Maryland retailers lose ground in battle for direct wine shipping Maryland retailers took a step backward in their fight to ship wine directly to customers after the House of Delegates’ alcoholic beverages subcommittee said this week only state wineries should be allowed to send wine through the mail.
The decision means the only realistic chance retailers have now to obtain shipping rights is if the Senate decides to include them in its bill, to be voted on later this week. It also means pleas heard this month from Maryland’s Jewish community for access to more kosher wines via mail failed to persuade lawmakers.
The direct shipping of wine has long been a cause celebre for Maryland’s winery industry. This is the first year the proposal has stood a chance against strong opposition from beverage distributors. Retailers tried to attach themselves to the legislation along the way, broadening both the scope of the direct wine shipping measure and the battle over it.
Dulles-Tokyo flights unaffected by tsunami
Neither of the two airlines that fly to Tokyo from Washington Dulles International Airport is scaling back service, even as Delta Airlines said Tuesday it would reduce flights to Japan because of a drop in demand.
United Continental and All Nippon Airways both operate once-daily flights from Dulles to Tokyo. Both will continue the service uninterrupted.
Virginia Commerce Bank raising $2.5m from director
Arlington-based Virginia Commerce Bancorp Inc. is selling $2.5 million worth of stock and warrants to Ken Lehman, who has been on the bank’s board of directors since 2009.
Under the deal, Lehman will buy 426,000 shares of common stock, as well as warrants to purchase another 426,000 shares, for $5.87 per share, according to a Tuesday securities filing. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the month.
Lehman, who makes a living investing in community banks, owned 108,575 shares of Virginia Commerce as of March 10, or 0.37 percent of shares outstanding.
