The Ford Crier (Le Crieur de Gué), Nouveauterra National Newspaper

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Motto: Truth is Power

The privately-held paper of record for the Commonwealth of Nouveauterra. It has the greatest national influence.
This forum shall act as an archive for its articles.

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Laclare Sworn In As President, New Ministers Nominated

Anton Narcisse, January 7th, 1424

 

Pointe-d’Espoir, Trebec - Guy Laclare is officially President of the Commonwealth after taking his oath of office at the Citadelle de la République parade grounds around 12 today. Prime Minister Martin Toro swore to his oath just after Laclare. President Laclare gave a speech with a call to action for ordinary people, and government officials.

 

“The republic is faced with many challenges,” Laclare said. “We stand at the crossroads of destiny and decision. The actions of our forebears brought us to this moment. Now we have to decide what the future will hold, for all of us.”

Guy Laclare

 

Toro also gave remarks after completing his oath of office. “It is an honor to serve by your side once again,” Toro said in his speech after completing his oath. “I am sure that we will do good work for the people, just as we have before.”

 

Martin Toro

 

Laclare and Toro have both served for nearly 15 years in the Grande Assemblee as representatives for Ligue de l'Accord. Critics argue they’re a young mask pulled over an old machine. Voters meanwhile gave them and the Ligue a chance in November, with the party securing 65 percent of the electorate after the creation of a caucus with Gens des Collines.

 

Laclare submitted a slate of ministerial nominations before he took the oath. It is expected that his nominations will be granted because of his party’s majority in the Upper Assembly.

 

Billet for Nominations According to Sources in the Grande Assemblee

Bart Everly	Minister of State
Olivia Charron	Minister of the Treasury
Ferdinand Salieri	-Chair of the State Bank
Veleri Velevirivich Nemtsov	Minister of Finance
Luna Vendredi	Minister of Elections
Jean-Paul Laseau	Minister of Customs
Huberto Montoya	Minister of Justice
Nicholas Etienne	-Commandant of the Viriarma
Carla Resperdo	-Commandant of the Coast Guard
Mark Oies	Minister of Defense
Oscar Gambon	-Chief General of the Army
Gerald Dauchez	-Chief Admiral of the Navy
Yves Saint Mark	--Chair of the Maritime Commission
Valentin Falkenheim	-Marshal of the Air Force
Marcos Zapata	-Commandant of the Special Forces
Pierre Laconcorde	Minister of Intelligence
Nadal Larien	Minister of National Security
Marta Camilius	Minister of Health
Adolfo Lichtenberg	Minister of Education
Victor Guillen	Minister of Land Management and Environment
Marienne Baquerville	Minister of Homestead and Development
Julia Bertrand	Minister of Welfare
Ernest Gens	Minister of Culture
Henri Lafontaine	-Chair of the National Media Rating Board

 

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Secret Government Documents Found On Floor of Restaurant Brawl, Police Search For Suspects
Quentin Canard, January 13th, 1424

Pointe-d’Espoir, Trebec - Top Secret documents were found on the floor of La Granmont restaurant Friday night after a dispute between two men turned into a 30 person brawl.

Witnesses said the brawl began when two men began arguing at a booth around 2100 on Friday night. One man threw a drinks glass in anger. This caused a nearby section reserved for a retirement party to break out into a brawl between two men who were already trading curses earlier that night.

“It was a madhouse,” said Leo Rosaura, a frequent patron of the restaurant. “It’s usually a quiet place, not a beerhall by the docks.”

The two men who initiated the brawl began to wrestle for a briefcase, which burst open and let documents fall onto the ground. A nearby witness, who shall remain anonymous in order to protect their identity, picked up the documents and transported them to le Citadelle de la République where they were handed over to l’Enquêtes de Sécurité Nationale (ESN).

Metropolitan police, the Viriarma, and the ESN are investigating the matter. Police declined commenting on the leak of the documents, but have stated the men involved in the larger brawl did not press charges on one another. Five people sustained injuries and were taken to area hospitals. They are expected to make a full recovery.

Police are looking for two men in connection to the secret documents found on the ground. A man in his 50s with a slim build standing at roughly 1.7 meters in height with pattern baldness. And a slightly taller man in his early 30s, with a muscular build. Police sketches are forthcoming, but any tips can be given at the ESN national tip line at

+4 04 800-888-TIPS.

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(Valentin Laurier, left. Arno Châtaignier, right)

Representative Châtaignier, Valentin Laurier Arrested for Friday Secret Document Leak
Augustin Blanc, 1/15/1424

Pointe-d’Espoir, Trebec - Representative Arno Châtaignier was arrested in connection to the Friday secret documents leak after a raid on his home early this morning. Valentin Laurier was also arrested for the same incident after he was identified during a routine traffic stop.

According to police, Representative Châtaignier and Laurier were identified through CCTV cameras near the scene of Friday’s brawl. The police then confirmed their identities through interviews, and made an emergency request for an arrest warrant. Juge de la Ville Felicitas Bonterre granted that warrant at 20:00 last night.

Representative Châtaignier has served in the Grande Assemblee for twelve years, and served in the Department of the Land Army for fifteen years as an officer. He is also a co-chair of the Lower Assembly Committee on National Intelligence.

Valentin Laurier is the host of the podcast La Tasse du Matin, sports commentator for CAPN, and CEO for Graine Médias.

The arrest of two prominent men, including a member of the Grande Assemblee, has some legal commentators speculating on what an ensuing trial would look like.

“This reeks of scandal,” said Roger Feros. He is a doctor of constitutional law, and a national security legal scholar of Lacoqueville University. “If they want the justice system to keep any integrity, they must appoint a special prosecutor, not use one of Quizolin’s prior appointments.”

“Cases like this are pretty rare,” said Mari Flondeur, a constitutional law scholar and lecturer at Felix Hautlieu University. “We don’t have much precedent. Not to say anything goes, but the court has to be okay stepping into undefined territory.”

The police investigation is ongoing. They ask that if any has anyone has tips that they call +4 04 800-888-TIPS.

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Bertha Brun as Marie Boulanger in "Les Petits Joueurs," 1423

Bertha Brun, the Starlette at the Center of the Laurier Scandal
Seraphina Maynard, 1/18/1424

Pointe-d’Espoir, Trebec - Bertha Brun is an actress, SnapGram personality, and now the center of a ballooning national security case that has the potential to touch many parts of the nation. Who is she, and how might she be involved in the case of the century?

Bertha Brun was born in Gué in 1398 to businessman Carl and interior designer Velma. Brun lived an ordinary upper middle class life, and enrolled as a social policy student at Université Gué when she was 18. She began to make a name for herself doing SnapGram skits between classes, and after a few meetings with the right people, she started appearing in videos for artists like Jeune Aigle and Melancon.

As Brun garnered more attention, she worked in small film productions for side money, while working a full-time job in a coffee shop, until she met director Gari Econqueville in late 1422. Econqueville needed an actress for the calculating femme fatale Marie Boulanger in his second ever TV series Les Petits Joueurs. To him, Brun fit the bill. Brun became an overnight star in the drama, and through that show, secured a spot as the co-lead for L'attrape-Renard, slated for filming next year, and the remake for the 1375 horror film Tueurs.

It was after Les Petits Joueurs that Brun began dating media personality Valentin Laurier. The budding romance was in the headlines, but so was gossip about Bertha Brun sharing drinks with film connoisseur and elder statesman Arno Châtaignier. Rumor is just thin air if there's no proof, but it brings up questions that have to be answered.

Police say Representative Châtaignier and Laurier were in La Granmont at the same time during the brawl, but they haven’t stated why they both are so important to their investigation. The only reason would be the secret documents found on the floor during the bar brawl. But what could put two men from different parts of society in the same restaurant? An affair. Both men face the public so much that a private meeting to discuss media matters fits perfectly, but it's very possible that talks broke down. The men began trading punches instead of words. However, that doesn't explain why Representative Châtaignier would have secret documents in his briefcase, and why he'd abandon said documents to chase Laurier.

Brun’s statements, whereabouts, and testimony will be picked apart by investigators, the media, and the public. The question now isn’t whether she’s innocent or guilty of a crime, but can an actor's career survive such harsh scrutiny in the 15th century?

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Offices Raided In Connection with Laurier Affair, Special Prosecutor Selected
Augustin Blanc, 1/26/1424

Pointe-d’Espoir, Trebec - The offices of Representative Arno Châtaignier were raided early this morning as part of the wider investigation into the secret document leak of last week.

Officers of the ESN raided Representative Châtaignier’s office in le Citadelle de la République around 7 this morning in accordance with a warrant granted yesterday to search his office. Metropolitan police executed a warrant to search Representative Châtaignier’s personal residence, Hôtel Charretier on the outskirts of Pointe-d’Espoir. These raids were in search of electronic devices, physical documents, and anything that could be related to the document leak case.

Minister of Justice Huberto Montoya

“No one is above the law,” said Minister of Justice Huberto Montoya at a press conference at 8 this morning. “Search warrants executed today are in accordance with that mission and spirit of our constitution.”

Center, Special Prosecutor Patrice Valus

Minister Montoya also announced the appointment of a special prosecutor, Patrice Valus, to oversee the leaked documents case. Valus spoke at that same press conference to emphasize his mission and goals. “My job is to collect the evidence," Valus said, "to determine, with certainty, whether any malicious activities were taking place. Only if malicious acts are discovered, will I prosecute participants in said acts, to the fullest letter of the law of the land.”

Valus acknowledged the seriousness of the case. “This case involves important members of society, including an elected representative,” Valus said. “I will take special care that no favors, nor ill intent, is performed by this office.” Valus then announced a more formal call for testimony from anyone who might have information regarding the case.

Valus served as prosecutor for the Viriarma for 8 years, and over 15 for la Ministère de la Justice. It’s expected that he will begin performing his duties in full by tomorrow morning, including selecting his prosecutorial team from the ranks of la Ministère de la Justice.

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The Average Farmer Is 56 Years Old. How Will This Affect Nouveauterra?

Lucio Justinus

Date: 2/5/1424

 

Floriville, Marteau - Velox Duboc and his son Joyeux are inspecting a field of bec-d’or plants. The plants aren’t fruiting, but mites and other critters like to gnaw on the plants all the way to the stump. Spotting them early usually leads to a better harvest.

 

“It takes time but it’s worth the effort,” Velox says. “You only learn that with age. But I’m trying to teach this guy so he doesn’t make the same mistakes.” He pats his son Joyeux on the back.

 

When I asked Velox how tough farming is, his reply was straight to the point. “Do not plant a seed into the ground unless you are prepared to suffer for it.”

 

Velox is turning 56 this year. He will be the average age of a farmer in Nouveauterra. The struggles he faces are felt by many in the country, and the government’s efforts to combat this manpower catastrophe has ramifications for the country, and potentially the world.

 

 

Velox and Joyeux Duboc, standing in their field

 

 

Nouveauterra has farming areas in the Southern Belt and the Northern Tier. The federal government has monitored the health of these farms closely because of their relatively small size, and the fragility of certain micro-climates. Le Ministère de l'Environnement performs surveys of federally registered farms, and pulls census data to make policy and draw conclusions.

 

The average age of a Nouveauterran farmer is 56 years old according to the MdE. Incorporated farms, according to the MdA, have also seen drops in participation, even by authorized foreign laborers. And those laborers are getting older too. The MdE puts out some theories as to why this is so.

 

Many farms are family owned, and as children grow up, most do not come back to be a farmer like their parents. Only 31% come back. Some farms fall into abandonment, or are reclaimed by their local ville or canton. Farming is also labor intensive, and other hard labor jobs like construction, manufacturing, and resource extraction have also seen lower participation by young people. Young people have gravitated into soft-skill jobs, or white collar work more than hard labor fields.

 

Velox’s 20-year-old son Joyeux talked about growing up as a farmer’s son. “My friends in the army made fun of me sometimes. Things like my first girlfriend being a goat, or how I smell like ass all the time, but I know it's good fun. When I tell them more about farming, a few seem to like it, but they definitely notice the scars.”

 

Joyeux showed me his hands and his arms. They had many scars, from machines, dagger-grass, and animals on the farm. Small lines of paler skin on his tanned body. He also showed me a false molar in the back of his jaw, with the original loss caused by a run in with a tractor arm. Velox has a few of his own scars too, including a pinky that’s a bit shorter than the other.

 

Velox has two sons and one daughter. His other son Claude moved away to work in chemical engineering in Agentum. His daughter Julie works as a nurse in Porta Marius. Joyeux is the only one to stay, and the only one interested in inheriting the farmstead when Velox passes on. So Velox teaches Joyeux everything he knows, including finance.

 

The one overlooked reason for the loss of farmers is money. Owning a farm is expensive, whether it is feed, seeds, animals, construction, or hiring extra hands to work. The average farmer has made less and less money back from what they’ve invested over the last 50 years. This is from the new industrialized nature of many farms, and farming giants selling products at higher prices, with more stringent contracts.

 

Velox tries to teach Joyeux to be more like a businessman.

 

“Bec-d’Or is too weak for modification,” Velox said. “But people pay a great deal just for one. I make good money this way, and I teach him in just the same way. Checking what staple and boutique food prices look like, and what they will look like in the future. Rotating crops with me. It is hard, but it’s doable. He has made some good calls already.”

 

Good calls like planting Sein-du-Champ, which became a hot drink additive for some time until the trend began fading out. Now it is Bec-d’Or, a fruit popular in summer drinks and refined spirits for its light taste. The Duboc’s grow staple crops, but always keep a field open for more boutique plants that grow well in their area.

 

The federal government has tried to offset some of the challenges with different programs. New farmer grant and subsidies, direct assistance, as well as training courses at institutions like École d'Agriculture et du Foncier, and Institut Technique Général de Naen.

 

For all these efforts, the crunch for farmers and farm workers is still there. If current trends hold, this pattern will only get worse with time until there’s a labor crisis. What do Velox and Joyeux think of it?
 

“The system gets out what they put into the process,” Velox said. “Exclusive seed, automatons, unaffordable machines in. Cheap food, profits, and robbed people out. I don’t blame the youth for not tilling the field. They stand to suffer the most.”

 

“I want to do what my dad does,” Joyeux said. “I love farming, and the pride I feel watching my blue beets or trumpet onions go on someone’s dinner plate. It isn’t easy, but I feel good after everything I do, even if the money is tight.”

 

“Wait until you have a child and a truck,” Velox said with a laugh. The father and son laugh together as they go down the long field. 

The future for them and Nouveauterra is uncertain, but the clouds on the horizon are dark with rolls of thunder.