Today we sent to each of the candidates for the Grand Rapids City Commission a copy of the Freedom of Information Act complaint your executive director filed against the City in Kent County Circuit Court. We are soliciting their thoughts on the policy of open government and how they would work as a commissioner, in light of the current commission's abysmal failure to do so, to ensure citizen access to the records of the City government's decisions and affairs. We will run a story on the candidates' responses early in September.
About L.A.W.
MOTTO: Qui male agit odit lucem. ("He who does evil despises the light.")
PUBLISHER: Local Area Watch, Inc. ~ a Michigan non-profit corporation ~ Copyright 2002-2007
STAFF: William Tingley, Executive Director ~ Bridget Tingley, Editor ~ Mary Hines, Office Manager ~ Robert Harrison, Photographer
CONTACT INFO: Local Area Watch Inc. ~ 1009 Ottawa Avenue, N.W. ~ Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 ~ ph 616-458-3125 ~ fx 616-454-9958
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Bonnie Rogers on EDITOR'S REVIEW OF "BECAUSE THEY HATE"
- RamonGustav on AMWAY NO LONGER SCAMWAY?
- Joe on Down Time
- Joe on DRILL, BABY, DRILL!
- Dawes on URBAN LEAGUE TAKES A WRONG TURN
- cohle on KENT COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER COMPROMISED
- Jacklyn30WIGGINS on FUTURE IDIOCY
- DollyBurch on Down Time
- Roger Risner on WORKING CLASS HERO
- LillyMorrow26 on MICHIGANDERS TO PAY FILMMAKERS OVER $100 MILLION TO MAKE MOVIES IN THE WINTER-WATER-WONDERLAND
Highlights
- Bio-Tech Blather
Watch your wallets, boys and girls. The politicians and the corporate panhandlers are about to put a big bet on the bio-tech boom with your tax dollars and charitable donations. - Dumping Scandal FAQ's
Answers to the main questions about the dumping of hazardous waste at the Monroe Avenue Water Filtration Plant and other dumpsites. - Gutless U-M Caves on Bronzes
Art endures, if obscured, in that grotty little fiefdom of intellectual poseurs and petty inquisitions that has become the University of Michigan. - Kent County Medical Examiner Compromised
In a glaring conflict of interest, Kent County Medical Examiner Stephen Cohle whitewashes autopsies that could have revealed misconduct by Spectrum Health and Laboratory Pathologists, a staffing firm Cohle owns and operates. - Living Wage Kills Jobs
City pols support a Marxist policy that, like all Marxist policies, hurt the very people they say it will help. - Local Prof Sez We're Bible-Beating Bigots
Outspoken GVSU professor Ben Rudolph gets it wrong when he concludes that River City's "conservative" values are wrecking the local economy. - Lost Cause
A story of how River City lost its way to a secure economic future. - Mayor Heartwell: The Best Investment in Town
The mayor takes a campaign contribution from a lobbying firm and then awards it a $70,000 city contract. - Poison
The nasty nature of the 26,000 tons of poison that The Boardwalk's developers dug up and then dumped upon the rest of us. - The Fixer
A four-part series about the local attorney behind the demise of Autodie, Butterworth Hospital, Amway, and Old Kent. Warning: Strong accusations of corruption, greed, and skullduggery. Not for the feint of heart. - The Flying Monkey Brigade
Lysenkoists now rule and dictate what citizens will and will not discuss as science in the public square -- especially, the public school classroom. - The Pig in the Python
The dirty little secret behind the success and failure of every school reform that the education establishment, the public school bureaucrats, and the teachers unions will never reveal. - The Problem With Teachers
Why teachers are the professionals least suited to run a school district -- or even a school. - Thirty-Six Bucks
Balancing the City budget: Maybe it's time for those making a living on the taxpayer's dime to give up a little instead of sticking it to the taxpayer one more time. - Urban League Takes a Wrong Turn
The Grand Rapids chapter of this venerable civil rights organization took a step backward with its dubious report finding institutionalized racism in area police forces. - When Will It Stop?
Enough of the repulsive tactic of accusing everyone of bigotry who doesn't kowtow to the racemongers. - Who Tickets the Cops?
State highway patrolmen flout the law on our freeways. - Yeah, and Summer is Hotter Than Winter
The Grand Rapids Press ignores science to promote feel-good politics on the environment and becomes the watchdog that doesn't bark.
Quick Links
Government Links
- G.R. Now
A guide to Grand Rapids, including events, entertainment, and local bloggers. - G.R. Chamber of Commerce
Information about businesses in the Grand Rapids area. - G.R. Visitors & Convention Bureau
Information for visitors about Grand Rapids and the surrounding area. - City of Grand Rapids
- Kent County
- Michigan Compiled Laws
- State of Michigan
Gateway to all branches and agencies of state government. - Federal Judiciary
- The White House
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. House & U.S. Code
Media Links
- CNN
- Detroit Free Press
- Detroit News
- Drudge Report
- Fox News
- GR Pundit
Commentary on local political, economic, and social matters. - Grand Rapids Business Journal
- Grand Rapids Press
- Media Mouse
G.R.-based independent media website from the left. - Michigan Live
State and local news bulletins plus a search engine for the Grand Rapids Press and other newspapers. - MSNBC
- Real Clear Politics
Clearinghouse for commentary on daily events from across the nation. - WGVU NPR Radio
- WGVU TV-35 (PBS)
- WOOD News Radio 1300
- WOOD TV-8 (NBC)
- WWMT TV-3 (CBS)
- WXMI TV-17 (Fox)
- WZZM TV-13 (ABC)
Public Interest Links
DISCLAIMER: We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed by the organizations listed below, although we have found them to provide useful information for the engaged citizen.- Accuracy in Media
Media watchdog from the right. - American Center for Law & Justice
The conservative counterweight to the ACLU. - American Civil Liberties Union
That hoary guardian of our civil liberties ... at least the ones the left considers worth protecting. - American Enterprise Institute
Centrist think tank. - Center for Public Integrity
Scrutinizes the actions of public officials. - Fact Check
Checks the public statements of politicians against the facts. - Families United for Justice
Watchdog of the local scene, including links to stories of corruption in Michigan. - Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Free-market think tank with a special focus on Michigan issues. - Martindale Directory
National directory for lawyers and law firms. - Media Transparency
Media watchdog from the left with good databases on funding sources for non-profit organizations. - Michigan Liberal
Michigan politics for the left-wingers. - Nolo
Kill all the lawyers? DIY center for agreements, legal documents, and litigation. - Open Secrets
Who's buying who? Search for campaign contributions made in state and federal elections. - Right Michigan
Michigan politics for the right-wingers. - Society of Professional Journalists
A link to the SPJ's FOIA toolkit for requesting documents from the government. - Taxpayers Against Fraud
Watchdog for fraud in the federal government and information center for the False Claims Act. - The Brookings Institute
Liberal think tank. - The Cato Institute
Libertarian think tank. - The Heritage Foundation
Conservative think tank. - Wikipedia
The web-based encyclopedia for those who understand the admonition "Caveat lector!"
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Aug 15, 2005
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