Montgomery County Council delivering tax hike for you, massive tax cut for developers

The Montgomery County Council reached a new low this week, taking an action of fiscal irresponsibility so bonkers, it should cost them their seats in the 2026 election. They have approved legislation that will exempt any redevelopment of an office property into housing from property taxes for 20 years, if the new development provides 17.5% affordable units. Meanwhile, the same Council is planning a massive property tax increase for you, the residents of Montgomery County. Yes, this continues a pattern of shifting the tax burden from the Council's developer sugar daddies onto you, the struggling homeowner or business property owner. But it goes beyond almost any corrupt action they've taken before, as it could end up bankrupting the County, which is already under fiscal stress from a structural budget deficit and a massive debt load.

More Housing N.O.W. - a name that anyone who struggles to navigate closed streets and sidewalks around apartment tower construction sites in downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring would find laughable - is a legislative package cooked up by Councilmember Andrew Friedson (D - District 1). Loaded with developer giveaways, it appears to have been written by the developers themselves. Much like their plan to gift developers land taxpayers paid to acquire for a critical highway the Council canceled, forgoing billions in tax revenue and shifting the tax burden to you is a dereliction of duty by the Council.

Why would Friedson bring forward such an audaciously-corrupt tax break for developers? He's running for County Executive, and needs the money developers so generously provide to each of the current Councilmembers. And it's going to take a lot of money to win, especially if David Blair decides to take a third shot at the County Executive office in 2026. The seat is essentially Blair's for the taking, having lost by a handful of votes to Marc Elrich each of the previous times he ran. None of the candidates running next year have Elrich's name recognition, base of support, or voter goodwill that crosses party and demographic lines.

But barring Blair's entry into the field, developers will support Friedson. How did the unknown Friedson defeat the far-more-qualified and known former Kensington Mayor Peter Fosselman and the legendary Ana Sol Gutierrez, the first Latina ever elected to public office in Maryland, in a Democratic primary? It's not entirely clear even today, but the developer money didn't hurt. Developers haven't just mailed the checks to Friedson's campaign - they actually host fundraisers for him at their mansions.

More Housing N.O.W. is similar to another legislative victory developers enjoyed during the previous Council term, in that it simply juices the profits for development that would already happen without it. That was the bill that gave a 15-year property tax exemption (sound familiar?) to developers building residential housing on WMATA-owned land at Metro stations. Not only had such development taken place previously without this outrageous tax-free provision, but it was demanded by a development firm that had already committed to a project before attempting - and succeeding - in getting the Council to provide this tax exemption as a sweetener. Imagine their shocked and surprised delight when the knees of the Council buckled so easily to deliver such a windfall of cash, on top of the already massive profits they would be raking in.

It's no surprise they went back to the well again. After all, this Council is the biggest bunch of pushovers yet for their developer sugar daddies. The public is almost entirely unaware that this robbery of the public coffers is taking place. Or that they might be spending over $1000 more on their own property taxes next year, if they live anywhere in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac, or parts of Kensington, Silver Spring, Rockville, or even Aspen Hill. Because if your home is valued at $1 million or more, that's how much your property tax bill will be going up under the tax hike currently before the Council.

Why would the tax exemption approved Tuesday potentially bankrupt the County, and/or require your property taxes to reach unimaginable heights in the coming decades?

First and foremost, we already know that residential housing generates more new costs in public services and infrastructure than it does in property tax revenue. That, along with the County Council's out-of-control spending this century, and anti-business policies that have scared companies away from locating here, is what has created our structural budget deficit in the first place. Now imagine what the deficits will be if a majority of new apartment buildings will be paying no property taxes at all for 20 years!

Second, the legislation has a misleading talking point behind it. Most people think of "office to housing conversion" as the reconfiguration of an office building into apartment or condo-sized residential units. But the package approved Tuesday provides the same 20-year tax exemption and expedited approval for demolishing an office building, and constructing an entirely new residential building in its place.

Third, because of the allowance for demolitions, the 20-year tax exemption will apply to a huge number of projects that were - or will be - planned without the More Housing N.O.W. developer giveaways in place. In fact, a large percentage of the new buildings constructed since the "Great Recession" have been built on the ashes of office buildings that were demolished to make way for them.

We've seen that even true office-to-housing conversions have taken place without these outlandish incentives, include a new condo development and new apartment property in downtown Silver Spring. Now think about all the other apartment and condo buildings that were torn down for residential over the last 15 years alone, where the developers did not demand a 20-year property tax exemption. Gallery Bethesda I and II, Sophia Bethesda, 4909 Auburn, Stonehall Bethesda, The Wilson/The Elm (7272 Wisconsin Avenue), 8001 Woodmont, Hampden House, The Met Rockville, AVA Wheaton, and the Fairchild Apartments in Germantown are just a few examples of post-"Great Recession" redevelopments of office properties. 

Imagine if all of these were paying no property taxes for 20 years! Now realize that the long-anticipated redevelopment of the massive GEICO campus in Chevy Chase - to name just one mega project - will bring in ZERO property tax revenue to County coffers for 20 years! This is criminal.

The good news is, it's not too late to stop the madness. You can stop the More Housing N.O.W. legislation by calling or emailing your Councilmember, and all of the At-Large Councilmembers, and telling them you want no more developer giveaways. It's very easy: the Council website shows all of the Councilmembers, and there's even a tool to help you learn who your district member is (the At-Large members also all represent you, which is why you want to contact all of them, as well).

County Executive Marc Elrich is expected to veto the More Housing N.O.W. legislation when it reaches his desk. The County Council will then have to override the veto to save the developers' 20-year property tax exemption. Tell your Councilmember you will vote them out, and you certainly won't vote to promote them to County Executive if they are running for that office, if they vote to override Elrich's veto. If for some crazy reason Elrich were to sign the tax break - or let it become law by not signing it - let the Council know you will vote them out just the same, if they don't repeal it.

You can also stop the massive property tax increase by telling your Councilmember at the same time that you will vote them out if they vote to raise your property taxes again this year or next year. And if they do - VOTE THEM OUT! You don't even have to vote for a Republican; you can just vote for the new Democrats who are running against the incumbents in the primary next year. But if they squeak through again to the general election, you have to seriously consider voting for any Republican, Green, or other party challenger who remains in their way. It's the inability to vote out the Council that has led to their outrageous misbehavior. 

Are you really going to vote again for the politicians who insiders say refer to you as "losers" and "suckers" in private, willing to pay any tax, accept any reduction in your quality of life, and countenance the totally incompetent leadership they dish out?

The voters of Montgomery County need to wake up. Some of you are awake and on-the-ball. That's likely why you are reading this article now in the first place. But it's not enough. I worry about some of the other residents in this county. What will it take for you wake up and rise up against the Montgomery County cartel and its handpicked Councilmembers, who have held a majority on the Council since 2002?

You've gotten a property tax hike every year except for FY-2015, when you received a tax "cut" of about $12. The next year, the Council dropped a 9% property tax increase anvil on you like Wile E. Coyote. They seemed to pay a price for that, when voters approved term limits a few months later in 2016. But...when it came to the 2018 Council election, the cartel's candidates won every seat again. Much like their victory over the Columbia Country Club with the Purple Line, they realized they could get away with anything, and you wouldn't do a thing about it come Election Day. Invincibility. Absolute power. Such things do not a Republic make.

One of the greatest political cartoons of all time that sums up this phenomenon once ran in The Gazette. It showed a Montgomery County voter bending over in front of then-County Executive Doug Duncan, who was wielding a large paddle with the words "tax hike" on it. The voter, with his head crooked around to look back toward Duncan, said, "Thank you, Sir. May I have another?" 

Don't be that guy anymore. It's not a good look. It's a sad state of affairs, really. Break smelling salts under your nose, if you have to. 

You're mad as hell, and you're not going to take it anymore. Go to the Council website. Pick up the phone, fire up the email, and let them know, "Enough is enough!" No 20-year property tax exemption for developers, and no property tax hikes for you.

Nesfield Performance to open downtown Bethesda location

Nesfield Performance, a fitness, physical therapy, and massage and movement therapy business currently operating in Chevy Chase, will open a Bethesda studio this summer. It will be located at 7832-7834 Wisconsin Avenue, in the ground floor of the Fairmont Plaza condominium. Nesfield also offers an infrared sauna and nutrition advice.

Founding memberships are currently being offered on their website. "Coming soon" signage has been installed in the storefront windows. On May 18, Nesfield will be sponsoring the Metro Move Fest event at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The family-friendly event will include races, fitness and wellness activities, food, music, and local vendors. Registration and more information is available online.

Planning extension sought for new Bethesda Row apartment building

Federal Realty is seeking an extension from the Montgomery County Planning Board for the review of the Preliminary and Site Plans for a proposed new apartment building at 7070 Arlington Road at Bethesda Row. The plans were both scheduled to be reviewed during the board's April 24, 2025 meeting. Federal Realty, which owns Bethesda Row, is asking for a two-month extension until June 26. The board will consider the extension request at its meeting tomorrow, Thursday, April 10, 2025. Planning staff are recommending approval of the request.

Attorney Patricia Harris says the reason for the request is that the Preliminary Plan that was submitted last December cannot be certified by Montgomery County without a noise analysis. That analysis is currently being completed. Once the noise analysis is submitted to the County, it will take about two months for the Preliminary Plan to then be certified, Harris says. 

If approved, the reverse-L-shaped apartment building would replace Uncle Julio's, several storefronts on Arlington Road next to Uncle Julio's, and a large portion of the parking lot behind the existing stores and restaurants on the south side of Bethesda Avenue (i.e. the Apple Store, Levain Bakery, etc.). The 100' tall structure would have retail and restaurant space in its ground floor, as well as a vehicle pass-through tunnel for deliveries, moving vans, and ride-sharing vehicles. Theoretically, then, Uncle Julio's could lease a ground floor space and return in the new building.

Renderings courtesy Federal Realty/Hickok Cole

Duke's Grocery opening today in Potomac

Duke's Grocery will open its new Potomac location today, April 8, 2025, at 6:00 PM, the Washington, D.C. restaurant announced last evening on Instagram. The East London-inspired pub is located at 10128 River Road, at the Potomac Place shopping center. Duke's boasts the "best burger in D.C.," its Proper Burger. The burger features Creekstone Farms Angus beef patties on a brioche bun from locally-famous Lyon Bakery. You could take a more-authentic British route by ordering the Fish and Chips or a Banger and Mash. But then again, look at this burger:

Photos courtesy Duke's Grocery

Montgomery County's highway robbery

The Montgomery County Planning Board is on the verge of sending the County Council a draft of the latest Master Plan of Highways and Transitways (soon to be called the Master Plan of Walkways and Bikeways, if planners get any more woke) that will do many terrible things, chief among which is permanently removing any chance of building the long-delayed M-83 MidCounty Highway Extended from Montgomery Village Avenue to Clarksburg. If approved by the Board at its meeting this Thursday, April 10, and the Council at a later date, it will be the realization of a long-held fever dream by the War-on-Cars folks who suffer from Highway Derangement Syndrome, virtually all of whom have motored to their Kill M-83 meetings in the very cars they claim you need to get out of. It will also be a theft and reckless disposal of one of the most valuable public holdings government can possess: a transportation right-of-way.

Passage of this Master Plan will drive the stake through the heart of M-83, and confirm that once again County officials were lying through their teeth when they promised all stakeholders and residents of the Upcounty that they would deliver the infrastructure needed to support the massive housing development they had proposed for rural Clarksburg and Damascus. As we all know, all of the new housing was approved and constructed. But none of the supporting elements were. 

No M-83 Highway. No Corridor Cities Transitway light rail. And no high-wage jobs. All of these items were mandatory, but the Council didn't deliver a single one.

Now the Council is poised to throw away something that, frankly, is not theirs to discard. The highway project, and its right-of-way, belong to the taxpayers of Montgomery County. Planners are giddy to note in the Master Plan materials online that the County may not only remove the highway from the plan, but give the land away for free to the Councilmembers' developer sugar daddies. They've done this many times before, giving away public rights-of-way to developers via a "Declaration of No Further Need" abandonment.

A right-of-way is simply too valuable to waste. The Council is free to go down in history as the deranged and corrupt elected officials responsible for worsening traffic congestion, increased emissions from cars idling in traffic jams, and increased response times for police and fire calls by canceling an essential highway. It won't be the first time, as the Council already canceled the equally-long-planned new Potomac River crossing, the Northwest Freeway, the North Central Freeway, the Rockville Freeway, the Montrose Parkway East, and the Northern Parkway.

But a right-of-way is not theirs to give away. They have a responsibility to preserve it in total. No one can predict the needs of the future. Whether it is a road, or a railway, or some form of transportation or use we haven't even imagined yet, these are the scenarios for which smart governments obtain rights-of-way at great cost. Believe it or not, Montgomery County long ago had smart government.

This Master Plan draft represents a double betrayal of the public trust, first and foremost the trust of residents in Clarksburg, Damascus, and Goshen. People bought houses in Clarksburg and Damascus with the expectation of the M-83 and CCT providing viable options for commuting to the Shady Grove Metro station and beyond. Only to find the Planning Board and County Council pulling the rug out from under them after they had taken on their mortgage, and paid all the hefty fees and taxes to the County. But it is also the latest betrayal by the Council of one of its chief charges, stewardship of County assets and resources, which include planned highways and expensively-obtained rights-of-way. Canceling the M-83 is, quite simply, highway robbery.

Montgomery County planning sneaky speed limit cut on Josiah Henson Parkway

The Montgomery County Planning Board is on the verge of approving a War on Cars draft of the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways at its meeting this Thursday, April 10, 2025. Removal of the M-83 Highway (Midcounty Highway Extended) is the centerpiece of the document. Opponents of the highway have successfully blocked its construction for decades, but anti-highway officials on the Planning Board and County Council are seeking to take matters a deranged step further by removing any possibility of its construction, despite it being the most-essential piece of infrastructure to support the growth upcounty that has already been approved and realized over the last twenty years. Also buried within the document are thousands of speed limit reductions to 20 or 25 MPH, even on major state highways.

Just one of many egregious speed limit cuts proposed is on Josiah Henson Parkway, between the "Western edge of downtown White Flint" and E. Jefferson Street, and from E. Jefferson Street to Towne Road. The change would lower the speed limit from 40 MPH to 25 MPH. In addition, the street classification of Josiah Henson Parkway (a.k.a. Montrose Parkway) would be changed from "parkway" to "Downtown Boulevard."

If this sounds familiar, it's because it has already happened elsewhere in the County. Developers seeking to demolish homes, churches, and country clubs along major state highways, and replace them with urban apartment towers, were successful in politicizing the Maryland State Highway Administration during the Larry Hogan administration. Formerly staunch advocates of sound traffic engineering best practices, MDSHA became a political playtoy amenable to any request from local officials beholden to development interests. This led to major speed limit cuts on highways like Georgia Avenue and River Road.

Josiah Henson Parkway is a County road, and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation was politicized even earlier this century than MDSHA was. The speed limit drop and street reclassification request for the parkway is being made (surprise!) on behalf of developers who are seeking to redevelop the land around it. This is yet another abuse of the system in Montgomery County. Not only was our master plan highway system never completed, but we have a continual effort to further cripple the congested roadways that somehow got built. Taxpayers were charged a fortune to build Josiah Henson Parkway, a mere shadow of the Rockville Freeway that was originally intended to use this right-of-way between Falls Road in Potomac and the InterCounty Connector in Silver Spring. Further impeding the (already-compromised) vehicle throughput function of the road we paid for, to facilitate private developer profits, is an abuse, theft, and misuse of public property.

The revision of the master plan of highways is a massive compendium of many such abuses. Most of the public will be unaware of the changes proposed until the new speed limit signs are installed. The document is fully "woke," to be sure. And while planners are smugly proud of their newfound power to ram things through over any public objection - a.k.a. dictatorship - they are most proud of the document's "Racial Equity and Social Justice Statement," which pretty much tells you how insane and out-of-touch-with-reality planning and governing in Montgomery County have become.

Hardwood Artisans space for lease in Bethesda

Hardwood Artisans appears to be on the way out in the Woodmont Triangle - at least from its current showroom. Their ground-level space at 4828 St. Elmo Avenue is now listed as becoming available for lease on July 1, 2025. They've had a good 9-year run, which is tough for any business to accomplish in downtown Bethesda. Hardwood Artisans remains open for business.

This is "the best corner in Woodmont Triangle," according to Dochter & Alexander Retail Advisors, which is marketing the property. It's also best remembered as the home of Johnny Rockets way back in the 1990s. One point of interest in the online listing for the space is that it retains a kitchen exhaust shaft for restaurant use. A restaurant would certainly do more to liven up that corner than retail that closes at night.

Another theft inside Westbard Square garage in Bethesda

Thieves have struck again inside the parking garage at Westbard Square in Bethesda. Montgomery County police were called to the garage in the 5300 block of Zenith Overlook at 1:37 PM on Thursday, April 3, 2025. The victim reported property having been stolen from inside their vehicle. That follows the m.o. of those engaged in preying on vehicles in the garage, who seem to favor the afternoon for many of their crimes.

The latest theft came only two days after the last one. It was also the twelfth time police were called about a theft from a vehicle inside this garage since February 10. To date, we have not seen any surveillance camera footage showing any of the suspects in these cases being released to the public.

Bethesda protesters head to Hands Off! demonstration in D.C.

Protesters wrapped in Canadian and Ukrainian flags filed into Montgomery County Metro stations this morning. They were heading to the Hands Off! demonstration in Washington, D.C., where supporters are expecting 20,000 attendees. The protests are criticizing President Donald Trump, and the DOGE government waste initiative spearheaded by Elon Musk. Montgomery County Congressman Jamie Raskin and Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar are on the speaking list. 

The event is sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Federation of Government Employees, Planned Parenthood, and the George Soros-funded Indivisible. A livestream of the event will be available on YouTube beginning at 12:00 PM today, April 5, 2025.

Westbard shooter(s) remain at large

Montgomery County police have issued their latest official crime report. It includes the shooting on Westbard Avenue shortly after midnight on March 29, 2025. Two victims were wounded in the incident. As shocking as the barrage of gunfire in a quiet, previously low-crime Bethesda neighborhood, is that nearly a week later, there have not only been no arrests announced in the case, but the crime report indicates that detectives do not yet even have a description of the suspect(s) involved. 

Surely the perpetrator(s) and the getaway car are on numerous surveillance and traffic cameras, including those at Bowlmor and at Westbard Square across the street. I also checked the public log for the new police department drone, and there is no record of the Bethesda-based drone being launched to pursue and locate the getaway vehicle following the initial report of shots fired. The vehicle was initially described as a "red Honda Accord." While the Montgomery County Council has weighed in on controversial national political events this past week, it has been silent on the Westbard shooting.

Henry's Sweet Retreat seeking buyer to extend success past 2025 in Bethesda

Henry's Sweet Retreat has been a success by any measure, surviving into its tenth year in downtown Bethesda, a tough market where some businesses fold after two or three months these days. The owners of the candy shop and dessert bar at 4823 St. Elmo Avenue would like to go out on a high note into retirement, but are hoping to find a buyer who will keep the store open beyond December 31, 2025, when its current lease expires. Founders Tom and Patty Craver have been Bethesda residents for 35 years, and have tried to maintain a community focus as part of their business model. "We would love to find someone who is similarly-minded," who can continue to build on a business that has been embraced by local residents, Tom Craver said. 

The store will operate through the end of the year regardless of whether a buyer emerges to extend its run, Craver promised. It would be ideal if that buyer acts sooner rather than later, however, as the deadline for an extension of the lease will pass significantly earlier than December 31. The business will require an energetic entrepreneur to take on the challenge of a competitive Bethesda market the way the Cravers have for so many years, as independent owners in a world of national chains.

Running the shop has been "a labor of love," Craver said, "and we'd like to see this continue." They would prefer not to let down their customers or their employees by having to close December 31. In addition to the throwback experience of the store itself, Henry's Sweet Retreat has also offered classes, birthday parties, and even a summer camp. The camp will go forward again this summer, as usual. Camp next summer will depend upon someone who wants to keep this community fixture going.

If you ever dreamed of owning a candy store, but didn't want to build a successful business from scratch, this could be the opportunity for you. Were the store to end up closing at the end of December, lasting a decade in Bethesda is certainly an impressive accomplishment to be proud of. Even celebrity chef José Andrés has now abandoned Bethesda. But we've seen too many mom-and-pop neighborhood shops close in recent years, and it would be a shame if Henry's Sweet Retreat joins them in 2026.

Rosetta Italian Bakery installs "baking soon" signage in Bethesda

Rosetta Italian Bakery has made it official: its first Washington, D.C.-area location will be here at 4901-A Fairmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Of course, if you read this blog, you already knew this three days ago. In place of the standard "coming soon" message, signage installed in their future storefront's window yesterday promises the store will be "baking soon." Construction on the interior fit-out is expected to begin this spring.

Dulce Crepes to open at Park Potomac

Dulce Crepes is coming to Park Potomac in 2025. It will be located at 12525 Park Potomac Avenue in Potomac. The 1595-square-foot restaurant will serve sweet and savory crepes, paninis, all-day breakfast, açaí bowls, and beverages that include coffee, smoothies, and milkshakes. A vegan menu will be available. Dulce Crepes is expected to open this spring.

“We are incredibly excited to bring Dulce Crepes to Park Potomac and introduce our signature crepes to the Maryland community,” Dulce Crepes Manager Francisco Aleman said in a statement. “We look forward to becoming a part of the Park Potomac community and serving our new neighbors.” Dulce Crepes has an existing location in Northern Virginia.

Who are the thieves stealing from vehicles in this Bethesda garage?

Who are the criminals who have been breaking into cars at a stepped-up pace inside the parking garage at the new Westbard Square development in Bethesda, and where exactly are they coming from? Shoppers parking in the garage sometimes return to find items have been stolen from inside their vehicles. The most recent theft was reported two days ago on April 1, 2025, at 1:39 PM. A number of the incidents have taken place in the afternoons, including one case where a vehicle was broken into, and two students' backpacks with laptop computers inside were stolen. 

So far in 2025, victims have called the police to report thefts from their vehicles inside this garage on April 1, March 27, twice on March 24, March 6, twice on March 4, February 28, February 21, February 20, and February 10. Last year, I received 3 emails from readers who were either directly impacted by a theft from their vehicle, or knew of a victim.

The incidents are obviously not on a daily basis, and property owner Regency Centers has a security officer on patrol. It's unclear how many of the theft cases have been closed, but it is puzzling where these thieves are suddenly coming from geographically, how they are making their getaways, and why such thefts from vehicles have increased in a low-crime neighborhood.

Now that a shooting has taken place in the same vicinity early last Saturday morning with two victims being injured, in which only luck prevented any passing drivers or pedestrians from being struck by what some residents have described as 20-30 rounds being fired, the public needs more transparency about where these criminals are coming from. And, clearly, more police patrols are required in the Westbard area. The Montgomery County Council has been asleep at the switch again. Maybe Councilmembers should spend less time coddling criminals and offering mere words at "public safety meetings," and actually do something about the shortage of police officers they created. Heckuva job, Brownie!

Woman's Club of Chevy Chase Community Art Show & Sale this weekend, April 4-6

The Woman's Club of Chevy Chase is gearing up to host its 49th Annual Community Art Show and Sale, a three-day event celebrating local artistic talent, this weekend, April 4-6, 2025 at the clubhouse, which is located at 7931 Connecticut Avenue. Free parking is ample, and located behind the club, off of Dunlop Street. The show will feature over 450 pieces of artwork from more than 130 community artists.

This weekend's exhibition will showcase a diverse range of mediums, with judged categories including Oil, Acrylic, Pastel, Watercolor, Mixed Media, Prints & Drawings, Photography, Smalls, and Other Media, which encompasses 2-D works in materials like glass, wood, metal, and paper. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase artwork using cash, check, or credit card.

The annual event not only provides a platform for local artists but also supports scholarships for aspiring art school students.

The art show will be open to the public, free of charge, during the following hours:

April 4: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

April 5: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

April 6: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

For more information, visit wcccmaryland.org/art-show.

Stage opens at Westbard Square in Bethesda (Photos)

The stage has opened to the public on The Green at Westbard Square in Bethesda. It has overhead lighting for after-dark performances. However, the stage is currently occupied by four chairs and a few small tables. The stage is expected to make its official event debut at a grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1, 2025, from 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM both days. Makers Market at the Square will include live music and family-friendly activities.

Grocery stores take aim at antiquated Montgomery County liquor laws again

Several grocery chains in Montgomery County are once again enlisting customers in the struggle to overturn the antiquated liquor laws that prevent them from selling beer and wine in Maryland. Signage paid for by the Consumer Freedom Coalition prompts customers to contact their legislators in Annapolis to support bills that would allow grocery stores to sell beer and wine, but not liquor. However, once again, the machine is prevailing in the state capital, and those bills appear unlikely to pass during this session.

The effort had the support of Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who was eager to back a popular cause to distract from the new taxes and fees in the FY-2026 state budget, but was opposed by powerful Democrats on committees that first had to approve the bills to move them to the floor for a wider vote. Harris Teeter was the loudest advocate for the change during the administration of previous Governor Larry Hogan, but the campaign stalled when the pandemic hit, and liquor law changes became focused on assisting bars and restaurants by allowing take-out cocktails, for example. Safeway has joined Harris Teeter in the 2025 push for the bills. Yet neither major corporation has been able to influence enough Maryland Democrats to sign on to supermarket sales, and those same Democrats have yet to pay a price at the ballot box for their continued defiance of the popular will on the matter.

Rosetta Italian Bakery to open in Bethesda

Rosetta Italian Bakery is coming to downtown Bethesda. It will be located at 4901-A Fairmont Avenue, in the space vacated by Pitango Gelato last September. Rosetta, or michetta, is an Italian white bread roll often used for sandwiches. The bakery chain was founded in 2015 with the vision of becoming "an official ambassador of the Italian art of baking." Customers in the bakery's communal dining area will be able to watch bakers at work in the kitchen, with authentic ingredients imported fresh from Italy, through a large observation window.

The Rosetta menu includes focaccia, sandwiches on a variety of breads, pizza, desserts, and coffee. It also has seasonal holiday items for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter. The chain currently has locations in Florida, Georgia, New York, and New Jersey.

Two 2025 Bethesda trends are reflected in Rosetta's planned expansion here. First, an unusual number of bakery cafes have opened, or are opening in the near future, in downtown Bethesda. Rosetta will have one advantage, in that most of the competitors are French bakeries. Secondly, Rosetta has a partnership with the Best Buddies organization, like Max's Best Ice Cream, which will be opening about a block away from the bakery this summer. Construction on Rosetta Italian Bakery is expected to commence before the end of spring.