Happy Halloween!

The FOX 61 Morning News Team dressed up like Gilligan's Island for Halloween! We were also joined by the Six Flags crew who taught us the Thriller Dance!

Logan and I were Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell

And since it's Halloween, I have to recommend my favorite Halloween movie... More than 300 years ago, the Sanderson sisters bewitched the lives of little children. Now it's Halloween, and the witches are back! This time, they've got their eyes on immortal life and have turned their wrath on trick-or-treaters! This is a definite must-see... my all-time FAVORITE Halloween movie -- Hocus Pocus -- starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy.

Benefit Show

"Many people walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints on your heart." - Eleanor Roosevelt

This weekend we celebrated the life of Alice Morrin. We presented a beautiful plaque to Alice's family -- which will be placed in our newsroom for all to see.

Coming up on Oct, 17th -- We are holding another event to raise money for the Morrin Education Fund. Please come to this Benefit Show! Bronze Radio Return, Columbia Fields, and Forward Motion are all performing.

Directions: The Warehouse

45 Bartholomew Ave.

Hartford, CT

(860) 985-3100

Follow my new blog...

Overcoming Battered Lives

We are launching this blog for all of you… those of you who know someone affected by domestic violence, victims of domestic violence, or anyone who wants to offer words of encouragement or advice. I became interested in domestic violence when my dear friend, Alice Morrin, lost her life at the hands of her husband. Alice was the victim of a murder-suicide. Her death is beyond tragic. However, I want Alice to be remembered for the amazing woman that she was and the warmth she brought to everyone. Alice will live on in the family that she raised, the friends that she loved, and the wonderful memories that she leaves behind. My hope is to help others who are going through domestic violence. Around the world, at least one in every three women has been physically or sexually abused during her lifetime. An estimated 3-4 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner every year. But domestic violence is much more than physical abuse. In fact, many battered women who are controlled by their spouse/partner have never been physically assaulted. Regardless, domestic violence should not happen to ANYONE! Remember, you are not alone, it’s not your fault, and help is available. We need to work together to end Domestic Violence.

Here are some warning signs I found on Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website…

Warning Signs

The following checklist may help you decide if you or someone you know is being abused.

Does your partner…

• constantly criticize you and your abilities as a spouse/partner, parent or employee?
• behave in an over-protective manner or become extremely jealous?
• threaten to hurt you, your children, pets, family members, friends or himself?
• prevent you from seeing family or friends?
• get suddenly angry or "lose his temper"?
• destroy personal property or throw things around?
• deny you access to family assets like bank accounts, credit cards, or the car, or control all finances and force you to account for what you spend?
• use intimidation or manipulation to control you or your children?
• hit, punch, slap, kick, shove, choke or bite you?
• prevent you from going where you want to, when you want to, and with whomever you want to?
• make you have sex when you don't want to or do things sexually that you don't want to do?
• humiliate or embarrass you in front of other people?

It you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may be a victim of domestic violence. You are not to blame and you are not alone – millions of women are abused by their partners every year. In any case, you need not face domestic violence alone. You deserve help, and help is available by calling 1-888-774-2900.

Domestic violence does not discriminate against anyone at any age: men, women, teens and children. Tell us your story. Do you know someone affected by domestic violence? Were you a victim of domestic violence? This is a safe place for you to be open, so hopefully we can help others and save a life.

Thank You USA Gymnastics!

First, I want to thank USA Gymnastics for donating a VIP Package for the 2010 National Championships - which will take place at the XL Center!

Be sure to attend the Morrin Education Benefit tonight.

Click here for more info.

Also, since I'm a gymnastics fan, I've included a link to my blog from last summer when I covered gymnastics at the US Olympic Games for the Olympic News Service.

Click here for my 2008 Olympic Games blog from Beijing, China!

I've included a few pictures for you as well...

XL Center - 2010 National Championships!

Gymnastics Gold:

XL Center Capture 2010 National Championships

By LORI RILEYThe Hartford Courant

USA Gymnastics' 2010 national championships and main world championship qualifier will be held at the XL Center in Hartford Aug. 11-14, 2010. The announcement will be made today.

The Visa Championships are a coup for Hartford, which hasn't often hosted nationally prominent sporting events.

The Davis Cup, the international tennis championship, took place in Hartford in 1987, with Boris Becker, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. The NCAA men's basketball tournament was last in town in 1998, and the women's NCAA regional was held at the Civic Center, now the XL Center, in 2004. Skate America, an international figure-skating competition, was held at the Civic Center in 2006.

"From my perspective, when I look at the number of visitors coming to Hartford for this, the TV exposure and the overall impact on the economy, this appears to be one of the biggest events Hartford has ever landed," said Chuck Steedman, senior vice president and general manager of the XL Center.

The 2009 Visa Championships, which will take place next month in Dallas, feature Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin and silver medalist Jonathan Horton.

The announcement of the 2010 championships will be made today at noon at the Capitol with legendary women's gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and Gov. M. Jodi Rell in attendance.

"We are honored the state of Connecticut was selected to host such a popular and exciting sporting event," Rell said in a statement. "… We have a lot to look forward to when it comes to the economic boost it will have on our business community. Frankly, the 2010 Visa Championships are coming to Connecticut at the right time."

About 25,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will feature competition at the XL Center and the University of Hartford, as well as a national gymnastics convention and trade show at the Connecticut Convention Center. The men's and women's finals will be televised nationally by NBC.

Economically, the competition is expected to be a shot in the arm for the region. Direct spending estimated at $7.5 million is expected at hotels, restaurants, attractions and other businesses, according to the Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau. More broadly, it would enable the region to show itself off for the purpose of generating development.

USA Gymnastics president and CEO Steve Penny said Hartford was chosen for many reasons, including the city's "compact, walkable" environment and the XL Center's adjoining expo center, which will be used for warm-up and practice gyms.

"The combination of the community, the [Greater Hartford Convention and Visitors Bureau] and Chuck Steedman — they showed a lot of enthusiasm for wanting to bring the event to the community," Penny said.

"The Northeast corridor has always been a hot spot for us as far as the convenience for our gymnastics clubs. There are a lot of clubs within a decent radius of Hartford. Any time we can find a good partner in the Northeast, we have been successful."

Texas, which hosts this year's championships, is a hotbed of gymnastics; five members of the senior women's national team live in the state. Karolyi is the director of the U.S. team's national training center near Houston.

"Texas became so popular in gymnastics for two reasons: because major interest was generated by strong club performances, but also because we bring national events to Texas," Karolyi said in an e-mail. "I definitely think that bringing the championships to Connecticut will generate interest in the state.

"Connecticut is a good gymnastics state, but definitely needs a major event to energize the gyms and give that important message to gymnasts about what type of performance it takes to be successful."

Robin Deary Fillmore, state chairman for USA Gymnastics and owner of Deary's Gymnastics in Danielson, was enthusiastic. "When they started bidding for it, they called me and asked me, 'Did I think the clubs would be interested?'" he said. "I said, 'Absolutely.' It's an honor. There are a lot of talented kids in this state who have never had a chance to see these Olympians."

Next year's championships fall midway between the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, but organizers said that usually doesn't diminish the importance or attractiveness of the event, and Karolyi agreed.

"The mid-part of the Olympic cycle, which falls in 2010, is a very important indicator of the direction and performance expected for the national team," he said. "Next year's championships are going to be a very important and crucial change. It may be a changing of the guard with respect to older gymnasts and younger gymnasts competing. It's going to be one of the most disputed national championships in this Olympic cycle."

We'll miss you Alice...

I fought back tears during the newscast today, as we all mourn the loss of our dear friend Alice Morrin. Alice had a gift. She could bring happiness into people’s lives. Her warmth and sincerity will not be forgotten.

I learned so much from Alice. As our friendship grew, she and her family welcomed me into their home for Thanksgiving. She has the most loving family, who loved Alice dearly. Marilyn, her mother, with her disposable camera, was the sweetest lady I had ever met. Walter, her father, was a firecracker with a quick wit. Now, I see where Alice gets it.

She was never short of laughter or love. Alice taught me that a sense of humor is a valuable asset. Laugh at yourself. Laugh with others. Laugh often.

It was evident in the way she lived her life that she believed a little encouragement went a long way. And it did! Maybe it's only a few words or a small act of kindness, but that small effort can really encourage another person.

Alice got outside every day, whether it was with her kids or riding her bike. She knew miracles were waiting. She knew each new day was a gift from God, and how she lived her life was her gift to him.

She taught me that you can’t control things that happen to you in life, but you can control how you react to what happens to you in life.

With my short time on earth with Alice, as our friendship grew, I learned that the people you care about most in life are taken from you much too soon. So I’ve learned you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

Alice Morrin was rich with every trait we admire in people. To those who knew her, she leaves behind a space, a presence that can never be filled. There will be less love, less laughter, and less joy.

Her death is beyond tragic. Our loss is unspeakably profound, but her shortened life is nothing short of love and happiness. Ask anyone who knew her. She touched all of our lives. We are all better people because of Alice Morrin. She was not only my colleague, but also my dear friend. She touched everyone here at FOX 61.

Alice will live on in the family that she raised, the friends that she loved, and the wonderful memories that she leaves behind.

I hope and pray that you remember this amazing woman’s life, the genuine warmth she brought to all of us. If we can do that, the darkness of her passing will be overshadowed with the joy and light that was Alice Morrin.

Click here to read more comments from Alice's FOX 61 family.

In Loving Memory...

My heart is heavy this evening as the Hot Springs community has lost two wonderful people, Nick and Ann Tillman. Nick and Ann were very close family friends, and we all will miss them dearly.

Nick and Ann were headed to Asheville, North Carolina, on a private plane when they crashed near Nashville, Tennessee, and investigators are wondering if weather played a part in the crash.

The pilot, Greg Secrest, flew a 1978 Beechcraft Baron, a twin-engine six-seater.

Pilot Bob Hall says, "I'm not sure what time it was, between nine, nine thirty, something like that, I heard a Baron start up and taxi by.

Hall knew Secrest had looked at his plane before the take-off. He says the 67-year-old pilot took good care of it. "They're great airplanes. Good, dependable airplanes. They carry a lot of weight and they go fast," he explains.

Secrest, along with Nick, 49, and Ann, 42, waited until clouds and rain cleared and then took off for Asheville, North Carolina. However, around 10:30 AM, the plane crashed 15 miles from the Nashville airport.

The Tillmans were such wonderful people. They owned a chain store called Romancing the Stone; their very first store is still on Central Avenue in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Ann was a volunteer. She was the chairman of the Designers Vision House, with FirstStep Arkansas, a school for challenged children.

Nick and Ann leave behind a beautiful family of three young daughters, one with autism and that's one reason Ann was so involved with FirstStep.

My family recently joined the Tillmans for Davis Tillman’s wedding. Davis is Nick’s brother. Now the family will join together again for a much more solemn occasion.

The Tillmans will be missed. They were such a big part of the Hot Springs community and touched so many lives. Nick and Ann, it will not be the same without you.