Letter of charges released: Public records laws apply to state and local governments in Florida even when public officials prefer they didn’t. Anthony DeMatteo of the Palatka Daily News reports that city officials initially refused when the newspaper asked for a copy of a letter of no confidence signed by 17 members of the Palatka Fire Department alleging improper conduct by Palatka Fire Chief Ken Venables. The letter outlined accusations of improper conduct and dangerous firefighting practices against the chief, who wrote a 7-page rebuttal memo to the city manager in response. Among other things, the letter accused the chief of putting firefighters in danger during fires and worsened damage to structures. Venables refuted the accusations in explaining the reasons for his actions at each fire scene “The city made the letter public Friday after the Daily News’ requested in writing Thursday that the city provide the letter or cite a specific exemption under Florida public records laws. A verbal request for the letter was denied Wednesday when city officials said it was part of an active investigation,” the story said. Public records in Florida are open unless a specific provision in the law applies to them, and officials who refuse documents must cite the exemption in writing if asked by someone requesting the information.

Reeling in the records:
Court records, medical examiner records: Valerie Kalfrin of The Tampa Tribune on the tragic end of a 6-month-old baby and his abuse before he died …
Teacher personnel file, court records, arrest records: Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler of the St. Petersburg Times on how a teacher’s past gives few clues to how she came to the point of being charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery after investigators say she recruited three men to attack her ex-boyfriend …
Sheriff’s office search warrants: Sylvia Lim of the Bradenton Herald about Manatee County sheriff’s deputies confiscating guns, ammunition, drugs and cash during three recent raids …

Florida Sunshine Review:
Suwannee Democrat: Official records at the Suwannee Clerk of Courts Office are now online …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Brian Haas: The family of a 23-year-old man killed by the Sunrise Police Department's SWAT team has filed a lawsuit saying the city broke public records laws by not turning over documents related to his death …
Lakeland Ledger, by Dana Wilhoit: Internet pornographer will avoid jail in plea deal …
*Naples Daily News, column by Phil Lewis: Supreme Court nominee Alito weighs in on the First Amendment (*free registration required) …

January 10, 2005

Florida Sunshine Review:
St. Petersburg Times, by Carrie Johnson: Open government experts fear that using e-mail and cell phones to conduct government business is diminishing public oversight …
Tallahassee Democrat, by Bill Cotterell: It’s odd that Gov. Jeb Bush’s administration seems blithely unconcerned about state personnel information that might be floating around cyberspace …
*Naples Daily News editorial: Student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University offers a lesson (*free registration required) …
*St. Augustine Record, by Peter Guinta: County code enforcement officer in St. Johns County takes offensive billboard against him in stride (*free registration required) …
St. Petersburg Times, by Philip Gailey: Noted journalist Martin Dyckman retires from the St. Petersburg Times …
*Fort Pierce Tribune editorial: Fort Pierce City Commission may take to cable TV (*free registration required) …

January 2, 2006

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Stranger than fiction: Public records can be quite entertaining. Really! Police reports obtained by Bridget Murphy, David C.L. Bauer and Ken Lewis of The Florida Times-Union prove that reality can be stranger than fiction and a lot more interesting. This story showcases oddities and weirdness from 2005 as reflected in police reports. Among the many highlights: a bleeding man who told Jacksonville police a tiger attacked him in a parking lot and a Halloween party guest wearing a beer-bottle cap belt and acting out the part of Belligerent Drunk Man with police. In another case, a man broke into someone’s place, dropped his cell phone and then was arrested later after he called it to arrange to have it picked up. The Times-Union lead-in on that one: “They had him at ‘hello.’ ” The public records handbook profiles arrest reports on Page 23 and police incident reports on Page 312.

More records in play:
National Vessel Documentation Center records: Brian P. Watson and Michelle L. Start of the Fort Myers News-Press on Fort Myers police efforts to locate the owner of a sunken sailboat that contained human bones in the cabin …
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report: Florida Today staff report on how cell phone using during driving is increasing – particularly among female drivers and those aged 16 to 24 – despite officials’ warnings it could lead to accidents …
Lawsuits: Christopher Sherman of the Orlando Sentinel on developers suing critics of developments alleging libel, conspiracy and interference in actions dubbed by some as a strategic lawsuits against public participation …