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Craig Richardson

Sweet Deal

McLean-based Mars candy manufacturer is in the bidding for the well-known British candy company, Cadbury. According to Business Week, in addition to Mars, Cadbury is being wooed by Hershey, Kraft, and Nestle, among others.

After purchasing Wrigley last year for $23 billion, Mars is now the leading global confectionery company, followed by Cadbury. If Mars is able to succeed in purchasing Cadbury, that would make the McLean company in a league of their own.

Source: Flickr.com

Fannie and Freddie Forecast Modest Declines In Housing Prices for 2010

Freddie Mac estimates that housing prices will continue to decline in 2010 by 1.5% while Fannie Mae pegs the retreat at 1.7%, according to Bloomberg News. One expert predicts in the article that Washington will be one of the cities with the greatest chances of home-price growth over the next 5 years. Other cities cited included Seattle, San Jose, and San Francisco.

Obviously housing prices are a "local" phenomenon, and you can even experience a wide varience in a particular market. However you slice it, though, it seems like the current market with all its warts will be here for some time to come.

Source: Flickr.com

Great Falls Residents Vow to Fight Route 7 Expansion

Not everyone is happy with the construction plans for the Tysons Corner area. Residents who live near Georgetown Pike in Great Falls are vowing to stop plans to widen Route 7, according to the Fairfax Times.

"While the $37 million project has some support from Reston residents and other east-west commuters, people who live off of Georgetown Pike believe the improvements will attract more cut-through traffic to the Pike." The project is scheduled to be completed in 2014.

COG Seeks Public Comment on 2050 Growth Plan for the Region

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Government, a regional organization of D.C.-area local governments, has just released a comprehensive plan for growth and development over the next 40 years for the area. COG is seeking public comment on the document, titled Region Forward, through November 20, 2009.

The 64-page document identifies "10 Big Moves," or goals for the region, which include:

  1. Pursue transit oriented development
  2. Leverage emerging sustainable technologies
  3. Emphasize green economic development
  4. Develop greater Washington as a knowledge hub
  5. Strengthen regionalism
  6. Use financial innovations
  7. Ensure availability of moderate and low-cost housing
  8. Focus on quality of life
  9. Improve public eduction
  10. Promote health

McLean's Weather: A Real Selling Point

Weather is one topic everyone loves to discuss. And while it's not as interesting as the weather in New England, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, one of the real selling points of the Metropolitan-D.C. area is the weather. We still have four distinct seasons, and each one is beautiful in its own right - well maybe not the dead of winter or the swamp-like conditions of August, but without the extreme heat or cold you can't appreciate the rest of the year.

Below is a graph over the average temperatures in McLean, Virginia, courtesy of www.weather.com. Precipitation is interesting as well. While we tend to go through feast or famine when it comes to rainfall, it seems to average itself out remarkably well throughout the year. Plus, big storms like hurricanes and blizzards, seem to go either East or West of us.