Save Chubby Kids? / Flash Robbery Crews / Unemployment / Manilow

"The Nutcracker" is back at Joffrey Ballet — and it's amazing.

The show apparently also is a great chance to hear "Tchaikovsky without a commercial advertising 2.9% APR financing on a new Hyundai," Axios' Justin Kauffman points out.

Joffery Xavier Nuñez talk about demands of the production and dance post lockdown.

Watch: 'It Feels Exhilarating': Joffrey Ballet's Nutcracker Show Is Back

Saturday: Might Snow High: 40 Low: 26

Sunday: Sunny High: 37 Low: 27

• Former New Orleans Saint's lineman Glen Foster Jr. was declared dead in the back of Pickens County, Alabama police cruiser after being pulled over for speeding. An autopsy ruled the former Mt. Carmel High School star died by strangulation. (WGN)
• City Hall is worried about chubby city kids. The mayor introduced a proposal that would require restaurants to offer healthy drink options for kids — rather than pop — as the default choice on menus. As it turns out, that's already a law in Illinois starting New Year's Day. (Eater)
• What have we learned since coronavirus landed in Chicago Public Schools? Patch news partner Chalkbeat boiled it down to a short list of lessons. (Patch)
• Unemployment in Illinois remains well above the national average and 60-percent higher than before the coronavirus crisis. With 5.7-percet unemployment, Illinois ranked 42nd out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to Wallet Hub. (Patch)
• Police believe "flash mob robbery crews" are behind a huge surge in robberies and occasional carjackings on the North Side. That's a crew of people traveling in multiple cars for the sole purpose of robbing people on the street— sometimes eight people at a time. (CWB)

For A Good Time, Click:

Saturday:

• Luttrell at Concord Music Hall (9 p.m.)
• Zeds Dead After Dark at House of Blues (11:59 p.m.)
• La Posada at Metro (9 p.m.)
• Daley at The Promontory (7 p.m.)
• I Fight Dragons, Side Quest: Record Release Show at Lincoln Hall (8 p.m.)

Sunday:

• Boozy BBQ Drag Brunch at Grand Cabaret (10:30 a.m.)
• Jorma Kaukonen at Old Town School of Folk Music (7 p.m.)
• Samantha Fish, King Solomon Hicks at Park West (7:30 p.m.)
• Salsa Sundays at Cubby Bear (7 p.m.)
• Barry Manilow, A Very Barry Christmas at The Chicago Theatre (7 p.m.)

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Just The Links:

• Get a free ride on Metra on New Year's Eve.
• Chicago Magazine reminds folks the city does have an East Side. It's a neighborhood.
• One of my favorite Chicago photographers, Chris Sweda, captures the city at dusk.
• The White Sox flipped the switch on its holiday lights display.
• Click for the 10 hottest restaurants in Chicago, right now.
  

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— Mark