DESPITE DEATH OF

HOUSE BILLS,

OUTER BELTWAY

TAKES SEVERAL STEPS

FORWARD

Last week, I reported on the death of two bills in the Virginia House which would have required studies related to a future DC Outer Beltway.

Yet, as has been the style of Gov. Bob McDonnell and the Commonwealth Transportation Board, several even more dramatic steps toward the highway were quietly taken this week.

First, the Prince William Parkway, Fairfax County Parkway (which, like the Rockville Freeway on the Maryland side, was actually part of the original Outer Beltway), and Franconia-Springfield Parkway (Fairfax County) were all designated as "primary roads."

What does that mean? It means they are now eligible for Federal funding for maintenance and upgrades. And for Federal help if they decide to make them part of a future Outer Beltway.

Second, on Wednesday, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board approved the Battlefield Bypass through Manassas.

The Battlefield Bypass is another road which could become part of the Outer Beltway.

Predictably, Stewart Schwartz of the Coalition for Smarter Growth, is not pleased. But it's time that we stop allowing obstructionist groups to control the agenda, and build the long missing roads from our region's freeway system.

NEW CONCESSIONS

AT

BETHESDA ROW CINEMA

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

The concessions at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema have added many new items to an already-upscale menu.

Among the new offerings:

Crab pretzels

Chocolate or Candy-coated pretzels

Chicken tenders

Mozarella sticks

Egg rolls

Sweet potato tater tots

Curly fries

and

Pizza

Enjoy the finest in international cinema, with some decidedly All-American fare from the snack bar at Bethesda Row Cinema tonight!

AUTHOR! AUTHOR!

BLOCKBUSTER

BOOK FAIR

TODAY AT

BETHESDA LIBRARY

The Bethesda Library is starting to rival the Bethesda Row Barnes & Noble for author events and book signings. Perhaps the biggest event yet will be held this evening at 5 PM.

Andrea Cremer, author of the Nightshade series and a history professor at Macalester College, will discuss and sign "Bloodrose." The heroine of the series, Calla Tor, is destined to be the next "alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves." Translation: Something for the Twilight fan who has finished that series, and wants a less-helpless female protagonist than those novels offered.

Marie Lu will talk about her novel, "Legend." A dystopian novel of the future, it presents the story of a teenage boy being hunted down by a teenage "girl prodigy." She is also an artist, and has a pretty impressive portfolio linked from her website at http://www.MarieLu.org. Some of her art would be at home in video games, but a couple pieces recall Roger Dean. If this book thing doesn't work out, I may have to hire her to do a Yes-style cover for a future album. So anyway, I'm sure she'll be ready to talk about art, too.

Beth Revis has written two novels in her "Across the Universe" series, including the month-old sequel, "A Million Suns." Protagonist Amy was just trying to take a restful, 300-year nap aboard the Starship Godspeed. Oh, and she was frozen, too. But she is unfrozen early (hate when that happens!). Now, three months after her adventures in the first novel, the Godspeed is getting "more and more out of control." Amy has to deal with terrorists, a wanna-be starship captain, and - surprise - romance. What's a girl to do? By the way, no vampires or werewolves are involved!

Last but not least, is Jessica Spotswood, author of "Born Wicked: The Cahill Witch Chronicles, Book One." Spotswood is a local; she lives in Washington, D.C. Cate Cahill and her sisters are - you guessed it - witches. If this gets out, the book says, Cate could end up on a prison ship. So Cate has to be discrete, but she is also "too pretty for her own good." This means dealing with "shocking marriage proposals" and "forbidden romance." Beats being frozen!

Obviously, all of these books will find a most receptive audience among young women. But many of those women will likely catch the writing bug themselves. Tonight's event is a great opportunity for such aspiring authors to get advice from these successful writers, and book sales aside, it's free to get in.

McDonald's

SHAMROCK SHAKE

VIDEO REVIEW

The Shamrock Shake has returned to both Bethesda McDonald's. Here is my exclusive video review of the 2012 edition of this classic favorite:

http://youtu.be/2298hWihbQc

STUDY:

MARYLAND'S PROPOSED

OFFSHORE WIND FARM

VULNERABLE TO

HURRICANES

Maryland media missed an important study on offshore wind farms and hurricanes released this week.

The study - by engineers at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University - posits that offshore turbines, like those proposed to be built off the coast of Ocean City, are vulnerable to hurricanes of Category 3 and higher.

Computer simulations showed that high, sustained winds would tear off the massive turbine blades, and send them spinning through the air like massive shuriken. The towers supporting the propellers would be damaged and potentially collapse.

Ocean City lies between two of the "riskiest" areas to build offshore wind farms, according to the report - Atlantic City and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

I cannot recall state officials discussing the issue of hurricanes in public debates about the turbines. So I'm surprised that local and state media have not pursued this story.

Skeptics have already noted the threat to wildlife posed by the turbines, as well as the incredibly-inefficient power they generate.

I have opposed them for those reasons, and for the fact that - until these towers are built - the offshore view from Ocean City is the same today as it was when Native Americans ruled the land. Also, wind power creates fewer jobs than it destroys in fossil fuel industries (however, the effect is naturally-limited by the fact that wind can only create a small amount of electricity).

Finally, the sheer inefficiency of wind is a clue that it is not the energy source of the future. That source, I believe, has yet to be discovered.

Money going to wind power would be better spent on the search for that new energy, and on NASA. If America doesn't get to the vast resources surely available on other moons and planets, China and Russia will be glad to help themselves.

Just as we should not spend tax money on biofuels that raise the price of food on the world's poorest inhabitants, we should not jump to spend scarce revenue on power sources simply because they are the only ones immediately available.

The fuel of the future will be highly efficient, potentially infinite, and have little impact on the environment and the cost of living.

Why do we want to postpone the future for empty "achievements" today?

FORMER WALTER REED

PATIENT PROPOSES TO

GIRLFRIEND ON

VALENTINE'S EVE

Severely-wounded Afghanistan war hero, Marine Cpl. Juan Dominguez, was honored by his new hometown of Temecula, CA, yesterday. It was officially "Juan Dominguez Day" for this former patient at Bethesda's Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

But the night before, Cpl. Dominguez proposed marriage to his girlfriend, Alexis Gomez.

And she said... "Yes!"

Now you can help Cpl. Gomez by donating to the fund to build him a new home in Temecula to meet his special needs.

Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Foundation is leading effort to provide a "Smart Home" - to donate or for more information, call 718-987-1931.

HMSHost I-95 TRAVEL

PLAZA CHALLENGE

REBUKED BY MTA

Recent challenges to the Maryland Transportation Authority's decision, to allow Spanish subsidiary Areas USA to redesign and operate two I-95 travel plazas, were batted down yesterday.

The MTA rejected complaints about the bidding process from Bethesda-based HMSHost, and a joint bidder, Airport Plazas/Tichman Construction, yesterday.

While restating that Areas USA had the best bid, officials did not provide much detail about the main issue raised; complaintants believed they had been denied a fair chance to counter Areas' final offer.

A final vote will be cast February 22 by State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, Gov. Martin O'Malley and Comptroller Peter Franchot.

MICHELLE OBAMA

STYLE HITS

BETHESDA RACKS

FOR $39 AND UP TODAY

Ladies, still wanting that Doo.ri dress First Lady Michelle Obama put all over the front pages at last fall's state dinner, but don't have a White House budget?

Doo-ri Chung's Impulse line arrives today at Macy's in Westfield Montgomery Mall, right here in Bethesda.

You may not find that dress, but what you will find are the same trademark Doo.ri styling touches for only $39-$159.

Not in New York. Not even downtown in DC. In Bethesda, but for a limited time only.

TRAVEL TIP:

GET HOTEL DEALS

AND

MARRIOTT REWARDS POINTS

WHEN BOOKING WITH

ROOMKEY.COM

Bethesda-based Marriott International is one of several lodging giants to partner in new hotel-booking website RoomKey.com.

Room Key is operational, but still in beta, so you can be among the first to try it.

What is the advantage of booking via Room Key?

When you book a room at the Pooks Hill Bethesda Marriott, North Bethesda Marriott, or any other Marriott hotel, through Room Key, you'll get your Marriott Rewards Points. At other travel booking sites, you won't get those, only the deal itself.

Other partner brands include Hilton and Hyatt. So if you are planning a trip to Bethesda or Washington, D.C., you can book rooms at the Hyatt Bethesda, Hilton Garden Inn and Doubletree Bethesda with Room Key.

http://www.RoomKey.com

CUPCAKE BLVD.

TRUCK

SCHEDULED TO

DEBUT IN

BETHESDA TODAY

Today, new cupcake truck Cupcake Blvd. will make its very first stops in Montgomery County. The tentative place and time are at Bethesda Row, near Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues, around 1 PM.

But this being the first day, there could be changes. So stay tuned to @BethesdaRow and @CupcakeBlvd on Twitter. Cupcake Blvd. may stop in Silver Spring first.

Here are the flavors scheduled to be on board today:

LAVA FUDGE

OREO

KEY LIME

VA-VANILLA

NUTELLA

STRAWBERRY

If you try one, share your thoughts about it in the comments below.

Cupcake Blvd.'s debut is perfect timing for last-minute Valentine's Day cupcake gifts!

BETHESDA METRO

ELEVATORS

BACK IN BUDGET...

FOR NOW

Construction of new elevators at the Bethesda Metro Center has been in doubt since Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett excluded funding for them from his proposed CIP budget.

Yesterday, a county council committee restored the funding, which has the support of Council President Roger Berliner.

Now the issue will go to the full council.

The elevators, further south on Wisconsin Avenue from the existing Metro entrances, are planned to also provide access to the future Purple Line station under the road and Air Rights Building.

The Purple Line itself is currently unfunded, but continued escalator breakdowns at Bethesda have added a sense of urgency to the elevator project.

I expect that funding to be restored as well. But while we wait for the Purple Line, today's Red Line riders need a reliable and safe entrance.

These elevators would provide that. Failure to build them will continue to reduce Metro ridership while traffic is worse than ever in downtown Bethesda.

YOU'RE GUARANTEED

TO GET A

VALENTINE AT

BETHESDA ROW

TODAY

Romantic prospects bleak today? Come to Urban Chic today, and save 20% off on pink and red items.

Then head to the checkout. Take a Valentine that isn't half-hearted sentiments, but has a random discount inside, on items that aren't pink and red.

It turns out a Valentine for you is in the cards at Bethesda Row today!

VALENTINE'S DAY

IN

BETHESDA

The most romantic restaurants!

The best gifts!

Save money! Save relationships!

Trying to make last minute plans for Valentine's Day? You've come to the right place!

This list is for use by men and women, but ladies, here is some free advice: if you are having to make the Valentine's Day plans, you are definitely dating the wrong guy.

RESTAURANTS

While spontaneous and impulsive work sometimes, it would be pretty odd to not start Valentine's Day evening without dinner.

Nando's Peri-Peri_____

You already read about this on my blog two weeks ago, but it bears repeating: $39 gets you a full dinner for two, and a bottle of wine.

The Parva_____

Is Latin America the most romantic part of the world? I'm going to go ahead and say, "Yes!"

For a Valentine's trip to Latin America, The Parva offers Latin fusion cuisine in a Miami-inspired setting. Chef Andy traveled all over South America before creating these recipes, and sources his ingredients fresh daily from that continent.

His special Valentine's Menu will transport you and your date to Argentina, Peru, Colombia, to name a few. Just pick one item from each category:

APPETIZERS/SALADS

Arepa de queso (a Venezuelan classic!)

Patacon Wafers

Beef Empanadas (beef empanadas are a personal favorite of mine)

Caprese Salad

Dulce Sandia

Tropical Salad

ENTREES

Lomo Saltado (the only Lomo Saltado en Bethesda!)

Risotto de Quinoa (healthy choice; quinoa is a natural super food)

Pollo con Champinones

Passion Fruit Rose (I believe this is a salmon dish, if I recall correctly)

DESSERT

Tres Leches

Mousse de Mango

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Total: $35 each w/Moet & Chandon Imperial bottle, $30 without

To top it off, Trio Caliente will perform gypsy rumba, Latin jazz, Flamenco pop, bossa nova and salsa throughout the evening.

PLAZA DEL SOL_____

This unassuming new Mexican restaurant on St. Elmo Ave. is combining cuisine Mexicana con la musica romantica de Espana: Flamenco!

Guitarist Miguelito will be joined by dancers Sarah Louisa and Ginette for three performances: 7, 8 and 9 PM on Valentine's night.

The chef at Plaza del Sol is the former executive chef from Lauriol Plaza downtown.

AMERICAN TAP ROOM_____

Dancing torches and gas lamps out front lead you past the tinkling ivories of a live piano player, and into a warm dining room complete with crackling fireplace. Welcome to Bethesda Row's American Tap Room, and here is your Valentine's Day menu:

First off - if you are absolutely sure you are with the right person, order two Love Potion #9 cocktails, made with Ciroc vodka, Cruzan mango-flavored rum, Cointreau, Wild Cherry Juice, Lemon, White Cranberry Juice, and ginseng ($15).

Course 1: Lavender citrus tea Smoked Shrimp & Blue Corn Cake

Course 2: Grilled Snake River Kobe Beef

Course 3: Frozen Stout Souffle and Porter Gingerbread

Total: $100/couple with beer or cocktail pairing with each course, $75 w/o

$55/$41 for singles

MON AMI GABI_____

If Latin America is the most romantic region, is there any city more romantic than Paris? Save on airfare and dinner with their special Valentine's Day menu:

APPETIZER

Lobster Bisque avec Lobster Pomme Puree

or

Wild & Tamed Mushroom Tartine w/poached egg and chive aioli

ENTREE

Sauteed Sea Bass avec Crab Mashed Potatoes, Champagne butter sauce

DESSERT

Blood Orange and Coconut Sorbet

or

Red Velvet Cake

Other restaurants to try: Redwood, Jaleo, Black's Bar & Kitchen, Woodmont Grill, Grapeseed, Tragara

=================== GIFTS=====================

I won't insult your intelligence by gender-labeling gifts...

"THE BUM'S RUSH"

Okay guys, you blew it. You waited til the last minute for whatever reason, and time is running out. Let me save you from disaster with a one-stop solution: The special kiosks near Nordstrom on the Lower Level at Westfield Montgomery Mall!

The Dessert Affairs kiosk has special Valentine's cupcakes packaged for you. Then move over to a handy kiosk that sells both flowers and teddy bears.

As the mall spokesperson puts it so succinctly: "Sweets + Flowers + Cuddly Teddy Bear = Happy Lady!"

And, Happy Guy, because you stay out of the doghouse - for now.

"THE ROMANCE OF CLASSIC CINEMA"

By all means, take in The Vow if you must on Valentine's Night.

But for gift purposes, buy 2 tickets to the February 24 screening of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" - exactly the way lovers would have seen it in 1927!

At this special AFI Silver Theatre event, this masterpiece will be fully-restored with 25 minutes of new footage, and presented with the accompaniment of a full, live orchestra!!

This will be an unforgettable evening for that movie buff, modernist or futurist special someone in your life. $20.

http://www.AFI.com/Silver

"MY HEART IS AN OPEN BOOK"

At Barnes & Noble Bethesda Row:

"The Vow: The True Events that Inspired the Movie"

Obvious choice.

OR

"The Art of Captain America: First Avenger"

Incredible concept art from an incredible movie. Fantastic for fans of comics, vehicle design, things that go *boom* or the style and fashions of WWII America.

OR

Nook or Nook Color e-readers

Happy Valentine's Day from Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row!

TIRED OF WORDS WITH FRIENDS?

TRY WORDS WITH STRANGERS

TODAY AT BETHESDA LIBRARY

Ready to bring your word game skills to a real-life challenge?

Scrabble master Stefan Fatsis, author of Word Freak, will be at the Bethesda Library on Arlington Road this afternoon from 2-3:30 PM!

He'll talk about competitive Scrabble, and his book celebrating 10 years in print.

To top it off, Fatsis will challenge participants in Scrabble.

Can you beat the master?

Find out today at the library! The event is free.

VALENTINE'S DAY BASH

TONIGHT AT

UNION JACK'S BETHESDA

Ladies: Make Sure You Wear the Right Color!

Union Jack's Bethesda is hosting a Valentine's Day party tonight, and you're invited.

Enjoy customized cocktails and shooters, prizes and giveaways.

At 10 PM, the "area's best DJ" will be working the turntables. They don't say who that mystery DJ is, but he or she is going to have to live up to that billing. No pressure!

Finally, an important note for the ladies: If you are *single* -> wear black to the party. If you've already got a Valentine, wear red!

Union Jack's, 4915 St. Elmo Avenue 301-6-JACK-61

BETHESDA'S MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

TO OPEN

WORLD'S TALLEST HOTEL

IN 2012 -

BUT WHY NOT IN

BETHESDA?

Exciting news from Marriott International headquarters here in Bethesda. The company will have the world's tallest hotel when the J.W. Marriott Marquis Dubai opens its doors late in 2012.

1,164 feet tall, the hotel will be only 85 ft. shorter than the Empire State Building!

With 1608 rooms, 9 restaurants, 5 entertainment venues and lounges, 2 ballrooms, 24 meeting rooms, 16,000 sq. ft. Saray Spa, 7th floor pool deck with 32m pool and private cabanas, and convention capacity for up to 1,000 attendees... ...when can I make a reservation?

Restaurant choices include Prime 68 Steakhouse, Atul Kochar's Rang Mahal Indian restaurant (and restaurant name of the year!), Positano Italian restaurant, a to-be-named Arabic restaurant (this sounds the most interesting), and boulangerie La Farine, which Marriott promises will be a social "meeting spot."

With billions of business travelers within 5 flight hours of Dubai, there will be a lot of people to meet. And live music nightly.

The Marquis designation is rarely given by Marriott. In fact, the only other Marriott so branded is in Miami. It signifies "scale, grandeur and location."

They couldn't have picked a better place. Dubai may be the most impressive city in the world today in terms of architecture. It is one of the very few places in the world that has at least attempted to match design with our advanced year in time - 2012 A.D.

My only question is, why can't we do this in Bethesda? Certainly we have a shortage of hotel rooms in town.

Besides the oft-imitated Bethesda Row, there are very few impressive buildings in town. I would count the Gothamesque Capital One building, the Newlands Building, the Bethesda Metro Center buildings, and the various Nathan Landau properties among the successes downtown.

We shouldn't just be reaching for the sky in height, but in design and materials, as well. Give me steel and glass any day over these cookie-cutter, short colored-brick boxes. Brick is perfect for houses, but not for modern, urban architecture.

So many of the buildings now in development have boring designs, and are a waste of valuable land with their heights topping out far below what could and should be built.

I still oppose the urbanization of the parts of Bethesda outside the downtown. It's curious that developers and the politicians they get elected are intent on doing so. Urbanizing a suburban county, including building a city in the middle of the country (Science City), is the definition of sprawl. There seems to be an emphasis on the number of developments, rather than the "density" so often talked about.

Can't we do what a few in Bethesda - and many in Dubai - have done: push the design and height envelopes?

I'm looking forward to the new Westin Bethesda hotel, but it won't be a tower. It would be great if Marriott took the lead in its hometown, and gave us a J.W. Marriott Marquis Bethesda.

INSIDE THE NEW

BOINGO WI-FI

COMING TO

WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

So, what is this Boingo Wi-Fi that will soon be free to use at Westfield Montgomery Mall?

Here's an exclusive preview of how Boingo works.

First, you download the Boingo App to your laptop, Kindle Fire, Nook, iPhone or Android smartphone. Once you create a username and password, the Boingo App will automatically find the signal inside the mall, and connect your device. The next time you visit Montgomery Mall, the app will automatically log you in again.

In addition to surfing the net, you'll have access to Skype and the ability to send and receive large files, such as video.

The app will also facilitate display advertising, which potentially could allow the service to alert you to sales at nearby stores within the mall, or direct you to events taking place on the premises.

It's not clear whether or not Boingo makes use of cookies or other methods that would allow even more highly-targeted marketing. For example, if the software knew you shop online at Gap or Guess, it could alert you to a new pair of jeans that just arrived in the store at the mall. The marketing possibilities are endless.

Whatever the level of marketing, Boingo assures users that their information will not be shared with anyone.

What do you think? Will you make use of the free Wi-Fi at the mall? What do you think about the possibility of receiving targeted ads from mall retailers while using the service?

Feel free to leave your comments below, and don't forget to follow me on Twitter at @BethesdaRow!

BACKSTREET BOYS / 'NSYNC

MANAGER'S PONZI SCHEME

ROCKS BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION

FIRM IN USDOL LAWSUIT

U.S. Department of Labor Seeks Full

Amount of Lost 401(k) Plan Funds

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

The con-man convict who discovered Justin Timberlake has brought the long arm of the law down on a Bethesda construction company.

Dynasty Construction, headquartered at the legendary Westwood Center II right here in Bethesda (until it folded in 2007), was sued for $775,000 - plus all interest and associated costs - yesterday by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The suit, Solis v. Dynasty Construction, Inc., et al, concerns the 401(k) plan of Dynasty's 19 eligible former employees.

That $775,000, it seems, went *poof* around the time boy band/fake airline mogul Lou Pearlman's personal empire did the same.

The Labor Department accuses Dynasty owner John J. Barrett III of not "adequately or prudently research(ing) the credentials" of Pearlman's pension fund, which turned out to be a Ponzi scheme.

Pearlman is currently in the cooler serving a 25 year sentence. Before his trip to the slammer, he was best known as the flamboyant manager of the Backstreet Boys, 'NSYNC, LFO, O-Town and other groups.

He also starred in the reality show "Making the Band," which documented O-Town from auditions to its ultimate album release.

This case, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, could be the trial of the year for Bethesda. The reason I suggest that, is that many of Pearlman's victims claimed that opportunities to meet the Backstreet Boys or 'NSYNC were apparently enough to convince them to invest.

Did Barrett attend such events? Will Justin Timberlake be called to testify in the case? And the biggest question... why in the world would meeting the Backstreet Boys be enough to convince grown adults to sink colossal sums into an investment with no evidence the company even existed?!

Assistant Labor Secretary for Employee Benefits Security (try fitting that on your office door sign) Phyllis C. Borzi has heard enough. "These acts have jeopardized the retirement security of former Dynasty employees by those charged with the responsibility of protecting workers' benefits," she said yesterday. "The Labor Department will not stand for it, and we will take all actions necessary to make sure workers receive their hard-earned benefits."

No trial date has been announced, so stay tuned for details. In the meantime, if this story has you wondering about your own 401(k) plan's administration, you can report any concerns to the DOL's toll-free hotline: 866-444-3272.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter at @BethesdaRow for all you need to know about what's going on in Bethesda 24/7!

FREE WI-FI COMING TO

WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL

Bethesda Mall Patrons Will Also Have

Access to Skype, Verizon Services

Westfield Montgomery Mall will soon offer a new, free Wi-Fi Service to patrons, one of the first seven malls in the nation to do so after Westfield selected Boingo as its exclusive provider.

Once installed, mall customers will not only enjoy free Wi-Fi, but access to Boingo partner services such as Skype and Verizon.

The service benefits the mall's tenants as well. Boingo Wireless business development manager Joe DeStasio suggests that mall Wi-Fi users will be able to receive targeted marketing messages from stores that are just yards away.

New Wi-Fi is just part of Westfield's mall improvements underway this year. Also coming soon: a new 15-screen, upscale cineplex; a new food court; and a new, sheltered Transit Center.

All of this is great news for loyal Montgomery Mall shoppers, as they and mall operators are proving each day that the American indoor mall concept is alive and well in Bethesda.

OUTER BELTWAY BILL

FAILS IN VA HOUSE COMMITTEE

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Virginia House Bill HJ-131, which would have required the Virginia Department of Transportation to study a new Potomac River crossing, has failed in the House Rules Committee.

The bill was tabled on a voice vote.

While the bill, sponsored by Del. J. Randall Minchew was the most overt step towards a DC Outer Beltway in the current session, its failure so early is particularly surprising. Supposedly pro-highway Republicans currently control the House, and by extension, its committees.

Why, then, would they not have the votes to move the bill forward? A voice vote also means that the committee members did not have to go "on the record" individually, regarding their position on the issue.

An embarrassing failure to rise to the occasion on a highway critical to the economic future of the DC region, and an outcome one would expect from Annapolis, not Richmond. After all, it was just a study. What were they afraid of?

This means more time crawling across the American Legion and Woodrow Wilson bridges.

HJ-134, which would have studied the Bi-County and Tri-County Parkways (another Outer Beltway-related bill) was recommended to be tabled by a voice vote in a different subcommittee.

If this is the result in a "pro-highway," "pro-transportation" Virginia House, it's time to replace politicians to both sides of the Potomac River.

OUTHIP YOUR HIPSTER

FRIENDS AT THE

BCC SERVICES CENTER

THIS SUNDAY

Next time you're comparing notes with fellow "foodies" in the DC area, you'll be able to one-up them, if you follow my advice. Score bragging rights by heading to the Bethesda/Chevy Chase Regional Services Center (4805 Edgemoor Lane in downtown Bethesda) at 2:30 PM Sunday, for a special, FREE event.

After your friends tell you of their latest culinary adventures, you can amaze them with your new and vast knowledge of "Food and Drink in Medieval Cyprus." That's because you'll have attended the presentation of the same name by food historian William Woys Weaver, from 2:30 to 4:30 Sunday.

Just what sorts of food might one find in medieval Cyprus? Well, according to Weaver's previous tome, Food and Drink in Medieval Poland (I sense a theme here, folks), rare spices and sugar were two major ingredients in Cypriot cuisine. In fact, he writes, sugar came to us from Cyprus, who were introduced to it by the Egyptians.

Those eccentric spices? Labdanum, a resin thought to ward off the bubonic plague, and Monk's pepper, agnia seeds added to monastic dishes.

What else does Weaver tell us?

Forks came from Byzantium to Cyprus. Having taken a course in Byzantine history, this isn't surprising. For the uninitiated, Byzantium was the eastern half of the Roman Empire, and ultimately all that remained of it.

So while Europe in the Dark Ages was pretty much a backward continent of Conan and King Arthur types fighting, monks praying and peasants toiling, Byzantium was living large and benefitting intellectually, culturally and otherwise from its proximity to the Middle East and Asia.

Great books and art were preserved by the Byzantines, and they were able to pass this knowledge, culture, science, and... forks on to us.

And now Weaver will pass it on to you this Sunday, right here in downtown Bethesda.

NORTH BETHESDA

TO HAVE FIRST

iPic THEATERPLEX

ON EAST COAST

Federal Realty, developer of Bethesda Row, is bringing a 44,000 square foot, 8 screen iPic Entertainment theater to anchor its new Pike & Rose development at the Mid-Pike Plaza property.

What does this mean?

Upscale cuisine during the movies, and at a separate restaurant accessible to non-theatergoers, called Tansy.

A bar called Salt, with the first "Select and Serve" Wine Tower in Montgomery County.

All-reserved seating at the movies.

Unobstructed views upon micro-suede chairs complete with dining tables.

Premium seats add recliners, pillows and blankets (!!), and waiters to bring "chef-inspired creations" right to your seat.

iPic will compete most closely with the new, 15 screen cinemaplex coming soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall. That will have twice as many screens, new restaurants, but it is not known how its "bell-and-whistle" amenities will compare to those found at Pike & Rose.

Sounds like Regal Bethesda 10 will have to step up its game bigtime, as the iPic theater will be only a short Metro ride away, and Montgomery Mall is within easy driving distance.

The iPic theater will open in 2014.

BETHESDA RANKS #2 IN

PROJECTED JOB GROWTH

BY 2020, SAYS

U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Need a job? You've come to the right place! The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says that Bethesda will experience the second-highest rate of job creation in America between now and 2020. Washington, D.C. ranked first.

I'm guessing this is based on two fairly-solid projections: continuing growth of county, state and federal government, despite growing deficits; and what is apparently an ever-expanding theater of war, which will result in more defense spending. Firms such as Lockheed - headquartered right here in Bethesda - stand to benefit from such developments.

But, although I hate to burst the bubble on this lovely dream, this projection is overly-optimistic in my opinion.

First, there is no guarantee of continued big spending in Washington. President Obama is suggesting deep cuts in defense, and has already turned over spaceflight to the private sector. (And what a sad statement about America today, that space exploration is something many Republicans and Democrats now mock and laugh at. Such people have no clue about science or the universe. If you didn't sleep through Chemistry 101 in high school, you know that there clearly are new elements and fuel sources out there to be discovered. Do these folks realize what will happen if Russia or China find them first?)

Second, Montgomery County - without a 180 degree change in the structure of government, taxes and regulation, and completion of its transportation system - could never attract the number of public or private jobs claimed by this projection. Not one single large employer has relocated here in years.

Our roads are jammed with traffic, and business travelers have no easy access to Dulles Airport.

If Bethesda aspires to claim its rightful spot on this list, citizens and the BCC Chamber of Commerce need to take action to make this area more attractive to large employers. We need to retain industrial zones and office parks, not sell them to developers as the county council just did in the Betco plant debacle last fall. Where will future corporate headquarters go?

Finally, we need to build the Rockville Freeway and Outer Beltway if we are to even begin to handle the traffic we have today.

To be number 2, we have to try harder.

GREAT CAESAR'S GHOST!

MORE DOWNTOWN BETHESDA

PUBLIC PARKING TO CLOSE!

Sometime this month, the public lots across from Barnes and Noble at Bethesda Row are scheduled to close. This will cause a parking catastrophe. The only actions taken by the county to help have been to place a space-vacancy sign at the Bethesda Ave. garage, designate more spaces for Bethesda Row patrons within it, and suggest that the public park in distant garages/lots and take the Bethesda Circulator back to Bethesda Row.

Now we find out that an entire one of those lots is closing around February 15!! Forever!!!

Great Caesar's Ghost! Who is making these decisions?

Public Parking Lot 39 on Del Ray Avenue is being sold to a for-profit developer for mixed-use development. Now, that's all fine and dandy, but this is going from bad to worse.

And raising a lot of questions.

In my opinion, the imminent parking situation is going to have a far greater impact on visitors and businesses than we are being told.

The fact that the county owned all 3 parking facilities makes that reality unconscionable.

Why did the county council and Planning Board approve the sale of the Bethesda lots without first developing a real-world alternative parking plan?

Second, why would they time a third lot's sale, condemnation and redevelopment approval for precisely the month in which we are to lose the other two lots?

If the BCC Chamber of Commerce has said something about this, it certainly wasn't very loud.

I think residents, patrons, and business owners and employees in downtown Bethesda deserve better.

COUPLE'S ROMANTIC

AFFAIR LEADS TO

$1 BILLION LAWSUIT BY

BETHESDA CONTRACTOR

Downtown Bethesda Firm Alleges

Improper Relationship Cost Them

Longtime FAA Contract

A forbidden romance. Corporate espionage. A showdown in D.C. Superior Court.

Is this a movie coming to cineplexes this weekend?

No! It's a true story centering around a downtown Bethesda company(!!).

Washington Consulting Group, headquartered at 4915 Auburn Avenue right here in Bethesda, is an aviation contractor that once held a valuable Federal Aviation Administration contract. Until a romantically-involved couple at defense giant Raytheon and the FAA (respectively) caused them to lose it, WCG alleges in a $1 billion lawsuit.

The upshot of the story is this:

FAA employee Charles Keegan began a romantic relationship with a subordinate, Maureen Knopes. Keegan left the FAA for a job at Raytheon. Knopes used her position to steer a lucrative air traffic controller training contract - previously WCG's for twenty years - to Raytheon. All of this is alleged in WCG's lawsuit, Washington Consulting Group, Inc. v. Raytheon Technical Services Co., LLC.

On Monday, the DC Superior Court judge ordered Keegan to pay some of WCG's legal fees, because he had failed to turn over a Raytheon letter of reprimand which referred to the affair. But WCG has not yet been able to prevail in its quest for $1 billion in damages.

$1 billion!

And you thought Valentine's Day could get expensive...

BEER UNIVERSITY

IN SESSION TONIGHT

AT

ROCK BOTTOM BETHESDA

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Attention beer aficionados and homebrew novices: Brewmaster Geoff Lively will be holding a special event tonight at Rock Bottom Bethesda from 7-8 PM, "Secrets of Cask Conditioning."

Cask conditioning, in technical terms, refers to unfiltered, unpasteurized beer conditioned in - and served from - a cask.

This your chance to learn all the secrets of how it's done, and have your questions answered by an expert. And because it's Rock Bottom, I suspect you'll be drinking beer at some point in the evening.

The event is FREE! Rock Bottom is right on the corner at Norfolk and St. Elmo Avenues in downtown Bethesda.

PRAISE FOR METRO,

DC STREETCARS

FROM

CANADA, EH

You think you've got it bad! Metro is in serious trouble. Endless track work will continue indefinitely, yet all the work done so far has yielded no tangible or quantifiable benefit discernable to riders. Stations will be closed again on weekends. Riders are returning to cars in droves, even as ridership rises in other cities.

Metro's solution? Charge more than it costs most people to drive for a daily round trip. That should win people over!

I still love our Metro system and its distinctive architecture. It is actually a real subway inside most of DC, which has become a lost art in transit. When did planners suddenly decide that underground subways were obsolete? They allow convenient routing through developed areas without demolitions, offer optimal station placement, travel faster than light rail, create no mess of wires and equipment on urban streets, and are protected from bad weather.

The fact is that developer-beholden politicians don't want to spend subway money, even as they want to facilitate transit-oriented-development everywhere possible. This is how you end up with BRT and light rail. And a Metro Silver Line with no parking for actual human beings who might use it.

So it's not surprising to hear negative reactions to a new subway proposed in Toronto. But you might be surprised to hear praise from Canada for the DC area's rail transit system.

A gent named Peter Witt responded to a comment section debate on a Toronto website with this advice:

"Try visiting Washington, D.C., a metro region the size of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) where they are BUILDING FIVE STREETCAR LINES IN A CITY WHOSE SUBWAY SYSTEM KICKS THE TTC'S (Toronto Subway's) (fill in the blank). Aargh."

Sounds like things could be worse. While advocating for completion of our highway and transit system, sometimes you have to stop and marvel at our Metro system and Capital Beltway: impressive achievements that apparently could not be built today.

VIRGINIA HOUSE

RULES COMMITTEE

TO RECEIVE

NEW POTOMAC RIVER

CROSSING STUDY BILL

TODAY

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Del. J. Randall Minchew's bill requiring a Virginia Department of Transportation study of extending Route 28 into Montgomery County, MD, advances in Richmond today.

House Bill HJR-131 was approved by a House subcommittee last Thursday, and arrives at the full House Rules Committee this afternoon at 4:00 PM.

A defacto step towards completion of a DC Outer Beltway, the bill also mandates that the state request Interstate status for Route 28. Although the logical connection today would be Sam Eig Highway (I-370) on the Maryland side, it is interesting to note that Route 28 was originally destined to connect with the never-built Rockville Freeway near Riverbend Park, via a six-lane Outer Beltway atop a dam.

Minchew's bill passed the House Rules Studies Subcommittee by a 4-1 vote last Thursday. Del. Kenneth Alexander (D - District 89) cast the lone dissenting vote. Opposition is strong among environmentalists and a faction of developers who profit from traffic gridlock via "smart" growth policies.

But the growing support for new Potomac River crossings reflects the acceptance of reality: cars aren't going away, and will only get cleaner. And while developers and the politicians they get elected claim they're building to serve the young, the elderly, and young families "seeking vibrant urban lifestyles and walkable communities," data shows the opposite. With the exception of the District itself, those demographics are fleeing the inner suburbs for Loudoun, Stafford, Frederick, Carroll and Washington counties.

In addition to the Rockville Freeway, M-83 Midcounty Highway Extended, and the completion of I-70 to I-170 and I-95 in Baltimore, new Potomac River crossings remain essential missing pieces in our region's transportation system.

For the sake of jobs, and quality of life, let's hope the committee approves this bill and advances it to the next step in the process today.

BETHESDA'S

WOUNDED WARRIORS

ENJOY SPECIAL

SUPER BOWL PARTY

The U.S. Department of Defense has released details of a special Super Bowl party held for wounded servicemembers and their families here at Bethesda's Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Celebrity guests included Jon Voight, famed Washington Redskins Roy Jefferson and Carlton Kammerer, and the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders.

Pulled pork, chicken, Buffalo wings, pizza and nachos were among the fare served, according to the Defense Department.

Defense.gov noted this was the largest event held at Walter Reed since it moved to Bethesda's Naval Medical Center site in 2011.

"OOPS:"

ANOTHER COMPANY

LEAVES

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Before dropping out of the presidential race, Texas Gov. Rick Perry was fond of reminding people that vast numbers of Americans and American companies have fled high-tax, high-regulation, low-highway infrastructure states for the welcoming boomtowns of his home state.

Hangar Orthopedics, which sells medical prosthetics and orthotics, has now moved from right here in Bethesda to Austin, Texas.

Matt Crawford told the Austin American Statesman that manufacturers of medical equipment prize the vast number of engineers they can hire away from established Texas semiconductor industries, among more obvious factors in relocating.

Here in Montgomery County, rather than develop high-wage industrial and manufacturing jobs, our industrial zones are being sold to developers. In turn, they build "town centers," which primarily generate low-wage service jobs. Frankly, we are going backwards economically as other neighboring jurisdictions capture all of the good jobs. We need a fundamentally different approach, and to complete our highway system, if we are to move from the 1990s into the 21st century in terms of our economic profile and diversification.

NEW CUPCAKE TRUCK

TO DEBUT NEXT WEEK

IN BETHESDA

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Yet another player is entering the high stakes world of cupcakes in the DC area next week.

Introducing...

CUPCAKE BLVD.

Cupcake Blvd. is a mobile food truck that will dispense America's new favorite frosted confection in Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties. Set to launch on Valentine's Day, Cupcake Blvd. is expected to make its Bethesda debut soon afterward.

Angelette Aviles is the baker/froster/artist/mastermind behind Cupcake Blvd. She recently moved back to Maryland from Florida, but grew up right here in Montgomery County.

What sets Cupcake Blvd. apart, among other things, is the unique assortment of flavors, including "21+" cupcakes based on popular cocktails (Margarita, Mojito, Pina Colada, Mimosa, Strawberries N Champagne) and sabor Latino (Dulce del Leche, Guava y Cream Cheese, Tres Leches).

Some other flavors I want to try are The Elvis, Cotton Candy, Peanut Butter Cup, PB&J, and Egg Nog.

Aviles wants Cupcake Blvd. to be "an alternative to the 'ice cream man' who drives through the parks and neighborhoods." In addition to the truck, you will be able to place custom orders for delivery from Aviles' Crofton bakery. Best of all, that delivery is FREE in Montgomery County. Minimum order will be 12 cupcakes.

Cupcake Blvd. will take credit card payment on orders over $15.

But first the truck has to get rolling. It has passed the Montgomery County Health Department inspection, and the hope is that it will hit the road next week.

Stay tuned for updates, and follow @BethesdaRow on Twitter to find out when Cupcake Blvd. makes its first Bethesda appearance!

SUPER BOWL

SUNDAY IN

BETHESDA

Supersize your Super Bowl Sunday with this guide to the super events other laundry lists aren't telling you about. With this guide, you'll have more moves than Joe Namath on Super Bowl Sunday.

BETHESDA CENTRAL FARM MARKET

"A farmers market on Super Bowl Sunday?! What are you, some kind of wise guy?" In fact, I am a guy, and I am wise to direct you to the Elm Street parking lot until 12:30 PM today for Super Bowl party shopping.

"What do you think, I'm gonna eat a salad during the Super Bowl?" Well, why don't you just examine the Super Bowl spread you can put out from BCFM tonight:

Steak

Ribs

Sausages

Salami

Angus Burgers

Farmstead cheese to melt on the burgers!

Sun-dried feta, lemon pepper and pecorino dip

Red pepper, walnut and tahini dip

Spinach and white bean dip

Betty's Chips and Salsa

Belgian waffles and chocolate for dessert

AMERICAN TAP ROOM

Head to American Tap Room at Bethesda Row where every seat is the best seat in the house with all of the flatscreen TVs throughout the restaurant and bar.

But wait! It's no ordinary game day at ATR. They have a special menu, which starts with $4 drafts of Brooklyn Brewery for Giants fans, and $4 Samuel Adams for Patriots fans.

1 dozen Beer-steamed spiced shrimp $12

Basket of Tabasco onion rings $5

3 ATR Burger Sliders with cheddar cheese, pickle, onion and Special Sauce $6

And my personal favorite:

2 all-beef Hot Dogs with housemade chili, cheddar cheese and onions $6

Don't forget, they also have the best Brownie Sundae in town!

THE PARVA

This is the first Super Bowl Sunday ever at The Parva!

$2 Domestic, $3 Imported beers

$4 Parva drinks and Appetizers

Free shooters throughout the game!

Buy one, get one FREE bottle specials!

The party starts at 1PM at The Parva.

RI-RA

Want a package deal? Head to Ri-Ra on Elm Street. For $20, you will receive 2 domestic beers, and all of the hot dogs, nachos and wings you can eat - all night long!

For the purist, there will be $4 pints of Guinness available.

WEAR IT WELL

Last, but not least, I haven't forgotten about the ladies out there who couldn't care less about football (there are still a few out there).

All day today at Wear it Well on Bethesda Ave. at Bethesda Row, you will receive a surprise discount at check-out!

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday, and make sure to follow me on Twitter at @BethesdaRow to find out all the inside information about what's going on in downtown Bethesda!

SCORCH

HEATS UP

THE PARVA

TONIGHT

The Parva Lounge and Restaurant keeps getting better and better. A new menu. A dining room upgrade. And new event nights you can't find anywhere else in Bethesda.

A brand new event - Scorch - launches tonight, and you can be part of the debut from 7 PM - 1:30 AM.

You can get 2 for 1 drinks between 7 and 9, and 50% off Parva appetizers until 10.

But wait, there's more!

Open Bar between 9 and 10 PM!! Where else in town can you find an open bar with no cover charge?! Only at the Parva!

If you really want to go all out, call Chris ASAP at 240-423-9456 to arrange table service. Free bottle of champagne for a birthday table, and free shooters.

Don't forget the music: DJ Ghost will be providing the South Beach vibe for the Parva's Miami-inspired lounge, with Soca, Dancehall, Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, Merengue, Hip-hop, Reggae... Try to find a playlist like that anywhere else tonight; it can't be done!

So come on upstairs to the Parva Lounge tonight, for fabulous food and drinks at the home of the Colombian Mojito!

21 and up. "Dress to impress." 7904 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda

OUTER BELTWAY

STUDY ADVANCES

IN

VIRGINIA HOUSE

Virginia House Bill HJR-131 has been approved by the House Rules Studies Subcommittee. The bill, sponsored by Del. J. Randall Minchew (R-District 10), mandates a Virginia Department of Transportation study of a new Potomac River crossing into Montgomery County. It would also explore a request for inclusion of Route 28 as part of the federal interstate system.

The bill now goes to the full House Rules Committee.

One small step for man; one giant leap for DC area drivers.

PUPPY BOWL VIII

When dozens of four-legged football players take the field this Sunday, they won't be representing New York or Boston.

Super Bowl Sunday is also Puppy Bowl Sunday. While the 2012 Puppy Bowl is played in New York, let's not forget that this gridiron tradition got its start in Bethesda!

That's right, the original Puppy Bowl stadium was in a production studio right here in Bethesda, and many bowls were played there.

Just remember that this Sunday, when your dog changes the channel to Animal Planet.

A football legacy that began in Bethesda, Maryland.

MARYLAND GROUNDHOG

IS

BETTER THAN PHIL

Exclusive Video

Today is Groundhog Day. But while attention is turned to overhyped groundhog Phil in Pennsylvania, Maryland has its own groundhog in Hagerstown.

This groundhog is surviving amidst the suburban environment all around him. Unlike Phil, he doesn't have to be dragged out of his hole. The Hagerstown groundhog is quite capable of popping up out of his hole all by himself. And disappearing back into it, as you will see later in the video.

I was standing on top of the steep hill at a hotel on Dual Highway, and this little guy ran up the drain and leapt into his hole. But he saw me with the camera, and slowly raised himself out of the hole. This video begins at that moment. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

http://youtu.be/HI7BBjJ7xsI

BETHESDA

FOOD TRUCK

SURVEY

Bethesda food truck fans will want to fill out this one-question survey from the Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, a.k.a. the Montgomery County Government.

By showing your support for food trucks, hopefully we can one day have the great variety of purveyors found during the lunch hour in downtown Washington right here in Bethesda.

One of the possible answers in the survey suggests that tougher food truck regulations could be coming from the county government, if a majority of the respondents are opposed to the status quo. That's why it's important to take 10 seconds and respond positively to food trucks in the survey. And to forward this to fellow food truck fanatics you know, so everyone can be heard.

Of course, food trucks' presence can be considered unfair by restaurant owners who pay the fees and taxes that help Bethesda Urban Partnership keep downtown Bethesda in such good shape. They've got a good point, and every significant issue in life is usually resolved through compromise.

So the poll is not about choosing one side or the other. It's merely a vote to favor more choices and free enterprise; the finer points will be resolved as we go forward.

Brick and mortar restaurants have advantages, too. Climate control. You can have a drink at the bar if there's a wait. Food trucks can't serve liquor, beer or wine at all! Ultimately, price, food quality, variety, customer service and atmosphere can trump a food truck. That's where competition and free enterprise make all of the competitors stronger.

Moreover, food trucks have had a positive effect on cuisine in Bethesda's restaurants. Two years ago, there weren't any lobster rolls in downtown Bethesda. After the popular Red Hook Lobster Truck came to Bethesda, there are at least half-a-dozen restaurants that serve lobster rolls in town. (They'll be here for lunch today, in fact!)

Go Fish Truck (Crab Melt!), Curbside Cupcakes, Cravin Cookies (Brownies!), Corned Beef King (Corned Beef Hash!), Toasted Truck, Sub Urban Bros. (Meatball sub!)... all have been to Bethesda. Let's keep them coming back, and maintain or improve conditions that will tempt some of the popular DC trucks to finally cross the border.

So, feel free to post your ideas and arguments for or against food trucks here, but make sure you get heard in this survey, because the results may impact future decision-making by the county.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

REBECCA RACUSIN

RETURNS TO BETHESDA

Concert to Feature Mendelssohn,

Beethoven, and Rachmaninov

Violinist Rebecca Racusin returns to Bethesda Friday night at 8 PM for another concert at an intimate venue - a private home in West Bethesda.

Catch a rising star before you have to pay the big bucks for tickets that won't seat you anywhere near this close to the performance.

She will be joined by Jessica Sammis on cello and pianist Jessica Stitt for a program of Mendelssohn, Beethoven, and Rachmaninov.

For directions and to RSVP via email in order to attend, click here.

Can I give you a restaurant recommendation, if you want to make an evening of it?

French restaurant Praline and The Irish Inn at Glen Echo are nearby.

AMTRAK ACELA

IS THE

SMARTER CHOICE

BETWEEN DC & NYC

Yesterday's USA Today Money section had a front page article that again demonstrated the advantages of train travel from Washington, D.C. to New York City.

High-speed rail is the long term solution to air traffic congestion around New York. But we have a good alternative for now with Amtrak's Acela, a high-speed train slowed by a track configuration not designed for the larger curve radii high-speed trains need.

New York's airports are near the bottom in on-time performance.

Meanwhile, Acela averages 84% on-time performance according to a December 2011 report by the United Rail Passenger Alliance. Compare that to Liberty Airport, with a 66% on-time arrival rate.

While the article describes air delays in terms of hours, Acela travels from DC to New York in 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Beyond that, while both have obstacles to reaching perfect performance, consider that planes idling on tarmacs are burning exhaust. Even during its worst delay, the Acela is powered by electricity, with a far lower environmental impact.

Even today, rail travel to New York beats air travel hands down.

BETHESDA'S HMSHost

CHALLENGES MARYLAND'S

CHOICE OF SPANISH FIRM

TO MANAGE I-95

TRAVEL PLAZAS

Bethesda-based hospitality management firm HMSHost is challenging the State of Maryland's decision to select Spanish subsidiary Areas USA to rebuild and operate two I-95 travel plazas.

By all accounts, HMSHost was not given equal negotiating opportunity to compete with a final, amended bid by Areas.

I have seen some of the proposed redesigns for the new facilities and they are promising. Areas brings a good track record and some interesting possible tenants for restaurant space in the Maryland and Chesapeake House plazas.

So I certainly don't have a problem with Areas coming to Maryland. It could be a great partnership with the state.

I don't have a problem with the state getting the best deal for the taxpayer; that is the job of our elected officials.

What I do have a problem with is the apparently unfair process. Only by fueling competition can one get the best deal. So if only one bidder is negotiating, the state clearly is going to pay more. With HMS at the table, the state could have still chosen Areas, but Areas would have had to sweeten its deal, in response to an almost-certainly sweetened offer from HMS.

To not take negotiations to their logical conclusion, state officials cannot credibly tell taxpayers they indeed have the best possible deal.

It's also troubling that Maryland would snub a company that has its international headquarters in Maryland(!!). And employs Marylanders right here in Bethesda.

Because of my great interest in interstate highways, I am familiar with HMSHost's rest stop operations around the country, and have always had a favorable impression. There's always room for improvement. And that's where competition comes in. Want the contract? Provide superior service at the lowest price.

If elected officials are going to talk a good game about jobs and efficient government spending, they'd better back it up with transparent negotiations. And not by excluding companies that pay heavy taxes in Montgomery County and Maryland.

We've witnessed the county council's attempts to drive out Lockheed Martin a few months back. Having contentious relationships with the few large firms willing to accept the pain of headquartering in Montgomery County is no way to run a railroad.

Or a travel plaza.

OUTER BELTWAY

ADVANCES IN

VIRGINIA HOUSE

2 Potomac River Crossing Bills Go Before

Subcommittee in Richmond Thursday

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

The Twelve Days of Christmas aren't over yet for supporters of the long-delayed Washington D.C. Outer Beltway. Tomorrow morning in Richmond, two Outer Beltway-related bills will be put in the hands of a Virginia House Rules Subcommittee on Studies. And, no, I didn't make up the name of that body.

The most exciting of the two bills is written by Republican J. Randall Minchew (District 10). House Bill HJ-131 calls for a VDOT study of the potential "extension of Virginia Route 28 across the Potomac River into Maryland and the inclusion of Virginia Route 28 in the Interstate Highway System."

To understand this, Herman, set the Wayback Machine for when the northern arc of the Outer Beltway consisted of two parts: Route 28 and what is today known as the Fairfax County Parkway on the Virginia side of the Potomac, and the Rockville Freeway on the Maryland side. The two highways were to be joined by a bridge on top of a (never-constructed) dam near Riverbend Park.

Wealthy downcounty residents in Montgomery predictably howled, and the Outer Beltway was moved north to Gaithersburg's "backyard." This left a right-of-way then designated as the Rockville Facility or Rockville Freeway. Similar NIMBYs and politicians killed the freeway, which would have connected Falls Road with the ICC near Indian Spring Country Club.

Regular readers of this blog are quite familiar with the Rockville Freeway. I believe this missing highway is a critical link between exploding growth centers in White Flint, Burtonsville, White Oak and Columbia. That is why I continue to advocate for its construction to be included in the master plan, so it will be eligible for federal funds.

The problem is, the Maryland political establishment does not have any desire to end the gridlock - and lack of Dulles Airport access - that scares away so many large employers from relocating to Montgomery County.

They never built anything, until Gov. Bob Ehrlich got the ICC launched.

But Virginia quietly kept at it. Over the years, they've slowly worked to upgrade Route 28 and the FCP to interstate standards.

Last year, the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board advanced the Tri-County Parkway as a "corridor of statewide significance." The CTB and Gov. Bob McDonnell have done a simply magnificent job of moving the Virginia pieces of the Outer Beltway forward. It is the responsible thing to do given that Loudoun County has grown by 80% over the last decade.

That corridor, which is a more westward alignment for an Outer Beltway, is the subject of the second bill, HJ-134. That bill calls for a study of the "economic impact" of that "corridor of statewide significance."

Ultimately, over the next century, there are as many as five new Potomac crossings worth studying: The I-266 Three Sisters Bridge by Georgetown University, the Arizona Avenue Bridge, Route 28 and/or the Tri-County Parkway (only one of those is likely to be funded), and the long-discussed Western Bypass bridge near Point of Rocks.

Someday, growth will require that all of these bridges be built. New Urbanism - when done right, such as Bethesda Row - will continue to flourish inside the Beltway, and we have to complete our Metro system. But those who can't afford $800,000 condos and $2,000,000 McMansions will continue to flee to Fredericksburg, Loudoun, Frederick, Hagerstown and Westminster. Those populations will have to be served by highways or long-distance commuter trains. They seek single family homes, backyard cookouts, suburban parks, and lower taxes. That lifestyle is simply not available to them at an affordable price in the D.C. area.

More politicians are coming on board. None is more significant than Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who endorsed a new Potomac crossing last year. Warner brings nearly unlimited personal wealth, popularity, business connections, and inside-the-Beltway cocktail crowd respect. When Warner speaks, people listen, and wallets open.

Remember, these new roads and bridges won't just carry cars, but new Metro lines and bicycle paths, as well.

New obstacles to completion of the Metropolitan Branch bike trail in Montgomery County show that it's not just highway plans that fall victim to misguided notions.

The future of transportation is multimodal. Virginia gets that, and tomorrow is an exciting day for everyone else in our region who believes that, too.