April Fools section causes a commotion
Since April 1 (April Fool’s Day) happened to fall on a Thursday this year, The Independent staff decided to have a little good, clean fun and make up a little April Fool’s Section, complete with absolutely preposterous and funny stories, pictures and ads.

In addition to the April Fool’s section, there was a real front page section, which was actually more than four pages long, and was not nearly as much fun.

When Toledo 11 News heard about The Independent’s little escapade, they came up and did a story about the “tunnel” and interviewed co-publisher Sean McClellan, who explained that it was just a joke. The television news show made it plain that the entire section was a gag, at its 11 p.m. broadcast on April 1.

It was pretty obvious that the little section was a joke, but some people are a little slow to have their sense of humor awakened, and still others are a little resentful once their leg gets pulled. The Independent is sorry if anyone was genuinely upset.

One person emailed us a long letter railing at the village, and the fact that it would cost an approximate $600 a month for them to go back and forth over the bridge or under the proposed tunnel. Something must have dawned, however, because the very next email was from them, too, saying, “Please tell me this was a bad April Fool’s joke.” Actually, we had thought it was a very good one.

Several irate people called The Independent to find out more about the tunnel, only to be told to look at the date on the top of the page. Some people even threatened to move out of town if the tunnel were built!

A couple of people said they did not get the joke until they got to the second, third or even the fourth page of the section.

Someone left a rather upset phone message at the high school, when they thought football was being eliminated in favor of poetry slams and speed painting competitions, and the village office got its fair share of calls, too.

But lots of people have told us that they had a good laugh with our efforts. The good folks at the post office have a wicked sense of humor of their own, and put up a “No Tunnel” sign, which we wish we had thought to do ourselves.

So once again, it was all a joke. There’s no tunnel going in under the River Raisin (that we know of currently); there are no plans for a water park with fish swimming around; no Viking ship was found near the banks of the river; and no hot coffee will flow from the water taps. The local grain has its proper allotment of carbohydrates; the football season will proceed as always, and you cannot get smarter from eating text books. Put like that, doesn’t it all sound silly?

Well, we have learned our lesson. So, no more April Fools sections. At least until April 1 falls on a Thursday again, which is not earlier than 2010.