October 2007

• Open Government Advocates Honored. Congratulations! October 30, 2007
• Here's a national blogger's take on the Pennsylvania situation. October 30, 2007
• Editorial: Public needs free flow of information. Or, "Shape Up, Bush administration!" October 30, 2007
• In Arizona, a state employee (who is also the daughter of a State Rep.) got her job over more qualified applicants. Hmmmm... October 28, 2007
• Reporters Committee supports continued online access to federal plea agreements October 26, 2007
• In Ohio, a panel set up to examine the way public records are handled is recommending that all official business take place using official e-mail accounts. October 26, 2007
• NASA administrator Michael D. Griffin gives his side of the story on why NASA is refusing to comply with FOIA requests for a study on flight saftey. October 25, 2007
• An Arizona public prosecutor panics and makes unreasonable demands. October 23, 3007
• How comfortable are you flying commercial airlines? The government is not releasing a requested flight study, fearful that the results would upset air travelers and hurt airline profits. October 23, 2007
• There has been a LOT written about the recent open records (attempt at) reform in Pennsylvania:
  October 23, 2007: Open record 'reform' takes state from bad to worst October 21, 2007: Records proposal exempts e-mail October 21, 2007: It hasn’t been smooth sailing for legislative reform efforts October 21, 2007: Reform plans falter October 21, 2007: House committee does skulduggery in gutting open-records proposal October 20, 2007: Groups call for defeat of open records bill October 18, 2007: Open Records Bill Passes State House Committee October 17, 2007: Despite opposition, Pa. House panel moves open records bill October 16, 2007: Open records proposal continues to be refined
• A movement worth watching. October 23, 2007
• Some federal agencies hoping to improve FOIA compliance are turning to software for new solutions. October 22, 2007
• There has been SO MUCH progress made in Pennsylvania in the last year to reform it's FOIA laws. It's disheartening to see all that work be substantially ignored by the legislature. October 20, 2007
• How much are we spending to take care of Hemingway's cats? October 19, 2007
• A new twist on elections in Ohio. October 18, 2007
• Coast Guard asked to explain why it withholds names. October 18, 2007
• FOIA helps environmental activists assemble data. October 17, 200
• Concerned about pesticide use in your area? In Minnesota, a bill is circulating to open access to those records. October 17, 2007
• Judge: Federal government can withhold some personnel records. Sigh. Thoughts on the ruling from The FOI Advocate and The FOIA Blog. October 16, 2007
• Passaic County, New Jersey is the place to be if you want records from pre-1925. October 16, 2007
• Who files the majority of FOIA requests? If you answered “reporters,” then try again. October 15, 2007
• The DesMoines Register in Iowa offers some case histories of open records questions in Connecticut and Indiana. October 14, 2007
• Access to public records can help understand tragedy for some. Some others will just have to get by without them. October 12, 2007
• Open Records, Wiki's, and Lawsuits October 12, 2007
• Using FOIA to root out corruption. October 11, 2007
• There has been quite a bit of controversy recently in Ohio concerning a proposal to keep the records of foster parents out of the public eye. Read more here:
  October 14, 2007: MARC KOVAC: Lawmaker: Secrecy is not a solution October 12, 2007: House wrong to make data secret October 11, 2007: Ohio’s foster care records hidden October 11, 2007: House for shielding foster records, Child-safety debate ends in 52-44 vote to hide all data October 10, 2007: Bill to shield foster records October 9, 2007: State lawmaker wants provision in public records law to protect foster parents October 8, 2007: Keep Ohio foster parent records open (Editorial)
• Do you remember Jerry Jamgotchian, our very first Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week? Well, he's had another success in getting the records that he is looking for from the California Horse Racing Board. October 8, 2007
• I was going to post a link to this column even before I got the part where it mentions WikiFOIA! Read it, it's a good one. October 6, 2007 (subscription)
• Tsk, tsk to the Yankees. They have been caught billing the public for all sorts of inappropriate things -- my favorite: $1,978 for a dozen crystal baseballs. October 5, 2007
• US Federal Agencies Choose Software to Improve FOIA Response Times. Bout time! October 4, 2007
• A nice story about the three things needed for an open government: open meetings, open records, and public notices. October 3, 2007
• Controversy about records concerning a child:
  Mom wants to know why she can't view a video of her daughter recorded on the school bus. School system Attorney Tommy Coleman says: "We can’t release information about a child”, while First Amendment and Open Records attorney Brandon Hornsby says: “It seems a parent should have access to their own child’s records, especially if it’s in regard to a crime”. October 2, 2007

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