Marin Independent Journal January 14, 2011 By Mark Prado A federal district judge ruled that the Golden Gate Bridge District’s restrictions on protesters using the bridge violated their First Amendment rights. The district banned bullhorns, hand-held signs and protests after 2 p.m. on weekends. -db
Palo Alto Daily News January 15, 2011 By Bonnie Eslinger In investigating possible violations of the Brown Act by a Menlo Park council member in December, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s office uncovered another possible violation from December of 2009. -db
Daily Democrat January 14, 2011 By Katherine Jarvis After the Yolo County Board of Supervisors made a deal with the Conaway Ranch over water, an environmental group alleged that the deal violated the Brown Act, California’s open public meeting law. -db
Journalists in Pakistan are most likely to be murdered on the job in 2010 with Mexico and Honduras the most dangerous countries in the Western Hemisphere for journalists. -db The Newspaper Guild Press Release January 12, 2011 By Rodney Pinder Two journalists were killed every week in 2010, in a sustained effort to silence free reporting in many parts of the globe, the International News Safety Institute reports. INSI recorded 97 dead in 30 countries,
SF Weekly January 12, 2011 By Lauren Smiley A reality TV show, truTV’s ‘Bait Car’, teamed with San Francisco police to bust car thieves but are now citing California shield law for journalists in refusing the turn over footage to defense attorneys. A media expert says that because of the arrangement with San Francisco, the show’s personnel are not acting as journalists so do not warrant the protection of the shield law. -db