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What's Happening

What's making headlines in Chicago and across the nation.

VIDEO: Orton Interview
Kyle Orton to be named Bears' starting QB

Bill Murray makes his jump at the Chicago Air and Water Show
Watch all the live and unedited footage here!

Illinois unemployment rates jumps to 7.3%
Illinois employers eliminated 9,700 jobs statewide in July, pushing the Illinois unemployment rate above the 5.6% national rate.

Boy's recovery 'a miracle' after April rescue from Lake Michigan
Wind blew toddler strapped in stroller into chilly water

City of Chicago layoffs
Mayor Daley may lay off 1,000 city workers to solve Chicago's budget crisis.

Chicago public school officials going door-to-door
School officials want to encourage students to attend the first day of school September 2.

Lip-syncing and fake fireworks at Olympic opening ceremony?
What appeared to be real-life fireworks were actually computer generated graphics.

Monster trains coming down the tracks?
Drivers stuck at crossings could see 2 miles of rail cars

Boeing, Pentagon to meet
Report: Planemaker may not bid on tanker

Walking with Dinosaurs
This live dinosaur experience is at the United Center through August 17.

Evanston may repeal gun ban
After Supreme Court struck down a Washington D.C. handgun ban, the NRA filed lawsuits against similar bans in Chicago and suburbs.

Justice Department gives $2 million to fight gangs
Chicago and Detroit among the cities funded by the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative.

As Olympics open in China, Tibetans take to Chicago streets to call for freedom
About 500 protesters march to Chinese Consulate

Edwards admits to affair, denies fathering child
The former North Carolina senator and 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, confessed to that he lied repeatedly about the affair with Rielle Hunter.

Organic foods not any better
Researchers say found no difference in minerals in crops.

Protect, serve, demand free java?
Police officer lands in hot water after Starbucks complains about pressure for coffee on the house

Highway cameras
Governor Blagojevich announces crackdown on reckless speeding

Raymond Hunter Geisel makes death threat on Barack Obama
Geisel appears in court on charges

Morgan Freeman released from hospital
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman was injured in car accident in Mississippi.

Woman kills boyfriend for drinking her beer, officials say
Bail set at $500,000 in West Side stabbing death in car

Busy morning for bank robbers in Chicago
3 heists take place within about 90 minutes

Ticketless tailgaters curbed at Chicago Bears games
Those fans will have to leave parking lots from kickoff to final whistle

Circuit clerk's office evacuated at Daley Center
Suspicious container found in garbage can after bomb threat made

National Night Out
The 25th Annual 'National Night Out' is a unique crime and drug prevention event on August 5, 2008.

Putting the 45-m.p.h. construction-zone speed limit to the safety test
Drivers can obey the law without blowing a gasket

Dangerous intersections
New report shows which intersections are the most dangerous for pedestrians in Chicago.

Abandoned boy
Police identify the boy left in Wal-Mart.

Judge rules against Cook County Jail's strip-search policy
In another blow for the troubled Cook County Jail, a federal judge has ruled as unconstitutional the jail's practice of strip-searching male detainees ordered released from custody.

Cars could get booted after two tickets, not three
Drivers with just two unpaid parking tickets could find their cars booted under a proposal City Hall floated Wednesday.

Woman found dead in Delta plane's bathroom
Delta flight attendants found the body of a woman in the restroom of a plane that landed in Atlanta early Wednesday morning.

Earthquake shakes Southern California
5.4-magnitude earthquake felt from Los Angeles to San Diego

3 charged with murder in Red Line electrocution
Cook County medical examiner's office results.

Journalist Bob Novak diagnosed with brain tumor
Novak has been a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times for decades.

French man pleads guilty in art theft case
Man had been living in Fort Lauderdale suburb of Cooper City

City's bike messengers ride a fine line when on the job

iPhone goes contract-free

Liquid lightning: Phelps sets another world record
Katie Hoff sets new women's mark in 400 IM

Clinton joins Obama on the campaign trail

Supreme Court overturns gun ban in 5-4 ruling
Mayor Richard Daley calls it "a very frightening decision."

Tribune Tower could be put up for sale

Illinois Attorney General sues Countrywide
Lisa Madigan says company promoted high-risk loans, contributing to foreclosures.

United Airlines cutting 950 pilot jobs
Already announced plan to cut 1,600 salaried positions and reduce its fleet.

LeBron James, Kobe Bryant lead Olympic team
Dwyane Wade, Deron Williams also make it

Southern California Earthquake
Magnitude-4.0 quake shakes city east of L.A.

Pregnancy Pact
Teen girls made pact to get pregnant

Mortgage fraud crackdown begins
Up to 70 people may be charged with fraud here

Walter Jacobson charged with DUI
Former Chicago television news anchor arrested on a charge of drunken driving.

City health department names restaurant tied to tainted tomatoes
Adobo Grill in Wicker Park and Old Town tied to salmonella cases.

Michelle Obama chats with "The View"
Michelle Obama talks about Laura Bush, the "fist bump," and her husband.

U.S. Open win to be only win?
Tiger Woods to miss rest of golf season

CTA testing new hybrid electric-powered bus
Vehicle touted to get 7 m.p.g., rather than just 3 or 4