By Chester Seaton, News

25/6- Good news for farmers in Lower Crowndon: Meteorologists in the area are saying that the quadrennial influx of locusts may be smaller than predicted after a meager first hatching.

“We started hearing reports of the locusts last week,” said Humphrey Bretodeau, our meteorology contact in Nor Easter. “Normally, the initial hatching is the worst, but only a handful of farmers claim to be reporting major damage. Our working theory right now is that it is connected to the strange storm still brewing over the Barrier Ocean. It has prevented the four year cycle of an exceptionally warm summer in the region.”

Bretodeau warns against being too relieved, however.

“If the storm breaks, the locusts may still have time to hatch. Farmers should consider harvesting what they can. Furthermore, if the storm does not break, and the eggs remain dormant, we could be looking at a horde of apocalyptic proportions four years from now.”

Still, the news comes as a bit of relief to Crowndon, which has experienced an economic downturn in recent weeks.