A plumber asks a presidential candidate a question. The candidate’s opponent turns him into a cause celebre. Press investigates the plumber.

The new era in American journalism: Investigation of people with opinions.

Letter writer is parking fiend

TOLEDO, Ohio — A letter writer in yesterday’s Blade who supported the current mayoral administration has 14 unpaid parking tickets, the Blade has learned.

“Thomas Marksom hasn’t paid a ticket all this year,” said a spokesman for Toledo’s parking authority. Further, state records show Mr Marksom did not vote in the recent mayoral election.

Last week, Mr. Marksom misspelled “accommodate” in a singles advertisement.

Council opponent

has burning history

BUFORD, Ga.  — The Rush Street resident who took issue with the city’s street sweeping ordinance has twice violated the city’s leaf burning policy.

Thomas Marksom was fined in November of 2007 for burning leaves within the city limits.

“I paid my fine,” Mr. Marksom said. “The first time I had a fire, I didn’t know better. The second fire was an accident. I just didn’t put out the first fire very well.”

On Tuesday Marksom objected to the need to move his car off the street the night before the street is swept, saying he could move it in the morning before he went to work. It’s been learned that Marksom doesn’t even report to work until 9:30 a.m., and the street sweeper goes by at 8:45 p.m. Also, Marksom made a math mistake on his last state income tax form.

Miss America contender

often hit sister

ATLANTIC CITY — When Miss Alabama told the judges what she most wanted was world peace, she wasn’t including her sister..

“She hit me all the time,” said Thomasina Marksom, sister of Tara Marksom, Miss Alabama and first runner up for Miss America.

An investigation of Tara Marksom’s elementary school records also revealed that she didn’t do her homework through most of third grade and well into college she still didn’t know the difference between affect and effect.