Around the nation local governments are increasingly trying to keep the public in the dark on important issues and public notice is being threatened at every corner and in many state legislatures, including Texas’.

To shed light on the dangerous trend, this year’s National Newspaper Week is dedicated to public notice and helping retain and improve the public ’s right to know what its government is doing. The theme for this year’s event, slated Oct. 7-13, is “Public Notice in Newspapers: Because Good Government Depends on It.”

Materials to help newspapers promote National Newspaper Week are available online.

Newspapers can download editorial cartoons, house ads, a crossword and columns on the importance of public notice to publish during National Newspaper Week. More materials will be added as the weeklong celebration nears and the Web site even has an e-mail alert system to let editors know when new items are posted.

Since 1940, the Newspaper Association Managers have sponsored and supported National Newspaper Week. Texas Press Association is a member of NAM and helps fund the promotion of National Newspaper Week.

TPA members are encouraged to use the materials in-paper or write their own stories to mark National Newspaper Week.

Also to highlight this year's NNW theme, the TPA has an ongoing link to several public notice house ads (PDF) that newspapers can run during NNW or throughout the year. The PSAs are provided by the Public Notice Resource Center.