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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

Attorney Joel White, former FOI Foundation president, remembered as strong advocate for press freedom, open government

FOIFT2018-09-06T23:08:20-05:00

First Amendment attorney Joel White, a former president of the FOI Foundation of Texas and longtime champion of open government, has passed away. White died July 21 in Cartagena, Colombia. He became ill during a trip, having suffered a perforated diverticulitis and septic shock, according to friends and his wife, Melinda Rainey. In his law practice in Austin, White represented news media clients in many types of cases including court access, open records, subpoenas and libel. He also represented clients in finance, energy, construction and manufacturing. He was board certified in civil appellate law and was named one of the best lawyers in [...]

Attorney Joel White, former FOI Foundation president, remembered as strong advocate for press freedom, open governmentFOIFT2018-09-06T23:08:20-05:00

Judge: Farenthold must testify in Open Meetings Act case

FOIFT2018-07-24T18:18:59-05:00

By Jessica Priest Victoria Advocate Originally published July 23, 2018 Former U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold will have to testify in a Texas Open Meetings Act lawsuit, a judge ruled Monday. And so will Farenthold’s boss, Calhoun Port Authority Director Charles Hausmann, as well as the man who directed Hausmann to hire him, the Calhoun Port Authority’s Board Chairman Randy Boyd. The Victoria Advocate sued the port earlier this year, seeking to nullify Farenthold’s hiring because the action was taken without proper public notice. Read the full story here.

Judge: Farenthold must testify in Open Meetings Act caseFOIFT2018-07-24T18:18:59-05:00

Phillips: Local newspapers help taxpayers as watchdogs on government

FOIFT2018-07-17T16:26:27-05:00

By Alberta Phillips Austin American-Statesman Originally published July 12, 2018 Daily newspapers long have been the barking – and oftentimes biting – watchdogs that keep the public informed about what their government is doing, be that rescuing people from massive flooding in Austin in 2015, or the mismanagement of $2 billion in contracts by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which came to light that same year. Find the full column here.

Phillips: Local newspapers help taxpayers as watchdogs on governmentFOIFT2018-07-17T16:26:27-05:00

Former Richardson ISD board member alleges board secretly deliberated before votes

FOIFT2018-07-10T14:52:09-05:00

By Nanette Light The Dallas Morning News Originally published July 9, 2018 A former Richardson ISD school board member has sued the school district and its board of trustees, alleging "continuous and systematic" violations of the state's open meetings law. David Tyson Jr. - a black businessman who has challenged the validity of the all-white board in the diverse district - said in the civil lawsuit that the school board has participated in a long-running practice of violating the state's open meetings laws. The result, he alleged, has been that votes are merely "rubber-stamp" formalities. Read the full story here.

Former Richardson ISD board member alleges board secretly deliberated before votesFOIFT2018-07-10T14:52:09-05:00

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