In the last seven days, the most read story on newsobserver.com has been Bruce Siceloff's Tuesday article, "Corrosive goop mystifies RDU." Siceloff reported on mystery goop that has occasionally splattered and damaged cars in the Raleigh-Durham International Airport parking deck since the deck was completed in 2003. The airport has hired an engineering consultant to explain what the gunk is.

Siceloff was tipped off a few weeks ago by an aggrieved traveler. He phoned Siceloff, who covers transportation for The N&O. "He flies every week, his nice car had been messed up several times, this never happens in other parking decks and he was upset about it," Siceloff said. But he declined to give his name. Siceloff made a public records request from RDU, which revealed internal memos, e-mails and claims from travelers. Several of those who filed claims were quoted in the story. 

Siceloff's weekly column, "Road Worrier," runs every Tuesday in the print N&O and online. You can read his blog, "Crosstown Traffic," at newsobserver.com. 

--John Drescher