Best Columnist/Journalist

We smiled when the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tapped longtime reporter BILL TORPY to fill its much-needed metro columnist position a few years ago. And we giggled with delight when, after finding his rhythm, Torpy pointed his prose toward Mayor Kasim Reed. Since picking up the pen, he’s delved into the city shortchanging firefighters of deserved pay raises, the dysfunctional Downtown streetcar, the abrupt and quizzical firing of the airport’s general manager, and the potential closing of the city’s largest homeless shelter, among other topics. Nearly each column has been met with a blistering press release from the office of the charismatic yet thin-skinned politician. Torpy, who in his past life was a Chicago boxer, has not backed down, opting to continue the jousting on Twitter. It’s worth noting that Hizzoner, himself a boxing fan, has not yet blocked the columnist on Twitter. Maybe he likes the sparring partner. www.ajc.com/staff/bill-torpy. less...

In June 2012, Greg Bluestein made the jump to the AJC from the Associated Press’ Atlanta bureau, where for seven years he’d covered everything from the Brian Nichols trial to the BP oil spill and a West Virginia mine explosion. His official new beats were commercial real estate and economic development, but it quickly became clear that he could cover anything. Bluestein’s name started appearing on political stories and pretty much everything else. In addition to uncovering questionable expenses that led to the resignation of the Atlanta Beltline’s CEO, he’s reported on corporations underwriting Gov. Nathan Deals trip to China and Gold Dome shenanigans during the legislative session. He’s an attack dog and a workhorse and he’s one of the biggest strengths at the metro region’s paper of record. www.twitter.com/Bluestein. less...

A healthy media diet should consist of hearty servings of views with which you disagree. And sometimes you’ll be surprised to find yourself saying the person has a point. That’s the way we feel about Charlie Harper of Peach Pundit and Dublin’s Courier-Herald fame. The Fayette County native and current Cobb County resident first caught political observers’ eyes as Icarus, the nom de plume he used on Peach Pundit, the mostly conservative blog covering Georgia politics. The witty gent proved himself to be a wordsmith who didn’t fall into the same traps filled with both conservative and liberal pundits who simply parroted talking points and shouted ideology. He soon dropped the anonymity, took over the reins of Peach Pundit, and picked up a daily political column in Dublin’s Courier-Herald, which also runs on the blog. Since then he’s called for ethics reform, decried plans to publicly finance a new Atlanta Falcons stadium, and - in a refreshing change for a conservative columnist - urged increased MARTA funding from state lawmakers. We don’t always agree. In fact, we rarely do. But Harper’s voice adds some intellect and common-sense conservatism to the debate. Both are sorely needed. less...

We like to give TV news reporters a hard time. But in the barrage of apartment fires, murders, and “tough questions” (ugh) are two seasoned pros who, week after week, still help set the agenda in metro Atlanta: Dale Russell of Fox 5 and Richard Belcher of WSB-TV. The two journos, who can often be seen chasing down the same story, have sent ripples through local and state government - need we revisit Russell’s sit-down with former House Speaker Glenn Richardson’s ex-wife, which spurred the once-powerful Republican’s resignation. This year both were on top of concessions contracts at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, one of the year’s most complex and politically touchy stories. Belcher and Russell connected the dots and dug deep into campaign disclosures and corporate forms to shed light on the billion-dollar fortunes there were to be made selling neck pillows and fried chicken at the world’s busiest airport. They didn’t let up, went toe-to-toe with Mayor Kasim Reed, and helped convince us to turn on the idiot box. less...

After years of staff buyouts, reorganizations and a relocation to Dunwoody, the AJC seemed ready for the insertion of the proverbial fork. But there are some stories that only a large daily newspaper has the resources, news space and clout to tackle. The AJC’s coverage of APS cheating is the penultimate example of the kind of dogged, day-in-day-out investigative reporting that no blogger, TV news crew or online journalist is equipped to do. The paper overcame school system stone-walling, public skepticism and pressure from powerful business interests in uncovering what has been revealed to be the largest school cheating scandal in U.S. history. And, to its credit, the AJC managed to bring this widespread fraud to light without sensationalizing the story or overreaching in its conclusions. Rather, it methodically backed up each new discovery with enough evidence to trigger a state investigation of unprecedented scope. Daily newspapers may be dinosaurs, but there’s nothing on the new-media landscape that can duplicate their T-Rex bite when it comes to complex stories like this. ajc.com. less...

The ongoing coverage of the standardized test cheating scandal involving Atlanta schools by ALAN JUDD AND HEATHER VOGELL shows why a large daily newspaper is so vital to the welfare of a major city. The AJC, which first questioned suspicious test results and, more recently, graduation rates is the only local media entity with the resources to act as watchdog on such a complex issue. www.ajc.com less...

The prediction is that online “citizen journalists” will one day replace daily newspapers. There could be something to that if there were more free-range Internet scribes like JIM WALLS, the admitted “ink-stained wretch” behind Atlanta Unfiltered. Having overseen the AJC’s investigative reporting unit for 12 years until taking a buyout in 2008, Walls is the master of the public records search. Since launching his site in late March, he’s beaten his old employer on several news stories, including the messy firing of DeKalb Police Chief Terrell Bolton; an illegal attempt by the state Public Service Commission to switch chairmen; and a costly legal malpractice decision against a DeKalb state lawmaker. We’re not sure how Walls makes a living, but having a guy like him on the beat is a benefit to us all. www.atlantaunfiltered.com. less...