Come to think of it, I was kind of sarcastic when I was writing this post last night, so I'm going to re-write it now.
It's rare when you see newspapers praising public officials, especially those in law enforcement and the justice system, for their transparency and candidness. But the California Newspapers Publishers Association did just that on Wednesday.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley won the Freedom of Information Award for his sponsorship of Senate Bill 690. He partnered with CNPA last year for the legislation, authored by Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello), that gives the public and the press greater access to info about criminal charges and cases. It took effect on Jan. 1 and allows prosecutors to provide info on criminal charges and the outcome of the case if the defendant was sentenced more than 30 days before the request for info was made.

This is probably sounds kinda arcane, but it's actually really helpful, especially when dealing with law enforcement agencies who are less enthusiastic about chatting. Lots of times, when we see something on the arrest blotter or get some info from one agency, the right folks won't be around (or won't want to talk). But, as a result of that policy, Cooley's office can usually provide us with vital information for stories. And that is a very good thing, indeed.