Dogwood Daily: The most expensive zip codes in Virginia

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all of today’s Virginia news coming right up. And if you’re a fan, please forward to three friends who need to know what’s going on in the Commonwealth and tell them to subscribe here. 

But first …

Richmond’s Ellen Fitzsimmons, SunTrust’s chief legal counsel, has been named to the American Banker magazine’s annual “Most Powerful Women to Watch” list. Though a newcomer to the list, Fitzsimmons ranked third this year. 

Five things you need to know today …

1. It’s super expensive to live in Northern Virginia, but it could be worse: Six of the top 10 most expensive zip codes in Virginia are … drum roll, please … in Arlington. 22209 in Rosslyn was Virginia’s most expensive zip code with an average rent of $2,718 per month. Arlington also grabbed No. 3 (22201), No. 4 (22202), No. 5 (22203), No. 7 (22207), and No. 10 (22206). All of the remaining spots were taken by other Northern Virginia towns. But hey, it’s not as bad as Washington, D.C., which occupied most of the top 10 spots for the entire Mid-Atlantic region. Only one Virginia zip code, 22209, made that list, ranking fourth behind three D.C. zip codes. And neither D.C. nor Arlington have much on Manhattan or Los Angeles, where some zips have average rents in excess of $5K. -Patch.com
   
   
2. Warren to hold town hall in Virginia: Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren will be in Norfolk next week. The Massachusetts senator will host a town hall on Oct. 18 at Chartway Arena. Warren has risen in the polls of late and established herself as one of the Democratic primary frontrunners, along with former Vice President Joe Biden. -Washington Post
   
   
3. Northam issues drought watch advisory: Governor Ralph Northam issued a statewide drought watch advisory this morning. Low precipitation amounts across the state since July, low stream flows (affecting aquifers, lakes, and soils), and low groundwater levels in observation wells can have lasting agricultural, economic, environmental impacts, Northam said. “While water conservation activities during a drought watch are generally voluntary, we encourage localities and individuals across Virginia to heed this warning and take necessary steps to monitor their water usage.” -WSET
   
   
4. Virginia School to accept more nursing students amid state shortage: James Madison University will add 23 “qualified” nursing students each semester starting in January, an increase of 25%. The admissions increase is meant to help address the state’s nursing shortage. -Roanoke Times
   
   
5. Virginia Beach bitcoin mining company ordered to liquidate: The Virginia Beach company that once claimed it would build the largest bitcoin mining operation in North America has shut down and been ordered to liquidate its assets. At the time it filed for bankruptcy, Virginia Beach had already given the company $436,823 of a grant first awarded in January 2018 because it pledged to invest $64.8 million in an expansion. The city intends to file a bankruptcy claim in court to recoup some of that money, but does not yet know how much it will seek. Virginian-Pilot

A chart before you go …