Latest news with #FreedomofInformationAct
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Want to sun your buns? Not in Myrtle Beach. Law tells you to cover up or face ticket
Myrtle Beach has some strict laws when it comes to its beaches. Many of the ordinances are an effort to keep the city's 10 miles of beach front safe and family friendly, officials have said previously. Anyone looking to soak up the sun confronts restrictions against drinking alcohol, sleeping on the beach, and facing a $464 ticket for wearing a thong bathing suit on the beach. Myrtle Beach has ended up in national news for its laws, which to some could be considered too tough or outdated. However, its law policing how people cover their bodies when they choose to visit the beach goes a step further than its other coastal neighbors. 'I think someone saying we are stricter than other towns is very subjective,' Myrtle Beach spokesperson Meredith Denari wrote in an email. 'You have to have a set of ordinances in place to protect the public, wildlife and the beach itself, especially in cities such as Myrtle Beach that get millions of visitors each year.' But it appears Myrtle Beach is inconsistent in what ordinances its law enforcement enforces. Online records by Myrtle Beach Police often show people being cited for carrying glass containers on the beach, damaging sea oats or using lewd or obscene language. But Myrtle Beach's ordinance against beach nudity has been enforced eight times since May 2024. None of those incidents involved someone wearing revealing swimwear, according to incident reports provided to The Sun News from a Freedom of Information Act request. Incidents included nude adults apparently engaging in sexual activity and a woman revealing her upper body after drinking too much rum during her 21st birthday. Denari said that although citations or detainments for the ordinance are uncommon, the ban on thongs is a part of the city's community policing efforts they call 'voluntary compliance.' 'Enforcement doesn't always result in a citation,' Denari wrote. 'Under voluntary compliance, if someone is found wearing a thong on the beach, officers may first ask them to cover up or leave the beach. If they comply, no citation is issued.' Myrtle Beach Police spokesperson Randolph Angotti said that many incidents regarding beachgoers typically come from calls for service from other community members. 'All of our ordinances and laws are applied fairly, without prejudice or bias, and enforcement is based on officer discretion,' Angotti said in an email. 'When responding, officers assess each situation and determine the most appropriate course of action, whether that's offering education, issuing a citation, or making an arrest, depending on the circumstances and severity.' Back in 2020, an aerial acrobat and dancer Sam Panda was detained by Myrtle Beach Police for wearing a thong bikini. A video recording of the incident went viral and received national attention. Panda explained in an hour-long video responding to the national attention that she was detained after being reported by a man who had been recording a video of her and her friend without their consent. A city ordinance was passed in November 2021 after the controversy and remains years after. Myrtle Beach is the only beach city in the area, including Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach in North Carolina, that bans thongs. Myrtle Beach's ordinance states that 'G-strings, T-Backs, 'dental floss' style, and thongs are prohibited in public.' North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Horry County beach ordinances specifically prohibit the exposure of the buttocks. North Myrtle Beach and Horry County have not enforced that ordinance in the last year, according to a Freedom of Information Act request. The city of Sunset Beach, North Carolina, which is just across the state line from North Myrtle Beach, passed a ban on the exposure of the buttocks, inspired by one of Myrtle Beach's ordinances, Police Chief Ken Klamar said. In less than a decade, the ordinance was amended, Klamar added. After complaints from the community about the conversations officers had to have with people in violation of the city's ordinance, the law changed to remove the word 'buttocks' from the ordinance. 'When you have these patrollers out there trying to make a determination, it's awkward; it puts them in a tough situation,' Klamar said. 'It was easier to just say, 'let's just remove that word, leave the other stuff in there.'' Everybody is not the same, Klamar said. Removing the ordinance prevents a beach patroller from any awkwardness when enforcing the code to the 'T.' Sunset Beach codified two public nudity bans and found that the two contradict each other. A motion to modify its codes will be on the city's public safety agenda for July 14, 2025, Klamar said. Daytona Beach, Florida, also has a city ordinance banning people from wearing thongs under its public nudity clause. The Daytona Beach Police Department was not available for comment on the enforcement of its public nudity ordinance. South Carolina and North Carolina state laws have no bans on any swimwear. Instead, both states prohibit indecent exposure, which both prohibit revealing one's private parts in a public place. Neither state's code of laws define the exposure of breasts or buttocks as part of indecent exposure. A North Carolina Supreme Court opinion went as far as to explicitly state that the exposure of the buttocks does not constitute nudity in a 1998 decision. 'To hold that buttocks are private parts would make criminals of all North Carolinians who appear in public wearing 'thong' or 'g-string' bikinis or other such skimpy attire during our torrid summer months,' the court opinion read. 'Our beaches, lakes, and resort areas are often teeming with such scantily clad vacationers.'
Miami Herald
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson didn't conduct formal national search for CTA head despite claiming otherwise, records show
CHICAGO - Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration never undertook a formalized national search for a new Chicago Transit Authority president despite the mayor saying last month that his office had in fact done so, according to responses to public records requests made by the Tribune. The CTA has been without a permanent leader since embattled former president Dorval Carter stepped down earlier this year under pressure from lawmakers and transit activists who had long called for his removal. Last month, Johnson told local news site Block Club Chicago that his office had undertaken a national search for a new CTA head, something transit advocates had pushed for in the wake of Carter's resignation. "We were always in the process of finding someone," Johnson told Block Club at the time. "It looked like any other national search." Johnson told Block Club the search had already been completed. But Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Tribune failed to reveal records that demonstrated the city has undertaken a thorough or formalized search of any kind. The Tribune submitted Freedom of Information Act requests for records related to the search to three city departments: the mayor's office, the law department and the department of procurement services. All three departments told the Tribune they possessed no records of any contracts the city held with search firms involved in vetting candidates, nor invoices from such search firms, resumes of candidates who had been in the running for the job or reports on the search process. In a statement, Cassio Mendoza, a spokesperson for the mayor, said the administration had "looked at" candidates who are current leaders of mass transit agencies. "To maintain the integrity of the process and out of respect for their privacy, we are declining to share the names of specific candidates," Mendoza said. "The Johnson administration continues to believe in the importance of public transit for our city and our region," he said. "We will continue to work to find the most qualified and capable leader for this critical position." The mayor's office said it reached out to three leaders of agencies across the country but none were interested in doing a formal interview for the position. The administration said substandard CEO pay, uncertainty surrounding transit funding in Springfield and what it described as "hostile" media treatment were barriers to attracting further interest in the position. The Tribune submitted FOIA requests following a similar request made by transit advocate and environmental policy analyst Nik Hunder. In an email to the Tribune, Hunder said it was "puzzling that the Mayor's office felt the need to misrepresent the progress it had made on finding a new leader for CTA." "It took me under 5 minutes to submit the FOIA request for these records and to unintentionally prove that the Mayor and his staff did not do as they said," Hunder said. Johnson's claim that his office had undertaken a national search for a new leader came as he faced scrutiny over rumors he planned to appoint his chief operating officer, John Roberson, to lead the agency. Roberson has since taken a job at the Obama Foundation, putting an end to speculation that he would be appointed to lead the CTA. Before Roberson's new job became public last week, his rumored appointment was criticized heavily by transit activists, who called for a thorough, nationwide search for a new CTA head whom they hoped would have experience leading a mass transit agency. At the CTA's board meeting last month, three of the agency's seven board members had said they too supported a more thorough search, indicating Johnson would have faced opposition in getting Roberson confirmed had he nominated him for the job. At the same meeting, 17th Ward Ald. David Moore, for whom Roberson had worked as a chief of staff, spoke in support of Roberson, warning CTA board members to "work with the mayor who put you here" and "don't be a backbiting snake." Only two of the board's seven members were appointed by Johnson. The others were appointed either by former mayor Lori Lightfoot or Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Whomever is ultimately appointed to helm the CTA will be tasked with leading an agency that is facing the possibility of making drastic service cuts next year because state lawmakers adjourned their spring legislative session without passing funding to avert a looming $771 million transit fiscal cliff. There is still time for the legislators to allocate more funding for transit before the end of the year, but should they fail to, the CTA could be forced to cut more than half its bus routes and eliminate service on whole branches of "L" lines. The agency is currently led by an acting president, Nora Leerhsen, who was Carter's chief of staff before he resigned. ____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Chicago Tribune
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Mayor Brandon Johnson didn't conduct formal national search for CTA head despite claiming otherwise, records show
Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration never undertook a formalized national search for a new CTA president despite the mayor saying last month that his office had in fact done so, according to responses to public records requests made by the Tribune. The CTA has been without a permanent leader since embattled former president Dorval Carter stepped down earlier this year under pressure from lawmakers and transit activists who had long called for his removal. Last month, Johnson told local news site Block Club Chicago that his office had undertaken a national search for a new CTA head, something transit advocates had pushed for in the wake of Carter's resignation. 'We were always in the process of finding someone,' Johnson told Block Club at the time. 'It looked like any other national search.' Johnson told Block Club the search had already been completed. But Freedom of Information Act requests filed by the Tribune failed to reveal records that demonstrated the city has undertaken a thorough or formalized search of any kind. The Tribune submitted Freedom of Information Act requests for records related to the search to three city departments: the mayor's office, the law department and the department of procurement services. All three departments told the Tribune they possessed no records of any contracts the city held with search firms involved in vetting candidates, nor invoices from such search firms, resumes of candidates who had been in the running for the job or reports on the search process. In a statement, Cassio Mendoza, a spokesperson for the mayor, said the administration had 'looked at' candidates who are current leaders of mass transit agencies. 'To maintain the integrity of the process and out of respect for their privacy, we are declining to share the names of specific candidates,' Mendoza said. 'The Johnson administration continues to believe in the importance of public transit for our city and our region,' he said. 'We will continue to work to find the most qualified and capable leader for this critical position.' The mayor's office said it reached out to three leaders of agencies across the country but none were interested in doing a formal interview for the position. The administration said substandard CEO pay, uncertainty surrounding transit funding in Springfield and what it described as 'hostile' media treatment were barriers to attracting further interest in the position. The Tribune submitted FOIA requests following a similar request made by transit advocate and environmental policy analyst Nik Hunder. 'It took me under 5 minutes to submit the FOIA request for these records and to unintentionally prove that the Mayor and his staff did not do as they said,' Hunder said. Johnson's claim that his office had undertaken a national search for a new leader came as he faced scrutiny over rumors he planned to appoint his chief operating officer, John Roberson, to lead the agency. Roberson has since taken a job at the Obama Foundation, putting an end to speculation that he would be appointed to lead the CTA. Before Roberson's new job became public last week, his rumored appointment was criticized heavily by transit activists, who called for a thorough, nationwide search for a new CTA head whom they hoped would have experience leading a mass transit agency. At the CTA's board meeting last month, three of the agency's seven board members had said they too supported a more thorough search, indicating Johnson would have faced opposition in getting Roberson confirmed had he nominated him for the job. At the same meeting, 17th Ward Ald. David Moore, for whom Roberson had worked as a chief of staff, spoke in support of Roberson, warning CTA board members to 'work with the mayor who put you here' and 'don't be a backbiting snake.' Only two of the board's seven members were appointed by Johnson. The others were appointed either by former mayor Lori Lightfoot or Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Whomever is ultimately appointed to helm the CTA will be tasked with leading an agency that is facing the possibility of making drastic service cuts next year because state lawmakers adjourned their spring legislative session without passing funding to avert a looming $771 million transit fiscal cliff. There is still time for the legislators to allocate more funding for transit before the end of the year, but should they fail to, the CTA could be forced to cut more than half its bus routes and eliminate service on whole branches of 'L' lines. The agency is currently led by an acting president, Nora Leerhsen, who was Carter's chief of staff before he resigned.
American Military News
2 days ago
- Business
- American Military News
Gov't agency purchased private passenger data from US airlines: Report
A new report claims that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has purchased passenger information from a data broker owned by multiple U.S. airlines. According to 404 Media, documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that the CBP's purchase of private airline passenger data was intended to help the agency identify persons of interest. The outlet noted that the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), which is owned by at least eight of the top U.S. airlines, sold the data to the CBP, which included the names, financial information, and flight itineraries of passengers. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told 404 Media, 'The big airlines—through a shady data broker that they own called ARC—are selling the government bulk access to Americans' sensitive information, revealing where they fly and the credit card they used.' 404 Media reported that the sale of passengers' private information is part of the Airlines Reporting Corporation's Travel Intelligence Program (TIP). According to a Statement of Work obtained by the outlet, federal officials claimed the CBP needed access to the program to 'support federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify persons of interest's U.S. domestic air travel ticketing information.' According to 404 Media, the CBP claimed that the data purchased from the Airlines Reporting Corporation is only used to locate individuals in investigations launched by the Office of Professional Responsibility. READ MORE: Major airline files for bankruptcy According to the documents obtained by 404 Media, the data obtained from the Travel Intelligence Program is expected to give the CBP 'visibility on a subject's or person of interest's domestic air travel ticketing information as well as tickets acquired through travel agencies in the U.S. and its territories.' 404 Media reported that the Airlines Reporting Corporation asked the CBP not to 'publicly identify vendor, or its employees, individually or collectively, as the source of the Reports unless the Customer is compelled to do so by a valid court order or subpoena and gives ARC immediate notice of same.' 'CBP is committed to protecting individuals' privacy during the execution of its mission to protect the American people, safeguard our borders, and enhance the nation's economic prosperity,' a CBP spokesperson told 404 Media. 'CBP follows a robust privacy policy as we protect the homeland through the air, land and maritime environments against illegal entry, illicit activity or other threats to national sovereignty and economic security.' Wyden told 404 Media that the Airlines Reporting Corporation has 'refused to answer oversight questions from Congress,' prompting the Oregon senator to contact various airlines regarding 'why they gave the green light to sell their customers' data to the government.'
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘My advice to Tom Homan and ICE is to take a timeout': Boston Mayor Wu seeks more information on ICE tactics and arrests
Related : Advertisement The public records request, filed under the The information and records the city is asking for include all arrest and deportation warrants; immigration detainer and apprehension documents; the date, time, location, description of, and basis for all immigration enforcement actions; the name of all people who are arrested or detained by ICE officials, regardless of whether they are the intended target; and the detention location and any transfers of all people ICE takes into custody. Advertisement The city also asked for ICE to share any immigration violations, criminal convictions, or pending criminal charges against any person they detain and whether ICE was aware of those violations when they take a person into custody. Officials also want access to all documents related to any administrative, court, or removal proceedings for any person arrested by ICE. The City of Boston has issued its first FOIA request of ICE. Under the Freedom of Information Act, we are requesting records related to enforcement actions within our city and information on certain ICE policies. — Office of Mayor Michelle Wu 吳弭 ( The public records request also asks for all of ICE's written policies, training and field manuals, and documents showing standard operating procedure, reflecting the city's concerns about ICE agents' use of masks, reports of federal officials damaging personal property as they take people into custody, and failing to identify themselves and possibly racially profiling people during immigration enforcement actions. Wu firmly reiterated her commitment to stand up for Boston residents at the press conference last week in which she explained how the city's plan to regularly file public records requests fits into her broader strategy to push back against the Trump administration. 'We see the actions that are taking place directly undermining trust across all interactions with city government and therefore are resulting in making our communities less safe,' Wu said. 'We do not need the federal government to tell us what safety looks like when we see it with our own eyes. And in Boston, we will stand strong for our community members and our residents.' Related : She also had a few choice words for Advertisement 'My advice to Tom Homan and ICE is to take a timeout; reassess what you are doing and how you are doing it,' Wu said. 'A little friendly advice from the safest major city in the country. We know how to keep people safe.' Niki Griswold can be reached at
