SOMER RENEE THOMPSON

Case Type: Endangered Missing
DOB: Apr 5, 2002	Sex: Female
Missing Date: Oct 19, 2009	Race: White
Age Now: 7	Height: 3’5″ (104 cm)
Missing City: ORANGE PARK	Weight: 65 lbs (29 kg)
Missing State : FL	Hair Color: Brown
Missing Country: United States	Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMC1133666
Circumstances: Both photos shown are of Somer. She was last seen walking near her school on the afternoon of October 19, 2009. Somer was last seen with her hair in a ponytail tied with a red bow, wearing a maroon sweat suit with a pink stripe, and a black tee shirt. She was carrying a purple Hannah Montana backpack and lunchbox. Somer has a large birthmark on her left shin.

Missing Kids                                  Recovered

Sheriff: Body Found Child Found in Landfill

Unidentified Body Found in Georgia Landfill

By Fox News
October 21, 2009

Editor’s Note: Please keep this family in your prayers. We hope it is not this child. The sad part is, if it is not than it is someone else child. And they too need your prayers too.

We would like to know what you think. dan@youngchronicle.com

 

Investigators searching for a missing 7-year-old Florida girl said Wednesday that a girl’s body has been found in a Georgia landfill, though the body has yet to be identified.

Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler says the garbage at that landfill came from Orange Park, Florida, where Somer Thompson disappeared Monday while walking home from her school.

Florida authorities are going to the landfill to identify the body.

Somer’s mother, Dina Thompson, said earlier Wednesday that she assumes someone has her daughter. Police suspect foul play after first investigating whether she had fallen into something or had gotten lost. Thompson made an appeal to Somer’s possible abductors.

“Just drop her off somewhere. I don’t care if you ever get in trouble,” Thompson said. “I just want my baby back.”

SLIDESHOW: Somer Thompson Disappears on Walk Home From School.

Sheriff Beseler said investigators expanded the initial search area and interviewed about 75 known sex offenders in a five-square-mile radius. Teams of volunteers have walked arm-to-arm through the woods, and deputies have used helicopters and search dogs.

The girl vanished on her mile-long walk home from school Monday in Orange Park, near Jacksonville. Since then, more than 100 Clay County deputies, law enforcement officers from neighboring counties, the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have scoured a residential Orange Park neighborhood looking for Somer.

The investigation has produced more than 150 leads, but officials remain baffled as to her whereabouts.

Thompson said Somer was squabbling with another child, and her sister told her to stop. The girl got upset, walked ahead of the group and wasn’t seen again.

Beseler said officers have determined that Somer’s disappearance is not connected to an event that happened in the area on Oct. 10, when three people reportedly tried and failed to lure a 5-year-old girl into a car.

“Investigators located that car and those individuals,” Beseler said. “We are confident that incident had nothing to do with Somer’s disappearance. But I can’t go into any further details about that until we finish our investigation.”

Clay County Public Information Officer Mary Justino said the persons of interest in that case came forward Tuesday when they heard about Somer’s disappearance.

Somer is white, 3 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 65 pounds. She has brown hair that was in a pony tail and was wearing a cranberry colored jumpsuit with pink stripes and a black T-shirt underneath. Her backpack is black with pink and white skulls and crossbones.

Her mother said she has an “odd-shaped” birth mark on her left shin.

People are encouraged to call the tip line at (877) 227-6911 with any additional information on the child’s whereabouts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click here to read more on this story from Myfoxorlando.com.

Source: Fox News

Climate Change Group to Kids: Using Oil Drowns Puppies

Firefighter of the week – Battalion Chief Battalion 9 Edward F. Geraghty

By Dan Samaria
Publisher/GCC
October 19, 2009

‘His Talent Was His Mind’

Several years ago, Battalion Chief Edward F. Geraghty was put in charge of the Fire Department’s training school on Randall’s Island. On his first day, he gave the new recruits a pep talk, telling them what he expected. After he was done, he turned around to find the school’s instructors staring strangely at him. “What did I do wrong?” he asked. One replied, “You’re not supposed to be nice, you’re supposed to scare the hell out of them.”

That would have been difficult for Chief Geraghty, said his wife, Mary. “I was married to Eddie for 17 years and I saw him in a bad mood twice.” Even last year, when her father became terminally ill and had to move in with them, when they found out their middle son, James, 12, had juvenile diabetes and when they had a fire in their house that displaced them for several weeks, he kept an optimistic outlook and his sense of humor. She said, “He would always say, `Life doesn’t get any better than this.’ ”

Chief Geraghty, 45, oversaw five firehouses on Manhattan’s West Side, all of which responded to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.

Mrs. Geraghty used to go downstairs every morning and find her husband already reading and studying. “His talent was his mind,” she said. Now, when she rises, she sits at the bottom of the stairs as the sun comes up with a picture of him and tells him, “Good morning.”

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on March 10, 2002.

Source Legacy

115 Out of 800 Girls Are Pregnant In Robeson High School

One out of Seven Girls Get Pregnant At Robeson High

By Kristyn Hartman
CHICAGO (CBS)
October 19, 2009

It is a Chicago public school full of energy and spirit. It has about 800 girls, and 115 of them have something in common – something you might find disturbing.

All those young ladies are moms or moms-to-be at Paul Robeson High School. It’s not a school for young mothers, it’s a neighborhood school. And all of the pregnancies have happened, despite prevention talk.

If you want to know why, the people closest to the situation say there’s no simple explanation.

Chicago Public Schools says it does not track the overall number of teen moms in the district. But Robeson Principal Gerald Morrow knows the count at his school in Englewood: 115 young ladies who are either expecting or already have had children.

To put it in perspective, their school pictures would fill roughly six pages of their high school year book.

Why is it happening at Robeson?

“It can be a lot of things that are happening in the home or not happening in the home, if you will,” Morrow said. Absentee fathers are another factor, he said.

LaDonna Denson and two other Robeson students say parents not talking to teens and, in some cases, the pursuit of public assistance also factor into the pregnancies. None of them thought they’d be moms at such a young age.

They said they have support at home. But not all girls do, they said. In fact, some girls get thrown out of the home.

Not on Morrow’s turf. “We’re not looking at them like ‘Ooh you made a mistake,'” he said. “We’re looking at how we can get them to the next phase, how can we still get them thinking about graduation?”

So there’s help in a teen parent program. And coming soon, right across from Robeson, developers are turning a one-time crack house into a day care for student use. “We have to provide some type of environment for them and some form of support for them,” Van Vincent, CEO of VLV Development, said.

It’s all made an impression.

“Just cause you have a baby, that doesn’t mean your life is over,” one student said.

One thing they might not know about their principal: His mom had him when she was 15. That’s why accepting the problem — and working through it — is so important to him.

Source: CHICAGO (CBS)

 

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think. da@goldcoastchronicle.com

H1N1 Influenza Swine Flu

By Mary L. Gavin, MD
October 17,2009

 

H1N1 Is a New Flu

Usually, we think about just one kind of flu during flu season. But this year, you’ll hear about two: regular (or seasonal) flu and H1N1 (swine) flu. Seasonal flu comes around every year and there’s a vaccine (shot) for it. The H1N1 virus is new and there’s a vaccine for it, too.

The vaccine will be different from the seasonal flu shot that many kids and grownups get. So to be protected against both H1N1 and the regular flu, a kid will need both. For the H1N1 virus, flu mist — a vaccine that gets sprayed up your nose — is expected to be available first, so if you don’t like shots, you may be in luck.

Health experts say the H1N1 vaccine is a good idea, especially for young people. New viruses like this one are unpredictable and more people get the flu in the fall and winter. If we can keep people from getting it in the first place, that would be good for all of us.

Last spring, H1N1 (swine) flu was all over the news. The virus spread from Mexico and eventually people in the United States and other countries also got sick. Most people got better after having a fever, sore throat, and body aches, similar to the symptoms of the seasonal flu. But people who have other health problems may get very sick from this flu.

Health officials consider the swine flu a pandemic. That means the H1N1 virus has spread throughout the world, can make people very sick, and can spread easily from one person to another.

 

Washing Hands Is Best Defense

Most kids want to know: Should I worry or not worry about this flu? Medical experts say instead of worrying, wash your hands! Worry won’t keep you from getting the flu (or any infectious disease), but good hand-washing often can keep you healthy.

A virus is a germ, as you probably know, and germs are too small to be seen. Keeping your hands clean — and following other good habits like not sharing drinks and keeping your fingers out of your mouth, nose and eyes — can help protect you from germs.

Another way to be helpful is for sick people to stay home from school (if you’re a kid) or work (if you’re a grownup).

Symptoms of H1N1 (swine) flu include a fever plus one or more of these:

• cough
• sore throat
• runny nose
• body aches
• headaches
• tiredness

A person who has the H1N1 virus also might throw up or have diarrhea.

Be sure to tell a parent if you’re not feeling well. Most people who catch the H1N1 virus will get better on their own, but if someone has a medical condition, like asthma or diabetes, or is very sick and needs to be hospitalized, antiviral medicine might help the person get better faster.

 

What You Can Do

Here are some everyday steps you can take to stay well:

• Avoid people who are sick (coughing, fever, etc.).
• Don’t drink out of the same cup or share utensils (forks, spoons) with other people.

• Try to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. That’s how germs get in your body.

 

Just the Facts

News reports about the H1N1 virus may make you confused or worried. Because this is a new illness, the news covers both what has happened and what might happen in the worst-case scenario. Because you’ll be hearing more about H1N1, we recommend a “just the facts” approach.

Did you ever hear a TV detective say, “Just the facts, ma’am?” That means we stick with what we know and make decisions based on that. And if you get sick, just tell your mom or dad. With some help from your doctor, a parent can decide if you need to stay home from school.

Expect to hear about the H1N1 virus for a while. It may be months before we know the whole story and how many people it will affect. In the meantime, keep those hands clean and be sure to tell your mom or dad if you have any concerns.

Source: Kids Health

Kids Talk About: Halloween Candy

by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
October 18, 2009

Kids love Halloween, and why not? You get to dress up in a cool costume and go around the neighborhood filling your bag or plastic pumpkin with delicious candy. Then it’s time to head home with that heavy haul of chocolate and other sweet treats. But what happens next? Do you eat a lot that night? Or maybe your mom or dad says “Whoa!” and tells you to pick a certain number of pieces.

We asked about 1,200 boys and girls about their Halloween haul. Here’s what they said:

• Most kids said they get at least 50 pieces of candy, with over 44% saying they get more than 100 pieces.
• Only about 20% of kids said they eat all their Halloween candy.
• Whether they eat all or just some of their candy, it takes most kids a long time to do it. Nearly 60% said they need 2 weeks, 1 month, or more than a month. About 25% said they need only 1 day or less than 1 week. And the rest of the kids said they needed anywhere from 1 second (yeah, right) to a year!

But kids aren’t always in charge when it comes to how much candy they get to eat — half said their parents put limits on how much they can eat.

 

Limits

Kids who have limits were allowed to eat as little as one piece a week to as many as 10 or 20 a day, though not all at the same time. Sometimes the rules are complicated.

Juliet, 10, is allowed to eat one-eighth of her candy on Halloween night and then 12 pieces a day after that. “I would say that if I could choose, I would have one-sixth of my candy on Halloween night. Then, 20 pieces every day after that,” Juliet said.

The rules at Sophie’s house are relaxed on Halloween, but after that she’s not allowed to eat nearly as much as Juliet. “On Halloween, I can eat quite a bit, but not until I get home,” said Sophie, 11. “After that it’s usually one piece a day.”

Kris, 8, says she doesn’t have any limits on Halloween, but there’s a big catch. “That night we can eat whatever we want and then Mom throws it away,” Kris said.

Pete’s mom limits his Halloween candy by giving a lot of it back out to the trick-or-treaters that same night. “She leaves a small bowl for us to eat, which we do in 2 days,” said Pete, 10.

Allison, 12, has limits, too — seven pieces on Halloween and two per day after that. But she doesn’t keep all that candy for herself. “After Halloween, I separate what I want to keep (20–30 pieces) and donate the rest, in little baggies, to the homeless shelter or soup kitchen,” she said.

 

No Limits

Though most kids (60%) said parents should limit kids’ candy intake, plenty of kids (50%) said they did not have any limits. But more than 60% of kids said they voluntarily set their own limits. Why? To avoid getting fat, feeling sick, or getting cavities in their teeth.

Thalia, 12, said she wants to be a healthy kid, especially because she’s on a competitive swim team. “I’m kind of a ‘Don’t eat too much junk or you’ll get fat’ sort of person,” she said. “I don’t eat a lot of candy. I know what candy can do to your teeth and body, so I have limits on how much I should eat.”

Nathan, 13, said his parents think he’s old enough to decide for himself. “I am a teen and I know how much I want to eat,” he said.

Ally, 12, sets her own limits and then listens to her body when it comes to deciding how much candy to eat. “I say to myself, only a certain amount of pieces (for example, five) and then I have to stop. Or if I start getting full, I stop also,” she said.

 

Ooh, That Sick Feeling

If you’ve ever eaten too much Halloween candy, you probably remember the ooky feeling in your stomach. Of more than 1,200 kids who responded to our survey, more than half (625) said too much Halloween candy had made them sick or caused other problems.

Here’s what they remember:

“I felt sick all night,” said Zachary, 9.

“I got a huge headache when I was 7 years old after eating way too much candy and had to go to sleep early,” said Angelica, 11.

“My whole body felt really bad, I laid in bed until I felt better, and didn’t do that again,” said Aliyah, 10.

Shamyia, 10, said the top reason she puts limits on how much Halloween candy she eats is because she doesn’t want to get sick. When you hear what happened to her, you’ll understand why.

“When I had eaten extremely too much candy, I puked on my dad when I answered the door. Then the next 2 days, I had to stay home and miss a field trip to Six Flags!”

But maybe making a mistake like that can teach kids an important lesson — that it can be better to eat a little of your favorite foods, like candy, instead of enormous amounts.

Ellyn Satter, a dietitian who’s written a lot of books about kids and food, thinks kids need to figure out what their limits are — what it feels like to be full. When they do, they can adjust how much they eat so they don’t overdo it. She really practices what she preaches: Her 10-year-old son once ate six snow cones at a picnic! Do you think he ever did that again?

 

Which Way Is Right?

Maybe you’re wondering which way is the best way and if your parents are doing the right thing. Well, there’s no simple answer. Parents don’t have a secret rulebook that tells them what to do, so they usually just try to make the best decision they can.

Dr. Mary L. Gavin said parents need to make that decision based on what a kid is like. So if a kid is the type to be reasonable and stop eating candy before he or she gets sick, maybe the kid gets to decide how much to eat, said Gavin, a pediatrician and a medical editor at KidsHealth.org. But if the kid is the type to overdo it, maybe the parent needs to step in and set some limits.

Marion Nestle agreed. She’s a professor at New York University who has written books about food and nutrition. “At the very least, parents should have a good idea of what the kids have collected and how much candy they are eating on that one occasion,” she said.

Marilyn Tanner, a dietitian, thinks parents need to be role models. Role models about candy? Yep. Kids often follow in their parents’ footsteps, so if your mom or dad doesn’t pig out on Halloween, you’re more likely to set limits, too. Tanner knows about this kind of stuff because she teaches a class about healthy habits for kids and parents through St. Louis Children’s Hospital in Missouri.

“Leading by example is important!” said Tanner, also a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

 

Candy Alternatives

While some Halloween candy is fun, quite a few kids were interested in getting non-candy treats on Halloween night. About half of kids said they’d like to get pencils, stickers, and other small items.

“I think people should give out fun markers/crayons, stickers, pencils, and anything else they think kids will like,” said Hannah, 11. “They should do this because it prevents kids (somewhat) from becoming overweight and it lasts longer than candy.”

Latavia, 10, whose favorite candy is Laffy Taffy, suggested toothbrushes, floss, and mouthwash.

Teeth were also on Olga’s mind. She has braces and can’t eat sticky, hard, nutty, or gooey candy. If she has Skittles, she said she has to suck on them. Here’s how Olga answered our question about whether more people should give out stuff other than candy:

“YES!!!! YEEEESSSS!!! I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH I CAN ENFORCE THIS, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE that other stuff. I love people who appreciate that I have braces; :-). Whatever they give me, I’m thankful that it’s not candy.”

But the other half of the kids we surveyed said keep the candy coming on Halloween. Tani, 10, put it simply.

“Candy rocks!” she said.

Source:  Kids Health

Jack-o-lantern Puzzle

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