Sunshine Week, designated to promote open government, began Sunday. Journalists are particularly interested in this topic because its objectives help reporters access information to fulfill their public watchdog responsibility. But you have a vested interest in open government, as well.
Laws that require open government records and meetings help the media bring to light corruption, inefficiency and ineptness — or good practices. The overarching goal of open-government laws, though, is to make sure the public — you and everyone else — has access to government documents and decision-making processes.
In fact, the public uses the federal Freedom of Information Act to get to public records far more often than the working media do. According to the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government, only about 6 percent of FOIA document requests are made by journalists.
The federal open records laws are supplemented by similar Indiana laws that guarantee you access to public meetings and all sorts of government records. The Indiana Public Access Counselor’s office is a good resource for information about these laws and to help you get access to government information. Visit www.in.gov/pac/ or call 800-228-6013 to seek advice or assistance in accessing state or local government records.
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The Herald Bulletin wants you to feel informed and comfortable about submitting news for publication. To that end, we’ve created a pamphlet that explains how to get your news into the newspaper and onto our Web site. The pamphlet contains contact information for the newsroom and advice about where and how to submit items on local events, meetings and organizations, as well as how to pitch story ideas.
Stop by our customer service counter during business hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to pick up a copy of the pamphlet. Or, if you’d like a representative of The Herald Bulletin to present the pamphlet at a meeting of your organization, just shoot an e-mail to me or give me a call. We’ll do the best we can to agree on a date and time.
In the next few weeks, I’ll be announcing dates the newspaper sets up to invite members of the community to come in to hear a presentation about how to get your news into the newspaper. Please watch for more information in this weekly column.
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If you’re as big a basketball fan as I am, you’ll want to participate in The Herald Bulletin’s Bracketbucks contest in conjunction with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The two-page brackets and entry form for the contest will be printed in Tuesday’s newspaper. You earn points toward prizes by correctly predicting the outcome of the tournament games.
I love competing in office pools and contests (THB employees are not eligible for Bracketbucks) related to the tournament every year. But I can never resist the urge to pick a lot of underdogs, which always leads to my undoing. So this year, I’m going with all the No. 1 seeds to reach the Final Four. … On second thought, I think I’ll sneak Montana and Lehigh in there!
Editor Scott Underwood’s column appears Mondays. Contact him at scott.underwood@heraldbulletin.com or 640-4845.
Columns
Scott Underwood: Sunshine on gov’t makes me happy
- Columns
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Amish Cook: When child is sick, motherly nurturing instinct kicks in
The sun is always welcome at this time of the year. The ground is covered with snow again, and the temperatures are colder. It finally feels like winter.
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Susan Miller: In business dining, good taste means more than food
A successful business meal requires more than making a lunch date. A deal can sometimes be sealed over the table, but more often than not, a business lunch provides an opportunity to build rapport and learn about your dining companion’s business.
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Primus Mootry: Black leadership in 21st century — lessons from the past
This is the fourth in a series of articles concerning various facts and opinions about black history, how that history affects black leadership today, and what I think are the implications for black leadership in the future. It’s a much weightier subject than I thought.
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Jim Bailey: Winter of our discontent depends on our agenda
There’s nothing like a mild winter to bring out the members of our society whose agenda includes the propagation of the fear of global warming.
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Emmett Dulaney: When Twitter backfires
Twitter, that innocuous social media tool that lets users send out 140 character snippets to their followers, is being used more and more as a marketing tool.
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John Williams: Valentine tip from Social Security
Valentine’s Day is a popular time of year for proclamations of love. Such displays of affection can be as simple and sweet as a heart with a “be mine” message, or as life altering as a vow before the altar.
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Scott Underwood: TV section alterations on the way
Two Sundays ago, The Herald Bulletin introduced a new product called Click, replacing the TV Week section. Like TV Week, Click includes TV listings grids, sports listings and Sudoku and crossword puzzles.
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'Big Joe' Clark: The $100 million IRA - and how to get one
Is it possible to save $100 million? No, but it is possible to invest and end up with that sum of money. Mitt Romney is not alone; there are others with mega IRAs.
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Analysis: Exceptional voice seemed lost in Houston's excessive fame
Whitney Houston’s numerous comeback attempts never gelled into anything the public cared about.
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Brian Howey: Automotive factor explains why Obama opens Indiana office
On Thursday, the Obama for America campaign opened up an office in Indiana, a state with a century-old love affair with the internal combustion engine.
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Amish Cook: When child is sick, motherly nurturing instinct kicks in







