Kathy's Blog

There is plenty for the Good Day NY and MyFoxNY crews to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Some of us took time out to help serve a Thanksgiving meal at the NYC Rescue Mission. Check out some of the video I shot.. and one picture:

Chantay West & friend; Dr. Sapna Parikh & Greg Kelly

A band played while Greg, Sapna, Ines Rosales and some of the anchors from the CW volunteered (yes, even the competition gets into these blogs...especially when we get together to help others):



New York City Rescue Mission Executive Director James F. VarnHagen:

Miss America 2008 Kirsten Haglund:

Donna & Hillary- New York City Rescue Mission Volunteers:

Mike Woods had the great idea of organizing a 'meet and greet' with several of our wonderful bloggers and chatters. We partied it up at Local bar near Penn Station on Saturday evening. The party lasted about two hours and we managed to sing, dance and chat IN PERSON.

Thank you to everyone who showed up... Check out some pictures and videos from the fun affair:

 

 

While most people were walking, a bunch of us from Fox 5 were dancing. I'm talking about the National Kidney Foundation Walk at South Street Seaport this weekend. We had a great time. Intern Sam, Public Affairs Assistant Isaura, producers Arun (and me), reporters Ines, Andrea, Sapna and one cute kid capped off the walk with a little boogie. Check out the pictures and video I shot.

I couldn't help but capture some video of this little boy. Not only is he absolutely adorable but he's also very courageous. He had a kidney transplant and is recovering. Take a look:


Dr. Sapna with a a family who has received and donated a kidney:

That looks like Mr. Met in the middle, but I don't think it was... that's also me on the left next to Ines, Andrea and Sapna.

Fox 5 fans and that cute little boy again!

And another cutie.. this is baby Remy -as I like to call him... Good Day NY Executive Producer Emad Asghar's son.

Andrea and Arun

A little post-walk refreshment at Heartland Brewery

Tolls are going up in New Jersey.   Here's the story from the Associated Press: WOODBRIDGE, N.J.  --   The New Jersey Turnpike Authority voted Friday to raise tolls in two phases on the turnpike and Garden State Parkway. The first hike comes in December, and the second comes in 2012.

Gov. Jon Corzine has already signed off on the increases, which were opposed by many citizens and trucking groups.

A drive along the full length of the Turnpike, which currently costs $6.45, will more than double to $13.75 by 2012.

Driving the Parkway from top to bottom also will more than double in four years.

The increases are being made to fund road and bridge repairs as well as partially fund a new rail tunnel into New York City.

Drivers in New Jersey who don't want to see a ridiculous toll hike: now is your time to speak up. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is adding a public hearing to its original plan of hosting three hearings. The fourth hearing will take place on October 10 at the Authority's headquarters in Woodbridge.

Here's how the hike breaks down:

The proposed increases would begin with a 60-cent hike on the average turnpike trip next year, followed by a 90-cent increase three years later and a 30-cent increase in 2023. On the parkway, the average trip would rise by 15 cents next year, 25 cents more in 2012 and 8 cents on top of that in 2023.

 

If you've watched the daily Web Minute during Good Day NY, you've probably noticed that it looks a bit shabby around here. We've got this deep red wall to the back of the room that makes for a good television backdrop, but the rest of the place needs some serious help!

That's where you come in... help us paint our web office!! (no, not actually come in and do the labor.. I'm talking about picking the perfect color.. I know you can do it .)

Take a look at close-ups of the office... and then post your "colorful" opinion. Not too crazy about the pics? That's Reid Lamberty's fault... just kidding, Reid :-> Good job on the photos.

Need some color inspiration, CLICK HERE FOR COLOR SELECTION (you'll need to also click on "LAUNCH COLOR VISUALIZER" followed by "EXPLORE INTERIOR COLORS"

I'm one of those people that when asked if I've seen this movie or that one my answer is usually no...that's followed by a WHAT? So, I wasn't going to let myself be out of the loop when it comes to talking about an Oscar worthy role by the now deceased Heath Ledger. I saw The Dark Night. It was too long for me and I don't follow the comic book story about Batman ( I don't even think I saw Batman begins...i know what you're saying WHAT?!) But now that I've gotten that out of the way, here's what I thought of Ledger's performance as the Joker. He was outstanding. He played the Joker to the point where I didn't see an actor, I saw one of the craziest people I've ever seen in my life (even if it was on a giant screen.) Ledger's convincing performance reminds of the kind of work Johnny Depp does. You can't but help ask yourself: 'is this guy crazy?'  (remember Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pirates of the Caribbean?) If you're not big into Batman, see this movie anyway. Ledger is incredible.

In the near future, the cool web site you heard about on Fox 5 (because that's the only station you watch.. and My 9 and Fox News Channel :-> ) may be easier to remember.  Here's why: the Internet's oversight company (what? yes, someone has to keep an eye on the darn thing) is expected to allow YOU to pick the suffix (let's go back to school for a second: prefix means before, suffix means after.) So the ".com" or ".gov" or ".whatever"  you must use to create a web site now because that's how the Internet Oversight Committee likes it will be more flexible. You'll be able to use ".bank" (if you're a bank) or ".nyc" (if you're New York City.) There are probably some more limitations to the expanding rule.. oh, and it will cost at least $100,000 (chump change, right?) I like the idea.

How do you feel about a break from the gas tax this summer that the presidential contenders are floating around?  Some of the pros: just when Americans hit the road the most, you'll pay less without a tax. The cons: it doesn't solve the problem and the price of gas is still too high.  Share your thoughts.

The next time you have 'bloggers block' (something like writers' block) consider this:

The Generacion Y blog - posted by a woman in Cuba-  is getting more than a million hits a month. But in order to get that kind of traffic she has to: 1. dress like a tourist to slip into a Havana hotel to write the posts; 2. pay $6 an hour for internet access (an amount she can barely afford) and 3. run the risk of being caught and sent to prison.

The Generacion Y blog is giving Cubans freedom they haven't enjoyed since the communist takeover of the island decades ago. Oppression is real there... and now people everywhere are reading first hand about the pain and suffering.

Check out the blog... Generacion Y... there is an English and Spanish version.

 

A field nurse told Fox 5's Andre Hepkins this moring that the rising price of gas was really, really hurting her. Looking at the soundbite I could see the pain in her eyes. Gas prices are no joke. We here at MyFoxNY.com and Fox 5 want to help you. Here are three valuable things you'll want to check out:

1. The link below will take you to a listing of the cheapest gas in the area.

2. Scroll down a bit for a video report by Andre on the rising gas price story.

3. Share the location and price of the cheapest gas near you. Good Day NY may mention it and your name on the air.

CLICK HERE To Find Lower Gas Prices

Click Here To Share Cheap Gas Locations

Today's papal mass at Yankee Stadium brings me back to a difficult time for a friend  that was made easier by the last pope's visit to the United Stares. The day was even eerily similar: overcast, a bit chilly. My high school classmate had lost her mother a year earlier. She knew I wanted to see Pope John Paul II at Giants Stadium so she somehow managed to get a ticket for me through her church. We went together and during the bus ride from Jersey City to East Rutherford we talked about her mother (something she had never done before with me.) A somber conversation but one that felt appropriate. Once we got to the stadium and heard mass by the Holy Father I could tell she felt (and so did I) a sense of peace...as if not only the closest person to God on earth was near us but that her mother was, too.

I have a feeling that the people at Ground Zero this morning and at Yankee Stadium later in the day will walk away with that same sense of peace. It's also my prayer for them.

While the visit to New York City is going to send the local media into super-overdrive, we here at MyFoxNY.com are constantly updating the page we've created on the Holy Father's visit.

I should point out that we got a very interesting blog (including a beautiful picture) this morning from Fox 5 reporter Reid Lamberty from the nation's capital.

There is also a great question and answer session between Good Day's Jodi Applegate and a church expert. It's called Catholicism 101.

Want to know how the Pope's visit is going to affect everyone traveling in and around New York City later this week: check out reporter Katherine Creag's NYC Preps piece.

So, take a look at all those links or go to the official MyFoxNY.com Papal Coverage page for everything on Pope Benedict XVI ...  for that CLICK HERE

For those of you who spend your summer in the Hamptons, you'll be happy to know that one of the causes of gridlock in the area has been fixed. Construction on County Road 39 is complete. That's about a four mile stretch into the East End that shouldn't drive you into a mad rage anymore. If you head out there, let me know how the ride goes for you.

News junkies are going to love what the media has ready for them when Pope Benedict XVI visits New York and Washington, D.C.

I think it's safe to say that every newsroom in both cities (and most in between) are quickly moving into overdrive when it comes to their papal coverage. (The pope will be in the U.S. April 15-20.)

For starters, here at Fox 5 News we're doing something we've never done before when covering a papal trip: we're using the web -- specifically your favorite website, MyFoxNY.com-- to present you with all the information we can gather.

Also, we'll be live streaming our television coverage.

What you won't see: shots from above (not heaven... think a little closer to earth ;->) ... there is a 'no-fly' zone over the papal motorcade.