for her readers, fellow staffers
By Charlene Patti Bisson
This is not the first time one of our editorial staffers has won an award.
We have several editorial team members – Richard Dyer, Matt Loeschman, Angela DeWelles – to name a few – who have obtained awards for their work.
However, this is the first time, since I have been managing editor, that one of our news editors is a Sunshine award-winner for the Society of Professional Journalist’s 2007 Arizona Freedom of Information award – an award that makes me very honored to know Peoria Independent News Editor Julie Conolly.
Her dedication to her readers and product inspires fellow news editors – and sends a message to her community leaders – the public’s right to know will be upheld by the Peoria Independent.
Julie Conolly, Freedom of Information award winner!
Below is the letter submitted on Julie’s behalf.
Dear Judges:
Julie Conolly is a news editor for the Peoria Independent, a weekly community newspaper serving North Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix. She wrote several stories in 2006 shedding light on government agencies creating barriers to public records and public comment periods. It did not take prompting from me or any other editor. Ms. Conolly seems to always be working on something to promote government openness.
While writing stories about a proposal to close high school campuses during lunchtime, Ms. Conolly reported the Peoria Police Department would not provide related accident statistics that citizens had been requesting. While covering the Peoria Unified School District’s lack of a “Call to the Public,” Ms. Conolly noted citizens requested a public comment period a year prior and the school district still had not added it to the agenda. She included details about how neighboring school districts allow public comments at the beginning of each meeting. In stories detailing the school board’s attempt to charge more for copies and videos of public records and meetings, Ms. Conolly reported the school district received 33 public record requests in two years (hardly a burden on the staff). The story included quotes from parents, such as “What are you hiding?” and “People are already intimidated to approach the district for public records.” Ms. Conolly also reported suggestions to post electronic records online to save money for the district and citizens.
The best part is Ms. Conolly’s articles made an impact. Not only has she developed rapport with readers and sources who revere her watchdog journalism, we have been flooded with letters to the editor and calls about her stories. As just one example of positive change, “Public Comment” became a standing agenda item at the beginning of school board meeting agendas. Ms. Conolly is a driven journalist who works hard to dig up important truths. She respects and fights for the First Amendment and is well-deserving of the Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter Society of Professional Journalists’ Sunshine Award.
I hope Julie’s work inspires everyone companywide.
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Three-part series on open meeting laws planned
National Sunshine Law Week is quickly approaching and Arizona news editors will be compiling a three-part series on open meeting laws and the public’s right to know.
Each news editor is localizing the story to their communities – challenging city government, police departments, city courts and their school district officials to open access to their citizens – who are paying their salaries – and make public records request an easy affordable process.
We are hoping this series will impact our communities and make a difference – and perhaps we will take home some more well-deserved awards.
