Beyond MoCo

Malai, a New York City-based ice cream shop, is coming to DC. The shop “brings a taste of India in every bite and every cone, through its spice forward flavors, and its creamy textures. We are inspired by the traditions, culture, and heritage that India brings, and we show that through our products, hospitality and design.” The store will be off of the 14th street corridor, according to Eater DC, but an exact address is not yet available.

According to the shop, “Malai, figuratively meaning cream of the crop, draws inspiration from South Asian ingredients, aromatic spices, and our founder’s upbringing. Our ice cream is all eggless, handcrafted, and churned with very little air, resulting in purer, more robust flavors, as well as the creamiest textures you can find. Malai’s unique desserts have been giving our customers joy since 2015.”


Education

There are 182 public high schools in Maryland with an approximate average of 1,030 students per school. All of the 20 largest schools when it comes to enrollment have at least double the average. Full list below using data prior to the start of the 2023/2024 school year (Montgomery County high schools in bold):

20. Broadneck High School (Anne Arundel County): 2,203 students


Montgomery Parks

Montgomery Parks warned of snakes including copperheads, after a resident spotted a copperhead on Lake Needwood trail (east side, north of the boathouse). Their message can be seen below:

“Look out for snakes, including copperheads at this time of year! This is their breeding season and the time they take advantage of heat-gathering hard surfaces to regulate their body temperature.


Rockville

The City of Rockville’s Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and Councilmember Beryl L. Feinberg will be celebrated at a reception prior to their last Mayor and Council meeting from 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 30 at Rockville City Hall to thank them for their years of service

More on Bridget Newton, per the City of Rockville: The City of Rockville is the third largest city in Maryland and the county seat for Montgomery County. Serving as Mayor since 2013, Bridget Donnell Newton is a 38-year resident of the city and calls Rockville “a small town in a big city.” Newton currently serves as the council liaison to the Recreation and Park Advisory Board and Rockville Seniors, Inc., and sits on the board of directors for the Maryland Municipal League, Rockville Economic Development, Inc., the Washington Metropolitan Area Council of Governments and the National Capital Regional Transportation Planning Board.


Entertainment

Who’s ready to savor, sip and celebrate 🎉🍔 Join us THIS Sunday, October 15 for Rio’s first annual Taste of rio, a foodie extravaganza from 2 – 6 pm, with The MoCoShow’s own Mr. MoCo emceeing part of the event. “Indulge in yummy bites from your favorite rio restaurants, groove to live music, and sip on craft cocktails by the lakeside—it’s a feast you won’t want to miss!” Participating merchants:

SOLD OUT: Taste of Rio VIP Exclusive Experience – limited availability!


East County

Last year we let you know that developers Bernstein Management and Finmarc Management pulled the first permits that will allow for construction to begin on the upcoming White Oak Town Center (12345 Columbia Pike). Now, five tenants have signed on for the upcoming shopping center. The previously reported European Wax Center, Jersey Mike’s, and Inspire Nail Bar are all still slated for the shopping center. They will be joined by Starbucks and Oak Barrel & Vine– a county-owned and operated liquor store that features tasting rooms and beer on tap.

White Oak Town Center also has plans to include at least one larger full-service restaurant, a cell phone store, a grocery store, and more. In February 2022, BizJournals reported that “Amazon has reached a deal to open a new supermarket at a long-planned Silver Spring redevelopment fewer than three miles from the Food and Drug Administration’s campus”, referring to White Oak Town Center. “The team behind the White Oak Town Center has swapped a 41,000-square-foot Amazon-branded market, likely an Amazon Fresh, in for what had been a roughly 16,000-square-foot Trader Joe’s.” Amazon Fresh is no longer in the plans as the company has moved away from opening new grocery stores and the grocery tenant space is still available.


Montgomery Parks

The Director of Montgomery Parks, Mike Riley, has announced he will retire at the end of the year after completing 38 years of service with The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). Riley was hired in 1985 as a staff civil engineer charged with designing and building parks and subsequently served as Chief Engineer, Park Development Division Chief, Deputy Director of Administration, and Director of Parks since 2014.

“I truly believe I have held the best job in all of local government,” said Riley. “The Department of Parks attracts highly talented and dedicated staff who provide open space, recreational facilities, trails, and programs that make Montgomery County a great place to live, work, and play. All I have to do for job satisfaction is visit our parks and watch the many ways they are enjoyed by county residents.” During his career, Riley is most proud of his role in:


Chevy Chase

The Chevy Chase Land Company has announced that a Porsche Studio will soon be coming to The Collection Chevy Chase. The Porsche Studio Chevy Chase is the “urban expression of Destination Porsche.”

According to The Chevy Chase Land Company, the concept will be owned and operated by Sonic Automotive, the owner of Porsche Bethesda. An inspirational retail format that provides hospitality, brand, product, and community offerings to the Chevy Chase market. Designed with local character, attractive beyond-car experiences and state-of-the-art touchpoint experiences that provide opportunities for the community to get to know Porsche heritage, people, and the brand.


Business

Rockville-based Emmes (401 N Washington St), a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, announced the acquisition of VaxTRIALS. Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, VaxTRIALS’ 160+ staff members manage and monitor vaccine clinical trial activities throughout Latin America. Additional information below, per the press release:

“Today’s clinical trials are both more complex and more global in nature than ever before,” said Emmes Executive Chairman Sastry Chilukuri. “Combining VaxTRIALS’ depth of expertise in Latin America and Emmes’ strengths, particularly in technology, biostatistics and data management, will give clients an unmatched partnership experience in conducting their clinical trials.”


Beyond MoCo

With the U.S. experiencing over 500 mass shootings and over 25,000 motor vehicle deaths so far this year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Safest Cities in America, with nearby cities like Columbia (Howard County) and Washington D.C. making appearances on each side of the list.

To determine where Americans can feel most protected against life’s hazards, including nonphysical forms of danger, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 41 key metrics (WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Home & Community Safety, 2) Natural-Disaster Risk, and 3) Financial Safety). The data set ranges from traffic fatalities per capita and assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and the percentage of the population that is uninsured.


Burtonsville

Moby Dick House of Kabob is the most recent tenant to sign on to join the redeveloped Burtonsville Crossing shopping center. The new restaurant will join Montgomery County’s first Sprouts grocery store, which is on pace to open by the end of this year. It will also be joining Domain Fitness & Performance, an upcoming TJ Maxx location, ULTA Beauty, and Creative Outlets Arts Center which recently announced that they’ll be moving into the shopping center from their previous Montgomery Mall location that closed in Bethesda earlier this summer.

This will be the Persian kabob restaurant chain’s 27th restaurant overall and 8th in Montgomery County, where it all started in 1989 with its Bethesda location. Moby Dick’s 7th MoCo location is coming soon to North Bethesda. The restaurant offers “authentic Persian food with a Mediterranean flair.” An opening date is not available, but it’s expected to be at some point in 2024.


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