Californians Aware – National Freedom of Information Coalition

Watchdog Calls Out Garden Grove for Withholding Records

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The First Amendment watchdog group and NFOIC affiliate member, Californians Aware is calling on the Garden Grove City Council to publicly apologize under threat of legal action for a violation of the state's open meetings law, after it withheld an investigative report on the fire department last week.

At the Oct. 14 City Council meeting, council members received a written report investigating management issues in the fire department.

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California Supreme Court rejects Voice of OC and Californians Aware public records case

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From Voice of OC: The state Supreme Court has rejected a request by Voice of OC and open-government advocates Californians Aware to review a gag order Orange County government leaders imposed on themselves so they wouldn’t have to release information regarding allegations of sex abuse by a top county official.

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Media organizations ask the California Supreme Court to hear Californians Aware and Voice of OC’s case

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From Voice of OC: The Los Angeles Times, the corporate parent of the Orange County Register and the 800-member California Newspaper Publishers Association are urging the state Supreme Court to overturn a gag order obtained by Orange County that allows it to keep documents secret that show what top officials knew about alleged sexual abuse of female workers.

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Voice of OC asking California Supreme Court to hear records case

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From Voice of OC: Voice of OC and open-government advocate Californians Aware have petitioned the state Supreme Court to overturn an Orange County gag order, arguing the county is trying “an end run” to hide what executives may have known about alleged sexual abuse of female workers.

Earlier this year, county officials, including the Board of Supervisors, took the unusual step of seeking the order in criminal court so they wouldn’t have to make information public in the case of former county Public Works executive Carlos Bustamante.

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Coliseum Commission administrator found guilty of violating California open-meeting laws

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From Daily Trojan: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission top administrator John Sandbrook was found guilty of testifying falsely during USC’s lease negotiations with the Coliseum on Oct. 4, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Opinion: Push in Sacramento to seal pension data based on false premises

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Opinion from Terry Francke, general counsel of Californians Aware, via San Jose Mercury News: Recent press reporting suggests that legislators in Sacramento, pressured by state employee unions and retiree associations, may be considering amending the California Public Records Act to exempt from public disclosure the names of CalPERS pensioners linked to their retirement payments — information that's been open to public scrutiny for the past 28 years.

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Frye leaves San Diego Open Government director position

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From KPBS.org:

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Frye leaves city job to lead statewide open gov’t effort

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From FOX 5:

SAN DIEGO — Former Councilwoman Donna Frye, whose appointment in Mayor Bob Filner’s administration caused concerns about conflicts over pension policies, has left her city job to lead a nonprofit focused on open government and First Amendment rights, the mayor’s office announced.

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Read More… from Frye leaves city job to lead statewide open gov’t effort

Sunshine award bestowed on open government advocate Terry Francke

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From East County Magazine:

March 28, 2013 (San Diego) – When it comes to open government and public access to government records, times have changed dramatically in California. Much of that change can be attributed to the tireless efforts of Terry Francke, General Counsel of Californians Aware.

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Read More… from Sunshine award bestowed on open government advocate Terry Francke

NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for March 29, 2013

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