Tom Hanks stops by ‘The Colbert Report,’ offers Halloween tips and ticks off Matt Damon – Tom Hanks did Stephen Colbert a great favor by dropping by “The Colbert Report” on Thursday night to recommend “inexpensive costumes that will make for a spook-tacular Halloween.” All of the costumes might look pretty familiar, though… Washington Post

Meningitis outbreak spreads to 18 states with South Carolina case – Eleven new cases of meningitis were reported within 24 hours this week; one of the latest cases is found in South Carolina. The New England Compounding Center might have shipped a certain steroid, intended to help ease back pain, that were contaminated with a fungus. That steroid was shipped to 23 states, and all but five of those states have reported meningitis cases. Reuters

Nanny suspected of killing 2 kids in NY apartment – Two children of CNBC executive, Kevin Krim, were found stabbed to death in their apartment near Central Park. The nanny, Yoselyn Ortega, was found near a knife with stab wounds to her neck. It is unclear how long she worked for the family before the incident. Marina Krim, the mother, kept a blog called “Life with the Little Krim Kids” that detailed the happy life of her three children; she discovered them dead on Thursday. Associated Press

Obama backs gay marriage measures in 3 states – President Obama gave his support for a same-sex marriages ballot measures present in three states: Maine, Maryland and Washington. Equal rights supporters are grateful toward the gesture, while some who oppose the same-sex marriage law are unsurprised with the president’s actions. Seattle Times

Forecasts show Hurricane Sandy could strike Maryland – Keep an eye out for “Frankenstorm,” or Hurricane Sandy. Currently the exact path of the storm is not known, but it appears to be headed toward the northern East Coast. If it collides with a large polar air force, it could create a “monster Halloween storm.” Baltimore Sun