Policy Briefing Booklet Public Notice Resource Center

Public Notice: An American Tradition is an easy-to-read public policy briefing pamphlet which has been widely used by city and county governments, legislators and newspaper executives seeking to understand the proper role of newspaper... It explores the origins, purpose and defining characteristics of public notice in the U.S., and addresses the present threat and how we can avert it. The fourth edition is now available through the Public Notice Resource Center. Read it below or download a copy here. NJPUBLICNOTICES.COM offers access 24 hours a day, seven days a week to local, county, and statewide public notices placed by governments and ordered by courts all over N.J. These include public notices legally required to be published about foreclosures, hearings, procurement of bids, financial reports, ordinances and other government activities.

This Web site is accessible to the public at no charge. Each public notice was originally published in one or more New Jersey newspapers, the trusted source for community information. For citizens and businesses wanting to routinely track specific types of notices, register for 'Smart Search' and let our system do the work for you. With a simple registration, your search criteria are conveniently saved for future visits. You may also choose to receive automatic daily email notifications of your customized results. Manual search does not require registration.

However, doing so does eliminate the need to re-enter your common keywords every visit. Click here for further information. To place a public notice, please contact the local newspaper in the city or county of publication where the legal notice is required to be published. Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Use agreement. If you have any questions please send an email to NJPA@publicnoticehelp.com. Centre City Tower, Suite 2400 650 Smithfield Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222 info@partner4work.org 412-552-7090 Fax: 412-552-7091 TTY: 800-654-5984

© 2025 Partner4Work. All rights reserved. Auxiliary aids and services are available on request to individuals with disabilities. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Formerly Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, Partner4Work is the public workforce development board for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. This handout will offer tips for writing effective policy briefs.

Be sure to check with your instructor about their specific expectations for your assignment. Imagine that you’re an elected official serving on a committee that sets the standards cars must meet to pass a state inspection. You know that this is a complex issue, and you’d like to learn more about existing policies, the effects of emissions on the environment and on public health, the economic consequences of different possible... But you don’t have time to research all of these issues! You need a policy brief. A policy brief presents a concise summary of information that can help readers understand, and likely make decisions about, government policies.

Policy briefs may give objective summaries of relevant research, suggest possible policy options, or go even further and argue for particular courses of action. You may encounter policy brief assignments in many different academic disciplines, from public health and environmental science to education and social work. If you’re reading this handout because you’re having your first encounter with such an assignment, don’t worry–many of your existing skills and strategies, like using evidence, being concise, and organizing your information effectively, will... However, policy briefs are distinctive in several ways. In some of your college writing, you’ve addressed your peers, your professors, or other members of your academic field. Policy briefs are usually created for a more general reader or policy maker who has a stake in the issue that you’re discussing.

Need to submit a legal notice?We're here to help Protecting, Promoting and Enhancing Community Newspapers Since 1885 Public notices in newspapers are part of the three-legged stool of government accountability. Public notices help to inform the public on activities by the government and other public entities. Public notices have been included in newspapers from the beginning of the Republic. Now they are also on many newspapers’ websites.

A valid public notice should have four key elements: The public notices in most newspapers appear in the classified section. In some states, that is because state law considers them classified ads. In others, it's simply tradition — they've been there for all of our lives. Lewis and Clark used public notices. Most state constitutions were drawn up with the help of public notices.

Learning from the master: How Jim Lockwood weaves award-winning journalism out of public notices give public notices a prominent—and permanent—position in your newspaper. make public notices easier to read and to understand. train your staff on the importance of public notice and any requirements for the notice. use public notice as a source of news stories. let customers know you’re the public notice expert.

This time of year, legislative activity tends to be at a slower pace. PNRC anticipates the new year will bring increased activity as legislators aim to move bills before they enter the election cycle. Many of the state legislative bodies are not in session right now. PNRC urges people to keep an eye on what local governments are doing as well as the state house. One example occurring right now: Across the country, massive new data center projects tied to expanding the artificial intelligence industry are being announced. These facilities take up huge swaths of land and require a lot of energy.

It’s incumbent on local governments and state houses to provide complete transparency and notice of these facilities. Publication should be in print AND in digital format Print: Publication must have a fair price and a preexisting audience apart from public notice. Digital: There should be no cost to readers to access digital notices. Public notices in print should be readable Readers should be able to find them. The best publishers provide enhanced services (e.g., email subscription) to specialized audiences at a reasonable price. Publishers should make reasonable effort to direct attention to notices Efficient indexing for ease of reader use, quick access to web links, and reporting on news embedded in important notices are among the tools...

Print publication is self-authenticating Publishers should be prepared to provide an affidavit of publication. Digital authentication is evolving. Print authentication is particularly critical for real estate. Public notices should be archived for proof of publication Archives should be open to public during reasonable office hours and copies should be available at publisher’s cost. Archives should be preserved for historians Care should be taken to retain archives when systems or owners change. The Public Notice Resource Center is here to support your effort to retain public and legal notices in newspapers.

Your donation helps PNRC track legislation and be a resource for your legislative efforts. The PNRC Board is available to speak at your convention, reminding publishers about the best practices for public notices and staff an informational table. When a newspaper does not follow best practices, it can jeopardize notices for all. PNRC is willing to discuss strategies for legislative efforts and help successfully identify legislative efforts in other states. PNRC is funded by donations from state press associations and members of American Courts and Commercial Newspapers. Without the continued support PNRC would not be the resource for keeping notices public.

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