Many Web links are born to die. Even if that should happen with those below, this list can still be of value.

Use it to help locate important stories about freedom of information in Florida and sometimes elsewhere. Obtain the story through the archives or back issues of the news organization involved, try the headline or keywords in a search engine for another link, or use Lexis-Nexis or other databases that might be available to you or through your local library.

March 31, 2004

Associated Press, by Gina Holland: Shades of Florida’s Earnhardt case: U.S. Supreme Court denies access to Vince Foster death photos …
Naples Daily News, by Marci Elliott: Journalists condemn teacher’s removal of Lely High School student’s newspaper column …
Leesburg Daily Commerical, by Jacob Ogles: Jeb: Government must be more accessible …

March 30, 2004

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Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Robert Patrick: Businesses and media groups ask the Florida Supreme Court to restore access to online records while a committee debates privacy issues …
Palm Beach Post, by Kelly Wolfe: St. Lucie County clerk gets more heat for handling of records and affairs in her office …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Lee Melsek: Motions filed against closing proceedings, records in Lee County School Board case …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Jennifer Peltz: State takes aim at reducing student ID theft …

March 29, 2004

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Naples Daily News, by Chris W. Colby: FOX affiliate apologizes for reporting rape victim's name …
Fort Pierce Tribune editorial: NRA gun bill harmful to law efforts …
St. Petersburg Times editorial: NRA calls the shots …
Naples Daily News, column by Editor Phil Lewis: Gun bill joins a long list of dubious laws …
Naples Daily News, by Larry Hannan: Lawsuit against property appraiser could set precedent in GIS cases …
Lakeland Ledger editorial: Partisan secrecy? …
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah), by Kristen Stewart: Walker pounds final nail into MATRIX database coffin …

March 26, 2004

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Vero Beach Press-Journal, by Katie Campbell: Judge sides with patients’ objections to open records …
St. Petersburg Times, by Jennifer Liberto: Senate approves two gun measures, including one that would eliminate government gun databases …
Fort Pierce Tribune, by Jason Geary: A leaky roof is threatening public records stored at the 1950s-era library in Fort Pierce …
Palm Beach Post, by Susan Spencer-Wendel: Court date awaits Limbaugh, prosecutors …
Palm Beach Post, by Jeff Ostrowski: BankAtlantic ends investment in Florida firm that developed MATRIX anti-crime database…
Salt Lake Tribune (Utah), by Kristen Stewart: Utah pulls its plug on MATRIX database …

March 25, 2004

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Miami Herald, by Marc Caputo: Gun records bill gains in Senate …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Jason Garcia: State Senate approves pair of controversial gun bills …
Florida Times-Union, by J. Taylor Rushing: Senate boosts gun records bill to limit police access to data …
Stuart News editorial: Kill the NRA’s bill on gun records …
Florida Today editorial: Governor must reject the proposal to keep gun ownership secret …
*Orlando Sentinel editorial: Three Central Florida Republicans who appreciate the value government in the sunshine (*free registration required) …
St. Petersburg Times, by Jeffrey S. Solochek: New rules set up for comments at Hernando County School Board meetings …
Hernando Today, by Deborah Bacon: Attorney: School board can't probe complaints by parents and school employees against the school district …
Pensacola News Journal, by Steve Mraz: A grand jury likely will determine if a task force initiated by Escambia County Commissioner Janice Gilley violated Florida's open meetings law …
Tampa Tribune, by Ted Byrd and Andy Reid: Incoming city attorney faces public records issues …

March 24, 2004

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*Orlando Sentinel, by Bob Mahlburg: House rejects "Sunshine" law attack (*free registration required) …
The Associated Press: Secrecy proposal fails in the House …
Naples Daily News, Dave Breitenstein: Lee County School Board members have not used their cell phones to send text messages to one another, but members do frequently contact each other via cell phones ...
Fort Myers News-Press editorial: Public lawsuits are always a public matter …
St. Petersburg Times, by Bill Varian: Records seized from Hillsborough Water Department as part of emergency probe of alleged corruption …
Vero Beach Press- Journal, by Katie Campbell: Parents object to review of records in probe of doctor …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Paula McMahon: New BSO policy fails to address misclassification of cases …
WCJB TV 20 News, Gainesville, by Tera Williams: Alachua County commissioner says Gainesville Sun is persuading, not informing …
St. Petersburg Times editorial: Justice Department uses intimidation tactics in subpoena of abortion medical records …
Naples Daily News, by columnist Brent Batten: Decency, not free speech at issue in radio debate …

March 23, 2004

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Fort Myers News-Press, by Lee Melsek: Officials want depositions closed in Sunshine Law case …
Florida Today, by Scott Blake: ACLU to investigate jail investigative panel …
The Associated Press: A judge will announce this week whether two alleged confessions from a 14-year-old boy charged with killing a classmate can be released to the public …
Naples Daily News editorial: Iraqi war protest … free speech on the beach …
Orlando Business Journal, by staff: Gallagher promotes ID theft prevention legislation …

March 22, 2004

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St. Petersburg Times, by Tom Zucco: Background check kits worry some …
*Gainesville Sun, by columnists Cindy Swirko and Ashley Rowland: Public business should be done in public place (*free registration required) …
Florida Times-Union, by Rachel Davis: Nifty gadget or voyeurism tool? Legislature works on banning cell phone cameras in private areas …
Jacksonville Business Journal, by Tony Quesada: Bill proposes secrecy for BRAC council …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Mark Krzos: Public information is becoming harder to obtain by the public …
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Victor Hull: Gun bill’s purpose a matter of debate …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Lee Melsek: Ex-schools auditor stands behind allegations involving Lee County School Board …
Fort Myers News-Press editorial: Lawsuit raises questions about Florida’s public meetings law …
Tallahassee Democrat editorial: Crist is right about the Florida Public Service Commission and public records …
The Record-Journal (Connecticut), by Paul Hughes: MATRIX database is raising concerns …

March 19, 2004

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Peter Franceschina: Limbaugh defense cites his privacy …
St. Petersburg Times, by Carrie Johnson: Concert cursing fee: $500 a word …
Leesburg Daily Commercial, by Stephanie N. Henschel: Smile – you could be on the city of Leesburg’s Web site through its Web cam …
Naples Daily News, by Kristen Zambo: Cyber security seminar offers tips to keep computers safe …
CNN.com: Limbaugh challenges seizure of medical records …

Today, March 19, 2004

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Peter Franceschina: Limbaugh defense cites his privacy …
St. Petersburg Times, by Carrie Johnson: Concert cursing fee: $500 a word …
Leesburg Daily Commercial, by Stephanie N. Henschel: Smile – you could be on the city of Leesburg’s Web site through its Web cam …
Naples Daily News, by Kristen Zambo: Cyber security seminar offers tips to keep computers safe …
CNN.com: Limbaugh challenges seizure of medical records …

March 18, 2004

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St. Petersburg Times, by Molly Moorhead: Dade City Commissioner Lowell Harris says his conversation with Dade City's mayor about the former city manager may have violated state law …
Tallahassee Democrat: Florida leaders want telephone companies to voluntarily release documents used by the state Public Service Commission in granting a $355 million local phone-rate increase …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Jennifer Booth Reed: Former school superintendent files a lawsuit against four of five Lee County school board members, saying they violated state Sunshine and public records laws. …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by The Associated Press: Crist wants phone-rate data open to the public …
Tallahassee Democrat, staff and wire reports: State fights identity theft with new licenses …
Palm Beach Post, by Kristi Swartz: Attorney general wants public to see numbers on phone hike … …
Naples Daily News, by Dave Breitenstein: Lee School Board welcomes state investigator, considers options …
WBBH TV-2, Fort Myers-Cape Coral, by Jessica Ritter: Lee School board members call for grand jury investigation of themselves …
ABC 7, Fort Myers: Florida driver licenses get major makeover …
WCJB TV-20, Gainesville, by Sarah Williamson: New computers help Gainesville Police Department officers obtain more information …
Desert Morning News (Salt Lake City, Utah), by Josh Loftin: Utah law enforcement officials defend MATRIX anti-crime database …

March 17, 2004

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WCJB-TV 20, Gainesville, by Mike Price: A set of internet attacks are forcing the Marion County Sheriff's Office to change the way it releases jail records …
The Associated Press: Federal bill would help child protection workers search records from all 50 states …
St. Petersburg Times, by columnist Mary Jo Melone: Patriot Act throws book at our rights as readers …
Palm Beach Post, by Kathleen Chapman: State juvenile justice officials delayed reports of boy hurt at center…
Lakeland Ledger, staff report: Man charged in identity theft …
St. Petersburg Times, by David Karp: Hillsborough County Commission chairman wants prosecutors to investigate an allegation that the county’s bus agency withheld records from auditors … …
The Tampa Tribune, by Valerie Kalfrin: Common sense goes a long way in protecting your PC …

March 16, 2004

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Fort Myers News-Press, by Lee Melsek: State to examine sworn statements from Lee County School District’s ex-auditor alleging school board members routinely ignored Florida’s open meetings laws …
Naples Daily News, by Dave Breitenstein: Former Lee County schools auditor says board members plotted to oust superintendent behind closed doors and sidestepping public meetings law …
WBBH-TV 2, Fort Myers-Cape Coral, by Carson Chambers: Lee County School Board members deny allegations they used cell phones and e-mail to talk about public business out of the public eye …
Tallahassee Democrat, by Bill Cotterell: Porn filter bill regarding public libraries wins support …
Bradenton Herald: Lawyer wants to block public from records and hearings of 14-year-old boy accused of murder in Miami …

March 15, 2004

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Fort Myers News-Press, by Lee Melsek: The Lee County School District’s former auditor says school board members ignored Florida’s open meetings laws …
Naples Daily News, by Paul Pfeifer: Florida Department of Law Enforcement to offer Internet protection seminars …
St. Petersburg Times, by Dave Gussow: Identity thieves hijack their victims’ lives …
Dayton (Ohio) Daily News: Florida database company developing multistate anti-crime database buys Ohio driver license information for $50,000 …
New York Times, by John Schwartz: Privacy fears erode support for a multistate network to fight crime…
WBBH-TV 2, Fort Myers-Cape Coral, by Carson Chambers: New technology replaces court reporters …

Sunshine Sunday, March 14, 2004

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Aside from sample stories posted here, read newspaper stories, editorials and cartoons from throughout Florida about the importance of open government meetings and records through the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors’ Web site …
Associated Press: Editorial roundup of Sunshine Sunday editorials …
Lakeland Ledger, by Lloyd Dunkelberger: More records now kept secret …
*Orlando Sentinel, by Bob Mahlburg: Bills to restrict access to public records flood Legislature despite “Sunshine” laws (*free registration required) …
Miami Herald, by Lesley Clark: Records closing on the rise …
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by Robert Patrick: Panel will debate Web access to public court documents …
Bradenton Herald, by Nevy Kaminski and Nick Mason: Newspapers aim to keep records public …
Naples Daily News editorial: Celebrating public access …
Daytona Beach News-Journal: Newspapers tout open government …
Lakeland Ledger, guest column by Barbara A. Petersen: Officials should commit to open government …
Lakeland Ledger editorial: Keeping Florida’s “Sunshine” legacy …
*Orlando Sentinel editorial: Attack goes on as lawmakers once again threaten citizen access to information (*free registration required) …
*Orlando Sentinel editorial: Florida should make front-line employees learn about open meetings and records laws (*free registration required) …
Sarasota Herald-Tribune editorial: Keep government open with eternal vigilance …
St. Petersburg Times, by columnist Howard Troxler: Government works hard to keep us in the dark …
St. Petersburg Times editorial: Sunshine Sunday …
Miami Herald editorial: Ban slush funds; keep access to public information…
Naples Daily News, column by Editor Phil Lewis: Sunshine Sunday is for all of us …
Daytona Beach News-Journal, by columnist Mark Lane: Accepting open government laws often takes a few stages …
Daytona Beach News-Journal, by columnist Pamela Hasterok: Open records are Florida treasures …
Daytona Beach News-Journal, by guest columnist Jon Kaney: Establish guidelines to limit exemptions …
Daytona Beach News-Journal, guest column by Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist: Historic Sunshine laws cherished by Floridians …
Daytona Beach News-Journal editorial: No place for secrecy in government …
Fort Myers News-Press editorial: Open government threatened …
Fort Myers News-Press editorial: Open records, laws can open doors for readers …
Fort Myers News-Press, column by Executive Editor Kate Marymont: Bullying tactic won’t slow us down …
Tallahassee Democrat editorial: Open government sets Florida apart …
The Associated Press: Ohio sold records to Florida anti-terror database company for $50,000 …

March 13, 2004

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*Orlando Sentinel, by Jim Stratton: Former expressway chief Harold W. "Hal" Worrall is charged with falsifying public records and obstructing inspection of a public record in connection with the scandal that led to his resignation last month (*free registration required) …
Associated Press, by Brendan Farrington: Newspapers’ effort makes public aware of open records laws …

March 12, 2004

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Editor and Publisher, by Mark Fitzgerald: Florida lets the sun shine this Sunday with Sunshine Sunday …
*Orlando Sentinel, by Scott Powers: Police say erased tape is a crime (*free registration required) …
WJCB TV News 20, Gainesville, by Ray Miley: DCF opens Simmons files …
*Orlando Sentinel, by Sherri M. Owens: Files on dead infant tell how parents fled (*free registration required) …
St. Petersburg Times, by Eric Deggans: Off the air, Bubba goes online …
Tallahassee Democrat, by Diana Hirth: Bill calls for drug database …
Associated Press, by Patty Henetz: Matrix crime database threatened by states’ withdrawal, document …
Associated Press, by Mark Johnson: New York, Wisconsin drop out of multi-state database program involving Florida and developed by a Florida company …

March 11, 2004

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St. Petersburg Times editorial: Fired Department of Education employee saw colleague altering public records to enable the agency to lie about whether documents requested by a newspaper previously existed …
Miami Herald, by Carol Marbin Miller and Marc Caputo: Worker: Guards falsified report on inmate’s attempted suicide …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by columnist Howard Goodman: Limbaugh is hardly getting the bum’s rush …
*Orlando Sentinel, by Scott Powers: Ex-agency official in Orlando still faces possible criminal charges if he broke state public-records laws by ordering an assistant to erase that tape (*free registration required) …
WBBH TV 2, Fort Myers-Cape Coral, by Jessica Ritter: Parents want to review FCAT exams …
Florida Times-Union, by Judy Wells: Papers of Florida’s first black millionaire have a safe haven …
Palm Beach Post, by Mary McLachlin: 2 editors quit Jupiter paper in protest of owner's acts…
*Orlando Sentinel, by Pedro Ruiz Gutierrez: House: Crime database cannot include gun data (*free registration required) …
WTLV 12, Jacksonville: The Justice Coalition's Victims' Advocate is going public with 22 pictures of people arrested for offering or soliciting for prostitution …
Bradenton Herald, by Kurt D. Schultheis: Free seminar at Manatee Community College promotes computer safety …
Florida Today, from staff and wire: X-rated videos fail family road test …
KSL TV 5, Utah, by John Daley: Details emerge on involvement with Matrix anti-terrorism database …

March 10, 2004

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Fort Myers News-Press, by Betty Parker: Legislation aims to prohibit lists of gun owners …
Miami Herald, from Associated Press: Judge: “Girls Gone Wild” video of teen is not child porn …
WJCB TV-20, Gainesville, by Heather Sorentrue: Gainesville mayoral candidate’s political ad causes an uproar …
St. Petersburg Times, by Jennifer Farrell: Angry e-mail leads to penalty for Clearwater assistant city manager …
Wired news: Matrix anti-terrorism database expands to Wisconsin …

March 9, 2004

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Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by columnist Tom Lyons: Taking court records off line to thwart crooks might help them more …
Fort Myers News-Press editorial: Give parents access to FCATs …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Peter Franceschina: Seizing Limbaugh medical records legal, state says …
Palm Beach Daily News, by Stephanie Murphy: Palm Beach assistant state attorney accused of sanitizing memo …
Miami Herald, by Jay Weaver: U.S. attorney wants his divorce file sealed …
Palm Beach Post, by Susan Spencer-Wendel: State argues for right to use Limbaugh records …
Naples Daily News, by Kristen Zambo: Investigators warn about vulnerability to identity theft …
St. Petersburg Times, by Molly Moorhead: Tampa Tribune reporter recalled in small towns she covered …

March 8, 2004

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Fort Myers News-Press, by Tanya Somaroo: Bills may let parents see FCAT tests …
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Peter Franceschina: Prosecutors back Limbaugh letters release…
Washington Times, by Jerry Seper: Court records show Limbaugh was singled out by prosecutors …
St. Petersburg Times, by columnist Lucy Morgan: Governing in the light? Lately, not so much in Tallahassee …
*Orlando Sentinel editorial: Florida Transportation Commission quietly approved a resolution recently that – at the least – violated the spirit of the state’s open-government laws (*free registration required) …
Editor and Publisher, by Mark Fitzgerald: Florida is fourth among states in libel trials …
St. Petersburg Times, by columnist Mary Jo Melone: The First Amendment applies even when you are David Caton …
Ocala Star-Banner, by Susan Latham Carr: Files on baby to be opened …
Palm Beach Post, by Nirvi Shaw: Lawmakers push FCAT access for parents …
Miami Herald: Herald guest columnist and high school sophomore Becky Farber writes about the challenges of requesting public information from her school system about a construction project …
*Orlando Sentinel editorial: FCAT is too important to keep the answers secret to parents (*free registration required) …
Miami Herald, by Gary Fineout: Campaign loophole reform is sought …
Miami Herald, by Erika Bolstad: A central, statewide hot line is now ready to answer voters' questions about Election Day issues …
Vero Beach Press Journal editorial: Thumbs up to Vero Beach City Attorney Charles Vitunac for clearing roadblocks on public records request …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Angela Hill: Seminar teaches Internet safety …
Lakeland Ledger, by Tom Palmer: Commission issue required vote …

March 5, 2004

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Leesburg Daily Commercial, by Jamie Anderson-Potter and Jodie Munro-O'Brien: Documents unsealed in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation into the disposal process for unwanted Lake County Sheriff’s Office vehicles …
St. Petersburg Times, by Steve Bousquet: Democrats on Thursday failed to block House Speaker Johnnie Byrd's proposed exemption from open government laws for an Alzheimer's research center in Tampa …
Winter Haven News Chief, by Sandi Martin: Commissioners cannot abstain on health care tax resolution …
Associated Press, by Jackie Halifax: The state Supreme Court says a sex offender can't be convicted of failing to register if he didn't know it was a crime not to do so …

March 4, 2004

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Panhandle judge unseals ‘Girls Gone Wild' records …
Leesburg Daily Commercial, by Jamie Anderson-Potter: Grand jury documents unsealed regarding the felony perjury charges filed against suspended Lake County Sheriff George E. Knupp Jr. …
Palm Beach Post, by S.V. Date: House leaders seek to create a new public records exemption for a proposed Alzheimer's center …
WTLV-12, Jacksonville, by Jennifer Brice: Inside the DCF files: when children attack children …
*Orlando Sentinel, by Jeff Darlington: State offers Internet safety course in efforts to combat computer crime (*free registration required)…

March 3, 2004

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel, by Robert Nolan: Lawsuit filed in Broward Circuit Court alleges city of Parkland officials communicated illegally with one another during contract negotiations to hire the sheriff ...
St. Petersburg Times editorial: The Florida Public Service Commission routinely allows utilities to stop the public from seeing documents that could help them fight higher rates …
*Orlando Sentinel, by Sherri M. Owens: DCF asks judge to open file on baby (*free registration required) …
WCJB TV 20 News, Gainesville, by Mike Price: Judge not opening sealed records on infant’s death just yet …
Leesburg Daily Commercial, by Michelle L. Start: DCF wants to open tot’s file …
Charlotte Sun-Herald, by Warren Richardson: While Florida is pulling down the shades on online access to some public records, New York is letting the sun shine in …
Naples Daily News, by Laura Layden: WNRW 98.5 FM, formerly an all-news station, is now broadcasting Gregorian chants 24 hours a day until the new owner chooses a format …

March 2, 2004

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Florida Times-Union, by Cynthia L. Garza: Was UNF radio discriminated against? …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Carrie L. Call: Lee County official says local officials are mindful that they can’t talk about county business together during a trip to Washington, D.C., for the annual National Association of Counties conference …
Tampa Tribune, by Geoff Fox: Tampa Tribune reporter known by some as “Sunshine” will be remembered for her passion, fairness …

March 1, 2004

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Daytona Beach News-Journal, by Deborah Circelli: Measures in the state Legislature challenge the public’s right of access to public records …
*Orlando Sentinel editorial: State lawmakers already have proposed almost 50 exemptions to laws that require open government records or meetings (*free registration required) …
St. Petersburg Times, by Alisa Ulferts: State lawmakers voting records are tough to track …
Bradenton Herald, by Nevy Kaminski: Florida Supreme Court pulls public records from the Internet …
Florida Today editorial: Common Cause is correct in seeking access to information on utilities …
Miami Herald, by Phil Long: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement starts classes on cyber-security awareness …
WJXX TV-12, Jacksonville: A South Florida man is getting two and a half years in prison for registering misleading domain names on the Internet so that children would find pornography instead …
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, by columnist Thomas Tyron: Manatee School Board should rethink its case on school prayer …
Washington Times, by Audrey Hudson: Government’s pursuit of personal data lives on …
Fort Myers News-Press, by Charles Runnells: Big credit card skim ring busted …
WFTV Channel 9, Orlando: Preacher accused of making racist statement during school speech …