Puente, politicians' scourge, leaves Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND --This Sunday, Mark Puente's byline appeared in the Plain Dealer for the last time. Prosecutor Bill Mason, who found Puente on his front porch more times than he liked this year, is probably shaking off the fear of his own ringing doorbell. Ex-sheriff Gerald McFaul, still under house arrest for crimes Puente uncovered, may feel cursed anew to know his nemesis is free to enjoy southern sunshine.

Puente, the PD's best reporter of the past three years, left earlier this month to write about Florida real estate for the prestigious St. Petersburg Times. It's a shock to readers who appreciated his relentless exposés of Cleveland politicians, but no surprise to those close to him.

For The Record

Mark Puente’s 18 stories about former Cuyahoga County Sheriff Gerald McFaul’s office put the Plain Dealer police reporter on the front page and reminded the city that it still needs a watchdog.

CLEVELAND -- The reporter who took on the sheriff is a big guy, with glasses softening his round face. He is 39 years old and four years out of college. He has three sons, age 20, 20, and 19. He logged 1 million miles in 13 years as a trucker, and he’s licensed to hit the road again anytime. He’s not likely to. Journalism is working out pretty well.

As The Plain Dealer cops reporter, Mark Puente spends his workdays in a bare room in Cleveland police headquarters. He even talks in the clipped, staccato speech of a cop. He’s also the first to remind you that he’s a beat writer, not a crusader.