State begins sale of medical marijuana
Medical marijuana went on sale in Maryland for the first time Friday, marking the start of a long-awaited market that state legislators created in a 2013 law. Among the first stores to begin selling marijuana was Potomac Holistics in Montgomery County. The marijuana is available for patients with conditions diagnosed by doctors that can “reasonably be expected to be relieved” by marijuana. [Baltimore Sun]
EagleBank shares drop in price after chairman and others accused of deceptive investments
Shares in Bethesda-based Eagle Bancorp Inc. dropped more than 24 percent late Friday after Aurelius Value published a report alleging the bank’s chairman, Ron Paul, offered loans and credit lines to companies and projects he was provided with an ownership stake in. The Aurelius report includes a “laundry list” of what the investment research firm alleges are questionable loans the bank provided. In a letter to customers Monday, Paul wrote that the report was based on “false and misleading statements.” [Washington Business Journal]
Maryland issued nearly 600 fraudulent and questionable driver’s licenses
Many of the IDs were issued between 2014 and April 2017 to the wrong people using verification numbers intended for undocumented immigrants and others who provide evidence to the state comptroller’s office that they’ve filed state tax returns the two previous years. [Washington Post]
Hogan remains popular in Democratic poll
A poll of 600 Marylanders conducted by a Democratic firm in mid-November for Our Maryland found that 57 percent of respondents had a favorable view of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and only 20 percent viewed him unfavorably. However, less than half of the respondents said they would definitely vote to re-elect him. [Maryland Matters]
Roadhouse Oldies closing after more than 40 years in Silver Spring
The downtown Silver Spring vinyl records, CDs and DVDs store will shut down after the Christmas season, according to owner Alan Lee. Lee said the store is closing because customers have largely stopped buying the products the store sells. [Source of the Spring]
Four area farms to offer cut-your-own Christmas tree this year
These farms in Mt. Airy, Poolesville, Buckeystown and Dickerson enable customers to pick and cut down their own Christmas trees: [MyMCMedia]
Partly sunny Monday
The National Weather Service expects a partly sunny Monday with a high near 54 degrees and a nighttime low around 43.
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