Good afternoon, Baltimore: Wednesday lunchtime lowdown

ON THE SITE...

Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $290M: The top prize remains available after Tuesday's drawing, in which a Marylander won a $250,000 purse. The next drawing will be held Friday.

Brady Anderson returns to the Orioles as a trainer: The former star outfielder is carving out a new role with his old team, and is having a good time doing it, he tells Peter Schmuck in this Sun Magazine piece.

Ray Lewis III commits to Hurricanes during campus visit: Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis' son, who plays high school football in Florida, verbally committed to the University of Miami, his father's college team.

Record heat continues everywhere but Baltimore: A major swath of the eastern U.S. continues to rack up all-time records for mid-March heat, but not Maryland and other parts of the Piedmont Plateau. For a record, highs would have to reach the mid-80s and lows the mid-60s here.

New 667 area code to be launched Saturday: Getting a new phone this weekend? You may be among the first in Central Maryland and on the Eastern Shore to be assigned the new set of digits.

COMING LATER TODAY...

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's circus elephants are at the center of controversy for trainers' use of bullhooks, the sharp prods used to guide the elephants. Baltimore native Jada Pinkett-Smith has criticized the practice vocally, calling on Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to intervene, but the circus defends it.

Sen. Barbara Miluski is being honored this afternoon for becoming the longest-serving woman in Congress. The commemoration is being held at 2:30 p.m.

The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore releases its "State of Downtown" report Thursday morning, detailing figures on jobs, residents and office vacancies in the city's core.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is touring Maryland on Wednesday as part of his presidential campaign. That includes a town hall meeting in Arbutus, the hometown of Romney's Maryland campaign chief, former Gov.Robert L. Ehrlich.

Sun sports columnist Kevin Cowherd asks the question, with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward retired, who will become the target of Ravens fans' most intense loathing?

Good afternoon, Baltimore: Wednesday lunchtime lowdown

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