Good morning RVA: Normalcy returns, mostly!

Warmer (kind of) temperatures today should bring an end too all of this snow and ice business.

March 5, 2014; 7:07 AM • by Ross Catrow

Good morning, RVA! It’s 29 °F, but today’s projected highs are in the mid-40s! Thats means sayonara snow and ice, hello slightly warmer temperatures that still require a hat, coat, and gloves.

Unfortunately for everyone who can’t walk to work, sub-freezing overnight temps may have iced up any spot that didn’t have a chance to dry out yesterday. VDOT warns of “shaded areas, near curves, bridges, overpasses, and ramps.” Additionally, you may want to use caution around: hillocks, berms, barrows, and Confederate earthworks.

As the black ice is both invisible and deadly, there are some school delays this morning until things heat up a bit:

UR, VCU, VSU, and VUU are all open (sorry college kids)!
Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Petersburg City, and Richmond City have 2-hour delays.
Hanover County is closed.

Water cooler

Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. When you see folks with crosses marked in ash on their foreheads, they haven’t just escaped from a burning building, but taken part in the Imposition of Ashes. Several of the area’s Episcopal churches are participating in Ashes to Go, which is a kind of walk-up Imposition of Ashes service.

Governor McAuliffe recently selected Mayor Jones as the new chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, which has caused some controversy as the mayor “has not declared support for same-sex marriages.” Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, the same guy who refused to defend Virginia’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, has declared his support for Jones.

While Troy Daniels dressed for the Houston Rocket’s game against the Miami Heat last night, he didn’t see the court.

VCU will unveil their new look today at 11:45 AM. Check back during your lunch break to see what they’ve come up with.

One final bit of basketball news: the Atlantic 10 women’s basketball tournament starts tonight at 7:00 PM in the Richmond Coliseum as #12 George Mason takes on #13 Massachusetts. #8 VCU and #9 Richmond square off tomorrow at noon. Tickets are still available!

The situation in Ukraine continues to worsen.