Many Web links are born to die. Even if that should happen with those below, this list can still be of value.

Use it to help locate important stories about freedom of information in Florida and sometimes elsewhere. Obtain the story through the archives or back issues of the news organization involved, try the headline or keywords in a search engine for another link, or use Lexis-Nexis or other databases that might be available to you or through your local library.

September 30, 2005

The Florida Times-Union, by Gregory Richards: Jacksonville resident sues City Council regarding alleged violation of the state’s open meetings law at a restaurant …
Lakeland Ledger editorial: Polk County Opportunity Council comes under criticism for possible violation of the Sunshine Law …
St. Petersburg Times, by Thomas C. Tobin: Cell phone chats between two Pinellas County School Board members raise concerns about violation of the state’s Sunshine Law …
Tallahassee Democrat editorial: Public officials should take heed that the Sunshine Law applies to their cell phone calls …

September 29, 2005

---

Associated Press, by Ron Word: Florida officials learn about open government laws at Ponte Vedra Beach conference …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Jeff Cull: FEMA lawyers say privacy is paramount in response to newspapers’ efforts to open the agency’s records …

September 26, 2005

---

St. Petersburg Times, by Donna Winchester: Cartoonist with Independent Florida Alligator at the University of Florida draws a racially charged cartoon that generates a march on newspaper’s offices and a death threat …
Fort Myers News-Press editorial: Circuit Judge James Seals deserves praise for opening confidential files of the Florida Department of Children and Families regarding the handling of a 14-year-old human trafficking victim …
St. Petersburg Times, by Yuxing Zheng: Largo police halt trashing of accountant’s files in effort to thwart identity theft …
St. Petersburg Times, by Steve Thompson and Rebecca Catalanello: Pasco County school scanner leads to sex offender’s arrest …

September 21, 2005

---

St. Petersburg Times, by Candace Rondeaux: Judge bars explicit police photos of former teacher Debra Lafave, accused of having sex with her 14-year-old student …
Florida Times-Union editorial page: Editorial urges Florida consumers to beware in regards to deed scam reported by the News-Press in Fort Myers …
Society of Environmental Journalists report, by Elizabeth Bluemink and Mark Brush with contributions from Darren Samuelsohn and Lacey Phillabaum: Report by SEJ task force says journalists who cover the environment are having an ever-tougher time dragging information out of the federal government …

September 14, 2005

---

St. Petersburg Times, by Candace Rondeaux: Ex-teacher Debra Lafave’s attorney tries to block access of explicit police photos taken of the Hillsborough County woman accused of having sex with a student …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Mike Hoyem: Forged deed surfaces in Flagler County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office as ripoff of dead property owners continues …
WKMG TV-6, Orlando: Mother of 11th grader in Deland complains the book Cracking India is pornographic and should not be required reading for her daughter …

September 13, 2005

---

Tampa Tribune, by Thomas W. Krause: Court files in girl’s slaying are available online from the Hillsborough County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office …
Florida Times-Union, by Brad Schmidt: Clay County official used political clout to help official obtain records …
Palm Beach Post, by Larry Lipman: Local law enforcement agencies can check evacuees backgrounds using the FBI’s criminal database …
USA Today, by Sandy Grady: Time for U.S. Supreme Court reality TV …

September 10, 2005

---

Florida Times-Union editorial: City Council should heed the Sunshine Law regarding “informational” discussions …
*Orlando Sentinel, by Etan Horowitz: Sheriffs can screen evacuees’ histories using the FBIs closely-guarded national criminal-history database and fingerprinting catalog (*free registration required) …

September 8, 2005

---

Fort Myers News-Press, by Mary Wozniak: Federal judge considers request by News-Press, Pensacola News-Journal and Florida Today to obtain the names and addresses of people who received disaster aid from FEMA after four hurricanes hit Florida in 2004 …

September 7, 2005

---

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Laura Green: Online system in Sarasota County gives parents new access to school information about their child’s grades and attendance …
Daytona Beach News-Journal, by Jay Stapleton: Appeals court says rights of Muslim woman who wanted to wear a veil for her driver’s license photo were not violated and that she must follow the state’s law on full-face photos …
St. Petersburg Times, by Melanie Ave: Veterans group denied access to schools in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties …

September 6, 2005

---

South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Missy Stoddard: Palm Beach County traffic and criminal court records are coming online soon …
Pensacola News Journal, by Michael Stewart: School officials in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties struggle to meet requirements of new background check laws …
Associated Press, by Joe Danborn: Proving identity without documents another challenge of hurricane recovery …

September 4, 2005

---

Palm Beach Post editorial: State must get records online despite the problems …
*St. Augustine Record, by Susan Parker: St. Augustine records spent time in the Midwest (*free registration required) .…
Lakeland Ledger, by Julie Crouse: Lunsford Act requiring background checks will be expensive and will cost some workers their jobs …
*Naples Daily News, by Deirdre Conner: Abiding by new sexual offender law is proving daunting to Florida school districts (*free registration required) …
*Naples Daily News, by Anne Marie Apollo: Lee County school district weeks behind on complying with new background checks law (*free registration required) …