A group of student auditors asked a dozen localities for public information. The responses clarify where local government deserves credit for transparency and where it falls short of its responsibilities as keepers of the people’s information, as well as how local governments understand and execute their responsibilities under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Jeff Schwaner
Posted inOpinion
Sunshine week: a look behind the curtain
Reporters (and editors like me) are always talking about the hundreds and thousands of pages of public documents that led to a break in the story. So what do we really do with all that stuff?
Posted inWeather
They saw the Flood of ’85
Area residents share glimpses of the flood, in their own words.
Posted inLocal
Bringing accurate local reporting and storytelling to Lynchburg
A classic “everything went wrong” story told me all I needed to know about the quality of reporting Emma Malinak will bring to Lynchburg.
Posted inRedbird
How local police are using LPR surveillance cameras
Nearly 25% of LPR searches from one police department’s audit used “Other” as the reason to access data from over 10,000 cameras.
Posted inOpinion
I drove 300 miles in rural Virginia, then asked police to send me their public surveillance footage of my car. Here’s what I learned.
Anyone might wonder how often they are caught on police cameras that operate 24/7. I spent a day driving, and over a month trying to get the answer.
Posted inRedbird
State of Surveillance: Everyone’s watching
Chances are you’ve been recorded on video thousands of times by dozens if not hundreds of law enforcement surveillance cameras. What information do they capture? Who can see it? What can it be used for?