The Iowa Freedom of Information Council recently honored two Iowa newspaper editors with the council’s Harrison “Skip” Weber Friend of the First Amendment award. Steve Delaney of the Burlington Hawk Eye and Art Cullen of the Storm Lake Times were … Continue Reading
The following column appeared in the Bloomfield Democrat on Sept. 28, 2016. The author is Randy Evans, the executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. The events of the past couple of weeks once again have shined … Continue Reading
This column by Stephen Voyce, an English professor at the University of Iowa, was published by The Des Moines Register on Oct. 13, 2016. It was about a year ago I began submitting open records requests in response to the … Continue Reading
Another Iowa newspaper was informed last week that it must stop publishing lists of marriage licenses issued in that county. At least a half dozen newspapers across the state have been told that their long-standing practice of printing lists of … Continue Reading
An Iowa native who is an open-government adviser to the White House will be the guest speaker on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the fourth annual IowaWatch banquet. The event will be held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Des Moines … Continue Reading
The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday adopted amendments to its rules for expanded news media coverage of the state’s courts. The amendments clarify the rules implemented on May 1, 2014 when the Supreme Court made the most sweeping changes since … Continue Reading
The following column appeared last week in the Bloomfield Democrat. The author is Randy Evans, the executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council and a retired Des Moines Register reporter and editor. Evans writes a weekly column for … Continue Reading
Reporting by the Associated Press’ Ryan Foley has once again brought public attention to the troubling secrecy within the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The latest example is the dismissal of an Iowa State Patrol supervisor, Sgt. Michael Haugen of … Continue Reading
Keith Luchtel, a longtime advocate for government transparency, was appointed to the Iowa Public Information Board today by Gov. Terry Branstad. Branstad also named Luchtel the governor’s special advisor for government transparency in the Branstad administration. The position is a … Continue Reading
This editorial appeared in The Des Moines Register on May 22, 2016. The Iowa Freedom of Information Council shares the Register’s concern over the secrecy that Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino has thrown up over the Internal Revenue Service’s objections … Continue Reading