About Putnam County Area

LFlorida

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Info re: Putnam County, the Saint Johns River, Satsuma, etc.

Hopefully will stimulate some sleuth ideas.

I know people who go out on the St Johns fishing alot. At least here on the southern end. I was told that there are 250 foot Oil barges come in from sea through Jacksonville to Sanford to supply oil at the power plant there. So big boats would not be a problem at least that far. One friend said he went from Sanford to Palatka and back on a tank of gas in 6 Hrs. He also said crossing lake George is rough like the ocean when its windy. Hope mabey this helps you in some way.

<above was sniped from another post on another thread>


by me -
The only time I've ever gotten seasick was on Lake George on a windy day. It is huge.
Just fyi, most barges [that I've seen] on the St. Johns would not require very deep clearance. [Then again, I usually only see them from above the water.]

We do have a company here that has worked on some very big boats, Palatka Shipbuilding. I believe it is next to the company where RC works.

The St. Johns River is sufficiently deep and was dredged years ago for the Cross-Florida Barge Canal. [A boondoggle of epic proportions.] They still have locks in operation, but I'm not sure where the boat are going that would use that. Will have to get back w/you on that one.

(More irrelevant local info - Sanford is the end point of AmTrak's AutoTrain service from NY.)

Ocala National Forest would be an ideal place to hide out if you needed to, btw.
 
Ocala National Forest [OCN]

Wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocala_National_Forest


Good side from Orlando Sentinal:
OCN - paradise for hikers, campers, paddlers
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/maitland/orl-travadventurer1808may18,0,2897799.story

Bad side from WESH tv out of Orlando:
Badlands of OCN -
Double murders, methamphetamine labs blowing up and rapes and kidnappings are just some of the crimes that have occurred recently in the Ocala National Forest.
http://www.wesh.com/iteam/10321253/detail.html
 
More useless- or useful trivia-

In the Ocala National Forest is the Pinecastle Bombing range-

The United States Navy's Pinecastle Bombing Range in the Ocala National Forest is the only place on the East Coast where the Navy can do live impact training. The Navy drops nearly 20,000 bombs a year at the site, a few hundred of which are live. The Pinecastle Bombing Range is an un-fenced 5,760 acre (23 km²) area, with the eastern edge of the range located about 2 miles west of State Road 19 and the Camp Ocala campgrounds, and one-half mile (800 m) west of the Farles Lake campground. F/A-18 Hornet jet fighters and other aircraft take off from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, fly low over the forest, and drop their bombs in the middle 450 acres (1.82 km2) of the range. All air-to-ground exercises using conventional ordnance up to and including 500 pounds (226.8 kg) MK 82 bombs and five-inch (127 mm) Zuni rockets are authorized. Napalm and High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) are prohibited. Live ordnance is restricted to the Live Ordnance Impact Area; inert ordnance is used on all other targets. Pinecastle targets have also been certified for laser operations. The Navy has used the area for target practice for 50 years under a special use permit from the National Forest Service.


This area is about 30 miles from where I live. When they are bombing it shakes the ground and rattles my windows. This was happening ALOT in late January.

Maps to show area:

flo-bombing-map.gif


Zoomed out for better perspective. The pin with the A is Satsuma. In the lower center you can see where the bomb range is in relation.

mapocala.png
 
There is LOTS of vacant property on Drayton Island.
"Drayton Island is a privately owned heavily wooded island at the northern end of Lake George on the west side of the Saint Johns River's main channel in Putnam County, Florida. The island is located across the river from a marina in Georgetown, Florida. A small public ferry, one of three left on the river, holds two cars at a time and services the small island's population."
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2VTT

Ft. Gates Ferry connects Haleigh's neighborhood to the Ocala National Forest much closer than the previously reported time/distance.

"The Fort Gates Ferry crosses the Saint Johns River just north of Lake George. The ferry's east dock is located in the Gateway Fish Camp in Fruitland, Florida. The west dock is at the end of the dirt Salt Springs Road in the Ocala National Forest."
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2VCB


No, I don't think that Haleigh's abductor took a ferry across the river. Just trying to give y'all a better idea about the area. [And someone mentioned an island somewhere on here. See also: Seven Sisters Islands.]


[Sorry, I don't know how to put the google map on here that shows Satsuma and the 2 ferries and Drayton Island. Here is a link.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8....428833,-81.684723&spn=0.363012,0.725098&z=11
 
Interlachen has several lakes and woods
CR graduated from Interlachen High School and knows the area well
 
From reading this, if you are passing flyers it sounds like it might be a good idea to pass flyers out at the ferry and barge companies. Also bait shops, boat rentals and areas that cater to the fishermen.
 
I wonder if a search was done in the woods and of the cabins surrounding Lake George.
 
I wonder if a search was done in the woods and of the cabins surrounding Lake George.

I would really like to find out the answer to that also pirate. Will go see if i can find out and post any info found.

Maybe, one of our WSrs can find a link for us.fingers crossed.

ETA: thank you for posting all of this information on the area everyone.
 
Does anyone know if there was a search around Lake George yet?
 
Does anyone know if there was a search around Lake George yet?
Nothing by LEO that I'm aware of. I have personally ridden the shoreline of the entire lake 3 times since Haleigh's diasappearance by airboat and mudboat. Have also searched the river from Welaka to Crescent lake (including dunns creek)
 
If you go to the Putnam County Property Appraiser's GIS Mapping page here

http://www1.putnam-fl.com/live/gispages.asp?id=8237

Then click to accept the disclaimer, a line drawing map of the whole county opens. You can zoom in to the Satsuma area [east side of the county, about 2/3 of the way down on the map.]

Or, you can click on the binoculars symbol and search by owner name or parcel number. In this case, it would be b a r d [w/o spaces]. A list of properties owned by persons with that last name will appear. Click on the one that is Haleigh's home address [202 Grn].
LG%20GIS%20Aerial%20of%20Green%20Dr.png


Alternatively, you may search by parcel, for example: 39-11-26-0000-0190-0074.


The GIS Mapping Toolbar Icons are
GIS%20Menu%20Bar.png


Here's how to use them:
Binoculars = search by parcel # or owner name
Eraser = clear selection
Toggle Selection
Magnifying Glass w.+ = zoom in
Magnifying Glass w.- = zoom out
Hand symbol = move page
Black left arrow = go back to last map
Globe = I don't know
Printer
Lg gray rect w/sm red rect in top corner - remove or add the county map from the corner of your map
? = Help
[/B]Toggle Selection
Magnifying Glass w.+ = zoom in
Magnifying Glass w.- = zoom out
Hand symbol = move page
Black left arrow = go back to last map
Globe = I don't know
i in black circle = get information on a piece of property you are interested in [prop owner, address, parcel #]
i in black circle in front of stack of books = drill down for info such as county commissioner, school assignment, etc.
Printer
Lg gray rect w/sm red rect in top corner - remove or add the county map from the corner of your map
? = Help



Go in there and explore around. You can zoom out to a line drawing, zoom in to aerials, find who owns which piece of land, etc. And don't just look at Haleigh's neighborhood. Go down to G'ma and G'pa's houses, see who owns the prime vacant waterfront property, etc.

It's an awesome tool.
 
I am adding links to local gov't sites for easy reference.

Putnam County Sheriff's Office
Current Booking Log http://public.pcso.us/jail/booking.aspx

Current Jail Population: http://public.pcso.us/jail/inmates.aspx

Search past 3 yrs bookings: http://public.pcso.us/jail/history.aspx

Search for Active Warrants: http://public.pcso.us/pubwarrants/warrants_srch_s.aspx


Putnam County Clerk of Courts
To search through civil, criminal, and O.R.
http://putnam-fl.com/clk_apps/ext_app_sec/public_disclaimer.php

Putnam County Tax Collector
To look up who owns a property or to find out what properties an individual owns.
http://www.putnam-fl.com/txc/onlineinquiry.htm




Info re: Putnam County, the Saint Johns River, Satsuma, etc.

Hopefully will stimulate some sleuth ideas.


The St. Johns River is sufficiently deep and was dredged years ago for the Cross-Florida Barge Canal. [A boondoggle of epic proportions.] They still have locks in operation, but I'm not sure where the boat are going that would use that. Will have to get back w/you on that one.

(More irrelevant local info - Sanford is the end point of AmTrak's AutoTrain service from NY.)

Ocala National Forest would be an ideal place to hide out if you needed to, btw.
 
I thought this news might be of interest since drug/drug use has been discussed in Haleigh's disappearance:

$24 Million Worth of Drugs Seized in Putnam County
by Gary Detman

PALATKA, FL -- A drug investigation by joint agencies across Florida netted nearly 11 arrests and took nearly $24 million worth of cocaine and marijuana off the streets of Putnam County -- the largest bust to date.

Teamwork between the Putnam County Drug/Vice Unit, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration & Customs Enforcement agents made it possible to seize 85 kilograms of powdered cocaine, 15 pounds of marijuana and one pound of crack cocaine.

An agent with the DEA estimated the street value of the drugs being approximately $24 million...

Remainder of article including names of all arrested at: http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=136123&catid=3

That's a lot of drugs! :eek:

After going to PCSO booking, I found the charges...
4 were arrested and charged with:
COCAINE-TRAFFIC 28 GRAMS LESS THAN 150 KG COCAINE OR MIXTURE, Felony
MARIJUANA-POSSESS WITH INTENT TO SELL MFG OR DELIVER SCHEDULE I, Felony
NARCOTIC EQUIP-POSSESS AND OR USE, Misdemeanor
Bond: $20,001,508.00

3 were arrested and charged with:
COCAINE-TRAFFIC 28 GRAMS LESS THAN 150 KG COCAINE OR MIXTURE, Felony
MARIJUANA-POSSESS WITH INTENT TO SELL MFG OR DELIVER SCHEDULE I, Felony
Bond: $20,000,000.00

:cow: For anyone questioning the competence of the new Sheriff/PCSO... it looks like those concerns aren't well founded. :cow:

(this story is also interesting considering that AB and a friend were booked in jail three days after the above individuals were for cocaine possession and attempting to smuggle drugs into jail. The above article does mention that 2 were detained for questioning.... makes me wonder again about all those drug charges that were dropped against Ron c.)
 
I had a thought....

If this bust is in any way related to Haleigh, Followinging the route of how the drugs come in may be importaNT. It would be secret, hidden, but familiar to someone who may be connected. Make any sense?

Just a thought inspired by you all.
 
I had a thought....

If this bust is in any way related to Haleigh, Followinging the route of how the drugs come in may be importaNT. It would be secret, hidden, but familiar to someone who may be connected. Make any sense?

Just a thought inspired by you all.

Bolded by me:)

Khaki_Pants: good thought, IMO. i think you may be onto something here. It saddens me to think about all the drug activity these children have possible been exposed to.
 
I went to the PCSO site to see if AB or her friend were bonded out, and I noticed that PCSO's Booking site has an Amber Alert ticker at the bottom of the page. Haleigh is one of the children on the ticker, for some reason that little thing just made me cry.

The ticker could have been there before, but I think that it has been added since she was abducted. The ticker says that we/Amber Alerts can help save lives, I think that this awareness is an example of how Haleigh has changed Putnam County for the better. I'm saddened that the awareness has come as a result of such a tragedy, but to me it is just good to feel like something positive come out of this.

Hats off the PCSO for including the ticker on their website! :clap:

(The ticker also included a link to obtain an Amber Alert Ticker for your own website or desktop and other ways people can be alerted of Amber Alerts. http://www.codeamber.org/index-2.php?atck)
 

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