• Pvt. Francheska Velez, one of the two area soldiers killed in the Ft. Hood shooting rampage, was laid to rest today.
• The state's unemployment rate hit a new 26-year high in October at 11 percent.
• The RTA today gave the official thumbs up to the deal struck with Gov. Quinn that would avoid another CTA fare hike.

The body of Private Francheska Velez returned home today, and a procession from Midway, past Kelvyn Park High School where she had attended school, was held. Velez was one of the thirteen people killed in the November 5 Fort Hood shooting rampage. Last week, a vigil was held for the 21-year-old in her home neighborhood of Humboldt Park. Adding to the tragedy was the fact Velez was a little over two months pregnant at the time of her death. She had served in Iraq but had been transferred to Fort Hood after she became pregnant and was awaiting a December return to Chicago. Visitation for Velez is scheduled for Wednesday at Montclair Lucania Funeral Home; the funeral is scheduled for Thursday followed by a burial at Mount Olive Cemetery. more ›

The body of Army Pfc. Michael Pearson returned home today. Pearson, one of the 13 people killed in last week's Ft. Hood shooting rampage, was a Bolingbrook native. The plane carrying his body landed at Midway this morning and a procession (pictured above) carried his body from the airport to Bolingbrook, and passed Bolingbrook High School (where Pearson graduated in 2006), the Pearsons' home, and finally the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home in Joliet where wakes will be held tomorrow and Saturday morning followed by a service Saturday afternoon. Burial will be at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood. more ›

A second Chicago-area victim of the Fort Hood shooting has been identified. CBS 2 is reporting that 21-year-old Francheska Velez of Chicago was among the 13 people killed. Velez, a 2006 graduate of Kelvyn Park High School, had just returned from Afghanistan and was pregnant, according to her uncle who spoke with CBS 2. Earlier, it was reported that Bolingbrook's Michael Pearson was also shot and killed in yesterday's shooting rampage. more ›