Big Papi's Tacos opening soon in Rockville

Big Papi's Tacos is "opening soon" in Rockville, according to signage posted in the windows of its future storefront in Rockville Town Center. The Mexican restaurant will be located at 201 E. Middle Lane, in the ground floor of the BLVD 44/Cambria Hotel. Big Papi's has two existing locations in Maryland, in Frederick and Hagerstown. The growing chain was founded by Victor Alvarez and Carlos Jimenez, two disc jockeys who found themselves idled when the pandemic lockdown happened in 2020.

The specialty of Big Papi's is their quesabirria, which they describe as a "crispy, meaty taco that’s made when chili-spiced corn tortillas are cooked on a smoking hot flat top grill and topped with tender carne asada, melted cheese, diced onion and a bit of cilantro. The crispy taco is then served alongside a savory, chili-tinged consomme broth." They suggest you "think of it like the spicy Mexican equivalent of a French dip."

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.

Strong-arm carjacking in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm carjacking in Rockville Monday morning, March 10, 2025. The assault and carjacking were reported in the 5500 block of Randolph Road at 10:50 AM Monday. That is near the intersection with Nebel Street, and the CSX railroad crossing.

Assault reported at Rockville High School

Montgomery County police were called to investigate a report of an assault at Rockville High School, located at 2100 Baltimore Road, late Tuesday morning, March 11, 2025. The assault was reported at the school at 11:50 AM Tuesday. No further information is available as of this writing.

Forever 21 closing at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

It started off as an "everything must go" sale, but now the signs have gone up announcing "store closing" at Forever 21 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. What began as a handful of scattered reports about locations like this one has evolved into announcements of hundreds of layoffs and hundreds of store closures nationwide. According to the Los Angeles Times, even the company's corporate headquarters is going to close. As predicted, savings will escalate as the closing sale continues.

Argument escalates to assault at Rockville restaurant

An argument between two dining parties escalated into a physical altercation at a Rockville restaurant on March 3, 2025. The incident occurred at a restaurant in the 2000 block of Veirs Mill Road at 1:49 PM, according to Rockville City police. A man and a woman allegedly began arguing with another party of two women, and then physically assaulted them. The man and woman proceeded to flee the scene in a white Honda Civic. Police say they have obtained the tag number of the Civic. If you were a witness to the incident, and have any information that could help police, call the department at 240-314-8900.

Argan moves corporate HQ from Rockville 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."