EXCLUSIVE: FIRE DESTROYS BLOCKS OF INDUSTRY HAVEN; CAUSE UNKNOWN

INDUSTRY HAVEN--A fire event of unprecedented proportions enveloped several blocks of Industry Haven's Central Stratton and Dogville districts this afternoon, destroying three high-rise buildings and at least five more smaller buildings, effectively wiping out three blocks of Industry Haven's north central area. Casualty figures potentially are in the thousands, according to sources within two city hospitals. The cause remains completely unknown at this point, though all of Industry Haven's fire squad and its resources were employed to fight the fires.

At approximately 3:48 p.m. Saturday afternoon, several fires appeared to break out simultaneously on the upper floors of numerous buildings in Central Stratton. The fire department, dispatched immediately, struggled to find all the locations of the fires, and were not immediately aware that Dogville also suffered fires right away. Before the fires were extinguished, three residential high-rise buildings collapsed, sending debris into the air for blocks around Stratton and Dogville.

Government officials and fire department senior officers were not available at press time to give an official comment on the cause or on the number of casualties. Clean up is expected to take weeks to months, said one assistant city manager.

"This could not have occurred accidentally, but nobody has any idea how it started yet," said a city official who refused to be named told the Midlandia Gazette.

Updates will be posted to the Midlandia Gazette as information comes in.

Photos of the Fire and Its Aftermath

A Masterful City

DELGADO AINLEY--Inserted in a southwest nook is a town that is the 2017 Best Village Award winner, according to travel publisher Simlish Travel Guide. Delgado Ainley, one of Midlandia's smaller towns, has been ranked as the most charming community in the region. At a population just over 2,600, Delgado Ainley boasts a quietly wealthy base who keep to themselves and enjoy the fresh air and trees that shade the rustic houses of the town.

"It helps that the community is new, and has a very forward-thinking tax policy that keeps out unwanted elements from our home," local resident Gerald Whomson told the Gazette. "We have industry, but they behave themselves. We also keep only the best businesses."

Simlish Travel Guide editor Johanna Bartolomo agrees with that sentiment. "I spent four absolutely delightful days in the Delgado Ainley Bed & Breakfast, and I could have spent another whole month," Bartolomo said. "This is a town of distinction, with quality people and lush surroundings."

Careful planning kept the natural qualities of Delgado Ainley alive

"The best part about Delgado Ainley is the fact that the city was planned expressly to maintain the natural features of the area. No crazy overdevelopment, deforestation, or concrete jungles here. This is a modern city that kept its pastoral soul intact," Bartolomo said.

Still, DA does have one problem that, sadly, is not uncommon in Midlandia: an underperforming rail system.

"Rail all over the region is truly disappointing, and that's especially sad in Delgado Ainley, which built a passenger rail station meant to capitalize on tourists visiting by rail," Rail Thrills magazine publisher Pauley Ronson told the Gazette. "Everywhere you look in Midlandia, if you see train tracks, you're almost guaranteed never to see a train. If you look at the statistics, the region is virtually barren in its rail use, despite many kilometers of track in every city."

Although cities like Seniom Sed and Red Dawn have commercial and industrial uses for their rail systems, almost nobody in Midlandia uses passenger rail, preferring to fly at one of the many airports in the region.

"Part of the problem is the lack of a coordinated central planning agency for rail usage in the region," Ronson said. "What we need is for the cities to get together and appoint a board who will take responsibility for promoting railroads. Until then, all the Midlandia cities will work against each other, or at least in a haphazard way."

Fortunately for the residents of Delgado Ainley, though, railroads were not part of the judgment criteria for their new award.

"I don't give a hoot or a holler about trains," Bartolomo said. "Just keep feeding me these fresh clams, and more of these unique local wines, and I'll be just fine."

Delgado Ainley

Biggest Library in Region Opens

INDUSTRY HAVEN--Scholars, historians, and readers rejoiced around Midlandia at word of the new Industry Haven Central Library, the largest and most comprehensive collection of books in the region.

"I've been asking for something like this for years, and always getting the short stick," Khrushchev University Humanities Professor Gabriel Tee said. "The best part is, it gives me an excuse to visit the capital more often, too."

The new library, home to over 330,000 books, serves as the hub of the Industry Haven Library System, and is the focal point for library services in the region.

"Inter-library loan? We got it. Reference? Only the best in the region," IHLS Head Librarian Whitaker Lonscence said. "Midlandia Sims will no longer go hungry for the latest and most popular novels and entertainment. It's our goal to make sure that every young Sim in Midlandia can read to their hearts' content."

Industry Haven Central Library

IH's library system consists of four library branches, plus the large Central Library north of downtown, providing supplemental educational benefits to an already well-educated populace. But in addition to books, magazines, and Internet access, the new Central Library also contains a wide selection of DVDs and Blu-Ray video content, video games for various systems, and other software. Even cake pans and art works from Midlandia artists are available to be checked out at this massive new library.

Mayor Vladimir Putin has stated more than once his investment in education, noting that educated Sims drive most of the growth in the region.

"We must make sure that no IH resident is left behind in the war for educational success," Putin said. "All citizens must be prepared to serve the glorious Motherland using their hearts, their hands, and especially their minds."

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Region's First Avionics Plant Opens

FRESH START--Midlandia's first factory devoted to aircraft parts manufacturing, Rispex Avionics, Inc. opened its doors this week in the region's newest town.

"We can't tell you how thrilled we are to be the home base for Midlandia's burgeoning aircraft industry," Mayor Nechisti Sabak said Wednesday. "Fresh Start residents are educated, eager, and ready to show the region just what we're capable of doing," Sabak said.

Easy access to rail lines was cited as a primary reason for the selection of Fresh Start for the factory, as well as an ultra modern bent towards high technology not found in many other cities, said Rispex Avionics CEO Moab Bu.

"The beach and water access is nice, too," Bu said. "Kidding aside, though, Fresh Start makes a perfect platform for our business, and we have the ability to send our products through the region quickly."

Rispex Avionics manufactures aircraft electronics at reasonable prices

Editorial: Capital Waterway Going to Waste

By Air Safari, Special to the Midlandia Gazette

Our capital city, Industry Haven, has many and varied amenities, services, entertainment options, a casino, military base, and thousands upon thousands of jobs. And yet, the city I call home is stagnating. That's right, Industry Haven is stuck in a rut, and it's all due to the fact that city leaders are too conservative. One prime example of this stagnation is Industry Haven's failure to capitalize on a great resource: The Ottawa Basin.

I know Mayor Vladimir Putin doesn't like criticism of the government, but something needs to be said. I love Industry Haven as much as any of its 250,000 citizens. But having lived here for so long, I also know that more needs to be done. I travel around Midlandia and other regions often for my career, and so, unlike many Midlandia Sims, I feel like I have a perspective that is unique. And what I've been seeing is cities taking advantage of waterways-building marinas, seaports, cruise lines, beaches and more. These cities, including two of Industry Haven's neighbors, Eldorado Hills and Constance Hill, have learned that in order to grow, a city must make full use of its water resources.

Industry Haven, on the other hand, has done absolutely nothing with its water resources.

Now, I will grant you, IH does not have the same amount of water access as other Midlandia cities. In several ways, it is landlocked, bordered by suburbs that have nearly full control of the seas of Midlandia. But that is a bit of an excuse--other Midlandia cities have zero access to waterways, including Eyes of Gohma, to name one example. Industry Haven, though, does have the Ottawa Basin, a clean, pristine, self-contained area of water that, administratively, belongs solely to IH.

The Ottawa Basin and SimNation Tower

It's an open secret that the government of IH is frustrated at the lack of growth in the city, as it does its best to stay competitive against its rapidly-growing competitors in the Triforce Area and other parts of Midlandia.

I know Mayor Putin will go to many lengths to win in that contest--riding bears shirtless in the woods, flying with cranes in the skies above Midlandia, rigging elections in far-off regions. Nevertheless, the city council and Putin refuse to touch the Ottawa Basin. Why? This citizen wants to know.

Yes, we've all read the excuses. 'The land area will not support construction of a marina,' they say. 'A seaport will not fit in any location in the basin.' 'There's too much chance of damage to downtown Industry Haven if we terraform.' But this isn't fitting with the can-do spirit of the Industry Haven of old!

What happened to that city, the one that said, damn the rules, we're going to make a success out of this place no matter the odds! It's grown too meek, too conservative over the years. It's now a city where it takes months or even years of debate to even upgrade a road to an avenue, to build a couple of subway stations.

In other words, it's a city that lost its boldness, its drive.

We must get it back, if Industry Haven is to remain the leader in Midlandia.

Mayor Putin, I implore you, be strong! Crush your competitors under the bootheels of Industry Haven's might. Use every resource, every opportunity. For us, for Industry Haven.

Views expressed by contributors do not represent the opinions of the editors and staff of the Midlandia Gazette

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Industry Haven Makes Traffic Improvements and Subway Stops

To alleviate the ongoing traffic congestion issues in southwest Industry Haven, the IH City Transit Authority has added two new subway stops, and completed construction on Entertainment Road, now called Entertainment Avenue.

The new subway stops, Teapot Dome Station, and Casino Station, should help reduce overcrowding at the Ft. Des Moines Stop and the Dogville Stop. Casino Station replaces the Wilsonoff Tennis Stop, which was demolished to accommodate the upgrade to Entertainment Avenue.

"We appreciate the patience of the public while we made this tremendous upgrade to one of our main thoroughfares," IHCTA spokeswoman Miranda Aphex said in a press release on the upgrades. "The benefits to reducing congestion will benefit everyone in Industry Haven and Constance Hill," Aphex said.

Midlandia's First City Celebrates Landmark

LAZY ISLES II--The city nicknamed "Pioneer City" may have lagged behind for several years in competition with more recent Midlandia cities, but recent subtle changes in the first city to join the Midlandia Region prove that its days of stagnation are firmly in the past.

Working in collaboration with neighbor Mayor Tutorial, which provides most of Lazy Isles tourist Simoleons, the two cities created Midlandia's third luxury cruise line, Endeavour Cruises. Mayor Boyd was thrilled to discuss the newest cruise ship in the area, the SS Tempest.

"Midlandians from all over will flock to our cruise line, featuring the biggest and most luxurious ship around. And they'll bring all their money to improve things for the average Lazy Islander," Boyd said.

Lazy Isles II celebrates its latest milestone

Lazy Islanders would perhaps be nonplussed by the more ostentatious displays of the city's growth, were it not combined with steady progress in terms of education and policing, issues that were high on the list of needs in recent polls.

"I could care less about the hoity-toity luxury barges," Porsche Jones said when asked about the changes. "I want the graffiti cleaned off my apartment building. I want the sidewalks cleaned and the street lights working. But I must admit, we're doing much better. It's keeping me here, I was considering moving," Jones said.

One major limiter to Lazy Isles growth is the lack of real estate. Mayor Boyd's strategy has been to reduce, rather than add to, city development, seemingly a bad idea, but he explained his plan to the Gazette recently.

"It's not so much about covering every square meter with development--that leads to a crowded, dirty, congested feel to most residents. So by trimming back strategically on the development, and replacing some of that with open space and trees, Lazy Islanders feel more like this is a quiet, comfortable homefront," Boyd said.

Jones seemed to agree with the new strategy. "I stepped out of my 2-story brick house this morning, and I saw the sun rising over the new maples down Zelda III Avenue. It's the first time in a long time that I felt like I really lived on an island, and appreciated what I have," Jones said. "Really, it's pretty great to be here."

South Isles City Enjoys Quiet Growth

ROADSTER CITY--A center of commerce and insurance, Roadster City may not have the exciting bustle of the Triforce Area cities, but every day it's becoming more and more a competitor worth noting. A city of 70,000, Roadster City has always been called respectable by Midlandia city watchers, but it isn't until recently that the city has really started to stand out and make a name for itself.

"Roadster City does what it does very well, they pay their bills on time and they keep their citizens happy, well-educated, and content. But there hasn't been too much to talk about beyond that," Midlandia Regional Growth Coordinator Chevrolet Drojinsky said.

"What many cities do to attract attention has never really been Roadster City's style," Drojinsky continued. "Flash and bang doesn't seem to be part of the city council's DNA. But businesses appreciate that stability, and they've been rewarding RC by showing up in ever greater numbers."

Roadster City's Business Downtown

"We like to see ourselves as the fiscal heart of Midlandia," Roadster City mayor Defacto said. "Financial hubs by definition like to remain a little conservative in their approach."

Still, signs of Roadster City's rising profile are starting to make themselves apparent, especially with the new Roadster Isle Convention Center opening, the first South Isles convention space. Seaedge Television Center has started a new series profiling leaders in the community to encourage even more growth as well.

"Our new series, 'Outside the Box', is hopefully going to help Midlandians around the South Isles find role models and positive concepts that they can emulate," Seaedge TV producer Jake Farage said. "In the Triforce Area, there are TV and movie stars all around, and we don't need to compete with that directly. But we would like to offer a counterpoint to that tin-plated western style," Farage said. "A little competition can't hurt anybody," he noted.

Some local residents, however, are concerned that Roadster City has not invested enough in entertainment.

"OK, we got a convention center, and that's great," Minerva Hills resident Angela Michon said. "But how many boring business conferences and car shows can one attend before one gets burned out? What we need is some more things to do, and soon," Michon said. "And, yeah, it's great that we live on a beautiful island, possibly the most beautiful in Midlandia. But how do we take advantage of that? There needs to be more investment in our natural assets," Michon said.

Mayor Defacto did not disagree with that sentiment when asked about the lack of entertainment options in town. "I appreciate the patience that our residents have shown. Building a successful city for the long term means having to put aside instant gratification for making a stable base for these kinds of things. I'm confident that we have that base, and that our residents will be pleased to see what grows from our roots," Defacto said. "If they just give us a little more time and a little more faith, everyone will be satisfied. I just hope they will."

Roadster City

Investigative Special Report: Seniom Sed Turns a Corner

By Tabatha Noble, Special Projects Editor

A Series in Two Parts--Part Two

SENIOM SED--You wouldn't call it a new city--not yet, despite the rhetoric coming out of the mayor's office in downtown Seniom Sed. But it would also be wrong to say anything other than that Seniom Sed is doing everything possible to turn things around for the better.

"There's no doubt that we've earned our bad reputations," mayor's assistant Burlingame Balloon said. "Seniom Sed polluted unabashedly, showed no respect for the health and wellbeing of its residents, and was the biggest example of corporate greed triumphing over the human. We're all guilty."

Seniom Sed before changes

Seniom Sed paid for that reputation on the backs of its blue collar population, men and women who lived hard, short lives in the smelting plants and industrial factories that made up the bulk of the city. They lived with compromised water and air, and still do, in many cases. In our previous article in the series, we interviewed Finney Fiornstern, a career smelter who worked in numerous plants to make enough money to raise his family of seven. Fiornstern, a frail man who wheezed as he spoke of his years in the center of Seniom Sed's 'industrial hell', passed away recently at the age of 63.

But also in the heart of the city, reformers were plotting to change the minds of city leaders.

Arranging a meeting between the city's mayor, Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, and the man who would start the change that would begin to bring Seniom Sed out of the depths was a task that fell to a young lawyer by the name of Frito.

Frito was not someone we would call smart. But he liked money, and it was his destiny to bring Joe "Not Sure" Bauers and his girlfriend Rita to the very pinnacle of the hierarchy of Seniom Sed while trying to locate the city's fabled Time Masheen.

Of course, that story will have to be told another day. But it was "Not Sure" who convinced Mayor Camacho that change needed to take place in Seniom Sed. Camacho announced the bold new changes at a citywide press conference recently:

"Now I understand everyone's shit's emotional right now. But I got a three-point plan that's going to fix EVERYTHING," Camacho said.

"Break it down, Camacho!" a city councilman replied.

"Number one: We've got this guy Not Sure. Number two: He's got a higher IQ than ANY MAN ALIVE. And Number three: He's going to fix EVERYTHING," Camacho said.

And so it was that Seniom Sed began to turn a corner. Nobody in Midlandia believed it would be possible, considering the city's leaders had the lowest IQs of anyone in the region. But, in rapid succession, the city built the new Transcendent Isle, and invested heavily in education, building Nikita Khrushchev University, Spasibo Academy, and a host of new libraries.

Nikita Khrushchev University

In addition to the needed improvements in education, and an investment in health care that was desperately needed, Seniom Sed appears to have changed its views regarding unrestrained industrial development, a dangerous proposition considering the powerful interests behind the development of industry in SS.

"Seniom Sed has a major problem, and that is Industry Haven," development studies professor Hale Julien at Jupiter University said. "Unlike other Midlandia cities that have gotten away with wholesale dismantling of their industrial districts, Seniom Sed and Industry Haven have a cooperative, symbiotic relationship. Simply put, if Seniom Sed killed its industry, not only would the effects be felt for the residents of that city, but job loss would severely impact Industry Haven, and possibly the entire region.

"Seniom Sed is, for all the derision, the tail that wags the dog," Julien said.

New City neighborhood, reclaimed from industrial zones

But city leaders appear to be sensitive to this relationship, and they have been taking a careful approach to modifying industry in Seniom Sed without eliminating it. Assistant Balloon noted that the city has been courting High Tech industrial firms with gusto, as well as remaking industrial blocks to encourage nonpolluting industry to take the place of dirty industry. The city started by lowering High Tech Industry taxes to 7%, one of the lowest rates in the region.

"The results have been making themselves slowly evident. As commercial firms increase their commitment to the city, we see increasing services that benefit the community at large," Julien said.

Two of the more prominent signals of positive change in the city are the new Fleur Marina on the city's west side, and the city's first television station, Super Seniom TV, located at the edge of the newly created New City neighborhood in the southwest.

The massive clearing in the south central industrial area for the Fiornstern Memorial Airport

And the city itself seems to have the beginning of an understanding of how to heal from the scars of its past, by invoking the spirit of its blue collar heritage. City managers just recently cut the ribbon on Seniom Sed's commuter airport, with the family of Finney Fiornstern on hand. There, they unveiled the name of the new airport: The Finney Fiornstern Memorial Airport.

"This city has growing hope," Juliet Fiornstern, daughter of the late Finney, said at the ribbon cutting ceremony. "And if it continues to commit itself to change, then we will be happy to stay and call Seniom Sed home."