The drawing for the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history is set to take place tonight.
The Powerball jackpot has reached $1.73 billion, or a lump sum of around $750 million. That’s second only to the $2.04 billion jackpot won by a single ticket-buyer in Southern California last fall.
“The upcoming drawing on Wednesday will be the 36th drawing in the jackpot run, and the first time in Powerball history that back-to-back jackpot cycles have generated billion-dollar grand prizes,” the Multi-State Lottery Association said. “The Powerball jackpot was previously won on July 19, when a ticket in California won a jackpot worth $1.08 billion.”
Given the infinitesimally small odds of actually winning a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot, many rational people avoid spending their money on it. But, sometimes, the dream of a giant jackpot beats out rationality and the lure becomes too strong.
This morning we’re asking: what’s the prize threshold beyond which you decide that you have to play one of these lotteries?
It’s October and thus officially spooky season — and the Halloween decorations are out in Arlington.
Just walk through a local grocery store or down a residential street and there are ghosts and goblins galore.
But not everyone is into decorating, or into Halloween for that matter. So today we’re asking: how extra are you when it comes to Halloween decor?
After several years of relatively meager winters, could this upcoming season have a big snowstorm on tap for us?
There’s some early suggestion of an elevated chance of large coastal winter storms between January and March, owing in part to a particularly intense El Niño climate pattern.
Of course, such a pattern could also leave Arlington high and dry again.
“Of the seven strong El Niño winters since 1950, four have been associated with well above normal snowfall while snowfall was virtually absent in the other three winters,” the National Weather Service wrote about winters in metro D.C. and Baltimore.
Climate prognosticating — it’s an inexact science, just ask the groundhog — has been raising the hopes of snow lovers this month, with some models suggesting a cold and snowy winter is likely for the Mid-Atlantic region.
***NEW*** SEASONAL PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK JUST RELEASED. pic.twitter.com/56pnR8HIob
— MWAS-#1 (@SPCMETROWX) September 23, 2023
The latest CFS (Climate Forecasting System) shows a cold winter (Dec,Jan,Feb) for the Mid-Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/cgcEUirMVk
— Russ Adams 🌧️🌬️☀️🌡️🌨️🦃 (@patpend) September 26, 2023
One of many indicators recently. The reason El Nino produces more disruptive snow in the Mid-Atlantic is it creates more nor'easters (half the equation). That means more opportunities for this to sync with cold temperatures (the other half). https://t.co/6cqvJJ6Era
— Russ Adams 🌧️🌬️☀️🌡️🌨️🦃 (@patpend) September 18, 2023
The ECMWF+UKMET superblend* for December 2023-February 2024 is very active along the U.S. East Coast ❄️
Consistent with an El Niño winter, above normal precipitation (🟢) is shown across the Deep South, Southeast, Florida, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast as well as California.
The… pic.twitter.com/7gHvX121Rr
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) September 11, 2023
The last really big winter storm to hit Arington was the Jan. 22-23, 2016 blizzard. The three large snow events of the winter of 2009-2010, meanwhile, are still fresh in the minds of many locals who lived through them.
What do you think? Would you welcome another big snowstorm this winter or do you prefer the mostly snowless winters of late?
Virginia’s Attorney General has authored an amicus brief supporting the ban of TikTok on a statewide level.
The short-form video app, which is especially popular with younger users, is set to be banned next year in Montana. In response to a federal lawsuit challenging the ban, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares — joined by 17 other GOP state attorneys general — says the ban should be legal as it amounts to a “garden variety consumer protection statute.”
More from a press release:
Attorney General Jason Miyares filed an amicus brief, joined by 17 other state attorneys general, in support of the State of Montana’s law banning the popular app ‘TikTok.’ Montana’s action protects its citizens’ privacy from TikTok’s relationship with China and the Chinese Communist Party, and its citizens’ wellbeing from the proven physical and mental health detriments the app has on young children.
“Montana’s elected officials voted to ban TikTok, and Montanans voted to elect their representatives. This legislation is a result of the will of the Montana voters,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “We know TikTok poses a threat to our privacy and security because of its connection to the Chinese Communist Party, and study after study shows the app harms our children’s mental health – especially young girls. Montana has the right to protect its citizens.”
In March, Attorney General Miyares joined 45 states and the District of Columbia in asking a state court to order social media company TikTok, Inc. to fully comply with an ongoing investigation into whether the company violated consumer protection laws. As part of the multistate investigation, the state attorneys general sought to review internal TikTok communications to determine whether the company engaged in deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable conduct that harmed the mental health of TikTok users, particularly children and teens.
Earlier this year Virginia banned TikTok and some other apps of Chinese origin from state-owned devices and networks, including on college campuses.
While a total ban does not appear likely in Virginia, would you support a ban if one was proposed?
Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash
Last week, ARLnow reported that neighbors successfully dissuaded a developer from building a duplex in the Tara-Leeway Heights neighborhood.
Their concerns included traffic and parking challenges on the street, writing that the “proposed development will only exacerbate this, endangering residents, including the many children who live on the block.”
While the neighbors were able to leverage a restrictive deed covenant from 1938 to scuttle the duplex and convince the developer to build a single-family home instead, more duplexes are on the way following the Arlington County Board’s approval of the “Missing Middle” zoning changes earlier this year.
According to real estate agent Natalie Roy’s latest EHO Watch newsletter, one duplex has been approved under the new “Enhanced Housing Options” process, another is nearing approval, and two more were recently submitted for review.
Notwithstanding a successful legal challenge to Missing Middle — a lawsuit by a group of residents is set for a court date next week — Arlington residents are likely to see more duplexes, alongside 3-6 unit EHO projects, in the coming years.
Given that, we were wondering how ARLnow readers feel about duplexes specifically, given that they’re perhaps the most palatable to those otherwise skeptical of higher density projects. Yes, duplexes are now allowed countywide thanks to “Missing Middle,” but our poll questions asks if you are in support of that.
Do you think duplexes should be allowed to be built in most or all residential neighborhoods in Arlington — assuming that current EHO restrictions, including only being able construct the same size building as that allowed for single-family homes, remain in place?
Today marks the halfway point of a five-day September heat wave.
A high temperature of 98 is forecast today, with “feels like” temperatures reaching into the 100s. Relief is expected Friday, as high temperatures dip into the upper 80s.
A Heat Advisory is in effect starting at noon today. From the National Weather Service:
730 AM EDT Tue Sep 5 2023
…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…Heat index values of 100 to 105 expected.
* WHERE…Portions of northern and central Maryland, The District of Columbia, and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From noon today to 8 PM EDT this evening.
* IMPACTS…Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
Usually, one might expect the start of meteorological fall to be more temperate, amid pools closing, white pants getting packed away and and pumpkin spice lattes being served with increasing frequency. Not this year.
What do you think of the late bout of hot weather?
It’s that time of year again: the Pumpkin Spice Lattes have arrived at local Starbucks stores.
Local chain Compass beat the Seattle-based coffee giant to market this time, rolling out a fall menu featuring pumpkin- and maple-flavored pick-me-ups a few days ago. Dunkin and others started slinging the spice even earlier, part of a broader trend of fall flavors creeping into the summer season.
More from Axios:
Starbucks said it will release its Pumpkin Spice Latte and fall menu on Thursday, six days earlier than last year.
- The announcement kicks off the annual debate over whether it’s too soon for fall flavors and if pumpkin fanfare has gone too far.
- It also follows pumpkin spice’s Aug. 16 arrival at Dunkin’ and even earlier launches at Krispy Kreme, 7-Eleven and Bath & Body Works.
Between the lines: Nostalgia is one reason why the fall flavor keeps coming back earlier, Jason Fischer, an assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins University, told Axios.
- “It brings to mind those associated memories including those flavors and aromas of the pumpkin spice stuff,” said Fischer, a perception researcher who is also a pumpkin fan.
- The summer heat is often the argument for why some say pumpkin pandemonium is too early but Fischer said it could be the opposite this year.
- “Maybe the enduring heat is a thing that just makes us imagine and crave that cooler weather and then it calls to mind pumpkin spice even earlier,” Fischer said.
So what do you think: Have companies taken the pumpkin spice creep to far? Or do you like the fall vibes starting earlier, actually?
After big storms, many of the same questions are asked: namely, why don’t we just bury power lines?
Surely the expense of constantly fixing power lines downed by falling trees, branches and the occasional crash — both in terms of the repairs themselves, lost productivity, etc. — cannot be far off from the cost of just moving them underground?
As our exploration of the topic last week found, however, it’s not quite that simple. It would cost tens of billions of dollars to bury lines across the state, and previous looks at the question specifically in Arlington also concluded that it’s infeasible from both a cost and a permissions perspective — getting everyone to agree to let the power company dig up their yards.
Instead, Dominion and local governments have been conducting more targeted undergroundings, along high-density corridors like Columbia Pike and in places where storm damage is more frequent. That has cut the power restoration time after big storms, a Dominion spokeswoman told us, but outages will remain a fact of life as long as there are storms and trees.
Of course, there are likely those that would argue that with climate change whipping up fiercer storms, burying more lines should be more seriously considered.
Where do you stand?
You might have noticed that it’s a bit quieter around Arlington in recent days.
Based on traffic volumes and out-of-office email responses it’s pretty clear that a lot of people are on vacation (including, at least in theory, the person writing this poll).
With vacation season in full swing, we were wondering about the favorite genre of summer trip for our readers. Among the following eight options — beach, lake, mountain, city, international, camping, cruise and national park — which is your go-to destination?
Have a different favorite summer vacation in mind? Let us know in the comments.
Arlington didn’t start the ‘Missing Middle’ fire — localities across the country and around the world have been trying to figure out how to deal with rapidly rising housing costs.
While Arlington’s approval of new zoning regulations allowing small-scale multifamily housing in previously single-family-detached only neighborhoods was not the first time a major jurisdiction made such a move, the underlying debate is still raging in certain pockets of cyberspace.
ARLnow’s comment section aside, one place where the fire is still burning is on Twitter. (The social network was recently renamed “X” in a bid to incorporate additional features, arguably making it the National Landing of tech companies.)
On Twitter, a persistent anonymous account named Arlington Transparency has been posting side-by-side images of older homes set to be redeveloped as Missing Middle housing, next to speculation about how much those new units may cost given the price of existing, similar homes in the area.
In each case, the detached home set for demolition is less expensive than a newer townhouse or other multifamily home.
#MissingMiddle Permit pending — "affordable" housing to "⬇️housing costs": SFH for $710k. To be a 3plex. McMiddles sold nearby for >$1 million EACH. pic.twitter.com/QK1BNemxSR
— Arlington Transparency (@ArlTransparency) July 17, 2023
#MissingMiddle permit #31 — "affordable" housing to "⬇️housing costs": 58-yr family property sold in S Arl in 2023 for $678k; to be duplex. McMiddles sell nearby for nearly $1million EACH pic.twitter.com/vdeVM27kX0
— Arlington Transparency (@ArlTransparency) July 25, 2023
On the other side of the debate are local housing advocates like Jane Green, who point out that, yes, the resulting Missing Middle homes will likely be more expensive than the tear-down that’s being replaced, but they’re much less expensive than the “McMansions” that would otherwise be going up.
Plus, the more affordable homes being replaced would need “significant work” to be viable for buyers seeking to live there.
I don't understand how accounts here can disparage Missing Middle zoning reform in defense of the vanishingly few lower priced, fixer-upper detached homes, while ignoring the fact that most of them will become $2+million McMansions. pic.twitter.com/hv4wB668JH
— Jane Fiegen Green (@janefgreen) July 18, 2023
There is an account on here that keeps tweeting pictures of older, smaller SFHs (still going for ~$800k) that are never resold as they are (always knocked down to build $2M homes) and they are upset that there may be two or more new ones coming (for~ $1M instead) 🤷🏻♀️
— Lidija Sekaric (@lidija_sekaric) July 18, 2023
Unsurprisingly for Twitter, there’s a counter argument to the counter argument: that $900k+ townhouses benefit “elites” and not buyers in need of greater affordability.
Pro-#MissingMiddle truth comes out: it’s all about new $1,490,000.00 “attainable housing” for elites by tearing down homes far more affordable for more diverse buyers. Didn’t see that on the “won’t u b my neighbor” flyers & signs 🧐 https://t.co/tNwDgh2Owm
— Arlington Transparency (@ArlTransparency) July 18, 2023
Given the arguments above, who’s got the winning team, in your view? (With apologies to those who feel that this debate has been burning since the world’s been turning.)
“Karen” has been making the rounds again in Arlington.
The slang term, popularized after a 2020 incident in New York City that got national attention, refers to “a middle-class white woman perceived as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is normal,” according to Wikipedia.
It was brought last week in the context of the Democratic primary.
From an ARLnow article Friday morning:
[Political consultant Ben] Tribbett was more blunt about what he saw as the electoral dynamic, citing the geographic distribution of votes in the Commonwealth’s Attorney race in particular.
“It’s the Karens versus the non-Karens,” he said. “Clearly, there’s a divide in the community that jumps out at you.”
“When that divide crosses over into multiple races and they follow the same pattern of results, even when fought on different issues… it tells you this is a lot more about different visions for the community than it is about any individual issue,” Tribbett added.
That did not sit well with some segment of our readership.
“Karen” in that context is generally considered a pejorative term, but at least one reader saw it as a slur, and wanted its use — including by those in the comment section — banned.
From an email we received:
Please STOP allowing ArlNow commenters to call women who are concerned with deteriorating quality-of-life in Arlington, and speak out about it, “Karens”.
The meme “Karen” has evolved over several years into borderline hate speech directed against middle aged White women who are unhappy with deteriorating quality of life here (e.g., crime in their neighborhoods) and call ACPD when, for example, they see suspicious behavior.
Charles, Arlington
Do you agree with the emailer that the term “Karen” is offensive? Or something more benign?
Photo by Elisa Ventur on Unsplash