WSSC asks Maryland customers to limit water use due to power outage at filtration plant

Water utility WSSC has issued an Essential Water Use Only request to its customers in Montgomery County and Prince George's County, Maryland. A power outage at the utility's Potomac filtration plant has led to concerns that the supply of processed water could run out before Pepco can restore power. However, WSSC says water is currently safe to use and drink at this time, and that no Boil Water Advisory has been issued yet. Customers are asked to limit shower time and toilet flushes, and to postpone outdoor uses and running of clothes washers and dishwashers until the emergency is over.

Curfew goes into effect at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

A new 3:00 PM curfew for juveniles goes into effect today at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The controversial new policy comes in response to juvenile crime at the popular retail center, primarily in the forms of shoplifting, assault, and robbery. All patrons under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian after 3:00 PM, seven days a week. That adult will be held responsible for any crimes committed by the minors under their supervision at the mall.

The policy essentially ends the American pastime of teens hanging out at malls after school, and at night, at Westfield's Montgomery and Wheaton Plaza malls. This past Saturday night, teens crowded into Montgomery Mall's Dining Terrace food court, the last to enjoy a rite of passage of a Saturday night at the mall. In a sign of what brought us to this point, however, Montgomery County police officers were seen rushing to respond to a crime in progress at Champs Sports.

Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too opens at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The first chill of fall is in the air. That means two things: it's time to buy warm clothes, and the holiday shopping season is rapidly approaching. One herald of both is the annual arrival of Sheepskin Gifts & Alpaca Too at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Just seeing the store back at the mall gives a warm feeling to those who can't wait for The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Lilly Pulitzer window coverings get glow-up at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

They heard us, folks. The trash bags in the windows of Lilly Pulitzer at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda are gone. In their place are branded window screens with images of Via Mizner in Palm Beach, where the label was founded over 60 years ago. There's also now a message to customers regarding the temporary closure for remodeling, and a number you can text to receive updates when the reopening timeline is solidified. This is definitely a better look for the upscale mall, and upscale brand.

Suspect arrested in Potomac home burglary

Montgomery County police have arrested a suspect in the September 23 burglary of a home in Potomac. The burglary was reported at a house in the 11800 block of Enid Drive. According to police, the suspect entered the home sometime between 10:45 AM and 11:11 AM Wednesday morning. Officers located a suspect, and recovered property the suspect had allegedly stolen from the home. 

Pike & Rose Starbucks closing

Starbucks announced a new round of downsizing nationwide, and the closure list includes six stores in Maryland. Montgomery County stores at Pike & Rose in Rockville, and 12255 Prosperity Drive in the White Oak area of Silver Spring are among those getting the axe. That's particularly devastating for residents of the buildings at Pike & Rose, as having an on-site Starbucks was among the amenities of living there. Also shuttering will be Starbucks stores in Chester, Easton, Frederick, and Pocomoke City.

Jewelry Exchange building demolished in Bethesda

The Jewelry Exchange is gone! A demolition crew has razed the building at 7747 Old Georgetown Road. This is the first of several structures to fall, as the corner with St. Elmo Avenue is prepared for construction of a new apartment tower. No word yet if any of the workers were lucky enough to find one of those "thousands of GIA diamonds" in the rubble...

UK quantum computing firm chooses Virginia over Maryland for U.S. HQ

It's Groundhog Day once again for economic development in the Washington, D.C. region, as yet another firm has chosen Virginia over Maryland, and Arlington County over Montgomery County for its corporate headquarters. This time it's British quantum computing firm Phasecraft. The company announced that Virginia is the winner in the sweepstakes for its new U.S. headquarters. Phasecraft will open the HQ at a not-yet-announced address in Ballston.

The announcement has to particularly sting Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who has repeatedly claimed that he wants to make his state a leader in quantum computing. It certainly didn't help Maryland's bid that Moore declared four days prior to the company's decision that he would sign a total ban on data centers, if the legislature sent one to his desk. This forehead-smacking faux pas is reminiscent of the Montgomery County Council announcing it was canceling the biggest infrastructure project in the White Flint sector plan on the very day that Amazon's HQ2 search team was touring the County's suggested site in White Flint. Whoops!

Just as the Council's transportation infrastructure cancellation cost it the HQ2 of a logistics company, Amazon, announcing you are going to possibly totally ban data centers would almost certainly terminate the consideration of any quantum computing firm to locate in our state. Doh! A decade later, we continue to be led by very stupid people.

A smarter governor, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, found herself once again taking a victory lap. "Virginia continues to grow as a global hub for cutting-edge companies and groundbreaking technologies," Spanberger said in a statement. "I’m thrilled to welcome Phasecraft to the Commonwealth and look forward to seeing all they accomplish as they grow and build on Virginia’s world-class innovation ecosystem. This investment will create new high-tech jobs, attract other leading companies to Virginia, and strengthen the Commonwealth’s growing role in bringing next-generation technologies to market."

Virginia, in contrast to Maryland, is known as the data center capital of America. How Maryland will become "a leader in quantum computing and cybersecurity" without data centers is indeed a puzzling and even humorous dilemma for observers of Governor Moore, who has proven so far that he's far from the sharpest tool in the drawer. What we already do know is that Maryland and Montgomery County haven't attracted a single major new corporate headquarters in over 25 years. Will voters quintuple down on futility on Election Day in November?

The Korean Dessert Fruit Ice Cream opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The Korean Dessert Fruit Ice Cream is opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It is a freestanding kiosk located on Level 2 near Snipes in the Macy's Home wing. It will be serving fruit-shaped ice cream with a thin shell coating on the outside. Considered a viral dessert on TikTok some time ago, it is now arriving at the mall.