Gas pumps at the Westbard Citgo station in Bethesda were roped off with yellow tape Thursday afternoon. Several stations on nearby River Road were dark last night, but drivers were able to queue up at the Shell station at 5110 River Road. Long lines were seen at gas stations at the Montgomery Village Center on Montgomery Village Avenue, and along Rockville Pike, as well.
Maryland Comptroller and Montgomery County resident Peter Franchot appeared unaware of the number of stations sold-out of gas, when he told The Washington Post that he doubted the gas app tallies of dry-tank stations across the state, arguing that the actual number was lower. Many media reports cited average prices significantly lower than what drivers were actually paying in Montgomery County yesterday.
Although the Colonial Pipeline has been restarted after the owners reportedly paid a $5 million dollar ransom, it is taking time to restock stations. Some station managers reported receiving smaller amounts of gas than they would usually get per truck.
At the Liberty station at the Bradley Shopping Center, some pumps were out of higher grades of fuel Wednesday afternoon. By last night, the Exxon at Wisconsin Avenue and Battery Lane had run dry. Cars had lined up down Battery Lane there earlier in the day. Prices at the Exxon surged over $3 and $4, depending which grade of gas you were purchasing. Some pumps were "bagged" at Sunoco on River Road by late evening.
The pipeline is reportedly coming back online, but it is expected to take several days to resupply all of the affected gas stations across the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States. This crisis has again brought attention to the dwindling number of gas stations in Bethesda. There are only four left downtown.
The Council has raised property taxes every year except FY-2015, when the average homeowner received a meager $12 savings, in an election year budget. FY-2017 had the highest tax increase on record; while officially 9%, due to ever-increasing assessments, it was effectively a 10 to 11% tax increase for many Montgomery County homeowners.
A property tax increase amidst the pandemic is raising eyebrows among taxpayers aware of the proposal, and in the business community. The County economy has been moribund for over a decade, according to federal government statistics, with Montgomery at rock bottom in the region by every relevant economic development measure from job creation to business growth.
Two cars were reported stolen from homes in the River Road corridor of Bethesda on Friday. Montgomery County police were called after vehicles parked on the street in the 6500 block of Callander Drive in Bannockburn, and the 6500 block of Millwood Road (another numerologist thief?), in Kenwood Park were stolen.
Items were removed from a vehicle parked in the 6200 block of Dunrobbin Drive in Fairway Hills. Property was also stolen from a vehicle on nearby Goldsboro Road, and the thief later attempted to use credit cards that were taken in that theft. Lock those car doors, and don't leave any valuables that are visible inside the car.
