When It Comes To Waste, D.C. Is Priceless

"A bill is something one could assume had been mailed. It's not likely to be something you would have crumpled in your pocket, like a receipt."

Citizens, study well: Receipt, okay; bill, not.

"It's probably a slender thread of difference," Myers concedes.

But let's give the city its due. Inspector Herd discovered the evidence, maintained the chain of custody, wrote up a two-page report, found the culprit and delivered the notice of violation, all in just 13 days -- the time between when he found the air bill and when Chasin was served. My tax dollars are working.

How'd the inspector do it?

Two nights a week, "our solid waste inspectors drive along with the overnight public litter can people, and they look for things like bagged trash in the public cans," Myers says.

The inspectors, who usually investigate illegal dumping and search for the bad guys behind graffiti and posters, actually go through the yuck in litter cans searching for identifying information -- a piece of mail, stationery, an air bill.

The city feels for Chasin. "Poor guy," Myers says. "I tell people all the time: Don't put anything with your name on it in a public trash can."

"Absurd," Chasin says. "I'm an upstanding citizen. I pay taxes. I pay parking fines." He plans to appeal.

One more thing: That FedEx package from Mom? It contained information Chasin needed to fill out his tax forms -- to pay the District even more money.

Principal Watch: Following my report on the phony doctorate held by Walker-Jones Elementary School Principal Wilma Durham, D.C. Council member Sharon Ambrose wrote to the school system demanding Durham's removal. Now Interim Superintendent Robert Rice responds: Durham "has worked hard" to bring "order, direction, discipline" to her school. Rice's only reference to the fake degree: a line about how stressful it is for children "hearing negative news about their principal."