Encouraging news about Jill Carroll...

According to this ABC News story, a top Iraqi official is claiming that Jill Carroll is still alive and will be released. The latest deadline for the kidnapped journalist has passed with no word of her fate.

I thought about Jill as all hell was breaking loose around Iraq this past week. This latest news is encouraging. We feel a special connection with Ms Carroll here in Massachusetts as she is a graduate of our state university at Amherst.

We'll continue to keep her and her family in our thoughts and prayers.