February 5, 2004–At a 3:00 p.m. news conference at City Hall, Mayoral Candidate Sandy Folaron demanded that the Shepherd Express explain the egregious error in a recent article that stated Folaron did not pay her taxes on time. This appeared in a story written by Doug Hissom in the latest issue of the newspaper on Wednesday, February 4th. Today Folaron confirmed with the City Treasurer that Hissom did not check the matter with them and that there were no requests for any of the candidates’ tax information. The article contains many errors. Folaron, whose taxes are up-to-date, says the reporting is irresponsible, shoddy, and reckless. “Hissom’s journalistic competence should certainly be questioned,” Folaron said. “And to run an unsubstantiated, damaging story like this just two weeks before the election could be looked at as slander.” The Folaron campaign is asking Hissom and Louis Fortis to attend the press conference to answer her questions and defend their irresponsible reporting. Folaron’s campaign has received many calls about the article. The damage to the campaign in these last weeks of the primary election are being assessed.