The Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information recognized open government advocates at its annual awards ceremony June 12.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient was Janet Manko, publisher emerita and former editor-in-chief of the Lakeville Journal, shown here with CCFOI President Michael Savino.
Manko has been a long-time supporter of FOIA, and has often used it to hold local officials accountable.
A past-president for the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government, Manko has also served on the board of the New York Press Association and is a member of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. As publisher, she also edited the opinion pages for The Lakeville Journal and wrote the editorials.
The Stephen A. Collins Award will be given to Eugene Driscoll, editor of Valley Independent Sentinel, a nonprofit online news site that covers Ansonia, Derby and Seymour.
As editor of the Valley Independent Sentinel since 2009, Driscoll has remained steadfast in holding local public officials and agencies accountable to the public, in particular as it relates to their compliance with the state’s Freedom of Information Act.
CCFOI also recognized four state lawmakers with a Champion of Open Government Award for their efforts to defend and preserve the Freedom of Information Act in Connecticut.
The recipients are:
- State Rep. Josh Elliott, D-Hamden, 88th District, Deputy Speaker and member of the Judiciary Committee.
- State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, R-Wolcott, 80th District, ranking member of the Government Administration and Elections Committee.
- State Sen. Rob Sampson, R-Wolcott, 16th District, ranking member of the Government Administration and Elections Committee.
- State Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, 10th District, Chief Deputy Majority Leader and Chair of the Judiciary Committee.
Pictured left to right are Sampson, Mastrofrancesco, Savino and Elliott.
See additional photos from the event below.
