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HOT!: Catch the latest Florida open government news with The Florida Sunshine Review ...
Open records and meetings links, resources.
Many Web links are born to die. Even if that should happen with those below, this list can still be of value.
Obtain the story by trying the headline or keywords in a search engine for another link, check the online archives or back issues of the news organization involved, or use Lexis-Nexis or other commercial databases that might be available to you or through your local public library.
December 22, 2007
Florida Sunshine Review:
 Fort Myers News-Press editorial: News-Press receives $105,000 in attorneys fees relating to FEMA public records release …
*Fort Pierce Tribune, by Alexi Howk: Fort Pierce Mayor Bob Benton, two others accused of Sunshine Law violations (*free registration required) …
*Fort Pierce Tribune, by Alexi Howk:Sunshine Law allegations against Benton, others likely to be hard to prove, State Attorney’s Office says (*free registration required) …
*Naples Daily News, by Katherine Lewis: Former Collier County Schools Superintendent Ray Baker’s Sunshine Law lawsuit heads to court (*free registration required) …
December 18, 2007
Records home for the holidays:
Florida State University coaching contract: Scott Carter of The Tampa Tribune on the $2.5 million contract of Florida State University assistant football coach Jimbo Fisher, who would have to pay $2.5 million to take another coaching job or receive $2.5 million if he remains at FSU and isn’t offered the head coaching job by Jan. 9, 2011 ...
Ticket distribution records, invoices, guest lists: Beth Kormanik of The Florida Times-Union about how spotty record-keeping makes it hard to peg who is benefitting from the mayor and Jacksonville City Council’s use of taxpayer financed perks …
E-mails: S.V. Date of the Palm Beach Post on efforts by former top aide of Gov. Jeb Bush to undo court rulings that found vouchers unconstitutional …
Court records: Henry Pierson Curtis of the Orlando Sentinel about how Orange County Sheriff’s deputies were surprised to learn a man they arrested on gun and drug charges had obtained a state concealed weapons license despite having two prior drug convictions...
December 17, 2007
Florida Sunshine Review:
Tampa Tribune editorial: Gov. Crist shouldn’t let CSX Railroad derail open government …
St. Petersburg Times, by Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler: University of Florida clash pits free speech against faith …
Tampa Tribune editorial: Suppressing speech on campus hurts University of Florida’s prestige …
December 16, 2007
Florida child deaths skyrocket: Government reports can chronicle disturbing trends. A preliminary draft report from the Florida Child Death Review Committee reviewed by Rachel Myers of the Fort Myers News-Press indicates the “number of Florida children who died after suffering some form of abuse or neglect spiked 80 percent from 2005 to 2006." That translates into 170 children dead from verified abuse and neglect, up from 95 deaths the year before. Officials said part of the reason for the higher numbers is a change toward more accurate reporting. For instance, swimming pool deaths weren’t considered child abuse before but are now being factored in the statistics. A box with more statistics from the draft report accompanies the story.
December 15, 2007
Records in the round:
NASA e-mails: The Associated Press on NASA’s release of some saucy e-mails among more than 200 pages of messages relating to the criminal case against former astronaut Lisa Nowak and also involving astronaut William Oefelein and Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman …
Divorce records, police reports, school records: Stephen Thompson, Mike Wells and Mark Douglas of The Tampa Tribune/News Channel 8 on the slayings of two adults and two children and the father suspected of the killings who apparently shot himself …
Civic association letter: William Cooper Jr. of the Palm Beach Post about the Singer Island Civic Association writing State Rep. Carl Domino asking for the state to take over Riviera Beach city government ...
December 14, 2007
Records in the spotlight:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigative records: Lisa J. Huriash of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on former Parkland Mayor Robert Marks receiving almost $157,000 over four years from his business ties with the city's largest developer …
Grand jury report, police reports, court documents: Pat Gillespie of the Fort Myers News-Press about the defendants in the shooting death of NFL star Sean Taylor in Miami ...
Audit: Mark Hollis of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on an audit that gives the Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureaus mixed reviews on how it accounts for millions of dollars a year…
Indictments: John W. Allman and Elaine Silvestrini of The Tampa Tribune on 13 indictments in a Tampa housing fraud scheme, including a former Hillsborough County sheriff’s corporal and a former University of Florida football standout …
December 13, 2007
Florida Sunshine Review:
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Andy Reid: Everglades cleanup could dodge public records laws …
Palm Beach Post editorial:Curb SLAPP court harrassment of development critics …
Gainesville Sun, by Jack Stripling: State Attorney General Bill McCollum blasts University of Florida over free speech …
Tallahassee Democrat, by Bill Cotterell: Public records access takes leap into 21st century …
Tampa Bay Newspapers Beach Beacon, by Bob McClure: Former Reddington Beach Town commissioner Sam Maniotes awarded fees after winning a public records-related lawsuit against the city …
December 11, 2007
TiCo Air chairman: No response needed: Great to see more newspapers presenting public records in new ways to report stories. Sarah Okeson of Florida Today uses audio tapes and auditing records for this story about the chairman of the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority saying he didn’t plan to speak to a state investigator looking into authority spending and suggesting other board members do the same. The inspector general of the Florida Department of Transportation is investigating the authority after an audit found “that just $6,329 of a $1.7 million grant had been properly spent under plans to build a new terminal at Space Coast Regional Airport." The terminal has yet to be built, and audio tapes from an authority board meeting last month reveal chairman Jerry Sansom telling the board he didn’t plan to speak to an investigator from the FDOT. The story includes links to four related audio clips from that meeting, such as this one.
December 10, 2007
Florida Sunshine Review:
Sarasota Herald-Tribune editorial: State, google will make public records easier to find …
Daytona Beach News-Journal, by Mark Harper: Freedom of speech limited at University of Central Florida …
December 9, 2007
On the records radar:
State Board of Administration statistics: David DeCamp of the St. Petersburg Times on Pasco County impacts of having money tied up in a state-run investment pool that’s been in turmoil …
Lease documents: Matt Galnor of The Florida Times-Union about how more than half of the 70 associations and nonprofits coordinating activities out of Jacksonville recreation centers and parks are doing so without a required lease ...
Florida Auditor General’s audit: Angeline J. Taylor of the Tallahassee Democrat about Florida A&M University’s first positive audit in three years …
U.S. County criminal, jail records: *Henry Pierson Curtis of the Orlando Sentinel reveals that a man shot by an Orlando cop in Rosemont had been arrested by the same cop twice in the last year on charges of drug dealing and loitering (*free registration required)…
Civil lawsuit: Susannah Bryan of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel about a college student filing an invasion of privacy lawsuit against her former landlord, accusing him of having a hidden camera installed in her bedroom and spying on her ...
December 8, 2007
Florida Sunshine Review:
Tampa Bay 10, by Mike Deeson: Sunshine violation may have occurred at Devil Rays news conference …
Bradenton Herald, by Nicholas Azzara: Activist from First Amendment Foundation shines light on state Sunshine Law …
Palm Beach Post, by Larry Keller: Taunts prompt conservative columnist Ann Coulter to get address of her Palm Beach home removed from property appraiser’s records …
Palatka Daily News: Palatka city commissioners reverse stand, allow reporters in interviews …
DeLand-Deltona Beacon, by Pat Hatfield: DebaryPOP Web site by bloggers turned elected city officials will continue …
Naples Daily News editorial: State Attorney’s Office decision to file non-criminal charge of violating state’s open records law against Marco Island City Council member sends important message…
Palm Beach Post editorial: Crist opens up Florida with open government moves, including executive order on Open Government Bill of Rights …
Computerworld, by Linda Rosencrance: State of Florida, Google team up to make it easier to access government Web sites …
Lakeland Ledger editorial: Florida, Google deal should help untangle Florida’s Web …
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