What really happened to Beth Bentley?

What happened on May 20, 2010?

Woodstock resident Beth Bentley, then 41, left Woodstock for the last time. Beth and her friend, Jen Wyatt, drove to Mt. Vernon, Ill. And she never returned.

Speculation continues on what happened to Beth. Somebody knows. More than "one" somebody quite likely know. Some of those "sombodies" might still be right in Woodstock or in McHenry County. The list could number 12 or more.

So far, nobody has cracked. But they will. One of these days...

A new investigative effort is occurring and can be following on Vanished in Illinois. Visit its website at www.VanishedinIllinois.com

There are many articles on this blog about Beth Bentley. I wrote weekly about this case for an extended period of time. She should not be forgotten. It is just not okay for this case to linger in the cold-case files at the Woodstock Police Department.

Woodstock PD claimed leadership in this case after her missing person report was filed with it by family members on Monday, May 24, 2010. But it probably should not have the lead police agency , because Beth was reportedly (although not necessarily reliably) last seen in Centralia, Ill. The house that was the destination that Thursday night was in Jefferson County, Ill., outside the limits of Mt. Vernon. Since Woodstock is 300+ miles from Mt. Vernon, it would quickly become too time-consuming and too expensive for Woodstock to conduct a thorough investigation.

Why is this time, now, important in this case? Beth's disappearance will hit the seven-year mark this year, and this is often when a missing person can be presumed dead. There were rumors in 2010 of a large insurance policy insuring Beth. Once she is legally dead, then a claim can be made on that policy.

Whether an insurance company will pay to a beneficiary could be up in the air. If an insurance company believes that it should not, then it might, instead, pay the policy proceeds to the State of Illinois (to demonstrate its willingness to meet the terms of the policy) and then throw the responsibility onto the State of Illinois to determine whether the named beneficiary is entitled to the proceeds.

Such a contest might then become public record, whereas direct payment by an insurance is usually confidential. Public record would then reveal whether or not there was a large policy, who bought it, who sold it and, importantly, when it was issued.

All of this leads to more questions.

Depressed? Read this

Are you depressed? Have you ever been depressed? (Are you getting depressed, just reading this?)

Or do you know anyone who is (or has been) depressed?

Pick up a copy of a new book by Leah Oviedo titled D.I.Y. Therapy: Healing Depression. This will set you back $0.99. That's right; less than a dollar for this e-book, delivered instantly from Amazon.com. Just click on the title.

The author writes from her personal experience and offers valuable information. Your job? Read the book and follow her suggestions. Pretty simple, eh?

Don't speed-read through her book. Read a page and do what she recommends; i.e., write down your answers, feeling, emotions, intuition, thoughts, memories. Actually do it. Don't just read about the exercise or think about it for three seconds before reading on.

You can also give away her book. Just imagine. For only $0.99, you can give this book to all your friends who are depressed. After you do, be sure to bug them to claim the gift and to begin reading the book. Get your 99¢ worth!

e-Books can be read on tablet, smartphones and even right on your computer.

Do you know anyone who doesn't have one of those?

After you read it, please post a review on Amazon. Reviews always help authors.

Scammers becoming more "creative"

Does it seem to you that scammers are becoming more aggressive and more creative?

A friend recently received a phone call that purportedly was from McAfee. The caller wanted remote access to her computer so that she could "refund" $300.00 from McAfee. The person who received the call was smart enough to hang up, but seconds later another caller followed up with the same scam. Quite likely her phone number will be passed around now as a "good" phone number; i.e., one that is answered.

Now I know that you are smart enough to avoid becoming their next sucker, but what about someone you know? Perhaps someone who is not quite so computer savvy as you?

It's a fact of life now (not an "alternative fact") that scammers are getting more aggressive and more creative in their attempts by email and telephone to get your money out of your pocket and into theirs.

Carefully guard ALL confidential and privacy information. Do not give out any personal information to anyone who calls you. Even if you know who they are, call them back at a known and proven customer service number (not the number they give you). Get that number off the back of your credit card or bank statement.

Caveat emptor. If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

WisconsinCarry wins again

Would you like to be able to "carry" on the "L", CTA buses, Pace, Metra and other mass-transit systems in Illinois?

Is the Illinois State Rifle Association winning like WisconsinCarry? Does ISRA face off in court like WisconsinCarry does? It's worth your $15.00, even if you live in Illinois. They are working hard for gun owners.

Check out its recent press release:

This email is being transmitted to Wisconsin Carry members, former members, and those on our opt-in email list.

In the fall of 2014 it was brought to Wisconsin Carry's attention Madison Metro Transit prohibited law-abiding citizens from carrying while on city buses. Notwithstanding it is shameful for a government entity to discriminate against individuals who rely on mass transit. (citizens who use mass transit should be able to exercise their 2nd Amendment right to carry just like those who have their own transportation). WCI believed this ban was illegal. Wisconsin Carry contacted the city of Madison and Madison Metro Transit by phone and certified letter to request they end their illegal gun ban. Our requests were denied. This is not just about carrying ON the bus, but rather, if your day/errands, etc start, and end with a ride on a Madison bus, you are effectively denied your right to carry throughout your entire day.

In January of 2014, Wisconsin Carry Inc. filed a lawsuit against the City of Madison, WI. In that lawsuit, WCI maintains, in addition to its discriminatory nature, Madison Metro Transit's ban of guns on city buses violates the state's preemption statute (66.0409) which, in order to maintain uniform gun laws across the state, prohibits political subdivisions of the state (municipalities, counties, towns, villages, cites, etc) from passing gun laws stricter than state laws.

The original lawsuit was filed in Dane County Circuit court. After a questionable ruling, and subsequent appeal which concurred with the lower court, Wisconsin Carry appealed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The court agreed to hear our case. Oral arguments, including an amicus brief *supporting* WCI's position filed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice under pro-freedom Attorney General Brad Schimel, were heard in September of 2016.

Wisconsin Carry is pleased to announce that yesterday the Wisconsin Supreme Court rendered its decision in this case. By a 5-2 majority, the Wis. Supreme Court Justices agreed that Madison Metro Transit did not have lawful authority to ban guns on city buses and reversed the lower courts rulings.

A copy of the decision can be read here: http://www.wisconsincarry.org/media/15370/SCOW_Opinion____WCI_v_Madison.pdf

Additional information on this case is available from a news release on the WCI website:

http://www.wisconsincarry.org/news/wi-supreme-court-victory.aspx