If Maryland loses FBI HQ, Gov. Wes Moore may have only himself to blame

If Maryland loses the FBI headquarters it thought it won in a beauty contest during the Biden administration, Governor Wes Moore may have only himself - and his devotees in the press - to blame. Moore lashed out at President Donald Trump after Trump declared the FBI would be staying in D.C. during a speech at the Department of Justice last week. He called Trump's statement political - and he was right, but not in the way he thought. It was Moore who played politics badly almost a month ago.

Moore initially took a more measured approach after Trump's victory last November. It appeared their relationship was off to a promising start when Trump appointed Moore to the bipartisan Council of Governors last month. But then Moore attended a meeting of governors from across the country at The White House, and went on a press tour to say that Trump had gone "off the rails" at the event. Eager to champion any Democrat who will forcefully take on Trump, and overeager to bolster Moore's bid for the presidency in 2028, the media began publishing reports and encouraging Moore to boost his attacks.

"Maryland Governor Wes Moore appears to have dismissed any possibility of working with President Donald Trump," Maryland Matters reported. "Any possibility?" Does that sound like a wise position to take when the state depends on the federal government in so many ways?

Moore told reporters that he supported Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown's lawsuits against the Trump administration. He said he was "deeply underwhelmed" and "troubled" by Trump. Moore described Trump's speech as "an hour-long diatribe of conspiracy theories and attacks." The Baltimore Sun said Moore was "more determined to push back" against the President. Many Democrats and journalists were positively giddy about Moore's rants against Trump, despite a replacement Key Bridge and the FBI HQ being just two major projects hanging in the balance.

Imagine if Moore had taken a different approach, especially knowing that other politicians have followed a rather simple strategy to forge a successful relationship with Trump. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has met privately with Trump for dialogue outside of the public view, rather than fire invective through the press. She has acceded to several Trump priorities over the last few months, either by verbal intent, or by action, such as the removal of Black Lives Matter Plaza. As a result, a major cut to the D.C. budget was overturned by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate at the 11th hour, and Trump has so far not followed through on his threats to intervene in city affairs. 

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, off to a rocky start at home, put on a master class in Trump diplomacy during his White House visit. With a flourish, out came an invitation to visit King Charles, a clear play on Trump's oft-stated affection for the British Royal Family. And the contrasting approaches of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan toward Trump have had predictably-opposite outcomes. All three of those who established a successful rapport with Trump used a combination of flattery and pragmatism, while holding firm on certain principles that were cast as furthering Trump's objectives. Those who simply attacked ended up empty handed.

It's no surprise, then, that Trump would not hesitate to pull back the FBI headquarters after a barrage of attacks from Moore through the media. In a state that has failed to score any big economic development wins in the private sector for decades, fumbling the rare infusion of government largess the FBI HQ represented was an unforced error by Moore.

Rendering via Prince George's County 

Silver Spring Chick-fil-A renovation update (Photos)

The Chick-fil-A restaurant at 825 Ellsworth Drive at Downtown Silver Spring is temporarily closed for renovations. It is a major gutting and remodeling of the space, and the store is expected to reopen before summer. According to the chain, every Chick-fil-A location will undergo a major overhaul like this at least once every thirty years. Updating kitchen equipment to the latest standards, and improving the flow of pickup and delivery orders, are among the goals of the renovation. Here is a look at the current status of the project:

Assault at Aspen Hill Library

Montgomery County police were called to the Aspen Hill Library at 4407 Aspen Hill Road Thursday afternoon, March 13, 2025. An individual reported having been the victim of a 2nd-degree assault there. The assault reportedly occurred around 4:00 PM. Police were dispatched to the scene at 5:41 PM.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's poll numbers drop as he pushes unpopular tax, fee hikes

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) received more bad news from poll results this week, as his highly-unpopular plan to raise multiple taxes and fees - and introduce new ones - is tanking his approval rating across the state. 55% of registered voters approve of the governor, down from 61% in January, according to the Gonzales Poll released Wednesday. 50% of those polled said they believe the state is heading in the wrong direction. 58% labeled Maryland's economy as "fair or poor" - that has risen by 4 points since the University of Maryland Baltimore County poll in late February.

The combination of Maryland's moribund economy, Moore's tax hike plan, his proposed 75-cent tax on all Amazon and food deliveries from firms like DoorDash and Uber Eats, his EmPOWER MD fee that caused electricity rates to skyrocket this winter, and his squandering of a $5.5 billion surplus left by his predecessor, Republican Larry Hogan, is leading some to ask if Moore is up to the job of leading the state. That's quite a change from the beginning of his term, when the primary question was how long he would serve before running for the White House. 

Moore's stellar resume suggested he would lead with strength and competence in all relevant areas. The promised business acumen has yet to emerge, his handling of Maryland's finances has paled next to Hogan's tax-hike-free eight years of fiscal stability, and the state's long-moribund economy has made Moore's plans for massive new spending on social programs and education a difficult-to-impossible mission.

"No Moore" campaign posts video critiquing governor

Contributing to the public's attention to Moore's struggles was a decision by the Maryland Democratic Party to begin attacking an anonymously-led campaign called "No Moore." But in demanding the State Board of Elections unmask the group, and investigate it for unsubstantiated violations of election law, the party wound up elevating public awareness of No Moore - along with the number of its followers on social media. Moore's office distanced itself from that effort. No Moore wasted no time in leveraging its newfound support, posting a video critiquing Moore on X yesterday morning.

Silver Spring home broken into

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a burglary at a home near the edge of downtown Silver Spring early Tuesday afternoon, March 11, 2025. The burglary was reported at a house in the 800 block of Bonifant Street at 1:14 PM Tuesday. That is near Bullis Local Park. Officers responding to the scene found evidence of forced entry at the home.

Assault in Silver Spring parking lot

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault in a Silver Spring parking lot early in the evening on March 11, 2025. The assault was reported in a residential parking lot in the 8500 block of 16th Street at 6:26 PM Tuesday. That appears to be within the large Summit Hills apartment complex, on the edge of downtown Silver Spring.

El Tejano Restaurant II opening soon in Wheaton

El Tejano Restaurant II is opening soon at 2646 University Boulevard W. in Wheaton. It is taking over the former Cam Ranh Bay Pho & Grill/Gourmet Inspirations space. That will allow for a spacious 8259-square-foot Latin American restaurant. Operating hours are anticipated to be 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM Monday through Thursday, 10:00 AM to 3:00 AM on Fridays, 9:00 AM to 3:00 AM on Saturdays, and 9:00 AM to 2:00 AM on Sundays.

Purple Line detour for Pershing Dr. in Silver Spring to begin March 24

Access to Pershing Drive from Bonifant Street in downtown Silver Spring will be blocked for about a month, beginning on or about March 24, 2025, the Maryland Transit Administration announced. The closure is necessary to complete track installation for the future Purple Line light rail system. During the closure, trash trucks and vehicles using private parking will have access from Wayne Avenue. Delivery trucks will be directed to dedicated loading zones on Bonifant, and on Georgia Avenue.

Watch for flagmen, and be prepared to follow their directions during the closure. Work will proceed on weekdays, and weekends as needed. The Pershing-Bonifant closure is anticipated to last for about four weeks. Should inclement weather occur, the reopening could be postponed.

Argan moves corporate HQ from Montgomery County to Arlington, Virginia

Montgomery County has lost yet another corporate headquarters to Northern Virginia. Argan, Inc., announced yesterday that it has relocated its HQ from 1 Church Street in Rockville to Two Liberty Center in Arlington. The telecommunications and power industry service provider was founded in Rockville over two decades ago. Argan cited the new location's direct access to Dulles International Airport as one of the primary reasons for the move. The firm's stock price doubled, and surged 33% in two days at one point in 2024, and is up about $10 since then, to $104.05 as of this morning.

It's no surprise that Argan, like so many companies, is heading for greener pastures across the Potomac. Montgomery County and Maryland leaders have defiantly refused to construct the long-planned bridge across the river that would provide our own direct connection between the I-270 corridor and the Dulles area. Dulles is the only airport in the region that provides the frequency and variety of direct flights to global destinations demanded by international businesspeople. And let's fact it: Virginia's lower taxes, fewer regulations, and status as CNBC's "Top State for Business in America" certainly didn't hurt. 

Northern Virginia has other advantages for a firm that primarily deals with power plants and telecommunications infrastructure. Maryland leaders have forced the closure of 8 power plants since 2012 alone, and the state is now forced to import 40% of its electricity from out-of-state at higher prices to avoid rolling blackouts. 70% of internet traffic around the globe flows through data centers in Northern Virginia. And the Old Dominion has invested far more in highway, air transport, railroads, and ports than Maryland. It's no wonder Montgomery County has failed to attract a single new major corporate HQ in over 25 years.

"We are thrilled with the move to our new headquarters location in Arlington, Virginia," Argan CEO David Watson said in a statement. "We believe the location and layout will accommodate the Company’s continued growth, improve recruitment and retention of employees, and facilitate greater collaboration and a more productive overall work environment. The Washington metro area has a dynamic and robust economy with a quality workforce, and we look forward to leveraging our new location to enhance the experience of Argan’s current and future employees, partners and customers. The Company’s more than 22 years in Rockville, Maryland where Argan was founded, have been both meaningful and productive, and we look forward to continuing our success in our new home in Arlington."

Montgomery County police raid Silver Spring crack house, arrest 11

Montgomery County police recently received multiple complaints from residents about drug activity in the 12200 block of Selfridge Road in Silver Spring. In response, officers and specialized units raided a home on that block last Friday, March 7, 2025. The home is located near the two highway corridors of Veirs Mill Road and Randolph Road, and two busy shopping centers.

Officers found 30 people inside and outside of the house, and observed evidence of the drug activity neighbors had reported to them. Eleven of the thirty people were arrested. Seventeen outstanding arrest warrants were served.

One suspect was charged with felony possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute. A second suspect was charged with a felony nuisance property violation. Two other individuals are facing misdemeanor possession charges.

After the raid, the Montgomery County Police Department issued a statement encouraging residents to report any similar concerns or activity in their neighborhoods. Anyone with information related to drug activity or other criminal concerns is encouraged to contact MCPD’s non-emergency line at 301-279-8000, or to submit an anonymous tip through http://www.p3tips.com/. 

Montgomery County minimum wage to increase by 50 cents on July 1, 2025

Montgomery County's minimum wage is set to increase on July 1, 2025, reflecting the region's inflation rate, as mandated by County law. The adjustments will see a 50-cent per hour increase across all employer sizes. Effective July 1st, large employers (those with 51 or more employees) will be required to pay a minimum wage of $17.65 per hour. Mid-size employers (11-50 employees) will see their minimum wage rise to $16 per hour, and small employers (10 or fewer employees) will be required to pay $15.50 per hour.

The wage increase is directly tied to the 2.9 percent rise in the consumer price index for all urban wage earners and clerical workers in the Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria area in 2024. This increase over the 2.8 percent seen in 2023 triggered the adjustment, which the County says ensures the local minimum wage maintains its purchasing power in the face of rising costs.

“Raising the minimum wage to account for inflation is an important step in ensuring that all Montgomery County workers can earn a fair wage that supports their well-being,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement. “As the cost of living continues to rise, this increase helps workers and families keep pace while also benefitting local businesses by putting more money back into our community. By indexing the minimum wage to inflation, we are providing a long-term solution that adjusts to economic conditions, making sure that working people are rewarded fairly for their contributions and that our local economy stays strong and resilient.”

County estimates state that this minimum wage increase will boost the income of those receiving the minimum wage by $1,040 this year. The minimum wage law was passed by the Montgomery County Council in 2017, and was spearheaded by Elrich, who was a Councilmember at that time.

Isaac's Poultry Market opens in Burtonsville

Isaac's Poultry Market is now open at 15785 Old Columbia Pike at Burtonsville Crossing in Burtonsville. While the first location opened in Gaithersburg, founder Rob Gresham actually grew up in Burtonsville, making this a homecoming for the former CAVA Director of Operations. That first Isaac's restaurant had barely opened when its chicken sandwich was named Best Sandwich by the Maryland Restaurant Association. 

Isaac's Poultry Market specializes in antibiotic and steroid-free roasted chicken, wings, chicken sandwiches, salads, and frozen custard. Everything is certified Halal. 90% of the menu is gluten free. The concept was developed by Gresham and his son during the pandemic lockdown. It was named by his son for Isaac Newton, who developed his theory of gravity while in quarantine during the Great Plague of 1665.

Police investigate Wheaton shooting

Montgomery County police detectives are seeking the public's help in their investigation of a shooting that took place in Wheaton earlier this year. In the early morning hours of January 18, patrons leaving Unplugged Restaurant & Sports Bar at 11305 Georgia Avenue allegedly became engaged in an altercation. At 2:40 AM, police received a report of a shooting around the corner from the restaurant, in the 2300 block of Price Avenue. 

Officers arriving at the scene determined that a vehicle had been hit by gunfire, but that there were no injuries. No suspects have been taken into custody, and detectives are asking for tips from the public to identify the shooter in the incident.

Anyone who can help identify the suspect, or has any other information about this crime is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page, or call 1-866-411-8477. Police are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest of this suspect. Tipsters may remain anonymous. 

Silver Spring retail building for sale

A retail building in downtown Silver Spring is now being offered for sale. 8618 Fenton Street is a 9,700-square-foot commercial building that is currently home to Rostas Collections. Built in 2010, the structure contains three levels, and has elevator access to all floors. The asking price is $4,000,000, according to the online sale listing. Rostas Collections remains open for business at this time.

New grocery store to open in Montgomery Hills

A new grocery store is coming soon to the Montgomery Hills area of Silver Spring. It will be located in the 3,700-square-foot storefront at 9309 Georgia Avenue. The former beauty supply and wig shop building was sold in July 2022. Grocery shoppers in Montgomery Hills and Forest Glen will be the winners, as more competition means lower grocery prices.

Montgomery County goes green...with envy of Loudoun County

The Montgomery County Council is all-but-certain to hike property taxes on residents again in the fiscal year starting this July. They've done it every year in recent times, except for a paltry average $12 "tax cut" in the election year of 2014. By contrast, Loudoun County, Virginia across the river will be delivering a property tax cut to residents there this year. The difference? Not only more business growth and jobs created than Montgomery County over the last decade, but its new position as "data center capital of the world," The Washington Post reported earlier this week.

A shocking new statistic emerged in the Post report on the budget situations in the five biggest counties in Northern Virginia. Loudoun County's data centers generate a full 38% of that county's total revenue. Data centers are often criticized for representing very few jobs, as staffing is minimal at each. But they clearly generate bigtime revenue.

Of course, these data centers require massive amounts of electricity, something Montgomery County and Maryland lack because our elected officials ordered the closure of 8 coal-fired power plants across the state since 2012. High-wage jobs are something else MoCo lacks, as it has failed to attract any new major corporate headquarters in over 25 years. Heckuva job, Brownie! 

While I would rather see an aerospace research facility, or a major defense firm headquarters fill our underutilized and vacant office parks, imagine if there was a data center on each of the office properties among those that have been converted to luxury townhomes in recent years. Residential housing is a revenue loser for the County, as our structural budget deficit proves. Data centers are a revenue winner, as homeowners in Loudoun County will be delighted to tell you, when they receive their FY-2026 property tax cut.

Country Boy Market returning for outdoor sales in Glenmont for 2025

Country Boy Market isn't finished yet at the Glenmont Shopping Center. The longtime business will once again be selling mulch and soil bags outside its store at 2211 Randolph Road this spring, it announced on Facebook. That's about all, though, as the store building itself remains empty of merchandise. All sales will be outdoors. 

Despite announcing in late 2023 that it would be permanently closing, Country Boy Market has returned for these outdoor sales the last two years, meaning it has now been operating continuously for 69 years. Shopping at Country Boy Market is like using the James Webb Telescope to look back decades in time, to the golden age of Glenmont. Next stop, Privacy World!

Photo courtesy Country Boy Market

BigBear.ai moves HQ from Maryland to Virginia

Oh, no, not again! Moribund Maryland has just lost yet another corporate headquarters to Virginia. BigBear.ai has moved its HQ from Columbia, Maryland to a Class A trophy office building in Tysons, Virginia, The Business Journals reports. Its new address is the Valo Park building at 7950 Jones Branch Drive. The move caps off a month of great news for the company and its investors. It not only picked up coveted new contracts from the Army and Navy, but hired a new CEO who was a high-level adviser to President Donald Trump, giving it an edge in any DOGE-sizing at the Pentagon.

Valo Park not only enjoys easy access to I-495, but its website notes it is only a 15-minute drive from Dulles International Airport. No Montgomery County or Maryland business can make that claim, as leaders of both jurisdictions for decades have blocked construction of the long-planned I-370 Potomac River crossing to the Dulles area. Montgomery County hasn't attracted a single major corporate headquarters in over 25 years, and Maryland's record is about the same. Both have lost many HQs to Virginia, among other states, and now the trend continues to play out. Tysons is the happening place to be; you can feel the energy just driving through on the Beltway, among all of the neon corporate logos that light up the night. Montgomery County is Sleepy Town, a bedroom community for the booming job centers elsewhere in the region - such as Tysons!

The loss of BigBear.ai is particularly humiliating for Maryland, as Governor Wes Moore has stated that artificial intelligence is one of the key economic sectors he wants to grow. Alas, Maryland not only has much higher taxes, but much less electricity generation capacity, after the Democrat-controlled Maryland legislature forced the closure of 8 coal-fired power plants. They apparently were unaware that artificial intelligence requires massive amounts of energy. Virginia has that capacity, while Maryland has to import expensive electricity from out-of-state at boardwalk prices just to keep the lights on. We're being governed by very stupid people, folks. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Montgomery County to lose more jobs to housing

Another valuable Montgomery County office park property could be lost to residential housing, if the City of Rockville approves a proposal to convert it into condos and townhomes. 1455 Research Boulevard, one of many office sites located in the I-270 corridor of the County, would become 106 townhomes, 30 stacked condo townhomes, and 72 multifamily condo units, under the plan envisioned by developer Pulte. The company is building several similar developments in the City, including within the new Farmstead community, as well as in the King Farm, and Tower Oaks areas. Pulte's site plan is likely to be reviewed at a public hearing by the Rockville Planning Commission in summer or fall of 2025.

The existing office building, which was only constructed
about 30 years ago

The existing office building contains 17 office suites, 10 of which are currently leased, according to the property website. So the building is 59% leased. The property is 10.6 acres in size, meaning that it would still be ideal for a corporate headquarters, or a research, lab, and/or manufacturing facility, if the existing building were torn down for that purpose. It is directly adjacent to I-270. To state the obvious, all of the jobs currently provided by the current tenants of the building will likely be lost to the City and County in a conversion to housing. And the many more potential, high-wage jobs that could fill this office park site - and the resulting revenue - will never be realized.

Pulte's proposed redevelopment plan
for residential housing

From a County revenue standpoint, filling the current building, or replacing it with a major corporate headquarters or facility, would be more ideal than filling the site with residential housing. That's because residential housing, as we have seen this century, generates more costs in County services and infrastructure demands than it does in tax revenue. Hence the County's structural budget deficit, which extends as far into the future as the forecasts go. And do you remember "smart growth," which included placing jobs near housing, to reduce congestion and auto emissions in the I-270 corridor? Neither do the County Council and Planning Board, which don't even talk about "smart growth" anymore, having abandoned its fictional, expedient construct for the equally-fictional canards of "affordable," "attainable," "equity," "inclusionary," and "missing middle" - all code words bandied about in a nationwide campaign to allow upzoning for higher-density luxury housing in existing suburban neighborhoods.

Office, research, manufacturing and commercial uses, in contrast, generate less traffic and require no additional school capacity, for example. The problem is that the Council has driven the County's economy into the ditch over the last 23 years, through radical anti-business policies, and a failure to provide the necessary infrastructure to compete with Northern Virginia, such as direct highway access to Dulles International Airport via a new Potomac River crossing. Montgomery County has not only lost every competition for major corporate headquarters to Virginia during this time, but is most often not even in the hunt for these opportunities.

As a result, Montgomery County has failed to attract a single major corporate headquarters in over 25 years. While MoCo leaders slumbered this century, Virginia added the HQs of Northrop Grumman, Intelsat, Hilton Hotels, Nestle, Lidl, Gerber, Volkswagen, Corporate Executive Board, Amazon HQ2, CoStar, Lego, and more. And those are just ones we lost to Virginia! 

Montgomery County has been left to spend large sums just to retain some of the HQs it had, like Marriott International, Choice Hotels, and GEICO, all of which have downsized when making their moves. In addition to such rearrangements of the deck chairs aboard the Titanic, Montgomery County has lost still other HQs that it had altogether. While the Council argued about the legality of circus animals one week last decade, representatives of New York City and Knoxville were completing final, secret negotiations that sealed their victory in snatching away the Discovery Communications HQ from downtown Silver Spring.

Obviously, property owners such as those at 1455 Research Boulevard can't be blamed for all this. They, understandably, are not going to simply wait for a future ousting of the Montgomery County cartel from power to maximize their investment. So we are likely to end up with more residential housing at this site. The Council is not sad about that, as their developer sugar daddies want them to keep Montgomery County bad-for-business, so that prime office park sites can become residential housing sites instead. Virginia prepares and markets such office/industrial properties extensively to international businesses, and reaps the spectacular results; Montgomery County just waits for someone to build housing on them. Too bad that Montgomery County residents will continue to shoulder the increasing tax burden to make up for all of this lost business and commercial revenue. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Maryland bill would force hunters to use "non-toxic" ammunition

Democratic lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly are seeking to ban the use of lead ammunition by hunters in the state. House Bill 741 and Senate Bill 634 would mandate that hunters of any type of game in Maryland utilize "non-toxic" ammunition by no later than July 1, 2029. "Non-toxic" ammunition is defined in the bills as ammo containing 1% or less lead content. The bills would also alter the definition of "hunt" to no longer exclude "the sport of fox chasing."

The Sportsmen's Alliance, an organization representing the interests of individual hunters, anglers, and trappers, opposes the bills. It warned of the economic damage such a ban would have in Maryland. "Hunters contribute $328 million to the economy, directly support over 4,100 jobs, and provide over $29 million to state and local taxes," the Alliance noted in a statement. "This is a loss the Old Line State cannot afford." The Maryland Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee will hold a hearing on the Senate bill on March 4, 2025 at 1:00 PM.

Photo courtesy Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Majority of Maryland residents have considered leaving the state, poll finds

The University of Maryland Baltimore County continues to drop new results from its recent poll of Maryland residents, and the hits just keep on coming for the state's struggling and inept elected officials. Yesterday's release showed that a majority of the residents polled have considered moving out of Maryland to another state within the past year. A full 53% said, yes, they have considered leaving Maryland in the next few years.

Montgomery County has seen a flight of the rich to lower-tax jurisdictions in the region this century, and those expats have taken millions of dollars in tax revenue with them. There were no longer enough high-end shoppers to sustain the stretch of Wisconsin Avenue in Friendship Heights that was once touted as "Montgomery County's Rodeo Drive," leaving behind rows of empty storefronts. Maryland experienced a similar exodus after passing its "Millionaires' Tax" in 2012, only to find that 1000 millionaires had fled the state just two years later.

54% who were interviewed by UMBC said Maryland is a "poor or fair" place to start a business. That's not surprising, given that 67% of respondents also agreed that the state's economy is moribund. 

Maryland not only has gained a terrible reputation as an anti-business state internationally, but is increasingly seen by aging residents as a terrible place to retire, as well. The largest group of respondents, 37%, said Maryland is a "poor" state to retire in. 64% concluded that Maryland is a "poor or fair" retirement destination. Again, not very surprising, as increasing numbers of retirees leave Maryland behind for Delaware or Florida.

Almost half of those polled said Maryland is a "poor or fair" state to seek a K-12 education in. That's quite a drop from two decades ago, when Maryland's schools were seen as among the best in the nation. Only 11% believe Maryland is an "excellent" place to find a job. Well, you can't blame them: most of the jobs that give Montgomery County and Maryland low unemployment rates are actually located in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Aggravated assault in downtown Silver Spring

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an aggravated assault in downtown Silver Spring early Monday morning, February 24, 2025. The assault, and another 2nd-degree assault, were reported in the 8000 block of Georgia Avenue at 12:13 AM Monday. It took place at a bar on that block.

67% of residents agree Maryland economy is moribund

Last decade, this website was a lonely voice in the media landscape warning that the economies of Montgomery County and Maryland were moribund. Since 2018, powerful voices such as the editorial board of The Washington Post, two-time County Executive candidate David Blair, and even Maryland Governor Wes Moore have reached the same conclusion. Now, an overwhelming majority of Maryland residents are also saying the state's economy has stagnated. 67% of residents polled by the University of Maryland Baltimore County declared Maryland's economy as "poor" or "fair." Results of the poll were released yesterday by UMBC.

49% of residents told pollsters that Maryland is "on the wrong track." 62% are concerned about the amount of taxes Maryland residents pay. That's not a major shock, as Maryland is one of the states with the highest tax burden in America, and Montgomery County has the highest tax and fee burden of any jurisdiction in the Washington, D.C. area. 77% of residents want lawmakers to focus on crime, but would probably be surprised to learn that the only crime bills likely to pass in the current session of the state legislature will loosen up on criminals, instead of cracking down.

Montgomery County Council seeks new $20K+ demolition tax on teardowns for new homes

Housing prices are out-of-this-world in Montgomery County, but leave it to the radical Montgomery County Council to raise them even further. Councilmembers Kristin Mink (D - District 5) and Will Jawando (D - At-Large) are sponsoring a bill that would impose a "demolition tax" when a home is torn down, or even partially-demolished. The new excise tax would begin at $20,000, and then rise in future years, as the tax will be linked to the Consumer Price Index as of July 1 each year. As anyone who understands basic economics knows, the $20,000+ amount will be fully passed on to the homebuyer purchasing the new house, or the homeowner investing in the new home or renovation. It's shocking the Council would deliberately impose a massive increase in home prices like this.

In true Communist fashion, the money the Council steals from struggling homebuyers via the new tax will be shifted into the Montgomery County Housing Production Fund to finance "affordable" housing projects. Comrade, er, Councilmember Evan Glass (D - At Large) proposed a similar demolition tax in 2019, but it failed to pass that year. A public hearing on Bill 5-25 has been tentatively scheduled for March 18, 2025 at 1:30 PM at the County Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville.

Moore administration fast-tracking Baltimore Red Line despite Maryland budget crisis

Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) and other elected officials are openly and actively pushing tax and fee increases, as well as new taxes and fees, through the General Assembly in Annapolis at the moment. Their justification for hitting already-overtaxed taxpayers in the wallet is that, well, the state is broke and has no money. Someone forgot to tell the Maryland Transit Administration, which is promoting the $7.2 billion Baltimore Red Line light rail boondoggle as if it is fully funded in a newsletter emailed out late last week.

"We've set ambitious goals for 2025," the project's director declares in the opening sentence, even as the state is at this very moment facing a nearly $3 billion shortfall. "Aerial survey mapping" is underway, and soil "field surface investigations" are scheduled to begin "soon." Meanwhile, a $457 million cut to developmental disabilities programs is under consideration, as are the elimination of itemized tax deductions, the addition of a new tax that would raise the cost of "sugary drink" 12-packs by several dollars, and the creation of a 75-cent fee on all Amazon retail and DoorDash/Uber Eats-style food deliveries.

The similar Purple Line light rail project in Montgomery and Prince George's counties has been a fiscal disaster. It is about a decade behind schedule, and has been mismanaged from the beginning. The potential ridership for it remains an open question, and any shortfall in its budget once service begins will be filled by taking money from other transit priorities. Red Line advocates - largely real estate developers, and radical war-on-cars extremists still terrified that I-70 might one day connect to downtown Baltimore like it was supposed to - have subsisted on champagne wishes and caviar dreams for 15 years. Pour another glass, and LARP along with the MTA on a project that redefines pie-in-the-sky, by and by.

Maryland governor's false claim of tax cuts for some is really a tax hike for nearly everybody

Despite claims by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore that some Marylanders will receive a tax cut under his budget proposal, the math is adding up otherwise. Moore's proposed changes to the tax code would provide the average low-income resident with an annual tax cut of $300, and "middle class" taxpayers with an average savings of $173. Even in another dimension where those taxpayers would actually end up in the black on Tax Day with those amounts, you could still imagine Dr. Evil rubbing his hands together over that paltry "one-hundred and seventy-three dollars." But imagining is all that taxpayers who were promised a "tax cut" will be able to do next April 15, based on new numbers emerging from the state and economists in recent days.

For those working and middle-class taxpayers, the new, doubled vehicle registration fee alone will wipe out their entire tax cut. The Moore plan also eliminates deductions such as mortgage payments for homeowners. This is not only insane at a time when homeownership is already incredibly expensive and hard to attain, but is also an embrace of a radical idea designed to discourage people from even owning a home, by removing one of its key advantages over renting. With mortgages and other costs no longer deductible, most taxpayers making a modest $75,000 and up would find Moore's deduction-elimination plan delivering a tax hike. And even the low-income taxpayers are unlikely to realize any savings once all of the new, regressive tax hikes and fees are factored in.

A proposed new tax on "sugary drinks" is misleadingly promoted by sponsors as a "2-cent tax." In reality, it is 2-cents per ounce. That means $2.88 per 12-pack of sodas. $3.84 for a 12-pack of Monster Energy drinks. Multiply that by 26 or 52 weeks, depending on consumption level, and you're talking about a serious escalation in price, at a time when groceries are already obscenely-expensive for all but the wealthiest. Why in the world would our elected officials do this to their constituents?

The average Amazon Prime member places 100 orders from Amazon per year. And the average American orders food from a food delivery service like DoorDash or Uber Eats around 60 times per year. That means Moore's new 75-cents tax on all retail and food deliveries from Amazon, DoorDash, Uber Eats and other equivalent services would cost the average Marylander an additional $120 per year.

I've already reported on the massive tax hikes Moore has proposed for marijuana and sports betting. But there's yet another target for new taxes: guns. Two proposed bills would place a new 12% excise tax on all firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition.

We haven't even factored in the skyrocketing energy bills that are the direct result of Moore and the Maryland General Assembly's Communist EmPOWER MD fee hike, and their forced closure of 8 power plants across the state to meet a 100% "clean" energy target by 2035.

Conservative news outlets wringing their hands over the potential flight of the rich from Maryland are actually underplaying the threat to the state's future, because such departures of the well-off were an established fact following former Gov. Martin O'Malley's disastrous "millionaire's tax" of 2012. Only two years after that tax hike, there were 1000 less such "millionaires" filing tax returns in Maryland, and it's only gotten worse since.

So why would Moore press ahead while knowing this? Because he knows that, like before, it's the working stiffs and modestly well-off white collar workers who are really going to pick up the tab. In fact, The Washington Post calculated that Marylanders who make under $500,000 will actually contribute about 60% of the new revenue generated by the Moore tax plan. And as many economists have noted, in a real estate market as expensive as we are in now, those lucky enough to be in home are unlikely to relocate to avoid taxes, unlike the rich who can afford to move and often have more than one home.

Kensington bank to become marijuana dispensary

A tenant has finally been found for the bank building at 3740 University Boulevard W. in Kensington. The former SunTrust building will now become a marijuana dispensary. That may render the drive-thru left behind by the bank moot, as dreams of this becoming a fast food restaurant literally go up in smoke. Conversion of the building is anticipated to begin by this spring.

Buffalo Wild Wings GO opening Burtonsville location

Get ready to GO wild in Burtonsville. Buffalo Wild Wings GO will be opening a Burtonsville location this year. It will be located at 15500 Columbia Pike, in the space recently vacated by Subway. What an upgrade! 

Buffalo Wild Wings GO features a slimmed-down menu comprised of some of BWW's customer favorites. An "innovative cooking process" is able to churn out the same crispy wings you find at a regular BWW at a speedier pace, the company says. The interior set-up is designed to get customers in and out of the smaller-scale GO store as quickly as possible, especially when ordering ahead. GO also has some exclusive flavors not found at the full-size BWW.

Maryland energy crisis requires axing EmPOWER, embracing nuclear

Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, UAE

Maryland is in a full-blown energy crisis, which is devastating electric ratepayers across the state, and has only exacerbated our image as a poor destination for international business. The two root causes are the direct responsibility of our elected officials in Annapolis: the Communist EmPOWER MD program, and the closure of eight power plants that resulted from a state mandate to attain 100% clean energy by 2035. EmPOWER's surcharge was increased for this year by Governor Wes Moore and the Democrat-controlled Maryland legislature. The result has been a massive increase in electric costs for Maryland residents in the midst of a cold winter. In the not-so-distant future, low-energy Maryland will be forced to import nearly half of its power from out-of-state (it currently imports 40%, and is in the process of approving another transmission line to bring power from outside Maryland), further raising electric bills.

One of the short-term solutions is obvious: Maryland must revoke, repeal, kill, and bury the EmPOWER program. Communist to the core, EmPOWER is a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul scheme that steals money from working Marylanders, ostensibly to buy "green" appliances and home efficiency upgrades for poor people, but to also line the pockets of the political cartel and their cronies along the way. 

Maryland residents simply can't afford to "EmPOWER" the cartel any longer, and it is a no-brainer to demand that the Maryland General Assembly take immediate action to terminate it during the current session. At the moment, they are too busy cranking out every imaginable new tax in the world to increase what is already the highest tax burden in the Washington, D.C. area, and among the highest nationwide.

For the long term, we must take equally-immediate action to increase the electricity generating capacity inside our state borders. That includes restarting the shuttered power plants, and modifying others for natural gas. It also means expediting the construction of new nuclear plants across the state. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and to that end, there is one modestly-positive proposal on the table in Annapolis this session: to add nuclear to the list of "green" power sources.

But we also need to move urgently on actually getting nuclear plants constructed. There are several new players in the nuclear energy field, and new technology such as micro reactors. 

The United Arab Emirates is currently conducting an active search for potential nuclear projects in the United States. Maryland should answer the call. We often hear that nuclear plants can take two decades or more to come online. But the UAE's Emirates Nuclear Energy Company completed four reactors at the Barakah nuclear power plant in less than 12 years, and the project came in on-budget, according to the Financial Times. 

Enec's CEO Al Hammadi was asked by the FT if his firm would like to build, own, or operate nuclear projects, or function as a consultant. "All of the above," he replied. Maryland should at least be having a conversation with Al Hammadi, and with leaders at other companies, about creating a state where energy is cheap and abundant for residents and business alike.

Photo courtesy Enec

Remodeled Dunkin' Donuts looks close to reopening in Wheaton (Photos)

The Dunkin' Donuts store at 2405 Reedie Drive in Wheaton has been temporarily closed for a few weeks for renovations. As of Sunday, it looks like the reopening isn't far off. New signage with the shorter "Dunkin'" branding has been installed, virtually all kitchen and counter serving equipment is in place, and the new place-making sign denoting this as "Wheaton" is on the wall inside. Menu boards are up above the counter, and seating is in place for diners. (Almost) time to make the donuts!