Mountain Xpress: ‘Full Disclosure’ workshops shine light on public information, open data

From Mountain Xpress (3/13/13): In honor of Sunshine Week in North Carolina, Carolina Public Press announces it will hold a "Full Disclosure" workshop series at three Western North Carolina locations from April 3-5.

The series will give journalists, students, public information officers, citizens and civic and IT leaders the essential tools, guides and instruction needed to understand and access public records and data at the local, state and federal levels.

Workshops will be held on April 3 at UNC Asheville, on April 4 at Western Carolina University, and on April 5 at Appalachian State University. Each will feature presentations on what records are considered public according to state and federal law and how to combat challenges to getting information from the local to federal level. It will provide up-to-date case studies — including court cases and proposed legislation — that offer further insight into the current application of and challenges to state and federal public records law. Trainers include Amanda Martin, N.C. Press Association’s general counsel; Jon Elliston, investigations and open government editor at Carolina Public Press; and Angie Newsome, executive director and editor of Carolina Public Press.

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