Smollett Guilty / Konkol / Bulls COVID Crisis / Roseland Syphilis

A jolly Black fellow hailing from the South Side (of Chicago and the North Pole), Dreezy Claus remains on a mission to spread Christmas cheer decked out in a plus-sized red-and-white suit, his beaming smile framed by a full beard and dangling dreadlocks the color of Silver Bells.

"Santa magic is a wonderful thing," Andre C. Russell says of his Christmastime alter-ego. "You know, if you're Black, Santa can be Black. Santa is magical. He can be whatever he wants to be in a moment."

KONKOL COLUMN: Black Santa 'Dreezy Claus' Brings Chicago Gift Of Representation

Soggy. High: 47 Low: 45.

• It took a jury about nine hours of deliberations to find former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett guilty on five felony charges related to faking a hate crime against himself and lying to police about it. (Patch)
• Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart wants automobile manufacturers to allow vehicle owners to sign consent forms that would give law enforcement real-time tracking information to combat a 40-percent spike in carjackings, Jonah Meadows reports. (Patch)
• A coronavirus outbreak continues to plague the Bulls. A day after the short-handed Bulls lost for the first time this month in Cleveland, an ESPN report indicated that forward Derrick Jones, Jr., has been added to the COVID-19 list on Thursday. (Patch)
• There's a syphilis outbreak in Roseland, public health officials say. Last year, there were more than 900 cases in Chicago, a 13-percent spike over 2019. Between September and November, five heterosexual men in the Roseland who have had oral sex with females who engage in sex work tested positive for syphilis, officials said. (Patch)
• Chicago's top doc says the city may begin requiring proof-of-vaccinations to gain access to "high-risk" settings such as restaurants as coronavirus cases continue to spike. (WTTW)

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For A Good Time, Click:

• C2E2: Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo at McCormick Place (10 a.m.)
• Benny Benassi at Prysm (10 p.m.)
• Sarah Brightman - A Christmas Symphony at Auditorium Theatre (8 p.m.)
• Robert Delong, Grabbitz at Subterranean (8:30 p.m.)
• Rise Against & Chevelle at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom (7 p.m.)

Just The Links:

• Video: Watch the CTA holiday train roll through the Loop.
• Check out Pilsen's Christmas window walk.
• The Defender talked with hip-hop duo "Abstract Mindstate" about their comeback.
• Video: Some unsolicited, post-conviction advice for Jussie Smollett.

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• Music Of The Baroque and Christmas Carols (December 11)
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• Meet the Makers of Shop Evanston Made Holiday Market (December 15)
• Late Night Shopping: Armitage & Halsted (December 15)
• CCL 3-Hour Renewals / Illinois 16 & 8-Hour CCL Classes/ Intro to Handguns with $25 Discount (December 18)
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