Visual: Split-screen showing three participants—Marjorie Rivera (representing Blessed Father Church), Jonas Kalvaitis (from SPELL), and the HNN anchor Emily Pierce.
Emily Pierce (HNN Anchor): “Good evening, Havensport. The controversy surrounding Blessed Father Church’s underground expansion in Old Town continues to escalate, with claims of favoritism, secrecy, and questionable motives. Joining us tonight, we have Marjorie Rivera, a representative from the church, and Jonas Kalvaitis, from the Society for the Preservation of Endangered Landmarks and Legacy, or SPELL. Let’s get right to it. Marjorie, I’ll start with you. The public wants to know—why is Blessed Father Church undertaking such a large and secretive project, especially when groups like SPELL are calling for transparency?”
Marjorie Rivera (calm and composed): “Thank you, Emily. I want to be very clear. This project is not secretive. Blessed Father Church is working to expand our ability to serve the community by repurposing existing spaces. We’re following all the necessary legal procedures and—”
Jonas Kalvaitis (interrupting loudly): “No, no, no, Emily, let me tell you, this is all smoke and mirrors. Smoke and mirrors! They want you to believe it’s just some ‘community project.’ It’s a land grab, plain and simple. We’ve seen it before, we know the playbook. They’re building something massive down there, and they’re hiding it from the people of Havensport. You think this is about outreach? Come on!”
Emily Pierce (smirking): “Jonas, you’ve been very vocal about SPELL’s opposition to this project. Do you believe that the church, and by extension Mayor Taylor, are deliberately avoiding public scrutiny?”
Jonas Kalvaitis (leaning in, voice raised): “Absolutely! Absolutely! Look, Mayor Taylor is a puppet. I’ll say it—he’s a puppet! He’s doing whatever Father Dean tells him to do, no questions asked. The permits, the fast-tracking, all of it is fishy. Why? Because they want to keep the people in the dark. They don’t want anyone looking too closely at what’s happening under Old Town. SPELL has been fighting for years to protect that district, and now they’re trying to tear it apart piece by piece. And Marjorie, you can say whatever you want, but you know it, I know it, the people know it!”
Marjorie Rivera (visibly frustrated, trying to stay calm): “With all due respect, Jonas, this isn’t about tearing anything apart. The church is—”
Jonas Kalvaitis (talking over her): “Oh, come on! Who do you think you’re fooling? The church is digging up half of Old Town, and you think people are just gonna sit back and let it happen? SPELL won’t let that happen. We know exactly what’s going on here, and we’re not backing down.”
Emily Pierce (grinning at the back-and-forth): “Marjorie, Jonas makes an interesting point. The scale of this project has raised concerns, not just with preservationists, but with the public as well. Why hasn’t the church been more transparent about what’s really being built underground?”
Marjorie Rivera (sternly): “We’ve been transparent. This project has been approved through the proper channels. There’s nothing to hide. The church is simply making use of underutilized space beneath our building. It’s about providing shelter and services to those who need it. Any suggestion that this is some secretive plot—”
Jonas Kalvaitis (interrupting again): “Secretive plot? It IS a secretive plot, Marjorie! You think the people don’t see what’s happening? The mayor’s handing you every approval you ask for, no oversight, no public consultation. And why? Because you’ve got him wrapped around your finger. SPELL has been protecting Old Town for decades, and we won’t let Father Dean and his cronies ruin it.”
Emily Pierce (turning to Jonas, clearly enjoying the chaos): “Jonas, you’re accusing the church and the mayor of corruption. What exactly do you think Father Dean is planning to do with this underground expansion?”
Jonas Kalvaitis (grinning): “Oh, it’s not about ‘community outreach,’ I’ll tell you that. Father Dean wants control, and you don’t build something this big underground just for a few extra rooms. SPELL has seen the plans—they’re talking about huge excavations, digging deeper and deeper into Old Town’s foundations. They want to control what’s down there, and trust me, it’s not just for the good of the people. This is about power. Pure and simple.”
Marjorie Rivera (almost shouting now): “That is a complete fabrication! There is no grand conspiracy here, Jonas! Father Dean is committed to helping Havensport. The project is entirely above board, and we’ve been completely transparent—”
Jonas Kalvaitis (talking over her): “Oh, sure, completely transparent—except for the fact that no one knew about these rooms before! No one knew the scale of what you were building until SPELL blew the whistle. You’ve been caught, and now you’re scrambling to cover it up. We’ve been watching, Marjorie. SPELL knows what you’re doing, and we’re not going to stop until the truth comes out.”
Emily Pierce (smirking, trying to wrap it up): “Clearly, this issue is far from resolved. The controversy surrounding Blessed Father Church’s underground expansion isn’t going away, and as SPELL continues to push for answers, it seems the tension between preservation and progress will only grow. Marjorie, Jonas, thank you both for joining us tonight. Havensport, stay tuned—we’ll be following this story as it develops.”
