Judge to rule on Steele records

By Andy Hoffman Burlington Hawk Eye DAVENPORT — Attorneys representing an Iowa watch dog group and lawyers for the Autumn Steele family joined forces Wednesday in asking a federal district judge in Davenport to unseal court documents in the wrongful … Continue Reading


‘Trade secrets’ shouldn’t block accountability

The following column was written by Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. The column appeared in several Iowa newspapers.   The Iowa Legislature wrote some wonderful concepts into the state’s government transparency laws. For example: … Continue Reading


IPIB cautions over personal email use by gov’t officials

The Iowa Public Information Board approved an advisory opinion in July that encourages government agencies to make public the email addresses officials use to conduct government business. The action came on a 7-1 vote following several months of back-and-forth discussion … Continue Reading


Column: Why do gun permits get special treatment?

Mark Ridolfi, assistant editor of the North Scott Press in Eldridge, recently received the Golden Quill award from the International Society of Weekly Newspaper editors. The award honored Ridolfi for his editorial column on changes the Iowa Legislature made in … Continue Reading



Feds hide info on worst puppy mills

By Clark Kauffman Des Moines Register Ten of the nation’s 100 worst puppy mills are based in Iowa, according to a new report from the Humane Society of the United States. But federal policies make it almost impossible for the … Continue Reading


IPIB wrestles with email addresses

The Iowa Public Information Board continues to struggle over how to address a state government agency’s refusal to release the email addresses it uses to communicate with members of its governing board. Laura Belin of Windsor Heights writes the Bleeding … Continue Reading


IPIB to board: Let the public in

The Iowa Public Information Board sent a strong message to government boards at its May meeting that such board should not use so-called “serial meetings” to keep the public out of discussions that should be occurring during public meetings. The … Continue Reading


Column: Don’t hide officials from people

The following column by Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, appeared in several newspapers around the state. The column was written after Evans spoke at the May meeting of the Iowa Public Information Board. By … Continue Reading


Evans interviewed about FOI Council

Iowa Freedom of Information Council executive director Randy Evans was interviewed by the Des Moines Business Record about his work on behalf of better public access to government meetings and records in Iowa. The interview can be found here: BusinessRecord.article.2018.