RSSNatalee Holloway – June 10th 2005
There has been very little news since yesterday afternoons press conference with the Prime Minister of Aruba. One thing we all have to remember is that the Aruban justice system works completely out of the limelight, while the American system tends to put all the information out into the public domain as soon as possible.
CNN) — A teen being held in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway met the Alabama student at her hotel’s casino a day before she vanished, according to police.
Juron Van Der Sloot — the teenage son of an Aruban judge — was among three people taken into custody early Thursday. Two brothers, Satish and Depak Kalpoe, were also arrested.
Authorities have said the three were the last ones seen with Holloway, 18, when she left Carlos ‘N Charlie’s, a popular nightclub in Oranjestad, about 1:30 a.m. on May 30.
Also Thursday, authorities said the investigation has spread beyond Aruba — with police forces in nearby South America contacted. They did not say where those forces were or why they were contacted.
Police said Van Der Sloot met Holloway on May 29 at the casino in the Holiday Inn where she was staying with classmates who had traveled to Aruba to celebrate their high school graduation.
Holly Brown, a friend who accompanied Holloway to Aruba and was at Carlos ‘N Charlie’s the night she disappeared, said she found Van Der Sloot to be “very different.”
“We noticed he was in the casino all by himself,” she told CNN in Alabama. “He lied about his age, and when we went on the (Carlos ‘N Charlie’s) Web site, we found pictures of him there one week before at the same place, wearing the same clothes.”
Police arrested a teen Thursday who spent time with Natalee Holloway during her visit here and may have been one of the last people to see her before she disappeared.
Police detained Joren van der Sloot, 17, after a 6 a.m. raid of his home in the town of Montana. They also arrested two brothers, Depak, 17, and Datish Kalpoe, 18, in the town of Hooiberg.
Attorney General Karin Janssen would not specify what charges the three could face.
…
Deputy Police Chief Jan van der Straten said Holloway met van der Sloot in the casino attached to her hotel two days before she disappeared. Family friends say Holloway knew that van der Sloot had spent much of the week playing cards in the casino with a group of boys from the trip.
Employees at the Holiday Inn casino said van der Sloot and the Kalpoes were part of a group of young regulars at the poker tables. They also said teens from the Mountain Brook group visited often during their five-day trip, playing cards with the local boys and drinking heavily, sometimes before noon.
Brenda Bouwman, marketing manager for the casino, said everybody who worked there knew the Mountain Brook teenagers “because they were partying and they were loud.” She said Holloway was seen with a group at the blackjack tables on Sunday, May 29, although she did not think the girl was gambling.
Finding 18-year-old Natalee Holloway (search) is “priority No. 1″ for Aruba and no one will be above the law in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the American’s disappearance, the Dutch Caribbean island’s prime minister told FOX News on Friday.
Prime Minister Nelson Orlando Oduber (search) on Thursday visited Holloway’s family, who is in Aruba searching for the Alabama teenager.
Oduber said he conveyed to them “that we will do our utmost to try to find her and solve this case.”
“My family and all Arubans are with the family,” he added.
David Holloway, the missing teen’s father, said Oduber’s “concern is to find Natalie” and that “he asked us heart to heart what he could do to help us find her.”
Oduber has called an 11 a.m. meeting Friday with Aruba’s chief of police and other officials to determine if more assistance is needed in the search which has so far turned up no evidence of Holloway’s whereabouts.
From Gabriel Leo, a commenter in Aruba, is this link and story
http://www.awemainta.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx
From Gabriel:
Yesterday they were reviewing a security camara at a gas station on the island.
The worker there claims that it was Natalee. She also said that the girl was an American, she bought a bounch of calling cards and had a stack of cash on her from which she used to pay the cards. She claimed this girl was acting very nervous. She then walked outside and enterred a white car, where she claimes that an older woman was driving the car. She than claimed that this car sped off. She contacted the police and gave the information to them. The police came and cofiscated the tape from the camara and was viewed by Natalee’s brother who claimes that it’s not her, but can’t say this with certainty. The girl’s face isn’t clearly to be seen. One of the local newspaper printed a picture of her and posted a shot from the camara. What has people wondering if it is her is the way this girl was standing in the gas station and the way she stands when a picture was taken of her here on the island. Who knows, but everyone is now just looking for answers anywhere they can find them. that’s the newest developements in the case.
Update 18:46 EDT : Jairo has heard that the girl on the tape in the convienence story has been identified as a tour operator on Aruba.
Natalee Holloway Information V
Our thoughts and prayers are with Natalee Holloway & her family. For breaking news & updates: See options below.
You have two options to see all our stories; either scroll down, or Click Here and to see all the information we have on Natalee.
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Weblogs Empowering People
In Aruba today, we are seeing a very interesting dynamic. The country is terrified over the damage that to their country that the whole Natalee disappearance is causing. This is not to discount the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, the people are genuinely caring and loving and searching and worried for her, it is part of their make up. However, when the islands economy is hanging in the balance, the people of Aruba are scared and near panic. They know that if the story goes wrong, many bad things will happen to them.
The Aruban people are especially frustrated by the American media. Bill O’Reilly is being vilified after his show last night insinuating that the drug lords are so influential in Aruba that they are trying to make the story to go away so the US government will not look closely at them. So FOX is persona non grata.
Rumors are abound that the CNN reporters have been abrupt with the people they have been in contact with and are writing stories that are not true. So CNN is not as disliked as Fox but still not very well liked.
So today, we were amazed that on ARUBADAG.COM , the national television and radio chain, had a large graphic pointing there American readers to Scared Monkeys as the authoritative news source for the Natalee Holloway story. Both Red and I said a big WOW.
We thank the management of Arubadag for trusting the story of Natalee Holloway with Scared Monkeys. We are humbled and proud that with all of the media choices that are available, they chose us. But we also recognize that the power of the weblog is being recognized.
We have been able to cover this story not through the throwing of reporters at it, but through the network. We read all of the major media stories and give our opinion, we provide a comment section that allows both Arubans and Americans to talk with each other. We have had a Dutchman describe the legal system of the Netherlands so that Americans could understand the differences and understand why it looks as if nothing is happening when actually the system is moving at its proper speed. Other great examples of this:
- A personal friend of Mickey John from America gives a view of him that is different.
- An Aruban explains the anger at Bill O’Reilly and why
- And another Aruban in the United States who is friends with the Van Der Sloots.
- Amy who informs us when and how to hear the press conferences, so we have the same access to the key players that the press on site does.
- Another Father who allows us to see a father’s unbridled concern for his daughters
- And a girl who went to school with Natalee telling what the trip was described as, and the local stories going around Mountain View.
These are just a few instances out of the hundreds of comments that we have received in the last few days. And they all were not this good, but some were better, and a vast majority were from people who felt empowered to be a part of the story and wished to help with a positive statement, or a tip, or just I am there for you Holloways.
The synergy of the weblog allows us to cover a story that even the Aruban media recognizes is as effective if not superior to any of the media in America. What we have done is something that many other bloggers could have done. We found the information, presented it for people to analyze, and then gave a forum for others to give their opinions and insights.
The weblog is a powerful tool, and the reshaping of the media landscape will allow this tool to empower the readers to enhance the story. The only question is whether the large the media will assume the responsibility, or will they wither on the vine, and bloggers take the lead.
Now go and say a prayer or think a positive thought for Natalee and her family. That is the best thing you could do right now.
A Pryor Approval
Judge William H. Pryor Jr., was confirmed by the Senate today for a seat on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Atlanta. The Senate voted, 53-45, to confirm Judge Pryor for a lifetime appointment after months of filibusters and threats of filibusters.
WASHINGTON, June 9 – Judge William H. Pryor Jr., one of President Bush’s embattled judicial nominees, was confirmed by the Senate today for a seat on the federal appeals court that covers Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
The Senate voted, 53-45, to confirm Judge Pryor for a lifetime appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta. He has been sitting on the tribunal since early 2004 under a temporary presidential appointment that would have expired late this year without the Senate confirmation.
There were some hold outs in the Republican Party that did not vote for Judge Pryor’s confirmation. On key, it was the three RINO’s from New England.
Three Republicans voted against confirmation – Senator Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine, and Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island. Two Democrats voted in favor – Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Ken Salazar of Colorado. Two senators did not vote – James Jeffords, Independent of Vermont, and Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska.
Should Collins and Snowe really wonder why The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was put on the BRAC closure list? That’s right Senators, there are no politics involved it is at all.
Pryor’s confirmation although certain as ordained by the previous filibuster compromise (agreed to by the 7 dwarves x 2) still had its share of partisan wrangling “pryor” to the vote.
Liberals denounced Pryor’s staunch opposition to abortion and his criticisms of the Voting Rights Act. But Republicans defended him and said his confirmation was long overdue.
“He has an outstanding record on civil rights,” Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) told the Senate. “Those who criticize Judge Pryor’s record have not examined it with the care and respect” it deserved.
The Democratic rant against Judge Pryor went on further.
Still, Democratic leaders wanted Pryor stopped, saying he will be a conservative vote against civil rights, women’s rights and the environment.
“This is truly the trifecta on civil rights here this week in Washington, to confirm Janice Rogers Brown and William Pryor and to report Terrence Boyle from this committee,” said Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat. “When it comes to the issue of civil rights, it’s a sad week.”
As Captain Ed says though, and I would have to agree.
The real test for the compromise will be the later nominations. Expect to see Henry Saad and William Myers filibustered into oblivion, and the Seven Dwarves to allow it. The entire exercise is designed to set the two nominees up as a precedent that legitimizes the use of the filibuster for the upcoming Supreme Court openings. If anyone else gets filibustered, however, the deal will rapidly fall apart.
Dino Rossi; The State of WA is your Oyster
Even with the recent loss stolen victory by Dino Rossi in the Governors race in Washington state, the sky is the limit and its Rossi’s call as what he wants for his future. The Democrats can claim all they want that Rossi is “damaged goods” after the long extended drawn out court battle with Christine Gregoire, but honest thinking people know better. Democrats in WA have a lot to fear from a potential backlash at the polls the next time that Rossi runs for any political position after having seen him lose in less than non-fraudulent fashion. Its your call Rossi, you are on the clock.
The conservative Republican who challenged the 2004 governor’s election in court ended up losing the race by 133 votes and has decided to give up the fight. But his future remains bright, with speculation focusing on a possible Senate bid next year or a rematch with Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire in 2008.
Secretary of State Sam Reed had another intriguing suggestion Tuesday: Rossi should run for King County executive this fall on a platform of cleaning up the county’s much-maligned election system.
Democrats said Tuesday that Rossi was damaged by dragging out the election and getting slapped down by a judge who said his lawyers hadn’t offered proof of fraud or ballot-stuffing.
But Republicans said the sky’s the limit for Rossi.
Dino Rossi is a hot commodity in the Republican ranks with an electorate knowing that he was wronged. Will it be Senate in 2006? Or a rematch for Governor in 2008. The choice is his to make. Let’s just hope nothing needs to be decided again by King county.
“Dino comes out of this stronger than ever,” state GOP Chairman Chris Vance said. “Democrats are scared to death of him. Dino Rossi is the 800-pound gorilla of Washington state politics right now. His (poll) numbers are far stronger than anyone’s.
“Dino’s future is bright. You can’t lose an election and come out of it much stronger than he has. I would be shocked not to see him in a statewide political race in the next few years.”
The immediate speculation turned to the possibility of a Senate race against freshman Democrat Maria Cantwell. Rossi aides said Tuesday that Rossi hasn’t backed away from his often-expressed reluctance to run. Rossi and his wife, Terry, have four school-age children.
Hat Tip: JJ from PoliPundit
