A very bumpy start to the CTA's new Ventra payment system has forced the transit agency to change gears. We hear what some passengers have to say, and get the latest on the CTA's newly revised plan. Read an article and share your thoughts.

President Obama invites House Democrats to a meeting at the White House to discuss the budget crisis. Is the government shutdown nearing its end? Carol Marin and her guests have analysis. Watch web extra videos.

Want to know how Cook County Jail keeps track of its inmates? Through hundreds of thousands of pieces of tattered paper. Paris Schutz has more on why Sheriff Tom Dart says it's a disaster waiting to happen. Read letters from Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown to Dart.

A newly redesigned $100 bill went into circulation on Tuesday. With a new paper blend, modernized security features and an updated portrait of Benjamin Franklin, the new bill will be more difficult to counterfeit. See photos and security features of the new bill.

A Chicago landmark is undergoing a renaissance as a luxurious hotel on Michigan Avenue. We take a peek under the dust in tonight's Ask Geoffrey.

Dan Parizek is a “Honeybee Rescuer." If you’ve got a beehive in the walls of your home, Dan will relocate it so it won’t be destroyed by an exterminator. With Colony Collapse Disorder destroying some 10 million beehives since 2007, Dan and others say we can’t afford to lose any more hives. We revisit Jay Shefsky's profile. Read an article, watch a web extra video, and learn more about Colony Collapse Disorder from local scientists.

Chicago was recently named as the host city for the 27th edition of the 2015 World Triathlon Grand Final. Elizabeth Brackett has won four World Championship titles and placed second in this year’s London World Championships. Watch a web extra video about what Chicago can expect when it hosts the World Championships in 2015.

GOP governor candidates have now all selected running mates. But are they qualified to be governor in an emergency? Paris Schutz has the latest. View a graphic of Illinois gubernatorial candidates and their running mates.

The Supreme Court’s new term started the first Monday in October. The court docket includes hot-button cases on political campaign contributions, abortion rights, free speech, affirmative action, public prayer and presidential power. We hear from three former Supreme Court clerks about the issues before the court and how cases are chosen.

FRONTLINE’s much-anticipated documentary, League of Denial: Inside the NFL’s Concussion Crisis, explores whether the NFL put players at risk by denying the relation between concussions and long-term health issues. Our panel tackles the question of football safety at all levels.

An exhibition explores the visual culture of the Northern home front during the Civil War.

The Civil War is remembered through art and literature that capture the American spirit on the Northern home front.

We talk with Academy Award nominee Joan Allen about her latest performance in The Wheel at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, a play about what happens to hope and human nature in times of war. Read an interview and watch web extra videos.

Lookingglass Theater opened their 26th season on Saturday with the deeply sensual drama, The North China Lover.

The Illinois General Assembly will tackle pension reform, marriage equality and tax credits for businesses during its fall legislative session. Carol Marin takes a look at the issues with members of the General Assembly.