Transparency News, 6/24/21

The FOIA Council subcommittee on meetings will meet today at 1 p.m.
Tune in here

The link entry says 12 p.m., but the agenda clearly states 1 p.m.

 

A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a ruling dismissing a defamation lawsuit filed by Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax after CBS News broadcast interviews with two women who accused him of sexual assault. In its ruling, a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that because Fairfax is a public official, he can seek redress for any alleged defamatory statements only if CBS published them with “actual malice,” meaning “with the knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.” The judges said Fairfax had not shown that. “Fairfax vigorously disputes the accusations made by Tyson and Watson, and we express no opinion on the truth or falsity of their claims. But even accepting Fairfax’s version of events, he has alleged nothing to suggest that CBS reported the women’s stories with knowledge or reckless disregard of their falsity," Judge Allison Jones Rushing wrote in the 3-0 ruling.
WTVR

 

An investigation by the Office of the State Inspector General has led to the arrest of a retired compliance supervisor for the Virginia Department of Taxation who is accused of embezzling nearly $1.3 million in public funds. The allegations centered on two taxation employees who allegedly gave Anderson access to the department’s computer systems and “confidential taxpayer accounts,” OSIG said. Specifics about how the funds were misappropriated were not disclosed. The offense date listed in electronic court records is March 1, 2013.
Richmond Times-Dispatch

 

The Lynchburg Police Department has gone live with a one-stop website for department information and crime data, including new publicly displayed numbers on officer uses of force and complaints. Chief Ryan Zuidema announced work on the website to Lynchburg City Council in February, which stemmed in part from citizen feedback to the department following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.
News & Advance

 

The repercussions are still being felt from a contentious Loudoun County school board meeting that has left some residents fuming and others fearful on both sides of a bitter debate. Anger and frustration boiled over at the Tuesday meeting where a full house of parents, students and other residents grew increasingly rancorous during a public comment session on the district’s transgender rights policy and racial equity plans. 
The Washington Post

 

The Appomattox County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator Susan Adams on Monday responded to comments Appomattox Town Council members made in their meeting last week. Given the tensions between the two groups and perhaps members who do not all know each other, Adams suggested a joint picnic and informal work session to build understanding and cooperation between the two groups.
Times Virginian