Fire and rescue units battled throughout the night as a massive fire with suspicious origins engulfed the lower portions of Vieux Carre last evening, desperately attempting to halt the damage to homes and businesses. 

 "My God, Hell's come to Earth," said Firefighter Glenn Gould as the 51st Fire Brigade attempted to halt the fire. After beginning somewhere near Decatur street, the fire quickly spread outwards, engulfing the Lamp Light Inn, The High Note and two other unidentified restaurants. The Blue Bayou, a voudoun store, and Aladdin's Lamp Curio Shop both escaped severe. Current damage estimates are in the millions... 
 
 

Bloody Horror at Dark Secrets!  
Sun Apr  6 

 Eleven people are dead and fifteen are hospitalized after a riot at the Dark Secrets' bar caused by last night's power failure. Moments after the lights dimmed due to a transformer explosion across town; the bloodletting began. 

 "It was horrible! I was just standing there and people just started hurting each other! People started using knives and tearing at each other with their teeth. " said Emma Mae Winston, a club patron. 

 NOPD have no clues as of right now on the incident. Investigation is pending. 
 
 

Computer glitch strikes city  
Sun Apr  6 

 A computer virus struck the city's net last night, damaging computer and destroying information in hundreds of computer systems. Officials for the FCC say that the work must have been a product of an a aspiring computer terrorist, though no single computer type was found to be targetted. 

 "This was the work of an amateur--a talented amateur , but an amateur nonetheless--I can assure you that this sort of thing will not happen again," said Robert Joe Hudson of the FCC. Initial damage estimates but the cost in the millions of dollars and the city will have a tough couple of weeks catching up with all the lost information on the disaster. 
 
 
 

Horror at Dark Secrets!       
Sun Apr  6 
 

 Eleven people were murdered and fifteen injured as a power outage sparked a riot in one of Vieux Carres' hottest nightspots. The Dark Secrets bar was the scene of midnight mayhem--one witness describes it as a scene out of a horror movie. 

 "Someone took out a knife and just started slashing, and then it seemed that everyone had knives and were cutting. I couldn't see!" Said the distraught Maria Hapmeyer of Baton Rogue, who was visiting New Orleans. 

  To compound the horror, several criminals took the opprotunity to sexually assault members of the crowd. Some police sources say this may be the worst crime in the city's history for sheer maliciousness. 

 "I tell you this," said a spokesman for the city's police force. "The NOPD will not rest until every single . . . monster responsible for this atrocity is brought to justice. We simply will not." 
 
 

Police Chief Murdered    
Mon Apr  7 

 In a brutal counterpoint to the riot at Dark Secrets, Police Chief Watsom Mills' dismembered body was discovered early this morning in his bedroom along with that of his wife and two children by police early this morning. 

 Police refused to release any details of the crime to the press but sources within the department state that Chief Mills, 47, and his family were hacked to pieces by an axe while sleeping. The department released a tersely worded press statement on the subject, but refused to answer questions from the Tribune regarding the murder of Chief Mills replacement. 

 "All I can say at this time is the city is going insane," said Officer John Fusco, who discovered the Chief's body while delivering a priority report on the carnage at Dark Secrets. "We've lost a damn fine peace officer at a time when the city needed him. I can't say more than that." 
 

Carnage in City Park  
Wed Apr  9 

        Police arrived at City Park last night to find a truly gruesome discovery. The body of a man was spread over much of the bayou area of the park, leaving a scene of truly tragic gore. The victim is currently unidentified, and a police source has informed this reporter that he is likely to remain that way because of the state in which the remains were found. All that is known is that the victim was a white male, and most likely an adult. His hair may have been a light brown color, as a few strands of such were found in the area, though whether this was the hair of the victim or the perpetrator is unknown. There is even some speculation that they might be animal hairs. 

      Police are rejecting all suggestions that this murder might in some way be connected to the apparent riot that occured at a local nightclub not long after this tragedy. If you have any information involving this instant, or any tips that might help solve the case, please contact the NOPD. 
 
 
 

Senior Citizen Murdered  
Sat Apr 12 

New Orleans - Ethel Rosenbaum, 78, a resident of New Orleans her entire life, went missing two weeks ago. She was found, late last night, in the bayou out by City Park. Authorities say she died of starvation and exposure, though not in the swamps themselves. Sources in the coroner's department also claim that the woman's achilles tendons were cut. The police do not yet have any suspects, but clues are still being gathered. 
 
 
 

New Police Chief Assumes Post  
Sun Apr 13 

 Officer Matthew Edward Gray, formerly of the Tallahassee, Florida police department, announced in a press statement earlier today he will accept the city's offer to become chief of police after the brutal murder of former chief Watsom Mills. 

 Grey, 42, was called an "upstanding officer" by the mayer of Tallahassee... 
 
 

Police Officers Slain in Gun Battle 
Mon Apr 14 

 Officers Joey Ramirez and Mark White were brutally murdered in downtown New Orleans near dawn yesterday by a single unknown assailant who fled the scene after back up units arrived. 

 Police made no comments regarding the identity of the killer but sources within the department suspect he was outfitted with some form of body armor. According to these sources, he survived several hits from police nine-milimeter handguns... 

 (later in the article)Officer Ramirez is survived by his wife, Maria, and his three children Alejeandro, Lucinda and Anna Maria. Officer White was unmarried and is survived by a brother. 
 
 

Further Information On Cathedral Bombing Emerges. 
Thu Apr 24 
 

(Subtitle: Rabbi Out on Bail, Urseline Nun Refuses to Leave.) 

 Police continue to be tight-lipped about the bombing that ripped through St. Louis Cathedral last Monday as Rabbi Isaac Kaplan of the Beth El Synagogue, a suspect in the bombing, is released on bail while Diedre Louise, an Urseline Nun, refuses to post bail until charges are dropped. 

 Rabbi Kaplan and "Momma Louise" as sister Louise is popularly known, were arrested after an explosion ripped through St. Louis Cathedral in the early morning hours. According to several witnesses a lone person entered the church shortly before the explosion. Sources within the department confirm one casualty, an unidentified person who's remains were mixed with residue from plastic explosives curiously free of any marker chemicals used to trace explosives to their source... 
 
 
 

Convent Spared From Downtown Fires  
Thu Apr 24 

 The Ursulines convent on Chartres and Dumaine escaped from last night's raging fires relatively unscathed despite several curious freeze markings on the lawn that have police and fire officials investigating the conflagration that stretched from Chartres and Urseline s to Dumaine, baffled. 

 No direct cause for the fire has been determined but sources within the fire department believe it is related to the series of fires that have broken out across New Orleans over the past two months. Sources within the department believe the fire halted suddenly in convent's courtyard... 
 
 
 

Riots in Baton Rouge!  
Sat Apr 26 

In the aftermath of yesterday afternoon's peace demonstrations turned bloody, three dozen people are confirmed dead, including five members of the riot squad, and hundreds more have been injured in the night's chaos. 

At Twelve O'Clock, the National Fellowship for Aryan Brotherhood (NFAB) held its third annual rally, a controvercial downtown march, attracting nearly 1000 invididuals, both from its own ranks and from several other white supremacy organizations. A counter march, held in a local park, drew nearly twice that number. Despite the city's claims of tight police security, the two groups clashed at approximately 4:30 yesterday afternoon after nearly two thirds of the officers assigned to crowd control were recalled. The ensuing violence quickly spread, leading to widespread rioting during which the Museum of Fine Arts was assaulted, and several valuable pieces stolen or destroyed. The rioters dispursed by one AM this morning, thanks to national guard intervention, but the aftermath leaves us to reflect upon America's oft ignored racial troubles and the toll they have taken upon our nation. 
 
 

Strange Affair  
Mon Apr 28 

VIEUX CARRE - A young priest at the St. Louis Cathedral claims he was up late one night and saw the ceiling of the nave begint to rain blood on the night of March 8th. He called in the other priests, who indeed found that the floor was covered in the fluid. Police and ambulances arrived but could find no source. Samples were taken and the mess was cleaned. Authorities claim it was an elaborate prank, in poor taste, possibly related to the protests about Momma Louise's incarceration. 
 

Strange find  
Wed May  7 

A local homeless man made a strange find in a local dumpster in the hours before down, March 28. A wooden box was found containing what he at first thought was raw meat or an animal's heart. Police called to the scene took the object, and after testing, it was determined to be the uterus of a healthy woman. Signs showed that it had been taken out of her body with surgical precision, but all local hospitals insist that there could be no possibility that this organ was disposed of improperly after surgery. Rumors ranging from cult activity to organ selling have surfaced. The police have made no comments at this time. 
 
 

PI Murdered Mysteriously  
Fri May  9 

VIEUX CARRE - Private Investigator Peter Kelley was found, murdered, this morning in his office in the Zulu Building on South Rampart. The man, local forensic pathologists claim, was strangled to death right before he would have died from multiple snake bites on both legs. The police are baffled at the strange nature of the crime and are looking for clues to the assailants identity. 
 
 

Girl Found In Coma  
Sat May 10 

A girl, identified only as " Marie Randall", was found in a coma early this morning in the maintenance shed of the Aquarium; Rain forest exhibit. A petite blond carrying only a well worn Violin case. 
 
 

Explosion at Gun Shop  
Sat May 17 

VIEUX CARRE - Gunns N Ammo, a gun shop on North Rampart, suffered an accident today when explosives being kept in the back room detonated for unknown reasons. Fire damage was sustained but the building itself and surrounding structures were unharmed. No one was injured in the blast. The owner, Tyler Giourad, was unavailable for comment. 
 
 

Copy Cat Killer  
Sun May 11 

VIEUX CARRE - Another murder of an old woman has taken place in what the police are calling a 'copy-cat' series of killings, mimicking the long-dead City Park Killer. Contacts in the police department claims that the MO is very similar, but refuse to release details, for fear of justifying the killer. 
 
 

Lab Accident Claims Life  
Sat May 24 

UNIVERSITY DISTRICT - Chemistry Professor Ian McDonald, 43, died this evening after a graduate studies class when he apparently jostled a container of highly flammable gas which then ignited when he was lighting a bunsen burner. The entire lab was destroyed and the man was killed instantly, forensics examiners on the scene say. The man's wife and two children have been told that the university will assist them with resulting bills, pending the insurance. The funeral will be held in two days, at Meterie Cemetary. 
 
 
 

Catwoman Spotted?  
Sat May 24 

VIEUX CARRE - A naked woman whom spectators said look liked a cross between a human and a cat was reported running from Louis Armstrong Park in late afternoon. Most of the stories have been discounted and one scholar specializing in urban legend and folklore at Tulane was noted that it is odd for 'Bigfoot' like sitings to occur so far into an urban area but that the close proximity to the park might suggest a possible explanation. 
 
 
 

Historic Plantation Destroyed.  
Sat May 24 

On the night of April 25th, fire destroyed one of the gracious historical plantations of New Orleans. La Plantation de Pont Blanc burned to the ground during the night, and only remnants of the guest house were saved. The home had been owned from it's construction by the Marceaux family, makers of fine cognacs. As of this report, no bodies have been found, but Gideon Marceaux, current scion of the family, and his young foster daughter were known to be in residence and have not been seen since the fire. 
 
 
 
 
 

Surprise Attack  
Thu May 29 

Early in the evening on Tuesday, May 12th, just after sunset, a loud bang was heard resounding through the riverfront district. Police arrived at the Wharf's to find that a cannonball had been shot from points unknown, landing a few mere yards away from where the riverboat "Mark Twain" was docked. No one, luckily, was injured. Whether this was a senseless prank or an outright act of terrorism has not been discerned, and no one has stepped forward to claim responsibility for this act. 
 

Bidding for Pontchartrain  
Sat May 31 

GARDEN DISTRICT - An intense bidding war between Taenarus Technologies and Alexi Androppoh of Pharmacon Industries ended the other day when the offer of Taenarus was accepted by the previous owners. Arrangements are being made for the transfer of title later this week and review of staff contacts. 
 
 
 

Body Surfaces in Bayou       
Wed Jun  4 

BAYOU ST. JOHN - The badly decomposed body of Jeanne Deveraux was identified early this morning after being pulled out of the water, where it has rested for over a year, yesterday evening. The woman, identified by dental records, was the wife of Girard Deveraux, of Haiti, found in the bayou dead of unknown causes last year. Police are still seeking leads in the now double homocide. 
 
 

Baton Rouge: Cult Slaying at Museum 
Wed Jun  4 

(An excerpt from the Baton Rouge Tribune) 

Shortly after 9:00 PM on May 22nd 1997, An Explosion rocked the downtown area of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The explosion came from the Museum of Modern Art. Fire fighters were quick to isolate the fire and save the valued art pieces on display. Once the blaze was extinguished, police on scene discovered what can only be described as a gruesome cult slaying of several men and woman. Most of the victims were found within the executive conference area of the museum. Police sources state, that amongst the dead discovered, were indeed some of Baton Rouge's famed social elite. The identities of the victims are being withheld pending family notification. Interviews with fire fighters on the scene inform us that at least four of the body's were discovered crucified and beheaded. One source claims a woman was found nailed spread eagle on the conference room table with what looked like rail road spikes, and appeared to have had her heart ripped out. The cause of the explosion and the motive behind what happened is still under investigation. Speculations are running rampant from a society sex scandal to international terrorism. 
 
 

Summer and the Parks          
Wed Jun 11 

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 
Donatien Rimbaud 

        Ah, the stifling hot, muggy air of summer is upon us and eyes go darting about looking for a distraction from heat. Festivals aside, there are quite a few worthwhile activies to be had in the parks of this fair city. I speak, of course, about the theatre troupes who perform regularly at both City Park and Louis Armstrong. These mostly amateur productions are well worth the time and exposure to daylight, even when they do not turn out to be the best performed affairs. Noveau actors often offer unique perspectives on otherwise dull and overdone characters, particularly in that pinnacle of pretense and overexposure, Shakespeare. On the lighter side, many of the local groups have been doing old Italian comedies and operattas which are a relief from the old favorites. Do indulge yourselves. 
 
 
 

DeVega Arrested, Dies In Jail  
Mon Jun 23 
 
Police Blotter 

In the wee hours of the morning of June 30th, several NOPD officers arrested Enrique DeVega, local millionaire, at Dark Secrets Bar. DeVega went co-operatively, however at the Police Station there was a tussle for unknown reasons, and two officers were shot in friendly fire, and are now in good condition. 

However, at approxamitely 9 AM on July 1st, DeVega was found dead in his cell by the guard who brought him breakfast. He was transferred to the morgue and claimed by family members, who requested that an autopsy not be done for religious reasons. 
 

Book Review: In Love We Linger   
Tue Jun 24 

Review of 'In Love We Linger' by Damien Corben, noted horror novelist, by Candace Freeman, Chairman of the American Horror Writer's Guild and auther of 'The Somnambulist' 

Book cover flap's blurb: New Orleans in the mid 19th century holds promise for young carnival owner and master performer Jonathan Finn. Finn's genius for the macabre draws the denizens of the city in droves to witness the spectacle of Haute Carnival, and amongst the wide-eyed and the horror-stricken stands a burgeoning talent who finds dark beauty in Finn's grotesquerie. Enter Christina Day: independent, bold, courageous, and an unsurpassed talent in setting the most maleafic of her dreams to sweet discordant music through tales of horror and ultimate damnation. In short order the two begin a courtship which shocks New Orleans society to its foundations, and sets fire to the night with the frenzied reveling of shadows. But beyond the pale another force strains the bonds of death to reach out and crush the lover's dreams with cruel smashed fingers. Even in death, love cannot die, but it may suffer eternally and what price does memory exact of the steadfast when life itself refutes their claim on one another? 

        In Love We Linger is a novel of striking contrasts which war on the surface of each page for unity. In that struggle of disjointed poetry the intimate connection of fear and love is explored with earnest hunger and unrelenting morality that stands outside and within the stasis of conventional mores. There is a truth here that is at once elusive and so bitterly familiar that when the final page is turned a hollowness has been left within the reader. A distinct and harshley revealed vulnerability that lies within us all, and though sweet to savor, will send one to the arms of their beloved to assert in fearful panic that those arms are substantial and real. 

NOPD press release- The deVega arrest 
Tue Jun 24 

Detective Alan Longstreet released the following statement about the apprehension of Enrique deVega: We of the NOPD are saddened when anyone, of any social standing passes away. But in recent times we have been accused of brutality, especially of minorites. Being a minority myself, I can categorically say this is untrue. In this regard, we would like to correct certain impressions in the media about our treatment of the late Enrique deVega. Mr. deVega passed away in Federal custody, in the nearby Justice Center. At the time we handed him over to the FBI, he was in perfect health. Again, we are sorry when any human being passes away. That is all for my statement, no questions please." 
 
 

Grisly Discovery        
Fri Jul  4 
 

VIEUX CARRE - A grisly discovery was made last night when a woman entered Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel to find two dead bodies lying in the aisle. The bodies were identified as belonging to Officer Timothy Palmer and Mercedes LaBlanc, both reported missing over six months ago. Police sources refuse to speculate on cause of death, but urge anyone with information of the disappearance of the two or their deaths to contact the NOPD immediately. 
 
 

Shooting in Jackson Square  
Tue Jul  8 

IC DATE: July 23, 1998 

Near dusk, several shots were reported fired from the window of an empty in the Pontablo building into the Jackson Square. One unidentified individual is reported wounded, and was taken to Elk Medical Plaza, though his injuries were not reported to be serious. The sniper was reportedly an extremely caucasion female, approximately five feet, six inches tall, dressed in a heavy black coat. Officers on scene failed to apprehend the suspect, though the weapon used in the attack, a nine millimeter pistol was found disguarded in the apartment in question. 
 
 

Gun Battle on Bourbon  
Wed Jul  9 

 Vieux Carre's silent night was shattered yesterday evening by a gun battle between police and a single drug dealer. While the police, an undercover officer and a uniformed cop, outnumber the dealer, the man pulled a heavy caliber automatic weapon and began to fire. 

 The undercover officer was injured, but his name is being held back in order not to blow his cover. The uniformed officer was not injured. The gunman was allowed to escape in order to prevent him from injuring innocent by-standers. 

 The man, described as a twenty year old man with brown hair and a tattoo, is being sought after by police. He has the tattoo of an angel on his neck. NOPD expects an arrest soon. 
 
 

Suspect Evades Police  
Wed Jul  9 

BOURBON STREET - The suspect who, last night, assaulted two police officers with an automatic weapon escaped yet again today after an attempt was made to apprehend him at the popular club The Lost Raven. Detective Walker, who was among the injured last night, was also involved in the arrest attempt today. <a police picture of Thomas is shown next to the article> 
 
 
 

Officer Investigated  
Thu Jul 10 

        Internal sources in the NOPD report an Internal Affairs investigation on an unnamed officer. The officer in question allegedly discharged his weapon in a public place where innocent civilians were put in danger. The suspected officer refused to give his statement without a lawyer and a union representative present. 

 When asked for comment, the NOPD Interim Chief responded only that the NOPD encourages caution and safety at all times, and that the matter was being looked into. 
 
 

<<Also in this issue: an Editorial concerning John Wayne-esque cops who use their power and bravado to their own advantage.>> 
 
 
 

Fire in the Garden District  
Sun Jul 13 

IC Date: Saturday, August 8th, 1998 

In the early morning of this overcast Saturday, the tranquil peace and quiet of the garden district was shattered by the sirens of emergency service vehicles. The Crowne Home For Wayward Children was burned to the ground under mysterious circumstances. 

Every fire unit in the city and some from surrounding areas were called in. Although the firefighters fought valiantly for many hours, they fought a futile battle. The home was eventually burned to the ground. 

Missing and assumed to have perished in the blaze are eighteen of the fifty children whom resided there. Also missing and presumed perished is Sister Magdelena who ran the home. 

Eyewitness reports of the event vary and some were obviously influenced by a few of the rowdy onlookers who took this as an opportunity to berate our hardworking and dedicated Fire, Police and Medical services. One thing is certain that without the timely intervention of one 'Guardian Angel' <Insert photograph of Lynn> the thirty two children who did escape might not be here today. 

Sources close to the investigation say it is too early to comment on the cause of the blaze but we will bring you updates as soon as they come to hand. 
 
 
 
 

Guardian Angel in Dire Condition  
Mon Jul 14 

IC Date: Tuesday, August 11th, 1998 

 Lynn Henderson, otherwise known as the 'Guardian Angel' who was instrumental in the rescue of thirty two children during the Crowne House fire of August 8, has been downgraded from satisfactory to serious condition today by the attending Physician at Oak Place Hospital. The cause of her condition is unknown, but her doctors are speculating that some sort of severe form of post-traumatic stress disorder may be to blame. 

 "This is certainly the worst case of shock I have ever seen" one nurse told this reporter. "Every time she begins to regain consciousness, her heart and breathing rates rise to dangerous levels, and she starts to scream." 

 Doctors are guardedly optimistic about Ms. Henderson's chance at recovery, but only if the cause of her affliction is found. 
 
 
 
 

Mayoral Announcement        
Thu Jul 17 

The Mayor announced today that due to the recent prevalence of firearms in crimes committed in the tourist district of New Orleans and the outcry from both business owners and local residents at this danger to the lives, as well as livelihood, of all in the French Quarter that there will be a tightening of legislation, especially concerning the licensing of firearms and the issuance of carry concealed weapon permits (CCWs). The new legislation will include a minimum sentance for anyone found carrying a weapon concealed without a permit, expanding on the law which has such stipulations for those with violent or drug-related criminal records. 
 
 

Tropical Depression   
Mon Jul 21 

The National Weather Service reported last night, that Tropical Depression #8 formed in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane season this far has been uneventful, and residents are encouraged not to become complacent. Tropical Depression #8,which will be called Harriet if winds increase, formed in the waters between Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula and the West Corner of Cuba. Maximum sustained winds are currently at 30 MPH, moving Northwest at 5 MPH. Please stay turned to your radio and television stations for updates on this storm. 
 

Man Found Impaled      
Tue Jul 22 

Horrific screams and the roar of motorcycles broke the calm of the early morning hours throughout the Lakeside District of New Orleans. Witness confirm that at least a dozen motorcycle riders, dressed in black helmets and jackets roared through the streets dragging a bound man by the feet. The screams of the victim were heard echoing behind the motorcycles. Police later have found the victim, described as a man in his early 50's dressed in military fatigues outside a small church. The man was found impaled upon a metal pole, through the anus. Confidential police sources state that the man was still alive when he was impaled, and the fact that he was castrated, lead investigators to believe that this was some sort of vengeance act. 
 
 
 

Corruption unearthed!      
Tue Jul 22 

Five NOPD officers were arrested today on charges of accepting and  soliciting bribes from public officials. Two of the officers were also accused of running an extortion/"protection" ring in the Projects. Police sources can neither confirm nor deny rumors of an Internal Affairs undercover investigation in the force. However, the arrests came as a surprise both to the offending officers and to the rest of the force. 
 

Tropical Storm Harriet       
Tue Jul 22 

The National Weather Service reports Tropical Storm Harriet, formerly Tropical Depression #8 continues it's Northwest track at 3-5 MPH. Maximum sustained winds of 60 MPH are reported. This storm is expected to intensify as it moves into the warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Harriet's position is currently 50 miles Northwest of the western shore of Cuba. 
 
 

New Chief of Police 
Fri Jul 25 

        The New Orleans Police Department has finally hired a new Chief of Police, following a long search after the retirement of former Police Chief Matthew Grey. Ryan Delevan takes over from the Interim Chief this week. Delevan was formerly the Police Chief in Algiers, Lou., where he had an exemplary record of crime-fighting, showing a particular sense of justice. 
 
 
 

Economic News - Alan Greenspan dies 
Sat Jul 26 

In today's news, Alan Greenspan is reported to have spontaneously combusted after a meeting with Department of Treasury heads today, where he announced an unprecidented change in the loaning rates during the next quarter, in an attempt to stimulate growth. FBI sources refuse to comment on the incident, saying only that there is a perfectly rational explanation for the event. 
 
 
 

Murder in the Park 
Sat Jul 26 

VIEUX CARRE - A gang altercation in the park turned to murder this weekend, when the oneupmanship between two gang members led to one of them knifing the other. Witnesses say it all started over, of all things, a beer, and that intoxication and pressure not to lose face aggravated the event until it lead to the deadly violence. The names of the participants has not been released to the press as of this time. Witnesses say the dead name was named Tito and the attacker Shanon, both members of Archon's Disciples. 
 
 

Explosion on Bourbon Street!  
Thu Jul 31 

 An explosion rocked Bourbon street, preceeded by gunshots. No innocent 
  bystanders were hurt in the confusion, though Lafitte's owner Solomon <No Last Name> did perish in the explosion. Police are investigating. Property damage is in the $100,000 range. This was not first strange occurance on that part of Bourbon street, as water got into a transformer on that block, causing the buildings around to love power for about three hours and Lafitte's had been vandalized by a small explosive device.. 
 
 

Tragedy mars Free Clinic Fundraiser 
Aug 20 

PLANTATION COUNTRY - Halloween Night, during a ball thrown by one of the rich patrons of New Orleans and founder of the Perazzi Free Clinic, a terrible accident occured in the kitchen and five servants lost their lives. A gas explosion was the cause of the deaths but, thankfully, the fire didn't spread from the kitchen due to the quick actions of the local fire department. The cause of the fire is tentatively given to accident. 
 
 
 

Vigilante Deposits Dealer 
Sun Aug 24 

         One Halloween partygoer seemed to have taken his costume a bit too seriously this year. Chad Gibson, wanted by the NOPD on two counts of distribution of illegal drugs, was found late Halloween night tied to a mailbox down the street from the Police Station. Gibson was unhurt except for bruises, and terribly frightened. He told the police that he had been captured by a figure in a Batman-like costume, eight feet tall with incredible strength. Police sources attribute this incident to the atmosphere of Halloween and the likely ingestion of illegal substances by both parties. 
 
 
 

Hit and Run Solved      
Thu Aug 28 

On Friday, October 30th, 1998, John Ruscavage of the Florida Street Apartments was arrested by NOPD detectives for the hit and run death of Leon Stubkowski. Mr Ruscavage had struck Stubkowski earlier this year at the intersection of Bourbon and St Peter, and faiked to stop. he eluded police, until concerned citizens reported that his green Chrysler K Car was similar to the car that hit mr Stubkowski, according to witnesses. he was booked for Homicide by vehicle, and his hearing is scheduled for Thursday, November 4th.