Sunshine Breakfast features author of access stories

Tickets are now available for WashCOG’s 2026 Sunshine Breakfast, which takes place at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 13 at the Embassy Suites in Bellevue. The annual event will honor Washingtonians who have promoted government transparency in a variety of ways.

Keynote speaker for the event is Miranda Spivack, a longtime journalist and author of “Backroom Deals in Our Backyards: How Government Secrecy Harms our Communities — and the Local Heroes Fighting Back.” Spivack shares the stories of five “accidental activists” who questioned local and state government actions in communities across the country. They turned to access laws to pry more information and push for accountability by elected and appointed officials.

Spivack has covered government, politics and accountability through much of her career, reporting for papers in Northeastern states and later as a Washington Post editor. She is also the author of “State Secrets,” about the rise in state and local government secrecy.

The University of Washington is hosting Spivack for a talk and book-signing on March 12.

WashCOG will present the James Andersen Award to Tom Layson, managing editor of KBTC TV, for their long coverage of open government issues and service to WashCOG and its programs.

Also to be recognized at the Sunshine Breakfast are recipients of the Toby Nixon Award for long and impactful service to government transparency, the Kenneth F. Bunting Award for outstanding journalism and the Falconer Shine the Light Award, for significant advocacy using access laws.

Sunshine Week is a nationwide event promoted by advocates for open government. It takes place during the week of the birth of James Madison, who crafted the Bill of Rights.