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Records obtained under Public Information Act show Calhoun Port commissioners spent 19K on trip to Chile

FOIFT2018-12-03T14:09:07-06:00

By Jessica Priest Victoria Advocate Originally published Dec. 1, 2018 The Calhoun Port Authority spent about $19,000 to send three board members and their wives to an October conference in Chile. By comparison, a similarly sized port 90 miles east along the Texas coast, Port Freeport, sent its port director and one board member to the international conference. The much-larger Port Houston sent no one to the same conference. The Calhoun Port Authority board members who attended – Randy L. Boyd, Dell R. Weathersby, and Shields A. “Tony” Holladay Sr. – have not shared with the public much of what they [...]

Records obtained under Public Information Act show Calhoun Port commissioners spent 19K on trip to ChileFOIFT2018-12-03T14:09:07-06:00

Statesman sues Department of Family and Protective Services over day care death records

FOIFT2018-11-30T16:05:23-06:00

By Sean Collins Walsh Austin American-Statesman Originally published Nov. 29, 2018 The Texas attorney general’s office has ruled that the Department of Family and Protective Services violated the state’s freedom-of-information law in its handling of a records request related to child deaths in day cares. The ruling comes after the American-Statesman in May requested the agency’s reports on deaths that occurred in Texas day cares over the past five years. The agency has maintained that state law requires it to keep the documents confidential. The newspaper and its parent company, GateHouse Media, in August filed suit in Travis County district court, [...]

Statesman sues Department of Family and Protective Services over day care death recordsFOIFT2018-11-30T16:05:23-06:00

Denied Evidence: KXAN examines denial of information in another death in police custody

FOIFT2018-11-20T18:37:05-06:00

By Josh Hinkle KXAN, Austin Originally published Nov. 19, 2018 Citing an obscure legal loophole, the Travis County Sheriff's Office blocked a grieving mother's request for evidence of how her 21-year-old son died in jail. Now, KXAN uncovers video and other records of the painful days leading up to his death and his interactions with jail staff in those final hours. The ongoing report has sparked a new investigation into the response to his medical needs and prompted a legislative effort to eliminate that loophole, as we reveal police agencies across Texas using it to keep details about dozens of other [...]

Denied Evidence: KXAN examines denial of information in another death in police custodyFOIFT2018-11-20T18:37:05-06:00

Daily Texan explores wait, costs involved in open records requests at UT-Austin

FOIFT2018-11-01T14:36:57-05:00

By Morgan O'Hanlon The Daily Texan Originally published Oct. 31. 2018 How many times have UT students appealed Title IX sanctions to the President’s Office? That’s the question former Daily Texanreporter Will Clark was trying to answer late last year as he reported the story “Presidential Power,” which explains UT President Gregory Fenves’ unique power as the final decision maker in appeals cases regarding student conduct. As part of his reporting, Clark, a radio-television-film junior, asked the University that question via an open records request, but the request was denied on basis that confidential student information could be released in the [...]

Daily Texan explores wait, costs involved in open records requests at UT-AustinFOIFT2018-11-01T14:36:57-05:00

Editorial: Anderson County sheriff should release medical records of inmate’s death to family

FOIFT2018-10-24T15:21:19-05:00

Palestine Herald-Press Editorial Originally published Oct. 19, 2018 Over the last two months, Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor has throttled every information source within reach that could shed light on prisoner Rhonda Newsome's death. Now, by withholding Newsome's medical records from her family, Taylor is not only stretching the limits of state public information laws to stiff the Herald-Press, but also ignoring federal regulations on the security of health information. He is becoming a law onto himself. On Oct. 4, Anderson County rejected a legally sound request from Newsome's son, Regan Kimbrough, for his mother's medical records during the three months [...]

Editorial: Anderson County sheriff should release medical records of inmate’s death to familyFOIFT2018-10-24T15:21:19-05:00

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