>>a collision between a van and a metra train. leaving a woman dead, and two children seriously injured. good afternoon. i'm steve sanders. and i'm dina bair. we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. w-g-n's robert jordan is live in the morgan park neighborhood with our top story. witnesses tell police that the driver of a dodge minivan was traveling north and went around the crossing gates. the woman was still alive on the scene when paramedics arrived. they

had to use the jaws of life to try to extricate her. she died here at the scene. the rock island train was traveling north. it was an express train that did not have to stop. the gates were lowered. nonetheless the driver continued right across the tracks. >> i was right behind the lady. she must, she could make it. >> would not do it. we were a pass this building. >> i was in shock. i could not

even move. >> i just went into shock. i wanted to get out to help. i could not move. >> those two young boys were taken to the hospital where they are expected to survive. they're listed in critical in serious condition. officials tell me that they are running tests at this intersection just to make sure that all of their equipment was working properly.

the stakes are high as president obama and mitt romney head into their second debate tonight. the event takes place in new york. it's a townhall style format. questions will come from more than a dozen undecided voters. the president and romney took a break from campaign events yesterday, to continue preparing for tonight. tonight's moderator says the townhall format could make it difficult for the candidates to become too aggressive towards

each other. some analysts say president obama has to show more passion and conviction than he did at the last debate. and mitt romney needs to appear more relatable to the average voter. joining us now is wgn's >> this is very controlled. 12 people predetermined. in addition to canada's after play towards an audience. >> he tends not to be is comfortable in this town all situations. he has gotten better. >> when he gets in front of the

average person crowd he finds trouble relating. he started singing god bless america. >>who gets to choose those questions? >> she is violating the rules to do that. apparently both sides have agreed that she would be nothing but the question asked her. er. she was opposed to simply facilitates the asking of questions. she was not pleased about that. this is the first woman ever moderating. she said she will follow up. >> and never the less i think she is standing tall.

>> you suggested that both sides are not entirely happy with her. >> because of that. >> he said i'm not going to get into the negotiations of the debate. >> all of the questions were sent to her.

>> if you think back to presidential debates. it is always the town hall they go back to. same as moments. >> bill clinton who went for an up to the audiencet right up to the audience. >>al gore watching into george w bush's face. >> imagine if he did not know that was coming.

>> a couple of things can happen. both men perform well. >> he has not overcompensate for the poor performance a few weeks ago. >> it costs him big time. political analyst and host of politics tonight on cltv paul lisnek. paul lisnek, thanks so much for joining us. watch the entire debate on wgn t-v dot-com starting at 8 tonight. and tweet with us, at hashtag wgn 20-12. then, catch the complete analysis on the wgn news at nine. >>next they were supposed to be running a zumba fitness studio.

what prosecutors say was really going on inside. and a look back at this day 25 years ago when baby jessica fell through an eight-inch-wide well casing. nearly two dozen feet below ground. i've worked hard to build my family. and also to build my career. so i'm not about to always let my frequent bladder urges, or the worry my pipes might leak get in the way of my busy lifestyle. that's why i take care with vesicare. once-daily vesicare can help control your bladder muscle and is proven to treat overactive bladder with symptoms of frequent urges and leaks day and night. if you have certain stomach or glaucoma problems, or trouble emptying your bladder do not take vesicare. vesicare may cause allergic reactions that may be serious. if you experience swelling of the face, lips throat or tongue stop taking vesicare and get emergency help. tell your doctor right away if you have severe abdominal pain or become constipated for three or more days. vesicare may cause blurred vision

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>>security is tight at a

hospital in england where a 14- year old schoolgirl from pakistan is now being treated. is undergoing scans to determine the extent of her injuries and remains in a medically-induced coma. she was shot in the head last week by the taliban because she supports the education of girls and women's rights in pakistan. they have vowed to kill her if she survives. police say two well-wisherswere stopped overnight as they tried to enter the hospital. no arrests were made. secretary of state hillary clinton is assuming responsibility for last month's deadly attack on the u-s diplomatic mission in libya. the attack in benghazi killed u-s ambassador christopher stevens and three other americans. it has become an issue in the presidential campaign.. with the republicans seeking to use the attack to dent president obama's foreign policy credibility. clinton told c-n-n she wants to avoid any political "gotcha" or blame game and she takes responsiblity for what happened. >> certainly would not be

knowledgeable about specific decisions that are made by security professionals. the republicans have focused in particular on the obama administration's shifting explanations for the attack. which clinton said were the result of the fog of war. victims of the theater shooting rampage in aurora, colorado have until november first to submit claims to the victims relief fund. nearly five million dollars has been donated for the victims. the fund administrator says 70- percent will go to the families of the 12 people who died and the victims who suffered permanent brain damage or paralysis. that's roughly 200-thousand dollars for each victim or family. the remaining 30-percent will be given to victims who

survived but suffered physical injury. the money will be disbursed after november 15th. the list includes lawyers accountants and a local t-v personality. the names of men who allegedly paid for sex with a dance instructor are now public. zumba instructor alexis wright and her business partner are accused of running a prostitution ring in maine. evidence includes a list of one- hundred-50 alleged customers and sex tapes. prosecutors have only released 21-names so far. they say some of the men may be victims themselves because they were secretly videotaped. wright and her business partner have pleaded not guilty. >>today is the 25th anniversary of the day, baby jessica mclure was rescued from a well. on october 14th, baby jessica fell 22 feet into a well in midland, texas. it took rescue workers 58 hours to free baby jessica, from the eight-inch wide well cassing.. baby jessica is now known as jessica mclure morales. she's married now with two children of her own. she still lives in midland texas. just a few miles away from the site of the 19-87 rescue. last year, she received an 800- thousand dollar trust-fund when she turned 25. just ahead the nation-wide meningitis outbreak is linked to two more drugs.

and, still to come this midday. the american dental association weighs in on halloween and how much candy is too much. a speed bump!

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more drugs from the pharmacy already link to a fatal outbreak are under investigation. the meningitis outbreak from a steroid for back pain has left more than 200 infections in 15 states. if the front passenger seat is empty the side air bag will not inflate to protect a rear seat

passengers. they do not know any crashes or injuries linked to the problem. the american dental association says seven out of 10 parents surveyed want their kids to get less candy. if you're looking for a job amazon says they're looking for 50,000 workers for the holiday rush.

>>later big news for foodies. we'll tell you what restaurant is going to fill the space of the old e-s-p-n zone at grand and ohio. coming up next we're live at city hall where city council is holdingú=

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>>chicago aldermen are taking up mayor rahm emanuel's 2013 spending plan for the city. hearings got under way this morning in the city council budget committee. wgn's tonya francisco is live at city hall with the story. tonya? >> the committee hearings are continuing throughout the day. there'll be several hearings before it is all said and done. today's focus was on the overall budget. he called the protest budget he has seen in years. >> budget director was in the hot seat today. explaining how

the administration feels the can close the budget hole without raising taxes, funds, fees. parking meter rates will go up. budget committee vice-chairman says he is not too concerned about the administration depending heavily on the economy improving. >> we saw revenue growth of nearly $45 million we did not expect have. there'll be a

public hearing on october 31st. the full council november 15th. crews may have doug to deep into the bridge over 65. a class action lawsuit is being filed today on behalf of victims who say they were tortured by former chicago police commander jon burge. lawyers representing the men say their clients are still in prison. after giving false confessions at the hands of burge and his men more than 20- years ago. burge is currently behind bars after being convicted of lying

about the torture of suspects. the lawsuit seeks to give new hearings to all of burge's alleged victims who were convicted as a result of the phony confessions. cook county assessor joe berrios says he'll ignore a subpoena by the county's inspector general. berrios is being ordered to explain an illegal property tax break given to one of his employees. but he's refusing to hand over the paperwork that allowed the employee to get that benefit. berrios is already fighting the county ethics board, which recently ordered him to fire his son and daughter because their hiring violated county law. berrios insists the law doesn't apply to him. this is the first strike since the formation of district 112. more than 400 teachers are on the picket lines in highland park and highwood. both sides remain far apart at the negotiating table. north shore education association members went on strike at midnight, forcing the cancellation of classes for 45-hundred elementary and middle school students. the district would not speak to the media, but stressed a committment to reaching a deal as soon as possible. oak terrance elementary and two other facilities are open as activity centers for about 400 students. the sticking points are pay raises and benefits. the average

salary in 2011 was more than 71- thousand dollars a year. teachers want a three-point-one percent raise, the board is offering one-point-three percent. negotations resumed today >> good teachers would leave. >> want them to go back to work. i want them to be paid what they should be paid. offensive emails containing racial slurs were sent to people who applied for jobs at a school district in southwest suburban plainfield. hackers sent emails to job applicants who submitted online applications through a third- party site hired by district 2- oh-2. officials are still trying to determine if the hackers were able to access any confidential information. there is a nationwide recall of dog treats, for risk of salmonella. the affected product is nature's recipe "oven baked biscuits with real chicken. they were made by del monte

foods pet products plant in kansas. the products were sold in 19- ounce pouches and are stamped with best if used by dates of 10-11-13 and 10-12-13. customers are being advised to throw the products away. a taste of italy is coming to chicago. eataly, is a famed italian supermarket in new york. it sells italian specialties including meat, cheese pasta gelato and coffee. and now, a second version is opening right here in our city. eataly chicago will open at grand and ohio, the site of the old espn zone. it will be a little smaller than the new york version, at around 35-thousand square feet. it's looking to open in september of 2-thousand-13still to come this midday. tom skilling has your full forecast! [ female announcer ] she did a full day at the office went home and fed her family. now she's helping her community. no wonder it's hard to focus on her own needs. but she's got one a day women's, a complete multivitamin with key nutrients women may need all in

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>> the problem is we're still getting a cool autumn. that could make for colder winters than previous years. it is a lovely day today. we're kind of short on warm days. it is nice to have a couple here. these are made and high level clout. there appear about 12,000 ft.. there blowing in the head of a weather system that is sending showers

to the upper midwest. but there is a big storage taking shapestorm taking shape. for the moment we are at 60 degrees. the month is running 9.2 degrees below october but a year ago.

all 25 to 30 mi. per hour. they're importing some warm air. our camera showed the leaves rocking and rolling around here. we're getting some movement. parameter 29.8. here's our icons. they're not the kind that rain on you. a lot of when

divisor is out there. we're going to see a lot of wind out there as well. 62 here in chicago. his northwest flow coming in behind. this is a pattern you would expect to see

in november or december. this is a cold pool of there. when you are left of the strongest winds. we have a situation where you might actually have it little instability. this is the same set up a couple of weeks ago. it has produced a couple of waterspouts. here are the winds coming in from the south. weather systems do change.

tonight partly cloudy. it will be windy and mild. gun tomorrow increasing cloudiness. the cool down tomorrow. the better chance of a fact overcast on friday.

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time for sports. the bears returned from the bye week, and now have to prepare for a prime time match- up against the lions. full- back evan rodriguez and receiver earl bennett both returned to practice at halas hall yesterday.

bennett says his hand is fully healed and will likely play on monday night. the bears also signed tight end brody eldridge, and to make room on the roster, they released running back kahlil bell. he re-signed with the team when matt forte injured his ankle. the broncos trailed the chargers 24- nothing on monday night football. but it's 24-21 in the fourth, when peyton manning hits brandon stokley for one of his three touchdowns, and a four-point lead. broncos still up with two minutes left. chris harris intercepts philip rivers and returns it 46 yards for a touchdown. rivers was intercepted four times. broncos win 35-24 and tie the fourth- biggest regular season comeback in n-f-l history. blackhawks legend eddie olczyk is now a member of the u-s hockey hall of fame. olczyk was inducted last night along with mike modano and former executive lou lamoriello. the palos heights native was drafted by the hawks in 1984. he went on to play for six n-h-l teams, coached the penguins, and

is now considered one of the best analysts on t-v. olczyk says everything he has is because of hockey. blackhawks legend eddie olczyk look at all of the people who have gone into the hall of fame. i couldn't be more happy. .that's a look at sports. your live illinois lottery drawing is next. >>winning pick 3 numbers 2,9,1

winning pick 4 numbers. 5,0,9,9

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call... and lock in your rate for 12 months. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy? >>in medical watch. a new study suggests your yearly flu shot may not offer

enough protection. university of minnesota researchers found that during some flu seasons, the vaccine was not as effective. especially for the elderly. the injectable vaccine protected adults at a rate of about 59 percent, and didn't protect children or seniors. the study also found that the nasal spray vaccine offered protection 83 percent of the time for adults and showed no evidence of protection for children or seniors. but the researchers still urge people to get the flu shot because right now, it's the best defense we have. new warnings about the dangers of binge drinking. researchers say it can damage the brain within months and turn social drnkers into alcohol abusers. the researchers studied lab rats who were exposed to alcohol for three days a week. after just six weeks, the binge-drinking rats consumed far more than those with a continous supply of alcohol. and after a few months they showed signs of brain function impairment similar to that of established alcoholics. the tests suggest that having a smaller amount of alcohol every day.. as the french do is safer.

dangerous levels of lead have been found in thousands of halloween items being shipped to u-s stores. customs agents in seattle recently seized these items. buttons on the costumes, jewelry, and even pirate eye patches all contained lead at 11-times the legal limit. this shipment had about 15- thousand illegal items. authorities say the costumes came from china. last year alone. customs agents stopped more than 11-thousand shipments of lead-contaminated products from entering the united states. lunchbreak is next. how to make minestrone soup that is perfect for fall dining. i have a cold, and i took

nyquil, but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels speeds relief to your worst cold symptoms plus has a decongestant for your stuffy nose. thanks. that's the cold truth! >>in today's lunchbreak how to create minestrone soup for the fall season. using the end of the summer produce from your garden. executive chef john coletta of quartino ristorante and wine bar is here now. they really is perfect for this time of the year. it is as much fun to make as it is to eat.

we're going to start off by taking extra virgin olive oil. we're going to at some carrots and celery. >> some fresh aground black pepper. the soup we are making is a good base to build on. you can have whatever he really like. >> absolutely. he should not be inhibited from using any of your favorite herbs. >> making this an advance is better.

>> we have added water. we're going to add some cabbage. >> a lot of fiber and israel nutritious. it takes awhile to simmer. >> we're going to add some zucchini. they're going to add some freshly chopped basil. that makes the entire soup

>> we put this together in a matter of minutes. i like to use not make. nutmeg. >>you can chill this soup and serve it with a little pesto on top. >>we are going to take this here. >>i would never think about

freezing it. we can add some rice. >>youeach region of italy makes it 's own type of minestrone >>that looks delicous.

>> a wonderful family place. this is delicious. thank you so much. john colleta, thanks so much for joining us. quartino ristorante and wine bar is at 626 north state street to learn more go to quartinochicago.com. for today's recipe, or to watch the segment again, log on to wgn tv dot com slash midday.

time now for the answer to today's trivia question. we asked:where in italy is shakespeare's "romeo and juliet" set? a. rome b. verona c. florence the answer: b. verona. verona still exists in northern italy. >> we are in the middle of a warm-up. we are getting these regular warm spells. it is a nice way to do it. we at the halfway mark of october. perhaps

that is the tone we are setting. the rain for the moment is staying away for months. >> you'll see a big storm right up near the canadian border. >> you can see the showers blossom and the head of that system. a lot of cloud cover in that situation. this will be thursday afternoon if. that system will exit. a closer look at the showers tomorrow afternoon and evening. midnight

tomorrow night. we start with sun thursday morning. the air is unstable. the temperature drops with height quickly. a tornado over water. we will see if we see water spouts. another healthy batch of rain. that is total. everyone of these shaded states is in a wind advisory. on the back side of this thing 56

mph wind gust coming down from the dakotas. we will be so close to the center. in terms of temperature.there is the chill that comes in.you see that in the 7 day forecast. a lot cooler thursday-saturday. saturday will clear out. >>thank you for joining us.