A Rainy Forecast to Heed, a Sign in the Weeds and Does a Mah Jongg Tourney Have Seeds?

Hey Takoma Park! Welcome to August! Sure happy it’s Thursday!

Here’s a look at some of the things you need to know to be in the know in Takoma Park today:

1. What Are the Chances?: They’re pretty good, if you’re betting on rain today. I’m no math major (and I didn’t stay here last night)—though I did take a statistics class in college. And if I learned nothing else (quite likely), I learned that a 90 percent chance of rain is a pretty good chance. The good news: The National Weather Service says the weekend is looking up.

2. We’re No. 1!: Well, maybe not "we," but if you’re part of Takoma Park’s Washington Adventist Hospital, you’re part of one of the top surgical hospitals in the nation, according to Consumer Reports.

3. ICYMI (In Case You Missed It): From the “News Nearby” files: Some creative hackers (quite possibly creative “stoners”) commandeered a county-owned electronic message board in Kensington on Wednesday, WUSA 9 reported. Perhaps their message was celebrating this news.

4. Not Your Mama’s Mah Jongg: The Riderwood retirement community in Silver Spring is hosting its 6th Annual Mah Jongg Tournament today. Registration is closed, but the public is welcome to watch the tournament, which featured about 100 players last year and is “governed in accordance with the National Mah Jongg League.” Who knew?

5. What Can $265,000 Buy in Takoma Park?: And, if you ever win Powerball, what can $539,000 buy? Homes priced for a variety of buyers can be found in today’s Zillow listings on Patch.

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For a full list of things to do this week, check out the Patch events calendar.