War on pedestrians continues in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

The Maryland State Highway Administration is doing a lot of work on East-West Highway right now, and a comedy of errors has led to one intersection becoming more - not less - dangerous for pedestrians.

Apparently, the SHA was attempting to improve access via the curb cuts and wheelchair ramps at East-West and Chelton Road by Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. In the process, they ended up with the signage post now blocking the ramps. That, of course, rendered the ramps useless for wheelchair access. Then, work stopped altogether, and cement meant to be used for the new sidewalk instead was left to dry. This has been going on for about 4 weeks.

A nearby resident who walks her 2 and 5-year-old children to school along East-West says the SHA told her they are waiting for permission to relocate the sign posts. Meanwhile, they closed the sidewalk on the other side of East-West near Montgomery Avenue, leaving nowhere for pedestrians to go. If you've been following my reports on other sidewalk closures downtown, you won't be surprised to hear the result - pedestrians entering the roadway.

You would think that the posts would have been considered by engineers before starting the project. And that sidewalk closures would be timed better as a safety consideration for pedestrians.

With this project scheduled to last through the fall, let's hope this is not the way things will go for the duration. If not, sidewalk closures will be as frustrating as the midday and overnight lane closures. The area affected by the project is between Wisconsin and Connecticut Avenues.

One positive thing I can say is that, when they finish these resurfacing jobs, the new pavement is far superior to whatever material the state was using years ago. The part of East-West they already completed east of Connecticut is one of the smoothest roads I've ever driven on, and the SHA should be commended for that.

Kit and Ace posts Coming Soon signage at Bethesda Row (Photos)

Kit and Ace has posted Coming Soon signage at their future 4838 Bethesda Avenue location at Bethesda Row.

The boutique chain was founded by mother and son Shannon and JJ Wilson. JJ Wilson's father is the founder of Bethesda Avenue neighbor lululemon athletica.

Kit and Ace specializes in active leisurewear made with Technical Cashmere, a cashmere imported from Mongolia and fashioned into apparel by their factory partners.

The store is scheduled to open this fall.

Bethesda Fine Art coming to Cordell Avenue (Photos)

Gallery St. Elmo is a home furnishings store that sounds like an art gallery. But its new neighbor actually is an art gallery. Bethesda Fine Art will open at 4931 Cordell Avenue in late May. 

The gallery features paintings, prints and other works primarily by the Washington Color School artists of the 1960s. Visitors might find works by Josef Albers, Gene Davis, Frank Stella, Sam Gilliam, Sol Lewitt, Sonya Delaunay, Ilya Bolotowsky, Cynthia Bickley, or Mark Dagley, to name a few.

Bethesda Fine Art is owned by Margot Stein and Lori Rapaport.

Assault on River Rd., auto break-in on Brookview Dr. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 10, according to crime data:

Assault. 5100 block River Road at 3:44 PM.

Vehicle burglary. 8700 block Irvington Avenue at 6:07 PM (Bradmoor).

Theft. 5200 block Pooks Hill Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5100 block Brookview Drive at 12:46 PM (Westhaven).

Drug arrest. 9700 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. 11500 block Rockville Pike (Pike District).

Theft. 11600 block Old Georgetown Road (Pike District).

Vehicle burglary. 6100 block Montrose Road.

Vacant nursing home property starting to decline in Bethesda (Photos)

When planners talked about adding green space in the Westbard Sector Plan rewrite, they probably didn't have this in mind. The former Manor Care Springhouse nursing home already earned the dubious distinction of being a vacant building in the 20816 zip code late last year - a virtually-unheard-of situation in a neighborhood of $1-2 million homes.

Nearby residents were already wary of potential crime activity taking advantage of the empty building and grounds. But recently landscaping upkeep seems to have ceased, adding to the problem - and potentially attracting new ones.

In contrast to the meticulous maintenance of the landscaping around Equity One's commercial properties across the street, and at single-family homes along Westbard, the nursing home is now standing out for the wrong reasons.

Looking toward Ridgefield Road
along Westbard Avenue

Weeds are overtaking the rapidly-rising grass, and shrubbery is not being trimmed as before. It's unclear why the same landscaping crew maintaining the Equity One properties across the street doesn't have this on the list.

Equity One has done an excellent job of upgrading safety at Westwood Center II and the Westwood Shopping Center, particularly with new lighting. Hopefully it can address this issue soon - it's not likely to earn points with residents in the development process ahead by allowing the nursing home property to deteriorate like this.

Looking toward River Road
from Ridgefield Road in
front of the vacant nursing home

Renderings of new towers planned for Pooks Hill in Bethesda (Photos)

A pair of luxury apartment towers planned for 5151 Pooks Hill in Bethesda are moving forward through the planning process. Developer Quadrangle (through Pooks Hill JV, LLC) filed a sketch plan with the Montgomery County Planning Department on May 1.

The plan will first go before the Development Review Committee (a multi-organization body that represents multiple utilities and public agencies) at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, May 26. It is currently scheduled to come before the Montgomery County Planning Board at its July 30 meeting.

A south tower would be constructed first, with the north tower following later. The site is bordered by the Capital Beltway, the Pooks Hill Marriott hotel, and the existing Promenade, Bristol Square, Pooks Hill Tower and Whitley Park Terrace developments.

While the multifamily buildings are very consistent with much of the existing character of Pooks Hill, placing this number of additional units a mile from the nearest Metro station gives many residents pause. Smart growth advocates have regularly cited a quarter-mile to half-a-mile from Metro as the ideal zone for high-density, transit-oriented development. This site is not within that proximity.

The developer is floating the idea of a Metro shuttle. That would seem like a necessary step, with the project potentially dropping 600 more cars into that immediate area. I also doubt that the Marriott parking lots are as underused as described during well-attended events at the hotel. Somebody will have to figure out where those cars are going to go on X-number of days out of the year. There is also the question of how to prevent traffic from the additional development from affecting the nearby single-family home developments. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase master plan's last update recommended turn and entry restrictions to address that matter.

Quadrangle is proposing to offer 15% affordable units, higher than the 12.5% minimum required by Montgomery County. The buildings are planned to be 160' in height, with approximately 625 units in total.

Among the amenities on-site will be a paved central plaza with a water feature, outdoor pools, club rooms, roof decks and landscaped gardens. Parking will be underground, and one of those garages will be constructed in Phase 1. The two towers are described as "chevron-shaped", and are being sited to preserve existing views from the surrounding residential buildings.

Images via Montgomery County Planning Department

Car stolen in Pike District, drug bust on Old Georgetown Road + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 9, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 6600 block Hillandale Road.

Disorderly conduct. Suburban Hospital.

Liquor arrest. 4100 block Stanford Street.

Drug arrest. Old Georgetown Road at Alta Vista Road.

Theft. Macy's at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Stolen car. 11600 block Old Georgetown Road at 9:34 AM (Pike District).

Vehicle burglary. 6000 block Executive Boulevard (Pike District).

Theft. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue.

MoCo Councilmembers to county hospitals: Stop using pesticides

George Leventhal

The Montgomery County Council has yet to pass a controversial bill that would limit the use of many common pesticides on lawns, athletic fields and public green spaces in the county. But Councilmembers Roger Berliner (D-District 1) and George Leventhal (D-At-Large) are twisting the arms of hospitals in the county, asking them to cease using pesticides now. The councilmen sent executives of those hospitals a letter Monday.

Roger Berliner

“We are writing today to ask that hospitals in our County assume a leading role in increasing awareness of the health concerns regarding pesticides by voluntarily agreeing to eliminate their use on hospital grounds,” wrote Councilmembers Leventhal and Berliner. “As you know, in 2013, Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park ceased using insecticides or herbicides in advance of the Takoma Park City Council passing its ordinance restricting pesticide use. We believe it is time for every hospital to take a similar stance.” 

According to County Council spokesperson Neil Greenburger, the recipients of the letter were Terry Forde, the President and CEO of Adventist Healthcare; Gene Green, President of Suburban Hospital; Peter Monge, President of MedStar Montgomery Medical Center; Kevin Sexton, President and CEO of Holy Cross Health; and Kurt Newman, President of Children’s National Health System. 

Leventhal is currently President of the Council, Chairman of the Council's Health and Human Services Committee, and is the lead sponsor of the pesticide bill.

Here is the complete text of the letter:

May 11, 2015 

As you may be aware, the Montgomery County Council is currently considering a range of measures that would, if adopted, significantly reduce the use of pesticides in our County. This effort is driven in large part by concerns that have been raised by the medical community about the potential negative impacts of exposure to pesticides on human health. 

There are strong signals from leading medical professionals that there is a fundamental need to reduce the amount of pesticides to which individuals are exposed. In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics found that 

“Children encounter pesticides daily and have unique susceptibilities to their potential toxicity. Acute poisoning risks are clear, and understanding of chronic health implications from both acute and chronic exposure are emerging. Epidemiologic evidence demonstrates associations between early life exposure to pesticides and pediatric cancers, decreased cognitive function and behavioral problems.” 

Earlier this year, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that glyphosate, a commonly used pesticide, was “probably carcinogenic.” 

We are writing today to ask that hospitals in our County assume a leading role in increasing awareness of the health concerns regarding pesticides by voluntarily agreeing to eliminate their use on hospital grounds. As you know, in 2013, Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park ceased using insecticides or herbicides in advance of the Takoma Park City Council passing its ordinance restricting pesticide use. We believe it is time for every hospital to take a similar stance. 

Regardless of how broader questions about pesticide regulation are resolved by our Council, your taking this step would help to reduce pesticide exposure for some of our most vulnerable residents, and more broadly, would increase awareness in our community as to its potential harmful effects. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your response. 

Photo of Leventhal: Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row

Photo of Berliner courtesy of County Council website

Tako Grill opens in new Bethesda location (Photos)

Tako Grill closed its 7756 Wisconsin Avenue location in February, and had originally hoped to reopen in its new Hampden Lane spot in March. Things did not go quite as planned, however.

But the Japanese restaurant and sushi bar has now finally reopened at the Shoppes of Bethesda on Hampden Lane.

Their original space on Wisconsin Avenue was to have been demolished for a Westin hotel and office project. That project has fallen behind schedule - bigtime. The hotel was supposed to open this year!

Tako Grill

4914 Hampden Lane

Hard times at Hard Times Cafe in Bethesda (Photos)

It's been a rough week for Hard Times Cafe on Del Ray Avenue in Bethesda. They've been operating without a liquor license in May, which means no booze. Given this month of DC teams being competitive in the playoffs, and Cinco de Mayo, you can imagine the financial loss in that department.

I stopped by last week during a Capitals game, and there were still diehard customers in seats despite the lack of adult beverages. The owner has been engaged in the local community for years, and that's just one reason over 700 people showed up to support him at a fundraiser during a financially-challenging health issue in 2012. So challenging times are not new for Hard Times Cafe.

But yesterday, the restaurant was closed for "spring cleaning" - never a good sign. A sign in the window did not indicate whether they will be open or closed today. 

There was no answer on the telephone yesterday.

A source tells me the restaurant is making an honest effort to resolve the issues at hand. Let's hope they can. As anyone in the restaurant industry can tell you, it's very tough to operate without liquor sales, and this is a good local business that is valued by the community.

Assault at BCC HS, drug arrest on Hampden Lane + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 8, according to crime data:

Drug arrest. Hampden Lane at Beverly Road.

Assault. Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School at 10:53 AM.

Theft. 5500 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5800 block Greentree Road.

Theft from vehicle. 5300 block Westbard Avenue at 1:14 PM.

Theft. Lord & Taylor (White Flint Mall).

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Theft. 8500 block River Road.

Theft from vehicle. 7400 block Crestberry Lane at 9:34 AM.

Theft. 7500 block Spring Lake Drive at 8:21 AM.

Cold Stone Creamery opening today in Bethesda (Photos)

Ice cream was probably the most important ingredient in getting Cold Stone Creamery ready to open at Westfield Montgomery Mall. As of yesterday, the ice cream had arrived and is already on display, along with the many toppings to choose from, at the glistening kiosk in the center of the Dining Terrace.

The company says it plans to open today.

Paisano's Pizza opening Bethesda location

You wouldn't know it from walking past the empty space, but pizza is coming back to the vacant 4914 Del Ray Avenue storefront formerly home to Naked Pizza. After apparently generating more headlines than customers, Naked Pizza closed last September.

A solid source tells me the new tenant is Paisano's Pizza, a popular DC-area chain now expanding into Montgomery County. They already have restaurants in Gaithersburg and Rockville.

Paisano's Pizza was voted the best in the DC area by WTOP FM listeners in recent years. Paisano's uses Grande Cheese on their pizzas, "the finest Italian cheeses money can buy." Overall, this sounds like good news for Woodmont Triangle residents who like pizza.

Burglary in Glen Echo Heights, auto break-ins in East Bethesda + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 7, according to crime data:

Disorderly conduct. Woodmont Avenue at St. Elmo Avenue.

Liquor arrest. Highland Avenue at Wisconsin Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 4600 block Chestnut Street.

Vehicle burglary. 4700 block Bradley Boulevard.

Vehicle burglary. 4300 block Rosedale Avenue.

Theft from vehicle. 5000 block Rodman Road at 9:27 AM (Westgate).

Burglary. 6000 block Namakagan Road at 5:59 PM (Glen Echo Heights).

Drug arrest. Beach Drive at Knowles Avenue (Rock Creek Park).

Sabun Home posts Coming Soon sign at Bethesda Row (Photos)

Sabun Home has posted a Coming Soon sign at its future space on Bethesda Lane, by the entrance to Upstairs at Bethesda Row. A bed, bath and home accessories boutique, Sabun is moving to Bethesda from Georgetown.

Rumi Tea & Spice now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Rumi Tea & Spice is now open at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. In addition to a wide variety of teas and spices, the shop also offers herbs, seasoning blends, and dry vegetables. This makes it a good stop for those seeking new ingredients for homemade soups, stews and meat.

In addition to the "usual suspects" of the modern tea world, they also have one type I've not heard of before, Rooibos tea. Rumi is on Level 1 next to Claire's, and near Macy's.

Assault on Dudley La., burglary on Westbard Avenue + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 6, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 7600 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Drug arrest. 4900 block St. Elmo Avenue.

Theft. Capital Beltway at Connecticut Avenue (must be a very talented thief).

Theft. Rockville Pike at Alta Vista Road.

Burglary. 5300 block Westbard Avenue at 8:05 AM.

Assault. 5100 block Dudley Lane at 10:22 PM.

Theft from vehicle. 6300 block Wiscasset Road at 12:47 PM (Glen Echo Heights).

Vehicle burglary. 10500 block Rockville Pike.

Vehicle burglary. 7100 block Swansong Way.

Theft. Sears at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

New renderings of just-approved Gables Pike District apartments (Photos)

The Gables White Flint mixed-use residential development has a new name - and new renderings to go with it. Now referred to as Gables Pike District (after the recent rebranding of White Flint as the Pike District), the 5.14 acre Gables Residential development has just received approval of its site plan from the Montgomery County Planning Board. It will replace a couple of surface parking lots, and be part of a new street grid along Old Georgetown Road and a realigned Executive Boulevard.

Gables Pike District will include 3 buildings, 2 new streets, up to 476 apartments, 31,000 SF of retail, and a public parking garage that will serve both the development and the nearby Wall Park and Kennedy Shriver Aquatic Center.

"Gables Pike District will be another important step towards the transformation of the Pike District as a truly vibrant live, work, play community," Gables Residential’s Jorgen Punda, Regional Vice President for Investments, said in a statement yesterday. "We appreciate the collaboration from park and planning staff and the County Executive’s office that has helped us to reach this point."

This new rendering of Festival Street at the future development may remind you a bit of the successful Bethesda Lane at Federal Realty's Bethesda Row, except with cars allowed in this case:

Phase 1 of the development, which will include the parking garage, is on track to begin construction early next year. The apartments should begin construction in 2017.

Gallery Bethesda signs tenant for Auburn Avenue retail space (Photos)

The retail space in the ground floor of the Gallery Bethesda luxury apartment tower on Auburn Avenue has just been leased by Architectural Elements, an architectural design showroom.

This is the latest development in a new trend in downtown Bethesda. Since the end of the recession, high-end architecture and interior design firms have been moving to downtown Bethesda, close to where high-income homeowners are working on the most expensive renovation and teardown projects in the area.

Previous firms to open downtown Bethesda offices include KONST and SR/A Interior Architecture and Design.

The Gallery has one other retail tenant, Aria Beer Wine & Deli. There are plans to eventually move the fitness center upstairs, and lease that ground floor gym as another retail space. Gallery's residential units are virtually fully-leased, as well, making it the biggest success story so far in the post-recession downtown real estate market.

Gallery Bethesda was developed by Donohoe and is managed by Vantage Management.

Accident closes SB lanes of Ridgefield Road in Bethesda at River Road (Photos)

A 2-car accident has temporarily closed the SB lanes of Ridgefield Road at River Road in Bethesda. Drivers will have to take Westbard Avenue or Little Falls Parkway to get by in the meantime.

At least one person was injured, and the airbag had deployed in that vehicle, which appeared to have jumped the curb onto the lawn at the former Manor Care Springhouse nursing home.

Theft spree continues in neighborhoods W of Old Georgetown Rd., assault at Suburban Hospital - Bethesda crime update

Thieves returned for a second day in a row to neighborhoods west of Old Georgetown Road, between NIH and the Beltway. At least 5 more vehicles were broken into on Tuesday. Four vehicles were reported as having been broken into there the previous day.

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 5, according to crime data:

Theft. 7600 block Old Georgetown Road.

Assault. 5000 block Bradley Boulevard at 4:33 PM.

Assault. Suburban Hospital at 12:49 AM.

Vehicle burglary. 8900 block Mohawk Lane.

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Oakmont Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5900 block Sonoma Road.

Vehicle burglary. 6000 Henning Street.

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Oakmont Avenue.

Big art weekend in Bethesda: Bethesda Fine Arts Festival, Peter Max, art walk

Art aficionados have a big weekend ahead in Bethesda. Meet famed artist Peter Max Saturday, and explore some of the best artists you may not have heard of in downtown Bethesda.

Start off tonight with the Bethesda Art Walk, sponsored by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, from 6:00-9:00 PM. Walk or use the free Bethesda Circulator bus to tour 6 participating gallery displays around downtown Bethesda, before dining in one of the many restaurants nearby. The art walk is free.

Saturday, May 9, from 1:00-3:00 PM at Wentworth Gallery in Westfield Montgomery Mall, you can meet a living legend: artist Peter Max. You'll also be able to browse and purchase from his latest works. RSVP now online, or call 301.365.3270. Free to attend.

But your artistic weekend is just getting started. There's plenty of time to take in the Bethesda Fine Arts Festival 2015 Saturday (10 AM - 6 PM) and Sunday (10 AM - 5 PM), in downtown Bethesda's rapidly-evolving Woodmont Triangle. Walk along Norfolk, Auburn and Del Ray Avenues to see 130 artists in action. If you like what you see, you can also purchase their works.

There will also be live music both days, and a children's play area on Auburn Avenue. Why not also get something to eat from one of 6 restaurants who will be at the festival, including the new Urban Heights?

Admission is free, and there will be free parking (at least for this year!) in the public garages nearby, such as the one on Auburn Avenue. The event is held rain or shine.

Get free stuff as Ride On bus celebrates 40 years serving Montgomery County

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett will celebrate 40 years of Ride On bus service this coming Monday, May 11, at the Executive Office Building in Rockville at 1:00 PM. Leggett will be joined by U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D), Delegate Charles Barkley (D), and County Councilmembers Sidney Katz (D-District 3) and Hans Riemer (D-At-Large).

While the gathering of Democratic officeholders will mark the anniversary, many people are not aware that the Ride On system was actually launched by a Republican - Montgomery County's first elected County Executive, James Gleason.

If you can't make that ceremony, you can celebrate with some free giveaways at the Bethesda Metro station next Tuesday, May 12. From 4:30-6:30 PM Tuesday, Ride On employees will be at the Metro station to thank you with free water bottles, t-shirts, reflectors, fans and transit bags.

Next Friday, May 15, at 7:00 AM, there will be a public demonstration of a new Ride On bus feature - a "turn warning" system that can alert pedestrians and cyclists - in the parking lot at Dawson's Market in Rockville Town Square (facing N. Washington Street). County representatives will show how to load a bike onto a Ride On bus, and cyclists will ride free all day. May 15 is Bike to Work Day.

Hopefully, all of the celebration for what is a fine transit service will inspire county elected officials to address Ride On's aging fleet, which includes buses that burst into flames (most recently in Takoma Park) and too-limited schedules on some routes (Ride On 23 in Bethesda, for example).

Perhaps too much attention has been given to their shiny new object, the $5 billion Bus Rapid Transit boondoggle, and too little to the bus service actually in operation.

Public forum on controversial MoCo Independent Transit Authority proposal set for June 17

The Montgomery County Transit Task Force has set a public forum on the controversial proposal to create an unelected taxing authority that could raise unlimited taxes on residents to fund Bus Rapid Transit and other projects. Residents and union leaders overwhelmingly rejected the idea at a raucous public hearing earlier this year. Yet County Executive Ike Leggett is bringing the Independent Transit Authority (ITA) proposal back for another swing, via his Transit Task Force.

That task force is holding meetings to discuss the new taxing authority in Rockville amongst themselves. But there will be a "Public Forum" on the unpopular proposal on June 17, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, in the 3rd floor Hearing Room of the County Council office building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. In the meeting agenda posted online, it says the topics will be the ITA's organization, transfer of functions from existing county agencies (a major point of contention for UFCW Local 400/MCGEO Union President Gino Renne), and - most important to you, the taxpayer - the financial and fiscal implications of the new taxing authority. Questions the task force wants your feedback on will be provided to the public via the Transit Task Force website prior to the forum. However, just what the ability of the public to speak at the forum will be is not specified. Is it a public hearing with a 3 minute speaking time? Or is it a forum where the public will simply be spoken to?

It must be noted that, like the BRT hearing 3 years ago, this forum is being held in the summer. Parents no doubt know that this June 17 meeting will come just after the end of the Montgomery County Public School year. That means many will be leaving for their first summer vacation, which will certainly hold down attendance.

That's probably not an accident. You'd schedule a forum for summer, too, if you were trying to ram through an unelected body that can be handpicked by the County Executive.

An unelected body that can exceed all existing caps and restrictions on tax increases (in fact, the task force is going to be discussing on June 3 the "merits of empowering [the] County to exceed Charter limitations in several respects"). Not the negatives, of course!

Keep in mind that this is the same task force that suggested you should pay a new, 15% property tax increase to fund the BRT system that will primarily benefit real estate developers. You would pay, not the developers, and this was a countywide tax proposal. Do the math.

It's also the same task force whose chairman Mark Winston - as I reported two years ago - could directly benefit financially from the creation of the ITA and a BRT system. Winston, leading the effort to "get you out of your car," memorably admitted "it has been a while" since he rode a bus himself. Something he has in common with the "pro-transit" County Council and Planning Board, as well.

Remember also that this unelected ITA, as described in the legislation the task force is discussing, would not have to show its budget to any elected official. To quote the actual legislation, the ITA would not be required "to submit its capital or its operating budget to the County for approval."

Incredible. Unelected and unaccountable.

Don't forget that the proposal also allows the ITA to take on unlimited debt. It also allows the County Council and Executive to transfer unlimited amounts of debt to the ITA - and then the ITA could use its literally unlimited taxing power to make you pay those unlimited amounts. Unreal.

The ITA would also have unlimited power to seize private property, and sell it at a sweetheart price to developers who contribute to the elected official who appointed them. It would have the power to carry out the demolition of homes and businesses, and not have to answer to the outrage of the landowners at the ballot box.

And speaking of ballots - the legislation would include a provision that would make it impossible for you, the citizens, to put a referendum on the ballot to bring the ITA taxing power under any control or limitation.

This proposal was thoroughly rejected by the citizens and county employees - yet here it comes again, as they do what they do best in the MoCo political machine: ram it through.

Save the date.

Auto break-ins in neighborhoods along Old Georgetown Rd., 2 drug arrests - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on May 4, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 4600 block East-West Highway.

Vehicle burglary. 7200 block Woodmont Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. Greentree Road at Mohawk Lane (Sonoma).

Drug arrest. East-West Highway at Curtis Street.

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Oakmont Avenue (Oakmont).

Theft. 5300 block Western Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5600 block Oakmont Avenue (Alta Vista).

Theft. 5400 block Western Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5900 block Sonoma Road (Ayrlawn).

Drug arrest. Old Georgetown Road at I-495.