Carolina Public Press will hold “Full Disclosure,” a public records workshop series during Sunshine Week, in March, that offers essential tools for activists, citizens and journalists pursuing open government and access to information.
Specifically, participants will:
- Learn how to pry documents from local, state and federal agencies.
- Meet veterans from the front lines of freedom-of-information battles.
- Craft new records requests with a news outlet that will help you publish the results.
Trainers include:
- Charles Coble, attorney with Brooks Pierce, a leading N.C. media law firm, on the N.C. Public Records Law, its challenges, changes and application.
- Jon Elliston, freelancer and contributing reporter with Carolina Public Press, on the Freedom of Information Act, case studies, and where, when and how to find information.
- Angie Newsome, editor and founder of Carolina Public Press, on putting the laws into practice, crafting a good request and getting those results published.
Western Carolina University’s Department of Communication and UNC Asheville’s Department of Mass Communication are co-hosting the workshops, which will be held during Sunshine Week, a national yearly initiative promoting dialogue on the importance of open government and freedom of information.
They also are being held in honor of the one-year anniversary of Carolina Public Press, a nonprofit online media project offering in-depth, investigative, independent reporting on the overlooked and under-reported people, places and issues facing WNC.
Seating is limited and tickets are required. Details on how to register are below.
Thursday, March 15, at Western Carolina University
1:00 – 3:30 p.m., 144 Stillwell Building
Free for WCU students; $20 for all others.
Reserve tickets here.
Presented by Carolina Public Press; co-hosted by the Western Carolina University Department of Communication and sponsored by Mountain Xpress.
Friday, March 16, at UNC Asheville
1:30 – 4:00 p.m., 012 Karpen Hall
Free for UNCA students; $20 for all others.
Reserve tickets here.
Presented by Carolina Public Press; co-hosted and sponsored by the UNC Asheville Department of Mass Communication. Sponsored also by Mountain Xpress.
Join us for one or both of these workshops to learn just what information is considered public, not-so-common places to find public records and ways to combat challenges to accessing information. For more information, contact Angie Newsome at anewsome@carolinapublicpress.org.
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