April Fools March 31

It has been a year since we did our initial April Fools section. The community had so much fun with it we decided to do it again. The only problem is, that this year, April Fools Day did not fall on April 1 like it did last year. No problem, we here at the Journal-Sun won’t let a single day stop us from working hard so our community has a little fun. We will just remove March 31 this year, no problem.

All kidding aside we decided to do an April Fools section again this year. Last year was the first time I think a newspaper here in Cass County has done a section like this. (If that is wrong please let us know. It would be great to see an archived copy of the Journal or the Sun from an earlier time that did it.) Regardless, the April Fools edition last year couldn’t have come at a better time. We were plummeting headlong into COVID and the mood was somber. I mean, do you blame people; many didn’t even have toilet paper, because others were hoarding it.

The decision to do the April Fools section last year was done nearly at the last minute. Our team quickly put some articles together and the community loved it. I am not sure we have had a more passed-around newspaper than we did those, to the point we joked about doing it every week.

It was not only great to hear the positive feedback we got from the section, but all the crazy comments we also received. The fact is, newspapers are still the most credible form of media, so it makes sense that some fell for the April Fools section.

In the days following the paper’s release, we received lots of crazy phone calls. Many people we heard from asked us when the earliest the Dallas Cowboys would begin to hold their spring training here in Atlanta, and how they could get tickets. The reactions came from the satire article in the section that Tim Emmons, our Sports editor wrote about the Cowboys fictitiously moving a training camp to Cass County. On another phone call, a reader asked us if Baby Yoda and the Mandalorian would still be around to take pictures, stemming from the fake picture and cutline of the Star Wars characters at Atlanta Rabbit Stadium.

One of our favorite communications came from the AP fact-checking team asking us if Joe Exotic REALLY was being transferred to the Cass County Jail. The obvious answer was no and was therefore labeled as fake-news/satire.

Overall, the feedback to the April Fools edition was positive. Even the reaction we received from the local athletic directors was good. They thought it was funny that any of them would be training for a Triathlon.

Something that many of you don’t know is that the publisher of the paper, yours truly, was also tricked. As the paper was being proofread to be sent, I put a stop to one of the articles because one of the stories about a zombie show being filmed here in Cass County had a gruesome-looking picture. I told Emmons that the story had to be pulled because of the picture. In response, Emmons said yes sir, along with maybe a mischievous grin, saying he would take care of it. Little did I know that a picture of my head would soon end up on the body of Denver Nuggets All-Star Nicola Jokic in the place of the other article.

This year, as we hope we are transitioning out of a world pandemic, our country is more divided and fragmented than I can ever remember. Hopefully, we can all come together with a laugh no matter who we voted for, whether we want to wear a mask, our thoughts on immigration, or concern over any other hot-button issue that is happening right now. We hope you enjoy another April Fools section this year even if it is technically on March 31. Hopefully, the cancel culture never takes humor away.

Editors Note: Before we start getting angry phone calls about Mayor Travis Ransom’s April Fools Article, know that we did receive permission from Ransom. He is indeed out of the country serving our country proudly. We appreciate him and look forward to having him home soon. Also, to my knowledge, we are NOT getting a new international airport in NE Texas. Thanks again for being a subscriber. We have extra newspapers here at the Journal-Sun for sale if you want any more for keepsakes or to give away to friends.