Afternoon Briefing: Where and how to recycle your Christmas tree

Good afternoon, Chicago.

Willie Wilson’s campaign will drop its objection to Ald. Roderick Sawyer’s petitions, clearing the way for Sawyer to appear on the ballot in the race for Chicago mayor.

And if you’re ready to sing “Auld Lang Syne” to your live Christmas tree, here’s how to recycle it in Chicago or the suburbs.

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.

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Ride-share drivers protest at O’Hare to demand better wages, bathroom access and end to ‘unfair’ deactivations

As thousands of travelers across the country and in Chicago saw their holiday plans upended by transportation troubles, ride-share workers took a stand Tuesday night by refusing to take rides from O’Hare International Airport. Read more here.

More top news stories:

• Man dies after multiple gunshots fired in Oak Park, village says.

• Family loses everything in Cicero fire on Christmas, but father says, ‘We are alive and well.’

Southwest Airlines flight cancellations continue to snowball

Exhausted travelers tried finding seats on other airlines or renting cars to get to their destination, but many remained stranded. Read more here.

More top business stories:

• Chicago is the deadliest city for migratory birds. A city ordinance that would protect them is still in limbo.

• You didn’t make it to St. Louis, but your bags did. Here’s what to do.

Chicago Bears Q&A: How likely is a dramatic improvement in 2023? Is tanking for the No. 1 pick on the table?

With two games remaining in the 2022 season, the Chicago Bears are only a half-game out of the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Could that play into their decision-making down the stretch? Read more here.

More top sports stories:

• What’s happened this MLB offseason? A look at the moves made so far in the AL and NL Central.

• Follow Chicago Tribune Sports on Instagram for news, photos and more.

Barack Obama’s favorite music list for 2022 includes Bad Bunny, SZA, Lizzo, Zach Bryan

Obama’s list hits some of the biggest releases of the year in wisely disparate genres, including the Latin music of Bad Bunny, with the song “Tití Me Preguntó,” and country, with the blockbuster new artist Zach Bryan and his left-field streaming smash “Something in the Orange.” Read more here.

More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:

• When Groucho Marx met Dick Cavett, there was magic in the air and on your television sets.

• What’s coming to Disney+ in January 2023.

‘Atmospheric river’ begins to pound western US with rain and snow

As much of the eastern United States begins to assess the damage wrought by a punishing winter storm, parts of the West are bracing for another severe weather event: an “atmospheric river.” Read more here.

More top stories from around the world:

• Snowbound Buffalo, N.Y., braces to find more dead as warming begins.

• Jan. 6 transcripts shed new light on how Donald Trump considered blanket pardons for those charged in Capitol riot.