Balloon Boy

Hand-held cell phone law is being enforced
By Heila Nir
October 19, 2009 - 5:59pm
Thruway State Police crackdown on cell phone use

According to 9WSYR.com, Thruway State Police issued tickets to drivers during a four-day crackdown nicknamed “Operation Hang Up II”.  Police say they gave over 900 tickets to thruways drivers who violated the hand-held cell phone law.

The New York Sate law...

A Denver man claims to have helped plan balloon hoax
By Bianca Graulau
October 19, 2009 - 2:38pm
E-mails show conversations in which “balloon boy’s” father and another man plan balloon stunt.

Update: MSNBC.com is reporting that authorities want to question an associate of Richard Heene who claims to have discussed the balloon hoax with him through e-mails.

Robert Thomas, from Denver, sold a story called “Exclusive: I helped Richard Heene Plan a Balloon Hoax” to Gawker.com. He also provided the website with e-mail exchanges between him and Heene...

Authorities say the “balloon incident” was staged
By Samantha Lavien
October 19, 2009 - 11:06am
Colorado authorities say the balloon incident was a publicity stunt staged by the Heenes family.

Last week, the Heenes family made headlines after saying their 6-year-old son was inside a giant balloon. People from across the nation watched as the balloon soared through the sky, and later landed with no one inside. Now, after an interview on Larry King Live, Colorado authorities are saying the entire incident was a hoax. When the boy was asked why he had not come out from hiding when he heard his name being called, he responded, “You guys said we did this for a show.” According to CNN.com, the...

Boy thought to be floating away found alive
By Russell Thompson
October 16, 2009 - 9:30am
A 6-year-old boy believed to be lost after floating in a hot air balloon was found hiding in his attic last night.

Update: A 6-year-old Colorado boy was found hiding in his attic last night after he was believed to be floating away in a hot air balloon, cnn.com reports.


Falcon Henne was found Thursday night in his attic after hours of searching. Henne was thought to have boarded his parent’s large helium balloon in the afternoon and flown away. After the balloon fell to the ground, Henne could not...