Well we're one week into the New Year and back from vacation. Just kidding… we get NO VACATIONS… the news waits for no one!

We hope you enjoyed our "iReport Special" and the "Best of News to Me" special. We're well rested and ready to take you into 2009, "News to Me" style!

Even though it's a new year, the format is still the same. For the best videos and stories, we still rely on YOU our faithful viewers. Remember, it's all about YOUR STORIES – YOUR VIDEOS and – YOUR PICTURES that YOU want to share with the world! Remember our motto: "You shoot it, we show it!"

ON THIS WEEK'S SHOW…

One Man's Quest for "Real Change"
His name is Ed Port. Ed Needs a Miracle. He has "neurofibromatosis," a rare genetic disorder characterized most notably by benign tumors that, in his case, have disfigured his face. His good friend Michael Murphy, is an artist who is using his talents to find Ed some help. It's a touching story, but a happy ending may depend on you or someone you know. Watch, be moved, and see how you may be able to help!

New Year's Eve Fire at Bangkok Club
It was supposed to be a happy celebration, ringing in 2009. But as one iReporter described it, it was absolute pandemonium! The sirens were wailing as people streamed out of the club, screaming and crying, some were badly burned! It was an inferno that happened in just minutes! We are on the scene with the images and stories provided by you.

Life Under the Big Top!
You know at one time or another every child has imagined of running off to join the circus... but for one woman, that dream turned into reality and almost killed her! Kate Meinhardt wrote the blog "LIfe in the Circus" about her years on the road working with animals and we talked to her about what she calls, "the coolest job in the world!"

And don't forget!
Check out our "Hot Links" – "Web Hits" – "Recent Highlights" – and help to choose the "Most Popular" stories – or if you simply have a great video send it our way and it could end up on the show!

"News To Me" this Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m. EST… only on HLN.

Remember we NEED YOU to send in those stories, pictures, and videos that make our show great and MOST IMPORTANTLY keep our show ABOUT YOU!

See you this weekend!

All of us who work on "News To Me" are pretty pumped about this weekend's show!  Producers Mike and Teague have been putting in serious hours creating what we think will be really compelling TV.  It's a story we have been "teasing" for over a month now and one that we have been working on for several months: The great Georgia Bigfoot Hoax.  No need to get into the background of the hoax here... we'll do that this weekend on "News To Me," but if you are a skeptic, suspicious, paranoid, wearing a tin-foil hat or someone who makes fun of those kind of people you will really dig the first two blocks of the show.

Interestingly enough, seems like the whole "News To Me" crew has memories associated with Sasquatch.  Do we believe?  Not necessarily, but buried deep in our grey matter we all have something that clicked when we started working on this story...

Eric Lanford:
In a previous life, as host of a different TV show, I actually went HUNTING for Bigfoot.

Coordinating Producer Michael Kane:
When I was an “Indian Guide” – that was a youth group in the ‘70s for losers who were too wimpy to make it as a Boy Scout – we went on a hike up to the top Atlanta’s Stone Mountain, the largest exposed slab of granite on Earth.

The trail to the top is pocked with large holes and craters. One of the older boys pulled me aside to warn me that some of those craters were actually Bigfoot tracks. I believed him, swallowed hard and soldiered up the mountain in a cold sweat. The mountain still haunts my dreams.

Producer/Editor Teague Kennedy:
Round about 1994 I was driving down a dirt road just after dark in search of a campsite in a woodsy area in central Florida. I had seen no people or cars since entering the forest perhaps 15 minutes earlier, when up in the distance I saw in my headlights what looked to be a naked man running through the woods. Needless to say we didn't pitch tent in the area. True story.

Associate Producer Charles Gilbert:
When I was 14, my friends and I thought we saw Bigfoot’s print in some dirt behind a house in our neighborhood. The footprint was huge. Then we looked closer. We noticed that it wasn’t Bigfoot’s print. It was mine. I am 6’ tall and I wear a size 15 shoe. Damn I felt dumb.

Corey the intern:
I got scared by watching "Harry and the Hendersons" when I was a little kid. Seriously, Bigfoot has never really interested me. I'm more fascinated by UFO pictures experts can't explain.

Associate Producer Grayson Thagard:
My Grandpa Red used to take me and my little brother out on his air boat into the Florida Everglades. "The glades" was a creepy place at dusk when the shadows got long, especially for a 7 year old. As we skimmed along the shallow water Grandpa saw something out of the corner of his eye and all of a sudden he shut down the giant fan pushing the air boat. In the absence of that roar we clearly heard what can only be described as a moan coming from the thick vegetation about 20 yards away. Grandpa told us in a whisper, that it was the sound of a Skunk ape, the "Bigfoot" of the swamp. It was a typical sweltering Florida July but I clearly remember hearing the sound again and suddenly being ice cold. That was my last trip to the Everglades.

Associate Producer Aaron Rustom:
When I was about 10 or 11, my best friend’s dad took us out to their cabin in East Texas so we could go fishing. As we got closer to the cabin, my friend’s dad started telling us about the “Alabama-Coushatta” tribe, who were native to the area, and the creature who lurked among them… a creature named "Sasquatch." He also told us we would be okay, if we kept "stink bait" in our pockets. Stink bait is used on trot-lines to catch catfish. And as the name implies, it stinks! It stinks so bad that even Bigfoot is repulsed by the odor. That whole weekend, every noise, every crackle, every time the trees blew, we rubbed more stink bait on us.

The funny thing is… there actually have been Bigfoot "sightings" in that area!

Ok, so those are OUR Bigfoot memories... do you have a bigfoot / ufo / ghost / unexplained mystery / story? Tell us! It IS Halloween after all!

In the meantime, sleep tight... we'll see you tomorrow at 9:30pm Eastern and Pacific on Headline News!

Tree 3 – Cars 0

Every day, we sift through the throngs of submissions from iReport.com, always looking for the best pictures, videos, and stories... you know the deal.

Well this week one such iReport happened to hit - and when I say hit, I mean HIT - a little too close to home!

Let me explain...

We're in a drought here in Georgia, but you would never know it from the constant pounding we've been getting from thunderstorms every week.

So it was about 1:00 in the AM when I was stirred by lightning so bright it blinded me, even though my head was buried beneath not 1 but 2 pillows (it's a womb thing, don't ask.) And as if if that wasn't bad enough, it was followed by the clap of thunder that shook the bed violently!

Okay, so lightning I'm used to... the thunder that's sure to follow, yeah I've heard that before... but the subsequent "cracking" and "crunch" - umm... not so much!

I ran to the window and looked outside and couldn't believe my eyes. My girlfriend's truck had a tree in the bed and as I recall, we weren't hauling trees that day. Of course being a guy, my main concern was my car.

I had to get a closer look and video evidence for our insurance company, just to prove that a storm DID actually occur and COULD actually can cause this kind of damage.

I ran outside and started rolling, then like the little girl that I am, I just as quickly turned around when a lightning bolt hit not more than 20-yards away!

As I get back inside to report my findings to the girlfriend, I instead choose to do the "Balki Bartokomous dance of joy" because my car was unscathed... and then morning came.

In the daylight I could see that I’d have to retract my “dance of joy” and instead do my "smug jerk who thought his car didn't get hit by a tree branch while laughing at his girlfriend's misfortune" dance of misfortune.

But back to that "iReport" I mentioned at the beginning. Let's just say, my "close call" has nothing on what nearly DID happen to a young lady in upstate New York. I don't want to give away the story, but let's just say it involves another falling tree and another totaled car!

It's an amazing story and just goes to show how in one second or in a matter of mere inches, how close we can all be to meeting our demise.

Long story short... keep doing what you do iReporters, because I HATE being the story!

in the picture above: Eric can't believe he's on-stage with Journey's Neal Schon and new lead singer Arnel Pineda

Sunday night had to be one of the coolest shoots we've ever done... at least for a group of "30-somethings" with fond horribly awkward memories of middle school dances, parachute pants, sleeveless graphic tees, and haircuts that can only be called the "feathered – butt cut – mullet"!

That's right people! We shot the Journey concert!!!

You may wonder why we were there in the first place. They have an amazing story to share! One of the most successful bands in the history of rock & roll found their new lead singer on YouTube!

Yeah, I know right! We had to find out how and why!

And if you think this is just one more old rock & roll band trying to make a lame comeback, I urge you to THINK AGAIN! Journey BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN!!!

And guess what? Apparently Atlanta rocks harder than any other city they've been to! Who knew?

Band members Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory, Deen Castronovo, and new frontman Arnel Pineda (check out Arnel's cinderella journey from the Philippines to lead singer of one of the most iconic rock bands ever!) did not disappoint the fans.

The Journey songs you remember from the radio SOUNDED JUST LIKE the Journey songs you remember from the radio - BUT LIVE!

And while these guys had long since achieved "rock idol status" they are still the most down-to-Earth guys and made us feel comfortable and welcome.

That goes for their production manager Tim, their manager John, and all the "roadies". Y'all rocked too!

They gave us unlimited access backstage, from the dressing room to the catering, and even allowed us to shoot on-stage during the whole show! (That never happens!)

Check out Eric gushing as Jonathan Cain gives him the history of Journey's best ballads and how they came to be PLUS the rest of our "journey" with Journey on the next page!

in the picture above: Jonathan Cain tells Eric how some of the most recognizable Journey songs came to be

in the picture above: Eric getting some rock & roll history from original Journey member Ross Valory

in the picture above: Teague and Gerald shooting sound check as Journey's Neal Schon and Arnel Pineda try work out the kinks... THERE WERE NO KINKS!

in the picture above: Eric backstage with Journey's Neal Schon and Arnel Pineda

So after shooting the sound-check, sitting down with the band, there we were, backstage with our "all access" bad-selves, seconds away from watching friggin' Journey take the stage!!!

Seriously, the energy at Chastain Park Amphitheatre (GREAT VENUE!) was incredible! They came out huddled, up off-stage, put their hands together, and with a rowsing yell the band headed out on-stage and got the music going before Arnel's crowd-electrifying entrance!

And in between all the songs I knew and loved and the new songs that are "classic Journey" came all these thoughts about what we were witnessing...

You know what I love most about Journey is the fact that they were there for the birth of the "MTV generation" and while the music industry has changed drastically, music television has no more music, and old bands have tried to reinvent themselves for the times... Journey has remained true to themselves and more importantly, their fans whose own memories live in their songs.

The only thing that's changed about Journey are the tools (Journey on MySpace – Journey in Second Life) they use to continue making the music that made them famous.

And as quickly as our day with Journey started, it finally ended with us on-stage in the wings, as Journey played on... "One night will remind you – How we touched – And went our separate ways..."

in the above picture: Eric and Mike remembering "slow dancing" to Journey's "Faithfully"

DON'T FORGET TO WATCH OUR "JOURNEY" WITH JOURNEY – THIS SATURDAY & SUNDAY 7:30PM – 9:30PM – 12:30AM – 5:30AM ET ON CNN HEADLINE NEWS!

I’m telling you guys, our show is the next big thing in Germany! Mark my words, we are going to be the David Hasselhoff of “cable news shows dedicated to citizen journalism – user generated content – and Web culture” in Deutschland! Just ask “Uncle Fritz”!

Saturday’s shoot was a hot one! Eric’s personal sweat mopper had his hands full (Eric Lanford’s sweat for sale on e-Bay. Starting bid .01 cent – interesting trades considered).

You can always count on something funny, weird or interesting happening on our shoots… and Saturday was no exception.

Imagine if you will, a band of rogues wandering the lovely Chastain Park in Atlanta with a camera in tow. Eric leads us to a yard sale and we begin to peruse the assortment of used goods, when a nice German lady comes out of the house to greet us. Bagel in hand, the woman asks who we are and what we want. Eric wanted to tell her we were with the “Association to Abolish Yard Sales” but he spared her our long-running joke.

The yard-sale lady saw that Eric was interested in a painting she had for sale, a portrait of a man she called “Uncle Fritz”. Asking price: 20 bucks. What did Eric offer her? NOTHING! He wanted it for free! Which brings us to today’s lesson… ERIC’S CHEAP!

After some haggling, Eric went up to $5 and eventually they both agreed on $10. That would be the end of the story except for two things – Eric had NO MONEY and the money that Mike and I could scrounge added up to a piddly $8! Well wouldn’t you know it, she really wanted to rid herself of that painting and caved.

She claimed that Uncle Fritz isn’t even her uncle and probably not even named Fritz! We’re going to continue to call him Uncle Fritz and he will grace Eric’s mantle-piece (until he takes it to “Antiques Roadshow” and finds out it’s worth $8 million!)

One thing we are sure of is that there’s a German family somewhere, missing a portrait of a man who may or may not be their “Uncle Fritz.” Regardless, our raging popularity in Germany is all but guaranteed – just like “The Hoff”!

P.S.
If you recognize the portrait of “Uncle Fritz” drop us a line and let us know who the heck he is!

Eric tries to prove to us he has swing skills!

Our fearless producer Mike teaches our intern Mandy how hard we work on these shoots!

See ya' next week. Make sure you tune in this weekend to see if "Uncle Fritz" helped us make GREAT TV!

Photo taken by Rochester Sentinel photographer Mike Kenny (three days after Sgt. Major Jeffrey A. McLochlin was killed in action) – From left Connor, Nicholle, Kennedy, and Darby.

I was thinking about the first time I realized I was working on a special show, and how great it is to help share “your” stories with the masses.

And no story has moved me as much as this one:

Last year, we aired a special Memorial Day show with tributes to fallen soldiers. Viewer Nicholle McLochlin had sent in a picture of her with her three children. The caption with the photo simply read, “Three days after my husband’s death”.

Her husband was Sgt. Major Jeffrey A. McLochlin. He was an Army Ranger who was killed in an ambush while serving in Afghanistan.

We knew right then we wanted to give Nicholle a chance, in her own words, to tell the world about the great husband and father that her family lost.

This Memorial Day weekend we’re honoring those men and women in the armed forces. And we will revisit the story of Sgt. Major Jeffrey A. McLochlin and his family. I encourage all of you to watch and see why we do this.

Meantime, check out this website for more on this fallen hero.