The Green Light, August 2026
A documentary question. Back to school safety. The case page, rebuilt. And Bethany is still missing. The Green Light, August 2026.
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VOL. 1 / ISSUE 3 / AUGUST 2026
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FREE / BETHANYMARKOWSKI.COM
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THE
GREEN
LIGHT
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A ZINE FOR CHILD ADVOCACY
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FROM THE BETHANY MARKOWSKI FOUNDATION / LEBANON, TENNESSEE
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[ FROM THE TEAM ]
August. Back to school. Still searching.
Every August, school buses start running again, and every August, Jonnie thinks about the school year Bethany never finished. She was a fifth-grader. This issue leans into that — back-to-school safety, and a question that is always getting Googled: is there a documentary about Bethany's case? We finally wrote up the real answer.
We also spent part of the summer doing something less visible but just as important: a full rebuild of our case overview page — clearer answers, a fully sourced timeline, and direct information about who has investigated Bethany's disappearance over the past 25 years.
Both are below. Thank you for still being here.
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[ BETHANY'S CASE ]
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She is 36 years old. We have not stopped.
Bethany Leanne Markowski was reported missing on March 4, 2001, near Jackson, Tennessee. She was 11 years old. She has never been found.
TBI Agent Cathy Ferguson remains the assigned investigator.
The last thing she said to her mama was "I love you."
Read the fully rebuilt case overview →
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// CASE INFO
TBI #01-4723
NCMEC #906662
NamUs #4238
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// IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING
TBI: 1-800-TBI-FIND
NCMEC: 1-800-THE-LOST
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// CASE PAGE, REBUILT
We rewrote our case overview from the ground up this summer — clearer answers, a fully sourced timeline, direct info on who's investigated the case. Same link, much more there now.
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[ THE DOCUMENTARY QUESTION ]
Is there a documentary about Bethany? Not yet.
People ask this constantly. So we finally wrote the full answer: no standalone documentary exists, but her case has been covered by CNN, NBC News, a multi-part Crime Watch Daily investigation, and many true crime podcasts over the past 25 years. We linked every single one.
But a real documentary — something that could reach people who've never heard her name — is still something we want. Genuinely.
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// WE WANT THIS TO EXIST
Do you know a documentary filmmaker? Even someone early in their career — a film student with real passion for this kind of story counts. One real lead: the Southern Documentary Fund funds documentary makers working in or about Tennessee and the rest of the South, with grants up to $15,000 and fiscal sponsorship for filmmakers who don't yet have their own nonprofit status. If that's you, or someone you know, please reach out to our team.
✉ team@bethanymarkowski.com
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[ CHILD SAFETY / BACK TO SCHOOL ]
Back to school means new risks. Here's what to watch for.
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01
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KNOW YOUR CHILD'S ROUTE.
Walk the actual route to the bus stop or classroom door together. Point out safe houses and trusted adults along the way.
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02
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CHECK YOUR CHILD'S PICKUP LIST.
As after-school sports and activities ramp up, double check who's authorized to pick up your child at school, practice, or aftercare.
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03
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NEW APPS. NEW FRIENDS. NEW RISKS.
As kids reconnect with classmates online this month, review privacy settings together and talk about what's okay to share.
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04
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TALK TO YOUR KIDS TONIGHT.
Ask about their day, their friends, anything on their mind. Connection is one of the simplest forms of protection there is.
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[ IN THE NEWS ]
Missing children and advocacy headlines from June and July 2026. Staying informed is part of the fight.
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01
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House passes the KIDS Act, 267-117, setting up a fight with the Senate
WASHINGTON TIMES / JUNE 29, 2026
The House passed a sweeping children's online safety package, including a version of the Kids Online Safety Act, requiring default safety settings for minors and age verification for explicit content. The Senate has not yet advanced a matching package. We're watching.
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14 endangered missing children recovered in Hawai'i multiagency operation
STATE OF HAWAI'I / JULY 1, 2026
Operation Shine the Light VII, a joint effort between Hawai'i state agencies, the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and NCMEC, safely recovered 14 endangered runaway teens across O'ahu in a single weekend. This is what coordinated, well-resourced advocacy looks like — and exactly the kind of resourcing we're still fighting for in Tennessee.
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August 26 is Women's Equality Day. Honoring Jonnie Carter, Lori Jackson, and Tommie Estraca — the mother and aunts who built this foundation. @bethanymarkowskifoundation
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[ FOUNDATION UPDATE ]
Still in the building season.
Here's what's moving.
Walmart Spark Good Cycle 3 opened August 1, and we're in it. Our Google Ad Grants campaigns — $10,000 a month in free advertising — are moving from build to launch. Grant season continues alongside all of it.
Our free child safety video course is still on track for an October launch — free, always, for every family in Tennessee, regardless of income.
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// WE NEED YOU
Writing, design, social media, grant research, event planning, photography, legal knowledge, fundraising, video editing — any skill at all. No skill is too small. This foundation runs on people who show up.
✉ team@bethanymarkowski.com
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Know a documentary filmmaker? Know of a grant we should apply for? Send it to the same address. Every lead matters.
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[ UNTIL NEXT MONTH ]
Bethany has been missing for 25 years. Somewhere, someone might know something. Somewhere, someone might make the film that finally reaches them. We're not giving up on either.
If this issue moved you, share it. There is someone in your circle who needs to read it.
The Bethany Markowski Foundation Team
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THE BETHANY MARKOWSKI FOUNDATION, INC.
EIN 41-2321010 / 501(c)(3) NONPROFIT
LEBANON / MOUNT JULIET, WILSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE
TAX-EXEMPT STATUS GRANTED JANUARY 2026
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