Gazette has connection at Obama's big day

Below is a report received this morning from Gazette reader Jay Purdy ...

Traded my two silver tickets to a guy who wanted to take his wife. He only had one ticket, but it was in the purple area, on the Capitol grounds. Couldn't get much closer without being family, big elected official or Bono. As you look from the front of the podium, it is on the left side and just back from the last row of seats.

My jacket weighs an extra ten pounds from power bars, bottled water and camera batteries. Bus departed at 4:30 am.

If all goes as planned, Jay will be submitting photos and additional commentary about the inauguration.