"[Engaging with Scans America] should make it easier for the EDA to fulfill requests it receives through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act."
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Former Abingdon Attorney Deborah Coffey Icenhour has filed a federal lawsuit against the town, claiming defamation for statements made by Vice Mayor Cindy Patterson in 2017, as well as discrimination by the town. Icenhour was hired as assistant town attorney in October 2007 and appointed town attorney in January 2009. She also served 10 years as the town’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) officer, according to the suit, and left her employment with the town by “constructive discharge” on or about July 14, 2018. Icenhour’s suit claims defamation by Patterson, who stated at a meeting of the Town Council on Sept 5, 2017, “There have been more FOIA requests in recent years because the citizens don’t trust the Town; they don’t trust the FOIA Officer. That’s obvious.”
Bristol Herald Courier
A $50 million gift made earlier this year to Virginia's largest public university was given specifically to "promote the conservative principles of governance," newly released documents show, raising concerns from critics that it compromises academic freedom at the school. George Mason University announced the gift earlier this year — the largest ever received in the school's history — from the estate of Allison and Dorothy Rouse to Mason's Antonin Scalia Law School. Documents obtained by the group UnKoch My Campus under the Freedom of Information Act and made public this week show that the Rouse trust specified its bequest be used "as an endowment to fund a chair or chairs that will promote the conservative principles of governance, statesmanship, high morals, civil and religious freedom and the study of the United States Constitution."
ABC News
When two Lynchburg police officers pleaded no contest earlier this year to illegally shooting an unarmed man in 2018, it marked the first criminal conviction of a Virginia officer charged with unlawfully shooting a civilian in nearly three years. But when Virginia State Police published its annual “Crime in Virginia” report this spring detailing crime trends in the previous year, the section listing officer-involved shootings made no mention of the Lynchburg case. Lynchburg police had failed to formally report the incident to the state, an oversight an LPD spokesperson later called a “clerical error.” The missing shooting is no anomaly. Since state police began collecting data on police shootings for public release in mid-2016, police departments and sheriff’s offices across Virginia have failed to report nearly 30% of all incidents, according to an analysis by The News & Advance of media reports, police records and court documents.
The News & Advance
Del. Dawn Adams, D-Richmond, on Friday responded to a lawsuit filed by a former aide, arguing in court that she doesn’t owe any damages while not denying she accessed the aide’s personal Facebook and Gmail accounts. Maureen Hains sued Adams last month, accusing the freshman lawmaker of “hacking” into her personal email records to delete files related to work Hains performed for Adams’ medical consulting business. Hains argued Adams violated state and federal privacy and computer fraud laws and is seeking $550,000 in damages.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority took more steps Friday to change how it runs and to improve transparency. The authority’s Board of Directors voted at a special meeting on several measures to create new rules and procedures as it moves forward through the agency’s legal and financial situation. Measures also sought to increase transparency. The board voted unanimously to spend $7,365 for professional services provided by Scans America. The authority plans to employ the firm to scan documents to more easily fulfill requests for information. The action should make it easier for the EDA to fulfill requests it receives through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
The Northern Virginia Daily
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