Posts by cgordon1
FOI Council prevails in suit against sheriff
The Polk County Sheriff’s Department has agreed to release records in the fatal shooting of a Wisconsin motorist by a sheriff’s deputy. The county also agreed, going forward, that it would routinely release such records whenever its officers are involved in incidents that kill or seriously injure people. The agreement is in response to a…
Read MoreIowa newspapers work together to deliver the news
This month, a derecho caused significant damage to newspapers across the state. Jennifer Williams, publisher of The Madrid Register-News shares her experience and gratitude for Harlan Newspapers in helping them print their community paper. When the derecho storm passed through Madrid on Monday, Aug. 10, at approximately 11 a.m., we knew that an entire tree…
Read MoreTell the stories behind the statistics
By Jim Pumarlo Everyday news reports are filled with statistics as COVID-19 continues to dominate headlines. The number of individuals who have tested positive and those who have died of the coronavirus. Patients hospitalized and those in ICU. Confirmed cases broken down by gender, ethnicity and county of residence. The tally of businesses that have…
Read MoreSenator Charles Grassley Supports Need for Small Business Expense Protection Act, S 3612
The following legislative alert was sent by the National Newspaper Association on July 15, 2020. Community newspapers that received the Paycheck Protection Program loans urgently need to have S. 3612 included in McConnell’s proposal. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, are leading the way to get their bill included. Senate Majority Leader Mitch…
Read MoreWhite and privileged
Julie Gammack, guest columnist This column is free to publish in your publication. A woman I’ve known for decades called last week and said, “I need to process something. It’s not easy to talk about.” Now, there’s a conversation starter. She was referring to discomfort she was feeling to the Black Lives Matter movement. She,…
Read MoreState Fair meeting was affront to open government
Randy Evans, executive directorIowa Freedom of Information Council The decision last week to cancel the Iowa State Fair was a reminder of the seriousness of coronavirus and the consequences of many people’s anxiety about returning to activities that normally are an important part of Iowa life. But the State Fair’s decision also illuminated an embarrassing…
Read MoreNAM’s partners with Metro Creative Graphics to deliver a series of promotional messages
The following message was sent to NAM Members on Tuesday. All of our member newspapers are gearing up for the reopening of businesses shut down by the pandemic since March. It’s a great time to show the POWER OF NEWSPAPERS that are, we would all agree, the best investment an advertiser can make. NAM’s partnership…
Read MoreQ&A from the Iowa Public Information Board – May 2020
Did you know that the Iowa Public Information Board staff is available to assist you with questions or problems involving open meetings and public records in Iowa? During the month of May 2020, 58 contacts were made with the Iowa Public Information Board office. Question: Who is the custodian of public records? How do…
Read MorePublic needs to see for itself how police act
Randy Evans, Executive DirectorIowa Freedom of Information Council There’s a quiz today. How would the tragic death of George Floyd have been perceived if the encounter occurred on a deserted side street in the middle of the night, rather than on a busy street in a business area in broad daylight? How would our understanding…
Read MoreMore Iowa newsrooms earn Facebook journalism grants
Facebook has announced more than 200 news organizations will receive nearly $16 million in grants through the Facebook Journalism Project’s relief fund for local news. Three Iowa newspapers in Carroll, Cedar Rapids and Des Moines in total received over $200,000 in grants. Cedar Rapids Gazette and Iowa Starting Line were announced as recipients during the…
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