(CalAware Weekly comprises this plus the two previous posts)
Open Government
Columnist: Openness Key Issue in Supervisor Race Los Angeles City Beat columnist Alan Mittelstaedt says that if Los Angeles County supervisorial contenders Bernard Parks and Mark Ridley-Thomas intend to run on a business-as-usual platform, with one favoring business and the other labor ever so slightly, they both deserve to lose. The battle should be about open government and who is committed to doing the peoples work in full view of, well, the people. . . The current supervisors, even the best ones . . . too often agree to do the peoples business in secret away from the people.
Code of Silence Led to Orange County Jail Scandal The Orange County Register reports that grand jury documents released this month in connection with the beating death of a jail inmate show the arrogance that kept a wall of secrecy firmly in place around the Sheriffs Departmenta wall that eventually crumbled under its own weight.
Public Information
Council Mum on City Managers Mystery Exit The Press-Enterprise in Riverside reports that some residents are outraged and demanding an investigation of the Hemet City Council’s continued refusal to explain reasons for the recent departure of former City Manager John Davidson after just 16 months in the job, at a total cost to the city of more than $330,000. At least one resident has told the council that he will ask the California attorney general’s office to investigate.
U.S. Islamic Group Fights Killer Bullet Privilege The Associated Press reports that an Islamic charity group in court in San Francisco is challenging the Bush administration’s record use of the state secrets privilege, dubbed a "killer bullet" because it would summarily end the groups challenge to the lawfulness of warrantless wiretapping. The Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation contends that wiretapping in 2004 was the basis on which the Treasury Department that same year formally labeled the group a terrorist organization.
Police Union Wants Accusing Councilmans E-mail The San Bernardino County Sun reports that the Colton Police Officers’ Association claims messages in Councilman Richard DeLaRosa’s city-issued e-mail account are being withheld following its official request for them, as well as a copy of an investigative report into allegations of misconduct by the former police association president, filed by DeLarosa last year but determined to be unfounded after an investigation. The association is considering filing a lawsuit against DeLaRosa.
Public Records Disclose . . .
new evidence that emergency crews were frozen with indecision while two divers drowned in the California aqueduct last year.
Free Speech
ACLU Says Student Anti-Gay Ideas Are Protected The American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties reports that it has filed an amicus brief in U.S. District Court in Harper v. Poway Unified School District, arguing that the anti-gay t-shirt worn by a student to protest the schools Day of Silence did not amount to harassment that the school was permitted to punish.
Parade Permit Laws Terms Held Unconstitutional The Metropolitan News Enterprise in Los Angeles reports that the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has held that Long Beachs parade permit ordinance violates the First Amendment to the extent that it:
- requires a special event permit for any event involving 75 or more persons if the event may require the provision of city public services in response thereto;
- requires 24 hours notice of a spontaneous event, that is, one that is held in response to a newsworthy event that occurred or was disclosed in the previous five days; and
- requires that event organizers grant the city a broadly worded hold-harmless and indemnification agreement; and
- grants officials unbridled discretion as to whether or not to waive permit fees and charges for city services.
Free Press
Facts, Photos Scarce As Rodeo Bull Jumps Fence When a one-ton bull vaulted an eight-foot arena barrier at the county fairgrounds and scattered the audience from its box seats, the press was there but . . . see if you can count the cringe moments for press rights.
Bill to Protect School Journalism Advisors Moves The California Newspaper Publishers Association reports http://www.cnpa.com/Leg/GA/legbul.htm that SB 1370, a measure that would protect high school and college journalism advisors from being disciplined or removed from their positions for refusing to censor stories published in student newspapers, was unanimously passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee and this week approved by the entire Senate on a vote of 35-2.
Open Meetings
County School Board Closed Session Challenged The Ventura County Star reports that county schools Superintendent Charles Weis, leaving in June for another job, said Wednesday that he suspects the county Board of Education might hold an illegal meeting next week so it can discuss the succession process behind closed doors. The Brown Act forbids a closed session discussion of an appointment to fill a vacancy in a normally elective office, as the Star points out in an editorial today.
