we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. >> all is quiet at the junior high school. teachers are picketing. classes are also canceled. with no new talks scheduled, this break may last a while. >> with no school for over 1800 kids, there is ample time to walk dogs as teachers walked the picket line. many parents support the unions fight with blue ribbons on display outside homes. dealing with the district's first ever strike is an inconvenient development. >> you never think that you have to worry about a strike. >> talks have been ongoing since april. both sides emerged disappointed. >> we're very sorry. we stayed at the table as long as we could. we're very disappointed. we wanted to see the children in school. we asked them to please stay. >> the teachers went on strike at midnight. the sticking points include health insurance retirement benefits, salary issues. >> it is imperative that we get those children back and their seats. they need to be back in the classroom. to think that they're thinking otherwise sends a different messag

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. wgn's nancy loo is live in the south loop with more on today's top story. is changes for the best. he understood that he had become a distraction. >> i know she has the experience to build on the reforms belly of put in place. but now she has the capacity to oracle all of the important people in the system. >> my focus every single day will be on our children. providing the support that our teachers and a and that our principal nimoy. nothing is more important than the more children. >> the may revealed that tendency always better known in his circleher circle as b3. >> everyone at the podium for. some parents are not surprised by the sudden change. he was missing in action during the entire strike. if >> he did not do a very good job of handling the strike. hopefully than one will do a better cup. >> $250,000 annual salary. she has agreed to a three-year contract at the same salary rates. >>after two weeks on strike. teachers and students in the evergreen park school district will lik

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. w-g-n's julian crews is live in aurora with our top story. dozens of his calssmates have rushed to the scene. he was a popular sophomore. his parents, students teachers are mourning the loss. >>we are so sorry that we lost a friend. we are cherishing everyone now. it's a first and we are bringing it to you! our cameras will be rolling inside the courtroom as a murder trial gets under way today in kankakee. wgn's amy rutledge is live outside the courthouse with this history making trial. amy? a second man was shot in the leg and he survived. opening statements begin at 130. i have an initial list of about 30. he spoke with a touch and a state attorney or both very excited to see this. >> the only thing television cameras will not be capturing his the jury. their identities are being protected throughout this trial. the second circuit court in the state put onto this pilot program. 28 counties are involved in the pilot program. ex-cop anthony abbate is back in federal court today where

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. w-g-n's julian crews is live in the loop with more on the get- out-the-vote effort. over the next several days in the city of chicago voters will begin receiving voter guides. it looks like this. this is a simple guide. it will tell you where you're pulling pacepolling place will be come election day. >> approximately 15 percent of our voters will have a new polling place. >> it will result in changes for 15% of the city's 1.1 million registered voters. there will be a new precinct for these folks. the chicago board of elections doing everything they can to notify the 15%. your actual voter card will also have your precinct address. when it comes to the early voting the chairman wants to know that you do not have to go to the precinct address that is printed on your card. you have dozens of options across the city. >> whatever is most convenient to you. fan of both websites on our web site. >>president obama and republican presidential candidate mitt romney faced off last night in a d

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. i believe the sentence the court imposed today was a wise and proper one. 68 year-old did not speak to reporters as he was led away from the courthouse. he is accused of sexually abusing 10 bolus. the victims spoke at the hearing today. sandusky maintained his innocence. >> his statement was a masterpiece of self to a given. completely removed from reality. sandusky's attorneys say he did not get a fair trial and they will his conviction. in the wake of the sex abuse scandal. the n-c-double-a imposed sanctions against penn state. including a 60 million dollar fine and a four year bowl ban. >>drawing the ire of the gun lobby, cook county board president preckwinkle is eyeing a violence tax on guns and ammunition sold in the city and suburbs, the chicago sun-times has learned. cost of the county right now $143 of debt to house one person. a spokesman for the national rifle association says the company is looking to make legal gun owners scapegoats. they fan ofa similar tax was proposed

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. the president will travel from the airport to hear and then back. the president will not have to wait in line like a saw forming before the doors opened. the first lady of voted already. the schedule shows you the casting his ballot. he is doing sell among old neighbors. the president would have campaigned today. mr. romney spent yesterday traveling to colorado. governor romney will be an ohio both today and tomorrow. both are looking for the undecided. the president needs to rally. his enthusiasm is nowhere near that of four years ago. >> i hope everyone else is ready to fly the him. >> this is too important. the momentum is high. the momentum is up. i'm excited. the president will travel to a campaign even this evening in cleveland before returning very late tonight to the white house. >>mitt romney campaigns in cincinnatti, ohio today. this crucial battleground state. offering 18 electoral votes. romney addressed a crowd at a business that supplies armor parts, and assemblies for m

and i'm dina we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. >>our top story>>mayor rahm emanuel wants >> there is the house ethics. there's the rest of his longtime fund-raiser on unrelated tax fraud charges. the fbi is in the final stages of in a criminal probe. >> we understand why the pressures were building on him. looking into whether the congressman illegally used campaign money to decorate his home. there is no word that the house and the question is his home. >> who is taken off a day later. jackson has been staying at home since he was released from the mayo clinic after being treated for bipolar disorder. he is up for reelection and a few weeks. >> i'm not sure even indictment would prevent his reelection this time. apparently his attorneys believe there is a chance to could be indicted shd >>mayor rahm emanuel wants an audit of the company that runs chicago's parking meters. a deal he inherited from the daley adminstration. wgn's judy wang reports. >>a public hearing on the new city budget will be held tonight on the northwest

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. >>the mayor kept his word. he outlined his plan to close a shortfall. reading a better business climate in the city. creating a small business center. this budget makes critical investments by reforming government instead of raising taxes. >> our goal is to reform where we can and where we must. that is where matters. providing greater opportunities for our children. a mixed reactions to the mayor's speech. he felt as though there should have been more than 4 in. and 57 police officers457 police officers. >> i did not think that is enough. >> whatever we can afford that is what we're going to try to do. >> i think it is a very optimistic message. even though these are tough economic times. it appears that chicago is going to be able to do more with less. >> mayor stressed the need for pension reform. the aldermen will have about one month to think over herit.>>video gambling is now up and running at bars truck stops and other locations around illinois. wgn's amy rutledge joins us live

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. >>our top story. >> the disappearance has neighbors concerned. investigators are here on the scene gathering evidence. police have not said whether they suspect foul play. >> she has not been seen since saturday. police have spent the last day and a half gathering evidence. she works as a hairdresser. her keys and car are at the home where she lived with her boyfriend. >> he has not been seen either. >> you read about this kind of stuff every day. >> to get a little bit apprehensive. >> the major crimes task force is helping city police with this investigation. >>a hazmat team in aurora is having a tough time getting into the home of a suspected hoarder apparently the garbage is piled too high. the home is suspected of housing animals and dead birds. wgn's judy wang is live in aurora with details. judy >> the animal control officers went inside the home. maybe about 15-20 minutes ago. we have not seen them bring any animals to the fan. this is the 200 block of shady brook lane. firefi

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. >> making her first presentation. at a special meeting of the cook county board. >> to weaken to the first quarter of the fiscal year, a deficit of almost half a billion dollars. more importantly no plan for a budget. she says that she inherited a fiscal disaster. through better management and austerity measures the board president says the projected 2013 deficit now stands at less than $200 million. a tax on the sale of guns and ammo. many on the board supports the idea of discouraging smokers helping to prevent lung cancer. >> to remains to be seen if she has the votes to pass her budget. a chicago man accused of growing marijuana with a street value of about half a million dollars will be in court this afternoon for a bond hearing. wgn's nancy loo reports police seized those pot plants from an indoor growing facility. >> is the photography studio. it is quite a big studio space. according to police much of it was not being used for photography. he faces a number of charges including a felony

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. there is a hard lockdown due to a report of an intruder in the building at indian trail jr high school. they said there was no indication this reported person was armed or dangerous. students are in their classrooms with the lights off. police are searching the building. all of the >> the loss is still sinking in. he had been out sick for over a week. co-workers were warned his condition was grave. >> it still takes time to comprehend. it is not going to sink in until we see him missing from his chair. >> sad reminder that he will never return to the job he loved. the 50 year-old dad last night after contracting the virus from a macedo likemosquito bite. >> when you see a guy like him who is as big as the house and as strong as a next, being bogged down by a mosquito bite it is shocking. it is heartbreaking to everybody. there is no doubt that is what he would have wanted. >> he has given his whole life to saving lives and property. he continues to give and care of people. >> his clos

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 wa

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. the young victim is obviously not being identified. the lawyer tells me that she is still recovering from what happened here outside of cook elementary school nearly six months ago. that happened in the morning of friday may 11th. an inch man entices and 11 year-old girl away from our school after all other students had already gone inside. a man had apparently supplied the girl with alcohol. according to the family's lawsuit that teachers failed to report this or the gross absence. >> sheen and tell the principal. she called the parents of 5:00 at night. the school is closed this week for a fall break. i think it is really horrible that something like this happened. i'm surprised we were not notified in the neighborhood. >> the girl continues to recover. for this to occur right outside of the school is unthinkable. the fact that it occurred and was seen by a teacher and allowed to have happen that is a problem appeared. >> an autopsy will be performed today on human remains found in

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. wgn's judy wang has our top story. >> firefighters do not consider this fire suspicious. to spend about five havre's taking away several items from home. they hope it will help to determine a cause. the family is trying to figure out where to go next. ronald made it out but his daughter was killed. >> i went down to the basement and opens the door. a cloud of black smoke rolled out. that is when i started coughing. there is not much i could do. >> he suffered smoke inhalation. he is treated and released. and is found in the lower level bedroom. that is where they believe the fire started. >> a burned up the siding and then got into the attic. >> investigators ruled out electrical problems and appliances as causes. >> the firemen responded to a little fire that some time before. >> he has not ruled that out. a man from suburban elk grove village. who has a history of mental illness is being held on terrorism charges. police in oklahoma say he was planning to firebomb dozens of churches.

it is our top story seen or around the country tonight on wgn america the story of the chicago boys scouts who are likely in those files tens of thousands highlighting potential pedophile's released today by the boy scouts of america the so-called perversion files is part of a sexual abuse lawsuit that captures the nation's attention today. we're talking about thousands of unidentified man that should be registered sex offenders that are roaming free. >> the files of scout leaders in volunteers and dismissed by the organization for sexual abuse or misconduct. >> raped a gunpoint, a 12th maybe 13 year-old chicago boy by the acts of his scoutmaster with convicted acts of manslaughter on his records. they said theyeither they did not know about his record or they simply kept it to themselves. alan baron has been a lawyer in chicago for 32 years in 1983 he was practically a kid himself this man was a volunteer scoutmaster for children living there at the time and in his first year on the job he invited a scout to his apartment to try on a uniform, it's all detailed in the chicago tribune artic

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. sandra endo has our top story from denver. >> weeks of preparation will be tested on the stage in a matter of hours. how will their approach change when the competition is standing just a few feet away? >>>> >>>> govegornrn romney has toake ee debatat about the president's economic policy. the president has to do different from that. he has to make the debate about the choice between himself and the governor romney. pressing him about specifics. >> the debate is not about winning. >> the opportunity for him to talk directly to the american people without the filter. telling them about his plan for the next four years. >> obama advisers are also spending. reminding voters that the president's day drop has interfered with practice sessions. both candidates know that every question comes. fumbles can be costly. >> after tonight's debate voters will get a chance to see them square off two more times. >>you can watch tonight debate streaming live on wgntv.com. meantime, a conservative news

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. our top story for his part biden will need to recover some political ground for democrats. the candidates will meet at centre college in danville, kentucky tonight. hot topics will include ryan's budget plan. which is popular with conservatives. biden also is expected to hit hard on the republican plan to create a voucher system for medicare. polls show the race is tightening into a virtual tie. especially after last week's presidential debate. where mitt romney was widely viewed as the winner over barack obama. both sides say they're ready. >>i know how he will attack us. >>i think joe just needs to be joe. ryan is a smart and effective speaker. his ideas are the wrong ones. though biden is considered more experienced than ryan. political analysts say the vice president must avoid making one of his well-documented gaffes that end up distracting from the message. an issue that's sure to come up at tonight's debate is federal funding of amtrak. the company gets roughly one- point-four

we welcome our viewers who are watching us around the country on wgn america and on the web. >> the 2012 murder rate is up 25%. a memorial near 35th and morgan marks where a jose escobar was killed sunday morning. it happened during a fight near a fast food stand. his friend was left paralyzd. this is the first time since 2003 the city has exceeded 400- murders by october. in response to the recent shootings, members of sweet holy spirit church held a prayer walk yesterday. members called for peace and an end to the violence. residents say are now surprised the city's homicide rate now tops 400. >> an american airlines flight from chicago made an emergency landing in st. louis. none of the passengers were injured. the co-pilot became ill. the plane was headed for dallas. no word on on when passengers will continue the flight >>teachers in evergreen park could go on strike tomorrow. a meeting tonight could determine if parents need to make alternate arrangments for their kids. wgn's amy rutledge is live with the latest. >> his last have parents start thinking in that direction. two sessio