Lack Of Answers Haunt Families Of Other Missing Florida Women

ACROSS AMERICA — Good morning! It’s Saturday, Oct. 9. If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, check the fall foliage peak times in your area and head out to enjoy a day full of leaf-peeping. Before you go, catch up on the stories we’re following today:

• Families of missing Tampa Bay women yearn for closure.
• Two journalists receive the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize; one of them has strong New Jersey ties.
• Brian Laundrie was under surveillance before he disappeared, authorities told Patch.
• Misinformation is a big problem today, according to most Americans.

Florida Families Seek Closure

While the Gabby Petito case claims the national media spotlight, families of other missing women in the Tampa Bay area are still seeking answers. Many say they'd give anything for that kind of closure — to simply know whether their loved one is alive or dead.

Among them is Natosha Watkins, who reached out to Patch when her younger sister, 28-year-old Cieha Taylor, disappeared on Feb. 6, 2020.

Watkins said it's been difficult to listen to the daily bombardment of media updates on the Petito case when her sister's case received so little media attention.

In the meantime, Cieha Taylor's case grows cold.

"It has me very emotional," Watkins said. "There isn't much positive information regarding my sister.” »Tampa Bay Missing Women Cases Grow Cold As Families Seek Closure, via Tampa Patch

Journalist Receives Nobel Peace Prize

Friday's announcement awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to journalist Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia marked a rare bright spot during a dark time when media around the world face new pressures and crackdowns from the authorities. »Media Groups Hail 2021 Nobel Peace Prize For Journalists, via Across America Patch

• MORE: Nobel Peace Prize Awarded To Journalist With New Jersey Ties, via Toms River Patch

Tesla Heads To Texas

Tesla will move its headquarters from California to Austin, Texas, CEO Elon Musk announced this week. Last year, Musk threatened to move the company out of Fremont, California, due to COVID-19 restrictions. Despite his previous threat to move all manufacturing, Musk said Thursday that's not the company's intention. »Tesla Will Move Its Headquarters To Austin, via Austin Patch

Google Crackdown

Google is cracking down on digital ads promoting false climate change claims or being used to make money from such content, hoping to limit revenue for climate change deniers and stop the spread of misinformation on its platforms. The new policy will also apply to YouTube. »Google Cracks Down On Climate Change Denial Ads, via Mountain View, California, Patch

Lack Of Love For Chicago Sky

Chicago Sky coach James Wade said recently that he knows Chicago loves a winner. But in the case of a WNBA team headed to league's championship series, the question becomes, will its hometown love this winner?

If the answer is no, Chicago's mayor has a hypothesis why: Because women are doing the winning. »Lightfoot Sees Gender Bias In Lack Of Media Love For Chicago Sky, via Chicago Patch

Officials Had ‘Eye On’ Brian Laundrie

As the search for Brian Laundrie, a person of interest in the death of his fiancee, Gabby Petito, continues, a police spokesperson said Laundrie was under surveillance when he fled his Florida home in mid-September. Law enforcement agencies "were doing everything we could to keep an eye on Brian within the law based on the facts and evidence we had at the time," the spokeperson confirmed. »Brian Laundrie Was Under Surveillance When He Fled, via Sarasota Patch

Follow all Gabby Petito coverage via Patch

House Porn: Blueberry Hill

The thing that makes this beautiful Washington home really special — on top of being wildly gorgeous and conveniently located — is that the 2.25-acre property used to be a blueberry farm. Free blueberries? Now that's luxury.

This Day In History

In 1936, the Boulder Dam — later called the Hoover Dam — on the Arizona-Nevada border began generating electricity for states including Arizona, Nevada and California.

Around ‘The Patch’

• Misinformation Is A Big Problem, Americans Agree: Poll, via Across America Patch
• New Jersey School District Probing Whether Teacher Removed Student's Hijab, via Maplewood Patch
• For "Spotlight" Actor, Boston Marathon Means Something Extra, via Boston Patch
• Orlando Bloom Has Malibu Meet And Greet With ... Sharks?, via Malibu Patch
• Kamala Harris Visits New Jersey To Push For Child Care, Vaccines, via Montclair Patch
• 2 Rutgers Prep Coaches Charged In Connection With Sex Assault, via Hillsborough, New Jersey, Patch
• Most Massachusetts Parents Will Vaccinate Younger Kids After FDA OK, via Across Massachusetts Patch
• Zodiac Killer ID'd By Cold Case Team; FBI Memo IDs 6th Victim, via San Francisco Patch
• Minneapolis Police Discussed 'Hunting' Amid 2020 Street Violence, via Southwest Minneapolis Patch
• Brother Kills Brother, A Pharmacist, For Giving COVID Vaccine, via Ellicott City, Maryland Patch

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