W-BAL
W-BAL is the local news station in Baltimore, run by the company Pentex. As such, they normally spin their news stories to positively endorse their parent company and normally dismiss the supernatural at any cost. Below is a transcript of their various broadcasts.
January 30, 2021
This is W-BAL, your trusted source of information, as always sponsored by Pentex!
Terror on the highway! Last night was host to a horrifying series of events. DC Metropolitan police attempted to apprehend a group of known terrorists last night, and a violent shoot-out ensued. Thirty-three brave officers were killed during the event, and a high speed chase resulted in tens of millions of dollars in property damage. The chase would spill out onto 695 before the culprits somehow managed to escape. A manhunt is still currently underway, though no information has been released on the suspects. Citizens are encouraged to phone in suspicious activity. In other news, a fire gutted New Springs Church of God in South Baltimore. The entire building was completely destroyed, and Father Donovan, the pastor, is currently missing and feared dead. Baltimore Fire Department is currently investigating the case of the blaze....
February 15, 2021
"Welcome to WBAL, your number one source for Baltimore News! Sponsored, of course, by Pentex!"A grainy cellphone video plays. It shows a black SUV, from the rear a bit and to the left, the camera operator filming from the back passenger seat of a car trailing. The driver doesn't seem to know whether accelerating or braking is wiser, and so the camera gets a good shot of the woman on top of the SUV. Her face is obscured by her black hair billowing out behind her, and she seems to have massive, sharp claws. There are several flashes as a gun goes off, and blood can be seen flying from her back. It does nothing to her; the woman drops down into the SUV completely unfazed, and there is a red spray against the windows. Finally, the driver of the camera operator's car has had enough, and they slam on their brakes, letting the black SUV speed away from them. The clip ends.
"Gangland violence continues to ravaged Baltimore's northern neighborhoods, as a violent gangland killing last night shakes the city. Police responded to reports of multiple gunshots, but arrived on scene to find only carnage. 11 people were killed and what is being called a rival gang hit, as the home in question was apparently being used in narcotics distribution and production. Police have been tight-lipped on the issue, issuing only a single statement confirming that they are looking into a possible multiple homicide in the neighborhood." "Meanwhile, more terror on the Beltway as gunfire erupted during the early morning hours. Some cellphone video of the incident that W-BAL has obtained exclusively, seems to show a woman with....giant claws being shot?"
"Wow, what a crazy clip. I can't believe what we just saw, honestly. It makes me think back to that hoax that was broadcast over the air." "It does, Frank, it most certainly does. Maybe there really are monsters in our midst?"Both anchors laugh, clearly taking the sentence for a joke.
"What a crazy world this would be if so! And now, a word from our sponsor!"
March 29, 2021
"Welcome to W-BAL, your best place for news in Baltimore City and Baltimore County!" "Astronomers still debate the cause of last night's celestial display, offering a range of possible answers, from swamp gas to Venus. The public seems stirred by these sightings, and reports of the supernatural have gone through the roof. What do you think, Christine? Little green men from Mars?" "Who knows, Tim. What can be said for certain is experts will probably puzzle over this one forever." "Meanwhile, the Ravens prepare for the upcoming draft, and word on the street is they have their eye on wide receiver--"
March 30, 2021
"Residents of Fells Point recover from a brutal home invasion last night. 1405 Apartments, near Locust Point, was broken into by parties unknown. Sources inside the police say that one victim was severely injured, but she is recovering--in critical condition--at Johns Hopkins Hospital Intensive Care Unit." "Police have no leads on the culprits, and witness reports have been conflicting, with one man even claiming he say the villians 'fly away.'" "Fly away! Imagine that, Tim!" "Indeed, Jeanie. Baltimore Police have released a general statement saying they are pursuing all possible leads, and that the perpetrators will be brought brought to justice." "Well let's hope so, Tim. Meanwhile, positive support has begun to grow among veteran's for a local universal healthcare bill. They claim this bill will provide better care than the VA ever could, and a grass roots movement has begun to sweep across the city. Calling itself Injured Veterans for Relief, IVR has been lobbying hard in favor of the bill. Republicans, on the other side of the aisle, still stand staunchly opposed over partisan politics, keeping the bill in limbo. We'll get into the details with our resident health expert, Dr. Philip Raymond, after a word from our sponsor, Pentex."
March 31, 2021
"East Baltimore was rocked by several explosions last night, leaving devastation across several neighborhoods. City officials are blaming the catastrophe om a faulty gas-line. They say a fault in the line traveled for miles, setting of a chain of disastrous fires which culminated in the destruction of several properties. Little Italy was the hardest hit, though an anonymous, private donor has given an enormous sum to aid in reconstruction." "This tragedy has re-sparked decades old debate within Baltimore about the city's crumbling infrastructure, and cries for an infrastructure overhaul have been renewed in City Hall. Nearly two hundred people were killed in the disaster, and another three hundred wounded. Reports of gunfire accompanying the blazes has been roundly denied by police." "This was a tragedy, pure and simply" Said the chief of police in an interview. "A true tragedy. But while this can--and should--rile conversation about ways to improve our city, for once, the problem was not gang violence." "In other news, the Baltimore Ravens head coach was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head last night; he is survived by a grieving widow, and two children. More on that story, after a word from our sponsor, Pentex."
April 1, 2021
"Another explosion rocked Little Italy early this morning. The explosion, and the resulting fire, are being blamed again on failing gas infrastructure. The accident caused a recently refurbished warehouse to collapse three stories underground, into the catacombs. The fire burned for the better part of the day, and they are is still too hot to get near."
"The City Council has called an emergency meeting, and is expected to sign a new Emergency Infrastructure Bill at some point tonight. This bill is designed to free up funding for an immediate overhaul of the city's gas lines, something that many experts claim should have been done decades ago." "Well, let's hope they get that passed soon, Tim." "Indeed, Fran. Who knows might be at risk until this is fixed. When we come back, we sit down with a local employee of BGE, and talk about just how gas lines can go wrong. Until then, here's a word from our sponsor, Pentex."
June 2, 2021
"We are sorry to interrupt your broadcast, but this is a Special Report from W-BAL. Phillips Tower, in the Inner Harbor of downtown Baltimore, has collapsed. It is unknown at this time what has caused it, or if anyone was caught in the ruins. Rescue teams are on en route, or on site now, and we are sending reporters to the scene. The Mayor is about to make a statement on the steps of City Hall."A flurry of voices.
"Good evening. I'll keep this short, because we have things to do. Phillips Tower has collapsed for an unknown reason. I say again, Phillips Tower has collapsed for unknown reasons. First responders are arriving on scene, and the Inner Harbor will be sealed for the night. All citizens are asked to please avoid that area for their own safety. I wish I had more to tell you, but we just don't know enough yet. This is a terrible tragedy, that comes on the city at a crucial time. We will need to band together in order to move forward. If you have questions, I have two minutes."
"Mr. Mayor! Do you think that this collapse is related to Baltimore's failing infrastructure?" "It's too early to speculate. The Infrastructure Revitalization Act had just passed, and would have been well underway by the end of the summer. The City Council is about to convene an emergency session to discuss the matter."Flurry of voices.
"How many lives have been lost, Mr. Mayor!" "We don't know. I'm sorry, that's all the time I have for questions right now."Screen cuts back to two anchors.
"What a terrible tragedy, Ronald." "Truly. PhillipsTech is a major producer of consumer electronics, and has several government contracts. It's unclear what this disaster will do to stock prices, but investors seem to already be scrambling...."
"We are sorry to interrupt your regular broadcast, but this is a W-BAL special report. The City Council has conveyed, and we go live now to City Hall, where Councilwoman Danielle Stauffer is preparing to speak."She pauses a moment, a dour look on her face, cameras flashing.
"Good evening. As you are all well aware, at 11:49 PM, Phillips Tower collapsed in the Inner Harbor. Emergency crews are on the scene, and at the moment are reporting no survivors. It seems that the cause of the collapse was crumbling concrete beneath the Harbor Walk. Exposure to the water over long periods of time had weakened it, and led to the building collapsing under its own weight."
"This was an entirely preventable tragedy. Our beloved city's infrastructure has been the subject of much debate over the past few months, and we had thought we had come to accord, had done something in passing the Revitalization Act. But it was not enough. The City Council has voted to shift funding in order to bolster the new Infrastructure Revitalization Bureau, and move up the time table for repairs. We will not sit idly by while our home falls apart around us. We will not let the lives of those lost be in vain, and we will not lose a single person more! I have two minutes for questions."A flurry of voices.
"Councilwoman! Will this effect the city's new universal healthcare? Or will the money for that remain untouched?" "I'm afraid I can't comment as to the particulars right now."Another flurry of voices.
"When can we expect the Inner Harbor to reopen?" "That is unclear. It will take several weeks to sift through the rubble, and to clear out the ruins. But you can rest assured the city will work nonstop to set things right."A third flurry.
"Will New Moon Architectural be involved in any future projects?" "I'm afraid I can't comment. That is my time. Have a good evening, and stay safe out there."
June 7, 2021
W-BAL, your number one source for local news! Brought to you by Pentex!
"There was another building collapse last night in the Inner Harbor, sparking concerns that the infrastructure in Baltimore is far worse off than previously thought. The collapse seems to have been caused by a structural fire, but the cause of the fire is still unknown. There were nearly two hundred people inside the building at the time; 32 have been confirmed dead, and another 127 have been injured. 41 people are still unaccounted for. Authorities have construction and rescue crews working around the clock to find survivors, as well as checking nearby buildings for faults." "What a terrible tragedy Michael." "Indeed, Stephanie. The Inner Harbor is likely not going to do well in the near future; all that damage and work can't be good for business." "Hmmm, you can say that again. In other news, funding efforts to relieve the ecological disaster in the Bay have begun, with several interested parties putting out calls for volunteers and donations in the largest watershed restoration movement since the late 90's...."
June 11, 2021
W-BAL, your number one source for Baltimore news! Brought to you by Pentex! "A 4.3 earthquake rocked Central Maryland last night, and has sent scientists reeling. This event, combined with the surprise volcano that opened up within Baltimore City has scientists speculating that perhaps the East Coast of the United States lies on top of an unknown fault line. There is precedent for such a thing; the Appalachian mountains used to be as high as the Himalayas, and such ranges only form from the collision of two plates. Geologists are still hypothesizing, and truly no one has many answers." "That's right Frank. Thankfully, very few were injured, and there were no fatalities. Damage to the city was light, although this has sparked renewed debate about the need for Baltimore to update its infrastructure in order to deal with such potential catastrophes. There are some among environmental groups who are claiming that fracking being carried out by Pentex caused the quake, but there is absolutely no veracity to these claims, and many of the proponents of this stance have been labeled as conspiracy theorists. Despite this, there has been a renewed environmental push lately, and this event has actually spurred donations to the local attempt to clean the Bay ." "Ah, a ray of sunshine in a dark time, right Susan?" "That's right, Frank. In other news, there has been a marked increase in the amount of nightmares in the city. Is an overly long work day the cause? We'll find out, just after this word from our sponsor, Pentex."
June 13, 2021
"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you an emergency news segment. Please stay tuned." "A massive explosion has been confirmed to have leveled City Hall in Downtown Baltimore less than one hour ago. Reports are still coming in, but law enforcement is calling the attack an act of homegrown terrorism. Emergency crews are on the scene, and are currently searching the rubble for survivors. We have no update on casualties, but we will keep you updated as the situation develops."The camera shows a show of City Hall from the sky. Emergency crews criss-cross the area, heading to and fro. People are being pulled out, and the fires tamped down. The smoke has turned a dark, dark black.
"What a horrible tragedy, Frank. Here with us we have Counter Terrorism expert, Dr. Herbert Raymond.
