CHERRY NEWS NETWORK

“And tonight you join us from the south side of Cherry Township where we, along with its citizens, mourn the loss of one young, WILLIAM ROCKS. Billy, as his friends knew him, was only seventeen years old - a soon-to-be senior at South Side High School - but last night, his life was cut short on the tracks that mark the dividing line between Cherry Proper and the South Side. 

While some believe foul play to be the cause of young Billy’s tragic death, a recently released toxicology report has raised new suspicions; suspicions that infer, perhaps, Billy’s death was caused  by AN OVERDOSE of what those on the streets are calling, ‘THIRD EYE’ - a new, designer drug making its way through Cherry Township. 

Some say it’s a harmless psychedelic - others claim that it’s just as dangerous as any other Schedule I drug on the market - but the group divide only splits further among debate of where this new, ‘Third Eye,’ is being supplied from: THE SOUTH SIDE, OR THE PROPER.

Wherever ‘Third Eye’ originated, one thing is for sure: THE CITIZENS OF THE SOUTH SIDE ARE USING THIS TRAGIC EVENT AS A FIRESTARTER for their campaign to expand South Side access to the Cherry Public Health Funding - and their access to the local government. Rumor has it HASIM ERDOGAN  has already begun to prepare for his campaign for Mayor - the only question is, WILL HARVARD HARGROVE II, INTERIM MAYOR, LET THE POSITION SLIP FROM HIS FINGERS FOR A SOUTH SIDER?

We’ll be keeping you updated on young William Rocks’ case as we get new information - and on the race for the Mayor’s seat - but until then…? Stay safe, Cherry. 

This is Gail Geller, signing off.”

A week since the Cherry Police Department was supposedly broken into by a gang of “blood-thirsty” vigilantes, intent on punishing Grace Atkinson - the Candy Girl - for her crimes: and punished the rest of the town in return by setting it ablaze with the same fire they used to snuff out the Cyber-Criminal. 

While it seems citizens of Cherry are relieved to finally put this mystery - and Blaire Bennett’s poor soul - to rest, there is no denying that the aftermath has certainly shaken our little town to its core. 

CCU Students Rory Collins, and Harvey Hargrove III have both recently been released from Cherry Memorial to a crowd of waiting, and open-armed Cherriots, ready to welcome them back to day to day life. The rest of those who went missing have been cleared of any crime when it comes to do with Blaire Bennett, Ethan Powers, or Bertram Montez and Grace Atkinson’s web of lies and torment. 

Fire... Disaster… Death, and destruction. 

Cherry has never shown any lack of determination in the face of adversity, and as Southside Construction begins boarding up charred businesses, and beginning renovations on others… We can only hope it’s a sign that our community is getting back to basics and leaning on each other, rather than turning against one another. 

Everyday there are new donation baskets passed around town; and everyday, the citizens petition Harvard Hargrove - Cherry’s interim mayor - for financial relief. While the process has been slow to start, Mr. Hargrove does seem intent on one thing: getting Cherry Township prepared for Summer. Because while it may take years to rebuild our beloved town back to its former glory, we all know the tourists wait for no one when it comes to fun in the sun on our little stretch of Orchard Shore Beach. 

Will this Summer bring the financial relief - the much needed break - that Cherry needs, or will it be the breaking point that finally pushes our little town over the edge? Will we push through as a community, or be driven further apart? Only time will tell. 

For now, we bid the CCU students adieu as they wrap up their final week of school and head home until Fall. We say hello to the summer sunshine, and to the new faces that will be enjoying our beaches, and our boardwalk over the course of the next few months. 

And I wish you all, for the first time in a long time, a great day, and a peaceful evening.

This is Gail Geller, signing off. Until Next time.

It seems that very nearly every Cherry proper citizen is in attendance tonight, including Sheriff Tom Teller - though, he’s been resigned to closely watching the scene from outside after being barred entrance by the Candy Girl’s suspected henchmen. The most interesting guests to the party, however? The CherryPlex Six.

As you all know, the official investigation update on the Blaire Bennett case was released late last night, still naming one Elizabeth Logan as a suspect, as well as Mackenzie Walsh, Harvard Hargrove III, Casey Russell, Audrina Archer - of Archer Hall - and Virginia Virginia as persons of interest. The most interesting tidbit of information, however? That the group - sans Logan - were all in on some sort of ‘initiation ritual’ shortly before Blaire’s death.

Sources say Blaire Bennett was tied down to a wooden chair before being covered in animal’s blood. She was supposedly meant to be discovered alive and well shortly after by an unsuspecting - and frightened - audience, but instead was slashed to death by a murderous killer. The group apparently claims that they had no knowledge of the murder... But it all sounds a little too good to be true, if you ask our viewers. At the last poll on the subject, it seems as if only 30% of citizens believe the young Cherriots, while another 50% believe they are lying - the remaining 20% all believe the group should be locked up. So, what was it? A brutal murder, carried out by a masked man with DNA that doesn’t seem to be a match for anyone in the county? Or yet another hazing ritual gone wrong? What was this mysterious club they were pledging to? Will the Candy Girl show up tonight? Will the killer? Will the Phantom?  While concrete conclusions can’t be drawn just yet, we do know one thing: it’s important that you stay safe out there tonight, Cherry. I’m Gail Geller -- and this was your evening news.”

Sabrina was found with the CherryPlex Six huddled over her - including her own sister, Elizabeth Logan - as they tried to stop the bleeding from the ten stab wounds that she endured from a masked attacked. 

One of the suspects in Blaire Bennett’s murder - Casey Russell - was also attacked tonight. The group claims that he attained this wound by scaring off Miss Logan’s attacker... but we’ll wait until the woman wakes up from her coma to make up our minds on the matter.

Sabrina will be in the hospital for the foreseeable future, and it’s said that Casey will be released sometime later this morning.” 

“It’s a less than chilly day here in Cherry, but at Shady Orchards Cemetery, we’d be doing a disservice to call it anything less than cold. Why? Perhaps it’s because the patrons here today are missing their own ray of sunshine - Blaire Bennett.

The girl has only been dead for less than a week, but her absence has rocked through the core of Cherry like an earthquake. Memorials line the streets, weeping teens loiter on every corner, and worst of all? Protestors have begun to take a stand throughout our little town.

It’s hard to find a street corner without a crowd of Cherriots calling for action, and for the Cherry Police Department to reopen the investigation into Lux Lewis’s death - especially following the highly similar slaying of the Bennett girl this past weekend.

So, is this the work of a serial killer, or the copycat killing of the ages? Could this be the work of Cherry’s very own Candy Girl?

It’s all a mystery to us, Cherry, but we vow to keep you updated along every step of the way with us.

That’s all for now, but we’ll see you next time on CCNN. Stay safe, Cherriots.” 

Blaire Bennett, age 19, died unexpectedly on November 6th, 1998. Blaire was a shining star of the Cherry community. Many will remember her engaging performance as Kim AcAfee in CCU's production of Bye Bye Birdie last year. Her talent for the stage allowed her to touch the hearts of hundreds of Cherry residents, even those she'd never met. Blaire was pursuing a BA in Drama at CCU. She was a highly motivated student and performer. After graduation, she intended on moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film. Anyone who knew her can attest to her devotion to the art of acting, and her lifelong goal to win an Academy Award for Best Actress.

“We here at CCNN have just been given an exclusive report regarding those known around Cherry proper as ‘The Gang!’ It looks like Harvard Hargrove II, Dean of CCU, has officially pressed charges against five young adults: Noah Russell, Mackenzie Walsh, Zahra Jackson, Zev King, and Elizabeth Logan, for what’s been dubbed ‘CCU’s Bloodless Massacre.’”

“It seems among vandalism, the five have been charged with disturbance of the peace, and filing false reports  - and though we haven’t yet been informed of what punishment they may face, we are devoted to keeping you updated through this ongoing saga.”

“In addition to committing the ‘Bloodless Massacre’, one Mackenzie Walsh - the suspected ringleader, after being found with evidence from said ‘Massacre’ in his pocket - is also currently suspected of running guerilla ‘zine, ‘The Cherry Bomb.’”

THIS JUST IN, FOLKS - 

The one and only Orchard Shore Boardwalk has invited us all to a sneak peek of the brand new stretch of sand that’s taking Cherry by storm: Carousel Cove! They promise Food, Games, and Fun in the Sun - but local protestor, Sylvia Salt has something more sinister to say on the matter at hand.  “It’s just despicable, you know?” Mrs. Salt scoffs, holding her homemade sign; ‘DOWN WITH HARGROVE, DOWN WITH ORCHARD SHORE!’ painted artfully across it’s surface. “Buying up the town, little by little; raising the prices on rent - tearing down our historic buildings! He says it’s all fun and games, but where does it stop?”  She - along with her daughter, active local protestor Sloane Salt - are two of the many locals intent on stopping the new Boardwalk expansion. Their protest began shortly before the controversial purchase of local landmark Motel Row - a row of motels built in the early 1920′s that used to overlook the beach - and it’s only been ramping up in steam since then.

As the citizens of Cherry know, we rely on tourism to keep those beloved Cherry Blossom’s coming in every year, but as Harvard Hargrove II - beloved Dean of Cherry Coastal University, and owner of the Boardwalk -  puts it, “How could expanding one of our greatest assets, our Historic Boardwalk, possibly be a bad thing for this town? Hargrove Incorporated is investing in Cherry; we are setting this little city up to weather any storm, and while people like Mrs. Salt may not be able to see that yet - I am confident that it’s only a matter of time until she and her lovely daughter begin to see things from our point of view.” 

While choosing sides between the ever growing lines between protestors and Beach-goers is a personal choice, the Cherry Times still welcomes you to celebrate along with the Orchard Shore Boardwalk - or join the protests!