good afternoon. i'm steve sanders. and i'm cortney hall. we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. senator kirk's return to capital hill is our top story. thousands of well-wishers joined him. he is not expected to make any public remarks from the senate floor. he suffered a stroke last january 21st that

left him with an impairment on his left side. >> she will join us with comments from his doctors about his return. the 113th congress is now in session. the house of representatives convened this morning with the republicans still in control but by a smaller margin. republicans now fill 234 seats in the new house. the democrats hold 201 that's eight more than in the previous congress. among the first big issues they'll be dealing with.. the automatic spending cuts that were postponed to the end of february, and a decision on the debt ceiling. the end-of-year showdown over the fiscal cliff kept congressional leaders completely occupied. so they never got around to approving federal aid for victims of superstorm sandy.

and late tuesday night, new jersey governor chris christie got the call that congress won't vote on a 60-billion dollar rescue package for another two weeks. this is why the american people hate congress. 66 days and counting. shame on you. we cannot believe that this cruel knife in the back was delivered to our region. we've had no help from anybody. the pilot garbage has been there since the first week. the house is expected to vote tomorrow to approve money to cover flood damage. nearly one month after the deadly shooting that claimed the lives of 20 first graders and six teachers. students of sandy hook elementary are back in school today.. the students have been relocated to a different building, in another town. under extremely tight security.

rugs and furniture from their old school have been moved to the new location to help students ease into the transition. the daughter of former sandy hook principal dawn hochsprung. one of the first victims' of last month's killing spree, says her mom will be there in spirit the principal, who retired from sandy hook two years ago is returning to lead the school. the movie theater that was the site of a shooting rampage is re-opening this month, and that's creating some outrage. james holmes is charged with killing 12 people and wounding 58 others at the cinemark in aurora, colorado back in july. the movie company has invited loved ones of the victims to the theater's re-opening. the theater is offering an evening of rememberance and a free movie. but, some of the families of the victims say it's a blatant lack of respect. aurora's mayor says the reopening might be painful for some, and a healing moment for others.

if a homicide victim of this new year. she spoke with the victim's wife and daughter about her crushing loss. >> the victim was the owner of this business for more than two decades. a staple in this community. they're uncovering over graffiti here. trying to process new is that he is now gone. >> hough she sits in her south side home trying to come to grips with the tragedy shaking her family. >> two men walked into the shop demanding money. neither of several hours later. fifth

>> he was happy. >> is described as a big heart a joker. >> and have no idea how this dentil giant can become a statistic of chicago gun violence that were not hurt. police say they are looking for two suspects. very vague descriptions. they're described as african american males. both of them likely in their late

teens. >> is creating a lot of questions over whether authorities could eventually prevented them. allegedly poured an accelerant on the four year- old and an nine year olds. also their mother. setting them on fire at his mother's house on the west side. now hospitalized with burns on the over 35 percent of his body. back in september on september 9th he filled a bathtub full of gasoline and threatened to torch the kids. police say that he was not charged because he actually

refused to file a complaint at this time. prosecutor >> is have dropped charges against a man. he faces a maximum of 80 years for holding up to banks. he and a fellow inmate escaped from the metropolitan center on december 18th. >> prosecutors say banks changed attorneys several times following his arrest in hopes of delaying his trial. they can use that the escape as aggravation. it could help solidify their case. the escape charge by comparison carries only a maximum of five additional years in prison.

>> he has a devil to get to in his upper right arm he likes california. the bureau is offering a reward of up to $50,000. coming up next a w-g-n exclusive, marcella raymond talks to a victim in the maine west high school hazing incident. and where the bill stands in springfield to legalize same sex marriages in illinois. plus why former chicago bears player steve "mongo" mcmichael is out of a job at e-s-p-n radio. this is america. we don't let frequent heartburn come between us and what we love. so if you're one of them people who gets heartburn and then treats day after day... block the acid with prilosec otc and don't get heartburn in the first place! [ male announcer ] one pill each

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with a little help from his fellow congressional supporters. on his left was senator from west region and on his right was a vice-president. as he made that climb taking several pauses up the stair stepping to wave to fans. all of the congressional members standing off to the side waiting and cheering him on. yelling to the crowd let's get to work. he has missed the last 12 months. he has spent that time recovering from a stroke. recovering from a stroke that was equivalent to boot camp. his doctors say the effort was tremendous. to make sure

there are no further problems. to make sure there are no further complications. the doctors saying that his recovery is largely mental and of course physical because physical therapy is such a large part. they're explaining that people like the senator dealing with insurance and costs like so many americans are is relying on the federal system. he has been able to do physical therapy to a point where he was starting out on stable. >> we will hear from those doctors to help him to the course of this last year later in our news. for now we're live in washington. a student, who was a victim of

hazing at maine west high school is speaking out about his ordeal. and he's talking exclusively with w-g-n about it. wgn's marcella raymond is live in the loop with more. marcella? the freshmen on the varsity soccer team. use brutal lines not once but twice. >> of release said much. just kind of did it like nothing happened. >> one of four athletes who said they were beaten and insulted at northwest high-school. he said that happen first during summer camp. >> i was taken down by a few guns. they took me down and

tackled me. there with my pants down. they tore my boxers. they sodomize me. they dug my face into the grass like it was nothing. >> thomas, coach week before or after. this has scarred him. there's not a day goes by where he does not think about it. >> legislation bed and think

about what i have been through in life. it is always something that comes to mind. it is rough. to think about that actually happening to you. >> he says that he has come forward because he wants beijing to stop. i asked him if he knows of any other boys to have been treated like this. they're hoping that there will help these alleged victims. they're hoping that the school district will look at this more closely. making sure something like this does not happen again.

>> state executive committee is considering legislation right now. one couple and their children will testify about why marriages important to their family. the sponsor of the measure fell two votes short of approval. they're busy making their cases on the controversial subject. illinois lieutenant governor appeared with an openly gay tv sitcom star. urging backers to wear bow ties and solidarity.

>> is important that the state tells us that we're just as important as the other couples. it is time to get married. >> loss is seeking the right to marry. an assault weapons ban. legislation respecting high- capacity magazines. the ban on high-capacity magazines with live ammunition magazines to 10 or fewer rounds. state democrats advanced of the legislation late last night. the compromise deal that resolved the "fiscal cliff"

drama is already in effect. even though it was delivered to the white house hours after president obama left to resume his vacation in hawaii. in order for it to be enacted immediately.. the president authorized the use of a mechanical device known as the "autopen" to sign the bill into law. the obama administration has issued a new immigration rule, that may grant permanent residency for as many as one million illegal immigrants. sveral thousand people in the chicago area could benefit from the policy shift. it applies to those who are immediate relatives of american citizens. starting in march, they may apply for residency, return to their native countries, get special visas, and then return to america legally. the waivers do not guarantee permanent resident status, but without them, illegal immigrants can be banned from the u-s for ten years or more. a sign from may spill when an oil drilling barge. there was a part of shows controversial oil exploration project. the coast

guard says it is sound and there no signs of a bridge. secretary of state hillary clinton is back home after spending three days in the hospital. clinton left a hospital in new york yesterday afternoon. she was receiving treatment for a potentially life-threatening blood clot. former president clinton and daughter chelsea rode home with her. the clot near her brain stems from a concussion suffered in a fall last month. doctors treated her with blood thinners. she is expected to make a full recovery. just ahead the n-f-l team expected to interview lovie smith. and, still to come this midday advice for parents whether or not it's best to let babies cry in their crib if they wake in the middle of the night or rush to comfort them. and later in lunchbreak: you know him from america's test kitchen christopher kimball is here to debunk five common food myths. it's all included in his new book "the science of good cooking"!

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don't wait to feel great. miralax. more americans file for unemployment last week. part of the reason is that some state agencies closed over the holidays which prompted the government to. 215,000 workers last month. that was more than expected. that means the job market finished with momentum. after the big rally we saw stocks have changed very little. antibiotics affecting cattle may be risking human health. some doctors tell the kansas city star that the overuse of antibiotics and cattle is

causing something scary. the development of bacteria that could spread to humans that can cause dangerous staph infections. the price tag, at a half a billion dollars. as they look to replace existing shows with their own mind up. expanding their footprint in the united states. one of the biggest new year's resolutions is getting in shape and losing weight. a new survey says that 65 percent of adults say that they indeed have a fitness related resolution. if you work out regularly that means you'll have less elbow room and that zumba class. many say they dread the return of the new year's resolution crowd.

>> expected to close within the next couple of months. it is said to be sold for more than $3 million. he admitted to them dallas and $53 million over a 20 year period of time. federal officials will have raised nearly $11 million for the town. two more properties remain to be sold. he will be sentenced next month. facing up to 20 years in prison. the political ambitions of a former chicago bear just cost him a job. espn radio fired him. last week he filed his papers to run for mayor. an

attorney sent a letter to the radio station saying that if he went on the air the attorney would seek equal time for the mayor. the station and mcmichael parted ways. how >> i am fully willing to comply and understand. i want to do some good here. >> and showing that he is taking his candidacy seriously. he is worth about losing. >> st. james catholic church has temporarily been saved from the wrecking ball. the 132 year-old church has been a staple of the neighborhood. it is on the city's list of his starkly significant structures. it is in pretty bad shape. shortly after

christmas the archdiocese got a permit to tear down the building. when we come back, we head to south florida where wgn's frank holland is reporting as notre dame's "fighting irish" prepare for the b-c-s championship game. and later, a new medical study about why we may eat too much. a lot of you may have heard about probiotics but may not realize what they can do for your health. we know what it takes to look good on the outside but with 70% of our immune system located in our gut the core of our health is truly on the inside. that's why i take new trubiotics. it's a daily probiotic that helps in two ways. one helps support digestive health the other immune health.

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we have some clouds out there. we have some snow showers occurring over parts of the area. those clouds and snow showers are going to be a short time event. but tonight the cloud should break and we should see some clearing. we did have a few breaks in the clouds. the brakes have filled in. it is completely cloudy. you may notice a little snow on the windshield. it is very light. 28 degrees rainout the airport. look at the coal they're dumping down into parts of the southwest. in fact some snow is

coming down through parts of the southwest. look at this. temperatures all across the area low to mid-20s in most spots. temperatures will be slowly falling during the afternoon. over the next few days a couple of interesting things happened. as we get into the weekend some mild air comes into chicago. as we go into the first part of next week, the mild air stays in place for a couple of days. the low 50s by the time we get into wednesday. there will be just ahead of some more call there.

on our wind gust plot you notice the purple and orange colors of the midwest tomorrow. passage as wind gusts of 35 m.p.h. coming into the area at about this time tomorrow. the winds do diminish. they pick up just a little bit. at the moment you can see that we have that was a breeze and visibility about 10 mi.. dew point not really an issue. that is a winter storm warning. here in the chicago area just look for those passing snow showers. here is our forecast. you're looking a cloudy skies and scattered flurries. clouds will

be on the increased. it is possible by evening we may see a little bit more snow. you can probably safely leave the shovel in the garage. we do have at least the possibility of snow about seven days from now. it may be measurable. we will have to keep an eye on that. time for today's trivia. which speaker of the house later became president of the united states? a.james polk b. harry truman

c.james madison the answer still to come this midday! [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus presents the cold truth. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still "stubbed" up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff

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prilosec otc and don't get heartburn in the first place! [ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. zero heartburn. the buffalo bills are expecting to interview him for the head coaching job soon. the bulls rebounded from a bad loss on new year's eve, by showing off a total package of offense from its key players. joakim noah missed the game with the flu, so taj gibson got the start at center. the bulls built a large lead with some good ball movement as carlos boozer gets it in the

paint and finds gibson open for the dunk. gibson scored a season high 21. later in the 4-th, bulls up six, when rip hamilton finds boozer cutting into the lane, for the layup. boozer led the bulls with 31 points. bulls lead down to two with 15 seconds remaining, when the magic's jameer nelson drives and gets rejected by gibson at the rim. bulls hold on to win 96 to 94. former florida star tim tebow cheering on the gators as they took on louisville in the sugar bowl. on the first play of the game, gators quarterback jeff driskel is intercepted by the cardinals' terrell floyd.. who takes it 38 yards for the touchdown. louisville quarterback terry bridgewater had a better game. throwing two touchdown passes. the cardinals win, in an upset 33 to 23. it is official noted dame and alabama are here. you can see the banners right behind me. the countdown is on for the showdown.

>> hundreds of fans, reporters football enthusiast greeted the no. 1 team in the nation. the pri as a coach who told the team that could win a national championship. the team captain and star linebacker was the main attraction. he is known for his work ethic and preparation. he says the whole year his consideration for the heisman none of it will mean anything. >> i know that everybody on our team understands that the success, if you want to be successful on monday 1/2 to be better on wednesday and thursday friday saturday and sunday. monday hopefully will take care of itself.

>> he did not know how long. he knew that we would be at this point. the team is also in good shape and completely healthy. the coaches making sure the team is on its best behavior. he rolled back the curfew from 2:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.. that did not stop the two teams from having a little bit of fun. both of the teams went to a miami heat game. we are going to have much more.

>>winning pick 3 numbers. 2,5,6

>>time for the pick 4 games. winning pick 4 numbers 0,1,5,6

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in medical watch. drug maker "biogen" is discontinuing work on a closely watched experimental drug to treat "lou gehrig's disease." the company says the drug was not effective. either in slowing the loss of muscular function or prolonging the lives of people with the disease. about 30 thousand americans have "lou gehrig's disease". the disease attacks the nerves that control muscles causes gradual paralysis and typically results in death within a few years of diagnosis.

mothers should leave their babies to cry if they wake in the night. rather than rushing to comfort them. that's the advice of a leading child development expert who studied the sleeping habits of more than 12 hundred babied for a new study. infants move through a cycle every two hours or so, in which they wake up and then return to sleep. professor marsha weinraub says it's important for them to learn how to fall asleep on their own. she says the best advice is to put babies to bed at a regular time every night, allow them to fall asleep, and then resist the urge to respond right away when they wake up. a new book suggests a hormone that's not working the way it should is the real reason we eat so much. leptin is a hormone thar works to decrease the appetite by signaling the brain that you've eaten enough food. but obesity expert dr. robert lustig says people can become "leptin resistant" when they eat

too much sugar. lustig believes leptin resistance is triggered by insulin resistance. he says reducing insulin levels could improve leptin signaling to stop cravings and lead to weight loss. lunchbreak is next. christopher kimball is here from america's test kitchen we're learning about his new book "the science of good cooking"!

try delicious light & fit greek it's no ordinary nonfat yogurt. it has twice the protein of regular lowfat yogurt. and at 80 calories, it's the lightest greek yogurt with fruit. its creamy, thick texture helps satisfy you. so you won't feel like you're running low on satisfaction. light & fit greek. be light and fit. and satisfied.

is here to tell us about his new book. science of good cooking. >> it is all about how science works to enhance recipes. >> people cannot follow recipes at home. i know this for a fact because i do not do it. this book is about the principles of good cooking. it turns out if

you put french fries and cold loyal and let it cook for about 25 minutes you're going to have less fat. in cold oil, some of the moisture comes out. there's no place for to go. it is like your kids closet. there is no oil penetrating. when you take out a lot of the oil gets absorbed. >> the key is you wanted to be

dry. you want to make sure you get paper towels. if it is what it is not going to get over to 12. the boiling point of water. until the water evaporates. the stake was actually warm and dry. >>dry it and warm it before you put in.

>> high starch and low starch potatoes. you put it in water it tends to float. this will pr obably not float as well. the more starch you have the granules pull apart and it absorbs better. this one will absorb very nicely. when you make a potato salad you might want to use a red tail. >> does matter depended on the

recipe. >> debate about whether or not you can take cold eggs and put them in a recipe to bake. if it makes a difference i will. >> you can do that in hot water. it takes a couple of minutes. it does not matter. this one was done with cold eggs. you can tell that they rose exactly the same amount. when using headlights to provide lift, it does matter. >>you add the flour into the wet. fold it until you see remaining streaks of flour. if

you do it to the point where you have fully incorporated the flour, you are developing the glue in. it tends to end up giving you more structure. >> it is one of those things you look at and say this cannot be right. >>all things are in the book. thank you so much. the new book is available now. go to cooksillustrated.com >>log onto

time now for the answer to today's trivia question. we asked which speaker of the house later became president of the united states? a.james polk b. harry truman c.james madison the answer: a. james polk.

>> did you guys get it right? >>we have had some snow showers push through the area. these are not radar detectable. we do not expect any accumulation at all. we will stay chilly tomorrow. there is a chance at light snow developing for saturday night. look what happens to the temperatures. >>we have a shot at some rain or snow. much colder air to follow. >>thanks so much for joining us. we are back at 5 and