Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., was a recipient of the Weltner Freedom of Information award Saturday night for championing government openness.

Isakson became only the fifth person to receive the honor from the Georgia First Amendment Foundation. The award was named after Charles Weltner, a former lawyer and Superior Court judge, who fought for transparency and ethics in government.

"To get an award with the name Weltner is indeed an honor," Isakson said.

As a co-sponsor of legislation that would strengthen the Freedom of Information Act, Isakson endorsed open records and meetings as a member of the Georgia General Assembly, the state Board of Education and the U.S. House.

"The public has a right to know about government situations," he said. "Openness is business and having knowledge of what's going on is better for the community."

Mickey Feltus of Chamblee, a critic of DeKalb Peachtree Airport, won the foundation's Citizen of the Year award for using the Georgia Open Records Act to pry information out of airport administrators.

Feltus and his supporters say the airport allows overweight jets and fails to keep proper records about takeoffs and landings.