LOCAL BEAUTY MURDERED
A Community Shocked by Murder of Farmer's Beloved Wife

By Mitch Stone

Louise (Potter) McCallum, 21, was shot to death last night in the McCallum family barn. Sheriff's Deputy Billy Tate arrested Louise's husband of two years, Dexter, for the murder. Tate heard gunshots as he was driving past the McCallum farm on his way back to the station. He immediately stopped to investigate and saw Dex cradling his dead wife and holding a gun by his side.

Tate said, "It was a real foggy night last night, and I was returning to the station after patrolling the back roads for a while. I heard some gunfire while I was about 50 yards from the McCallum driveway. I pulled in and headed for the barn 'cause that's where the popping came from. And I found Louise...dead. I immediately placed Dex under arrest."

Neighbors and friends of McCallum are shocked at his arrest. Helen Romita said, "He loved Louise more than life itself. I just know they've got the wrong man. Dex keeps insisting he saw a stranger--a drifter--on his property. I bet the drifter did it." Mrs. McCallum was born in Smallville and educated here. While attending Smallville High School, she was very active in theatre and starred in several productions. Her former drama teacher, Mr. Thompson, said, "Louise had 'it.' Star quality. It seemed to be her destiny. I always thought she could be in movies. This girl was ahead of her time." But Louise stayed in Kansas and married Dexter McCallum in 1959.
Louise McCallum is survived by her husband, Dexter; her parents, Emily and Daniel Potter of Smallville; three sisters, Angela, Gena and Kathryn; and one brother, Danny. Services are pending

INDIAN LEGEND SPURS INVESTIGATION
By Jeb Pennington

Ever since Ezra Small settled this area many moons ago, the myth that Smallville is a landing strip for ancient astronauts has been whispered among those willing to listen to the native Kawatche still inhabiting our humble burg. For years, this folklore has been written off as a bunch of Indian mumbo jumbo. But, with the Reds across the Atlantic recently shooting a man into space and President Kennedy promising us the moon, I figured it was time to give this ole medicine man's tale another looking into.
Shortly into my investigation, I came upon Joseph Willowbrook, a 22-year-old teacher's assistant at the University of Kansas. Willowbrook, a native of Smallville (which he maintains is not the proper name of our town), is convinced that the myth is true and that Smallville is, in fact, an outpost of sorts for an advanced race of creatures from outer space.

Willowbrook swears he's sober when he recounts this tale (and quite offended when I question otherwise), so I continue to listen. "According to the legend, a man came from the stars and fell in love with the mother of my people. Out of this forbidden affair, the Kawatche people were born." Willowbrook went on to explain that "the man soon left but promised that someday, he would send another, called Naman."

So has this someday ever come? Where is this Naman character?
Willowbrook adds, "It has been about 450 years since the promise was made. The elders say that others from the heavens could be among us today, and we would not know unless there was good reason. But we also believe that when they do decide to send The One, we will most certainly feel his presence, and it will be good."

POLICE BLOTTER
Week of October 29 - November 4, 1961

Sheriff Douglas Parker advises lovebirds who frequently park near Saunders Gorge to find another place to get romantic. Deputies will be routinely patrolling the area, which is also home to bears and other dangerous animals, to roust human loiterers.

Patrons of Jane's Café on Eisenhower Street were distracted from their Sunday breakfasts when Donald Hudson, 44, burst through the front door with a kitchen knife and a stuffed SHS mascot. Hudson allegedly demanded cash and valuables from everybody inside "or the crow gets it." The scheme failed after patrons calmly returned to their griddlecakes. Sheriff's deputies later found Hudson around the corner from the café, weeping softly to himself.

James Roland Johnson of Kensington Street was accused of disturbing the peace Tuesday after lobbing several tenderloins and a pork shoulder into the yard of his neighbor, Bob Knowles. Family members of the victim stated that Johnson had been holed up in his garage for months, obsessively constructing a device he called the Ham-apult 2000. Johnson apparently swore a vendetta on Knowles, an avowed vegetarian, for refusing to attend Johnson's July 4 barbecue.

After two nights in jail, petty thief Lachlan Luthor was released on his own recognizance Thursday morning. In his report, Deputy Bill Tate stated that Luthor had certainly learned his lesson and, having agreed to immediately move to Metropolis, would never cause trouble in Smallville again.

In yet another striking example of the decline of morals amongst our youth, three boys were seen brazenly walking down Main Street with their Oxfords untucked. One youngster was even overheard persuading the others to go down to the Elbow River and throw rocks at the fish. Disregard for personal grooming...animal abuse...what's next for today's children?

Authorities responded to a domestic disturbance complaint in the 1500 block of South Tankland Street on Friday night. Upon entering the unoccupied residence, officers found a brand-new Philco Continental 4370 television set lying smashed to pieces on the floor. Neighbors reported hearing someone scream, "What the hell good is this thing if we only get three networks?!," followed by several loud crashes and a slamming door.

On Saturday night, two visiting Drake University students reported seeing a large object in the sky shaped like an oval with "running boards" bearing a series of lights. It hovered for about four minutes at tree height, shot straight up, climbed away toward the east and disappeared from view. No plausible explanation was offered for the sighting, but officials at McConnell Air Force Base admitted scrambling two F-86s that evening for undisclosed reasons.

Twin 16-year-old brothers were captured tossing pumpkins from Chandler's Windmill Saturday afternoon. Before being remanded to their parents' custody, Billy and Dale Ross stated that "It's Halloween, and nothing scary ever happens in this town."

LOVE TRIANGLE UPSETS TOWN

The quiet, law-abiding community of Smallville remains in shock after Louise McCallum, the wife of a local farmer, was shot to death last night. Even more surprising, it appears that she may have been the victim of a sordid love affair gone wrong.

Sheriff's Deputy Billy Tate discovered an eerie tableau late last night after hearing gunfire at the McCallum farm. In the barn, Tate found the lifeless body of Louise McCallum cradled in the arms of her husband, Dexter, who was clutching a recently discharged pistol.

Due to the foggy conditions, Dexter said he could not positively identify the shadowy figure who ran away. However, some residents have come forward to report that a mysterious drifter, who may have called himself Joe, had been spotted talking to Louise McCallum outside The Talon movie theater several days ago.

Other sources, speaking on condition of confidentiality, said that Louise and this stranger were later seen passionately embracing in her husband's parked Buick a few miles from her home.

Deputy Tate does not seem to believe the "drifter" story, but Sheriff Parker insists that officials have not ruled anything out in their investigation.
Parker has ordered a manhunt for the drifter, although a preliminary search of nearby farms and fields has so far failed to turn up any clues. "We didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary last night," said the McCallums' closest neighbor, Hiram Kent.