Jim Hemphill

Abbott withholding records with Paxton’s blessing

2015-08-26T15:08:38-05:00

By Jay Root The Texas Tribune Originally published Aug. 25, 2015 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently added his voice to the Republican uproar over Hillary Clinton’s email scandal, congratulating a GOP presidential hopeful for saying foreign countries know more about her electronic communications than the U.S. Congress does. But Abbott, too, often uses a private email address for official government business, and in many years as a state elected official has often decided less is more when it comes to disclosing the communications. He has argued recently, for instance, that he is a "member of the public" in order to shield [...]

Abbott withholding records with Paxton’s blessing2015-08-26T15:08:38-05:00

Lubbock police: No more blanket policy on identifying officers in shootings

2014-10-27T15:05:50-05:00

By Gabriel Monte Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Originally published Oct. 25, 2014 In an effort to protect the safety of officers and their families, Lubbock Police Department officials are moving away from a blanket policy of identifying officers involved in a shooting. Greg Stevens, Lubbock police assistant chief, said the decision was made after asking police officials from other Texas cities about their policies regarding identifying officers. “The leading answer was: We don’t identify the officer unless there is wrongdoing on the officer’s part, and of course then they do,” he said. “And so with that, (Lubbock police) Chief (Roger) Ellis and I [...]

Lubbock police: No more blanket policy on identifying officers in shootings2014-10-27T15:05:50-05:00

Sunshine Week: The Eagle reports on Texas universities and open records

2014-03-20T18:44:02-05:00

By Allen Reed The Bryan-College Station Eagle Originally published March 18, 2014 It's Sunshine Week, so let's look at how many information requests were sent to the top universities in Texas last year and how many of those are referred to the Texas attorney general. In February, The Eagle asked the six university systems and their flagship institutions for “the number of information requests received during the 2013 calendar year and the number of those requests for which an attorney general ruling was sought.” Last year, for example, Texas A&M received about 890 open records requests and sent about 10 percent [...]

Sunshine Week: The Eagle reports on Texas universities and open records2014-03-20T18:44:02-05:00

West conducts ‘do-over’ in city administrator vote

2013-10-14T17:19:17-05:00

By TOMMY WITHERSPOON Waco Tribune-Herald Originally published Oct. 12, 2013 West City Council members have called a special meeting for Monday to hire a city administrator because their Oct. 1 vote did not comply with the Texas Open Meetings Act and is not valid. The council will meet at 5 p.m. Monday at West City Hall and is expected to vote — for a second time — to hire West native Shelly Nors as West’s first city administrator. The administrator, the city’s top position reporting to the council, will oversee 19 full-time city employees and focus on grant-writing, economic development and [...]

West conducts ‘do-over’ in city administrator vote2013-10-14T17:19:17-05:00

Victoria Advocate to file open records complaint against Calhoun County

2013-09-30T14:22:40-05:00

By Jessica Priest Victoria Advocate Originally published July 20, 2013  A month after Calhoun County ended a law suit with a former employee, it still refuses to release the terms of the settlement. The Victoria Advocate plans to file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s office seeking the terms under the Texas Public Information Act. The Advocate first requested the settlement agreement on June 18 to shed light on how a federal employment discrimination case between Precinct 2 Commissioner Vern Lyssy and his former employee Amanda Guillen was resolved, including the amount of the settlement. Guillen accused Lyssy of spying [...]

Victoria Advocate to file open records complaint against Calhoun County2013-09-30T14:22:40-05:00
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