Transparency News 8/2/16
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
State and Local Stories
After nearly eight months of tension between the Front Royal Police Department and local government regarding surveillance cameras that were removed from the downtown area, the Front Royal Town Council has officially decided to replace them. But councilman Bebhinn Egger said putting up cameras in downtown Front Royal is a non-issue. "I felt pretty strongly that this was a waste of council's time and a waste of council's money." Police declined to comment on Monday, but on two other occasions told WHAG that the cameras' footage was meant to help with criminal investigations. But Egger believes the cameras downtown compromise privacy, because he said the video footage can be requested via a Freedom of Information, or "FOIA" request. "That means any citizen can submit a FOIA request and receive the video footage, that means anyone can be watching the video footage." But is there really a high chance of just anyone submitting a FOIA request for that video?WHAG
The Fairfax County Police Department denied The Star’s Freedom of Information Act request seeking personnel records of one of its retired officers who allegedly shot and killed his brother July 25 before committing suicide. According to a written response dated Friday, the personnel files, in this case those of 2nd Lt. Mark Ellis Waring, are exempt from disclosure under state code. Administrative investigations, such as mental evaluations and disciplinary actions, are also exempt, according to the response. A news release issued Wednesday by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office indicated the retired officer, Mark Waring, 50, of Boyce, shot his brother Timothy Kurt Waring, 46, at the latter’s home in the 300 block of Berrys Ferry Road.
Winchester Star
National Stories
Club-goers trapped in Orlando’s Pulse nightclub during last month’s late night massacre could send text messages pleading for loved ones to call 911. But the victims couldn’t send texts directly to emergency dispatchers. Like most 911 systems in the U.S., Orlando’s emergency communication center cannot receive text messages, photos or videos. Nor can most 911 systems tap into other mobile device features, like detailed location services. Texting 911 could be valuable in emergencies like the Orlando shooting or a domestic violence incident, where it is unsafe to make any noise let alone talk out loud about the danger at hand. And sending text messages to 911 could allow people who are deaf or have speech impairments to communicate without other special devices.
Governing
The former general counsel for the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada must stop destroying digital evidence related to a fraud complaint, a federal judge ordered Wednesday. Court findings indicate Las Vegas-based tech firm Switch in June became aware defendant attorney Carolyn "Lina" Tanner published online and social media posts under the pseudonyms DixieRaeSparx, #DixieRaeSparx or @DixieRaeSparx. The posts were about Switch's application before the commission to stop buying power from Nevada Power dba NV Energy and buy it on the open market. U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan said Tanner worked for the commission as its general counsel for more than three years, and her duties included "ensuring the propriety and legality of commission activities and proceedings," until she "promptly resigned" on June 16.
Courthouse News Service
Asking by telephone and email for agencies’ reports on transparency, as part of a test of District of Columbia agencies’ public service, the D.C. Auditor found worse knowledge and courtesy than in a raft of other tests (such as calling to learn about a benefit or have a pothole patched). The Auditor’s June 27 report called the results ”not encouraging.” The reports, required annually by Mayor’s Order 2014-170, dated July 21, 2014, were compiled by D.C. agencies on data transparency, FOIAXpress (public portal and reading room), public engagement and collaboration and more, and submitted first in fall 2014. The mayor in January announced the revival of an Open Government Advisory Group that received the 2014 reports. The group, with new agency and public members, has yet to begin work.
D.C. Open Government Coalition
Editorials/Columns
[At UVA], we have approved and implemented a program, Affordable Excellence, to ensure that tuition increases, when necessary, are predictable and minimal, while dramatically reducing the amount of student debt facing Virginia families. Middle class Virginia families directly benefit from this relief as do those with high financial need. These efforts help Virginians; they provide more value to an education and they put our students in better positions to contribute to the Commonwealth and beyond. All of this, by the way, has occurred in the bright light of day, during meetings open to the public.
William Goodwin, Roanoke Times
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