weevil news

Running for State Representative in the upcoming elections, Ada "Dove" Lockwood hopes to be a new kind of representative. She aims to listen to all people of the state, representing their concerns and not just her own. Instead of making specific promises and policy changes out of the gate, Miss Lockwood is running a different campaign.

Her number one priority as a candidate is to seek out different perspectives among her prospective constituents. She understands that her life experiences can only take her so far; as a politician, she needs to demonstrate that she can listen as much as she can speak. If anyone has concerns about their quality of life, experiences, livelihoods, or anything else impacting them throughout the upcoming four-month term, Miss Lockwood is willing to listen for as long as they're willing to speak about their own perspectives.

As a farrier herself, Ada has a lot of empathy for the skilled craftsmen, artisans, and tradefolk of New Alexandria. Hardworking folk with manual jobs are often passed over, both politically and in terms of financial viability. She believes in encouraging job diversity and success in all career paths. While acknowledging that this is not necessarily a legislative concern, Miss Lockwood nonetheless believes that a state representative should be a leader and encourage prosperity for all people.

While hunting is very popular in New Alexandria and constitutes good, noble, hard work, many folk are driven to the work through necessity rather than desire. Ada believes that all careers should be financially viable, and people should be able to follow their dreams, pursuing careers they care about. She intends to bring that perspective and experience to the legislature as a champion of the people.

Another concern that Ada Lockwood has about the current state of our fair community is the relationship between the people and their law enforcement. She has heard many reports about people not getting the treatment their deserve while in deputy custody. While she believes deputies are noble, hardworking folk, she would like to see more oversight to protect the rights of citizens. She seeks an expansion the availability of legal counsel, making sure those incarcerated know their rights.

Trials should be conducted expediently, she says, rather than folk serving full sentences prior to even going before a judge. While she declined to comment on whether those ultimately deemed innocent should be provided restitution for falsely served time, Miss Lockwood stated a preference for at least a public acknowledgement of the accused's innocence. The state should seek to provide closure for these folk and their families so that they can continue to trust in the good work of law enforcement in New Alexandria.

Ada Lockwood is serious about being a representative that understands the concerns of her people. She is proud to have the endorsement of the New Alexandria Horse Racing Association as well as Ford & Sons, a real honor she wasn't expecting. She welcomes any and all folk who would like to speak with her and help her learn from their perspectives throughout the campaign and the future if she were to be elected!

When the list of certified candidates for governor was released last Tuesday, six individuals were named as having thrown their metaphorical hats in the ring. Curiously, however, one name was crossed out immediately, with "Disqualified" written next to it. That name was Winifred Lockheart.

Weevil News sought to investigate this immediate removal of a candidate from the election ballot, and we uncovered a story that only got stranger the deeper we looked. The official statement from those who certified the ballot was that Miss Winnie (as she is commonly known) was disqualified for conviction of a felony within the last 30 days, a requirement that had been made clear during the registration process. This seemed quite reasonable justification, until news came that this wasn't strictly the case.

It appears that Winifred Lockheart had been convicted of "Accomplice To First-Degree Murder", sometime over a month ago. The exact date is in dispute, with some sources claiming it occurred in late June and others reporting it as far back as the end of May. What is clear, however, is that the crime took place more than thirty days prior to the beginning of the campaign, making it ineligible for disqualification.

Even more curious, however, was the claim that said crime constituted a felony. While first-degree murder is in fact a felony, the penal code of New Alexandria clearly outlines that "Accomplice To" charges are misdemeanors. The only exception to this rule is in the case of an "aggravated felony", which sources indicate only applies to murder in the case of the victim being law enforcement or a government official. At this time, we have been unable to uncover any proof that the crime in question was aggravated in nature.

Furthermore, all reports we've had of the crime itself seem to indicate that she was charged as an "accomplice" simply for being present when the murder took place, despite many others being present who were not similarly charged. We've seen no evidence that Miss Winnie was carrying a weapon at the time or took any active part in the events leading up to the murder that took place, other than being a witness to its events.

Thus, it appears that the Governor and the Voting Committee responsible for certifying this election went out of their way to change a misdemeanor for which Winifred Lockheart served her time more than a month ago into a recent felony they could use to disqualify her from the election. It seems a desperate, questionable attempt to tilt the results of the election, and it backfired entirely. She engaged multiple lawyers to appeal this decision, and just this week was restored to the election ballot by the order of a judge.

It's been reported that several state representatives took stances aligned with this attempt to discourage her campaign. One was reported as saying she should quit running and stick to a lower position like representative. Another stated, "there's no way you'll ever get in, you're a criminal." It appears that there is plenty of dislike for Winifred Lockheart in the halls of government today. Will the people flock to Winifred Lockheart's campaign over this injustice? Will they instead view her checkered past as an indictment of her character as the Governor and many others appear to think? We'll find out at the voting booth when the citizens of New Alexandria make their voices heard.

The third-ever Blood In The Mud, hosted by Dangerous Dan Douglas, took place Friday night in Valentine. Featuring a bevy of veteran fighters, this knockdown, dragout tournament proved to be an exciting affair! The format consisted of a number of paired fights leading to the creation of a winner's bracket as fighters were slowly whittled down to the final two for the championship bout.

Kicking off the event was Jericho Baker squaring off against the so-called Fake Namerson, a curious old bearded fellow. The fight started with an opening combo from Mr. Namerson that was returned by a solid volley from Jericho, but it ended early when Jericho got turned around and found himself in an accidental headlock. Instead of disqualifying him from the tournament, Dangerous Dan decided to schedule a grudge match after Jericho recovered from being choked out.

The next fight involved Lana against Ely, with Lana placing a surprising bet on Ely to beat her. The two-time champion didn't given Ely much of a chance after the lasso dropped, however, making quick work of her opponent. One of the most exciting fights of the first round was Red "The Crimson Fist" against Jasper "The Brown Beaver". These two giants of the ring went at it for a long bout, with the fight swinging both ways until The Brown Beaver finally landed a cross to take the win.

State Representative candidate Ada Lockwood faced a giant Odd in the next match, taking advantage of his height to slip under his defense and deliver a number of crushing blows to his chin until he went down in a splash of mud. The final fight of the first round was the grudge match between Jericho and Namerson, an intense faceoff that saw Mr. Baker emerge victorious in vengeance for the previous outcome.

The second round began with another victory for Lana over Al, who had been given a bye in the first round. Japser "The Brown Beaver" took down Miss Ada Lockwood, learning from her strategies in the first round to exploit his height advantage and hold her at bay. Grudge winner Jericho Baker then fell to Lana, who had now accumulated three straight wins in the event. This led to a final showdown between Lana and the powerhouse The Brown Beaver, who had two wins himself on the day.

With no onlookers placing bets on Jasper, it seemed that Lana was the clear favorite to win. However, The Brown Beaver didn't take his underdog status laying down, aiming a kick for her crotch to break up the flurry of punches from the reigning champion. She was unfazed, however, jumping right back into the mix to defend her title. Both fighters abandoned all pretense at defense, exchanging blow after blow until finally Lana stood tall over a vanquished foe.

Despite having lost her first ever organized fight in another tournament the day before, Lana bounced back with a flawless performance for her third Blood In The Mud championship title in a row. Will anyone ever dethrone the mud queen? Make sure to attend the next event as she goes for a fourth straight title!

Residents of New Hanover, beware! A crazed cult has been abducting people (and even children!) from around the Valentine area. Calling themselves the "Church of Francis", this ominous group is looking to attack or kidnap those deemed weak or less fortunate under the guise of calling them "sinners".

In recent days, they have been involved in a number of heinous incidents. Weevil News has received reports of a drowned person they "baptized", a child who was burned alive with fire arrows, and more. In a particularly grevious act, one young boy was taking out of town and forced to run for his life. The cult members then chased him down with machetes and sliced him up without a care for life or limb.

To date, the Church of Fracis has had at least two shootouts with law enforcement and civilians. Lawmen deputized several civilians on Thursday and rode out to apprehend them, eventually bringing the lot to Sisika in chains. Unfortunately, they served their time and went straight back to their violent ways. An attempt to kidnap Senior Deputy Deerhorn was thankfully thwarted by nearby civilians, who sent them packing.

These "church members" are considered armed and extremely dangerous. They are known to dress in all black and call people "sinner" in creepy, raspy voices. If you see one of these folk, steer clear for your own safety and immediately inform a Deputy. They show no signs of stopping their acts of terror!

Commonly referred to in Valentine as "Deputy Dickhead", Rafael Ghanz was far from anyone's favorite lawman. He was known, not for stopping violent crimes, but for harassing folks who were just minding their own business. When he wasn't blackout drunk, Mr. Ghanz was creepily watching people from the balconies of Valentine or searching their property without cause.

Furthermore, it has come to the attention of Weevil News that, as a deputy, Mr. Ghanz was assigned to patrols in the Eastern District of New Alexandria. Yet, instead of being commonly seen in Rhodes or Saint Denis, he would be lounging around Valentine despite a distinct lack of actionable crimes taking place in that town at the time.

Even worse, Mr. Ghanz had taken a particular disliking to the younger folk around Valentine. There are countless stories that go beyond harassment, such as when he nearly cut open a young man's horse in search of supposed "contraband", despite no clear reason to suspect such existed. While there is no official statement from the Sheriff's Office as to the reason, Mr. Ghanz was fired on Friday, leaving the public service. Public statement or no, the public certainly need not search far in its own memories for justification.

The firing played out in a very public scene, as Mr. Ghanz took to the main street of Valentine to voice his objections. Facing down two other deputies, he was heard yelling "I might as well just become a criminal now" and, later, "You're lucky I have $1,000, or I'd have to turn to a life of crime". He rode off at full speed through the streets of Valentine, yelling at any and all in his path about how they never deserved him.

That wasn't the last we heard of him that day, however. Mr. Ghanz decided to put his displeasure on full display, sending a telegram from Flatneck Station sometime later. It read: "YOU CAN TAKE AWAY MY BADGE.. STOP BUT I WONT GIVE YOU THE CHANCE TO TAKE ME OUT TOO… STOP YOU CAN THANK GEORGE COOK AND JAMES WALTER FOR THIS.. FULLSTOP"

Regardless of the reasons his colleagues had for removing the badge, it's clear that Deputy Ghanz has deeper problems that need to be addressed. The state of New Alexandria is safer without his gun and demeanor tarnishing the badge he wore, and Weevil News applauds this move to restore the trust we have in our law enforcement.

There's nothing more satisfying than a fresh glass of milk from a local dairy farm. That's exactly why Reginald (known as Red) and Marty opened up their ranch two weeks ago, bringing access to fresh dairy products throughout New Alexandria. Known as Dairy Brothers & Co, you can be sure their wagon will happily deliver anywhere there's a customer!

This humble ranch comes from grassroots beginnings, focusing on producing the freshest milk from grass-fed, free-range cattle purchased right here in New Alexandria. As a local business, they ensure all their cattle and feed comes from other local businesses, rather than importing products from out of state. You can be sure that any money you spend with Dairy Brothers will stay here within the state.

While their primary business is selling fresh milk for an outrageously low price of ONE DOLLAR per jug, Dairy Brothers also sell beef occasionally when one of their cattle needs to be retired. They may also have sausages available soon, so keep an eye out to pick them up before they're gone. These hardworking ranchers are happy to accommodate specialty needs and large orders, so don't hesitate to let them know if you'd like to stray outside their usual catalogue.

Dairy Brothers is looking to expand their business to clientele throughout New Alexandria, so make sure to keep an eye out on the local notice boards to see when their wagons are operating. Their primary operations are located in District Two, so head on over that way to pick up the freshest milk around!

This election season, head on up to Brandywine Drop for one of the premier fishing events of the summer. Sponsored by candidates Elylida Beaumonte, Addison Flanagan, and Ramona Ryder under the prestigious hosting of the New Alexandria Association of Gaming (NAAG), this contest is sure to be one humdinger of an event!

An exact date has yet to be announced, but you can be assured that posters will go up on the notice board as soon as it's been confirmed. Gather together in the northeast corner of the state on the day for a speed-fishing extravaganza. Held in District 3, each contestant will be given thirty minutes to catch as many fine specimen from the Kamassa River as they can. Fishing will commence across all four of the prime fishing spots around the Drop, giving everyone plenty of space to cast their rods.

All entry fees are covered thanks to the generosity of the Beaumonte campaign. However, please make sure to bring your own fishing rods before you head up to Brandywine Drop, as the organizers can't provide equipment for all possible comers. A fisher's rod is their best friend, and that can make all the difference between a huge catch and an empty bucket. Be prompt and ready to fish, and you could walk away with a huge cash prize for your efforts!

Many people think of their local gunsmith as just a counter with some guns behind it. That's not how Jericho Baker sees it, however. Along with his associates Silas Winchester and Wei Chao (together known as Winchester Arms Co), they aim to be the man behind the counter. Gunsmiths are more than just a place to buy new guns, and they're out to prove it!

Not only will Mr. Baker sell you new guns, he buys and sells used ones, too. In fact, he's so happy to take your old firearms off you that he'll pay willing folk to hold onto extra guns he can't carry himself. He'll also provide maintenance services for your weapons for just FIVE DOLLARS, but he's happy to teach you how to do it yourself. For only TWO DOLLARS, one can buy a cleaning kit, a nice wooden box with a latch on the front. The kit holds two rods (one for revolvers and another for rifles/repeaters), two brushes, oils, and everything else you need to keep your guns in working order.

Mr. Baker can usually be found at their Valentine location, with Mr. Winchester servicing Annesburg and Mr. Chao handling business in Rhodes. However, any of these men are happy to travel to any gun store to provide services; just send out a telegram and they'll be on their way. They hope to one day fill every gun store across the state with an expert gunsmith, so you can rest assured that quality service will be available anywhere you travel.

Winchester Arms Co has one more well-kept secret they don't want to be a secret anymore. They want it to be known that all prices are negotiable. They welcome hagglers coming in their doors. Price aren't set in stone, and they find negotiations to be an interesting and exciting change of pace for their business. If the price ain't right, give 'em a fight!

The legend of Lefty Lone has echoed across New Alexandria for decades. Rumor has it that the government has been after him for 40 years, trying to get their hands on the riches he has hidden in the mountains. Refusing to abide by the dollar, Lefty insists on paying with gold, leading others to wonder where he gets it from.

After decades of chasing him down, the law finally got their hands on Lefty Lone several days ago. Sources say he was sentenced to an astronomical 1,930 months in Sisika, supposedly for simple robberies and shootouts with deputies. Lefty, of course, has been innocent for the last 40 years, as we hear it, yet the rumors of his crimes have curiously spread throughout the populace.

The rumors about his stay in Sisika get even more interesting, however. It's said that Lefty escaped within half an hour of arriving at the prison, using his dinner to bribe a guard to leave the gate cracked open for him. Lefty took to swimming for the far shore, but he soon realized that the strong current would drag him under before he got far. Returning to the prison beach, he waited patiently until a canoe passed by, commandeering it for his escape. Though the occupants protested, Lefty showed them his fist and ever since they've been missed.

Though the people appear confident in Lefty Lone's innocence, there is little doubt that his upcoming court case won't go his way. Rumors say that he's not aiming to show up at all, retiring to Tumbleweed to care for himself, his horse, and his legendary beard. Those who know Lefty best say he has but one message for the government: "Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Lefty Lone Needs To Be Left Alone".

The delicious food from Lemoyne Fried Chicken Company (LFC) is flying off the counter faster than its owner, Mr. Sanders, can fry it. Since opening over the last two weeks, this quaint food stand across from the butcher in Valentine has taken off like a horse in heat. It seems folks just can't get enough of his succulent breasts and juicy bottoms, which is why he needs your help!

LFC is starting a massive hiring push, looking to rapidly expand their operations to handle unprecedented demand. In addition to the long lines trailing across the street to the hotel every day, Mr. Sanders has also received numerous large catering orders for events of thirty or more people! As the lone chef handling every facet of the business, his newfound success has created quite the demand for workers.

If you're in the market for a new job, this could be the opportunity for you! Whether you're a clerk, salesperson, chef, or otherwise skilled, LFC has a place for you. They'll need people breading, frying, and boxing that chicken as fast as possible to handle the orders coming in day and night. Those who have skill with a frying pan will be well-rewarded, as its dangerous work that could burn a hand or singe some eyebrows.

In particular, Mr. Sanders wants people who will caress the breasts with care and make sure the bottoms are extra plump. A lot of folks find juicy bottoms distracting, he says, and they just wanna sink their teeth in right then and there. Instead, those bottoms must be kneaded properly in the egg wash, ensuring they are fully covered before they hit the frying pan.

If you think you have what it takes, make sure to inquire about the plethora of job openings available today! Mr. Sanders is a proud member of the Valentine community, and he's happy to be an employer to many of the fine, skilled folk in this town. Don't miss this opportunity to earn your living working for the Lemoyne Fried Chicken Company!

Blackwater is experiencing a revival. The once-thriving port town has been stagnant in recent years, construction seemingly stalled indefinitely as nearby Valentine and Armadillo became local hubs. All that's about to change, however, with the grand opening of The Black Dog Saloon!

Co-owned by Mason Black and Moondance, the saloon opened this week to great fanfare. A family-friendly joint in the center of Blackwater, The Black Dog also caters to the pet-loving crowd. They carry treats for cats and dogs to share with your furry friends, and custom smoke products like cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tabacco to share with your non-furry ones.

They're focused on supporting the local community, bringing plenty of Guarma rum up from the docks to revive the port business. The proprietors have also promised that a portion of all profits from the saloon will go to the native tribes of the land, demonstrating that they open this business with respect for all peoples in and around Blackwater.

The Black Dog comes with all sorts of amenities, including a bath and room for rent upstairs. The upper floor also holds a fine blackjack table, giving tale to many great events to come. They are working on a number of ideas to bring the community together, including inviting political figures to come down and speak to the people of Blackwater. The saloon tends to operate in District 1, but they will be open in other Districts as well from time to time.

The Black Dog Saloon is currently hiring for a number of positions, including an accountant, barkeepers, musicians, security, and card dealers. They're also looking for an artist to design posters to advertise their business. It's clear that Mr. Black and Moondance have big plans to make this saloon a staple of the revived Blackwater economy. Make sure to stop in enjoy their fine hospitality any time you're heading through the Great Plains!

Recent reports suggest that, despite the governor's declaration of New Austin as a "lawless territory", the deputies of New Alexandria do not intend to heed his advice to stay away. Weevil News has heard tale of numerous clashes between law enforcement and folk living in the formerly cholera-stricken town of Armadillo.

The saloon there is known as "Outlaw's Rest", a haven for those who are not necessarily criminals but seek respite from a law they don't believe in. The name predates the recent decision by our state legislature to lawfully define the term "outlaw" to apply to individuals who have evaded arrest under public bounty for more than 72 hours. While criminals have been known to brazenly frequent establishments throughout New Alexandria, this name alone does not indicate that those within are, in fact, wanted for alleged crimes.

Regardless, however, it seems that multiple shootouts have taken place in this local watering hole as law enforcement descended upon the quiet town. Sources say that the first incident left six deputies bleeding as they fled on horseback, having exchanged heavy fire with civilians inside the saloon. Another shootout took the life of the infamous "Pirate Queen" Anne Bonny who happened to have ridden to Armadillo at the time. It seems that every visit the deputies make to this supposed "lawless territory" ends in a shootout with civilians and lawfolk alike sustaining grievous injuries.

Further reports state that deputies have been making additional forays into the western part of our state to make minor arrests. While this is a well-known exception to the Governor's prior declaration, it certainly seems as if there has been an uptick in the enforcement of laws down there of late. It appears that the lawlessness of New Austin may be coming soon to an end, whether you like it or not.