Atlanta Unfiltered

Atlanta Unfiltered has been named “best muckraker in lean media times” — a new category, we understand — in Creative Loafing’s Best of Atlanta 2009 rankings. (I know, it happened last week, but I was waiting for a slow news day.)

I’m humbled. It’s a privilege to do this sort of work.

I started this site with a vision for the content but not much in the way of technical Web development skills (as should be evident by now).

My biggest doubt was whether I could generate enough investigative/watchdog material by myself to keep readers coming back. Six months later, Atlanta Unfiltered seems to be a success in that regard. I’m cranking it out, and you’re lapping it up. (Long-time readers will appreciate my fondness for such mixed metaphors.)

But, as CL noted: “We’re not sure how Walls makes a living …” My wife and kids aren’t sure how I make a living either. It’s not from this Web site, that’s for sure, although I’d like it to be. If you’re of a mind to, you could help out by making a modest financial donation, either by pressing the convenient “Donate” button here and following the instructions, or mailing a check to the address here. Think of it as payment for info you can’t get anywhere else, or just helping me offset gas and copying costs when I track down public records.

You can also help by spreading the word about Atlanta Unfiltered, linking from your Web site or sending in tips and story ideas. Smoking-gun documents would be sweet. I could use a hand just keeping up with the doings at local city, county and school board meetings. Let me know what’s happenin’.

And if anyone out there wants to volunteer to track down documents, give me a holler at jimwalls@mindspring.com. Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton and north Fulton counties are all areas where we could particularly use some help.

Even better, you could help my cause and yours by purchasing a small, reasonably priced advertisement on this site. Unfiltered is building a strong, loyal and growing readership of folks interested in good government, transparency and accountability. Here’s a way to reach those people. Call my ad guy, Jeff Cochran, at 404-441-7389. He can hook you up.