more than 100,000 voters on the state’s challenged-voter list also found a disproportionate impact on young voters and those unaffiliated with any party.
Frank Barrows Award for Excellence in Collegiate Journalism
The Frank Barrows Award recognizes the accomplishments of a collegiate journalist or newsroom at a North Carolina university whose work exemplifies the vital role of open meetings, public records, and press access in public life.
The 9th Street Journal — Duke University
The 9th Street Journal was honored for its series: “Durham’s Most Reliable Voters share a belief in the power of democracy.” Student journalists Katelyn Cai, Valentina Garbelotto, Reece MacKinney, Paige Stevens, Noor Nazir and Jack Regan dug through public records and wrote in-depth portraits of longtime voters — including a 113-year-old Durham resident who has voted consistently since 1945.
“Through this series, our students brought attention to a group of citizens who show their dedication to democracy in a simple yet critical way, by casting their votes season after season, election after election,” adviser Alison Jones wrote in her nomination.
About the NC Open Government Coalition
The North Carolina Open Government Coalition unites organizations interested in ensuring and enhancing the public’s access to government activity, records and meetings. The nonpartisan coalition educates people about their rights to gain access to records and meetings that are considered public under North Carolina law. Through educational programming and public service, the coalition advocates for the principles and benefits of open government at all levels. Learn more at ncopengov.org or subscribe to our newsletter.
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