Chi-Chi’s is making a comeback.

The Mexican chain said last week that it plans to open some new restaurants next year. The locations would be the first since Chi-Chi’s filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003.

Michael McDermott, the son of Chi-Chi’s founder, said he struck an agreement with Hormel Foods to open the restaurants. Austin, Minnesota-based Hormel owns the Chi-Chi’s trademark and produces Chi-Chi’s-branded chips and salsas .

“The Chi-Chi’s brand is one of the most beloved, respected, and well-known names in the Mexican food category,” Hormel said Thursday in a statement. “The legacy and spirit of the brand remain strong, and we’re excited about the upcoming relaunch of Chi-Chi’s restaurant locations.”

McDermott, a restaurateur who also founded Kona Grill and Rojo Mexican Grill, didn’t say how many locations he planned to open or where.

Judge rejects Boeing’s plea deal

A federal judge on Thursday rejected a deal that would have allowed Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas said that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in picking an official to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the plea agreement.

The ruling creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant in connection with the development of its bestselling airline plane.

The judge gave Boeing and the Justice Department 30 days to tell him how they plan to proceed. They could negotiate a new plea agreement, or prosecutors could move to put the company on trial.

Smallest firm wage growth rises

Wage growth among the smallest US businesses accelerated in November for the first time since early last year, according to data from the ADP Research Institute.

Paychecks at firms that employ fewer than 20 people grew at a 4.2% annual rate in the month — climbing from 3.9% in October, the biggest jump since early 2022.

That cohort of tiny firms employs more than a quarter of the US workforce, and an acceleration in wages there may be of concern to Federal Reserve policymakers, who are closely watching the labor market for signs of upward pressure on inflation.

Among slightly larger firms that employ between 20 and 49 people, wage growth also accelerated slightly last month. The two smallest categories in the ADP surveys account for more than 40% of the labor force between them. For firms that have staff of 50 or more people, wage growth in November was either somewhat slower than the previous month, or unchanged.

Navarro returning to White House

President-elect Donald Trump tapped Peter Navarro as his senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, elevating the formerly incarcerated adviser back to a role similar to the one he played in the previous Trump administration.

The decision to tap Navarro, a former UC Irvine professor, fits a pattern of Trump choosing loyal allies for key administration posts. It also sets up a potential clash with Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, who Trump has said will also lead the administration’s tariff and trade agenda. Trump also nominated Jamieson Greer as his trade representative with a similar portfolio.

As Trump’s trade adviser, Navarro played a central role in the administration’s aggressive trade stance toward China, implementing stiff tariffs and, at times, heightening tensions between the two global powers. He co-authored a 2011 book, Death by China: Confronting the Dragon, that accused the country of unfair trade practices and warned about the economic threat that the nation posed to the U.S.

Compiled from Associated Press and Bloomberg reports.