Public records

When reporters at USA Today asked the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for records indicating the salary of head football coach Stan Brock, Army Brigadier Gen. Belinda Pinckney just said no, the paper reports today.

U.S. Army spokeswoman Mary Keeney told USA Today, "We asked the school if they wanted it released, and they said no."

Florida and Gov. Charlie Crist have taken another step in opening government to the people.

The Buzz on tampabay.com reports that Florida has become the sixth state to partner with Google to provide easier on-line access to public records. 

Draft legislation endorsed yesterday by the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council would prohibit the state police from releasing a database of names and addresses of residents with concealed-carry gun permits, according to a story in the Roanoke Times.

The Wisconsin state Justice Department has been unusually slow to disclose information pertaining to a shooting spree in which the gunman, Sheriff's Deputy Tyler Peterson, killed six and wounded another before apparently taking his own life on Oct. 7, according to an Associated Press report.