In September and October of 2014, and December of 2013, several Freedom of Information Act requests were denied by the College of DuPage FOIA Officer. After several failed attempts at asking them to provide the public records they were bound by law to provide, we decided it was time to file suit in DuPage County Circuit Court.
These requests consisted of public records concerning “Broadcast Technologies” and the W-2 Form for COD President Breuder.
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It’s secret, and it’s going to stay that way. That’s the bottom line in TVA’s rejection of the News Sentinel’s appeal of a Freedom of Information Act request for information TVA has repeatedly denied.
If the newspaper wants to continue its quest to learn the TVA incentives given to a Clinton, Tenn. industry in expansion mode, it will have to go to court.
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All North Carolinians deserve to know when their local governments hold special meetings or plan public hearings. State lawmakers have a unique opportunity this year to preserve that right and save cities and counties some money in the process.
When the 2015 regular session begins Wednesday, Rep. Marilyn Avila, R-Wake, plans to introduce a compromise bill that will keep public notice requirements in place and limit the fees newspapers charge to publish the announcements. The bill is modeled after legislation passed in Florida and Tennessee.
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The city of Jackson, Michigan, has bold ambitions to make its website the first of its kind in the Great Lakes State to operate as an open data portal.
Unfortunately, city officials announced they’ve hit a slight delay in the process, pushing the expected rollout back at least a month.
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Read More… from Jackson, Michigan’s Open Data Portal Is on Groundbreaking Track
2015 should be the year for open data in California. A new crop of state lawmakers and constitutional officers, combined with activity underway in state and local governments, are pushing California closer to a “tipping point” where the demand and use of data can truly transform the public sector.
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On August 1, 2014, the New Jersey Libertarian Party (NJLP) formally petitioned the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for a rule requiring municipalities and other local government units to specify an “up to” dollar amount in each resolution that awards a public contract.
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Read More… from State agrees to adopt transparency initiative
The city must preserve text messages sent and received in the course of public business as public records under the state Freedom of Information Act, a judge has ruled.
Circuit Judge Jack Doyle made the decision in a lawsuit filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. The order was signed and entered Thursday.
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For journalists — especially those working in the realm of opinion — it's hard not to take the attack on the Paris offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hedbo personally.
As a result, each of the editorial cartoonists regularly featured in the Post-Bulletin have weighed in on the subject. Charlie Hedbo was likely best known in the United States for featuring satirical depictions of religions, most notably featuring Muhammad, a fact that had produced threats from Muslim extremists.
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Read More… from Randy Petersen: Freedom of expression comes with a fine line
It seems it was only a few days ago that Rose and I, along with our little guys, were heaving candy from the back of a pickup truck crawling down Calhoun Street during the Bluffton Christmas Parade. We have yet to finish taking down the Christmas decorations, and already we have two children deeply involved in basketball, with school going full-bore.
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Read More… from FOIA among priorities for SC legislative session
Upon assuming the office of the presidency, Barack Obama promised the most transparent administration ever. Nobody asked him to do that, but given the unpopularity of the secrecy of the George W. Bush administration, it was a safe bet that such a promise would be received warmly. President Obama laid out his rationale in a memorandum which included the following key points (emphasis in original):
Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing.
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