Afternoon Briefing: Defamation suit related to Eric Ferguson allegations is dismissed

Good afternoon, Chicago.

For the second time, a federal judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit related to the way Hubbard Radio Chicago handled misconduct allegations against onetime star host Eric Ferguson.

A former assistant producer for Ferguson, Cynthia DeNicolo, had alleged the company defamed her last year by stating it found no evidence to corroborate her allegations that Ferguson engaged in illegal workplace conduct at WTMX-FM 101.9.

But in a Nov. 28 written opinion, a judge found the statements were nonactionable and did not defame DeNicolo. A separate lawsuit she filed against Ferguson remains active.

Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/breaking and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

COVID-19 tracker | Monkeypox tracker | Compare gas prices | More newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Daily horoscope | Ask Amy

Chicago Ald. Leslie Hairston says she turned down Mayor Lightfoot’s request to serve as ethics chair: ‘I am not a product of the machine’

Retiring Chicago Ald. Leslie Hairston revealed last night that she rejected Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s request to serve as chair of the still-rudderless ethics committee, in another sign that a streak of independence is brewing within City Council. Read more here.

More top news stories:

•Body of 21-year-old man pulled from Lake Michigan, police say

•Son-in-law charged in stabbing attack on couple near Crete

Lawmakers drop journalism act from ‘must-pass’ defense spending bill under pressure from Facebook

An effort to add proposed journalism legislation to an annual “must-pass” defense spending bill was shot down by lawmakers after a public face off with Meta/Facebook over required payments to publishers for online news content.

The 4,408-page text of the National Defense Authorization Act, released yesterday, did not include any reference to the journalism bill. Read more here.

More top business stories:

•Judge slashes award for flight attendant who sued Southwest

•Ferrero buys Blue Bunny ice cream maker Wells Enterprises

Chicago White Sox aren’t ‘shopping any individual player’, says GM Rick Hahn, ‘but we can’t be closed-minded to any ideas’

Generally speaking, Hahn said yesterday’s activities at the winter meetings centered around “a little bit more trade than free agent.” Read more here.

More top sports stories:

•Chicago Cubs add right-hander Jameson Taillon to their rotation with a 4-year, $86 million deal

•Pat Hughes, the longtime Cubs radio voice, wins the Ford C. Frick Award — the Baseball Hall of Fame’s top broadcasting honor

•Bears Q&A: Is the rebuild working? Why not run Justin Fields more? And is Jack Sanborn the team’s best rookie?

Keepers of the flame: As Kaufman’s nears 50 years in Skokie, deli’s ingredients — and attitude — stay wonderfully fresh

The chalky-colored, two-story structure sitting squarely in a Dempster Street plaza is one of the last places in the city still serving time-tested insults alongside rye bread, gefilte fish and noodle pudding made from recipes dating back three generations. Read more here.

More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:

•Keepers of the flame: Jewish restaurants in Chicagoland honoring tradition while forging new paths

•‘South Side’ review: Season 3 is as funny and resolutely Chicago as ever

FBI says polygamous leader near the Arizona-Utah border had 20 wives, many of them minors

The leader of a small polygamous group near the Arizona-Utah border had taken at least 20 wives, most of them minors, and punished followers who did not treat him as a prophet, newly filed federal court documents show. Read more here.

More top stories from around the world:

•Donald Trump bedeviled by his company’s conviction and Georgia Senate candidate’s defeat

•‘Wednesday’ has already become Netflix’s third most popular English-language series of all time