Kooskia Couple Awarded 2011 Max Dalton Open Government Award

A Kooskia couple who battled for information about megaload shipments on U.S. 12 in northern Idaho has been named the recipient of the 2011 Max Dalton Open Government Award sponsored by the Idaho Newspaper Foundation.

Karen "Borg" Hendrickson and Linwood Laughy

Karen "Borg" Hendrickson and Linwood Laughy received the award and accompanying cash prize of $1,000 at an awards luncheon in Boise on Saturday, April 30.

The Max Dalton Open Government Award has been given each year since 1999 to a citizen or group judged to be an outspoken advocate of openness in either public records or public meetings on the state or local level.

The couple was honored for their efforts that resulted in the disclosure of a large amount of information previously unreleased about the shipments of giant oil-processing assemblies over U.S. 12 and into Montana. This information included transport plans and correspondence between the oil companies and the Idaho Transportation Department. Hendrickson and Laughy then started a Web site, www.FightingGoliath.org, on which information they discovered was posted, as well as a blog and Facebook page.

"Their efforts, from realization of the problem to the present ongoing fight, resemble a spider web reaching every aspect of government and beyond," said Lee Halper of Jerome, who nominated the couple. "From two, there are now many who fight this fight but the main battle is still theirs."

Other Nominees

Other nominees for the 2011 award were:

The Idaho Freedom Foundation, whose Web sites OurIdaho.com, www.IdahoReporter.com and www.IdahoVotes.org, offer nonbiased informational portals for the public.
The Boise Guardian, an activist Web site operated by David Frazier of Boise that uses open government laws in its role as an independent observer of local politics.
Rebecca Boone of the Associated Press for her work exposing abuses at the privately operated prison south of Boise.
Matthew Roetter of Hayden for his consistent use of the Idaho public records law to obtain information about government agencies, including the Lake City Development Corp.
Stan Howland, Shirley Ringo & Robert C. Huntley for their work to open to public scrutiny the Idaho State Tax Commission's alleged practices with respect to granting favorable tax settlements.