Forty three years ago, the blues-rock star rocked Ravinia festival. Eight weeks later, Janis Joplin was gone forever.

Senate President John Cullerton hints a deal has been reached to reform the state's pension system. But are Republicans on board? Paris Schutz has the details.

We are now in day three of a federal government shutdown. We take a look at what it will take to get things up and running again.

African-American churches are among the fervent opponents of same-sex marriage. The topic is the subject of a new book called "Homophobia in the Black Church: How Faith, Politics and Fear Divide the Black Community."

It started out as a fictitious pie shop Paula Haney would dream of with her husband Craig. Now, Haney has opened the Hoosier Mama Pie Company in Chicago and is looking to expand. In her new retro-style cookbook, Haney wants to share her love for pie with more than 120 pie recipes ranging from lemon meringue to frito-chili pie. Check out her recipe for sugar cream pie.

Old Jews Telling Jokes is an onstage celebration of Jewish humor. We speak with Saturday Night Live alum Tim Kazurinsky and actress Dara Cameron about the hit comedy that makes its Chicago debut at The Royal George Theatre this week. Watch online skits and read an interview.

Earlier this week, Phil Ponce spoke with financial analyst Terry Savage and economics professor Edward Stuart about the government shutdown. It was a lively conversation and it brought in a lot of reaction. We share what some of you had to say in tonight's viewer feedback.

A concert pianist of the highest order, Inna Faliks can be as dramatic or as subtle as a great stage actor.

Best-selling author Tom Clancy died at age 66. Back in 2002, Elizabeth Brackett interviewed Clancy on an episode of Chicago Tonight. Watch the web extra video from our archives.

We check in with Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam about the ongoing government shutdown.

After appealing to the Supreme Court for help, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle hopes the system is one step closer to resolving the massive backlog of Cook County criminal cases resulting in some inmates waiting years for their cases to be adjudicated. Carol Marin and her guests take a closer look at the effort to improve criminal courts operations. Read letters from President Preckwinkle and Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Kilbride.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and local leaders are scrambling to make a deal to privatize Chicago’s ports. Paris Schutz has the story.

In August, Bishop Elizabeth Eaton became the first female presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a four-million member denomination. Bishop Eaton will be installed as presiding bishop this Saturday, October 5 in Chicago. Read an interview with Eaton.

Why did beautiful bronze reliefs at a Hyde Park church create an artistic controversy? Geoffrey Baer answers this question and more in this week’s edition of Ask Geoffrey.