Good afternoon, Chicago.
In a stunning move, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the convictions of former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett today, finding that a special prosecutor’s decision to retry him for allegedly staging a hate crime against himself violated his rights after the Cook County state’s attorney’s office previously dropped all charges.
The high court’s decision, which found that the prosecutor’s office entered into an agreement with Smollett when it dismissed the case, closes a chapter in perhaps the most controversial and closely watched low-level felony case in Illinois in recent years.
Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
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‘Burst of accumulating snowfall’ and high winds causing slippery travel conditions in Chicago, weather service says
There’s a decent chance that the snow will become rain in the afternoon as the temperature rises to the low 40s. The weather service forecasts dry conditions through the weekend with near average temperatures. Read more here.
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Bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 as post-election rally rolls on
Bitcoin topped $98,000 for the first time Thursday, extending a streak of almost daily all-time highs since the U.S. presidential election. The cryptocurrency has rocketed more than 40% in just two weeks. Read more here.
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‘I let it go’: Teresa Weatherspoon — blindsided by Chicago Sky firing — embraces future with new 3-on-3 league
Weatherspoon will coach the Vinyl Basketball Club, an Unrivaled team that includes Arike Ogunbowale, Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard, Rae Burrell, Aliyah Edwards and Dearica Hamby. The new gig is a welcome change for Weatherspoon, who felt blindsided when the Sky fired her Sept. 26 after only 11 months as coach. Read more here.
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Column: New show ‘Poochie & Pang Eat Chicago’ stars a lively duo and local food
The first episode of “Poochie & Pang Eat Chicago” formally airs on NBC’s WMAQ-Ch. 5 on Sunday night following the news that follows the football game. But it started attracting eyes earlier this week when it became available on YouTube. Read more here.
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Ukraine says Russia launched intercontinental missile but US officials say it was intermediate-range
Ukraine claimed that Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile overnight at one of its cities, but American officials said an initial U.S. assessment indicated the strike was carried out with an intermediate-range ballistic missile. Read more here.
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