AI firm KnowBe4 chooses Virginia over Maryland for D.C.-area office

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has touted artificial intelligence and quantum computing as "lighthouse industries" he wants to develop in the state, but yet another such firm has chosen Northern Virginia over Montgomery County. Florida-based KnowBe4 was seeking a location in the Washington, D.C. area to advance "the company’s continued investment in the public sector and its commitment to helping government organizations address workforce trust management, AI-enabled threats and evolving national security challenges." After an extensive search process, the firm chose Two Liberty Center at 4075 Wilson Boulevard in the Ballston area of Arlington County.

"KnowBe4’s strategic decision to expand its offices into Arlington, VA is a testament to the enduring strength of Arlington as a key destination for companies seeking top talent and a welcoming business climate," Arlington Economic Development Acting Director Kate Ange said in a statement. "KnowBe4 will benefit from a unique and thriving innovation ecosystem of federal cybersecurity policymakers and thought leaders working collaboratively with private enterprises and research institutions, all in Arlington." Meanwhile, Montgomery County and Maryland officials are on the sidelines again, watching helplessly as Virginia continues to eat our lunch just because the radical Marxist totalitarian-left elected officials on our side of the Potomac can't put their ideology aside for the good of their constituents.

Mark Warner, U.S. Senator from Virginia, participated in a ribbon-cutting at the new Arlington office on February 23 (see photo at top). KnowBe4's focus on human and agentic AI risk management is a topic of news headlines on a daily basis at the moment. Economic development in Montgomery County and Maryland is not. MoCo and Maryland haven't attracted a single new major corporate headquarters in over 25 years. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Photo courtesy KnowBe4

Driver crashes into Potbelly in White Oak

A driver crashed into the storefront of the Potbelly sandwich shop in the White Oak area of Silver Spring last Sunday, February 22, 2026. The front of the restaurant was then boarded up, as seen in the above photo, taken Wednesday evening. Montgomery County police have not commented publicly on the cause of the crash. Potbelly is located at 12273 Tech Road, in the Westech Corner shopping center.

Photo by Michael Schwartz 

Purple Line signage installed at Silver Spring Library station (Photos)

A mysterious obelisk has landed at the intersection of Fenton Street and Wayne Avenue by the Silver Spring Library. It's not from 2001: A Space Odyssey, but rather, signage for the future Purple Line station at the library. Alas, it is still in protective wrapping, so we can't see it yet. But a second sign nearby is fully visible. This one warns pedestrians to look, and then "look again," as the light rail "trains may not stop." T-minus two years, folks!

Maryland should cut taxes now while socialist Virginia crashes out

Moribund Maryland and Montgomery County have an unexpected opportunity to make up lost ground against dominant rival Virginia. Elected officials should seize it, and cut income, property, and corporate taxes across the board. New Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger had been expected to govern as a pro-business moderate in the mold of her Democratic predecessors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam, who were generally as successful as their Republican counterparts in sustaining the state's strong economic development record. But once sworn in, Spanberger has taken an unexpected radical left turn, and Virginia is suddenly spiraling for the moment.

Spanberger is not discouraging the Democrat controlled Virginia legislature from sending over a dozen tax increases to her desk. She is raising the minimum wage to meet Maryland's $15 mandate (it will still be lower than Montgomery County's, alas). And she is reducing prison sentences for violent felons. Is axing Right-to-Work next?

Boeing has now announced it is relocating its Virginia operations to Missouri. That move was probably in the works for some time, as it was obvious three years ago that Spanberger would win against a weak GOP candidate, but Boeing apparently knew Spanberger's ideological bent better than most political observers.

What better way for Maryland Governor Wes Moore to juice the state's moribund economy, and his re-election campaign, than to call a special session to reduce taxes across the board? The Montgomery County Council will be setting the FY-2027 budget at the same time, and should cut taxes and spending at the County level simultaneously. We could lure the millionaires and billionaires of Great Falls, McLean, Leesburg, and Middleburg to Montgomery County. Remember Council staff member Jacob Sesker's eye-opening presentation that showed what a huge revenue windfall is delivered by just a couple dozen millionaires and billionaires, what a significant percentage of the total annual haul they can account for. And a high-profile tax reform will alert relocating corporations that Maryland is open for business.

Gov. Moore needs to let the education Blueprint go. Tear it up and throw it away. Same with the Red Line project in Baltimore. We don't have the money. But Virginia is giving us a rare chance to get some. Take it!

Society transitioning to Society Seafood House in Silver Spring

The Society Restaurant & Lounge at 8229 Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring is temporarily closed. According to the restaurant's Instagram, it is rebranding as Society Seafood House. "Coming soon. Downtown Silver Spring's destination for seafood, cocktails and ambiance," their IG bio now reads. The rebranding was first reported by The MoCo Show.

Significant progress at Royal Farms in Silver Spring (Photos)

Construction has been dragging on forever at the future Royal Farms at 9475 Georgia Avenue in the Montgomery Hills area of Silver Spring, but there has been a spurt of progress at a higher pace since my last report in December. Most obvious is the completed installation of the tall roadside sign that will display gas prices. It's notably taller than the sign permitted at the Royal Farms in Gaithersburg. Second most-obvious is the progress on the convenience store building. Windows and a brick facade treatment have been installed, but no logo above the storefront yet.

Maryland law leaves McDonald's large fries lovers holding the bag

Maryland McDonald's customers ordering medium and large french fries are finding out Ronald has a brand new bag. Instead of the iconic red cardboard medium and large fry containers, those orders are now being handed out in paper bags, at least at some Golden Arches locations in Montgomery County. Some customers say the weight and portion size of the bagged fries are less than those served in the cardboard containers. But it's not simply a shrinkflation attempt alone by McDonald's. It turns out that Maryland passed a law in 2024 that mandated the retirement of cardboard fry sleeves forever.

The George "Walter" Taylor act was presented to the public as a bill almost no one would oppose. It would ban the sale and use of firefighting foam that contained "forever chemicals." This would reduce health risks and impacts for firefighters, and who could disagree with that? Well, it turns out another provision was hidden in the bill, one that applied a similar restriction to food packaging. Cardboard fry containers often are lined with a chemical coating that resists grease, and that supposedly contained a forever chemical. Cardboard was out, and the bill was signed into law by former Governor Larry Hogan.

I found the fry transition has been underway in a few other nanny states for at least a couple of years. Like so many nutty laws paased by the Maryland legislature and Montgomery County Council, this was yet another plagiarized from the great state of California. Now, thanks to both local legislative bodies, we not only have paper straws that melt and ruin the taste of your drink, but potentially smaller fry portions for the same high price.

McDonald's swears that the portion size is the same. Fast food packaging experts have noted that the shape difference, and dimensions of the opening of the new bag, together make it more difficult to stuff the same amount of fries into the bag as filled the cardboard. The jury is out. Your mileage may vary. And it will be something to watch in the coming weeks and months - please share your experience in the comments below.