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Weevil News has received reports of a cougar uncharacteristically roaming the open plains west of Blackwater. As a cat most commonly seen in the woodlands and mountain passes, wagoneers from the Riders Union were surprised to see one running through open fields.

The cougar has run up on multiple wagons and riders in the area, seeking easy prey in a land where it can't sneak up on local deer and wildlife due to the long, open sightlines. There have been no fatalities reported as of yet, but it will likely become desperate as food becomes more scarce.

Upon interviewing travelers and Blackwater residents, Weevil News heard much speculation as to why the cougar has come this close to town. The most likely theory seems to be related to the storms rolling up from New Austin; lightning-spurred fires in Tall Trees may have driven the cougar from its home onto the Great Plains.

Local hunters should take note if they plan to seek deer and other game in the area. Keep your head on a swivel for this cougar, which may be lying in wait for the unwary to be bent over a kill before it tries to strike. Brave thrill-seekers would be doing a great service to Blackwater by hunting down this menace before someone truly gets hurt!

The upcoming election for the Governor and State Legislature of New Alexandria has people everywhere asking the same questions: Who are the candidates? Why are they running? What do they hope to accomplish? Why should I vote for them? Weevil News would love to answer those questions!

If you intend to run for office in our fair state, please reach out to Mortimer Rivers or any other Weevil News employee to schedule an interview about your candidacy. We will endeavor to feature all candidates fairly, as we believe that visible, informed elections make for a successful society.

Weevil News may issue an endorsement of a candidate at a later date, but we will endeavor to interview all known candidates before deciding whether any deserve the support of our publication. Our readers know that we consider carefully the implications of any such endorsement and would never issue a statement like that lightly.

We would also love to hear from you, voters, about the upcoming election! Who are you supporting? What is important to you in a candidate? What do you think New Alexandria needs from its next leaders? Contact Weevil News at our office in Valentine to share your thoughts on the gubernatorial election process. Don't forget to vote on August 7-9th!

The storied New Alexandria Horse Racing Association recently announced their upcoming races for this week of July 19th. Headed by President Eddie Collins, the NAHRA has a long history of stellar racing events, including such standouts as the Strawberry 500, the Van Horn 400, and most recently the Flat Iron Lake 500.

Speaking with Vice President Thatcher Ford, Weevil News learned of two new events scheduled for the upcoming week. The first event will be the Annesburg 400, featuring a massive prize pool of $400 for first, $200 for second, and $100 for third place. This exciting new race will take place on Wednesday, July 22nd at 10 pm EST in District 4.

Mr. Ford also informed us that a second race is in the works for this coming Saturday, July 25th. While the time and location are yet to be announced, racers should mark their calendars and keep an eye on the notice boards for further information.

These two events are sure to be must-see events this week! Bring your binoculars, a picnic basket, and a little money to gamble with; you'll have a fantastic time. The NAHRA is proudly sponsored by Ford & Sons, helmed by President and Chief of Security Thatcher Ford.

After spending two wonderful weeks visiting her cousins in New Alexandria, Lady Violet Davies has announced plans to return to her lovely home in England. While she would have been delighted to extend her stay, it has come to the Dowager Countess' attention that the many boards she sits on at home are in desperate need of her attendance.

As the Lady's presence is incomparable to her peers, there can be no sating this need other than to journey back to British lands. She has made plans to embark post-haste, arranging passage on the next reasonably accommodating passenger vessel out of Saint Denis.

Upon arriving back in England, Lady Violet plans to attend many of the extravagant balls that had been put on hold pending her return. She looks forward to reuniting with her social circle which has been bereft of her presence these last few weeks.

She has found her time here quite educational, if not always enjoyable; a truly enlightening experience to be sure. Lady Violet wishes well her many friends and acquaintances here in America, as there are surely many left behind who will mourn her absence.

Saturday's Flat Iron Lake 500 proved to have as many ups and downs as the trail from Annesburg to Coulter, leading to a finish that surprised and delighted onlookers. Running eight laps around a dual split in the trail north of the lake docks, this track proved to be a surprising challenge for all our competitors.

NAHRA President Eddie Collins oversaw the qualifying runs of the track, where each rider ran two laps and was timed for the second, used to determine starting positions in order of best to worst times. Speaking to racers ahead of the start, many appeared focused on the two sharp turns and wary of their horse stumbling over the wagon wheels jutting out on the corners.

At the start of the race, the poll positions were as follows: Dottie Tucker (Mouse), Rose Young (Light Fury), Matthew Young (Night Fury), Kitt Detwiler (Baron Von Beefcake), Thaddeus LeBlack (Charlie), Dr. Jaena Shaw (Little Brother), Ryan Hastings (Moxxie), and Dixie Tucker (Possum), with Maria Spacito bringing up the rear on Dee Lorian, formerly known as Tater. This highly experienced field featured two former winners and three others who had placed previously, as well as three who were running their first race.

Out of the gate, Rose Young pulled to a huge lead, with Dr. Shaw and Kitt Detwiler fighting for position distantly behind. Dixie Tucker fell asleep at the gate, her horse wandering off to the hillside with her dead dog on the back. Positions held fairly steady for the first half of the race, until Dr. Shaw closed the gap and began challenging Mrs. Young for first place as they came down the hillside into the second turn of Lap 3.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck going into the first turn of Lap 4, as Light Fury hip-checked Little Brother, who was making a pass on the inside. Stumbling over the wagon wheel, Dr. Shaw was thrown free and the pack trampled over her stunned horse through the turn. We learned after the race that Little Brother's injuries, while serious, will not end his racing career.

Light Fury began to flag heading uphill on the sixth lap, and Dottie Tucker's Mouse surged from the pack to take the lead with Night Fury closing in as well. After some confusion in the final lap over whether Maria Spacito had been lapped or made a miraculous surge from last place to victory, Dottie Tucker was declared the winner of the Flat Iron Lake 500! Matthew and Rose Young claimed paying finishes respectively, with the following order for the rest of the pack: Thaddeus LeBlanc, Kitt Detwiler, Ryan Hastings, Maria Spacito, Dr. Jaena Shaw (DNF), and Dixie Tucker (Disqualified).

Speaking with the winner afterward, Weevil News learned that not only was this Dottie's first race, she had also just purchased her horse earlier that day! In a truly miraculous show of bonding between rider and horse, she conserved Mouse's stamina and waited to push him until the last three laps. She looks forward to using her winnings to buy binoculars and a torch for herself and her sister Dixie. A generous statement of love from our humble winner!

Deputies are on the lookout for a man named Russell after reports of multiple shootings by this "religious" zealot. At least three victims are known at this time, each targeted to receive "judgment" for their apparent sins.

Weevil News has learned that Russell sought to ensure his victims survived their wounds, even going so far as to send deputies telegrams to inform them of where his victims were located. However, he is still armed and dangerous and has no qualms about hogtying his victims to take them off into the wilderness.

He was reported as wearing clothing similar to that of a preacher, but solid gray in color and covered by an overcoat to match. His outfit may also have a splash of blue to break of the gray. Russell has made it known that he intends to strike again, so please be wary of any individuals matching this description.

Deputies are searching for this man and will surely reward any and all information leading to his capture. Those who have seen Russell or received his "judgment" should contact Weevil News in Valentine as we continue to follow this story.

The relationship between a woman and her horse can be a beautiful thing to behold. Such is the case with Mrs. Rose Young and her white arabian, Light Fury. Speaking to her moments before the Flat Iron Lake 500 on Saturday, Weevil News learned that she recently entered the racing scene to satisfy her horse's desire to run and compete.

After competing in her very first race this Wednesday at the Van Horn 400, Mrs. Young told us that she's not in it for the money, which will always go toward treats for her horse. She doesn't even think of other racers as competitors, but just blocks them out and focuses on letting Light Fury run the track. To Rose, it's all about letting her horse have fun with each race.

For Wednesday's race, Light Fury flagged in the middle of the race after a strong early showing, but she didn't give up. Finding a second wind, the horse surged late in the race to the surprise of onlookers. Thanks to this valiant effort from her mount, Mrs. Young was able to pass one of the state's deputies for a solid second place finish, cementing her as one of the sport's new favorites.

Speaking about the upcoming race, we learned a bit about Rose's strategy. As an avid hunter alongside her husband, Matthew Young, Rose is used to handling her horse on tough woodlands terrain and making sharp turns while taking down bears and cougars. With the Flat Iron Lake race featuring two extremely tight turns on a short track, she was confident these skills would translate to victory on the day.

Mrs. Young also said she was rooting for her husband to do well in the day's race, after a disappointing last place finish in the Van Horn 400 because his horse Night Fury "absolutely hates him". She hopes that every racer is respectful and just lets their horses have fun, win or lose. It speaks to her strong relationship with her own horse that she's always focused on empathy for the horses themselves and not just the riders.

As one of the most popular drinking destinations in New Alexandria, the main street saloon in Valentine caters to locals, travelers, and thirsty hunters coming down from the slopes of Mount Hagen. This mainstay features a wide variety of liquors, from beer to brandy and whisky to wine. Its broad popularity leads quickly to a shortage in libations, which is why they're offering a job opportunity for any enterprising wagoneers!

Any driver with a strong back and keen sense of direction can stop by the back of the saloon to pick up an order contract to restock their shelves. Depending on current demand, you can either pick up lighter fare like beer and champagne down at Flatneck Station, or they'll ask you to lug down the stronger stuff like whisky and brandy from Emerald Station.

The owners of Valentine's saloons have long lobbied for direct deliveries to Valentine station, but the operators at Flatneck and Emerald stations were able to win contracts to handle these shipments in order to keep Valentine's station free for passengers and livestock only. These stations have plenty of warehouse and storage deck space to hold the orders until a delivery comes through, making them ideal partners in the alcohol shipping business.

If you're looking to pick up some work from the saloon, don't forget that they prefer the quality work of dues-paying union members. Inquire with the Riders Union for information on how you, too, can join this prestigious group of transportation and delivery professionals!

Following the success of our first printed issue, Weevil News is excited to announce our new advertising packages. Are you looking to have an article featured in a future issue? We would be happy to work with you to craft the perfect message!

For just TEN DOLLARS, you can have our expert team write something for publication in Weevil News. Whether it's a business advertisement, an event announcement, or a personal story, we're here to boost your visibility to our readers.

Our seasoned team of professional writers can handle any challenge, any topic! We'll put polish and pizazz on it that will blow you away. With years of journalism experience under our belts, there's nothing the Weevil News team can't handle.

Simply stop by our office at the old freight station in Valentine and ask for an employee, or send a telegram to Mortimer Rivers. We'll make time to cater to your needs, you can be assured of that. Rates may change in the future, so take advantage of this great deal while it lasts!