Maryland Governor candidate Ed Hale vows to cut vehicle registration fees, gas tax

Baltimore resident Ed Hale, running for governor of Maryland as a Republican, is proposing a significant reduction in the state's vehicle registration fees. The fees, massively increased recently by current Governor Wes Moore and the Democrat-controlled state legislature, are now so high that the state has been forced to offer a payment plan to residents already cash-strapped by high housing and grocery prices. "The cost is ridiculous," one resident complained in a video released yesterday by the Hale campaign. "They wanted me to pay almost $400!" "It's awful," a vehicle owner at the Reisterstown Road Motor Vehicle Administration office in Baltimore said. "Who can afford it? It's too much money."

The skyrocketing fees are "just another way to grab money from you," Hale said at a press conference outside the MVA office. Hale has vowed to cut vehicle registration fees back to the level they were before Moore hiked them. He is also proposing to reduce the state's gas tax, as well as Moore's tire tax.

"We know you have to get to work," Hale said. "We know you have to get the kids to school and to practice. The tire tax, gas tax, registration fees and vehicle emissions fees are outrageous and I'll bring this situation under control."

Strong-arm robbery in Rockville

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery in Rockville during the lunch hour yesterday, March 8, 2026. The assault and robbery took place in the 12200 block of Rockville Pike at 12:30 PM Sunday. It was reported along the street there. Another shocking crime committed in broad daylight, as Montgomery County's violent crime wave extends into a sixth year at the hands of our pro-criminal, anti-police County Council. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Rockville Mayor & Council to consider conveyance of 301 Frederick Ave. to private owner

Rockville's Mayor and Council will consider the possible conveyance of City property at 301 Frederick Avenue to the owner of an adjoining residential property at its April 13, 2026 meeting at 5:30 PM at City Hall. It's not an insignificant parcel, totalling 7340-square-feet, and is currently improved with a City sidewalk and a bus stop. The adjoining homeowner is asking the City to convey the plot, minus the sidewalk and bus stop, to them.

There's a back story to the request, some context that lends more logic to the potential transaction. You see, in 1964, original 715 Douglass Avenue homeowners Mabel Hill and Alice Mason conveyed this parcel to the City for public use, "for nominal consideration." Now a descendant is requesting that the City convey the unused portion back "for nominal consideration." 

The City has determined it has no further need for the remaining 5867-square-feet of the parcel. It is now giving the required public notice of the potential conveyance, which can be executed by the City Manager upon the approval of the Mayor and Council on April 13. Residents with questions about the proposed property conveyance, or who wish to submit written comments, can contact Jennifer Wang, senior transportation engineer with the Department of Public Works, at jwang@rockvillemd.gov.

Montgomery County Animal Services shelter reaches critical capacity for large dogs

The Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center (MCASAC) is issuing an urgent appeal for community support as the shelter faces an unprecedented space crisis. In a span of just three days—from March 4 to March 6—the facility took in 29 dogs, pushing the total canine population over 100 and exceeding the shelter’s capacity for care. The situation has reached a tipping point, threatening the shelter's long-standing commitment to animal welfare, and avoidance of euthanasia based solely on space limitations.

With dogs arriving faster than staff and volunteers can safely place them, available kennels have become extremely limited. MCASAC is calling on residents who are able to adopt a large dog to visit the shelter as soon as possible. Adoptions are completed on a first-come, first-served basis, and interested individuals should be prepared to take their new pet home the same day. Visitors are asked to bring a leash and collar to facilitate the process.

If you can take a big dog in for a short stay until the crisis is over, residents can join the MCASAC temporary foster program at no cost. The shelter provides all necessary supplies to those willing to open their homes to a large dog temporarily.

Visiting hours at the shelter are 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM Tuesday through Friday, and 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The shelter is closed on Mondays. MCASAC is located at 7315 Muncaster Mill Road in Derwood.

Operated by the Office of Animal Services, MCASAC is Montgomery County’s only open-admission municipal shelter. It provides 24-hour emergency response and promotes responsible pet care through education and outreach. For more information on the adoption process or to view available animals, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices.

Char'd opens in Rockville, offering Ramadan specials

Char'd has opened at 11881 Grand Park Avenue at the Pike & Rose development on Rockville Pike. The fast-casual burger restaurant is also welcoming those breaking their Ramadan fast each evening. Through the end of Ramadan on March 19, the restaurant is offering complimentary dates and tea during Iftar hour, and will stay open until midnight each night. The Char'd menu is halal, including the grass-fed beef.

Montgomery County starting work on Hoyles Mill MARC station project

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is making final preparations to begin work on the Hoyles Mill MARC station project. Utilizing land around the Boyds MARC commuter rail station, including the Anderson property the County acquired for this purpose, several upgrades and amenities will be added to the station. These include construction of a new parking lot, a new Ride On bus loop, sidewalks, a shared-use path, and restrooms for bus drivers. The current parking lot has only 15 spaces that typically fill up fast in the morning; the new lot will provide 55 spaces for commuters, as well as new bicycle parking spots.

In addition to the station improvements, the historic Hoyles Mill structure will be stabilized. It is essentially a ruin, but stabilization is needed to insure it doesn't collapse. Montgomery County has received a total of $590,000 in grants from state agencies for this purpose. According to the Library of Congress, much of the mill's sheathing and internal machinery remain intact, and it is one of a few timber-frame mills that remain standing in Montgomery County.

Overall, the goal of the project is to encourage more ridership for MARC from the Germantown and Clarksburg areas. Massive development was allowed in both, but the County Council engaged in a rug pull with new homebuyers who had expected to commute via a new Corridor Cities Transitway rail line, and M-83 Highway. After they purchased their homes, the Council pulled the plug on both projects. The Hoyles Mill MARC station project was approved in 2019, and is only now moving forward.

Maryland Governor candidate Dan Cox proposes property tax limit

Dan Cox, a Republican candidate for Maryland Governor, has proposed placing a limit on property taxes in the state. The proposal would prevent the assessed property value calculated by the state from increasing above the price the current homeowner paid for the house at the time of purchase. Cox's running mate, Rob Krop, announced the platform plank on social media yesterday. "We need to stop taxing families out of their homes," Krop said.