Virginia Coalition for Open Government bestows open government awards

in citizen, media and government categories

Carol Lindstrom is this year’s recipient of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government’s Laurence E. Richardson award for individual citizen contributions to open government. The award honors the memory of a longtime Charlottesville broadcaster and VCOG founding director and will be presented the first day of VCOG’s annual conference, Oct. 15, at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton.

Because the Christiansburg town government had no Web site, Lindstrom, with no prior technical experience, created one herself. Spending more than $1,000 of her own money, she obtained documents through FOIA, scanned them digitally and posted them to her Web site. Even after the town eventually created its own Web site,

When it comes to understanding both the letter and the spirit of Virginia's Freedom of Information law, John Edwards, editor/publisher of The Times of Smithfield is one of the state's best. So, it is of little surprise that he would have something to say about a couple of FOIA fights brewing in his home-county of Isle of Wight. Rather than explain the scenarios, or John's argument for why certain things are required by FOIA and certain things are not, I'll let John say it for himself. The following is an editorial he wrote for the Sept. 30 issue of The Times.

Take it away, John!

This day in 1996: President Bill Clinton signs amendments to the Freedom of Information Act that help usher in a new age of digital democracy. The new law requires the government to make electronic documents available online. http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/10/1002electronic-foia/

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A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Thursday ordered the Justice Department to release records of interviews with former Vice President Dick Cheney conducted during its investigation into the Valerie Plame leak. Judge Emmet Sullivan rejected the DOJ's argument that releasing the interviews would have a chilling effect on future investigations involving White House officials. He found that the government had failed to show that "specific ongoing or reasonably anticipated law enforcement proceedings" would be impacted. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202434234691

A Wisconsin lawmaker has proposed a bill to restrict information in Wisconsin's online court records.  Wisconsin Circuit Court Access offers free access to the state's criminal and civil case filings. Rep. Marlin Schneider, a Wisconsin Rapids Democrat, says employers use the site to screen hires and neighbors use it to snoop.  Under his bill, WCCA would show information only if the case features a conviction or finding of civil liability.  Judges, police, attorneys and reporters would retain free access. Anyone else would have to pay $10 annually and register with the state courts director to use the site. The director also would track searches each visitor runs.  The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council calls the bill unnecessary and overreaching. (entire item)

Del. Steve Landes said Thursday that he rejected a debate co-sponsored by WHSV Television 3 and The News Leader because of concerns of editorial fairness by The News Leader. http://www2.newsvirginian.com/wnv/news/state_regional/state_regional_govtpolitics/article/landes_rebuffs_debate_request/46504/