CJOG News http://www.cjog.net/index.html The latest news from the Coalition of Journalists for Open Government. CJOG News http://www.cjog.net/index.html http://www.cjog.net/cjognews.gif Federal Judge Orders Unsealing of Confidential Drug Data http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3635 A federal judge in Brooklyn ordered the unsealing of confidential materials related to Eli Lilly's antipsychotic drug, Zyprexa. Judge Jack B.Weinstein cited "the health of hundreds of thousands of people" using the drug and "fundamental questions" about how new drugs are . . . South Dakota Posts Government Financial, Personnel Records Online http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3634 South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds unveiled a searchable website of state records, including 106,000 financial and personnel documents. The governor had vetoed a bill requiring the posting of the data six months earlier but at the time committed to making state records that are public more accessible. . . . Just What Is the Public Getting With Its Bailout Bucks http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3633 Now that the nation's taxpayers are the owners of the two mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government's overseer, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, should open the books, the New York Times Gretchen Morgenson writes. That would let the public see just what happened over the . . . Michigan County Begins Redacting SSN Data on All Records Released http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3631 The clerk's office in Oakland County, MI, has initiated a policy of blackout out Social Security Numbers on any documents requested by the public. Clerk Ruth Johnson said some 30 standard forms used by county clerks in Michigan required users to include Social Security Numbers, making it too easy . . . Transparency Issues Call When One BlackBerry Isn't Enough http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3630 Vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's routine use of two BlackBerry devices, one with a state account and one with a personal account, raises questions about the intertwining of official and private business, the Anchorage Daily News reported. "The practice raises . . . Secrecy Report Card Catalogs a Continuing Lack of Openness http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3629 OpenTheGovernment released its fifth annual Secrecy Report Card, documenting the continued expansion of secrecy across the executive branch of the federal government,including more closed advisory meetings, increased classification, and the lowest percentage of FOIA grants in 10 years. The Report . . . Cedar Rapids Official Refuse to Release Some Flood Damage Data http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3627 City officials have refused to release address-by-address flood damage data to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, saying the records belong to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and are not public under federal law. The newspaper had requested the information, citing a June 2007 federal court ruling . . . Three Flint Police Officers Challenge Chief's Gag Order http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3626 The ACLU filed a suit on behalf of three Flint, Mich., police officers challenging disciplinary action taken against them for speaking with the media. Flint Police Chief David Dicks has prohibited officers from speaking to reporters. The suit seeks to end the ban and to restore lost wages and . . . Research Council: Environmental Decision-Making Aided by Public Participation http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3625 The National Research Council has issued a report that explores the benefits and downsides to public participation in environmental policy-making, concluding that "when done well, public participation improves the quality and legitimacy" of the decision-making process. But it also . . . Detroit Reporter Ordered to Discloses Sources for Prosecutor Misconduct Story http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3624 A Detroit Free Press reporter has been ordered to reveal the names of confidential sources who provided him information on prosecutorial misconduct in a 2004 terrorism case. Federal Judge Robert Cleland held that Michigan's reporter-source shield law did not apply because the U.S. Sixth Circuit . . . Albany Times Union Sues State Comptroller for New York Payroll Data http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3623 The Albany Times Union sued the New York state comptroller over his refusal to release state payroll data. The newspaper's investigations editor, J. Robert Port, has requested electronic copies of payroll tables earlier this year. Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said in denying the request that . . . Iowa Closes Land Records Web Site Because of Privacy Concerns http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3622 A Web site with records that included the Social Security Numbers of Iowans has been shut down, after a resident showed measures designed to secure privacy information could be easily breached. The project manager for the Website, IowaLandRecords.org, said the records would not be available . . . Nieman Watchdog: McCain Should Release Navy Records on Flight Accidents http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3621 The Nieman Watchdog has called on the Sen. John McCain to release all of his Navy records and in particular those involving three in-flight accidents before he was shot down in Vietnam. Watchdog editor Barry Sussman said the number of accidents is unusual and wondered what they might reveal about . . . FISA Court Against Rejects ACLU Plea for More Openness http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3620 The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court again rejected a request from the ACLU to shed a little sunshine on its regulation on the government's electronic surveillance. The court rejected a petition to allow publication of unclassified court documents and to allow non-government lawyers to . . . Scottsdale Police Now A-Twitter on Crime, Safety Reports http://www.cjog.net/index.html#3619 Police in Scottsdale, AZ, have turned to Twitter.com to provide information to residents about crime, road closings and other safety issues. People can also subscribe to get text message updates on their phones or other messaging devices. The department also has a separate website that includes . . .