MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor wrote a response to the OIG report's conclusions in which he accepted responsibility for the security failures, but also cast blame on the OIG for slowing the school system's response to the lapses, and for not recognizing the cost of implementing the report's recommendations, which Taylor estimated would be $2 million. Limarzi called Taylor's accusations "perplexing," and said she and her staff are disappointed "by the apparent attempts to transfer blame to this office" for "serious issues that have been well known at MCPS for years and yet have gone unaddressed."
"We appreciate the work of Inspector General Megan Limarzi and her team for bringing this important issue to light and providing the public with an impartial evaluation of the MCPS Background Screening Office," County Council President Kate Stewart and Vice-President Will Jawando said in a joint statement yesterday. They wrote that the Council's Audit Committee will conduct oversight hearings on the matter beginning September 26, 2025. Additional meetings will be held by two other Council committees later in the fall. "[T]he urgency with which these issues must be corrected cannot be overstated," Stewart and Jawando wrote.
This is only the latest revelation about lax security measures at MCPS. Previously, a lack of security cameras - and staff to actively monitor the ones that exist - came to light after violent crime and hate graffiti incidents inside MCPS schools. And a 2016 State of Maryland audit of MCPS uncovered lax cybersecurity protocols that did not adequately shield private student information from those accessing MCPS computer systems from inside - and outside - the organization.
Police said nothing appeared to have been stolen from inside the facility. However, this is an event that draws scrutiny from law enforcement, as the U.S. Department of Energy reports that there were 175 attacks, or threats of attacks, on electrical infrastructure in the United States in 2023 alone. If you have any information about this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000.
AstraZeneca's announcement is the latest victory for President Donald Trump's trade strategy, which is in part designed to bring jobs back to America. GE Appliances recently announced it would relocate some of its China manufacturing footprint to the massive factory complex at Appliance Park in Louisville, Kentucky. AstraZeneca's move is to avoid high tariffs Trump proposed for drug imports.
Montgomery County isn't a total loser in the $50 billion investment AstraZeneca plans to make in the U.S. over the next five years: the company said it also plans to expand its Gaithersburg manufacturing facility, and to add a cell therapy manufacturing facility in Rockville. But it's simply cheaper to do business in Virginia, and the Commonwealth is quickly catching up in the regional biotech race, which has been the sole bright spot in Montgomery County's otherwise-moribund economy.
“I want to thank AstraZeneca for choosing Virginia as the cornerstone for this transformational investment in the United States,” Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. “This project will set the standard for the latest technological advancements in pharmaceutical manufacturing, creating hundreds of highly skilled jobs and helping further strengthen the nation's domestic supply chain. Advanced manufacturing is at the heart of Virginia's dynamic economy, so I am thrilled that AstraZeneca, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, plans to make their largest global manufacturing investment here in the Commonwealth.”
“Today’s announcement underpins our belief in America’s innovation in biopharmaceuticals and our commitment to the millions of patients who need our medicines in America and globally,” AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot said. “It will also support our ambition to reach $80 billion in revenue by 2030. I look forward to partnering with Governor Youngkin and his team to work on our largest single manufacturing investment ever. It reflects the Commonwealth of Virginia’s desire to create highly skilled jobs in science and technology, and will strengthen the country’s domestic supply chain for medicines.”
Steamrolling ahead, the Council's willingness to outright lie about the intention of the ZTA was astonishing. From the beginning, they have attempted to sell Thrive and this ZTA as addressing housing affordability issues. Councilmember Andrew Friedson specifically cited middle-income "teachers, firefighters, police officers and nurses" as being able to afford the $2 million duplexes and $1 million apartments that the ZTA will produce. This is nothing more than pure, unadulterated malarkey. Incredibly, the reporter from The Washington Post accepted this farcical statement at face value, declining to fact check Friedson, ask tough follow-up questions, or outright declare Friedson's statements as false, as the paper regularly does for Donald Trump. The Post even used the term "missing middle," which doesn't remotely apply to the multimillion-dollar units that will be constructed under this ZTA.
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| Eligible properties (in pink and yellow) in Aspen Hill, Glenmont, and Wheaton |
YES - to approve the ZTA
Gabe Albornoz
Marilyn Balcombe
Natali Fani-Gonzalez
Andrew Friedson
Evan Glass
Dawn Luedtke
Laurie-Anne Sayles
Kate Stewart
NO - to oppose the ZTA
Will Jawando
Sidney Katz
Kristin Mink
Now that corporate greed and the Montgomery County cartel's anti-business, pro-crime policies have led to the closure of the once-popular shopping and leisure destination, we can only look back at a simpler and better time with nostalgia. Were you one of the lucky few to obtain a box of the cake mix? Did you bake the cake? What did it taste like?
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| Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley |
"Maryland is failing to maintain accurate and up-to-date voter rolls, in clear violation of federal law," Whatley said in a statement. "Citizens deserve to know their vote isn't being canceled out by duplicate or ineligible voters."
No Republican has won any office in Montgomery County since Maryland switched from punch card voting to electronic voting in 2006. Only four years earlier, County Republicans held at least two seats on the Montgomery County Council, several seats in the state legislature, and at least one Congressional seat.
"Virginia is proud to welcome ORBCOMM’s global headquarters to Virginia," Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement. "This decision highlights our commitment to innovation, workforce development, and creating an environment where advanced industries can thrive. We look forward to the economic opportunities and technological leadership ORBCOMM will bring to the Commonwealth."
"As we welcome ORBCOMM's headquarters to Sterling, I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the significant economic impact this expansion brings to Loudoun County and the Commonwealth," Virginia State Delegate Atoosa R. Reaser said. "The creation of new jobs is a welcome development and will undoubtedly contribute to the prosperity of our community," said Delegate Atoosa R. Reaser.
Montgomery County has failed to attract a single major corporate headquarters in over 25 years. The County, and Maryland as a whole, have forgone massive amounts of potential tax revenue rather than adopt more competitive, business-friendly policies and tax rates. They have also refused to construct a new Potomac River crossing to the Dulles area that has been on the books for decades, which would provide direct access to the only local airport with the frequency of flights and variety of international business destinations that corporate executives demand. Once an economic engine of the Washington, D.C. region, Montgomery County's economy today is moribund, and the County has become a bedroom community for booming job centers elsewhere in the region.
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| Evan Glass |
The alleged victim told officers that the unknown suspect was "Chinese law enforcement, who threatened action against the victim for defrauding others with fake investments." American officials have accused China of sending police officers to the U.S. to intimidate or harass Chinese dissidents, or to persuade Chinese expats who have committed crimes to return home to face charges.
China has strongly denied engaging in such activity, and has said facilities U.S. officials have referred to as "police stations" in American cities with large Chinese populations are nothing more than volunteer-staffed service centers, which assist Chinese citizens or tourists overseas with basic matters like renewing driver's licenses. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. told Newsweek in 2023 that the accusations by U.S. officials have been "sheer political manipulation, and the purpose is to smear China's image."
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| Duane Shelton |
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| Kevin Patton |
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| Anre Russell |
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| Michael Marshall |
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| Alexander Burch |
Amrize now represents the largest cement business operating within the natural boundaries of North America, and the second-largest supplier of commercial roofing materials, according to Semafor. The company has operations in 43 U.S. states, and employs 7000 people. Its new headquarters is in Chicago.
Blasting, crushing, and screening are among the operations that take place at the Rockville site. Beyond the mining and processing of stone, there are concrete and asphalt plants on-site.
The company utilizes several methods to reduce the impact of the quarry on neighbors, such as locating the primary rock crusher over 20 stories underground, and employing a wet supression system to reduce particulate release at key transfer points in the process. A sitewide pneumatic dust collection system will be fully installed by the end of this year. Two sweepers clean Piney Meetinghouse Road and Shady Grove Road near the facility on a daily basis.
Images courtesy Amrize
Contrary to government declarations, the vaccine did not prevent the recipient from contracting the virus. And reports of vaccine injuries, increasing vaccine skepticism, and the Biden administration's 2022 declaration that "COVID is over" proved to be the final nails in the vaccine coffin.
The failure of one of BioNTech's new cancer treatments in testing earlier this year was apparently the last straw, as the company has now chosen to not pursue that product line any further. BioNTech's announcement was a body blow to Montgomery County and Maryland elected officials. Biotech is the only real bright spot in the otherwise-moribund Montgomery County economy, which has failed to attract a major corporate headquarters in over 25 years, and is at, or near, rock-bottom in the region by every relevant metric of job creation, new business starts, and business growth, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The bill would prohibit the sale of invasive bamboo, which is a rapidly-spreading plant. It would also establish penalties for doing so. A public hearing on the bill has been scheduled for July 22, 2025 at 1:30 PM at the County Council chambers.
Most people would probably agree that bamboo is an aggressively invasive plant. Maybe it should be banned, or maybe it should have been banned a long time ago. But one can't help but notice the many crises the County is facing, and wonder why bamboo is the top priority of the County Council. The current Council hasn't passed a single bill to address our moribund economy or sustained violent crime wave. Montgomery County hasn't attracted a single major corporate headquarters in over 25 years. And we are currently facing fiscal oblivion in the coming years, regarding the County's structural budget deficit and debt. This is a part-time Council that is absurdly unserious in its legislative pursuits. We can't go on like this.
This means a double payday for developers. The state - a.k.a. you, the taxpayer - will have to pay rent to house thousands of government employees in privately-owned office buildings around Charm City. And, developers will acquire valuable downtown property at - based on what we've seen in previous government dispositions of real estate in Montgomery County and Maryland - discount rates, compared to the value they will realize with redevelopment as luxury apartment buildings.
Some have theorized that there are an infinite number of realities. In none of those realities is leasing market-rate office space, over 20 years, cheaper than renovating and continuing to operate buildings you own. But it is a good program for elected officials to help fill the vacant office space owned by developers who have contributed fat checks to their campaigns. It's good to have friends in high places.
The payout bonanza won't end with Maryland handing your money over to developer sugar daddies for market-rate office leases all over Baltimore. That's because a valuable cache of state-owned buildings and prime downtown land is about to be added to their portfolios at value prices.
State Center Complex: (201 W. Preston St., 300 W. Preston St., 301 W. Preston St., 100 N. Eutaw St.)
State Center has been one of the biggest ongoing development scams in Baltimore for a couple of decades. What started as one developer giveaway turned into developer lawsuits against the state when they couldn't have things their way. Then, last November, the developers got $58.5 million from you - the taxpayer - for...nothing. The Moore administration paid off the developers with nearly $60 million just to end the legal battle - a battle the state would likely have won if the case had gone to trial.
So, as a taxpayer, you're already out $58.5 million for nothing at State Center. That was just the appetizer. Here comes the main course, courtesy of Gov. Moore: the complex will still be sold off to developers, who will redevelop the site with thousands of luxury apartments.
A solid low-rise government building with parking lot. Sure to be a teardown and redevelopment for luxury apartments.
William Donald Schaefer Tower (6 St. Paul Street)
One of the tallest buildings in Baltimore, 6 St. Paul Street was only built in 1986. I was inside this building about twenty years ago, and it looked very modern and new even at that point. Now the state is claiming the building is facing "catastrophic failure?" This is a potential Trump Tower-style conversion to luxury condos, that will pay off handsomely for the developer fortunate to acquire it under a political fake "fire sale." The Maryland cartel again disrespects former Gov. Schaefer, who was treated very badly in his final years by the political machine.
310-311 W. Saratoga Street
Another prime property, right on top of the Lexington Market subway station. This guarantees maximum density will be allowed to the prospective developer, which means maximum profit.
They don't build 'em like this anymore. A prime conversion candidate for apartments, or a wasteful teardown - the option will be up to the buyer. Located right across from CFG Bank Arena (a.k.a. the Baltimore Arena). Unlike Camden Yards, you can still see the Bromo Seltzer Tower from inside 200 W. Baltimore Street. Maximum profits await!
Another "they don't make 'em like they used to" architectural gem.
The worst part of this latest corruption scheme isn't the fake, inflated claims of savings. It's that the $326 million is over twenty years, while the state is facing a potential $6 billion shortfall in 2030. Aging buildings, even assuming the state has criminally failed to properly maintain them, aren't the source of Maryland's budget woes. It is astronomical overspending that has brought us here, and the Maryland legislature made clear this spring it has no intention of stopping that anytime soon.
Our local media appears too starstruck and weak-in-the-knees around Gov. Moore to challenge him on this real estate portfolio giveaway, and massive new expenditures in leases at empty office buildings owned by developer sugar daddies. They have simply accepted the poorly-documented claims of "savings" at face value, and have chosen to parrot the governor's message of "nearly four-hundred million in savings!!!!"
Unlike the local media, let's follow the money in the coming months and years. What will the sale prices of the government buildings be, compared to their true market value? Who will acquire them, and how much have they donated to Gov. Moore, Comptroller Brooke Lierman, and members of the legislature?
Montgomery County elected officials have been giving away County-owned properties at discount rates - and sometimes even for free (!!) - for many years this century. Conversely, they are glad to overpay for rents in private office space owned by their developer sugar daddies (witness the Board of Education's move from a building owned by Montgomery County Public Schools into a glossy new office building, despite MCPS owning numerous vacant school buildings and other properties across the county. And just this week, the County government revealed it purchased a bank property in Olney that mysteriously gained over $1 million in value just since 2021, an additional cost the County was delighted to pay with taxpayer funds.
