Cook Co. (ECWd) - In a clear message to public bodies, Cook County Judge Hon. Franklin U. Valderrama has sided with the public's right to records in a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case. In doing so, the 16-page opinion and order expose the...
Cumberland Co. (ECWd) - In January of 2016, we attended the Neoga School District Board meeting to expose the fact the Board had violated the Open Meetings Act by failing to properly post the agenda for the meeting. The article which includes my public comment at...
Illinois (ECWd) - When we fail to address violations of law by public officials at the local level, it festers and desensitizes us to the importance of our laws. Those officials who are allowed to get away with breaking our laws move up the chain to...
Vermilion Co., IL. (ECWd)- For years we have said we must fix things at the local level before we can ever expect to fix anything at the state level. That is because it is the local public officials who end up becoming State Representatives. If they can't...
LaSalle Co. (ECWd) - LaSalle Police Officer James Strand is no longer a Police Officer for the City of LaSalle. He tendered his resignation letter on July 10th, 2017. In October of last year, we ran the No Sex, only Kissing story that related to Officer Strand...
Illinois Co. (ECWd) - It would appear the Assistant US Attorney took the reporting about Auditor General Frank Mautino's campaign spending serious in light of the dates on the subpoenas. We broke the main story on his campaign spending in this article, January 21st of 2016. A...
Edgar Co. (ECWd) - State's Attorney Question: Did you advise the court when it was that you activated the body camera? Burgin Answer: (under oath) when I exited my car and I was walking up toward the vehicle that I had seen him driving. Plaintiff Attorney Questions: Do...
Dee Burgin, an Edgar County Deputy whose past is riddled with enough malfeasance, deception, and corruption has once again put the county at risk of yet another financial hit in a Federal Civil Rights law suit. As we reported in this article, Burgin is involved in...
DuPage Co. (ECWd) - A targeted murder at Scullen Middle School of a college Professor sitting in his vehicle waiting for his son led one citizen to request more information as little was being covered in the news at the time. "Mr. Franckowiak submitted an FOIA request...
Cumberland Co. (ECWd) - Toledo, the small rural community that is the County seat for Cumberland County. Yes, even in what many would consider a rural paradise just far enough away from city life, public officials appear to have no clue of what it means to...
