It’s Sunshine Week — the annual celebration of freedom of public information. Around the country, journalists, researchers, authors and citizens of many stripes are celebrating our collective right to know what government at all levels does. But at the local level, how much might be too much?
Tag: openness
Showing 1-20 of 20 results
Bill could expand access to N.C. public records
Legislation introduced yesterday in the N.C. General Assembly could make public records more accessible by allowing for recovery of attorney’s fees in successful suits for disclosure.
Into the vault
For journalists, keeping government operations open to scrutiny—and keeping public records public—is a year-round endeavor. But once a year, during Sunshine Week (March 15 to 21), Mountain Xpress joins thousands of publications across the country in making a special push to promote official transparency. A year ago, we marked this nationwide celebration of freedom of […]
URTV board president muzzles board members on official station business
The URTV offices were dark and the doors locked at 8 a.m. on Feb. 9, making it unclear if a planned special meeting of the public-access channel’s Executive Committee was inside. URTV board President Jerry Young originally called the special closed session for Feb. 6, without disclosing the topic. But in a Feb. 4 e-mail […]
URTV Board President calls executive meeting, issues “information protocols”
URTV has called an executive session of its executive committee for Monday, Feb. 9. The topic has not been disclosed. Also, URTV Board President Jerry Young has sent out a note on “information protocol” for board members of the public-access station speaking to the press.
Into the Vault: What’s new in The Xpress Files
Now online: URTV management agreements; the Downtown Master Plan draft; more CTS of Asheville documents; state water-quality document on The Cliffs at High Carolina; A-B Tech president’s resignation letter; and local students’ letters to Obama.
Controversies continue over URTV transparency
While a recent release asserted that URTV follows open-meetings law, a video has surfaced with statements made by Executive Director Pat Garlinghouse at the public-access channel’s last board meeting that misrepresent that law, according a North Carolina Press Association attorney—and some board members claim they were not consulted in a press release that claimed to […]
Controversies continue over URTV transparency
While a recent release asserted that URTV follows open-meetings law, a video has surfaced with statements made by Executive Director Pat Garlinghouse at the public-access channel’s last board meeting that misrepresent that law, according a North Carolina Press Association attorney — and some board members say they were not consulted in a press release that claimed to speak on their behalf.
URTV will change oath
A controversial oath administered to URTV board members at their last meeting will be “clarified” to address concerns about a confidentiality clause, a press release from the public access channel announced Wednesday.
URTV oath sparks criticism
A confidentiality clause in an oath administered to members of public-access channel URTV‘s board at their last meeting has sparked criticism — and Buncombe County’s attorney’s office is looking into whether the vow is in line with the state’s open-meetings law.
Into the Vault: What’s new in The Xpress Files
Now online: more Parkside documents, Camp Summerlane records, the N.C. vs. TVA lawsuit, and more.
Into the Vault: What’s new in the Xpress Files
Now online: A new staff report on Asheville City Council’s Strategic Plan, the city’s new digital-billboard regulations and its latest financial report, excerpts from the UDO “book of interpretations,” and the first annual report from Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan
Into the Vault: What’s new in the Xpress Files
Now online: The recently released federal evidence list for former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford’s upcoming trial, and Asheville city documents on touchy topics — from downtown-towing rules to the possible sale of city-owned properties to traffic-calming around Greenlife Grocery
Into the Vault: What’s new in The Xpress Files
Now online: a stormwater-ordinance update listing who’s been fined for violations in Asheville; a report on the need to streamline the city’s uber-complicated development regs; a complete inventory of the events the city will co-sponsor this year (to the tune of $245,000); and a critical survey of taser use by law enforcement across the state.
Into the Vault: What’s new in The Xpress Files
Now online: a sometimes-controversial U.S. Census survey, Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy’s comments in meeting notes from the state’s 21st Century Transportation Committee, Buncombe’s “blueprint for the future,” the Pritchard Park Committee’s recommendations for the downtown-Asheville gathering place, and more.
Into the Vault: What’s new in The Xpress Files
Now online: a sometimes-controversial U.S. Census survey, Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy’s comments in meeting notes from the state’s 21st Century Transportation Committee, Buncombe’s ” title=”Pritchard Park Committee’s recommendations”>Pritchard Park Committee’s recommendations for the downtown-Asheville gathering place, and more.
Into the Vault: What’s new in The Xpress Files
Now online: documents on water quality, homelessness in Asheville, Buncombe’s aging population, local child-protection efforts
Into the Vault: What’s new in The Xpress Files
Now online: Asheville’s parking mega-study, MAIN’s Wi-Fi proposal, Tree Commission tries to save a tree, the law on development moratoriums, and more
The Xpress Files
Spend 14 years in the newspaper business, as Xpress has, and the paper starts to pile up. Over time, our reporters have collected mountains of memos, reams of reports, and enough official studies to keep a paper shredder humming 24/7. And don’t even get us started about the megabytes of e-mail correspondence clogging our hard […]
Secrecy nation
Many critics have argued that secrecy, at the federal level, has skyrocketed during the Bush administration. But what, exactly, does that mean? And how can citizens gauge the degree of secrecy their government practices? One relatively new measuring stick designed to answer both questions is OpenTheGovernment.org, a broad, Web-based coalition of public-interest and professional organizations […]