Italian aerospace firm chooses Virginia for rocket motor manufacturing facility

 

Were Maryland and Montgomery County even courting global aerospace firm Avio S.p.A in its search for a site to build a $500 million solid rocket motor manufacturing facility? We may never know. But we do know that the Italian firm has selected Virginia as the winner for the high-tech factory. The 860,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility will produce solid rocket motors for defense tactical and strategic propulsion, as well as commercial space propulsion sectors. 

“I want to thank Avio USA for choosing Virginia,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. “Today’s announcement marks another exciting milestone for our aerospace and defense industry. Avio USA’s decision to build a new rocket motor manufacturing facility here is both an important investment in America’s national security infrastructure and underscores Avio USA’s confidence in Virginia.”

“Avio looks forward to establishing on U.S. soil a solid rocket motor production facility to contribute in strengthening the U.S. industrial base by providing decades of experience in engineering and manufacturing,” Avio S.p.A. CEO Giulio Ranzo said. “In particular, we are thankful for the Commonwealth and local governments’ warm welcome for our project and count on their future support for effective execution.” 

Does Maryland and its counties extend a warm welcome to aerospace firms? Not in this century. The County Council tried to run the last remaining big aerospace firm - Lockheed Martin - out of the county not once, but twice, with radical legislation that made us look like idiots after the bills received national news coverage. "We don't need the Lockheed headquarters," former Councilmember Nancy Floreen declared in the summer of 2010. 

It's no surprise that the County has failed to attract a single major new corporate headquarters in over 25 years. Or that, thanks to the highest personal and corporate tax and fee burden in the Mid-Atlantic region, Montgomery County and Maryland have effectively been in a recession for much of this century. MoCo's crime rate has risen faster and higher than its business and job growth rates as a result. Once the economic engine of the region, Montgomery County is now at or near the bottom across every major economic benchmark tracked by the federal government. Heckuva job, Brownie!

January 1 plastic bag ban looms over Montgomery County

The Montgomery County Council is known for doing little beyond raising taxes and the cost of doing business, and banning stuff. Councilmembers were able to do all three in their highest-profile ban of the 2025 legislative session, that of plastic bags. The ban takes effect on January 1, 2026, and impacted businesses across the county are now trying to prepare their customers to buy paper bags (remember how paper bags were causing deforestation, so we were told to use plastic?!) or reusable bags, or - ew! - reuse dirty reusable bags teeming with e coli, salmonella, and God knows what else. Ironically, Safeway, whose customer alert signage is pictured here, got its start as the Sanitary Grocery Company.

 

Community store to replace Rock Creek Tavern in Olney

A community store is taking over the building at 5500 Olney-Laytonsville Road in Olney. It was recently vacated by Rock Creek Tavern. The new store will also carry beer and wine. Conversion of the interior is expected to begin in early 2026.

Aggravated assault in broad daylight in Silver Spring

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a broad-daylight aggravated assault in Silver Spring on December 6, 2025. The incident took place at the busy intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Veirs Mill Road at 3:07 PM. Police say the adult male victim was confronted by a man, who displayed an unspecified object to him, and then physically assaulted him. Police describe the suspect only as a Black male in his forties. If you have any information that could assist detectives in closing this case, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Romero's Italian Restaurant opening in Wheaton

Romero's Italian Restaurant is opening soon at 2666 University Boulevard W. in Wheaton. That was previously home to Cristina Ristorante Italiano. Last evening, signage was already in place on the storefront. Romero's has a liquor license hearing scheduled for December 18, 2025, and on its application states it plans to open shortly after Christmas - but stay tuned for confirmation of that, which may change. Operating hours for Romero's will be 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM, seven days a week.

Royal Farms Montgomery Hills construction update (Photos)

Construction progress on the future Royal Farms convenience store and mega gas station in Montgomery Hills keeps creep, creep, creeping along. There's finally some Tyvek on a solid part of the otherwise-still-skeletal framework of the store building. The most obvious addition is the Royal Farms logo on the gas pump canopy. Royal Farms is being constructed at 9475 Georgia Avenue, near the Capital Beltway interchange.

Popeyes posts holiday hours in downtown Silver Spring

Popeyes at 8401 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring has posted its holiday hours schedule. The restaurant will be open from 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM on Christmas Eve. It will be closed all day on Christmas Day. The day after Christmas, it will be open from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Regular business hours will be observed on New Year's Eve. Hours on New Year's Day will be 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The lobby will close two hours before closing time on each of these days.