· Weather: Rain and snow—snow?!?—possible
It will be a dreary Thursday, with a high of 52 and a low of 31. There will be rain in the morning, and as the day goes on it will get colder, with a very small amount of snow possible. [AccuWeather]
· Laquan McDonald’s killer doesn’t want to attend his murder trial
Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke is facing first-degree murder charges for shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times. During a court appearance Wednesday, Van Dyke’s lawyers—good luck, guys—asked the judge to allow the defendant to skip court because of the protesters he’s encountered in the past. And yet apparently there were zero demonstrators outside the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Wednesday. Hmmm . . . [Tribune]
· Get an early look at Anthony Bourdain exploring Chicago for Parts Unknown
The Chicago Food Film Fest is offering a sneak peek of an upcoming Parts Unknown episode featuring Chicago. Tough-guy chef and noted Guy Fieri bully Anthony Bourdain will visit some of his favorite local haunts for the CNN show, and fans can watch the show early at Begyle Brewing in April. [Eater Chicago]
· Little Village has mixed emotions about proposed Paseo trail
Mayor Rahm’s proposed Paseo trail would link Little Village to gentrifying Pilsen. Little Village residents are concerned that the trail might price them out of their neighborhood. Activists agree that the plan is not all bad, “but there needs to be a component to the Paseo plan to make sure people who live here are able to stay,” Luis Gutierrez, director of Latinos Progresando says. [Reader]
· Alternate history: If Carmelo Anthony had chosen the Bulls
New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony came very close to signing with the Bulls as a free agent in 2014. The Knicks ended up offering him more money to stay in his hometown. ESPN experts speculate about how different the NBA’s Eastern Conference would be in 2016 with Melo on the Bulls. [ESPN]
· RIP Winnetka Section Eight voucher holder
Thomas Miranda was for a time the lone Winnetka resident with a Section Eight housing voucher (he was joined by a second in late 2014). The 47-year-old was found dead March 5 inside his apartment in the upscale suburb’s downtown stretch. Miranda sold Streetwise outside a Starbucks and enjoyed sitting by the lake. Fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wilmette looked out for his health needs. [Tribune]