Writer Mike

We face some interesting choices some days working to put together Morning Express. Take, for instance, Friday morning … the story about the little boy who might have been carried off on a balloon.

Richard Heene has told reporters that a runaway balloon incident involving his son was 'absolutely no hoax.'

It was one of those stories that had captured peoples' imagination. For several hours last Thursday, huge numbers of people were glued to their sets.

But there was an aspect of the story that was hard to believe. In the footage, the balloon certainly looked lightweight. And the story itself was incredible.

A balloon had broken loose from its tether. Mom and Dad were afraid their little boy might have been carried away. He might still be on board. Or he might have fallen off.

But the kid was actually hiding in the attic.

And then there the interview on CNN. His father asked why he hadn’t come out of hiding. He said, “You guys said we did this for the show.”

What exactly did he mean? What show?

Was the kid acknowledging that the thing was a stunt? Had he let something slip?

We felt it was important to at least evaluate the possibility that the balloon incident was a stunt.

But we had nothing to show it was phony. The parents insisted their fear was real.

So we had a balancing act to perform. Our decision: We ran the sound bite of the kid. And followed it with a comment from the sheriff, insisting that he thought the story was no hoax.

That gave viewers the opportunity to make their own judgments. We told them what we knew at the time.

And that’s an important assessment. Some skepticism about a story often becomes necessary. But if you let too much skepticism creep into your reporting, it would begin to color the story beyond the known facts.

So you play it down the middle. And wait to see.

Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen

What's up everybody. I was asked again to be the honorary chairmen for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America's half marathon.

This time it's the Las Vegas Rock and Roll half/full marathon in early December. I was told I didn't have to run this time if I didn't want to, but that would be weak on my part. The people that run with these diseases are tough as nails, and I want to try to be just as strong. It isn't easy, but I may be able to beat my record time of 1 hour 49 minutes for the half marathon.

I'm truly honored to be asked to chair the event again, I guess they liked me this past summer when I did the Napa to Sonoma event! This time I get a crack at MC-ing at the MGM on the strip. That's right, I'm playing Vegas baby!

I have to run a ton to get shaped up, the long run this Sunday is 8 miles. Man, that seems like forever. Wish me luck.

For more information visit CCFA.org

On Monday, more than 100 law enforcement officials, including four SWAT teams, stormed the home of U.S. native Daniel Patrick Boyd, 39, and Boyd's sons, Dylan Boyd, 22, also known as "Mohammed," and Zakariya Boyd, 20.

Daniel Boyd had fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan.

Authorities are not saying how they learned of the alleged conspiracy, but they have been watching Daniel Boyd for three years.

Now, authorities are searching for an eighth alleged member of a North Carolina group that authorities say plotted "violent jihad" overseas, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Along with Boyd’s and his sons, the other members of the group include Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, also a U.S.-born citizen; Hysen Sherifi, identified as a native of Kosovo who is a legal permanent resident of the United States; and Hiyad Yaghi and Anes Subasic, both naturalized U.S. citizens.

All seven are accused of engaging in weapons training and military tactics in North Carolina, the Justice Department said.

According to an indictment released Monday, the eighth suspect, described as a North Carolina resident, traveled to Pakistan in October 2008 to "engage in violent jihad." It offered no other information.

Seven other men have been arrested on charges of supporting terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder abroad.

If convicted, the men could face life in prison. They are due to appear back in court tomorrow.

The small town of Willow Spring, North Carolina, where the men live, doesn’t seem like a place you’d expect to find terrorists. The Boyd family’s neighbors are shocked to hear about the charges. People describe Daniel Boyd as a quiet, family-oriented man.

One neighbor even said, “If he’s a terrorist, he’s the nicest terrorist I’ve ever met in my life.”

Authorities believe that Boyd’s terrorism roots run deep, and that he trained in terrorist camps in Pakistan. Boyd’s wife however, has asked the public to suspend judgment and maintains her family’s innocence.

Have a question about this case for Richard? Leave it in the comments field below!

Hey folks! Remember the Morning Express Challenge? It was an online quiz in which we asked viewers questions about the show in real-time, as the show was happening.

Each day, there were two winners, one was the person with the highest score, the other was a random winner drawn from the list of everyone who played.

After the game wrapped up, we drew a grand prize winner from the list of all the daily winners. The grand prize winner was Everett Bollinger of Hereford, Texas, and last week he came to Atlanta to visit Robin on set. He also got to enjoy a VIP tour of HLN and CNN studios and an all-expenses-paid weekend in Atlanta.

Did you enjoy the Morning Express Challenge? Are there other ways that you'd like to interact with the show? Leave your ideas in the comments field!

Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen

This is the last week of heavy training for the Napa to Sonoma half marathon. I know everybody from Team Challenge is feeling strong, and they should be.

The treadmill: can't live with it, can't live without it.

Bringing attention to Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America by getting ready to run a marathon has been real tough, but totally rewarding. Check out this site to watch a little bit about it.

This past week was hard for me training wise. I had to run 11 miles Sunday, but it was raining hard in Atlanta and it forced me to run the treadmill.

I was stupid, trying to run fast (about 8:30 pace) just to get it over with quicker, and it just about ruined me. I got dehydrated and dizzy, and wanted to quit at mile 8.56, but managed to finish off the 11 miles at a 9:40 pace without firing myself off the back of the mill and through the wall.

I'm happy to kill myself running for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, though. These diseases are being found in children as young as 18 months! An estimated two-thirds to three-fourths of children with Crohn's disease will require one or more operations in their lifetime.

I feel like bringing attention to the foundation is the least I can do when I hear stats like that. If you want to support me by making a donataion to CCFA, please do so here.

This week's training is exceptionally brutal:

Monday: Rest, weights
Tuesday: weights, 5 mile run
Wednesday: weights, 10 1/4 mile sprints with 2 minutes rest between each one
thursday: weights, 3 mile run
Friday: weights, rest
Saturday: 3 mile at 8:20 pace
Sunday: 12 miles (outside this time, no matter what the weather!!)

Robin looking fearless as she heads to the plane on her way to skydive.

Robin's back from her adventure with the 41st President of the United States!

George H. W. Bush invited Robin to go skydiving with him in celebration of his 85th birthday! See up close and personal photos of the event here!

Anchor Robin Meade

Hi everyone. I just finished my interview with President Bush 41 ... he was energetic, charming, endearing, and funny. He was accommodating in that he answered darned near everything I asked.

Robin and President Bush get down to business.

Watch for his comments about supreme court nominee Sotomayor, what he thinks about the dreaded "L" word as we put it: his legacy, now that he's 85.

One of the most touching moments was his reaction to a song we played him as our gesture of a gift for his birthday.

He keeps inviting me to the Walker's Point this afternoon after our jump ... to the Bush summer home. What to do? Live shots ... or hang out at Walker's Point!?

HLN's Robin Meade arrived in Kennebunkport, Maine, and has been preparing for her upcoming interview and skydive with President George H. W. Bush.

Watch as Robin discusses what she plans to ask the former president and shares her thoughts on skydiving.

Anchor Robin Meade

Hey gang; I'm typing this on my blackberry on the way to airport.

President George H. W. Bush enjoys a good birthday skydive.

This morning, while I prefer to be thinking about what to ask President Bush 41 on his 85th birthday, I had to mostly think about what to pack. Seriously!

What do you pack for an assignment that has you interviewing a former president in the morning in a casual setting, training with the Army's Golden Knights, jumping out of a plane with the Knights and Bush 41, and then doing live shots all afternoon after I disrobe from the skydiving jumpsuit?

All while it might rain?

Two words: baseball cap.

Well, ya roll with it. There's a plethora of backup outdoor wear in my suitcase for whatever the east coast wind is going to bring us. Right now I keep checking the forecast ... hoping there won't be a rain delay.

I shall keep you posted so I can bring you along for the occasion via our live shots. Watch for the skydive landing live around 1pm this Friday (Eastern time). See ya then!!

From Writer Keith

First and foremost, I’d like to thank all of the readers of the “Morning Express” blog who have been so nice with my Kathy Lee Gifford obsession with my baby blog.

Baby Gwen: Look at that adorable little face!

I wanted to keep a journal to show my daughter one day about what the ride was like for her old man and her mom from start to finish. I write this while my wife is holding our daughter while watching her first Red Sox-Yankees game. Well, that didn’t take long.

It has been quite a haul here at the hospital. We went in for a scheduled induction this past Sunday. We settled into our labor and delivery suite to start the process. My wife got strapped into these monitors. Picture laying down with two things the size of air hockey paddles wrapped around you. They were to monitor the baby’s heart-rate and contraction.

Of course if one moved, a nurse ran in. This happened every 12 minutes, which was fun for me while I was trying to sleep on the equivalent of a park bench. At one point I came close to going to the nurse’s station, slapping down my insurance card and yelling “GIVE ME DRUGS!!!” Luckily, the hospital has a free spinal adjustment with each birth.

They gave my wife something to help dilate her that night, which was a ball of fun for my wife. See, in order for it to work my wife couldn’t go to the bathroom for two hours. Which is fun, when you have to go every half hour.

After that, I was able to go get us something to eat before the midnight deadline at the McDonald’s inside the hospital. You read that right, a McDonald’s in a hospital. There was a direction sign saying McDonald’s this way, cardiology unit this way. Talk about one of life’s crossroads.

After a two-hour nap, they gave my wife something to induce labor. It was hooked up to an I.V., which made it more fun. Every time my wife had to use the restroom, we had to unplug the I.V. and the hockey paddles. Then plug everything back in then get readjusted. This happened 39 times on the first day.

After day one, no progress. So our doctor said “Wash, rinse, repeat.” My wife, who had been a trooper with the discomfort, had to start from step one. I was so spent, I wondered if I could make it through another day as I sat down with my Big Mac.

Now I don’t want you to think I was a slouch. I had to hustle. Need ice chips or water? I’m your guy. Want another warm blanket? No problem. Want to watch “Twilight” for the 34th time (ugh), let me put it on. Want me to try to explain why I did this to you, why men in general are evil, why do they keep bringing me hospital food when I can’t eat, and what’s the deal with airline food … well there are some things even I don’t know.

After the second induction, still nothing. So we were officially at the 14th round of “Rocky” decision: “Cut me Mick, cut me.” Our doctor thought our baby was too big for a normal birth, and after an ultra-sound it was determined that she could be up to 9-and-a-half pounds.

We made the decision. My wife was going to get a c-section.

I won’t go into the gory details, but it was pretty quick and at the time painless for my wife. Gwendolyn Leigh was born at 11:30a on June 9th, 2009. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces and stood at 20". The reason she wouldn’t come out? She had her father’s big Irish square head. Luckily for us though, we also found out Gwen had her cord wrapped around her neck. But after a check from nurses and doctors, everything was fine. As our pediatrician told us the next morning, she was in perfect health. And that is all a parent can ask for.

Now we are sitting in the family care unit at the hospital. We got a great room overlooking the city of Atlanta. We’ve had tons of visitors, tons of help, tons of well wishes from friends and family from around the world. My wife is recovering well, but is still in some pain. But looking in Gwen’s big blue eyes, she says it’s all worth it.

As for me, I was sold on this when my wife handed me the pregnancy test back in October. I was even more sold when the doctor handed Gwen to me. Now we learn the little nuances, facial gestures, what each cry means. We have a whole lifetime of that. A whole lifetime: well worth it.