Access to Information

Topic: Access to Information


Civil rights attorney demands footage in fatal police chase, but city lawyer says none exists

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Civil rights attorney Ben Crump demanded Tuesday that police in a small town in Mississippi release camera footage of a chase that ended in the death of a Black teenager, but the city attorney said the police department does not use cameras. “I have been advised by the Chief that the […]

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Tennessee judge set to decide whether a Nashville school shooter’s journals are public records

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Whether the journals of a Nashville school shooter can be released to the public will go before a Tennessee judge on Tuesday after nearly a year of legal wrangling over who can participate in the case.  What started as a simple public records request has ballooned into a messy mix of […]

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Indiana limits abortion data for privacy under near-total ban, but some GOP candidates push back

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana allows so few abortions that health officials stopped releasing individual reports to protect patient privacy — a move some Republicans are now fighting to reverse.  The Republicans, including prominent candidates for office this year, want access to reports detailing each abortion still performed in the state. Advocates for abortion rights and […]

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Napanee appoints seventh acting fire chief in seven years

With both the Chief and Deputy Chief on leave, the Council of the Town of Greater Napanee unceremoniously appointed a new fire chief at a special meeting held on the morning of Monday, Apr. 15, 2024. At the meeting, Kenneth ‘Shawn’ Armstrong was appointed as acting Fire Chief for the Corporation of the Town of […]

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Government documents confirm coal lobbying on Rockies mining, show months of planning

Documents released under Alberta Freedom of Information laws confirm the United Conservative government was talking with the coal industry for years about relaxing a policy that protected the Rocky Mountains from open-pit mines.  The documents also show the province was talking about opening those landscapes to more development generally for at least seven months before […]

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Ontario may not meet LTC direct care target due to staff shortages: document

Difficulties hiring and retaining enough nurses and personal support workers for long-term care homes could mean the Ontario government may not meet its target for the amount of hands-on care residents receive, the minister responsible for the sector was warned. There is a “systemic shortage of nurses” across all sectors, according to a briefing document […]

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Judge orders Alberta to produce massive trove of coal documents after four-year fight

The Alberta government must produce thousands of documents on its attempts to encourage coal mining in the Rocky Mountains after a judge threw out a bid to block their release.  In denying the government’s request for a judicial review into an order to provide the documents, Justice Kent Teskey warned the province that courts take […]

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Burlington Mayor Responds After Strong Mayor Power Kerfuffle

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has delegated some of her “Strong Mayor” powers to city council after three councillors requested it. The motion was brought forward by Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith, Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan, and Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte, during a session of city council on March 19 and was amended […]

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Family opens up about tragic death of Oxford bus driver

It has been more than 10 months since East Zorra-Tavistock resident David Stewart died in a collision with an OPP cruiser driven by Det. Const. Steven Tourangeau.  The police officer also lost his life as a result of the collision, which took place on May 29 at the intersection of Oxford roads 33 and 59, […]

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Mali’s junta bans the media from reporting on political activities in a deepening crackdown

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — In a deepening crackdown, Mali’s ruling junta on Thursday banned the media from reporting on activities of political parties and associations, a day after suspending all political activities in the country until further notice.  The order, issued by Mali’s high authority for communication, was distributed on social media. The notice said […]

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Supreme Court won’t hear families’ years-long case over access to Bernardo documents

Canada’s top court says it won’t hear arguments about the release of prison and parole documents concerning serial killer Paul Bernardo.  The decision marks the end of a years-long battle to expose confidential information used to decide Bernardo’s prospects for parole.  Family members of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French have long sought the release of […]

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Florida GOP leader apologizes for trashing hotel room and says he’ll seek help for alcoholism

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — A leader of the Republican Party of Florida has apologized for being excessively drunk and urinating and vomiting all over his room at a hotel last week, saying he has been dealing with alcoholism and mental health issues. George Riley, executive director of the state GOP, said Tuesday that he was […]

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