By Nate Sunderland The Post Register’s recent legal victory against Blackfoot School District 55 was a tribute to the strength of Idaho’s sunshine laws and transparency in government. At the heart of the story was a nearly $220,000 payout from District 55 to former Superintendent Scott Crane – a deal struck during an illegal executive session. While the discovery was satisfying; the victory wasn’t complete. In fact, the bigger truth was lost when the board, on the advice of its attorney and under threat of a lawsuit from the former … [Read more...]

By Betsy RussellIt’s been a good year for openness in government in Idaho. There are a lot of reasons for that, but I’d like to focus on four in particular, all four of which came out of – believe it or not – this year’s Idaho legislative session. The first one didn’t start off like something good. The state Department of Administration proposed legislation to make all surveillance video exempt from the Idaho public records law. This happened just after a shot from a surveillance video at the state Capitol – of an armed man rifling through … [Read more...]

By John Miller There’s a new education news website in the Idaho Capitol this year, but the reporters who are writing about disputes over the education budget, new teacher contract laws and additional funding for charter schools are all familiar faces. Idaho Education News includes Clark Corbin, the former legislative reporter at the Idaho Falls Post-Register, and Kevin Richert, the longtime editorial page editor for the Idaho Statesman in Boise. The website, breathed into life following voters' defeat of public schools chief … [Read more...]

By Brian Kane In December, Judge David Nye handed down a decision in a public records case.  Based on this analysis, there are several instructive points for the press and public as they engage in governmental oversight.  This case is particularly instructive because Judge Nye expressly acknowledges, “Yet, everything about this case smacks of a public agency trying to hide its decision-making from the public.” First, don’t just rattle your saber.  Once Joyce Bingham made her request and it was denied, she hired an attorney.  This … [Read more...]

By Joan Cartan-Hansen Whether you are a journalist, a public official or a private citizen, you have rights and responsibilities under Idaho’s Open Meeting and Public Records laws. Now it is easier to find out what to do if you are denied a document or barred from a public meeting.  Idaho Public Television and Idahoans for Openness in Government have updated their award winning Open Idaho website to reflect recent changes in state statutes. On the Open Idaho website, you’ll find eight videos that go through the “dos … [Read more...]

IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE Business reporter Holly Beech is the reporter for Meridian Press, a new weekly newspaper that launched Jan. 25, 2013. Beech is a graduate of Northwest Nazarene University. Local Editor Charlotte Wiemerslage handles day-to-day news operations for the new product. Night Reporter Torrie Cope is the new business reporter after serving as night reporter for a year at the Nampa newspaper. Rebecca DeLeon, former editor in chief for The Arbiter at Boise State University and recent BSU graduate, is the new night reporter at … [Read more...]