Author: MCS Staff

Entertainment

Westfield Wheaton to Host PeerPositivePOWER CommUNITY Dance Party on July 21

By MCS Staff
Courtesy Google Maps

Westfield Wheaton Mall (11160 Veirs Mill Rd, Wheaton, MD 20902), in partnership with The Music in Me Foundation International, has announced its inaugural PeerPositivePOWER CommUNITY Dance Party that will be free and open to the public. Set to coincide with International Anti-Bullying Month and take place in front of the Macy’s Lower Court from 2pm to 3pm on Friday, July 21, the event will shed light on anti-bullying and non-violence. Esteemed Broadway performer and Artistic Director of the Foundation, Danny Soto, will lead the dance party.

A celebration of unity and inclusivity, the event is aligned with Westfield Wheaton Mall’s ongoing mission to foster community connections in safe, vibrant public spaces. It will feature performances by over a hundred people from a myriad of local community groups, including teenage campers, senior citizens, a go-go band from the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, and visiting Senegalese youth as part of an exchange program. Retailers will offer special giveaways on-site and there will be a DJ and live on-air coverage by WKYS.

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Kensington

Montgomery Parks One Step Closer to Selling Warner Mansion and Carriage House Buildings to Washington Landmark Construction to be Turned into Residential Units

By MCS Staff

Warner Circle Park will remain a public park managed by Montgomery Parks. 

Montgomery Parks, in conjunction with Montgomery County Government, has entered into an agreement to transfer the historic Circle Manor and Carriage House at Warner Circle Park to Washington Landmark Construction (WLC) to develop seventeen residential condominiums. The Historic Preservation Commission recently approved the proposed work as described in the Historic Area Work Permit. WLC is now working to complete the design documents and obtain all necessary permits.

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Crime

Police: Gaithersburg Man’s Body Recovered in Seneca Creek; Positively Identified

By MCS Staff

Per MCPD: The Montgomery County Department of Police has positively identified the adult male recovered from Seneca Creek on Sunday, July 9, 2023. Jose Israel Centeno Velasquez, also known as Carlos, was identified by family members on Tuesday, July 11. The 43-year-old was last seen on Friday, July 7, leaving his Gaithersburg home on Girard Street. His death is being investigated as a homicide.

Major Crimes detectives are asking for anyone who may have seen Centeno Velasquez to call 240-773-5070 or call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s) in connection with this homicide. Callers can remain anonymous.

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Events

“Wet, Wacky, & Wild” Event Takes Place Friday, July 14

By MCS Staff

“Wet, Wacky, & Wild” wil take place on Friday, July 14th from 6pm until 10pm in Poolesville. The event will take place at the Whalen Commons, located at 19701 Fisher Ave. Additional information below, per the Town of Poolesville:

”We’ll have water slides, water balloon fights, a bounce house, Jenn’s Wild Animal Kingdom a DJ, a special performance by the PSD Hip Hop Crew at 6:30 and a Foam Dance Party.  Food  trucks include Beltway Bistro, Biga Biga Pizza and El Paso tacos. We’ll end the evening with the movie Dolphin Tale on the big screen.”

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Kensington

“The Oldest White Oak Tree in Montgomery County” Set To Be Removed on July 18

By MCS Staff

The oldest white oak tree in Montgomery County will be removed next week, according to a press release by Montgomery Parks. Montgomery Parks will be taking down the historic Linden Oak tree because it is in declining health on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. (Date subject to change based on weather conditions.)

The usable wood from the tree will be taken to nearby Ken-Gar Local Park where a chainsaw artist will carve it into a sculpture. The trunk of the Linden Oak will remain in place, along with two existing memorial plaques. One plaque commemorates the Linden Oak being named a Bicentennial Tree in 1976, for surviving the American Revolution. The other plaque recognizes the efforts of local citizens to save the tree from destruction during Metro construction in the 1970s. 

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Poolesville

New Voluntary Water Conservation Notice Issued in Poolesville

By MCS Staff

The Town of Poolesville has issued a new voluntary water conservation notice: “Thank you to all of those residents who reduced water use after the first request. The first notice was out of an abundance of caution and nothing to do with development. Current staff members have been operating the water system for over 20 years and have a good feel for when overuse is occurring. We are permitted by the State to withdraw 650,000 gallons per day. We usually pump around 550,000, so when we jumped to over 700,000 gallons per day, a notice was issued. After the notice, we dropped back down to normal ranges. Thank you!

The wellfield is in good condition, not overtaxed even with two of our high producing wells out of service for PFAS remediation. However, a drought watch has been issued for Western Maryland and portions of Central Maryland based on lower-than-normal stream flows and groundwater levels for this time of year. During a drought watch, MDE increases oversight of water supply conditions and encourages voluntary water conservation practices. No mandatory water use restrictions have been issued.

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Takoma Park

Police and Family Concerned for Missing 21-Year-Old Man

By MCS Staff

Samuel Amegniave (21 years old) has been missing since a July 6th, 2023, according to Takoma Park Police. He was last seen on the 8100 block of Lockney Avenue at approximately 3am. He was last seen wearing a black headband bandana, black hoodie, black pants, and black sneakers.

If you can help find this person, please contact Takoma Park Police at 301-270-1100 or text tip411 and reference case # 230033045. Flyer below, courtesy of Takoma Park Police.

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Maryland

Maryland is “State with the 7th Least At-Risk Youth” Per Study

By MCS Staff

With 16% of young Americans neither working nor in school, exposing them to greater risk of poverty and violence, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s States with the Most At-Risk Youth, with Maryland coming in as the state with the 7th least at-risk youth.

To determine where young Americans are not faring as well as others in their age group, especially in a year made extremely stressful by inflation, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 15 key indicators of youth risk. The data set ranges from the share of disconnected youth to the labor force participation rate among youth to the youth poverty rate. At-Risk Youth in Maryland (1=Most at Risk; 25=Avg.):

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DMV

Unhealthy Code Orange air forecast for July 12 for DMV

By MCS Staff

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) has forecast Code Orange air quality for sensitive groups for the metropolitan Washington region tomorrow, Wednesday, July 12, due to ground-level ozone pollution (not Canada wildfire smoke).  The Code Orange levels mean the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups, including older adults, children, and people with heart or lung disease. COG advises the following health precautions:

Residents can check current air quality conditions on COG’s website or the Clean Air Partners website. On unhealthy air days, COG advises the following actions to improve the air:

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Education

Sami Saeed Sworn In as Montgomery County Student Member of the Board of Education

By MCS Staff

Sami Saeed, a rising senior at Richard Montgomery High School, was sworn in as the 46th Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) on July 11. Saeed was sworn in by Assistant Chief Deputy Clerk Delores Riggs, Montgomery County Circuit Court.

Mr. Saeed was elected to serve a one-year term on the Board by middle and high school students of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). He received 70 percent of 55,598 votes cast in the April 19, 2023, election. Mr. Saeed has served as the president of the Richard Montgomery Student Government Association (SGA) and as a member of the SMOB Advisory Council and the Montgomery County Commission on Youth and Children. He is an avid writer and has written for both The Tide, Richard Montgomery’s student newspaper, and The MoCo Student newspaper.

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Business

MoCo’s Black Viking Brewing is a Finalist For USA Today’s Best New Brewery in the U.S.

By MCS Staff

Black Viking Brewing (BVB) was founded in August 2020 over coffee and pastries at the Black Lion Cafe in North Potomac by former Montgomery County basketball players turned beer lovers, Jamil Raoof (Wootton ’08; the brewer) and Shaun Taylor (Magruder ’99; the marketer). Now, the brewery is a finalist for a reader’s choice award for USA Today’s Best New Brewery (click the link to vote). Black Viking expects to open their own physical location by Summer 2024.

The co-founders first met while Jamil was a player at Wootton and Shaun was an assistant varsity basketball coach. Since they launched their first beer back in October 2021, Black Viking Brewing has shaken up the beer world with their ‘Zingabier’ aka “The World’s Most Drinkable Beer” (a deliciously drinkable golden ale, brewed with the perfect blend of zesty ginger and sweet, wildflower honey), their ability to build community through both beer and social media (Black Viking TV), and their strategic collaboration projects (most notably with Samuel Adams in April 2023).

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