Author: MCS Staff

Gaithersburg

Pleasant View Park Update (Gaithersburg’s Upcoming 9.54 Acre Park)

By MCS Staff

The City of Gaithersburg is developing a 9.54-acre park at 10901 Darnestown Rd. with parking, community gardens, a bicycle skills course (pump track), open space, pavilions, a playground, fitness pods, and a welcome plaza. A progress video is available below.

The park will be called Pleasant View Park is named after the nearby Pleasant View community, one of the first free black communities established after the Civil War. The park’s name honors the historic significance of that community and also reflects the beauty of the natural surroundings. The land was acquired through the Federal Land to Parks Program of the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. From 1955 to 1975, this location served as a fire control radar site for the U.S. Army NIKE missile system. After 1975, the site was used by the Consumer Product Safety Commission as the National Laboratory Campus for testing consumer products.

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Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg State of The City Address Celebrates Resiliency

By MCS Staff

Per the City of Gaithersburg: Mayor Jud Ashman and members of the City Council hosted the 2023 State of the City address on Thursday, March 30, at Asbury Methodist Village. More than 130 guests attended the reception & presentation, including civic partners who serve on City boards, commissions & committees, elected officials, community leaders, and others whose involvement is invaluable to the Gaithersburg community. The event also featured remarks by Junior Mayor Loriele Nix.

Mayor Ashman’s address featured several stories that focused on the City’s resilience, connection and commitment to the Gaithersburg community. The State of the City event serves as the platform for the presentation of the City’s annual Distinguished Resident, Outstanding Organization, and Distinguished Friend awards.

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Business

MoCo Native’s LavaBox Impresses Judges on Shark Tank

By MCS Staff

Josh Thurmond, a 1994 graduate of Quince Orchard High School and Gaithersburg native, is the inventor of LavaBox Portable Campfire– a new style of portable fire pit that’s built in a military-style ammunition can and was “created to combat climate change and reduce wildfires.” LavaBox has made waves, or fires, since its inception in late 2020, and LavaBox joined fellow Montgomery County businesses that have made it into the tank in recent months (Collars & Co. was featured in November, OoogieBear was featured in September, and ShredSkinz was featured in December) when Thurmond brought LavaBox into the tank on Friday, March 31st at 8pm.

Thurmond was looking for $200,000 for 10% equity in his company. He shared that the Lavabox comes in three sizes, with the most popular being the smaller version which retails for $195 (and costs just over $25 per unit to produce).  The larger varieties cost more to produce, but also come with a higher price range. He expects to reach over $1 million in gross revenue sales by the end of this year- numbers that impressed all the sharks. Thurmond explained that most sales come directly from word of mouth, and that he wants tp get into big box stores. Mr. Wonderful Kevin O’Leary was impressed enough to offer the $200,000 for 10% equity that he was looking for. Daymond John made an offer, wanting 20% equity, but was more interested in licensing the LavaBox instead. Lori Greiner then jumped in with an offer of $200,000 for 12.5% equity, but also wants a royalty of .75 cents per unit sold until she gets $200,000 back. Her 12.5% equity would remain the entire time if the deal is accepted. considers his options and chooses to accept Lori’s offer. After considering all offers, Thurmond went with Lori Grenier’s offer.

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Gaithersburg

First Phase of Belward Farm Development Has Been Approved

By MCS Staff

The Applicant, Trammell Crow Company (TCC), was granted  approval of Site Plan No. 820220250 which is limited to the 66.5 acres of the northern portion of the 107-acre Overall Site on March 30th. This Site Plan is the subject of a ground lease between the Trammell Crow Company and the Property Owner Johns Hopkins University, and which includes future Parcel A, Block C of the Johns Hopkins University Belward Campus subdivision and Belward Campus Drive. Additional information from the site plan can be seen below:

The Applicant, Johns Hopkins University (JHU), is seeking approval of Final Forest Conservation Plan (FFCP) No. F20230020, which encompasses the entire 107 acres referenced as the Belward Tract or Overall Site. The Forest Conservation Plan was approved for the Overall Site with Amended Preliminary Plan No. 11996110A and amended in the JHU Medical Office Building Site Plan No. 820210120. This current submission of JHU’s Final FCP amendment is triggered by the proposed development with the TCC Site Plan application. The purpose of JHU’s FCP amendment is to modify the previously approved FFCP for the Overall Site to accommodate TCC’s proposed development in their Site Plan application (“TCC Site Plan”).

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Beyond MoCo

‘Welcome Aboard’: Metro Supports Autism Acceptance Month with ‘Special’ In-Stations Announcements Featuring Local Enthusiast with Autism

By MCS Staff

Per WMATA: Many young people with autism have a unique connection with transit. In recognition of that special bond, Metro invited 26 budding train announcers with autism to record boarding and safety announcements that will be heard throughout the transit system in the month of April to raise awareness about autism during Autism Acceptance Month and the Autism Transit Project. 

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MCPS

MCPS To Honor Retirees From 2020-2023 With Reception in June

By MCS Staff

MCPS will honor its newly retiring employees, as well as those who retired in the past three years, during a reception on Thursday, June 8. The event will be held from 5–7:30 p.m. at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville. Registration will begin at 4:30 p.m. 

For several years, MCPS has been unable to hold the annual retirement reception due to the pandemic. For that reason, this year’s event will recognize retirees from 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. To receive an invitation to this year’s reception, those newly retiring must submit completed retirement forms to the Employee and Retiree Service Center (ERSC) no later than Monday, May 15. Retirement forms are available on the ERSC Retirement Planning webpage. Employees who submit retirement paperwork after May 15, 2023, will be honored at next year’s reception.

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Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg: Community Development Block Grant Funding Public Meeting Notice

By MCS Staff

Per the City of Gaithersburg: Notice to the general public is hereby given that the City will hold a public meeting to invite comments on the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding available to the City through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The City is preparing its Consolidated Plan and FY 23 Action Plan for the period July 2023 – June 2024. At this meeting, staff will introduce the CDBG program, describe how funds must benefit low-moderate income households, and describe proposed activities to benefit these residents & communities.

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Restaurants

Starbucks Begins Construction at Former Peet’s Coffee Location in Silver Spring

By MCS Staff

Last October we let you know that Peet’s Coffee would be closing its Silver Spring location with a Starbucks taking over the storefront at 1316 East-West Highway in Silver Spring. After a few months, construction has begun at the upcoming Starbucks location. The interior appears to have been gutted with a lot left to go, so we would anticipate a wait of a few months before coffee is being served at the lcoation again.

The Berkeley, California-born Peet’s coffee chain that closed, originally planned to open 23 locations in the DC area in 2014/2015, with the first debuting at 1701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. MoCo locations included the Silver Spring location and two Bethesda locations– one in Montgomery Mall that closed in 2017 and one at 7629 Old Georgetown Rd that closed in 2020 after 6 years. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

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Beyond MoCo

Gaithersburg Man Killed in Nevada Motorcycle Crash

By MCS Staff

A Gaithersburg man is dead after a motorcycle crash near the Lake Mead National Recreation area just outside of Las Vegas at approximately 2:30pm last Monday on State Route 167, according to Nevada State Police.

According to investigators, 29-year-old Richard Bienve Batista Peralta, from Gaithersburg, MD, was speeding and lost control of the motorcycle when he approached a curve. The motorcycle went into the dirt shoulder on the side of the road, overturned, and Peralta was ejected. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Maryland

Thousands of Drivers Incorrectly Charged on ICC

By MCS Staff

According to a report released by Maryland’s Office of Legislative Audits looking into the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), thousands of drivers were incorrectly charged by Maryland tolls between April 13, 2021, and January 30, 2022.

“Based on our data analysis for all MDTA toll facilities, we identified 82,847 customers that were potentially charged more than once for a single trip through a toll facility. The toll charges (including both potential duplicate tolls and correct tolls) for these customers totaled approximately $645,000. A majority of these tolls (80 percent) occurred at three toll facilities – the Intercounty Connector (ICC), the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial (Bay) Bridge, and the Fort McHenry Tunnel.”

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Beyond MoCo

Fugitive Roy McGrath, Ex-Chief of Staff to Former Gov. Hogan, Has Died After Being Shot During Arrest in Tennessee

By MCS Staff

Roy McGrath, the fugitive ex-chief of staff for former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, has died after he was shot during an arrest in Tennessee, according to a statement by his attorney Joseph Murtha. “It is a tragic ending to the past three weeks of uncertainty,” Murtha said. “I think it is important for me to stress that Roy never wavered about his innocence.”

FOX 5 reports that “the FBI confirmed McGrath was found Monday in the 10700 block of Kingston Pike at Lovell Road in Knoxville, and was shot during the arrest. The FBI said McGrath was wounded and had to be taken to the hospital.”

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