CROWS "CAWGHT"

One Killed in Factory Mishap

By Angie Perez

Two ex-Smallville High Crows, Derek Fox and Scott Bowman, have been charged with several counts of burglary following their arrest on Saturday night. An anonymous phone call led sheriff's deputies to an abandoned factory off Loeb Bridge Road. A third suspect, Wade Mahaney, died at the scene after being crushed by an industrial container. Details remain sketchy as to why the three men were in the factory.

Fox, Bowman and Mahaney were once considered football heroes in Smallville. Each of the former Crows saw promising college careers sidelined after suffering injuries, and all were known to have problems with narcotics.

A rash of burglaries has plagued Smallville and neighboring towns in recent months. A raid on the apartment shared by the trio revealed tens of thousands of dollars' worth of property and cash. Considered a flight risk, the young men are currently being held without bail at the county jail. Their arraignment is set for Monday in Judge Howard Steele's courtroom. Commented a bailiff, "Steele is really tough on crime; these fellas should have considered another profession."

"The most puzzling thing about the case was their modus operandi," revealed Sheriff Waid. The beleaguered lawman was quoted in a related article saying, "It's as if the culprits were able to walk through walls. We still don't have all the answers."

MYSTERIES STILL GROW WILD IN BURNHAM WOODS

By Christopher James Beppo

A recent Ledger article dealt with a supposed "Bermuda Triangle effect" in the lush forests surrounding Smallville. Nature lovers have occasionally reported strange sensations while in Burnham Woods, but no scientific explanation has come to light.

Some maverick scientists have postulated that fragments of the meteors that fell on this area 12 years ago are somehow to blame for recent unusual occurrences. They wonder if the space rocks have leaked contaminants into the rich Kansas soil, infecting the local vegetation and thus entering the food chain. However, more pragmatic minds usually prevail.

While the fringe theorists focus on uncovering evidence of some sort of beast, another form of life is being examined in addition to the forest's fauna: its flora. "It's possible that the meteors have something to do with the animals going crazy, if indeed that's what's going on," says botanist Charles Rider, who has been poking around in the underbrush on the outskirts of town. Rider's research is funded by a grant from Kansas State University.
"But a more logical explanation can be found in the history books," Rider continues. "The early inhabitants of Morley Settlement, as Smallville was originally known, left medical records warning of herbs and flowers that they had learned were toxic. The indigenous peoples, who dwelled in this region for thousands of years, had probably either built up an immunity to the toxins or simply knew what to eat and what to leave alone. Perhaps with the encroachment of human communities, Smallville's animal population has now lost the instinct to distinguish between nourishing and poisonous plant species."

While it fails to definitively explain the weird happenings for which Smallville has gained an unfortunate reputation, Rider's speculation strengthens the possibility that something other than meteorites is involved. The Ledger will continue to follow up on this investigation as warranted.

LUTHOR ACQUIRES TALON PROPERTY

By Gena McGuiness

Smallville multimillionaire Lex Luthor has bought the Talon theater building on Main St. from owner Nell Potter for an undisclosed amount. The Talon, once the town's only movie house, closed last month, no longer able to compete in the multiplex-mania market. "Downtown Smallville is growing, and parking continues to be a problem. I'm considering building a parking structure for Smallville's downtown tenants and their customers," cited Luthor when asked about his plans for the historic property.

NO KANSAS STATE FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP FOR FORDMAN

By George "The Streak" Talmer

The deadline for officially becoming part of Kansas State's recruiting class has come and gone, and Smallville's golden boy, Whitney Fordman, was not offered a scholarship by Bill Snyder's Wildcat football program.
This comes as yet another disappointing blow in a long string of bad luck for Fordman. "First, he lost Coach Walt, then the multiple car accidents, his father's illness, and now this--it's definitely gotta take a toll on a guy," commented teammate Trevor Chappel. But Fordman's options are not all lost. Fordman's considerable talent and leadership abilities could make him an asset to any program; he could walk on at another Division I school. Likewise, many of the Division IAA, II, III, and NAIA schools would probably love to have Fordman play for their programs.

"Not sure that's gonna happen," commented interim Crow head coach Wayne Quigley. "I'm not saying Whit's not playing college football, but I am saying that Whit was pretty dead set on playing at Kansas State, and I'm not so sure he's interested in playing ball anywhere else." Fordman capped off a spectacular career at Smallville High by leading this year's Crow team to its first State Championship since 1980. He was named second team all state behind Darin Mark, who last week signed a national letter of intent to play for Kansas State. Some say Mark's signing filled Snyder's needs at quarterback and bumped Fordman off the list.

In a related story, Crow running back Nathan Burton has signed a letter of intent to play for Texas A & M. It's expected that Burton will be converted to a defensive back for the Aggies.