LEX LUTHOR'S
PLANE MISSING

By Frank Moore
A massive search is underway for the private jet carrying Lex Luthor and his new bride, Dr. Helen Bryce. The aircraft disappeared from radar somewhere between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Although there are no signs of the plane, officials cautioned that there is still a large area for rescue teams to cover. With several small islands in the region, it is possible that a crash landing was attempted.

This potentially tragic turn of events follows a storybook romance between the playboy tycoon and the striking physician from Smallville Medical Center. Their engagement had garnered headlines across the country, building anticipation for their nuptials here in town.

Luthor and Bryce were headed to a honeymoon on a private beach in St. Barts.

Air traffic controllers noted that the plane took off smoothly and the pilot maintained normal radio contact until reaching cruising altitude. Exactly when the jet first encountered difficulty is unknown since no distress signals were apparently sent.
In a statement, Mitchell Taylor, a spokesman for Lex's father, Lionel Luthor, said, "Mr. Luthor is quite naturally concerned about the safety and whereabouts of his son and new daughter-in-law.
He has offered to provide federal authorities with all the resources at his disposal in an effort to expedite this search."

Relations between the Luthors had been reportedly rocky after the state of Kansas awarded LuthorCorp conservatorship of the Kawatche caves, previously managed by LexCorp.

The elder Luthor, however, had recently made an attempt to reconcile with his often headstrong son by bestowing a most-generous wedding gift: an all-expenses-paid island honeymoon and use of a LuthorCorp jet.

In light of this, one can only imagine the emotions Lionel Luthor must feel now, as he awaits the latest news. "Obviously, as a parent, he fears for his child," Taylor said. "But as a Luthor, he also knows that if anyone can survive something like this, it's Lex."

EXPLOSION ROCKS
SMALLVILLE... AGAIN

By Kathy Romita
An explosion of unknown origin decimated a storm cellar yesterday on the catastrophe-prone farm of Jonathan and Martha Kent. Last week, a propane tank blew up on the same farm and killed noted scholar Dr. Fredrick Walden. And last year, hundreds of head of livestock were poisoned to death at the same location.

A huge hole remains where the cellar once stood. Debris is scattered around neighboring farmland. The blast knocked
the power out over many parts of Lowell County. Citizens as far away as Edge City felt the rumbling.

Jonathan and Martha were involved in a vehicular accident when their truck rolled over in the driveway immediately following the explosion. Mrs. Kent was hospitalized for injuries sustained in the accident, including a reported miscarriage. Ironically, the Kents had just left downtown Smallville where they were attending the Lex Luthor/Helen Bryce wedding. They would have been out of harm's way had they stayed at the chapel.

THE EZRA SMALL CONUNDRUM
Part Six of a Six-Part Series

By Christopher James Beppo
This is the conclusion of a six-part series presenting some of the diary entries of Smallville's founding father, Ezra Small. Future issues of the Ledger may delve further into this enigmatic man's legacy, which is only now being unraveled by dedicated independent analysts and members of the Ezra Small Project (ESP). Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V appear in recent editions.

In Part V, we caught a glimpse of Small's tormented mind in his prose segments. By late March 1839, perhaps with the promise of more pleasant weather, Small's attitude seems to have brightened considerably. Several weeks go by without a notable entry beyond simple supply lists and daily activity logs.

Finally, as winter passes away, Small records one more surge of abnormal verse. These words seem to have come to him over a period of a few days in one last release. And with that, this portion of the journal ends.

As we pore through the badly deteriorating fragments of Small's diary in the McDaniel Collection at the Lowell County Historical Society, analysts from the ESP will continue attempting to illuminate the life of this extraordinary man--to whatever extent that task is possible, given his erratic nature. Some have even joked that the cryptic poems seem like clues in some kind of elaborate game. Such a diversion would require the sharpest minds to crack, but the eventual rewards would surely be substantial.

In the fifth month at brightest light
The son chooses neither father
He chooses a third fate

When Black Friday comes
He will dig himself a hole
Stake his claim, change his name

Named for his mother's blood
But not born of her womb
He will be the only one

He who knows when he can fight
And when he cannot
Will be victorious

A serpent seen near the royal bed
It will be by the lady at night
The dogs will not bark

His memory, his will, his promise
Our hopes, our dreams
Your duty

And so the end game commences
Move, countermove, rise, fall
The pawn will strike the final blow

At last their paths converge
They can see the crossroads
But they cannot avoid a casualty

Eightfold survivor of the cosmos
Unlocks language and mysteries
Delivers, rejuvenates, kills
The mark of your ancestors
Shall brand you forever
You cannot fight it

Two born as one
They divide three friends
The second will return

Fate
Inevitable but always surprising
Don't try to deny it

As it was in the beginning
So shall it be in the end
Their lives turned upside down

The lofty spires beckon
To the lost soul
Caught between two worlds

Green shoot will turn from the light
With heavy heart but unbowed head
And align with the magnificent one

She does not understand about the ring
All she knows is that unleashing one's heart
Is a perilous thing to do

Possessing great patience and strength
He will nonetheless surrender to grief
And spurn his only progeny

LOCAL TEEN RUNS AWAY
AFTER MYSTERIOUS BLAST

By Shelby Taylor
Smallville High school student Clark Kent has disappeared after an unexplained underground explosion destroyed the family storm cellar, leaving a giant crater in its wake. Jonathan and Martha Kent, who themselves suffered injuries in the explosion, have filed a missing persons report with Sheriff Adams. According to police, Lana Lang was the last person to see the young Kent. "He felt responsible for the
accident and his parents getting hurt. He said it was best he leave before anyone else got hurt. But I know Clark, and there's no way he would--could--hurt anyone," said Lana sadly. The Kents would only say, "We love our son. Clark, son, please come home." Police are looking for the teen in the Metropolis area.
The cause of the blast is undetermined, but the eruption did disrupt the power supply to parts of Lowell County.