MEREDITH EMERSON FOUGHT FOR HER LIFE

A real life monster, Gary Michael Hilton

A FIGHT FOR HER LIFE--MEREDITH EMERSON

Gary Michael Hilton acknowledged that Meredith Emerson nearly overpowered him when he first accosted her. As they struggled near the Appalachian Trail, Meredith disarmed Hilton of his knife and baton. Emerson fought back using her incredible strength, wits and a large measure of courage and determination.


In her four days of hell on Blood Mountain, she never once gave up fighting Hilton and never made it easy for him. At only 5'4" and 120 pounds, she had judo training and was stated by Hilton as "almost whipping his ass."

'Wouldn't stop fighting'

Both were with their dogs when they met near the Appalachian Trail in Union County on New Year's Day. For a time they walked together, but, as Hilton later admitted, he couldn't keep up with her and fell behind. He intercepted her on her way down, producing a military-style knife and demanding her ATM card.

Without pause, Emerson fought back.

"The bayonet is probably still up there...I lost control, and...she fought. And as I read in the paper, she's a martial artist." Emerson, who held a green belt and a blue belt in two different martial arts, grabbed the blade. Hilton then countered with his baton. She grabbed it, too. They stepped off the trail and fell down a slope, leaving the weapons behind."I had to hand-fight her," Hilton said. "She wouldn't stop. She wouldn't stop fighting," he said. "And yelling at the same time. ... So I needed to both control her and silence her."


He kept punching her, so hard it left both her eyes black and may have fractured her nose. Hilton said his hand was broken by the blows. He figured she had worn down, and they moved farther off the trail. Then Emerson started fighting again. He finally got her to stop by telling her all he wanted was her credit card and PIN. He then restrained her hands with a zip tie. Hilton then placed Meredith and her dog, Ella, in his van and secured her with a padlocked chain.


In the following hours and days, Emerson kept Hilton off-balance by repeatedly giving him the wrong PIN for her ATM card but assuring each time that this time the numbers were correct.She bought time with that ploy. For three days.


To keep her from running away, he usually kept a chain or nylon rope around her neck and she was often tethered to a tree or inside the van. When they slept, Emerson was tied to him so he would know if she tried to escape.Hilton claimed he tried to make Emerson comfortable, at one point saying he gave her the warmer sleeping bag because temperatures had dropped to 4 degrees. He offered her aspirin for a lingering headache that followed their fight the first day.


"I was solicitous of her ... comfort and everything else," said Hilton, seemingly oblivious to the contradiction.


Perhaps one of the most chilling details followed, as Hilton nonchalantly told Bridges, he raped Emerson that first night. He was angry she'd made him drive around from bank to bank and still had nothing to show for it.


Their second day together, Hilton set up camp in Dawson Forest, where they hiked for several hours. He insisted she was free, but he also said he told her he would shoot her and anyone around if she tried to get away.


Hilton knew he was a wanted man, and told Emerson "she was going home." "I said, 'I'm giving you all your stuff back.' I had all her stuff bagged up together. I made a point of showing her. They drove to the spot where he would kill her. On the way, they passed a law-enforcement officer. "I waved at him," Hilton said. "It was that close."


"I walked her into the woods," Hilton said. He carried two sleeping bags, an air mattress "for her to sit on," two bags and a chain. He continued to state that he, "secured her to a tree. Walked back to the van. Kinda got myself together. Made some coffee."


Hilton told investigators he abducted her because she was a woman. Easy prey, he figured.

The Kill

When he came back to her, Hilton said with a little laugh, Emerson told him, " 'I was afraid you weren't coming back.' "He gave her a book to read, "Cannibals and Kings: Origins of Cultures" by Marvin Harris. Then he walked behind her as if he were going to remove the chains holding her to the tree and hit her several times with the handle from a tire jack then he decapitated Emerson in a vain effort to destroy evidence that might incriminate him.

Could Kill a Human, But Never a Dog

Hilton was worried about another piece of evidence that might link him to the slaying — Emerson's dog. She had told him the Lab-mix carried a microchip identifying it as her pet. "If I wanted to ensure that no one would associate the dog with her, I would've killed the dog," Hilton said. "But there's no way I could do that."


However, he had no such reservations about killing Meredith.

(Source)

SPRING BREAK MYSTERY--LUKE DORNON MISSING FROM ECUADOR

3/25/08 UPDATE:
LUKE DORNON HAS BEEN FOUND!



Luke Dornon, missing

Luke Dornon, a freshman physics engineering student at Taylor University, in Upland, Indiana, who went to Ecuador for spring break for the "Ringers Hand Bell Ensemble" is missing.



The Ringers, along with Taylor University biology students, were visiting Cajas National Park about 20 miles from Cuenca Sunday afternoon, when Luke failed to return to the bus following a hike around a lake in the park. He was last seen around 4:00 p.m. local time.





No other details are available. Will update when further information emerges.

U.S. Secretary of State Info on Ecuador:

CRIME: Crime is a serious problem in Ecuador, and visitors should be alert and cautious. Non-violent crime is common: hundreds of Americans are robbed every year in Ecuador. Violent crime has increased in recent years.


Criminals sometimes use incapacitating drugs such as scopolamine on unsuspecting tourists in order to rob them. These so-called "date rape" drugs are put into drinks in order to drug the unsuspecting victim. This drug can render the victim disoriented and can cause prolonged unconsciousness and serious medical problems.


Thieves and small gangs armed with guns or knives are now sometimes active even in smaller cities such as Otavalo, Manta, and Cuenca. Tourists have been robbed at gunpoint on beaches and along hiking trails.


Radicals in various locations in Ecuador, including Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, have occasionally placed small explosive devices that release political literature, known locally as pamphlet bombs.


...Since 1998, at least ten U.S. citizens have been kidnapped near Ecuador's border with Colombia. One U.S. citizen was murdered in January 2001 by kidnappers holding him for ransom.


http://ecuador.usembassy.gov/security-and-safety/warden-messages.html

NOT FORGOTTEN--STILL MISSING NADIA KAJOUJI

It's been almost two weeks since Nadia Kajouji disappeared in Ottawa, Canada, and her family is angry! And rightfully so! Seems as though the Ottawa police assigned to Nadia's case are taking the weekend off for Easter to spend time with their families, while Nadia's family is frantic with worry, and obviously will not be celebrating Easter.


Nadia, a first-year public affairs and policy student at Carleton University, has been missing for 13 days, following a Sunday night email she wrote to a friend saying she was going skating on the Rideau Canal.


However, that night, a half-metre of snow fell in Ottawa, making it next to impossible for anyone to skate the canal. Her parents, Deborah Chevalier and Mohamad Kajouji, were expecting her for the Easter holiday. Now almost two weeks later, her family says they're unsatisfied with the search conducted by police so far.


Instead of the police doing their job, Nadia's parents went to Ottawa looking for their daughter on Wednesday; even going so far as to offer a $50,000 reward for her safe return. Police in Ottawa did not return calls for comment.


Nadia's family returned home yesterday afternoon after spending the previous two days posting flyers around the university, in malls and at bus terminals. They also received help from the head of security at Carleton and the Ottawa Search and Rescue team, a volunteer service that had a dog search the campus and near the river for any signs of Nadia.


Nadia's aunt, Candita Martens-Mills says the reward and the family's own efforts to find the Nadia were necessary because of a less-than-stellar police investigation. "They've taken this long to step up. Until we came up this week nothing was really done," said Martens-Mills. "It's the right people who should be helping who we're disappointed in. The Ottawa police department never brought in their dogs. They're also not searching right now; they said they'd be back on Monday. They get to spend the holiday with their family, while we don't."


Nadia's aunt has created a Facebook group page to help look for Nadia. It has over 10,000 members and spawned a rally yesterday organized by students of Carleton University. The group, organized by second-year anthropology student Will Samuel, canvassed the area in an effort to make people aware that Nadia was missing.


"We went door-to-door and put up posters with her photo," said Samuel. "It was successful in that sense ... of raising awareness."


Martens-Mills said Nadia's disappearance is "totally out of character", describing Nadia as a "bubbly, outgoing, and confident person who loved life and wouldn't just take off and not contact her family."

Important Details Overlooked by Police--
Discovered by Family, Friends

Missing from Nadia's room are her skates, as well as her cellphone
and her diary (why her diary? That is a very strange clue that
needs to be investigated immediately.)

Nadia's aunt stated, "Somebody knows something – why would you send them an email? "Something doesn't fit. (Her roommates) didn't realize until this past Tuesday, even after talking to police that they had the email? And no one saw her leave with skates."(Police) keep saying no foul play was involved, but we know her and this doesn't add up. Someone needs to come forward ... if there was an accident, they need to step up and tell us what happened."

Previous Police Incompetence?

In August 2007, the family of missing daycare worker Christina Calayca was distraught and angry with how the Ontario Provincial Police conducted its search for the 20-year-old.


A separate civilian search, organized by local municipalities and made up of about 100 volunteers, was mobilized due to their lack of a proper investigation. Christina Calayca had been camping with her cousin and two men she knew from a youth group when she disappeared on August 6, 2007. She was last seen jogging in the Rainbow Falls Provincial Park, about 180 kilometres east of Thunder Bay, Canada.

(Cited Source)

GUYS + ALCOHOL + SPRING BREAK = DUMB ASSES

Florida police arrested three men on spring break, including a University of Dayton student, for allegedly detonating a partial stick of dynamite at 2:30 a.m. on the second floor sundeck of the Oceanside Inn in Daytona, Florida, causing minor injuries and up to $12,000 in damages. The three were seen on surveillance video running from the explosion.


The "Three Stooges", Christopher R. Romano, a marketing student at the University of Dayton, and Timothy M. Becktel and Michael J. Bolt, all 21, of LaGrange, Illinois, are accused of discharging a destructive device causing injury and property damage, a first-degree felony.


When Timothy Becktel was apprehended he immediately confessed saying he and Michael Bolt acted as lookouts as Christopher Romano detonated the partial stick of dynamite. The idiots gave no sound reason for detonating the dynamite, simply that "they wanted to do it." A family of three, including a child, staying in one of the rooms suffered some minor cuts after they were struck by some of the debris. (Are these boys, or men? Their excuse and lack of remorse of their stupidity sounds something like what my 10-year old cousin would say! Would they say the same thing if someone died because of their actions?)

"I think alcohol had something to do with it," said Stephan Dembinsky, Daytona Beach Shore's public safety director.

DUH...ya think?

(Source)

SHAWN WUERTLY VIOLENT RAPIST NOT OFF THE HOOK

BYE BYE SHAWN! DON'T DROP THE SOAP.

Shawn Wuertley, a raping idiot, and a Florida hotel security guard accused of sexually assaulting and then trying to kill a Tuscaloosa, Alabama teen on spring break is now in police custody. It was stated that when the girl fought back, Wuertley, the big puss who beats and rapes women, threw her off a sixth-story balcony. SHE LIVED. The rapist-pig was found hiding like a little girl in a wooded area near Panama City Beach.

Some quotes from his MySpace page

"ANY GOOD GIRLS OUT THER

E LOOKING FOR THEIR OWN BAD BOY?

I am a 29 yr old straight male, I have the most beautiful son in this world, I am 5ft 7in, 175lbs, bro hair, bro eyes. I am easy going, enjoy laughing and i like to make the best out of life. I am a huge race fan and am looking into the truck driving occupation field. I love horses and just about every other animal known to man.

 I am living in Indianapolis Indiana currently but Florida is my next destination within a few months.

Who I'd like to meet: I'd like to meet fun happy go lucky people who are down to earth, enjoy life ,laughs a lot, and who might be interested in getting to know one another on a relationship level.

(Michelle's note: After contacting Indiana authorities it was discovered that Wuertley served time in prison for several felonies, none of them violent. He was convicted on burglary charges from 1998, 1999 and 2004, and on car theft, theft and two receiving stolen property charges in 1999. He was also convicted of failure to return lawfully/escape in 2004. Records show that Wuertley served time in Indiana prisons between 1998 and 2005.)

PREVIOUS INFORMATION

What have I been harping on forever? Be SAFE while on vacation! I knew this would happen, and I'm sure it's already happened to many girls who just aren't going to come forward...or don't remember or realize what happened. When my college roommate went to Panama City Beach our freshman year in college was raped too...by a "really nice guy" who bought her a drink.

FUGITIVE ALERT!-BE ON THEOKOUT FORSHWN WCNN) -- In llnama City Beach, Florida, police are looking for a hotel securitaccusedofaping an Alabama student andhrowing herf a sixth-flr hotel balcony

The 18-year-old woman from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, remains hospitalized, but her injuries are not life-threatening. The incident happened early Monday at the Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort in Panama City Beach during spring break.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for Shawn Wuertly, 29, who worked as a security guard at the resort. He is wanted for attempted felony murder, sexual battery and false imprisonment. Wuertly had been questioned by police regarding the attack, but they lacked the evidence to hold him, the spokesman said.

The police investigation has found that the suspect had seen the girl "several times" at the hotel and had "taken a liking to her at some point," Around 1 a.m. on Monday, the suspect grabbed the woman and pulled her into an unoccupied room on the sixth floor, using his key to get in.

The victim said he sexually assaulted her after forcing a sheet and pillow over her face, and, after a brief altercation, threw her over the balcony. She hit two smaller roofs on her way down, which likely saved her from more serious injuries, before she came to rest in a second floor stairwell.

The trouble started on Monday when Wuertly allegedly began making suggestive comments to the college student, who rebuffed the advances. Lt. Dave Humphrey stated, "He was basically kind of flirting with her, making some comments to her that, it was obvious to her, he liked her...she was polite and walked away.''

After his initial questioning, Wuertly told police he was leaving for Tennessee and would return on Wednesday. (they let him out knowing he was leaving the state? Outstanding police work/procedures...)

Wuertly has an outstanding arrest warrant, something that police did not discover until after he was released."

(Nice police work...isn't that something they look into RIGHT AWAY when being questioned? That is even done on routine traffic stops! And this wasn't done for someone who has been accused of sexual assault, attempted felony murder and false imprisonment? )

Obviously no one checked his warrants because he has an outstanding warrant in Indiana," Lt. Dave Humphrey said he is "not happy and will address that."

CNN's calls to the hotel's manager regarding Wuertly's outstanding warrant were initially not returned, however the spokesperson for the hotel stated, "As of now we’ve got nothing to say." (Why? Afraid you have a lawsuit on your hands because you didn't check his criminal record before you hired him? Sounds like a negligence case to me. I'm sure the hotel's lawyer told them to say NOTHING. Figures.)


http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/18/spring.break.attack/index.html?eref=rss_crime

MISSING 18-YEAR OLD STUDENT, NADIA KAJOUJI

Nadia Kajouji, 18, has not been seen since March 9, 2008

(Source)

The parents of a missing Carleton University student are pleading for the public's help to find their daughter. Nadia Kajouji, 18, has not been seen since March 9 when she returned to Ottawa after spending reading week with her family in Brampton, Ontario. "

I love her. Her friends love her. Her family loves her. Everybody's worried and thinks about her. We just want her back home," her mother, Deborah Chevalier stated.

Her parents have traveled to Ottawa, trying to assist police in the search and they are hoping media attention may help them track down Nadia.

"Something really bad happened," her father, Mohamad Kajouji, said before breaking down in tears. He said he hasn't been able to stop crying since his daughter's disappearance, which he said was uncharacteristic.

"It's tough not knowing," Chevalier added. She said that Nadia seemed to be depressed lately and had an argument with a friend Sunday, the same day she went missing. Ottawa police say foul play is not suspected at this time.

"There's no exact place to search . . . she just hasn't returned home," Const. Alain Boucher of the Ottawa Police Service stated. Nadia's mother says they fear something horrible has happened, but they won't give up. "We've got to keep going. As long as there's no word, there's hope, right," Chevalier said. Her mother hopes that Nadia might have gone to stay with a friend in order to "cool off." She pleaded with her daughter to come home.

Nadia's grandmother in Brampton, Menna Chevalier, said she "was in terrible shape and couldn't sleep." She said she wanted to get her granddaughter's face in the media, in hopes that someone in the public might recognize her.

She described Nadia as an ambitious, happy-go-lucky student and said she had "never, never" disappeared or taken off without telling her family before. "Something terrible had to have happened," Menna Chevalier said. Nadia returned to Brampton last week for spring break but "wasn't well," according to her grandmother. She spoke to her granddaughter over the phone and said Nadia promised to "come home for Easter."

Nadia, a first-year public affairs and policy management student, was last seen by someone in her dormitory at Carleton University Sunday. Boucher said that there has been no communications from Nadia and police have no indications where she could have gone. He said that police did not believe she had any access to a vehicle.

Her aunt, Candita Martens-Mills has created a Facebook page to help look for her. The group already has over a 200 members. Martens-Mills said that she has been in contact with some of Nadia's friends and they had told her that many of Nadia's belongings, including her cell phone, wallet and identification, were still in her dorm room. "This is completely out of character -- it's not her," Marten-Mills said.

Nadia is described as being of a Mediterranean complexion with dark skin at 5'8, and 130 pounds. She has hazel eyes and shoulder-length brown hair with blonde streaks and has eyebrow and tongue rings.


Anyone with any information about Nadia is asked to contact Ottawa police at 613-236-1222, ext. 3726.

UPDATE--JOEL SAUNDERS CAR FOUND NEAR CREEK & QUARRY

LATEST UPDATE--JOEL FOUND

R.I.P.

God bless to Joel and his family and friends he looked like a really nice guy...someone you could be really good friends with.

You will be missed by many Joel.

As of March 12, 2008, it was confirmed to me by a member of Joel's family that Joel was found in the Wea Creek. The cause of death is undetermined at the moment.

READ HERE--PART I

Missing Indiana man, Joel Thomas Saunders

UPDATE:

Indiana State Police will use a helicopter to search for a man missing since Friday just south of Lafayette.

Sgt. Kim Riley, ISP public information officer, said this morning that a helicopter from Indianapolis is flying in to search a quarry, wooded areas and other areas around where the man's car was found Saturday.

"If the aerial search doesn't turn anything up, we might have to send divers into the quarry," Riley said, noting an extensive ground search is also possible.

"It doesn't look like foul play at this time," Riley said, noting the aerial search would likely begin Wednesday morning. (Source)

This reminds me of another missing persons case last year in which 36-year old Chuck Rickey, of Fishers, Indiana, was last seen at a bar during the Superbowl in February of 2007. He left the bar during half-time and was never seen again.

His vehicle was later found crashed; however, Chuck was nowhere to be found for nearly three months. After an investigation it was revealed that instead of waiting for help or calling 911, he attempted to walk on the slippery roadside, and fell 100 feet to his death in a quarry. (Source)

In any event, I hope Joel is found alive and well, and my prayers are with his family and children at this time.

NEW YORK GOV--PIMP ELIOT SPITZER

"Yes, it actually is that small..."

NEW YORK (AP) — Gov. Eliot Spitzer, accused in news reports of being involved in a prostitution ring, apologized to his family and the public on Monday at a hastily called news conference. He did not elaborate on the story. With his wife at his side, Spitzer told reporters that he "acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family." "I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself," he said. "I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family."

WHAT ABOUT THE TRUST OF HIS
CONSTITUENTS AND OTHER U.S. CITIZENS?

The New York Times reported earlier in the day that Spitzer told senior administration officials that he was linked to a prostitution ring. The report cited an anonymous administration official. The Times reported that a person with knowledge of the governor's role believes the governor is identified in court papers as a client of a prostitution ring.


Four people allegedly connected to a high-end ring called the Emperors Club VIP were arrested last week. The Web site of the Emperors Club VIP displays photographs of scantily clad women with their faces hidden. It also shows hourly rates depending on whether the prostitutes were rated with one diamond, the lowest ranking, or seven diamonds, the highest. The most highly ranked prostitutes cost $5,500 an hour, prosecutors said.

ENTIRE SICK STORY HERE

AMBER ALERT! FIND ASHLEE CROCITTO

MISSING:
Ashlee Crocitto

An Amber Alert was issued for a pregnant 16-year-old who was allegedly kidnapped at knifepoint from her mother's California home by her abusive older boyfriend, according to local media reports.

Ashlee Crocitto is four months pregnant and was reportedly taken at about 8:45 a.m. Saturday by 20-year-old Carlos Antonio, of Chula Vista, California.

Carlos Antonio

Her tearful mother told FOX News on Monday that the alleged abduction wasn't a plot by her daughter to run away with Antonio and said Ashlee is a totally different person when she's with him. Crocitto has apparently called home a few times since Saturday to tell her mom that she's OK, but police and her family are still worried about her safety. There have been reports that the teen had recently broken up with Antonio because their relationship was abusive.

Click here for more on this story from KGTV San Diego.

CLICK HERE:

SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

• Injuries and Excuses
• Absences from Work or School
• Low Self-Esteem
• Accusations of Having Affairs
• Personality Changes
• Fear of Conflict
• Not Knowing What One Wants or How One Feels
• Blaming Others for Everything
• Self-blame

US STATE DEPT. ISSUES WARNING TO SPRING BREAKERS

Editorial by Fred Taub

President, Boycott Watch


Boycott Watch has previously reported the dangers associated with travel to Aruba in our coverage of the Aruba boycott inspired by the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Now the US State Department has issued a travel warning to spring breakers that goes beyond just Aruba, and it should be addressed to all travelers to the Caribbean in general. Much of the warning echoes Boycott Watch reports about Aruba.

See Beth Holloway Twitty's "Safe Travels Foundation"

Boycott Watch believes the timing of the State Department safety notice is poor. By the time it was released, many students have not only purchased their travel packages, but in many cases are already there. We also believe that the notice was triggered in part because of Boycott Watch President Fred Taub discussed these exact same issues on Your World with Neil Cavuto on the Fox News Channel, resulting in political pressure for the State Department to say or do something.

Start of US State Department warning

Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
February 20, 2008

International Travel Safety Information for American Students

As spring and summer breaks approach, many students are getting ready for a trip abroad. The following information will help students plan a safe and enjoyable adventure.


First, a note about U.S. passports: As of January 23, 2007, everyone traveling in and out of the United States by air needs a passport. We encourage students to apply now! Processing times are traditionally faster in February.


As of January 31, 2008, all U.S. residents, age 19 and older, will be required to show proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate, and a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license - or a passport - when traveling to Western Hemisphere countries by land or ferry. (Persons age 18 and younger will need proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or naturalization certificate - or a passport - when traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the countries of the Caribbean by land or ferry.) This also applies to sea travel if cruises begin or end outside of the United States. Students planning cruises should also be sure to confirm document requirements with their cruise line.


As soon as summer 2009 U.S. citizens entering the United States by land or ferry will need either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; or a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI.


Information about the new regulations regarding travel by air, land and sea, as well as general information about traveling abroad, can be found on the Department of State's website at travel.state.gov.


Travel safety is a major concern. Although most students will have a safe and enjoyable adventure, others may encounter serious problems. Each year, more than 2,500 American citizens are arrested abroad - about half on narcotics charges, including possession of very small amounts of illegal substances. Alcohol also can cause trouble for U.S. citizens traveling abroad. Students have been arrested for being intoxicated in public areas, for underage drinking, and for drunk driving. Some people are victimized because they are unaware of the laws, customs, or standards of the country they are visiting.


Disorderly or reckless behavior can have serious repercussions. Acts that are legal at home in the United States could lead to arrest and prosecution in foreign countries. Some Americans go abroad assuming that local authorities will overlook such conduct because they are American citizens. This is simply not the case. Americans who violate the laws of the countries they visit may be arrested, and they could face severe penalties, including long prison sentences. In fact, some countries have mandatory death sentences for drug offenses.


Being arrested is not the only thing that can go wrong on a foreign vacation. Americans have been badly injured or have been killed in automobile accidents, falls, and other mishaps. Many of these incidents are related to alcohol or drug use. Other Americans have been sexually assaulted or robbed because they found themselves in unfamiliar locales, or were incapable of protecting themselves because of drug or alcohol use, or because they were the victim of a "date rape" drug.


The most common cause of death of Americans overseas, other than natural causes, is by motor vehicle accidents. Standards of safety and supervision overseas may be different from those in the United States. Many Americans have died after automobile accidents on bad roads and after falls from poorly-fenced balconies. Americans should also exercise caution when swimming or engaging in water sports. Obey signs and flags and stay out of the water when red or black flags are posted.


Standards of safety and supervision overseas may also be different at hotels and resorts. Be cautious in pools or at beaches without lifeguards. Do not dive into unknown bodies of water, because hidden rocks or shallow depths can cause serious injury or death. If you choose to swim, always exercise extreme caution. Rent from reputable operators and insist on sufficient training before using equipment like scooters, jet-skis, scuba gear and personal watercraft. The exercise of simple common sense can help prevent serious accidents.


More safety tips for students traveling abroad can be found on the web at travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/safety/safety_2836.html. Beginning March 1, 2008, please also see the State Department's new website for American students traveling overseas, studentsabroad.state.gov., for safety, travel, and registration information.


Students are strongly urged to register their foreign travel on the State Department's website at https://travelregistration.state.gov before the trip begins. Travel registration makes it possible for the State Department to contact a traveler if necessary, whether because of a family emergency in the United States or because of a crisis in the foreign country.

For further information contact:

Bureau of Consular Affairs
Office of Policy Coordination and Public Affairs
Press inquiries: (202) 647-1488
Internet address: travel.state.gov; studentsabroad.state.gov
Public inquiries: toll-free (888) 407-4747

RELATED NEWS

Some spring breakers staying in U.S.

Michigan State senior Paul Bonenberger avoided temptation during this island's season for wild spring break partying by leaving his passport at home. "I've heard tons of (stuff) about the border," said Bonenberger, 21, two beers in hand and surrounded by hundreds of Midwestern spring breakers on the beach. "I've heard it's unsafe. I'm not about the border anymore, it's not worth the risk." Once, most South Padre spring breakers visited nearby Matamoros, Mexico, for the touted "Two Nation Vacation."


But news of gun battles between soldiers and drug cartels in Mexican border cities this winter appears to have reached even the frigid campuses of the upper Midwest. Tourists have not been targeted, but students and tourism officials on both sides of the border say spring breakers are keeping their toes in U.S. sand this year.


The young, tan masses have not been surveyed lately, but Dan Quandt, executive director of the island's convention and visitors' bureau, said "we have noticed over the past few years a decline in the number of students going to Matamoros." Debra Fassold, who manages a cross-border shuttle service, said she used to ferry several hundred spring breakers daily and now gets only a few dozen. She has canceled night trips. "I've had no reason to schedule them this year," Fassold said, adding that no one has even asked for the once-popular excursion.


Those partying on South Padre Island said they opted to stay domestic this year not just because of safety concerns, but also because of tighter identification requirements for returning to the U.S. Rachel Padgett, of Austin, has been coming to South Padre Island for more than half her life. It was traditional to go over to Matamoros for a haircut and to shop for jewelry, but not this year, said the 21-year-old Michigan State student. "Not right now, there's a drug war," Padgett said.


Students from the University of Texas and Texas A&M descend on South Padre this week, the apex of spring break on the dune-covered island off the coast of South Texas. Matamoros and other border cities in Mexico are now patrolled by Mexican soldiers sent to the border to quell drug cartel violence. Their armored personnel carriers and machine guns are far from inviting. Arturo Morales, tourism promotion director for Matamoros, said the military is there to protect residents and tourists. Morales said fewer spring breakers were visiting the city across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, but said spring breakers need to learn more about the military's security role. Morales noted Winter Texans — northerners who spend the winter in Texas and then return home in the spring — have become accustomed to the military presence and continue visiting border cities.




Some students have crossed the border without worry. Joseph Cook and Ariela Ruiz, students at Evangel University in Missouri, enjoyed a day of shopping and sight-seeing on the recommendation of the concierge at their hotel. They drove to Brownsville, walked across the bridge and took a taxi to Matamoros' main market area. They saw federal soldiers stopping and checking cars, but had no problems. Asked if anyone had warned them about going to Mexico, Cook said: "Just my parents. They said 'be careful.'"


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080310/ap_on_re_us/spring_break

BILL INTRODUCED FOR STUDENT SAFETY WHILE ABROAD

Push for federal laws on
student travel will get backing in D.C.

Recognizing the need for national, uniform safety standards to protect hundreds of thousands of students who travel internationally each year, U.S. 3rd District Rep. Jim Ramstad (R, Minn.), has agreed to sponsor the T Hill Bill for Safety Standards.


"The T Hill Bill for Safety Standards will help assure parents that their children will be cared for while visiting foreign countries,” Ramstad noted in a statement issued following a Washington, D.C. visit from the parents of a 16-year-old Minnesota boy who died while traveling abroad last summer with a student ambassador group.


Sheryl and Alan Hill, whose son Tyler died while on a People to People Student Ambassador trip to Japan in June 2007, met with Ramstad, and Minnesota’s two senators, Sen. Norm Coleman, (R) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, (D), last week to discuss the need for uniform safety standards to protect kids traveling with third parties.

Read Tyler's Story HERE

At present, there are no laws on the books to protect children's health and safety rights while entrusted to third parties, especially while participating in sanctioned student exchange and travel programs, the Hills noted in a statement issued following the Washington, D.C. meetings.


“Children have been injured and abandoned. In severe cases, they have been denied health care, sometimes resulting in death,” the release noted.

See HERE and HERE for the "student abroad trip"
death of New Jersey's Phylicia Moore

“We received a wonderful reception [from the Minnesota Congressional delegation],” Sheryl Hill said upon her return to Minnesota. “Ramstad said he’d be honored to introduce the bill and thinks it’ll have no trouble getting bi-partisan support.”

Read Proposed Bill HERE

Hill said the efforts undertaken since her son’s death to prevent a similar tragedy have been gaining support by the day. She cited a recent call from another mother whose 17-year-old son returned from an exchange student experience in Egypt weighing just 97 pounds and who was subsequently hospitalized for nearly two weeks.


The Hill’s have launched an advocacy Web site, www.tylerhill.org, to share Tyler's tragedy and advocate for safety protocols. In addition, the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit with the Hennepin County Court in Minnesota in January, and a formal Unfair and Deceptive Acts of Practice (UDAP) complaint with the Federal Trade Commission last month.


“What’s really sad in all this is that winning the case probably doesn’t change anything,” Sheryl Hill said. “What parents really need is the kind of change that can come from this bill. The hardest part will be finding which agency or department will be the enforcement group, Department of State, Education, Health. We don’t know yet.”


http://www.waconiapatriot.com/articles/2008/03/07/the_laker/news/news03.txt

ISN'T THIS ALREADY A GIVEN?

First of all, I find this story absolutely disgusting. Second, wouldn't a reasonable person assume this already SHOULD BE listed as a sex offense? As I said, isn't this a given?

Adults Who "French Kiss Kids Law"

Requires Sex Offender Registering (DUH?!)

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia state legislators passed a law Saturday that would require adults who French kiss a child younger than 13 to register as a sex offender. Those convicted of tongue-kissing a child would be guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. The House of Delegates passed the legislation 96-1 and the Senate 39-0.The bill now heads to Gov.

Timothy M. Kaine

Timothy M. Kaine, who said he supports the legislation. Delagate Riley Ingram, R-Hopewell, introduced the bill on behalf of a woman whose 10-year-old daughter was French-kissed by the 62-year-old husband of her babysitter. The only crime prosecutors could charge the man with was contributing to the delinquency of a minor, which did not require that he register as a sex offender.

Ingram and other members of the House fought to make the crime a felony, but in the final day of the 2008 General Assembly session gave in to senators who thought that classifying it as a felony was too harsh.

Phillip Hamilton

Delegate Phillip Hamilton, R-Newport News, cast the lone nay vote, refusing to back down from his belief that the crime should be a felony." I think that type of behavior is so egregious it warrants a felony," Hamilton said. Ingram said he was satisfied that a conviction would land someone on the sex offender registry.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23541454/

UPDATE--MSU STUDENT RYLAN COTTER COMMITTED SUICIDE

Not long ago, I did a piece SEE HERE about Rylan Cotter. Another college woman found dead. Another mystery. Who were her friends? Who did she hang out with? Was it a random serial-type killing, or an act of rage from a boyfriend or ex?


This news is a no win situation. Yes, it is a good thing that she was not murdered, yet it is not a good news for her family to learn that she took her own life. If she had been murdered, and the killer was found and justice was served, the family might have some sort of closure. But with a suicide, the family is probably even more tormented because they are thinking, "What could I have done?" "Why couldn't/didn't I recognize something was wrong?"


For any family to lose their child, sibling, cousin, aunt, uncle...any relative, is worse than if that person were to die in an accident. It is something that haunts you. You will never know why, never know what was going on in their head. You will never know if there was anything you could have done different had you known they were going through something that lethally serious. Happy people don't kill themselves.


This unfortunate closure to this Rylan's life hits home to me. Two years ago, my only uncle committed suicide at the age of 51, alone in his apartment. It was a couple days before anyone found him. He shot himself in the head, and the authorities found the movie "Crash" in the DVD player...the last thing he was watching before his demise. I know this haunts my mother, and it certainly haunts me.


I pray for Rylan's family, offer my condolences, and can only say, take it one day at a time. The pain will never go away, but you will be able to go on with your life. She will be the one that you will always hold dearness to your heart.

RYLAN COTTER--SUICIDE, NOT MURDER

CHESTERTON, Ind. (AP) - A coroner has ruled that a college student whose body was found in January on a northwestern Indiana golf course committed suicide by jumping from an electrical tower.


Porter County Coroner Victoria Deppe reported Friday that Michigan State student Rylan Cotter died from massive blunt force trauma to her chest and abdomen. Brassie Golf Course employees found the 20-year-old's body Jan. 9 next to a paved path on the course in Chesterton.


Police have said Cotter left East Lansing, Mich., where Michigan State is located, on Jan. 7 and traveled to Benton Harbor, Mich. She was then spotted hours later in Chesterton. Officers found Cotter's car in a parking lot near a bike trail about a half-mile from her body.

TRIPLE MURDER OVER BOYFRIEND

16 Year Old Girl Recruits
Friends to Kill Her Family Over Boy

WATCH VIDEO HERE

A teenage daughter's anger over a forbidden romance may have caused the 16-year-old to kill her mother and two brothers, police said.The killings occurred in the rural East Texas home of Terry and Penny Caffey on Saturday morning, according to a statement released by Rains County Sheriff David Traylor.


The home was burned as well as a medical supplies van outside, Traylor said. In the ashes of the home, authorities found the body of Penny Caffey, 37, and the 8- and 13-year-old boys. All victims were shot and stabbed, police said.


Four suspects are in police custody and have each been charged with three counts of murder. Three suspects were identified as Charlie James Wilkinson, 19; Charles Allen Wade, 20; and Bobbi Gale Johnson, 18, who is female. Police did not release the name or mug shot of the other suspect, the Caffey's daughter, because she is a juvenile.


Police believe the motive may have been that the teenage daughter was forbidden to date one of the suspects."Early on in the investigation it was revealed that the juvenile and one of the suspects were dating and made to break up," Traylor wrote in a release.


The teenage girl's father, Terry Caffey, who was shot in the head but survived is helping police. Caffey, who is in critical condition, was able to crawl 300 yards to a neighbor's home and later identified one of the suspects.


Carl Johnson, a family friend, said he saw the bloody trail left by the father who dragged himself to a neighbor's house. Johnson said the family are musicians and that the boys played guitar and harmonica and the mother is a church piano player. The father often told his daughter that he wanted her to sing at his funeral, Johnson told AP."I just thought the whole world of the family," said Johnson, 75. "They were good Christian people. [The father] was like a son of my own."


The killings shocked many in the small east Texas town, the town's mayor said Sunday."There hasn't been a murder here in 18 years," said Orvin Carroll, longtime mayor of Alba, Texas -- a town of about 430 people east of Dallas."We are all just a little shocked. This is a place where people do not lock their doors. But that is changing," Carroll added."We can't believe this could happen to a mother and her children. Not here."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/02/texas.deaths/index.html?eref=rss_us#cnnSTCText

SUSPECT BOBBY GALE JOHNSON'S
MYSPACE PAGE:

http://www.myspace.com/gale89

About me:

My name is bobbi ...i love football best sport i know ... i love to sing ... my goal is to go hunting and mudding before i leave this hicktown...i like to have fun and hang with my friends...pretty much most of the time im a happy person who likes to make people laugh...or just laugh period...and i love the guys ...anyway thats mostly me...

YOU KNOW WHAT FUCK ALL YALL.. FUCK THIS..!!

Current mood: PISSED THE FUCK OFF

you know what ...im tired of life ...tired of all the stupid assholes and pesty lil bitches that think that they can do whatever the hell they want....im mean come the fuck on you stupid oblivious ppl.....who do the hell they think they are...ohh and how about those ppl who lead you on and dont tell you shit im mean am i that scary to talk to....these so called friends ...ppl you like, just suck balls.....i guess that they feel like i dont have enough stupid ass shit going on in my life that i need something else to send me off edge....god i cant wait to graduate and leave this hell hole and try to find something better ....i wish i could go to these ppl and tell them whats what and punch a few of these fuckers in the face...i thought that i was a good person and that i was fun to be around ...but obviously im not....and one day i hope these ppl grow hearts as big as mine and realize that they were assholes to me ... but you know how heartless ppl are......i wish i had the courage to be mean but i dont and thats my curse....you know alot of ppl this year are sad that we're seniors...and that they are leaving their friends....but IM NOT....i dont seem to have any REAL friend or even ppl i can trust

...i just have to look out for me... maybe this life will go on fast and ill die a young age...because if this is how life is going to be all the fucking time ..........I DONT WANNA BE HERE.....SO FUCK ALL YALL !!!!!!

Trust No One

Current mood: Annoyed


Be careful who you trust. not everybody is who they turn out to be. people these day aren't always who they act like . just when you think you know them backwards and forwards they do something they don't know you know about, and i'm sure some of ya'll know what i'm talking about some of us have lost friends and lost relationships over these kinds of things. so be cautious (if thats even a word) don't trust people until you really understand what their all about . take my advise. it's worth listening to......

BOBBI GALE'S UTUBE PAGE



Other Suspects:

Suspect, Charles Allen Wade


Suspect, Charlie James Wilkinson