It's Sunshine Week. And, no, that's not a reference to the weather -- although it's temperate and on the sunny side where I am right now.

The media, citizens' advocacy groups and others join together once a year to highlight our country's right-to-know legislation and promote open and accountable public government. As pointed out on the Web site of the Asbury Park Press, a fine New Jersey newspaper aquired by Gannett back in the 90s, a devotion to open government can prove costly. Governmental agencies can charge fees for releasing records, the legal costs of court challenges to denials of information can add up quickly, and current legal precedent makes it unlikely that successful claimants will recover court costs. And this is pure speculation on my part, but I'm sure some citizens have been branded as cranks by their community, if not the authorities, for using the freedom of information mechanisms and for asking questions.

At the very minimum, citizens can show their elected representatives they care -- and that they're watching -- by showing up to meetings even when they don't have an issue on the agenda. They can also keeping track of agendas and official Internet postings on community topics. And, of course, they can ask questions, politely and in a clear voice.

Enjoy the sunshine, literal and figurative, and enjoy the freedom that our society offers.