MCS Staff, Author at The MoCo Show

Red Door Escape Room Opens Today in Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront; Grand Opening Event Runs From 6pm-8pm

Published June 9, 2023 at 7:14AM

Red Door Escape Room is opening its 14th location at 125 Boardwalk Place in Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront Shopping Center today. The Grand opening event will take place on Friday, June 9th from 6pm-8pm. “We are excited to bring the Red Door Escape Room experience to all of our guests and cannot wait to get involved in the local community surrounding Gaithersburg,” said CEO Nick Madden.

“At Red Door Escape Room, we combine technology and puzzles to create a truly collaborative and mentally-stimulating experience for families, friends, and coworkers alike. We want our guests to successfully decipher the codes and complete the challenges; but more importantly, we want them to talk and laugh about their experience on the ride home.”

Education

60 Graduating Seniors Participate in Job Interview Day Event

By MCS Staff

Published June 9, 2023 at 5:27AM

Last month, MCPS held the first Job Interview Day in collaboration with Career Council/National Hispanic College Fairs, Inc. The event offered 60 graduating seniors from 14 high schools an opportunity to interview with a variety of companies that operate locally.

The following companies participated in the event: MCPS, the Washington Commanders, Montgomery County 911, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, Coldwell Banker Realty, Mentoring Path, Inc., the Maryland Department of Labor, WorkSource Montgomery (including the Latin American Youth Center) and Mr. George’s Driving School, which offers commercial driver’s license training classes. Students participated in a minimum of four interviews.

Gaithersburg

Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen Opens Today in Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront

By MCS Staff

Published June 9, 2023 at 5:21AM | Updated June 12, 2023 at 2:48PM

Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen at 229 Boardwalk Pl. in Gaithersburg opens today, Friday, June 9. Miss Toya’s is located in the 2,741SF space that was previously occupied by BGR and will serve southern-influenced dishes such as red beans and rice, macaroni and cheese, and a southern fried chicken sandwich.

The restaurant is part of Jeffeary Miskiri’s Miskiri Hospitality Group, which describes itself as a unique collective of Black, family and woman-owned products and restaurants in the DC area. Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen in Rio will be a fast-casual restaurant, while the Miss Toya’s Creole Kitchen at 923 Ellsworth Dr in Downtown Silver Spring is full-service (wait staff, etc.). Hours of operation (dinner only for now): Sunday – Thursday 4pm- 10pm, Friday and Saturday 4pm- 11pm.

Olney

Smoothie King Now Open in Olney

By MCS Staff

Published June 9, 2023 at 5:09AM

Last September we let you know that Smoothie King will be opening an Olney location at the Olney Village Center. It will be taking over the 980 SF space that was previously home to Party USA at 18151 Village Center Drive, between IHOP and Pho & Grill. Smoothie King opened earlier this week.

Since taking the helm, owner/CEO Wan Kim has led efforts to transform the brand’s menu from being packed with sugar and artificial flavors and colors to being health-conscious and packed with whole fruits and organic, non-GMO ingredients. The main focus is not only giving Smoothie King guests the ability to customize smoothies according to their preferences, Kim says, but pushing their product to more closely align with a healthier, active lifestyle.

Arts

Churchill’s Ian Rubin Wins 2023 Best Actor Award

By MCS Staff

Published June 9, 2023 at 4:53AM

The National Theatre has presented the Brandon Victor Dixon Awards for excellence in high school musical theatre, a regional partner of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®), also known as The Jimmy Awards®. The awards program is named in honor of Brandon Victor Dixon, a Tony, Emmy, and Grammy Award nominee originally from Gaithersburg. Dixon recently portrayed Terry Silver on the STARZ hit series ‘Power.’

The award for Best Actor went to Ian Rubin, a senior at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, for his work in Matilda The Musical. Per the MD Theatre Guide website, Ian is honored to be nominated for best actor for his performance as Miss Trunchbull in Matilda the Musical. In the fall, Ian will be attending the University of Michigan where he will be pursuing a BFA in Musical Theatre. Some of his favorite credits include Young Artists of America’s Cabaret (Emcee), A Chorus Line (Mike), Into the Woods (Wolf); WCHS’ senior showcase production of The Last Five Years (Jamie), and Ovations Theatre Spring Awakening (Moritz). Ian currently studies voice with Thomas Pedersen and dances at City Dance Conservatory.

Restaurants

El Papi Real Street Tacos is Coming to Rockville

By MCS Staff

Published June 8, 2023 at 4:56PM

El Papi Real Street Tacos is coming to Rockville’s Pike Kitchen (1066 Rockville Pike). The restaurant, which currently has a location in Camp Springs (Prince George’s County), hopes to open its Pike Kitchen location in July.

According to the Washington Post, which named “Most of the tacos at El Papi are wrapped in two warm, corn-scented tortillas and garnished with cilantro and onions. The onions are usually diced into uniform squares, though occasionally they’re cut into thin strips, as if the kitchen peeled each layer of the bulb and softened them into almost translucent slivers. These are the standard garnishes at El Papi, the sign will inform you. Don’t bother to ask for sour cream, lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese or even pico de gallo. You won’t find them here.”

DMV

KEEN Sports Festival in Rockville Celebrated 31 Successful Years of FREE, One-to-One Recreational and Exercise Activities for Children and Young Adults with Significant Physical and Developmental Disabilities

By MCS Staff

Published June 8, 2023 at 12:25PM

KEEN Greater D.C., a nonprofit volunteer organization that provides free on-to-one recreational actvities to children and adults with disabilities, celebrated 31 years last Sunday, June 4 at Timberlawn Local Park in Rockville. This was the 20^thannual KEEN Sports Festival where volunteers teamed up with athletes or instructor-led activities including fitness, Zumba, taekwondo and individualized play.

The 20th Annual KEEN Sports Festival celebrated 31 successful years of FREE, one-to-one recreational and exercise activities for children and young adults with significant physical and developmental disabilities. Volunteers teamed up with KEEN’s athletes for instructor-led activities, including Fitness, Zumba and Tae Kwon Do, and individualized play.

Beyond MoCo

Maryland’s DuClaw Brewing Company Acquired by New Jersey’s River Horse Brewing Company

By MCS Staff

Published June 8, 2023 at 9:33AM

The Maryland beer scene recently received big news when Flying Dog announced it was sold and will be moving production Frederick to New York. DuClaw Brewing Company has made a joint announcement with River Horse Brewing Company that it has been acquired by the New Jersey brewer. The full joint statement can be seen below:

“Attention NJ & MD craft beer lovers- we have an announcement! New Jersey’s River Horse Brewing Company, in Ewing, NJ has acquired DuClaw Brewing Company of Baltimore, MD. The powerful combination of two beloved brands that each boast a legacy of over 25 years of great beer will ensure the continued success of these products.

Gaithersburg

Sneak Peek of Upcoming Pleasant View Park in Gaithersburg

By MCS Staff

Published June 8, 2023 at 9:06AM | Updated June 8, 2023 at 3:58PM

The City of Gaithersburg is in the process of developing a 9.54-acre park with parking, community gardens, a bicycle skills course (pump track), open space, pavilions, a playground, fitness pods, and a welcome plaza. Originally scheduled to be completed February 2023, there have been some delays. While a new completion date is not yet available, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it completed this summer (video and photos of the progress available below, courtesy of the City of Gaithersburg).

A new parking lot will be constructed at the park’s west boundary. Vehicular access to the park will be through the drive that extends from Darnestown Road. Pedestrians will be able to access the site from Darnestown Road via a path that will be located parallel to the access drive into the park. Pedestrians will also be able to access the park from Marsh Lane. A Ride-On bus stop is located on Darnestown Road at the park entrance.

Beyond MoCo

Former Houston Schools Chief Named New PGCPS Superintendent

By MCS Staff

Published June 8, 2023 at 8:54AM

Millard House II, formerly Superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, will take the helm of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) on July 1. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced his appointment Wednesday during a news conference at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building.

House led Houston ISD for two years, ending his tenure in the nation’s eighth-largest district earlier this month. He previously served as director of schools for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) in Tennessee, chief operating officer of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina and deputy superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools in Oklahoma. House founded and led a college preparatory middle school in one of Tulsa’s most economically underserved neighborhoods and served as executive consultant and executive director of New Leaders for New Schools.

Gaithersburg

MD Attorney General: Investigative Report Released for July 2022 Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting in Gaithersburg

By MCS Staff

Published June 8, 2023 at 7:46AM

The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Office of the Attorney General today released its interim investigative report of the July 20, 2022, fatal officer-involved shooting in Montgomery County.

On July 20, 2022, at approximately 9:30 a.m., Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy Domenic Mash along with nine other task force officers assigned to the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Hamed Ghorouni Delcheh in Gaithersburg. The officers located Mr. Delcheh inside a townhome and positioned themselves outside. After several minutes, according to officers, Mr. Delcheh threw a large kitchen knife out of the home’s front window, then jumped out himself and picked up the knife. One officer deployed his Taser, but Mr. Delcheh was able to run up the street past Deputy Mash, who began following him. According to witnesses, Mr. Delcheh then turned toward Deputy Mash with the large kitchen knife raised. Deputy Mash fired at Mr. Delcheh, striking him. Officers provided medical aid until paramedics arrived, but Mr. Delcheh died on scene. A second man was also shot and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No officers were injured.