Maryland should cut taxes now while socialist Virginia crashes out

Moribund Maryland and Montgomery County have an unexpected opportunity to make up lost ground against dominant rival Virginia. Elected officials should seize it, and cut income, property, and corporate taxes across the board. New Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger had been expected to govern as a pro-business moderate in the mold of her Democratic predecessors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam, who were generally as successful as their Republican counterparts in sustaining the state's strong economic development record. But once sworn in, Spanberger has taken an unexpected radical left turn, and Virginia is suddenly spiraling for the moment.

Spanberger is not discouraging the Democrat controlled Virginia legislature from sending over a dozen tax increases to her desk. She is raising the minimum wage to meet Maryland's $15 mandate (it will still be lower than Montgomery County's, alas). And she is reducing prison sentences for violent felons. Is axing Right-to-Work next?

Boeing has now announced it is relocating its Virginia operations to Missouri. That move was probably in the works for some time, as it was obvious three years ago that Spanberger would win against a weak GOP candidate, but Boeing apparently knew Spanberger's ideological bent better than most political observers.

What better way for Maryland Governor Wes Moore to juice the state's moribund economy, and his re-election campaign, than to call a special session to reduce taxes across the board? The Montgomery County Council will be setting the FY-2027 budget at the same time, and should cut taxes and spending at the County level simultaneously. We could lure the millionaires and billionaires of Great Falls, McLean, Leesburg, and Middleburg to Montgomery County. Remember Council staff member Jacob Sesker's eye-opening presentation that showed what a huge revenue windfall is delivered by just a couple dozen millionaires and billionaires, what a significant percentage of the total annual haul they can account for. And a high-profile tax reform will alert relocating corporations that Maryland is open for business.

Gov. Moore needs to let the education Blueprint go. Tear it up and throw it away. Same with the Red Line project in Baltimore. We don't have the money. But Virginia is giving us a rare chance to get some. Take it!

Burlington sets opening date for Montgomery Village store

We now have an opening date for the new Burlington store at 19142 Montgomery Village Avenue at the Montgomery Village Center. The store is now scheduled to open on April 24, 2026, just in time to shop for your summer wardrobe. Burlington is replacing Big Lots at the center. I was sad about the closure of Big Lots, but Burlington is an excellent replacement, and better than I expected.

Indecent exposure in Montgomery Village

Montgomery County police responded to a report of indecent exposure in Montgomery Village early Sunday morning, February 22, 2026. The incident was reported in the 20000 block of Goshen Road at 12:01 AM Sunday. An individual was also accused of assault in the same incident.

Maryland law leaves McDonald's large fries lovers holding the bag

Maryland McDonald's customers ordering medium and large french fries are finding out Ronald has a brand new bag. Instead of the iconic red cardboard medium and large fry containers, those orders are now being handed out in paper bags, at least at some Golden Arches locations in Montgomery County. Some customers say the weight and portion size of the bagged fries are less than those served in the cardboard containers. But it's not simply a shrinkflation attempt alone by McDonald's. It turns out that Maryland passed a law in 2024 that mandated the retirement of cardboard fry sleeves forever.

The George "Walter" Taylor act was presented to the public as a bill almost no one would oppose. It would ban the sale and use of firefighting foam that contained "forever chemicals." This would reduce health risks and impacts for firefighters, and who could disagree with that? Well, it turns out another provision was hidden in the bill, one that applied a similar restriction to food packaging. Cardboard fry containers often are lined with a chemical coating that resists grease, and that supposedly contained a forever chemical. Cardboard was out, and the bill was signed into law by former Governor Larry Hogan.

I found the fry transition has been underway in a few other nanny states for at least a couple of years. Like so many nutty laws paased by the Maryland legislature and Montgomery County Council, this was yet another plagiarized from the great state of California. Now, thanks to both local legislative bodies, we not only have paper straws that melt and ruin the taste of your drink, but potentially smaller fry portions for the same high price.

McDonald's swears that the portion size is the same. Fast food packaging experts have noted that the shape difference, and dimensions of the opening of the new bag, together make it more difficult to stuff the same amount of fries into the bag as filled the cardboard. The jury is out. Your mileage may vary. And it will be something to watch in the coming weeks and months - please share your experience in the comments below.

Quincy's Golf & Social Gaithersburg update

The sign is up at Quincy's Golf & Social at 245 Kentlands Boulevard in Gaithersburg. There is now a separate website for the business, which promises a February opening date. It does not yet include a menu. Outside, a patio seating area has been delineated with barricades on the sidewalk. 

Assault at apartment complex in Germantown

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at an apartment complex in Germantown on February 14, 2026. The assault was reported in the 12900 block of Falling Water Circle at 7:49 AM. It took place in the parking lot. That is the location of the Acclaim at Germantown apartments.

Clarksburg Banana Republic employee accused of videotaping women in dressing rooms

An employee of the Banana Republic Factory Store at the Clarksburg Premium Outlets mall has been arrested after several women reported seeing a cell phone video recording them in the dressing rooms of the store. Police say Fabio Delrio, 19, of Clarksburg was identified as the suspect after officers reviewed surveillance camera footage from the store, and discovered images of women in dressing rooms on his phone. Delrio also took pictures of women as they shopped in the store, police allege. They report that he is no longer employed at the store at this time.

Delrio has been charged with four counts of peeping Tom, four counts of visual surveillance with prurient intent in a private area, and other related charges. He is free on $5000 bond.

The known peeping Tom incidents were recorded in the store's dressing rooms between May and August of 2025. Detectives believe there may be additional victims. They are asking anyone who shopped at the Banana Republic Factory Store between May 2025 and August 2025 and may have been a victim of Fabio Delrio to call the 4th District Investigative Section at (240) 773-5530, or to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477.