Spring 2020 Newspaper Clippings

Headline: One of a kind Lilac Festival 2020

Story:
The festivities this year have once more drawn to a close after an eventful weekend of music, love and merriment. The festival this year had a unique flare in the form of also being a welcoming event for King Choi'k'bon Suna'i XVII and his subjects. After the tumultuous ocean incident in April the island was happy to welcome the monarch and his kingdom, and all best wishes are sent to the King for lasting peace and prosperity between our communities.

The festival saw multiple new talents this year. Stefan Jogstad, Hikaru Suzuki and Madeline Moore charmed the audience by incorporating illusions into their acts; Stefan Jogstad performed mellow acoustic covers with a song dedicated to a “special someone” mixed in, Hikaru Suzuki danced and sang energetic j-pop, featuring Tomomi Hikari in violin for the second song, and Madeline Moore performed pop songs from her very own album with some added punk and rock elements mixed in.
Violin was not the only classical instrument seen on stage, as Ganymede Lind gave the audience a moment of peace with some Chopin on piano.

In addition to new talent we saw old favourites, and Mr. Jogstad was not the only one to dedicate a song to a “special someone”. A rising star Fe Glaux showed her appreciation to such an avid supporter in song form and gave the audience a performance to never forget.
The festival stage was graced with the return of the band Hypersonic Kraken Unleashed, whose bombastic performance was accompanied with one of the most intense mosh pits the festival has seen.
The festival was closed in style by our island’s very own superstar, Lo-Shi, with some extra special songs dedicated to King Choi'k'bon Suna'i XVII.

Lilac festival is one of Manta Carlos’ biggest events of the year, and once again we were able to see a festival unlike any other held before. Let us see a festival even more special a year from now!

Headline: Manta Carlos Prepares New District for Aquatic Citizens

Story: The Manta Carlos government has approved funding and construction for a new District off the coast. This district will allow those who are aquatically inclined a chance to enjoy many of the amenities of the island while living in an environment that they would be more comfortable in. This news was brought to us through an official representative of the Council of Ministers, who tells us that the construction of the new area is something that many are positive about and hope that it will create a more welcoming atmosphere for those who prefer the water over the land. In addition, we were told, this new area will allow those who are incapable of breathing underwater a way to visit and experience the various cultures stemming from the sea. Although we don’t currently have a planned completion date by the time this article is published, we are assured that construction will be pushed along while also maintaining a proper safety protocol for those who are aiding in the construction. Here’s looking forward to a new chapter in Manta Carlos’ ever-expanding future!

New Species of Fire Frog Discovered on Manta Carlos

A new species of frog with fire-related powers has recently been identified in the bogs of Manta Carlos.

“These frogs are small and incredibly easy to miss,” said one biologist. “Barely even the size of a penny.”

[Photo desc: Biologist Carolina Mira holds one of the tiny frogs in her gloved hand next to a penny.]

The Fire Frog’s abilities are just as tiny as themselves: miniscule bursts of flames can pop out of their mouth. They are also very hot to the touch. While it cannot be said for certain how these frogs function within the local ecosystem at this time, biologists theorize that they may function similarly to how forest fires can benefit plants in the aftermath. Of course, the frogs function on a much smaller scale.

It cannot be said for certain whether these Fire Frogs have always been on Manta Carlos or if they are a newly introduced species from another dimension.

Biologists will continue to research the new species.

Headline: Golems may be Interdimensional Invasive Species

Story: Dr. Marc Weaver, a head researcher from the Starlight Observation Station recently stated that the golems they were currently studying may be from a different dimension, brought here through dimensional intersections. If this was true, then steps will have to be taken in order to avoid ecological imbalance connected to the introduction of invasive species.

However, Dr. Weaver later added that, "The golems are content to stay within their own area, and they don't hunt for food. However the golems are terraforming their territory to a certain degree. The fire golems I'm watching over have a pit of lava at the corner of their cave about three meters deep. The nature golems Dr. Azul is watching have twisted roots and branches in the approximate shape of a sphere which may serve as a nest of some kind because of its shape. The water golems are harder to discern as they mostly remain under the water however Isabelle did report underwater jets of sand, which may point to the golems excavating under it."

The researchers have deployed scrying wards to keep track of where the golems are, and if they were trying to expand out in some way, but as Dr. Weaver shared, the golems continue to remain within their area, but they will be watched vigilantly.

Headline: Trouble On the North Coast
Story: Few days prior a group of scouts was summoned to the Northern coast of Europe to investigate a suspected colony of supernatural creatures. The colony was believed to be a large one and thus a potential threat to the Veil. However the claims were proven to be false as when the scouts arrived they didn't find a colony but instead a batch of synthesis flowers. The origin of said flowers was unknown.
The infestation was swiftly taken care of, but it was revealed that there were several lives lost in the nearby towns.
Investigation is currently underway to track the origin of said plants and the scouts are going to make sure that such an infestation will not happen again.
Link to Thread / Chat Log: None

Headline: New Minister Officially Swears In
Story: After previous Minister Pietro Popov stepped down from his position back in December of last year, the vacant Minister seat has finally been filled. Alexei Lykaios has stepped into the role and been officially sworn into the position. Lykaios, prior to his election, was a former Scout administrator for a large portion of Europe and helped reform some of the outdated scouting methods. He noted during our interview that “Although I am younger than most of my fellow Ministers and may not have the exact same experience, I believe that my youth will allow me to bring in new perspectives to the ever-changing landscape that is Manta Carlos. The first project I plan on focusing on is helping to streamline the assimilation of the latest district of the island: The Aquatic District. I look forward to serving the population of Manta Carlos and all who reside in it!”

Some detractors of Lykaios argue that his lack of experience will cause trouble for the current government body with unrealistic ideas, but overall support for the young man has been positive. We’re looking forward to seeing Lykaios at work and congratulate him on his successful election.
Link to Thread / Chat Log: None

Headline: Interview with Talent Contest Winner Jessica Sartore

Over the weekend of June 20th and the 21st, the first Talent Contest as part of Performance Week was a success. The wide variety of performances kept audiences enraptured: singing, dancing, story-telling, painting, and even a unique use for fire were on display over the weekend.

The contest poll resulted in a tie between the creative painting performance of Dorian Blake and the dance routine of Jessica Sartore. While Dorian declined an interview, we had the opportunity to sit down with Jessica and ask about her elaborate routine featuring dancing, singing, and multiple costume changes.

Interviewer: "Miss Sartore, it is nice to have you for this interview. Congratulations on being voted the winner of this year's Performance Week Talent Show Competition along with Dorian Blake! You both had quite fierce competition."

Jessica: "Thank you very much! It was so much fun!"

Interviewer: "Glad to hear that, you certainly looked like you were having fun on stage. Now let's begin with something basic and tell us a little bit about yourself?"

Jessica: "Of course! My name is Jessica Sartore. I'm 19 years old and a total Pisces. I grew up in beautiful San Diego, California. My hobbies are dancing and singing, of course, but I also love surfing and cooking!"

Interviewer: "Ah, like a true California girl. How was it that you first discovered your talents for singing and dancing as demonstrated in the contest?"

Jessica: "I've basically been singing and dancing from the moment I was able to." [Laugh] "My dad was really into it, so he put me in all sorts of classes. Plus I went to a performance arts high school. So it's just been my whole life."

Interviewer: "It sounds like your father has been a very important part of your life. What made you decide to enter for the contest?"

Jessica: "You could say that. I decided to join the contest because, I don't know, it just sounded fun! I didn't really care about winning or anything. I just enjoy performing."

Interviewer: "Speaking of fun, can you tell about the lyric changes that you made to your rendition of "I Kissed a Girl"?"

Jessica: "Oh yeah. I have a weird relationship with this song. For one, my 'coming out' was kind of like the song, funny enough. I literally kissed a girl at a party, and broke up with a boy the next day. Oops!

But also, on the one hand, it's a fun, catchy song with this obvious queer theme of a girl's first kiss with a girl. But on the other hand, Katy has to reel it in with lines like 'hope my boyfriend don't mind it' and 'don't mean I'm in love tonight.' We get a hint of queerness, and then oops--it's gone!

I read an interview where she said that if she had written the song now, she would have had completely different lyrics--but at the time, a song about bisexuality would have just been a little too taboo for a popular pop artist. So that got me thinking of just doing my own version of the song that reflected my own experiences as a lesbian."

Interviewer: "Well I suppose that answers many of the questions our readers have regarding your version of the song. With performance week now pretty much over, what career paths are you planning to look into?"

Jessica: "I'm currently double majoring in Business and Culinary Arts at Starlight Academy. My end goal is to open a nice Italian restaurant near the beach."

Interviewer: "Really now? You mentioned that you love to cook earlier but what makes you interested in opening a restaurant? And do you somehow plan to incorporate your song and dance routine into your future restaurant venture?"

Jessica: "Well, it's kinda personal, but to make a long story short: I never knew my mom, but I have a recipe book that she wrote herself. So it's really special to me. I'd like to share that love I have for her and what she left behind for me. And a restaurant is the way to do it.

As for singing and dancing, not really! Dancing has given me a lot of stamina and I'm sure that'll help, but that's about it."

Interviewer: "Ah, thank you so much for sharing. I believe that is all the time for the interview we have. Thank you for coming by."

Jessica: "Thank you!"

Headline: Teleportation on the Frtiz Cause Awkward Encounter

Story: As most people already know, the Starlight Observation Station employs the use of teleportation to move people to and from the station. It makes for a quick and easy way of travel considering how far away the station is, however when that form of travel suddenly encounters a glitch, it could turn into a deadly or at the very least, inconvenient experience. Luckily, what happened yesterday falls into the latter category.

At 5 am yesterday, Teleportation Pad 17 was hit by a power surge as an intergalactic envoy from the Federation of Milky Way Species was arriving, which caused the envoy and their escorts' limbs to shrink to about 50% of their original size. Medical personnel were quick to respond and fix the issue, and no damage was suffered. The envoy and their escorts found the experience amusing and commended the Station's staff for their quick response to the situation.

Teleportation Pad 17 is an older device which was slated to be replaced by a newer one in 2021, however this incident may have the administrators of the station consider replacing it sooner.