news feed; Monday, August 22nd, 2011
Monday; August 22nd, 2011
Weather Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain developing in the afternoon. High 20°C and a low of 15°C (68deg;F/59°F)
Current Moon Phase: Third Quarter
Morning sirens will go off at 6:19 am, and evening sirens will go off at 8:11 pm.
Quake victims return home; some still missing
By Lois Lane
Yesterday, dozens of missing victims from Sectors 9 and 10 returned to the relieved arms of their loved ones. Not only were they well, after their unexplained absence since Tuesday’s earthquake, but the survivors were in perfect condition. Some were even healthier than they had been before the tremors, all at no cost to the families.
However, underneath the jubilation ran a current of resigned cynicism. While the reported missing were returned without incident, some faces once familiar remain unaccounted for. “My brother Jem,” 40-year-old Bobby haltingly explained. “I saw the van come, an’ he were bleeding, so the docs took ‘im. Ain’t seen him since.” Bobby and Jem have been living on the streets of Sector 10 for years, since Jem’s industrial accident put him out of work.
Jem is only one of unknown numbers of homeless of both sectors still missing. Only word of mouth and imperfect memories can report the loss, with no way to track them for official inquiries.
“These people learned long ago to depend only on themselves to get by, day to day,” explains Kelly Vance. Kelly has been working in a soup kitchen on the border of Sectors 9 and 10 for the past eighteen months, and says she has gotten to know the locals of both regions. “Some of the regulars haven’t been in since the ‘quake, and we don’t really know what happened to some of them. Some might have been killed by falling structures, especially in 10, but some their friends have said were only hurt.”
The homeless aren’t the only ones who have lost compatriots. In Sector 9, gang tensions have risen. Whispers of members never returning circulate. One boy who wishes to remain anonymous says that his crew leader hasn’t appeared in days. So many of the children involved have nowhere to go and no one really taking responsibility for them, the underworld situation is teetering on the edge of chaos.
Eyewitnesses report that more vans left the area than were necessary to transport the number of survivors who returned. Where the others are remains a mystery. Police are continuing to investigate, leading to some hope for those society forgot.
Other News
-Siren’s Port University Last Week for Fall Semester Registration & Tuition Deferral! Come to campus today and speak to one of our academic counselors. Used textbook swap at the campus library, 9am - 4pm.
- Sector Six Recovers from Insane Clown Caper The Darkness in Sector 6 has finally calmed down after the man-induced darkness creature rampage. Deaths are estimated to be in the twenty to thirty range, and bodies of some of the ports wealthiest are still being identified. Inheritance feuds are already surfacing in tabloids and gossip columns, as high ranking affiliates of both AGI and SERO have been killed.
Twice this amount have been wounded. One building, a home, was knocked down in the disturbance when a full-sized Wyvern came in through the attic window. The family who lived there survived the encounter. Many storefronts and properties were damaged, but the structures remain intact.
The Joker, who is believed to be responsible for these attacks, was last seen being chased across the rooftops by a large, bat-like creature. At the time of this article, he remains at large and is to be considered armed and dangerous.
- Dangerous Fungus Invades the Port? There is a small article in the health and wellness section, overshadowed by other Port news, which mentions a spreading sickness centered around the fourth sector baseball diamond which may be linked to the appearance of mushroom-like fungal growths which appeared in a fairy ring on the field Friday morning. The hospitalized earthquake experts have also been swabbed for foreign spore samples. A SERO fungicide producer has sought permission to step onto the diamond and gather specimens, to determine if they are native to the island’s eukaryote life. Governor Townshed had denied this request, although the Department of Health is planning to launch a closer investigation if problems persist.
[ooc: The puffball fungus will swell throb during the morning, and explode into dust before noon. Airborne spores will be carried on the wind today, around the towers apartment parking lot. Especially before the afternoon rain, those who inhale them will experience dizziness, mild hallucinations, nausea or itchy allergic reactions.]
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[ News Notification Thread]
Weather Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain developing in the afternoon. High 20°C and a low of 15°C (68deg;F/59°F)
Current Moon Phase: Third Quarter
Morning sirens will go off at 6:19 am, and evening sirens will go off at 8:11 pm.
Quake victims return home; some still missing
By Lois Lane
Yesterday, dozens of missing victims from Sectors 9 and 10 returned to the relieved arms of their loved ones. Not only were they well, after their unexplained absence since Tuesday’s earthquake, but the survivors were in perfect condition. Some were even healthier than they had been before the tremors, all at no cost to the families.
However, underneath the jubilation ran a current of resigned cynicism. While the reported missing were returned without incident, some faces once familiar remain unaccounted for. “My brother Jem,” 40-year-old Bobby haltingly explained. “I saw the van come, an’ he were bleeding, so the docs took ‘im. Ain’t seen him since.” Bobby and Jem have been living on the streets of Sector 10 for years, since Jem’s industrial accident put him out of work.
Jem is only one of unknown numbers of homeless of both sectors still missing. Only word of mouth and imperfect memories can report the loss, with no way to track them for official inquiries.
“These people learned long ago to depend only on themselves to get by, day to day,” explains Kelly Vance. Kelly has been working in a soup kitchen on the border of Sectors 9 and 10 for the past eighteen months, and says she has gotten to know the locals of both regions. “Some of the regulars haven’t been in since the ‘quake, and we don’t really know what happened to some of them. Some might have been killed by falling structures, especially in 10, but some their friends have said were only hurt.”
The homeless aren’t the only ones who have lost compatriots. In Sector 9, gang tensions have risen. Whispers of members never returning circulate. One boy who wishes to remain anonymous says that his crew leader hasn’t appeared in days. So many of the children involved have nowhere to go and no one really taking responsibility for them, the underworld situation is teetering on the edge of chaos.
Eyewitnesses report that more vans left the area than were necessary to transport the number of survivors who returned. Where the others are remains a mystery. Police are continuing to investigate, leading to some hope for those society forgot.
Other News
-Siren’s Port University Last Week for Fall Semester Registration & Tuition Deferral! Come to campus today and speak to one of our academic counselors. Used textbook swap at the campus library, 9am - 4pm.
- Sector Six Recovers from Insane Clown Caper The Darkness in Sector 6 has finally calmed down after the man-induced darkness creature rampage. Deaths are estimated to be in the twenty to thirty range, and bodies of some of the ports wealthiest are still being identified. Inheritance feuds are already surfacing in tabloids and gossip columns, as high ranking affiliates of both AGI and SERO have been killed.
Twice this amount have been wounded. One building, a home, was knocked down in the disturbance when a full-sized Wyvern came in through the attic window. The family who lived there survived the encounter. Many storefronts and properties were damaged, but the structures remain intact.
The Joker, who is believed to be responsible for these attacks, was last seen being chased across the rooftops by a large, bat-like creature. At the time of this article, he remains at large and is to be considered armed and dangerous.
- Dangerous Fungus Invades the Port? There is a small article in the health and wellness section, overshadowed by other Port news, which mentions a spreading sickness centered around the fourth sector baseball diamond which may be linked to the appearance of mushroom-like fungal growths which appeared in a fairy ring on the field Friday morning. The hospitalized earthquake experts have also been swabbed for foreign spore samples. A SERO fungicide producer has sought permission to step onto the diamond and gather specimens, to determine if they are native to the island’s eukaryote life. Governor Townshed had denied this request, although the Department of Health is planning to launch a closer investigation if problems persist.
[ooc: The puffball fungus will swell throb during the morning, and explode into dust before noon. Airborne spores will be carried on the wind today, around the towers apartment parking lot. Especially before the afternoon rain, those who inhale them will experience dizziness, mild hallucinations, nausea or itchy allergic reactions.]
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[ News Notification Thread]