Rockville fireworks delayed until 9:45 PM

The City of Rockville announced last-minute changes to its official July 4th program tonight at Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park at 1800 Piccard Drive in the King Farm neighborhood. Activities scheduled through 9:15 PM have been canceled. The fireworks display is still on, but has been delayed until 9:45 PM tonight. Severe weather was cited as the reason for the changes.

Montgomery County cooling centers open 11 AM to 7 PM on July 4

Montgomery County will be operating cooling centers open to the public who lack air conditioning on Independence Day, Saturday, July 4, 2026. There are six cooling centers, and they will be open from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Though, frankly, they should be open longer hours than that, given the lack of relief after dark or in the morning. Note that services and amenities typically available at these facilities may not be available while they are in use as cooling centers. I wish all my readers a great July 4th! Stay hydrated and stay safe!

Second assault in 8 days at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall Sunday night, June 28, 2026. The assault was reported at 7:51 PM. This was the second assault to take place at the retail center in eight days, with the last having occurred on June 20. Six assaults have been reported at the mall so far this year, a pace on par with last year's grand total of twelve. 2024 saw eleven assaults, and 2022 brought twelve. A low of five assaults was recorded in 2023, when the police department opened a "resource room" at the mall.

Zbounce closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Zbounce has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Signage has been removed from their space next to Hallmark. The children's moon bounce and play center first opened at the mall in the fall of 2016, so this could be a ten-year lease ending. Or an unannounced move within the mall, but Zbounce has not posted any message to customers regarding such plans.

Rockville woman facing charges after exposing herself to neighbor's surveillance camera

A Rockville woman is facing charges after allegedly putting on a show for a neighbor's surveillance camera. According to Rockville City police, the woman made "lewd gestures" and exposed herself in front of the camera in the 200 block of Congressional Lane on June 24, 2026. Police say they have identified the woman, and that charges against her are forthcoming.

Armed robbery at ATM in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery at an ATM machine in Rockville early last Friday afternoon, June 26, 2026. The robbery was reported at an ATM in the 12200 block of Rockville Pike at 1:01 PM Friday. An adult male suspect tried to grab the victim's wallet in front of the ATM, and threatened to shoot the victim if they did not let go of it. But the victim was able to not only hold onto their wallet, but overpowered the suspect and pinned him until officers could arrive. The suspect was taken into custody.

Purse snatching at Rockville Metro station

Rockville City police responded to a report of a purse snatching at the Rockville Metro station at 251 Hungerford Drive early yesterday morning, June 27, 2026. The theft was reported at the station at 12:30 AM Saturday. It took place in the pedestrian tunnel. 

Assault at bus stop in Derwood

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at a bus stop in Derwood late yesterday afternoon, June 26, 2026. The assault was reported at 5:45 PM. It took place at a bus stop in the 15900 block of Somerville Drive. There are bus stops on that block of Somerville, but that block can also refer to the bus stops within the adjacent Shady Grove Metro station, as well.

K-Wave opening Saturday in Rockville

K-Wave will open its first Maryland store in Rockville tomorrow, Saturday, June 27, 2026, at 10:00 AM. It will be located at 5534 Randolph Road in the Montrose Shopping Center (home of MOM's Organic Market and KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot). Free goodie bags will go to anyone purchasing more than $75 of merchandise "while supplies last." K-Wave will have the latest recordings by your favorite K-pop artists, artist merchandise, and a veritable arcade of Asian game machines: claw machines, vending machines, and Deco Station. Still to arrive are their gachapon machines and Photoism photo booth. 

You will also find a lot of South Korean pop culture merchandise, toys, and stationary. Popular South Korean beauty and skincare products, clothing, and home decor round out the inventory of products for the K-pop fan or Seoul aesthetic seeker. Operating hours for K-Wave will be 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, seven days a week. K-Wave has an existing location in Centreville.

Drive-thru marijuana dispensary opening on Rockville Pike

A drive-thru marijuana dispensary is coming soon to Rockville Pike. Stash Cannabis Co. will be opening this summer at 1470 Rockville Pike. That is a former BB&T Bank branch building. Stash will serve recreational adult users, as well as medical marijuana patients. The dispensary has been in the works for over a year, but great progress on the construction has been made recently, and it's expected to be finished very soon.

The Container Store-Bed Bath & Beyond merger coming to fruition in Rockville

Bed Bath & Beyond has returned to Rockville Pike. This time, it is inside of The Container Store at 1601 Rockville Pike at Congressional Plaza. The struggling home organizing chain has turned to the defunct but well-known Bed Bath & Beyond brand to revitalize foot traffic to its stores. This transition is expected to be completed at all impacted Container Store locations nationwide by the end of next month. As you read this, Bed Bath & Beyond merchandise continues to arrive daily, and is being stocked on shelves that Container Store merchandise was liquidated from to make room. Now, can they fit Tower Records in there?

Police respond to assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this past Saturday night, June 20, 2026. The assault was reported at the mall at 8:21 PM Saturday. This was the fifth assault recorded at the popular retail center so far this year. Last year saw a total of 12 assaults reported at the property. County police officers were visibly on patrol inside the mall this past weekend.

Orange Pocket opening at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

Orange Pocket is coming to Gaithersburg later this summer. The Asian variety store chain has leased a space at 30 Grand Corner Avenue at Rio Lakefront. Specializing in products imported from, or inspired by, Japan and South Korea, you might expect this to be a China-based chain like competitors who have recently arrived in Montgomery County. But Orange Pocket is actually based in Texas, like many other smart companies these days.

What does "Orange Pocket" mean? The company only describes it as "a small space packed with big finds." Those finds include blind boxes, Labubu toys, anime figurines, plush toys, sought-after Japanese and South Korean cosmetics and beauty products, house and kitchen wares, stationary, pet products, and Asian snacks. Customers can also pass the time playing the claw and Bandai Gashapon machines. Orange Pocket is currently promising an August opening.

Hugging thief strikes in Rockville

A thief used a hug as a distraction in Rockville this past Saturday afternoon, June 20, 2026. According to Montgomery County police, the suspect targeted a female victim in the 700 block of Hungerford Drive at 3:05 PM Saturday. The suspect hugged the victim, and allegedly removed several pieces of jewelry she was wearing during the embrace, before fleeing in a getaway vehicle. Police did not release a description of the suspect, or the getaway vehicle.

Update on Gorjana at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Here's a sneak peek at the construction progress inside the future Gorjana boutique at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Laguna Beach-inspired jewelry retailer is appropriately expected to open this summer at the mall. A look inside the construction wall door that was hanging open reveals flooring, walls, and lighting fixtures in place. Now shelving and other displays are being installed, which means merchandise can't be far behind. When it opens, look for Gorjana on Level 1 of the mall, across from Lily Pulitzer in the Nordstrom wing.

Police investigate shots-fired incident in Derwood

Montgomery County police are investigating a shots-fired incident that occurred in Derwood late Friday night, June 19, 2026. Residents in the 7800 block of Miller Fall Road called 911 after hearing gunfire from a nearby field at 11:00 PM. Police were dispatched to recover any potential evidence of a firearm being discharged. The Shady Grove Middle School baseball field is located at the end of that street.

Genki Wagyu Shabu House sets opening date in Rockville

Genki Wagyu Shabu House now has an opening date at 870 Festival Street at the Twinbrook Quarter development in Rockville. The all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant will begin accepting reservations this Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Genki promises the"finest unlimited Wagyu Shabu-Shabu, Sukiyaki, and premium Sushi experience. Savor the melt-in-your-mouth richness of high-grade Wagyu beef, meticulously sliced for the perfect hot pot in our signature Sukiyaki broth. Complement your experience with an exquisite selection of premium sushi, crafted with the freshest seafood and premium ingredients." As you can see, the dining experience is capped off with a stunning interior design.

Koala Kreme opening today in Rockville

Koala Kreme will officially open today, Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 100-I Gibbs Street at The Square at Rockville. The frozen yogurt shop replaces The Marble Slab at the development in Rockville Town Center. If you've been to a self-serve frozen yogurt place like Sweetfrog, you know the drill. Celebrate their grand opening between noon and 2:00 PM today with tastings, giveaways, a balloon artist, and face painting. 

Pepco tells Maryland customers, "It's not us"

The most recent two U.S. presidents have had to get used to having their likeness slapped onto gas pumps via "I did that!" stickers, when their policy decisions have led to rising gas prices. Less eager to take credit for exploding electricity bills is Pepco, which is once again taking pains to inform customers that government is indeed the problem. "Higher energy bills can be challenging, and we want you to understand what's driving those changes," the Exelon-owned utility explained in a message to ratepayers with this month's bill. And explain they do, but not as extensively as they should, requiring us to employ the Annapolis Anger Translator (AAT) for full disclosure.

First culprit on the list is the regional grid operator PJM. Pepco notes that PJM "is increasing electricity supply prices for our area. Pepco does not generate electricity or set these prices — we pass these charges through directly to customers with no markup. These increases are due to factors such as higher demand and tight energy supply."

Using the AAT, we can expand on this to learn that the actual electricity rates paid by consumers in Maryland are set by the Maryland Public Service Commission, a body appointed by...whoops!...the governor of Maryland, and approved by the Democratic-controlled Maryland State Senate. 

Why is there a "tight energy supply?" Perhaps because Maryland elected officials forced the closure of 8 power plants across the state. As a result, Maryland itself can no longer generate enough power to supply the demands of residents and businesses, and is now forced to import electricity from out-of-state at inflated boardwalk prices.

Pepco also highlights the EmPOWER MD surcharge that appears on your monthly bill. Like many other "sneak taxes," elected officials hope that you will assume these taxes, fees, and surcharges are being levied by the service provider, not your corrupt leaders. The reality is that this surcharge was levied by the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis. It is a Karl Marxian Communist initiative of the highest order. Your hard-earned money goes into a slush fund used to pay for "green" upgrades to poor people's homes. From each according to his abilities...well, you get the idea.

Not mentioned is the latest hoax: data centers, the latest pass-the-buck punching bag for politicians trying to divert public attention from their direct role in the affordability crisis. No, data centers in Maryland are not the reason your Pepco bill keeps going up. It's a boogeyman far more familiar to you: your unfriendly neighborhood elected official. The call is indeed coming from inside the house.

Exotic Tobacco & Vape opens in Derwood

Exotic Tobacco & Vape is now open at 16803 Crabbs Branch Way at The Grove shopping center in Derwood. The smoke shop fills the space that was formerly home to Casey Management. This appears to be a local chain, with locations in College Park and Frederick, Maryland. ET&V carries a full line of vaping products and accessories, tobacco products, kratom, and cannabis paraphernalia.

This Armand's Pizzeria truck could be yours in Rockville auction

The sad news of the last Armand's Pizzeria closing in Rockville can be good news for the collector or aspiring restaurateur. That's because it's auction time, and everything must go! And that includes what may be the ultimate collector's item for the Armand's pizza fan: a genuine Armand's delivery truck! It's what appears to be a modified 1985 Toyota pickup truck, and Japanese Toyotas run forever, right?

Imagine the chicks you could pull tooling around the DMV in this Armand's pizza truck. And here we thought that a sign left from the Montgomery Hills Armand's was the best Armand's memento left out there! As a bonus, the doors are emblazoned with the name of the venerable "Congressional Plaza." I'mma let you finish, Taylor, but the Lakeforest Mall truck was the greatest MoCo vehicular prize of all time! But Armand's is making a "bid" for close second. And in this auction, you can make a literal bid. Current bid for the truck? Thirty cents! Hurry!

Photos courtesy Rasmus Auctions

Armed robbery at Red Roof Inn in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Red Roof Inn at 16001 Shady Grove Road last Friday night, June 12, 2026. According to police, a suspect approached the front desk of the hotel at 8:46 PM, and drew a handgun. The suspect demanded the front desk clerk hand over cash. When the clerk informed the suspect that there was no cash to hand over, the suspect ran away. No description of the suspect has been released as of this writing.

Austrian life sciences firm chooses Virginia over Maryland for U.S. headquarters

Austrian life sciences firm Ringana has made the United States the target of its next international expansion push, but first it needed a U.S. corporate headquarters to operate from. It has found the perfect location, and you won't be surprised to hear it is not in Montgomery County, or even within the state of Maryland. You also won't be surprised to learn that Virginia is once again the winner in this latest corporate HQ sweepstakes. That's right: 435 jobs are on the way from the Österreich to 2797 Frontage Road NW in Roanoke, Virginia. The former Johnson & Johnson site will not only house corporate offices, but also a manufacturing facility and a distribution center.

The deal was apparently secured when Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger invited Ringana corporate leadership to meet with her personally this past February. In contrast, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has failed to turn his supposedly-massive Rolodex of Wall Street, Hamptons, and Martha's Vineyard business contacts into a single major corporate headquarters win. After an awkward few months dominated by divisive partisan politics, Spanberger seems to have found the blueprint left behind by her Democratic predecessors, who have typically been as successful in attracting corporate headquarters as their Republican counterparts.

“RINGANA’s decision to establish its first U.S. facility in Virginia underscores the Commonwealth’s reputation as a welcoming, premier destination for international investment,” Spanberger said in a statement. “With our world-class workforce, strong apprenticeship and career training programs, and unwavering commitment to supporting global companies in a global marketplace, Virginia offers the ideal environment for businesses to grow and succeed in the United States. We are excited to welcome RINGANA to Roanoke and look forward to the hundreds of career opportunities this partnership will create for Virginians.”

We should take note of the site chosen by Ringana. Look how close it is to Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, which has connecting flights to Dulles International Airport. Also nearby is Interstate 81, a major freight trucking route connecting Tennessee and Canada. Once again, Virginia tax advantages join with infrastructure to hand Maryland and Montgomery County yet another economic development loss. MoCo and Maryland elected officials will tell you with clownish pride that "we don't do highways," and that they will never allow construction of the long-delayed new Potomac River crossing to the Dulles area.

Now before we get too carried away, I don't want to overhype Ringana. We should be focused on major corporations, especially on aerospace, biotech, defense, and technology firms. Ringana is not a Fortune 500 company. But it has enjoyed $245 million in annual revenue, and 30% year-over-year revenue growth. It will be investing $85 million in Virginia and its people and communities. The Roanoke Regional Partnership is already working to connect local businesses that can provide services to Ringana with the company's leadership.

Beggars can't be choosers. Montgomery County and Maryland once again are left holding their nearly-empty begging cups.

Miniso returning to Montgomery Mall for cage match with Pop Mart

Miniso operated a store at Westfield Montgomery Mall from 2021 to 2025. But the company appears to have realized it might have made a hasty decision to exit, now that Pop Mart is preparing to open a store at the Bethesda mall. And it looks like they're reclaiming their old haunt on Level 1 near Macy's. Of course, Miniso sells a much wider variety of products than toy retailer Pop Mart, such as kitchenware, home goods, and health and fitness items. But a significant portion of its Japanese-inspired (don't tell Chairman Xi!) Chinese merchandise is dedicated to blind bag and oversized plush toys, making this a high-stakes faceoff for the toy collector's dollar at Montgomery Mall.

Sleep Number moves to Rockville

Sleep Number has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The showroom has been cleared out. However, it's not the end for the famous adjustable bed retailer in the immediate area. The company says the store has relocated to Rockville, in the Montrose Crossing shopping center. This is unexpectedly good news for fans of the Sleep Number Bed, as the brand is in significant financial difficulty, and has said a bankruptcy filing is not out of the question.