Car stolen from Rockville parking garage

City of Rockville police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle yesterday morning. The vehicle was taken from a residential parking garage in the 500 block of Hungerford Drive.

Security fencing installed around site of future Rockville Wegmans store (Photos)

There's finally some visible activity on the long-delayed Twinbrook Quarter development at the corner of Rockville Pike and Halpine Road near the Twinbrook Metro station. Security fencing topped with razor wire has just been erected around the many empty buildings and storefronts on the site. 

Fencing around the abandoned
Hooters of Rockville

The barricades extend as far north as the shuttered Hooters restaurant. That is a necessary step ahead of demolition, so it looks like this is finally moving forward. Most anticipated is the Rockville Wegmans grocery store that will anchor the B.F. Saul development.

Peeping Tom in Rockville

City of Rockville police responded to a report of a peeping Tom in the Twinbrook area early yesterday morning. The incident was reported at a house in the 1200 block of Clagett Drive around 12:08 AM Sunday morning, according to crime data.

Strong-arm rape reported at Rockville hotel

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm rape at a hotel in Rockville Tuesday night. The assault was reported at a hotel in the 9900 block of Medical Center Drive around 8:36 PM, according to crime data.

Rockville Mayor & Council to discuss branding for Town Center area

Rockville's Mayor and Council will continue a multifaceted effort to address the economic woes of the Rockville Town Center area with a discussion of branding at their next regular meeting Monday, April 5, 2021. One question they will consider is whether to develop new branding for the entire city as a whole, or specifically for the Town Center area. 

A staff report on the matter notes that the city's current branding, "Get into it." is over a decade old, and has "run its course." But focusing on the Town Center, which is where the major problems are, would be cheaper. It would also allow for greater input from stakeholders, as there would be many fewer to engage than in a citywide effort.

Rockville's current branding, which some
argue "has run its course"

Whatever form the rebranding takes, it would be executed during FY-2022. That process would conclude with the Mayor and Council approving or rejecting the proposed rebranding. The cost to develop a rebranding proposal is estimated at $75,000 for Town Center rebranding, or $125,000 for citywide rebranding. Once approved, it would cost an estimated $80,000 per year to implement the rebranding on the City website, publications, letterhead, signage and more.

Images courtesy City of Rockville

David Blair announces candidacy for Montgomery County Executive

Businessman David Blair (D) announced this morning that he will again run for Montgomery County Executive in 2022, after losing the Democratic nomination for the office by only 77 votes in 2018. Blair will face a rematch with the current executive, who squeaked past him and went on to win handily that year, Marc Elrich (D). Elrich has also signaled his intention to run for reelection. Both men may face competition from term-limited County Council members in the Democratic primary, but none have demonstrated the popular support of Blair and Elrich seen in 2018.

Blair has maintained a high-profile since his narrow 2018 loss. While unsuccessful, he scored points with many for his gracious concession speech, and for declining to challenge the extremely close voting results. There is no sign he has lost the strong support from the business community he enjoyed in 2018. And his founding of the Council for Advocacy and Policy Solutions (CAPS) since the election has furthered his effort to earn progressive credentials while running as a pro-business candidate.

The Blair campaign site launches with a 3-minute video with prominent scenes of downtown Bethesda, small businesses, and the pandemic. Montgomery County's economy has been stagnant for more than a decade, and has not improved since 2018, with the impact of the pandemic not helping matters. 

The County has failed to attract a single major corporate headquarters to relocate here in over 25 years, and ranked last in the region over the last decade by virtually every relevant economic development measure. This has tanked County revenues. But rather than trim spending, the Council has simply raised taxes each year, except for 2014. That has led to a flight of the rich to lower-tax jurisdictions in the area, further reducing revenue.

All that bad economic news gives Blair a strong foundation again to run on. But Elrich is the most popular politician in Montgomery County by the numbers. He not only aligns with the most-progressive faction of Democrats that increasingly is steering that party in Maryland, but also wins support from Republicans and independents concerned about development and quality-of-life issues. Elrich has demonstrated that he will continue to resist the influence of real estate development interests that now control all nine seats on the County Council.

Elrich will also be receiving a timely bailout from Uncle Sam, courtesy of the American Rescue Plan Act just passed by Congress. The influx of $203.7 million in American taxpayer funds could go a long way to papering over the County's disastrous budget picture for one fiscal year. A fresh piece of tape over the "Check Engine" light on the County budget dashboard is a welcome development for any incumbent official in Montgomery County. A Council with several members who want to oust Elrich hasn't so far been inclined to follow his budget priorities, however.

The Blair-Elrich matchup was tremendously entertaining for anyone who enjoys politics in 2018. A 2022 rematch promises to be the title fight again. On the undercard, the addition of two new Council seats, at least two other open seats, and new district boundaries will make 2022 an exciting year in Montgomery County politics.

Yardbird coming to Rockville

Yardbird, the Minnesota-based outdoor furnishings retailer, is opening a new location on Rockville Pike at White Flint Station. The space was previously home to City Bikes. 

Yardbird was founded by Bob and Jay Dillon in 2016. It cuts out the middleman by shipping furniture directly from suppliers to its own stores. 

The niche of home patio furnishings seems promising in a pandemic environment, especially as temperatures turn upward for summer. Primarily based in the midwest and Denver so far, Yardbird is now moving into the northeast and Mid-Atlantic with the opening of this location.