Palin neighbor leaves Alaska

Author Joe McGinnis was leaving Alaska for Massachusetts on Sunday to write the book he’s been researching on presumptive 2012 presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the Associated Press reports.

McGinnis raised eyebrows and drew the Palin family’s ire when he moved in right next door to the Palins in Wasilla in May. He said he had no plans to spy on the Palins, but they took offense and built an 8-foot fence between the two homes.

McGinnis said he also received an angry visit from Palin’s husband, Todd, but that everyone else in town was nice to him — though cautious when discussing Palin.

McGinnis in 2009 wrote an unflattering account for Portfolio of Palin’s failure to get a natural gas pipeline to Alaska when she was governor.