The National Herald: News from the Isle of Beithe

[The Isle of Beithe]

TOP HEADLINES

FEBRUARY 2019
* Proposal for Mandatory Vaccination in Public Schools (08 February 2019)
* Source of Mysterious Lights over York Desert Uncovered (02 February 2019)
* SPECIAL EDITION: Controversy over Recreational Drug Use in Beithe (02 February 2019)
* New Education Policies Announced (01 February 2019)

JANUARY 2019:
* First Nuclear Power Plant Opens in Northern District (28 January 2019)

DECEMBER 2018:
* 2018 Economic Report

ARCHIVES

WEEK OF 04 NOVEMBER THROUGH 10 NOVEMBER 2018:
* Kemp Re-Elected to Presidency, but Results Shock the Nation (08 November 2018)
* Editor-in-Chief of The National Herald Fired! (06 November 2018)
* Beithe to Join International Police Force (06 November 2018)

WEEK OF 28 OCTOBER THROUGH 03 NOVEMBER 2018:

* Prime Minister Reinholdt Reveals Post-Retirement Plans; New Prime Minister Announced (03 November 2018)
* Pack of Highlands Red Foxes Spotted in Capitol City Park (02 November 2018)
* ECONOMIC REPORT: OCTOBER 2018 (01 November 2018)
* Shootout Between York Police and Terrorist Suspect -- Suspect in Critical Condition (31 October 2018)
* Unusually Pure Tantalum Deposits Unearthed in Lancaster (29 October 2018)
* Munitions Factory Fire in the Western District (28 October 2018)

WEEK OF 21 OCTOBER THROUGH 27 OCTOBER 2018:

* Prime Minister Stephanie Reinholdt to Resign in 2019 (26 October 2018)
* Squidfest 2018! (26 October 2018)
* Mysterious Lights Observed over York Desert (24 October 2018)
* Formal Indictment Issued Against Ex-Harvest Island Governor (23 October 2018)

[The Isle of Beithe]

“Prime Minister Stephanie Reinholdt to Resign in 2019”
26 October 2018

Prime Minister Stephanie Reinholdt held a press conference yesterday afternoon in which she announced that she would be retiring from public office sometime in early 2019. Ms. Reinholdt, who was appointed to Prime Minister's office by President Ehrich Kemp in 2013, has served admirably in the federal government's civil service corps since 1983. She spent 30 years of her career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she rose through the civil service ranks from junior diplomat, to director of Department of Global Economics & Trade, and eventually, the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

At age 67, Reinholdt is eight years from reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 that is established for all elected and non-elected government officials. She has chosen not to disclose the reasoning for her early, voluntary retirement.

Yesterday evening, an anonymous source claimed to have seen Ms. Reinholdt at President Kemp’s private estate in Sussex Bay, allegedly carrying several boxes and a cat tree into the president’s home.

[The Isle of Beithe]

“Squidfest 2018!”
26 October 2018

Attention, aficionados of Beithen coastal cuisine! This weekend, the Village of Freiburg in Northshore will be hosting the 16th annual Squidfest!

Squidfest! activities include a contest for the best grilled squid lasagna, a tour of Freiburg’s Fishery District, various games for adults and children alike -- and of course, an appearance by Inky, the lovable mascot of the coastal community. The festival kicks off this evening at 1800 with a performance by the Northern District Aquacultural College’s marching band and a speech by Freiburg’s mayor, James “Slimmy Jimmy” Jackson. Activities will last all weekend. The festival is open admission.

Last years Squidfest! saw record attendance of over 10,000, including many foreign tourists.

[The Isle of Beithe]

“Mysterious Lights Observed over York Desert”
24 October 2018

Yesterday evening, Tuesday, 23 October 2018, mysterious lights were observed over the York Desert in the Western District. Citizens of Duskvale (population 56) alleged that, from approximately 2230 to 2245, five purple lights arranged in a ring pattern hovered over the village’s postal office and then suddenly bolted away at the speed of an average regional jet aircraft. Miss Geraldine Lovecraft, the village sheriff, informed National Herald reporters that the “craft,” as she called the lights, left the area after she had fired five shots at it with her Remington 870. A grainy video of the event has been posted on the video-sharing platform MeTube.

In Capitol City this morning, Mr. “Rusty Shackleford” – the mysterious mustachioed man who is always seen wearing dark sunglasses and a red baseball cap, and who frequently loiters outside The National Herald’s office – was, as always, pleased to speak with our reporters about the supposed “UFO sighting” in York. “It’s no surprise to me, really,” stated Shackleford as he absent-mindedly dropped a cigarette ash into his coffee, “with all that’s been happening here in Beithe and abroad, I'd be shocked if this DIDN"T happen.” According to Shackleford, he had learned from anonymous sources that the so-called “Galactic Senate” has ordered surveillance of Beithe in response to the recent standoff between Beithen armed forces and a secessionist faction in the Protectorate of Harvest Island and the subsequent arrival of foreign naval forces just outside of Beithen territorial waters. When we questioned Shackleford regarding why, under the circumstances, extraterrestrials would want to monitor a remote village in the scarcely-populated York Desert, instead of Harvest Island itself, or perhaps a major city like Capitol City, Mr. Shackleford could not provide us with a response. Instead, he spoke tangentially regarding the Galactic Senate’s concern over global stockpiling of nuclear armaments and bio-chemical weapons.

The Fraternal Order of Hedonistic Cynics, a private pro-science/anti-religion think-tank based in New Castle, Kent, also gave a statement to The National Herald; however, instead of addressing the topic at hand, the order’s spokesperson informed us that we at The National Herald should be “ashamed of ourselves for entertaining feeble minds by covering such a ludicrous story.”

[The Isle of Beithe]

“Formal Indictment Issued Against Ex-Harvest Island Governor”
23 October 2018

A formal indictment for the high crime of “Gross Misconduct by a Government Official” has been filed by the Federal Court of Internal Administration in Capitol City against the recently fired, ex-Governor-General of Protectorate of Harvest Island, Franklin Simpson. Per the Beithen constitution, the case of Federal v. Franklin A. Simpson will now be bound-over to the High Council for prosecution.

Mr. Simpson is under scrutiny for his actions on Tuesday, 16 October 2018. In response a protest by secessionists on Harvest Island, Simpson ordered a formation of Beithen marines to disperse the demonstrators. The confrontation between the marines and the protesters ended with 37 fatalities, 64 injuries of varying degree, and more than a hundred arrests.

Elias Autumn, Simpson’s attorney and federal senator from Dover’s 3rd district, attempted to persuade the court to indict his client for the lesser charge of general misconduct. Autumn raised questions regarding potential bias in the investigation of Simpson, calling it "myopic" and claiming that the government had chosen Simpson as a "scapegoat" for the purpose of pandering to "political pressures from abroad." The defense also attempted to forbid the amicus testimony of Mikhail Kolganov, one of the foreign investigators assigned to the case by the International Police Force (INTERPOL).

Following the issuance of a formal indictment by Judge Archibald Duncan, Simpson and Autumn refused requests for an interview.

Should he be found guilty of gross misconduct, Simpson will face a sentence that could include 20 years to life in federal prison, hefty fines of up to four-million Beithen dollars, or even revocation of his Beithen citizenship and subsequent deportation.

The High Council has announced that Lieutenant-General Cornelius Martin, the current Judge Advocate General of the National Guard, has been selected to serve as prosecutor, and Commodore Justine Mackenzie of the Beithe Navy’s JAG Corps will act as co-prosecutor. The Honorable Judge Klaus Clementine, III of the Federal Supreme Court will serve as a neutral adviser. A trial date has not yet been set but is anticipated within the next three weeks.

[The Isle of Beithe]

Munitions Factory Fire in the Western District
28 October 2018

If you reside near the coastal Western District village Lanford-on-the-Coast, those loud blasts and blinding flashes that woke you up at 0300 this morning were not from teenage miscreants launching illegal fireworks (again), and the Kent State Police urge you: please, do not try to investigate!

The explosions occurred as a result of a fire at an R. Klein Associates, Inc. munitions factory. Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities. The factory’s late-night skeleton crew promptly cleared the facility before the first round of explosions. It is too early to determine whether the fire had been an accident or if foul-play is suspected.

The village of Lanford-on-the-Coast has been evacuated. The Kent State Militia has been dispatched and is currently cordoning roads leading into the village. Persons residing within 15 square kilometers of Lanford-on-the-Coast are advised to remain indoors until further notice from the Kent State Police.

When asked about the bizarre purple hue of the smoke emanating from the burning factory, the factory’s public affairs officer, Freddy Doyle, said, “I’m not a chemist, so I can’t explain that well -- but I can assure you, it’s completely normal!” He also claimed that the gas mask he was wearing while we interviewed him was for “strictly personal medical reasons.”

[The Isle of Beithe]

Unusually Pure Tantalum Deposits Unearthed in Lancaster
29 October 2018

A large deposit of high-purity tantalum ore was discovered in rural Lancaster over the weekend. The discovery has been confirmed by the National Geological Survey, and mining rights have been claimed by Eastern Beithe Mining Association, Inc.

The ore discovered in Lancaster tested positive for 97.2% tantalum and 2.8% various trace elements. Tantalum is rarely observed alone in nature; most commonly, it is found with niobium, an element with similar properties and applications. This discovery is, therefore, a historic occasion.

Tantalum is highly conductive and used to manufacture many electronics such as cell phones and laptops. It’s superior corrosion resistance also makes tantalum beneficial to applications involving strong acids. Because the element is non-toxic to mammals, it can be used in surgical implants.

Recently, there has been extensive research-and-development into tantalum alloys. The Beithe Air National Guard has been utilizing tantalum in jet engines and missile components since the early 2000s. The ultra-high heat resistance of tantalum carbide and tantalum hafnium carbide—with melting points of nearly 4000 degrees Celsius—has peaked the interest of many military and private industrial organizations. The Beithe Navy has been experimenting with using these compounds as cladding for nuclear fuel rods. Naval nuclear reactors have already incorporated other tantalum compounds into their heat exchangers.

Eastern Beithe Mining Association, Inc. has been mining coltan—an ore comprised of tantalum and niobium in varying distributions—since 1976. Today, the company is the world’s top resource for separation of coltan’s constituent elements. After Beithe, African nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo are the principal sources of tantalum, though Australia has become a notable competitor in recent years. Coltan has been classified as a “conflict resource” in Africa. (Conflict resources are a natural resource that instigates and perpetuates small wars; for example, “blood diamonds.")

A 2013 study had estimated that there are less than 50 years left of tantalum resources. The deposits unearthed in Lancaster represents the first significant discovery of tantalum ore since 1996.

[The Isle of Beithe]

“Shootout Between York Police and Terrorist Suspect -- Suspect in Critical Condition”
31 October 2018

A shootout occurred this morning between the York State Police and a terrorist suspect.

At approximately 0930, two York State Police officers, accompanied by five deputies from the Westport City Sheriff’s Department, attempted to serve a warrant on Sebastian T. Conner at the suspect’s townhouse-apartment in downtown Westport. The warrant was for Mr. Conner’s arrest and search of his apartment. The 46-year old Westport native, who until recently worked as a civil servant within the York Department of Public Utilities, allegedly sent multiple death threats to the Governor of York and the Western District Commissioner. He was also suspected of connections to the militant-wing of the radical religious group The Church of the Followers of the New Awakening.

Conner refused to leave his apartment and informed the police that he was armed with a fully-automatic AK-47 and several improvised explosive devices. After multiple failed attempts by police negotiators to reach the suspect on his landline phone and cellular phone, a York State Police SWAT unit, as well an attack helicopter from the York State Militia, surrounded Conner’s apartment. The suspect was given three warning before the SWAT officers forced entry into the building. Conner was apprehended in under a minute. No law enforcement officials were injured, but Conner was shot twice in his right leg. Though the gunshot wounds Conner had received would likely be non-fatal to most persons, the alleged terrorist takes blood-thinners for a chronic heart condition and bled rapidly.

At present, Conner is being treated at Westport Central Hospital under heavy police guard. Hospital officials have informed The National Herald that he is in “critical condition” with a “minimal chance of survival.”
When police searched Conner’s apartment, various labware and chemical reagents were discovered. Police have confirmed that the materials are likely for small-scale production of the nerve agent sarin.

Across Beithe, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Security Service are conducting investigations believed to be related to individuals with whom Conner has had recent contact.

With Beithe’s law enforcement community on high alert, President Kemp was observed this morning, on his way to a High Council meeting, accompanied by 15 guards armed with AR-33 assault rifles. The president was also armed but had elected to carry a relatively modest Smith & Wesson .45 Magnum revolver. President Kemp took time to speak with The National Herald, and in his characteristic straight-to-the-point style, called the alleged terrorist “a little bastard.” The president then thanked the York State Police and York State Militia for their competent handling of this morning’s situation.

[The Isle of Beithe]

ECONOMIC REPORT: OCTOBER 2018
01 November 2018


Economic news was mostly positive throughout Beithe during October 2018.

Key Highlights:

* R. Klein Associates, Inc. reported its largest international firearms sale in the company's history. The company sold over $6-billion worth of AR-33 Mark III Assault Rifles to the The Imperial Karalieŭstva of Shreminov.

* Following a substantial discovery of high-purity tantalum ore in Lancaster, Eastern Beithe Mining Association gained 23 points in the BASDAQ stock market. The company announced on 30 October that it would soon ramp-up its international sales division.

* Uranium mining and nuclear-energy research added 1,314 new jobs in the State of Northshore.

* Though York's unemployment rate remains at record highs, the rate has dropped from 38.21% (January 2018) to 36.73% (October 2018).

[The Isle of Beithe]

Pack of Highlands Red Foxes Spotted in Capitol City Park
02 November 2018

At least twelve wild Highlands red foxes (Vulpes montibus), also known as the Beithen mountain fox, have been sighted in West-Central Municipal Park in Capitol City. It is rare for Beithe's official national animal to be seen outside the Highlands Region of Moorfield -- even more so, to be observed in a heavily urbanized area such as Capitol City. No one is certain how or why these foxes have arrived in the nation's capitol. A local adherent to the folk religion of Beithe's indigenous Huyit tribe has claimed that this event is "an omen, a warning by Luykowa (the Huyit harvest god)."

Capitol City Police would like to remind citizens, that while domesticated Highlands red foxes make wonderful pets, their wild cousins are extremely dangerous. The police would also like to inform citizens that the old wives tale that suggests being bitten by a Highlands red fox is good luck is, as police spokesperson Captain Nancy Quinn put it so frankly, "a bunch of bologna."

[The Isle of Beithe]

BREAKING NEWS!

Prime Minister Reinholdt Reveals Post-Retirement Plans; New Prime Minister Announced
03 November 2018


Prime Minister Stephanie Reinholdt, who had announced on 26 October that she would be retiring from public office in December, has finally revealed her post-retirement plans. A 30-year veteran of Beithe's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Reinholdt will be forming an international consulting agency. The agency, Reinholdt Global Consultant Services LLC, will focus primarily on advising foreign governments and private enterprise on matters of international trade, but her agency will also offer general diplomatic advice.

Following Ms. Reinholdt's revelation, President Kemp announced that he had selected Archie McGill, current Minister of the Treasury, to serve as the next Prime Minister.

[The Isle of Beithe]

Beithe to Join International Police Force
06 November 2018

President Kemp has continued to confuse the Beithen public and outrage certain members of the National Party with his newfound attitudes towards international relations.

This morning, Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Wallace announced, that earlier this week, the Beithen federal government had applied for admission to the recently established International Police Force (INTERPOL). The governing committee of INTERPOL accepted Beithe’s application late yesterday evening. This will mark the first time that the Isle of Beithe had participated in an international organization since 1920 when the Federal Republic of Beithe briefly held membership in the League of Nations, the predecessor to the modern World Assembly.

Following Minister Wallace’s announcement, the Secretary of the Senate, Senator Ian McClean (Kent, 4th District), revealed that the Beithe Senate had begun private deliberations regarding a constitutional amendment to formally recognize INTERPOL’s authority. Ratification of the amendment will require a ¾ vote of approval by the Beithe Senate followed by unanimous acceptance by the state governments. It remains uncertain if the proposed amendment will succeed. Though Beithe’s admission into INTERPOL has been praised by centrist and left-leaning factions within the National Party, more traditionalist members have fervently criticized this alleged affront to Beithen sovereignty. President Kemp, in his dual-role as Director of the National Party, has guided the party’s politics without question for years, but it appears that Kemp’s autocratic influence may be waning.

Regardless of one’s reaction to President Kemp’s decision to join INTERPOL, it is undeniable that his actions are perplexing. Though the president recently had refused the extradition of Franklin Simpson—the ex-Governor-General of Harvest Island who currently faces charges of Gross Misconduct by a Government Official—Kemp has allowed foreign investigators from the Stoklomolvi Liaoist Federation, now operating under the authority of INTERPOL, to participate in the Simpson investigation. Kemp has even granted the foreign investigators unprecedented power as Officers of the Court (Honoris Causus, Pro Tempore).

Since entering the presidency in 2009, Kemp has gradually increased Beithe’s relations with the international community. Though he has held steadfast to many of the National Party’s traditional anti-globalist attitudes, such as condemning the World Assembly, President Kemp occasionally engages in basic diplomacy, often writing directly to foreign leaders instead of working through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At first, most Beitheans had believed the president had been merely attempting to bolster international trade relations. Now it would seem as if the president had a hidden agenda after all.

Many have suspected that Prime Minister Stephanie Reinholdt has been the invisible hand behind President Kemp’s evolving attitude towards international relations. Rumors of romantic relations between the Prime Minister and the President have circulated since 2016. Last week, Harold Stewart, the 2018 presidential “candidate” from the Traditionalist Party, submitted an op-ed article to The National Herald which addressed these allegations, amongst other topics. Due to the extreme racism and general vulgarity of the article, it was not published; however, considering recent events, the Editor-in-Chief of The National Herald has permitted the publication of select quotes from Stewart’s op-ed:

“She (Reinholdt) is na mair than an intellectual whore. She is a siren, an’ oor president haes become hypnotized by her sinister serenade!”

“Kemp an’ Reinholdt represent a dei’l’s courtship.”

“German-Beitheans hae bin granted tae mony liberties. Thay hae abused thair influence an' wull destroy Beithe. Juist keek at whit President Kemp an' Prime Minister Reinholdt hae dane: inviting foreign polis intae oor nation tae investigate a purely internal affair! Howfur muckle langer kin we gang alang wi' this recklessness? Howfur lang 'til th' Beithen spirit is deid?”

---
OOC:

* Translation of Herald Stewart's Statements:

“She (Reinholdt) is no more than an intellectual whore. She is a siren, and our president has become hypnotized by her sinister serenade.”

“Kemp and Reinholdt represent a devil’s courtship.”

“German-Beitheans have been granted too many liberties. They have abused their influence and will destroy Beithe. Just look at what President Kemp and Prime Minister Reinholdt have done: inviting foreign police into our nation to investigate a purely internal affair! How much longer can we go along with this recklessness? How long until the Beithen spirit is dead?”

[The Isle of Beithe]

Editor-in-Chief of The National Herald Fired!
06 November 2018

The National Herald's Editor-in-Chief, Quinton Olsen, as well as several reporters, were fired this afternoon following an article published this morning regarding Beithe's admission to the International Police Force (INTERPOL). This decision came directly from the CEO of First National Media Corporation, The National Herald's parent company.

"The article displayed an extreme bias," explained CEO Amelia Blair, "and included derogatory quotations from a known racist. It read like an opinion piece, not a neutral presentation of facts; the article is a disgrace to journalism. I assure you, this article does not represent the character of The National Herald or Beithen culture. I sincerely apologize to all whom have been offended, and I promise that this will not happen again."

[The Isle of Beithe]

08 NOVEMBER 2018

KEMP RE-ELECTED TO PRESIDENCY, BUT RESULTS SHOCK THE NATION

AUTHOR: Roberta Smith
EDITOR: Jackson Flanagan

The results from yesterday’s election for President of the High Council have been released. Though incumbent Ehrich W. Kemp of the National Party has been re-elected for his third term, the overall results are surprising.

Kemp won the election with only 63% of the popular vote, marking the lowest percentage for a National Party candidate since 1965 when Alistair MacDonald narrowly defeated Socialist Democrat Party candidate Isaac Harrison with 53% of the popular vote. Christian Democratic Party candidate John Paul Knauff received 28% of the national popular vote and dominated the Northern District polls with 92% support. Rebecca Colton of the People’s Republican Party of Beithe came in last place at 9%.

The relatively low support for President Kemp is likely due to his recent decision to join the International Police Force (INTERPOL) and his authorization of INTERPOL involvement in the investigation of Harvest Island’s former Governor-General Franklin Simpson, who has been indicted for Gross Conduct by a Government Official in response to his use of Beithen marines to end a protest by secessionists on the protectorate island. Yesterday, many National Party supporters had expressed their disapproval of Kemp’s actions by just not voting.

Many political analysts are now wondering: does this simply represent the impending end of President Kemp’s career, or does it signify the demise of the National Party’s 70 years’ dominance over Beithen politics?

[The Isle of Beithe]

28 DECEMBER 2018

2018 YEAR-END ECONOMIC REPORT

AUTHOR: Henry Longbottom
EDITOR: Charles Bacon, Jr.

2018 proved to be another prosperous year for the Beithen economy from both a macro- and microeconomic perspective. The national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 4.6% and international trade has flourished. Beitheans across the socioeconomic spectrum reaped the benefits of economic growth: thanks to increased wages and lowered unemployment rates, in conjunction with recent federal income tax cuts, consumer spending for non-essential goods and services has grown threefold, economists estimate.

Natural resource mining was the golden child of the Beithen economy in 2018. Uranium mining, which has increased exponentially since the discovery of massive deposits in the Northern District in 2016, continued to contribute to increased nuclear energy research and production. Additionally, uranium mining added approximately two-thousand jobs. The unearthing of singularly pure tantalum—a metal commonly used in modern electronic components—led to skyrocketing stock market investment in Eastern Beithe Mining Association. The company has since expanded its international trade division, and many Beithen manufacturers of electronics, including industry-leader Sussex Motors & Electronics (SM&E), reported plans to increase production in 2019.

As usual, arms manufacturing retained its pivotal role in the Beithen economy, with R. Klein Associates, Inc. seeing considerable profits from its recent international sales of the popular AR-33 Mark III Assault Rife. Competitor Sussex Armaments Company maintained its edge in the market but experienced slightly reduced profits compared to 2017.

Biotechnology, agriculture, and information technology saw minor growth in 2018, though less than had been anticipated by economists at the beginning of the year.

We at the National Herald wish the Beithen economy--and you, our readers--a fruitful New Year! Fortuna virtute!

[The Isle of Beithe]

28 JANUARY 2019

FIRST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT OPENS IN NORTHERN DISTRICT

AUTHOR: Roberta Smith
EDITOR: Charles Bacon, Jr.

This morning, the Gregg T. McMillan Memorial Power Plant, located just outside of Aberdeen in Glasgow, officially begins operation and will supply nuclear-powered energy to over 500,000 customers throughout the Northern District. The power plant, owned by Straussburg Energy Corporation, marks the first nuclear power plant to open in the Northern District and the 5th such facility in the Isle of Beithe.

President Kemp and Minister of Infrastructure Paula Thompson attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the power plant yesterday evening. “This is a momentous occasion for the Northern District and all Beithe,” said Kemp. “Truly, the future is looking brighter – pun intended.”

Thanks to the abundance of uranium deposits in the Eastern Glasgow National Forest, nuclear energy is slated to become the top economic contributor in the Northern District by 2020. Over two-thousand jobs were added from uranium mining between 2015 and 2018, and 500 jobs have been created from the new power plant, with an additional 300 anticipated by years end.

Construction of the Gregg T. McMillan Memorial Power Plant began in July 2014 and completed nearly a year ahead of schedule.

[The Isle of Beithe]

01 FEBRUARY 2019

NEW EDUCATION POLICIES ANNOUNCED

AUTHOR: Roberta Smith
EDITOR: Charles Bacon, Jr.

This morning, the Beithe Senate approved a series of revisions to the Federal Core Curricula. These revisions will place a new emphasis on preparing young Beitheans for the challenges of adult life, such as job searching and resume preparation, interview skills, budget management, and time management. The bill, Senate Act 19-014, which was approved with a 42-6 majority, was the result of a year of deliberations between the Beithe Senate Education Committee, the Ministry of Education, and each states' department of education. Shortly after its approval, President Kemp publicly issued High Council support for the measure and congratulated the federal senate on its successful co-operation with the state governments.

Several states are working on additional policies to be enacted in conjunction with the federal legislation. The Sussex State Senate has drafted a bill that will provide increased funding for high schools offering courses in general business skills as well as vocational training for in-demand trades such as HVAC, carpentry, and plumbing. Senator Joseph McCormick, chairman of the Kent House of Commons Education Committee, has announced that similar plans are being drafted in Kent. Additionally, McCormick has stated that there are ongoing discussions regarding new programmes that would allow select high school 3rd and 4th year students to attend university and college courses at discounted tuition rates. Emphasis would be placed upon studies in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. The proposed programme is intended to prepare more young Beitheans for entry into Kent's rapidly growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

[The Isle of Beithe]

02 FEBRUARY 2019

SPECIAL EDITION

CONTROVERSY OVER RECREATIONAL DRUG USE IN BEITHE

AUTHOR: Derrick Wilson
EDITOR: Oliver Grant


Recreational drug use has remained a controversial topic in Beithe for years. Recent polls have shown public opinion is split almost 50-50.

Marijuana has been legal throughout Beithe since the 1980s, but there has been considerable debate regarding the usage of “hard” drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. Debates have grown stronger amidst the opioid crisis occurring in many rural communities—particularly, the impoverished, crime-ridden state of York in the Western District, where unemployment rates are at national highs of 32.46% (for comparison, the national unemployment rate is 1.63%). In 2018, York experienced a 67% increase in emergency room visits related to opioid overdoses.

At the federal level, personal possession and use of many hard drugs is legal but sale and distribution is a fifth-degree felony with a maximum penalty of 18 months imprisonment. Illegal sale and distribution of prescription medications is a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment. The Beithe Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Drug Enforcement Division has seen mild budget increases in recent years, but the issue remains low on the bureau’s priorities.

Some states have taken a tougher approach towards recreational drugs. Moorfield, Sussex, Kent, and Lancaster have all imposed minor fines for hard drug possession. Northshore is the only state to have criminalized hard drug use. In the highly religious Northern District state, possession of many hard drugs is a first-degree misdemeanor for the first offense, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a period of mandatory, state-monitored counseling. In January 2019, the Northshore State Police announced the foundation of a new Drug Enforcement Taskforce.

There has been a steady increase in the number of private, for-profit drug rehabilitation centres throughout Beithe. There is also rising concern over the lack of regulation of these businesses, which are regularly accused of corruption. Some centres have been the target of Investigations for ties to organized crime syndicates that engage in sale and distribution of recreational drugs.

On 01 February 2019, the federal Beithe Senate announced that it will begin deliberations with the state governments regarding the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis.

The Glasgow State Senate is debating a bill that would enact criminal penalties for hard drug possession, similar to the penalties currently enforced in neighbouring Northshore.

[The Isle of Beithe]

02 FEBRUARY 2019

SOURCE OF MYSTERIOUS LIGHTS OVER YORK DESERT UNCOVERED

AUTHOR: Johnathon Banks
EDITOR: Charles Bacon, Jr.

In October 2018, the National Herald reported on accounts of mysterious lights hovering over a small town in the York Desert. The probable source of these lights has been uncovered. A recent report by the York State Bureau of Environmental Protection revealed trace amounts of the hallucinogenic drug LSD in the town's water source. The Bureau of Environmental Protection and the York State Police are actively investigating the incident.

The alleged video of the October 2018 event has been confirmed by 5 independent sources as an "obvious hoax."

[The Isle of Beithe]

08 FEBRUARY 2019

PROPOSAL FOR MANDATORY VACCINATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

AUTHOR: Derrick Wilson
EDITOR: Charles Bacon, Jr.

A measles outbreak has resulted in Straussburg-am-See resulted in the hospitalization of 27 children aged 2-12. This is the fourth reported outbreak of a disease preventable by routine vaccination in the Northern District within the past two years.

In response, Senator Michael King (National Party, Sydney 1st District—Sheffield, Gordon, and Loch Gillian) introduced federal legislation yesterday morning that would make vaccination mandatory for admission into government-chartered schools throughout Beithe. King’s constituency also experienced a measles outbreak across four elementary schools in September 2018. The outbreak affected 67 young Beitheans aged 5-9 and resulted in 42 hospitalizations. Fortunately, no deaths were reported.

Former presidential candidate John Paul Knauff (Christian Democratic Party, Northshore 4th District - Marburg and Straussburg Counties) has expressed disapproval of the proposed legislation. Though Knauff disagrees with anti-vaccination sentiments, and he has stated that all four of his children have received routine vaccinations, he believes that mandatory vaccination is an “infringement upon the right to religious and personal freedoms.”

Within the National Party General Council, there has been debate over how to handle this controversial issue. The party has officially condemned proposals of forced vaccination but has generally supported vaccination as a requirement for admission into public schools. King’s proposal, Senate Bill 19-020, has been viewed as radical by several fellow senators, however. Six National Party senators have already announced that they will vote against the bill on grounds that such legislation should be introduced at the state level.

President Kemp previously has called “anti-vaxxers” a threat to “not only the physical health but the intellectual health of the nation.” The President has yet to comment on Senator King’s proposal.