Golly It's Cold

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Drones, Dollars, and a Breakfast to Remember: Ohio’s Big Play for Anduril

Ohio’s latest pitch to the future started the way all great deals do: over eggs and bacon. That’s right, a “hearty Ohio breakfast” is what kicked off the negotiations to bring Anduril Industries the defense contractor that blends Silicon Valley swagger with military grade hardware to Pickaway County. And the result? A $900 million project called Arsenal-1, slated to churn out drones, autonomous weapons, and perhaps a few side orders of controversy.

What’s the Big Deal?
Arsenal-1 isn’t just another factory. It’s a 5 million square foot colossus that will produce Fury drones (nothing to do with the Columbus women’s volleyball team, but what a coincidence), Barracuda missiles, and Roadrunner defense systems all cutting edge military tech without the awkward mess of on-site explosives. Set to open in 2026, it promises to be the largest weapons factory of its kind in the U.S., delivering what Anduril calls “the manufacturing platform for modern warfare.” Nothing ominous about that tagline.

Why Ohio? Why Now?
Anduril didn’t just pick Ohio for its breakfast options. The state ticked all the right boxes:

• Location: Rickenbacker’s runway offers direct access for testing drones. It’s as convenient as a drive thru, but for military hardware.

• Workforce: The factory plans to hire 4,000 workers, including a hefty portion of veterans, at an average salary of $132,000. (And no, that’s not a typo.)

• Politics: Let’s be real California, Anduril’s home state, didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for a weapons factory. But Ohio? The state greeted Anduril like a long lost cousin at a family reunion.

Gov. Mike DeWine summed it up: “The future of American air power will be made in Ohio.” We’ll just hope the air remains breathable while they’re at it.

Breakfast of Billionaires
The charm offensive that won Anduril over started with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted making an early morning call to JobsOhio: “JP, this is perfect. We have to win this.” From there, Ohio’s leadership deployed a strategy as efficient as a drone strike. Incentives? Check. Tax breaks? Of course. Political love letters disguised as breakfast meetings? Absolutely.

It worked. Arsenal-1 will create:

• 4,000 direct jobs, paying about $60 an hour.

• 4,500 indirect jobs, for those who prefer to watch the action from the sidelines.

• $2 billion in annual economic output, Corn, Buckeyes, and Drones, here we come.

A High-Stakes Future
Named after Aragorn’s sword from The Lord of the Rings, Anduril is no stranger to bold moves and nerdy references. Founded by Palmer Luckey the brain behind Oculus Rift. Anduril has already begun making waves with its AI driven military systems, many of which have already seen action in Ukraine. And with Arsenal-1, Anduril aims to produce tens of thousands of autonomous systems annually, all while positioning Ohio as the new hub for military tech.

If you’ve been outside in Columbus lately, you might be wondering if the city is auditioning for its own version of Frozen. Snow has been falling, what seems like, a lot more than usual, But while we try to stay warm, let’s rewind to a fateful January in 1978 and relive the storm that turned Columbus into an arctic battlefield.

White Hurricane: The Storm That Came for Everyone
January 25, 1978, started like any other winter day, with mild temperatures and a drizzle that hinted at a standard gray Ohio afternoon. By the next morning, the city was under siege. A rapidly intensifying low-pressure system collided with an arctic cold front, creating a meteorological monster known as the “White Hurricane.”

In just 24 hours, temperatures plunged more than 40 degrees, rain transformed into blinding snow, and winds roared at 70 miles per hour. The snow wasn’t just falling it was attacking. Wind chills reached -60°F, freezing exposed skin within minutes. Snowdrifts climbed as high as 15 feet, burying homes, cars, and roads, and making Columbus feel more like Siberia than central Ohio.

Columbus Freezes to a Halt
With streets disappearing under layers of ice and snow, the city ground to a standstill. Schools were closed for days, businesses shuttered, and highways became graveyards for stranded cars. The Ohio National Guard was called in to rescue marooned motorists, transport medical supplies, and even evacuate families trapped in their homes. Emergency shelters were set up in schools, churches, and community centers, as Columbus faced a rare moment of communal crisis.

The city’s infrastructure struggled to keep up. Snowplows worked nonstop, but the sheer volume of snow and fierce winds erased their progress almost instantly. Many neighborhoods were without power for days, forcing residents to huddle under blankets and rely on the kindness of neighbors.

Lessons Learned and Legacies Left Behind
The Blizzard of ’78 wasn’t just a weather event it was a wake up call. Columbus reevaluated its emergency response protocols, invested in better snow-clearing equipment, and strengthened power grid protections. For decades afterward, the storm became the ultimate yardstick for every winter storm. “Sure, it’s bad,” people would say, “but it’s no Blizzard of ’78.”

Even today, the storm lives on in local lore. It’s a shared memory of survival, resilience, and how a city banded together to dig itself out literally and figuratively.

Could It Happen Again?
With advances in meteorology, we’d likely get more warning before another storm of this magnitude hit. But warnings don’t stop snow from falling or winds from blowing. The Blizzard of ’78 is a reminder that nature doesn’t play by our rules. As climate change drives more extreme weather patterns, Columbus could face another epic storm. For now, as you navigate this winter’s snowy streets, take a moment to appreciate the city’s history—and maybe stock up on bread and milk, just in case.