The region’s first snow hit yesterday, and, as expected, the morning news was chock full of weather analyses and human interest reports on snowmen and troubled commutes. We suppose it is big news, and we should expect that local newscasters will wax poetic about the “winter wonderland.” Of course, the novelty of snow on the ground may soon fade, with residents realizing that we still have four months of this weather remaining. And as much as DCist loves romping around in the snow and hoping for a total shutdown of area government and businesses, we also dread the post-snow complications — slush, ice, the inconsiderate residents that don’t salt their patch of sidewalk on our downhill walk to the Metro. How did you greet the first snow of the season?

Stadium Cost Estimate Soars: It was only yesterday that D.C. City Council chair Linda Cropp proclaimed that no hurdles remained between the District and its new stadium. That may well be come to be known as the jinx of the decade. NBC 4 is reporting that the District Chief Financial Officer, Natwar Gandhi, has released revised cost estimates for a stadium along South Capitol Street in Southeast. Brace yourselves — the stadium’s tab is up to $700 million, almost $170 million more than the City Council has said it’s willing to pay. In related news, council-member David Catania — known for referring to Gandhi as a “chief fictional officer” for under-estimating the stadium’s cost — has announced that he will introduce legislation reinforcing the council’s $535 million price cap and forbidding the city from using anything but bonds to pay for the stadium or related infrastructure improvements.

Three Mayoral Candidates Express Support for Civil Unions: Three of the five candidates running to replace D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams yesterday expressed their support for legalized civil unions for same-sex couple, writes the Post. Adrian Fenty, Marie Johns, and Michael Brown announced at the Missionary Baptist Ministers Conference that they would seek to change D.C. law to allow civil unions if elected, while Linda Cropp and Vincent Orange expressed opposition to the idea.

School Modernization Plan Moves Ahead: A $1.3 billion school modernization plan was endorsed yesterday by the City Council’s Education Committee, pushing the long-awaited legislation one step closer to being implemented citywide, reports the Examiner. The legislation, sponsored by council-member Kathy Patterson (D-Ward 3), would increase taxes on cigarettes and commercial real estate through 2016, delay a planned income tax cut, and take $250 million from the city’s budget surplus to fund much-needed school repairs. School advocates worried that the bill fell short of the $2.5 billion needed to complete all necessary repairs. The legislation now faces a vote in the finance committee, and will then proceed to a full council vote early next year.

Briefly Noted: D.C. smoking ban to be voted on today … Jaywalker dies from injuries after being hit by car … Senate committee looking to mandate changes in AU Board of Trustees … Snow prompts school delays and closings.

Picture snapped by Burnt Pixel.