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U.S. NEWS Monday 21 august 2023

Court documents suggests reason for police raid of Kansas newspaper

By JIM SALTER She added, "Not to my
Associated Press knowledge was anything il-
The police chief who led legal or wrong."
the raid of a Kansas news- Rhodes, the newspaper's
paper alleged in previously attorney, said Zorn's ac-
unreleased in court docu- tions were legal under both
ments that a reporter either state and federal laws. Us-
impersonated someone ing the subject's name "is
else or lied about her inten- not identity theft," Rhodes
tions when she obtained said. "That's just the way of
the driving records of a lo- accessing that person's re-
cal business owner. cord."
But reporter Phyllis Zorn, The newspaper had New-
Marion County Record Edi- ell's driver's license number
tor and Publisher Eric Meyer and date of birth because
and the newspaper's at- a source provided it, un-
torney said Sunday that solicited, Meyer said. Ulti-
no laws were broken when mately, the Record decid-
Zorn accessed a public ed not to write about New-
state website for informa- ell's record. But when she
tion on restaurant operator revealed at a subsequent
Kari Newell. City Council meeting that
The raid carried out Aug. she had driven while her li-
11 and led by Marion Po- A stack of the latest weekly edition of the Marion County Record sits in the back of the newspaper's cense was suspended, that
lice Chief Gideon Cody building, awaiting unbundling, sorting and distribution, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Marion, Kan. was reported.
Associated Press
brought international at- The investigation into
tention to the small central obtaining of Newell's driv- obviously stole her identity." ance claim investigations; whether the newspaper
Kansas town that now finds ing record was the driving As a result, Cody wrote: and for research projects broke state laws continues,
itself at the center of a de- force behind the raid. "Downloading the docu- about statistical reports now led by the Kansas Bu-
bate over press freedoms. The newspaper, acting on ment involved either imper- with the caveat that the reau of Investigation. State
Police seized computers, a tip, checked the public sonating the victim or lying personal information won't Attorney General Kris Ko-
personal cellphones and a website of the Kansas De- about the reasons why the be disclosed. bach has said he doesn't
router from the newspaper, partment of Revenue for record was being sought." Meyer said Zorn actually see the KBI's role as investi-
but all items were released the status of Newell's driv- The license records are nor- contacted the Depart- gating the conduct of the
Wednesday after the coun- er's license as it related to mally confidential under ment of Revenue before police.
ty prosecutor concluded a 2008 conviction for drunk state law, but can be ac- her online search and was Some legal experts believe
there wasn't enough evi- driving. cessed under certain cir- instructed how to search the Aug. 11 raid violated
dence to justify the action. Cody wrote in the affida- cumstances, cited in the records. Zorn, asked to re- a federal privacy law that
Late Saturday, the Record's vit that the Department affidavit. The online user spond to the allegations protects journalists from
attorney, Bernie Rhodes, or Revenue told him that can request their own re- that she used Newell's having their newsrooms
provided copies of the af- those who downloaded cords but must provide a name to obtain Newell's searched. Some also be-
fidavits used in the raid to the information were Re- driver's license number and personal information, said, lieve it violated a Kansas
The Associated Press and cord reporter Phyllis Zorn date of birth. "My response is I went to a law that makes it more
other news media. The and someone using the The records may also be Kansas Department of Rev- difficult to force reporters
documents that had pre- name "Kari Newell." Cody provided in other instances, enue website and that's and editors to disclose their
viously not been released. wrote that he contacted such as to lawyers for use where I got the informa- sources or unpublished
They showed that Zorn's Newell who said "someone in a legal matter; for insur- tion." material.q

Navy shipbuilders’ union approves

3-year labor pact at Bath Iron Works

BATH, Maine (AP) — The the second year and 4% in- utmost dedication," union
largest union at Navy ship- crease in the third. Workers leaders said to members in
builder Bath Iron Works in are receiving an increase a post on their Facebook
Maine overwhelmingly ap- in contributions to their na- page Sunday.
proved a new three-year tional pension plan while Bath Iron Work also hailed
contract, the union said health insurance costs will the deal. "This agreement
Sunday, averting another grow. Machinists' Union Lo- represents our desire to
strike like the one three cal S6, which represents continue working together
years ago that contributed about 4,200 production to deliver the Navy's ships A shipyard worker, below center, walks to his car at the end of
to delays in delivering ships. workers, touted the biggest on time to protect our na- a workday at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, Tuesday, Jan. 3,
The contract, which takes pay raises by percentage tion and our families," the 2017. Associated Press
effect Monday, raises pay since the union's founding company said in a state-
a range of 2.6% to 9.6% in in the 1950s. ment. "We appreciate our union approved the pact was positive with both sides
the first year with differenc- "Local S6 would like to employees' participation with 76% supporting the agreeing at the outset
es due to a mid-contract thank you for your vote and in the process. Training and deal in online voting that there would be no attempt
wage adjustment that al- support as we continue to implementation of the new began on Friday and con- to reinstate subcontracting
ready took effect for some advocate for our mem- elements of the contract cluded Sunday afternoon, provisions that triggered a
workers, and will be fol- bers' best interests and up- begin this week." officials said. strike in 2020 in the middle
lowed by a 5% increase in hold the contract with the Workers represented by the The tenor of negotiations of the pandemic. q