Rockville construction update: Main Street apartments (Photos)

Here's a look at the progress at the construction site of the future Main Street apartments at 50 Monroe Place. This is a very unique project in Rockville, and in the region. 25% of the units will be set aside for the disabled, and 75% will be affordable.

The development is on the former site of the historic IBM office building, and was previously going to be redeveloped as senior housing before that project fell through. That opened up the opportunity for Main Street, and the non-profit quickly moved on it.

Barnes & Noble Rockville store moving to Congressional Plaza (Photos)

Barnes & Noble will be moving its Rockville store from Montrose Crossing to Congressional Plaza next year. Federal Realty, which owns both shopping centers, has confirmed the move. This explains the recent relocations of several tenants at the shopping center from the wing on the north side of the property, which is where Barnes & Noble will be located.

Coming Soon signage in empty storefronts
for the future Barnes & Noble at
Congressional Plaza

What hasn't been announced yet is that the new Congressional Plaza location will be one of Barnes & Noble's new format stores, similar to the one it is opening at the Mosaic District in Northern Virginia. These stores are smaller in size, while still offering a cafe for customers unlike competitor Amazon Books at Federal Realty's Bethesda Row property.

Montgomery County on sidelines again as Indian software firm Zoho chooses Texas

Indian software firm Zoho has completed a nationwide search for the location of its new U.S. headquarters, and the winner is Austin, Texas, not Montgomery County. As is the case more often than not, there's no public indication that Montgomery even made any effort to recruit the company, much less mount a competitive bid. Zoho currently has a small customer service office in Austin with 60 employees, but when they relocate their current California U.S. HQ to Texas, they will ultimately host 500 jobs in a new, 100,000 SF office building, the Austin American-Statesman reported early this morning.

New interchange TXDOT
is building by the future site
of the Zoho HQ, one of
four to eliminate signaled
intersections and reduce congestion

Best of all, Austin didn't even have to put together an expensive package of giveaways to win the HQ. Zoho cited its employees' growing frustration with traffic congestion and expensive housing costs in California in its choice of Austin as an improvement. In researching the site of their new Austin HQ, I noticed they chose land on SH 71, which the Texas Department of Transportation says "serves as a major corridor for motorists traveling to and from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport." While Montgomery County's elected officials are actively fighting any attempt to increase highway capacity here, TXDOT has a whopping four projects to reduce congestion on SH 71 alone.

Google Maps shows how close the
Zoho HQ site will be to
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport,
a quick 7-minute drive

How important are highway access and infrastructure to economic development? They are critical. According to Google Maps, the site chosen by Zoho at SH 71 and Kellam Road is only 7 minutes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The need for easy airport access for an international firm like Zoho could not be provided in Montgomery County, thanks to the County Council blocking construction of the planned new Potomac River crossing to Dulles Airport. Heckuva job, Brownie!

A quick search finds flights from Austin-Bergstrom to a whopping 40 cities in India, including New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Imagine how significant that 7-minute access is for this India-based company, and its executives and sales team.

The Texas newspaper also reported that analysts see the Zoho decision as having benefits beyond the 500 jobs - and collateral economic activity and revenue - the HQ will generate. Because Zoho is an Indian firm and has offices around the world, Austin economist Angelos Angelou told the paper, “it could lead to the attraction of additional companies because now in the eyes of other Indian companies, Austin will be on their radar screen.” Who are some of Zoho's customers? Amazon, Uber, Facebook and Netflix.

While Austin celebrates another economic development victory, Montgomery County has only received more bad news on that front this week. Not only did County officials tell our super-low-energy County Council that MoCo's failing taxpayer-subsidized business incubators are hemorrhaging $1 million a year, but the short-lived CEO of the County's economic development company announced Monday he is quitting...to move to Texas. Smart man, obviously. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." You can't make this stuff up, folks.

With the "new" County Council having taken no action on highway congestion or the economic development crisis in Montgomery County after over four months in office, and their plan to hike both County employees' salaries and your property taxes bigly, could Democrat David Blair be looking at a 2022 encore run for County Executive? He lost the 2018 Democratic primary by only 77 votes, and the only other local pol not-so quietly planning to run is failed Councilman Hans Riemer, Riemer is not only literally the least-popular Council member in Montgomery County based on voting results, but is infamous for tanking the County's nighttime economy with his disastrous Nighttime Economy initiative.

Will Montgomery County business leaders (and voters) finally take the advice of Bob Ehrlich they so far have rejected: "Get dangerous," and elect a few Republicans to the Council? Or will they just keep slouching towards Gomorrah?

Quarter Pounder Deluxe returns to McDonald's

It's been awhile since McDonald's had a Deluxe Quarter Pounder on the menu. Or any burger topped with mayonnaise, for that matter. Even the venerable Daily Double is no longer recognized as a secret menu item. But McDonald's has just brought back the Deluxe Quarter Pounder - with a few changes.

First, the name has changed. It's now called, "Quarter Pounder Deluxe," instead of Deluxe Quarter Pounder.

Second, it now features a freshly cooked beef patty. Patties were still frozen when the Deluxe was last on the menu.

Third, it features Roma tomatoes, almost unheard of for a fast food burger.

Fourth, and most importantly, they have added ketchup as a topping on the Deluxe. McDonald's hasn't offered a burger topped with both ketchup and mayonnaise together since the much-missed Big and Tasty. This gives the Deluxe a Whopper-style flavor.

Whole leaf lettuce, raw onion, pickles and two slices of American cheese round out the Deluxe toppings. At $5.99, it's mighty pricey for a single-patty burger, though.

Montgomery County Council proposes property tax hike

4.8% tax increase

planned

The Montgomery County Council, contrary to fake news headlines, is planning to raise your property taxes this year. A required legal announcement published by the Council confirms the planned tax hike in black and white, despite County officials' false claims of no increase.

"Notice of a proposed real property tax increase," the legal notice proclaims. "The County Council of Montgomery County proposes to increase real property taxes," it states. Despite annual false claims of "holding the line on property taxes," MoCo property taxes automatically increase due to rising assessments. The only way the Council could fulfill a promise of "holding the line," or "no tax increase," would be to lower the tax rate by the amount required to offset that automatic increase.

According to the Council's required legal statement, the Council "is considering not reducing its real property tax rate enough to fully offset increasing assessments." Instead, the Council is proposing to hike property taxes by 4.8%.

But while the Council is required by law to disclose their planned tax hike in the legal announcement, County officials and their friends in the media have been falsely claiming no tax increase is proposed. "No tax increases in Montgomery County proposed budget," blared a fake headline on WTOP.com. "It’s what residents don’t see in Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposed 2020 budget that might impress them the most: no tax increases," the article falsely announced.

The Washington Post's Jennifer Barrios, who never wrote a single article covering the general election County Council At-Large race in 2018 (and unprofessionally didn't even respond to emails during the campaign), tells an even bigger whopper of a lie this morning on the Post website by claiming a tax cut. All three local media statements are entirely false, as these photographs of the actual legal tax hike announcement clearly show.

Fact Check: Because County elected officials and the County cartel-controlled media have told this lie annually for many years, Post fact-checking standards require me to award them the new "Bottomless Pinocchio" rating for those who "repeat a false claim so many times that they are, in effect, engaging in campaigns of disinformation.” 

Rockville Post Office mural is now a stamp

The United States Postal Service has issued a new line of stamps commemorating some of the best Depression-era post office murals from around the country. One that made the cut is right here in Rockville, although to make things confusing, it is currently located in the Rockville Police Department headquarters at 2 W. Montgomery Avenue. That's because the police HQ used to be the Rockville post office.

"Sugarloaf Mountain" by artist Judson Smith (1880-1962) was completed in 1940, and depicts the famous local peak south of Frederick near Barnesville. This is the mountain you can easily see from tall buildings in Montgomery County.

You can order the stamps now from the USPS website. A sheet of 10 forever stamps is $5.50. Designed to raise morale in the Great Depression, perhaps the mural can now help raise morale in moribund Montgomery County.

Photo courtesy USPS

Hot Pot City construction update

There has been significant progress inside the future Hot Pot City, located on "Regal Row" at 199 E. Montgomery Avenue in Rockville. Lighting fixtures resembling Chinese lanterns are in place, as is the bar and a wall with the restaurant's logo and statuary. This was formerly Tara Asia's spot.

Montgomery County headlines:

Neuhaus Chocolates, world-renowned chocolatier, to open Bethesda store

Affordable apartments in downtown Silver Spring

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Java Nation opening Rockville location

Kensington's Java Nation is opening a new location in White Flint. It will be next to Hank Dietle's Tavern, in a space vacated by Helen's restaurant. A sign out front refers to the new location as a "social house and roastery."

Java Nation has operated in Kensington since 2012. Their menu includes hearty breakfast entrees, sandwiches and wraps, pupusas, beef tacos and chicken mushroom empanadas. Of course, a full menu of hot and cold coffee drinks, teas and cocoa is available, as are beer and wine during happy hour. The menu for the new Rockville location is still under wraps as of this morning.

Bambu Che, Coffees, Teas & More and Nature Kitchen coming to Rockville

Two new tenants are coming soon to Towne Plaza on Rockville Pike. Bambu Che, Coffees, Teas & More will be opening next to Navy Federal. This is yet another addition to the Asian dining options in Rockville. In fact, Bambu has a location in Rockville's rival for top Asian dining destination in the region, Annandale.

What is che? It is a term describing Vietnamese beverages, dessert drinks and puddings made with either fresh coconut water or coconut milk. Unusual drinks include the Smashed Avocado with boba and jellies, and Longan Sunrise with longan, basil seed and juice. Don't forget the Red Bean Combo beverage with red beans, taro, pandan jelly and coconut milk. This is definitely a new set of flavors for Rockville.

Also coming aboard at Towne Plaza is Nature Kitchen at 12238 Rockville Pike. There's no public information about Nature Kitchen, although I've been told it is a Korean restaurant. Given the Asian restaurant boom in Rockville, I would not be surprised if that is correct. Stay tuned for more details.

Rockville construction update: AutoZone (Photos)

The exterior of the future AutoZone store at 824 Rockville Pike looks ready to go. There's much more to be done inside the store, however. This was formerly the Patio.com store across from Wintergreen Plaza. AutoZone is currently hiring for all positions.

I couldn't be more pleased as the market continues to invest in the successful "old" Rockville Pike economic model, rather than the urbanization developers sought in a nearly-decade-long battle over the Rockville Pike Plan. Thanks to some of the sharp members of the Rockville Planning Commission, developers didn't get everything they wanted, but the option to urbanize at a more modest scale is still available to them. Yet B.F. Saul is the only development firm that is even daring to go urban on the Pike so far. Perhaps reality is setting in, that having 9 competing urban town centers along the Pike just isn't viable or sustainable, as I predicted years ago.

Perhaps it's because investors recognize that Rockville Pike - not the new urban "town centers" around the state - is the commercial revenue engine of the entire state of Maryland. Those "massive seas of surface parking" remain jammed full of cars seven days a week at aging strip centers like Congressional Plaza, Ritchie Center, Edmonston Crossing and Federal Plaza, to name just a very few. Asian food hall Pike Kitchen is drawing crowds, no residential-on-top necessary. The gigantic former Rockville Ford dealership site, a prime "smart growth" transit-oriented development property, ended up firmly in the 1970s with Roy Rogers and auto repair shops.

It's intriguing that successful Pike & Rose, unlike Federal Realty's struggling Rockville Town Square, presents an old-Pike face to drivers passing by. What do they see? Old-Pike retailers like big box REI with surface parking, and even an auto dealership. Having arguably the best line-up of restaurants on one property in the county hasn't hurt Pike & Rose, and the Pike has always been a dining destination.

Now, here comes AutoZone. It's not Barcelona, but Barcelona wishes they had "old" Rockville Pike.

AT&T to modify and add cell towers in White Flint

AT&T is planning to modify its existing cell towers on the water tank at 11400 Woodglen Drive in the White Flint area of Rockville. They will replace six antennas with new ones, the tips of which will be a maximum height of 113' above ground level. AT&T also plans to add new remote radio head units to the water tank. The tank and towers are in view of several residential buildings, particularly North Bethesda Market, which is diagonally across the street.

Rockville Pike southbound ramp to E. Jefferson Street to close

Update: April 4, 2019: The City of Rockville has issued a correction stating that the actual closure is of the southbound ramp from MD 355 to Veirs Mill Road. The detour is to take 355 to First Street, and then make a right onto eastbound Veirs Mill.

Starting tomorrow, April 2, 2019, the southbound ramp from Rockville Pike (MD 355) to E. Jefferson Street (MD 28) will close for several weeks. The Maryland State Highway Administration will be resurfacing the ramp and upgrading safety features during the closure. Drivers are advised by the SHA to use a detour of Veirs Mill Road to First Street to Rockville Pike to get around the closure.

During the project, there will also be intermittent closures of the northbound right lane of MD 355 near Church Street, and mid-day and overnight temporary closures of single lanes of MD 355 between MD 28 and Mannakee Street for resurfacing and concrete work. Those closures will continue through the fall, while the ramp to MD 28 should reopen in mid-spring.

Montgomery County headlines:

Fascino closes at Montgomery Mall

Free Starbucks coffee 24 hours a day? Living the dream in Silver Spring

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Russell Hamill named acting police chief of Montgomery County

A familiar face to Rockville residents has just been named acting chief of police for Montgomery County. Assistant Chief Russell E. Hamill, III officially assumed that role at 12:00 AM this morning, according to a statement from the Montgomery County Police Department. Hamill has been a member of the force since 1986.

Hamill began his police career in Rockville, first as a Sheriff's deputy, and then as a County officer in the 1st District. He was assigned to Montgomery County's first community policing unit, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Rockville. In August 2007, Hamill was named Commander of the 2nd District, which includes Bethesda, Chevy Chase, most of Potomac, Kensington and a small part of Silver Spring. During that time he was often found at community and civic association meetings to brief residents on public safety issues.

Hamill is expected to remain acting Chief until a nationwide search for a new police chief is completed. He is a lifelong resident of Montgomery County.

Photo courtesy MCPD

It's baaaack: MoCo Transition Team report revives zombie ITA

Montgomery County residents stopped the County from creating an independent transit authority (ITA) twice this decade. Now the zombie body with unlimited taxing power - and a potentially County-wrecking ability to rack up unlimited debt - has been revived a third time. Hidden in County Executive Marc Elrich's Transition Team's report is a new proposal for an ITA.

The proposal summary reads:
"The Authority could have the following attributes: It could include governance for both BRT and Ride-On (and other County transit initiatives like bike trails, micro transit pilots, etc.); It would have separate bonding authority not linked to the County’s limits; It could have a 5-7 person board made up of appointees by the County (Executive and Council), the State and perhaps larger municipalities in the County; It could have authority to levy a small increase to the State gas tax or sales tax to finance County transit projects."

While you'd think it's unlikely County elected officials would dare to include the insane provision of the original ITA proposal - the inability of the elected Council to sign off on the unelected ITA's budgets, that question is not covered in the brief ITA proposal in the report.

Other major concerns were that the Council could offload massive amounts of debt from their own capital budgets to the ITA, and that the ITA would have unlimited taxing authority without any accountability to County voters. But it's no surprise that the MoCo cartel is trying to revive the ITA's corpse for a third try.

The ITA was conceived by the cartel for practical reasons foremost - specifically because it is literally the only way to fund the County's proposed $10 billion Bus Rapid Transit network, and secondarily, because the funding scheme for the Purple Line is going to drain away so much money from the future pot for transportation projects in the County. Because the ridership of BRT will be so low, there is no way to create a public-private partnership to fund it - there's no profit potential for a private partner.

Again we are seeing the overconfidence of a political cartel that thinks itself invincible after defeating their decades-old boogeyman, the Columbia Country Club. New property and trash taxes, a proposed drop in speed limits, and the creation of a monster spend-and-burn ITA that could bankrupt the County if taxpayers were held liable in the end for its debts. What will they think of next?

Trash tax: The truth about Pay-as-You-Throw Montgomery County trash scheme

Not only will Montgomery County residents be getting a property tax increase in the next fiscal year's budget, but now the Montgomery County cartel is proposing a new trash tax. That's right, from the folks who brought you a tax on the rain, and the epic 2010 energy tax hike, comes a tax on your trash. The tax is referred to by County Executive Marc Elrich's transition team as, "Pay as You Throw."

Like most Montgomery County taxes, the new trash tax is a regressive tax that will hit the poor and middle class the most. The new Pay-as-You-Throw trash tax will also hit working families and large families hard especially hard. Rich people who dine out every night, not so much. Thanks to one Bethesda citizen who stood up in recent years, the WSSC's attempt to bilk large households with illegal punitive water fees was found unconstitutional by a judge. The utility, while dragging its feet slowly and mightily, is now being forced to reduce those fees on large households.

Montgomery County's proposed trash tax is likewise unconstitutional, and targets specific residents with exorbitant fees. The more trash you generate, the higher the trash tax will be. Regular trash fees will also rise, to cover the costs of replacing residents' own trash cans with "official" trash cans. As other jurisdictions have found, the result will be a large increase in public dumping by those who either cannot afford the multiple County trash cans, fees and new trash taxes, or who find they have more trash than will fit in the number of official County cans they have. This is going to be a disaster for our streams and watersheds, which are already filled with trash thanks to the Council not making any effort to arrest those dumping and littering in large quantities.

Will residents stand up and fight the new Montgomery County trash tax? Predictably, the local media wasn't seeking out many who would after the cartel officially floated the trash tax trial balloon Thursday. A majority of taxpayers did not punish the Council after the passage of the bag tax, which utterly failed to reduce plastic bag use, and was proven to be a revenue grab only. If you don't fight the trash tax, you're going to get the trash tax.

Why is the trash tax being floated? Trapped politically, and by activist-attorney Robin Ficker's successful property tax cap approved by voters, the Council nevertheless wants to keep spending insane amounts of money on their developer sugar daddies and other cronies. As they've forced the rich to flee to lower-tax jurisdictions in our area, revenue has continued to plummet, while spending only increases annually.

They want to keep giving massive raises to County employees, as well. I strongly support honoring labor contracts; a deal is a deal. But County Executive Marc Elrich was informed soon after his victory about the bleak budget and revenue forecast. So, while I agree strongly with his positions on development, I was surprised at the size of the pay increases he agreed to with union leaders. Now those wages and benefits have to be paid, but there's little political room for a massive property tax increase. How to raise taxes massively, and disguise it as a fee?

Enter the trash tax. But, in short, the trash tax itself belongs in the trash.

American Legion Bridge shutdown paralyzes D.C. region with no alternative Potomac crossing

Total victory, 

total vindication for

new bridge advocates

The Capital Beltway Inner Loop lanes on the American Legion Bridge reopened about two hours before the start of rush hour this morning. An accident that caused a fuel tanker truck to flip over and spill fuel on the highway shut those lanes down for about 12 hours. The bridge shutdown had region-wide effects, with many Virginia-to-Maryland commuters spending up to four or more hours in traffic jams. With Montgomery County politicians having blocked the long-planned Potomac River crossing north of the Legion bridge for decades, drivers were forced to seek any short cut or workaround they could find. Problem is, there weren't any.

Already, the Legion Bridge meltdown is being ranked as one of the D.C. region's Top 5 traffic disasters of all time. But imagine if this had occurred during a terror attack or other disaster. Sadly, the local media - out of political bias or simple ignorance of history - largely did not inform their viewers, listeners and readers about exactly why they were stuck in Carmageddon 2019: The failure to complete the D.C. region's freeway system, and most-specifically, Montgomery County and Maryland's childish refusal to build the new Potomac bridge to appease radical anti-car ideologues and developer sugar daddies who need traffic congestion to justify high-density development in the suburbs.

Nobody could take a lap around the Beltway yesterday, but this morning, I'm taking a victory lap as the only Maryland candidate in the 2018 elections who was not only advocating for the new Potomac River crossing, but made it a centerpiece of my campaign.

Simply put: I told you so.

And the tens of thousands of you who voted for me for Montgomery County Council At-Large, along with more than 6000 additional Democrats who voted for me across party lines, can also take a victory lap this morning. You weren't just tired of sitting in traffic; you did your homework before voting. And this morning, like me, you can celebrate total victory and total vindication.

Just as I was the only candidate representing you, the taxpayer and commuter, in the election, now I am sadly perhaps the only journalist who is telling the truth this morning. The truth about our "leaders" failing us by blocking a bridge critical to commuting, national security and Montgomery County's economic development - including the need for direct access to Dulles International Airport. But also the truth that yesterday's fiasco produced clear winners and losers.

And as my readers and my 2018 election supporters know, sometimes it's better to lose with a winner than to win with losers.

Winners

Robert Dyer

The local media and a number of community organizations colluded with the Montgomery County cartel to prevent any coverage of my campaign and platform. But the fact is, I was the sole County Council candidate who ran on the priority of building the new Potomac crossing, and completing Montgomery County's master plan highway system. I'm looking very smart this morning.

It's safe to say there is extreme voter remorse among low-information Montgomery County voters this morning. Those voters were poorly-served by the very media that claims it informs the public, and prevents democracy from "dying in darkness." Casual voters need to know now that they must begin to take their responsibility more seriously - if the Washington Post and other local media aren't informing you about the choices on your ballot, you need to sit down for an hour and research the candidates online before voting. And that having every seat on the County Council won by a Democrat every election kept you in bumper-to-bumper traffic for hours last night. A hyperpartisan victory is ultimately an empty and Pyrrhic victory, as yesterday proved.

Robert Dyer voters

'Nuff said.

New Potomac River crossing advocates

While I've been alone as a candidate and activist on our side of the river in pushing for the new Potomac River crossing, the bridge doesn't lack for high-profile advocates. Virginia Senator Mark Warner, the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, former Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation Chair Bob Buchanan, and former Virginia Govs. Bob McDonnell and Terry McAuliffe are among those who have supported a new crossing in recent years.

Losers

Drivers

D.C region commuters, especially those who live in Montgomery County.

Montgomery County Council

Each member of the current Montgomery County Council (and the previous Councils this decade) has openly opposed a new Potomac River crossing in their public statements. They should be facing the wrath of their constituents today via phone, social media and email, and at the ballot box in 2022. They are almost entirely to blame for yesterday's catastrophe.

Gov. Larry Hogan

Incredibly, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan - a real estate developer, no less - has come out against a new Potomac River bridge. While claiming reducing traffic congestion is a key priority for his administration, Hogan instead became the latest governor in Annapolis to let the phone go to voicemail when Virginia's top leaders have called to discuss a new crossing.

Hogan's claim that the bridge is cost-prohibitive is simply false; the bridge and required highway extension from I-370 can be built privately as a toll facility, at virtually no expense to taxpayers. Our County's structural budget deficit shows what the costs of not building it are - year after year.

Like many bridge opponents, Hogan has made the suggestion of instead "improving" the existing Legion bridge. The problem is, even a magical 16-lane American Legion bridge would have been closed for the same number of hours yesterday. We need more crossings. Period.

New Potomac crossing opponents

Developer-funded bridge opponents ranging from the Coalition for Smarter Growth to Greater Greater Washington to the Rockefeller Foundation aren't looking too "smart" this morning. I would love to have seen them walk from car-to-car in the backups of commuters desperately trying to get home to family and dinner last night, and pass out brochures opposing the new bridge. And to witness the response of drivers!

Rockville seeks input on future of parks at public meetings tonight

Weigh in on the future of Rockville's parks and recreation programs and facilities at two public meetings being held tonight, Thursday, March 28, 2019 by the city's Department of Recreation and Parks. The first meeting will be held at 6:00 PM in the social hall at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, located at 603 Edmonston Drive. Tonight's second meeting will begin at 7:30 PM, and will be held at the Rockville Senior Center, located at 1150 Carnation Drive.

If you cannot attend tonight, you can also submit comments online.

Montgomery County ends veteran homelessness? Not quite

WTOP article parrots Montgomery County Council
claim that no veteran is homeless in MoCo in 2015

"All homeless veterans have found housing in Montgomery Co.," a WTOP.com headline declared on December 15, 2015. "No veteran is homeless in Montgomery County, officials announce," a Washington Post headline blared six days later. Montgomery County had "found a home for every homeless veteran," NBC4's Jim Handly assured viewers at 5:45 PM the same day. Then-Councilmember George Leventhal was widely quoted and toasted by obsequious local media, just months after he had been condemned by homeless advocates for his attempt to criminalize panhandling by the homeless on County streets. He and the Council were understandably seeking to change the narrative.

Change it Montgomery County did - with eager help from their cheerleaders and Fellow Travelers in the local media. While actual homeless advocates working in the community would be the first to acknowledge the claim was impossible, and that it was based on a belief that there would be available housing units in the future as homeless veterans were identified, that is not how the County's elected officials and their buddies in the local news media promoted it to the public.

Montgomery County government "Paperless Airplane"
headline from January 2016

The shameful, false claim that there are no more homeless veterans in Montgomery County was trotted out again by County officials Monday. A press release boasted that "Montgomery County was one of the first communities to reach 'functional zero' for veterans’ homelessness in December 2015. Since January 2015, Montgomery County has permanently ended homelessness for 148 veterans." No one in the local media pushed back on the false claim this time, either.

I've now confirmed that there are indeed homeless veterans on the streets of Montgomery County, and ironically, I came across one due to the failure of our County Council to provide a functional master plan highway system. Last week, I spent 90 minutes traveling between Bethesda and Shady Grove due to an accident-related backup on the Beltway and I-270. Along with many other frustrated drivers, I exited to Old Georgetown Road, to begin a red-light-at-every-intersection crawl north.

Lo and behold, when I arrived at the intersection of Old Georgetown and Rockville Pike, there was a homeless man panhandling in the median. He was holding a sign that read, "Homeless Veteran." We all know he is not the only one. But the County is putting a $10 billion Bus Rapid Transit boondoggle, a $1 million-a-year Ride On Extra carrying one passenger in each direction, tax cuts for developers, and millions in kickbacks to supporters and campaign donors in the "non-profit" community ahead of our great veterans.

Fact check: Although the latest false claim easily earns a Four Pinocchio rating, the ongoing mendacity of our corrupt elected officials has required me to follow the Washington Post in adopting the new "Bottomless Pinocchio," which it describes as "a new rating for a false claim repeated over and over again."

Rating: BOTTOMLESS PINOCCHIO

Olive & Loom opens at Pike & Rose, to host Grand Opening Saturday

Sabun Home is packing up their downtown Bethesda store this week and relocating to a larger space in Rockville at Pike & Rose, under the new name of Olive & Loom. Olive & Loom is now open for business at 11815 Grand Park Avenue. But they will be officially celebrating their arrival at Pike & Rose with a Grand Opening event this Saturday, March 30, 2019 from 2:00-5:00 PM. Stop by the new store for complimentary hors d'oeuvres and cocktails during those hours.

Rockville McDonald's gets more than a makeover (Photos)

Now it's clear why the McDonald's at 1390 Rockville Pike had to close for an extended period for its renovations. The building looks nothing like it did before. In place of the traditional McDonald's one-story design is a building now two stories in height. The cream-colored exterior walls and brown roof are now replaced with a monotone beige with dark brown accents. Drive-thru windows remain in the same spot, but now have small canopies directly over the windows, instead of the angled overhang of the original building's roof.

Inside, you will find another transformation. Darker floor tiles and lighter interior walls complete the redesign. There is still an outdoor seating area at the front. The famous Golden Arches and delicious foods remain the same. Annoy the Fellow Travelers on the Montgomery County Council, and stop by for a an All-American meal today.