RealPage rent collusion scandal spreads to Maryland

Word of landlords allegedly using RealPage software to collude with competitors to fix rent prices elsewhere in the region led many to wonder if the gimmick had any role in Montgomery County's skyrocketing apartment rents. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown now suggests it does, and has filed suit against the firm and several prominent landlords. Despite the openings of many new apartment buildings across the county, rents have only continued to rise amidst all of the new "competition." This violates the basic laws of supply and demand, and Brown says the Realpage software gave landlords a loophole to make collusion possible, by having the company fix the rents across the board.

“RealPage and the named landlords worked together to raise the cost of their apartments, making it hard for Maryland renters to put a roof over their heads,” Brown said in a statement. “Our Office is committed to holding landlords accountable so Marylanders can afford their rent.”

The firms Brown is accusing of using RealPage for the purpose of "colluding to illegally raise rents" for Maryland apartment dwellers are Morgan Properties Management Company, LLC; Bozzuto Management Company; Greystar Management Services, LLC; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; UDR, Inc.; and Highmark Residential, LLC. Brown is seeking monetary damages for renters who were allegedly gouged by the use of RealPage, monetary damages for the State of Maryland, cessation of the alleged use of RealPage to fix apartment rents, and the appointment of a corporate monitor to ensure compliance by RealPage and the accused firms.

Silver and Sons Barbecue sets opening date in Bethesda

Silver and Sons Barbecue is on-target for its opening this month at 5362 Westbard Avenue at Westbard Square in Bethesda. Chef-owner Jarrad Silver announced that the restaurant will open next Friday, January 24, 2025. The takeout-focused eatery will have a standing counter for dining in that will accommodate only 4 to 6 diners at a time. But the menu will expand beyond the offerings currently available on Silver's food truck.

New to the menu are sandwiches. These will include a Brisket Steak and Cheese sandwich, layered with gruyère and fried chicken skin on a sourdough challah hoagie, and the vegetarian Falafel Sandwich, loaded with Israeli salad, pepper relish, tahini, and amba. Also new are pre-prepared carryout and deli items. Diners will also be able to purchase branded merchandise, and bottles of their favorite Silver and Sons sauces and spices.

Silver is excited to take the step up from food truck to bricks-and-mortar. "This opening represents a culmination of everything we've been working toward since launching Silver and Sons Barbecue," Silver said in a statement. "At Westbard Square, we'll be able to explore the boundaries of what barbecue can be while honoring its roots. Every dish reflects our commitment to creativity and tradition, from the short rib pastrami and pulled lamb shoulder to the chocolate babka buns."

Operating hours will be Wednesday-Saturday, 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM, and Sundays, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The restaurant will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Mykonos restaurant under construction at Cabin John Village in Potomac (Photos)

Construction continues on the new Mykonos restaurant at 7965 Tuckerman Lane at the Cabin John Village shopping center in Potomac. The Greek restaurant's newest Montgomery County location has been in the works since 2023. Mykonos had a hearing to obtain its liquor license from Montgomery County yesterday, January 16, 2025. The existing Mykonos Grill is located at 121 Congressional Lane at the Congressional North shopping center in Rockville.

Marriott Bethesda Downtown hotel gets a Trump bump in room rates for inauguration

Once-conservative Marriott International may have transformed into one of the most progressive and liberal corporations in recent decades, but it's still prepared to get an economic boost from the return of Donald Trump to the White House. Room rates at the new Marriott Bethesda Downtown hotel at 7707 Woodmont Avenue have risen for the days surrounding Monday's inauguration ceremony. As you can see, rates for tonight through Saturday night are elevated, rising to $489 per night on the peak nights of Sunday and Monday. 

Marriott has tangled with Trump in recent years, vowing to cut off donations to Republican U.S. Senators who did not vote to certify the 2020 Presidential election, about seven months after Trump ordered Marriott to cease operations in Communist Cuba. But that didn't stop Trump from choosing to stay at a Marriott in beautiful downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the days right before the 2024 election.

Donald Trump inauguration commemorative farecards available at select Metro stations

Tech moguls aren't the only ones changing their tune on Donald Trump. Regional transit agency WMATA boldly refused to issue a commemorative farecard for Trump's first inauguration in January 2017. Riders who had purchased a Barack Obama farecard in previous years were surprised to learn no such collector's item would be available for Trump, but the dominance of the Democratic party in the region limited the fallout for WMATA. But, lo and behold, the agency has issued a commemorative SmarTrip farecard for Trump's second inauguration, and it is available at select Metro stations.

None of the stations are in Bethesda, however. The Trump SmarTrip card is now available in Montgomery County at the Shady Grove, Forest Glen, and Glenmont Metro stations. Riders heading into D.C. on the Red Line can also find them at the L'Enfant Plaza, Metro Center, and Union Station Metro stations. Signage will indicate the machine from which the Trump card can be purchased. The cards are available "while supplies last," WMATA says.

Photo courtesy WMATA

Maryland governor proposes 75-cent fee on retail, food deliveries

One proposal in Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's FY-2026 budget that he, understandably, did not mention in his press conference yesterday is a new 75-cent fee on retail and food deliveries. Given the popularity of such purchases by people of all income levels, this regressive fee could quickly add up for already-struggling Maryland residents. Moore's presentation gave another official declaration that Maryland's economy is - like Montgomery County's - moribund and stagnant. His budget director gave a Powerpoint presentation with slides confirming Maryland's economic growth has "significantly underperformed national growth" since 2017, as has its job growth. With grocery, insurance, and home prices remaining massively-high, why would the state now pile on by socking it to working-class people ordering a hamburger or a t-shirt for delivery?

Economic growth - moribund!

Also hidden from the governor's speech was a proposal to more than double the emissions test fee for vehicles. The emissions test program is already a massive grift for the state, forcing owners of recent vehicle models to take a test that predictably finds their car meets the standards. Maryland isn't even properly maintaining the equipment for the test now, as the scanner on the self-test machine was broken the last time I went, forcing drivers to manually type their personal information into the computer.

Job growth - moribund!

Sports gamblers would also be victims of highway robbery under the new budget. In a proposal that was actually presented at the press conference, Moore suggested doubling the tax on sports betting from 15% to 30%. So that big $1000 win Joe Six Pack had on the baseball game will be whittled down to $700 right "off the bat." Better cancel that plan to have a burger delivered after the game, Joe - you just can't afford it! Meanwhile, your representatives in Annapolis are laughing all the way to the bank.

Maryland and Montgomery County have
the highest tax burden in the D.C. region...
...but their revenue is stagnant. Given that clear
end result, does it make sense to increase
taxes even further?

Friendship Heights pop-up bookstore to be open January 16-20

A pop-up used bookstore will be open at The Shops at Wisconsin Place in Friendship Heights tomorrow through Monday. Located near the Metro entrance at 5310 Western Avenue, Carpe Librum will operate from January 16-20, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day. High-quality donated used books, CDs, DVDs, and vinyl records will be on sale for less than $7. You can also bring your own items in those categories to donate for future sales. The sale will benefit Washington, D.C. education non-proft Turning the Page. 

YogaSix opening studio at Cabin John Village in Potomac

A new fitness option is coming to the neighborhood around Cabin John Village in Potomac. YogaSix has leased a space in the shopping center at 7951-D Tuckerman Lane. The chain touts its commitment to providing accessible instruction for total beginners. Each of its locations in the region are operated by independent franchisees. The Cabin John studio is anticipated to open this spring; "coming soon" signage has been posted in the windows of its future storefront.

Indigo Octopus to open at Bethesda Row

Indigo Octopus is coming this spring to Bethesda Row. The beach lifestyle apparel boutique has two existing locations: Fenwick Island, and the Wildwood Shopping Center in Bethesda. Indigo Octopus describes itself as a "brand for women who wander with style and demand access to the coolest fashion finds from the best fashion brands." Their shops carry a curated collection of designer women's clothing, denim, jewelry, accessories, and swimwear. 

The Bethesda Row store will be located at 7126 Bethesda Lane. "Coming soon" signage has been posted in the windows of its future storefront. Brands carried by Indigo Octopus include Golden Goose, Byredo, Moussey, Anine Bing, ATM, Re/done, AGoldE, Frankies, Spell, Mother, Adina Reyter, Lack of Color, and LNA.

Bethesda CVS Pharmacy remains closed a week after water main break

The CVS Pharmacy at 7235 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda remained closed yesterday, a week after a water main break across the street from the store on Wisconsin Avenue. Early on the morning of January 7, 2025, water utility WSSC posted on Twitter that it expected water service to be restored to customers impacted at 1:35 AM. WSSC has not posted any further updates about this particular water main break since, but the CVS has not reopened.

Signage installed at Silver and Sons Barbecue in Bethesda

Signage has been installed at Silver and Sons Barbecue, opening soon at 5362 Zenith Overlook at the new Westbard Square development in Bethesda. Inside, the interior fit-out appears complete, and most equipment has been installed. Silver and Sons, which to this point has been a popular food truck in the area, had been expected to open this past fall. 

Founder Jarrad Silver told Bethesda Today last month that permitting issues with Montgomery County had stalled construction temporarily, but with those resolved, he was aiming for a January 2025 opening. Reporter Elia Griffin also wrote that the bricks-and-mortar location will have a larger menu than the food truck.

Armed carjacking in broad daylight in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed carjacking in downtown Bethesda Sunday afternoon, January 12, 2025. The carjacking was reported in a parking lot in the 4700 block of Miller Avenue at 4:40 PM Sunday. @CordellTraffic on Twitter reported that the vehicle stolen was a Chevrolet Camaro. @MoCoMag on Twitter reported that the Black male suspect was wielding an Uzi and wearing a ski mask, and that the Camaro stolen was black.

Police have not released any further description of the suspect, or the model year of the Camaro, as of this writing. If you can identify the suspect, or have any other information about this incident, call police at (301) 279-8000.

The things you see on a Woodmont Avenue sidewalk after a snowstorm (Photos)

A number of odd sightings were made on Woodmont Avenue Saturday, after the overnight snowstorm, between Fairmont and Cordell Avenues. Water pouring onto the sidewalk from a drain in a wall at the 8001 Woodmont apartment building had frozen into a waterfall of ice, and was cordoned off by a pair of JBG SMITH cones for safety purposes. 

Amazon packages had been left on the front step of the vacant former Sir Walter Raleigh restaurant building at 8011 Woodmont. And some of the building's street numbers - the 0 and a 1 - have been pried off. 

Finally, the vacant properties along Woodmont - including 8011 - that are now owned by the developer of the stalled Artena Bethesda project were again forcing their way into the news. The clear sidewalk of the southern portion of the block gave way to a narrow, one-person pathway in front of the Artena lots. That's not wide enough to meet ADA standards, much less for two able-bodied people to pass each other without someone stepping onto the ice and slush.

McDonald's gutted in surprise renovation at Cabin John Mall (Photos)

The venerable McDonald's at 11301 Seven Locks Road inside the Cabin John Mall in Potomac has been gutted inside. According to signage posted at the restaurant, it is temporarily closed for renovations. No reopening date has been posted, but one of the signs says that the remodeling will take a few weeks to complete. A second, more optimistic sign says "a few days," but that's a bit too optimistic from what you can see here. But overall, the renovation sends a very positive message to customers that the ownership wants to provide a brand new dining room experience for them.

This McDonald's almost closed a couple of years ago, but agreed to stay at the mall after outcry from its many loyal customers. It looks like they are now updating the store for the long haul, with a sneak peek at the new interior visible in the photo above. Customers are being directed to the Montgomery Mall McDonald's while the renovations take place. Yes, Cabin John Village has Shake Shack - but Shake Shack doesn't have the Big Mac! Or America's favorite fries.

Celebrate the Year of the Snake at Montgomery Mall Lunar New Year events in Bethesda

The last 12 months may have been the quickest in history, and the Lunar New Year is already almost upon us again. For 2025, Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda will host a Lunar New Year celebration in partnership with the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC) on January 25th and February 8th, from 10:40 AM to 3:00 PM on both days. Attendees will join in celebrating the Year of the Snake with a range of family-friendly activities. As you can see in the photos here, decorations are already in place. The following events will be held in the Nordstrom wing of the mall on Level 1:

January 25:

• Dragon Parade: A dragon parade will kick off the festivities at 10:40 AM.
• Opening Remarks: Meet the Dragon at Center Court for opening remarks from CCACC, Westfield Montgomery, and local dignitaries.
• Cultural Performances: Enjoy a diverse array of performances, including lion and dragon dances, musical performances, singing, folk dancing, opera, kung-fu & martial arts, Tai-chi, folk sports, Guzheng, and harmonica.
• Interactive Activities: Participate in hands-on crafts like traditional Chinese painting & calligraphy, flour doll making, paper cutting, origami, henna tattoos, and more.
•  Clothing Drive: Bring gently-used or new clothing to donate to Interfaith Works. In return, receive a "hongbao" (lucky money) to redeem at participating retailers within Westfield Montgomery.

February 8 - Lantern and Riddle Festival:

• Dragon Parade: Another exciting dragon parade will commence at 10:40 AM.
• Cultural Performances: More captivating live performances.
• Crafts and Riddles: Engage in creative activities, and test your wits by solving riddles written on colorful lanterns. Successful riddle-solvers will receive a special "hongbao."

All events are free to attend, but you are asked to RSVP online, so Westfield can get a sense of how many people will be participating in the activities, to know what quantity of materials will be needed, for example.