With regular blazes the “new normal” on the West Coast, prison labor continues to play a huge role in battling them.

As part of efforts to rebuild and restructure Puerto Rico after last fall’s destructive hurricane season, the island territory is actively planning to use private prisons on the mainland to house a third of its current inmate population.

After a court ruled state legislators and senators were subject to Washington’s Public Records Act, elected officials there quickly moved, with no public hearings, to make sure that emails and many other would continued to be kept from public. After an unprecedented backlash, Gov. Jay Inslee has vetoed the bill and the legislature has agreed to get more public feedback before any changes are made.

Request for records related to Phoenix, Arizona’s federally trademarked bird symbol reveals a surprising trove of city-owned phrases.

With the option to air grievances and conduct discussions via direct messages and private posts, some cities are able to sidestep public records laws. Is yours among them?