Let's draw on the power of Google Maps to drop in on the Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford Florida, made infamous by the Trayvon Martin shooting.
First, a view of the gates to this gated community.
I see a tollbooth style automobile barrier in the foreground and actual gates, open here, in the background. As to how buttoned down this neighborhood is, who can tell? Presumably the gate is operated by a passcard, since (I have read) there are no humans in attendance.
For this second shot we rotate about 70 degrees to the left of our current perspective and look down Oregon Ave.
I note the brick wall and the townhouses; the sign says "Models from the $120s", so if Thurston Howell II is living here he is rubbing elbows with some 99 percenters.
Let's close with an aerial shot. Lots of townhouses. The gate shown above was from Oregon Ave at point B at the top of this pic.
There are lots pass-throughs between the townhouses, so a pedestrian familiar with the area (not Trayvon, regretably) could easily elude a driver in a car. On the other hand a pedestrian who knew where he was going (Zimmerman) might easily overtake Martin.
Final stray thought - some news accounts say Trayvon Martin had stepped out to a 7-11; most go with "convenience store".
Back "convenience store" - the nearest 7-11s are three miles away, if we can trust Google. [UPDATE - we can't.]
UPDATE: With boots on the ground and a boost from Rick Ballard, I learn that there is a 7-Eleven at 1125 Rinehart Rd; the 7-Eleven store locator confirms this but Google is obdurate. The distance is roughly 3/4 of a mile.
LOTS MORE: Narcisco contributes this fascinating backgrounder from the Tampa Bay Times. Due to the real estate slump it was a neighborhood in turmoil, with lots of renters and empty units. I will highlight this:
For the first two months of this year, at the Retreat at Twin Lakes, the Sanford police logged 51 calls for service. Half were just people requesting information. The others included eight burglaries, two bike thefts and three simple assaults.
Thirteen incidents in two months.
The Tampa Bay Times takes the approach we have seen adopted by the Times - there is no mention of Zimmerman's bloody nose or cut to the back of his head. Lots of rumination about how children can avoid "looking suspicious", but no advice along the lines of "don't punch strangers in the nose". Flight trumps fight, as one mother notes:
For her son's whole life, Brown said, she has told him: If someone's chasing you, run. "What if it's a kidnapper? Or someone trying to beat or rob you?" she asked.
She stopped walking the dog and shook her head. "But if he runs, does that make him even more suspicious?" Brown wiped her eyes. "What makes someone suspicious? That's what worries me the most."
I'd be curious what the crime stats are for those two big cross streets. If it's anything like certain dense pack parts of FL, and surrounding cities, it's a very busy PD.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | March 25, 2012 at 10:23 PM
So, finally we come to somewhat of a balanced piece, why they chose that location, why they
needed a neighborhood watch, showing the tragic coincidences that led to these circumstances
http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1221799.ece
Posted by: narciso | March 25, 2012 at 10:30 PM
"if we can trust Google."
But we can't. There's a 7-11 .6 mile due west on Rinehart Road next to the Sam's Club. Probably a 3/4 mile walk - a 20 minute amble.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | March 25, 2012 at 10:36 PM
I certainly don't know what happened there, but it certainly seems that no one else does either.
Posted by: MarkO | March 25, 2012 at 10:57 PM
By the way, Google Earth is a little creepy, no?
Posted by: MarkO | March 25, 2012 at 11:12 PM
I feel very sorry for all the residents of that place. Think what their hopes must have been.
And now they're in the latest Al Sharpton drama.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | March 25, 2012 at 11:19 PM
i agree, DoT, the value os there homes has already dipped substantially --ow it'll be even worse.
Posted by: Clarice | March 25, 2012 at 11:21 PM
From insty:http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/2012/03/26/#006466
Posted by: Clarice | March 25, 2012 at 11:27 PM
How do you even begin to calculate a loss like that, one family shattered, another likely to be deprived of their freedom or worse, I'm sure Jorge would give anything
in the world, not to have made that fatal mistake,
Now from the sublime to the shallow, where is the gate, the bar that blocks a car entrance, heck even a speed bump. Am I missing something,
Posted by: narciso | March 25, 2012 at 11:30 PM
*of their**
Yes, narciso, that, too. And a neighborhood that seems toh ave been reasonable cohesive is now riven apart.
Niters.
Posted by: Clarice | March 25, 2012 at 11:34 PM
Reuters has a new story up quoting Zimmerman's black friend saying that Zimmerman is not a racist.
Reuters reports that Zimmerman is "a white Hispanic."
I guess now there must be:
White Hispanics
Black Hispanics
Asian Hispanics
Mestizo Hispanics
Are there any Hispanics who are just Hispanics any more, or are they now Hispanic Hispanics?
Isn't it wonderful how this President has brought us all together so that we aren't a society divided by Race anymore.
Posted by: daddy | March 25, 2012 at 11:55 PM
daddy, at least the seas have begun to recede. Whew.
Posted by: MarkO | March 26, 2012 at 12:03 AM
--Sanford And Signs--
--I note the brick wall and the townhouses; the sign says "Models from the $120s", so if Thurston Howell II is living here he is rubbing elbows with some 99 percenters.--
Maybe, but it's not exactly Fred and Lamont's empire either.
Posted by: Ignatz | March 26, 2012 at 12:30 AM
Interesting, Daddy, maybe that's also a new strategy in an attempt to maintain minority status in places where Hispanics are now more than 50% of the population.
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 02:04 AM
Nice hit job by CNN International on the "Controversial practice of Fracking."
After a segment telling us why High Gas prices are not Obama's fault, a CNN English correspondent went off on a big story of fracking about to start in South Africa. The area is in an environmentally fragile area and the toxic chemicals used in fracking will poison the earth and the water supply. Shell is mentioned skeptically a few times, and their reports of potential employment in the area are poopooed as unrealistic by anti fracking advocates, who are given a feather and plenty of face time by CNN.
Anyone around the world watching the CNN report will come away knowing that fracking is dangerous, knowing that the Environmentalists are the good guys you should be rooting for, and knowing that evil big oil is unconcerned about being dangerous and does not care about the Environment whatever.
It came across to me as a perfect example of RSE's quote the other day about the Left: "We want citizens to have opinions about scientific matters so we can manipulate their emotions. We do not want them to have the facts to interfere with our propaganda campaign." Much video of impassioned American OWS types protesting the evils of fracking in order to drive the point home.
Posted by: daddy | March 26, 2012 at 05:09 AM
And speaking of the good and noble intentions of the Enviro-crowd...
The Green Climate Fund, which is supposed to help mobilize as much as $100 billion a year to lower global greenhouse gases, is seeking a broad blanket of UN-style immunity that would shield its operations from any kind of legal process, including civil and criminal prosecution
Who could possibly be against such a reasonable request?
Posted by: daddy | March 26, 2012 at 05:41 AM
I've heard of a dry martini but this takes the cake.
Posted by: daddy | March 26, 2012 at 06:24 AM
This can all be traced to the fact that the neighborhood is in a food desert.
Posted by: Charlotta Menger | March 26, 2012 at 06:48 AM
Here's a cheery little story with video of a sad blind dog, rescued from a dump, and restored to sight and a caring family. Wonderful to see him jumping around in happiness toward the end of the video. A dog's New Life.
Posted by: daddy | March 26, 2012 at 06:50 AM
As I noted on the previous thread this type of "gated community" of investor condos either sitting idle or rented is very common in the central part of Florida. The investor has little incentive to not rent to anyone. You get a mixed bag. Lots of crime especially drugs in these situations.
Full disclosure: I am one of those investors in a rented condo in a gated community on the ICW. I have a minority renter who is behind but trying to catch up. The community is a mix of retirees and young renters. It has no security other tha transponders and gate codes. There is a drug problem.
Not near the level of police reports as the one in Sanford but it is what it is - an environment at risk.
I believe the locale and its features are only a backdrop and the focus should be on what actually happened and really is Trayvon Martin. The MFM will make sure we know who George Zimmerman is, warts and all. Even the lies, rumors and every innuendo ever told about him. And the will fit every fact as it comes out to their narrative, not necessarily the truth.
Posted by: Jack is Back! | March 26, 2012 at 06:53 AM
So why does Sandra Fluke deserve a Presidential phone call, but Trayvon's parents do not?
Posted by: p | March 26, 2012 at 07:06 AM
I am happy to report that for the last hour CNBC has been focusing completely on John Corzine and the recent e-mail proving he ordered the transfer of 200 million dollars at MF Global.
Much skepticism expressed by CNBC reporters and panel members at Corzine's claims of complete innocence in the matter, and nice shooting down of the pro-Corzine talking points foisted over the weekend that there is nothing to see here and move along folks.
Interesting point was made that 4 of the 5 top MF Exec's were conveniently all off on "vacation" during the last few days when the company was sinking like the Titanic.
Interesting speculation that Edith O'Brian, the gal who will be testifying to Congress shortly, was possibly being set up as the fall guy.
Glad to see it's not going down the memory hole, and am still hoping for the Rush Limbaugh parody song of Corzine singing Robert Palmer's (Simply Unbelievable---there's no telling where the money went) Fingers crossed for that!
Posted by: daddy | March 26, 2012 at 07:32 AM
Good Morning:
Jake Tapper @jaketapper
Microphone gets Obama asking Rusians to give him "space" on missile defense, more "flexibility" post- election> http://abcn.ws/GPJtY7
Byron York @ByronYork
I think what Obama was saying in @jaketapper report is he has to appear to protect American interests aggressively until election. And then…
Posted by: centralcal | March 26, 2012 at 07:38 AM
Today Show idiots are doing their best to make up for what daddy reports on CNBC:
1. 71 year old Dick Cheney's heart transplant opens up controversy on whether younger patients should receive priority; iow Would you please die Dick?
2. Ann Curry conducts interviews with friend of Zimmerman and gives him leading question "Would you call his behavior obsessive" to which he responded "I would characterize it as dedicated". Ann wasn't happy with that so she shot back "Bottom line is that an unarmed 17 year old is dead".
Posted by: Captain Hate | March 26, 2012 at 07:41 AM
More from Tapper at Political Punch:
Jake Tapper
By Jake Tapper
@jaketapper
Find on FacebookFollow on Twitter
Mar 26, 2012 6:17am
President Obama Asks Medvedev for ‘Space’ on Missile Defense — ‘After My Election I Have More Flexibility’
Email 3 Smaller Font Text Larger Text | Print
SEOUL, South Korea — At the tail end of his 90 minute meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev Monday, President Obama said that he would have “more flexibility” to deal with controversial issues such as missile defense, but incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to give him “space.”
Posted by: centralcal | March 26, 2012 at 07:42 AM
Sorry for the lousy formatting above. Need more coffee!
Posted by: centralcal | March 26, 2012 at 07:43 AM
I've read so many threads now, I can't remember who said it, but whoever said Obama's Russian connections are interesting, I'll trade them with you for his Chinese connections. Was it you, CC?
One of them is a half-brother who works in China, in the computer world, in Nanshan, Shenzhen, China nuclear industrial zone, just north of Hong Kong. Masters in GPS physics from Stanford and an MBA from Emory. Worked at US Defense contractors, Lucent and Nortel prior to 2002. Current cover as musician.
Islam in China 11/5/08
Via Wayback Machine 7/27/08 LUN
Barack Obama’s brother pushes Chinese imports on US
"...The website lists an office address in the west of the city but despite a search of the area and checks with local police, no such building could be located.
Nor is Worldnexus Ltd legally registered in Hong Kong, where many businesses choose to incorporate for their China trade...."
In craft talk, that's called a front, you know what I mean, for one of those gazillion PRC fronts who spy on the US. It's so obvious, I'm ROFWL.
Mark Ndesandjo: Obama Says He Met With Half Brother While In China, 11/18/09
2/2/10 article: U.S. intelligence community was ordered to stand down on espionage perpetrated by Chinese spies.
It's time for the FBI and CIA to join in on the vetting now.
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 07:50 AM
So Obama is telling the ex-head of the KGB that he wants to further weaken America, but he can't let Americans know that until after they foolishly buy his lies and re-elect him.
Doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Surprise any of you guys?
Posted by: daddy | March 26, 2012 at 07:50 AM
No, that's fine, one has to understand Modern Russia, like a feudal enterprise, somewhat like those featured in Game of Thrones, Putin, Medvedev, Makarov, Rogozin, faces of the same coin,
Posted by: narciso | March 26, 2012 at 07:51 AM
BR, alas, it wasn't me. I took a break from the computer for the whole weekend, so if it was a recent comment I didn't see who posted it. If it was an older comment, I can't remember it :)
Posted by: centralcal | March 26, 2012 at 07:55 AM
Someone had some Russian cards in the last 4 threads :)
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 08:02 AM
I think I mentioned his ties to the DGI, through Wright, and not to mention Aponte,
although it came up in Kurtz, not Klein.
Posted by: narciso | March 26, 2012 at 08:03 AM
Back on 8/7/08, this was written.
I don't know if it's been verified:
"Mark Ndesandjo collects money for Hamas and has donated significantly to his brother's campaign. In fact, the British government lists one of Mark Ndesandjo businesses registered in the UK as a significant supporter of terrorism and charges him with funneling money to terrorist including Osama Bin Laden but the majority is sent to Hamas through the other half brother Malik Obango Roy Obama."
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 08:13 AM
Could you elaborate, narciso?
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 08:15 AM
Ha, he's a one-man UN with all his ties.
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 08:16 AM
I heard it's going to cost a $1 billion to renovate the UN buildings. Why bother, just pitch a tent in the Oval Office.
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 08:18 AM
For those concerned about Forbes missing Manchurian candidate article yesterday, Gateway captured and reprints it: http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/03/thats-weird-forbes-article-calling-obama-the-manchurian-candidate-disappears-down-the-memory-hole/
Posted by: Clarice | March 26, 2012 at 08:26 AM
Kurta, had a cite in his book about a Journal
story by Abich from 1984, that showed how both Wright and Jackson, had accomodated themselves to DGI facilities.
Posted by: narciso | March 26, 2012 at 08:30 AM
What the heck is "DGI"?
Posted by: Clarice | March 26, 2012 at 08:35 AM
Tks, Clarice. The 2 authors seem almost naive, don't they? The man is doing exactly what he was put there to do, hastening the downfall of freedom in the US.
What's more interesting is mainstream Forbes publishing the article and secondarily it's mysterious disappearance.
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 08:36 AM
This pic of the day at Weasel Zippers was from the Stand Up For Religious Freedom rally in DC. Elaine & I were talking & the photographer wanted to capture her rosary with the flag behind it. She held her rosary up at least 10-15 minutes while he took pictures from every angle. Very posed...which is okay. The pic turned out good.
Posted by: Janet | March 26, 2012 at 08:37 AM
I actually like the convergance of radical Islam/ Marxism/ tyranny all in one bumbling, fumbling puppet. The dragon with three heads can be vanquished real early in the 21st century.
Posted by: BR | March 26, 2012 at 08:40 AM
The folks Myers reported to, Cuban counterpart to KGB.
Posted by: narciso | March 26, 2012 at 08:44 AM
BR,
I was also surprised that Forbes both published it & took it down so fast.
Posted by: Porchlight | March 26, 2012 at 09:03 AM
Check out this 7-11 address on Google Maps... Just make sure to include "Sanford, Florida" in it...
4900 W. STATE ROAD 46 @ OREGON AVE
It appears to be A LOT closer to that community (less than a five minute walk, in fact). Thought I'd let you know.
Posted by: Correction | March 29, 2012 at 02:54 AM
^^ Sorry, I made a mistake. It looks like that address directed me to just Oregon Avenue. You can delete my comments if you wish.
Posted by: Correction | March 29, 2012 at 01:33 PM