Savanna News - December 16, 2016

BELLWETHER BEHIND BARS

Dawn Bellwether is now behind bars after being found guilty of masterminding the savage predator attacks that have recently plagued Zootopia. The verdict was announced at 5:00 in the afternoon yesterday at Zootopia Superior Court.

In the main lobby of the Savannah Central Police Department, Chief Bogo confirmed in a press conference that the former mayor has been sentenced to thirty years in prison for her conspiracy to discredit the predator minority through the use of a toxin produced from a plant known locally as 'Night Howler'. A local chemist, Doug Ramses, and two former convicts, known only as Walter and Jesse, were also arrested for their involvement in the conspiracy. In addition, ZPD Officers Shawn Woolworth and Barry Ramsbottom were discovered to have secretly hindered the ZPD's efforts to uncover the truth of the savage attacks.

"So far as we know, Woolworth and Ramsbottom were the only two officers involved in the Night Howler attacks." Chief Bogo stated upon being questioned about the possibility of other, unknown corrupt officers. "The data gleaned from Bellwether's personal computer suggests that the individuals we detained were the only people under her payroll, and the majority of City Hall were unaware of their mayor's activities. However, our investigation is still ongoing, and we are thoroughly exploring every lead until everyone involved in this conspiracy is exposed and put behind bars. It is our top priority to ensure that our city streets are once again safe to live and work in, for predator and prey alike. In any case, we must give our thanks to Officer Judy Hopps and her friend Nicholas Wilde for solving the case and preventing one of the worst atrocities in the history of Zootopia."

Chief Bogo proceeded to call Officer Hopps to the stage to answer further questions. Having suffered a laceration to her right leg in the process of obtaining evidence of Bellwether's guilt, Officer Hopps was carrying a crutch as she assured the community that the antidote procured for the Night Howler toxin has successfully cured one hundred and three of the one hundred and fifty four afflicted predators, with the remainder being scheduled to receive the antidote within the next two days. Before leaving the stage Hopps also apologized for her comments at the press conference for the missing mammal cases three months prior.

"I was being thoughtless and narrow-minded when I spoke at the conference several months ago. I have no excuse." Hopps stated. "If it weren't for a certain fox named Nick Wilde, I never would have been able to fix my mistakes, and I am eternally gratefully for his assistance and his friendship..."

Saharaside - September 22, 2017

FIRST FOX ON THE FORCE

Yesterday afternoon, Zootopia's first fox police officer received his badge at the police graduation ceremony.

Nicholas Wilde, 33, has graduated as valedictorian of his class, defying widespread expectations from the more narrow-minded members of our community. Wilde is well known in Zootopia for assisting ZPD Officer Judy Hopps in solving both the missing mammal cases and the Night Howler incident of which Mayor Bellwether was convicted of instigating last year, which has made him a popular figure within the city's fox population.

However, there were those who objected to the idea of a fox joining the police department.

"They must be out of their minds letting a fox into the academy." Said Jerry Jumbeaux Jr., owner of Jumbeaux's Cafe. "If they have any sense they'll send him back to whatever rip-off artist's retreat he came crawling out of."

Despite some negative reactions to this new development the majority of the reception has been overwhelmingly positive, especially that of Officer Hopps.

"I always knew he could do it." Officer Hopps stated after the ceremony was over. "All my life I've heard of how foxes were only ever good for sucking people dry or how rabbits could never become anything more than carrot farmers, but now I know it's all bat droppings. No offense. Anyway, what I'm saying is that sometimes all you need is a chance to prove yourself. I await his assignment as my new partner with great anticipation."

"I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of what my son has accomplished." Wilde's mother, Veronica Wilde, stated upon being approached by this reporter. "I am well aware that he has made some mistakes. Who hasn't? But he has pulled through in the end and become the fox I always knew he would be. God bless him, and God bless Judy Hopps."

Two days before the ceremony, Officer Hopps and Chief Bogo both confirmed that Wilde has no prior criminal convictions...

Rainforest Weekly - October 2, 2017

MAYOR ANNOUNCES THE THIRTEENTH DISTRICT

On the front steps of City Hall, Mayor Hornbull has announced the secession of Outback Island and the south of Savanna Central in a move that could lead to the birth of Zootopia's thirteenth district. Thought the exact date is currently undetermined, the major construction is slated to begin next year, and will not only involve building a border to separate the land from the upper area of Savanna Central but will also include its complete renovation into an environment specially designed to accommodate mammals from the Austroalan Outback.

The construction will be overseen by the Casel Corporation, just like Sahara Square, Tundratown, the Rainforest District, the Nocturnal Caverns and six other districts were designed and constructed by this thriving company. After the mayor made his announcement, Chairman Elgen Casel stepped forward to explain the plan in more detail. In a design bearing similarities to Sahara Square, the natural rivers and foliage would remain largely unchanged but with the latest in terraforming technology they will construct an artificial desert for those desert mammals struggling to adapt to the warmer climate of Sahara Square and the Canyonlands.

"The ten districts my family's company has designed and built over the last several decades are ten of my family's finest accomplishments, and I am honored to be overseeing the birth of our new district." Elgen Casel said in his final statement. "After much deliberation, we have decided to name this new district the 'Tirari Town.'"

The announcement was met with general approval by the community, including the famed pop singer Gazelle who was present when the announcement was made...

Little Rodent's News - October 19, 2017

VELTRO PROTESTS PERSIST

At approximately 2:30 P.M. yesterday afternoon, the Zootopia Police Department was called after a protest by the organization Veltro threatened to turn violent. A group of about sixteen mammals were picketing the Greener Grass Mall, due to reopen in two months after a major renovation, when troublemakers began to escalate the situation. Fortunately the ZPD arrived in time to prevent a riot and no arrests were made, but it was not the first incident where a Veltro protest nearly ended badly.

Veltro, meaning 'Greyhound', was formed soon after the announcement of Tirari Town in protest over its construction. With an estimated one hundred and fifty-seven members, Veltro has fiercely opposed the Casel Corporation and its plans for Tirari Town, claiming that the inclusion of an Austroalan environment would drastically promote disease and become a haven for criminals. The Casel Corporation has so far dismissed these claims, stating that there is no scientific evidence to suggest that Tirari Town would prove detrimental to the city, especially now that it has been confirmed that they will not introduce insect species native to Austroala for that very reason.

Gazelle, pop singer and predator rights activist, has publicly condemned the organization as blatantly bigoted against Austroalan mammals and promised to continue lending her support to the thirteenth district...

Tundratown Times - November 1, 2017

BELLWETHER APPEAL CONFIRMED

To the surprise of many, Dawn Bellwether, former mayor of Zootopia, has garnered an appeal for her conviction last year. Bellwether was convicted of instigating the Night Howler Incident in which more than a hundred predators were infected with a madness-inducing toxin with the purpose of discrediting predators as a whole. The grounds for her appeal have not been made public, leading many to believe that Bellwether was somehow able to bribe a high ranking official into allowing the appeal to go through, but with no evidence of wrongdoing the Zootopia Police Department has not begun an investigation.

Police Officers Judy Hopps and Nicholas Wilde, who put a stop to Bellwether's crimes, were unavailable for comment, but Police Chief Bogo has called a press conference for later today. The appeal has been slated to begin on December 10th at Zootopia Superior Court, coinciding with the reopening of the Greener Grass Mall...