MCS Staff, Author at The MoCo Show

Board of Education Takes Tentative Action and Adopts the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget; Holds a Work Session on the FY 2024 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2023–2028 Capital Improvements Program, and Received a Biannual ADA Facilities Update; and Discusses and Takes Action on Legislative Items

Published March 13, 2023 at 3:55PM

The Montgomery County Board of Education (Board) held a business meeting on Thursday, February 23, 2023. During the meeting, the Board took tentative action to adopt the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget; held a work session on the FY 2024 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2023–2028 Capital Improvements Program, and received a Biannual ADA Facilities update; and discussed and took action on legislative items. The agenda for the meeting, with related links, can be viewed on the Board website. Watch the meeting recording.

The Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget: The Board took tentative action to adopt the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget. The budget reflects amendments based on BOE feedback to provide focused investments to improve literacy and math across the district. This budget continues to be centered on Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) core purpose of preparing all students to thrive in their future and graduate with deep academic knowledge and preparation for the complex world and workplace of tomorrow. The request includes a $296 million (10%) increase over the current budget and $272 million above the minimum amount required by the maintenance of effort law. The increase in funding is to provide a high-quality education for our growing student population, continuing our recovery from the impact of lost learning time from the pandemic, the addition of new research-based innovative approaches to teaching and learning in our district, providing competitive salaries for our staff and the rising cost of health care for our employees and retirees, opening of our 211th school in the Clarksburg Cluster, and supporting the increased cost of goods and services in our district. Read the memorandum to the Board. View the PowerPoint Presentation.

Gaithersburg

Fry Guy Southern Cuisine Has Closed its Gaithersburg Location

By MCS Staff

Published March 13, 2023 at 12:47PM

Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine has closed its Gaithersburg location. The restaurant opened at 7601 Airpark Rd Suite B in Gaithersburg, the former site of Penang Garden, in July of 2021 and offered a wide variety of southern cuisine. Fry Guy has an additional location in Capitol Heights.

Per the Fry Guy Southern Cuisine website: “Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine is a family owned black business that is centered around great cooking, love family recipes with a southern homestyle flavor. Fry Guy was a name given to me by a close friend because I always use to cook fish and chicken in the early morning hours and he started calling me Fry Guy. But it didn’t start there my cooking was inspired by watching my grandmother cook and helping her clean fish for dinner. She loved her some fresh fish and I loved her cooking, so I watched her every moved in the kitchen. Yes, grandma Dorothy “Dottie” Johnson I paid attention. I can also remember growing up in my neighborhood “Lincoln Park” when Mrs. Beet Offutt and Ella Hawkins will sell Friday night dinners and the whole community would be talking about it and they would sell out so fast because it was that good. As a child that always stayed in my head of how good the food was when they cooked along with my children grandmother Francis Hawkins whose chicken I would do anything for I mean it was the best. I can’t leave out my mom who made the best old bay chicken ever the Queen B. As time went on my passion grew for cooking on the grill and watching people enjoy eating my food, from having the fish fry’s on the football field for coach Rob Hill (RIP), holidays and selling dinners for my Germantown Hardknocks Basketball AAU program. Cooking at coach Big Dog house after a great season or tournament and seeing how it bought everyone to gather in love and happiness, I knew I was going to open a restaurant one day. I use to tell my son one day were going to have our own restaurant and here it is Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine. GOD IS GOOD”

Colesville

Peri Peri Original is Coming to Colesville Center

By MCS Staff

Published March 13, 2023 at 10:33AM | Updated March 13, 2023 at 2:54PM

Peri Peri Original has signed on to move into the space that was previously home to Pollo Mex at 13436 New Hampshire Ave in the Colesville Center. Pollo Mex closed last summer after 12 years in the location.

Peri Peri Original is an international chain that has over ten locations in Virginia and Maryland, as well as an additional location coming to Rockville (location not yet available). “Peri Peri chicken is marinated for 24hrs in our unique Portuguese Peri Peri sauce flamed grilled for serving from the spice selection of your choice.” The first United States location was opened in 2018 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Damascus

Jimmie Cone Prepares to Open for 61st Season

By MCS Staff

Published March 13, 2023 at 7:52AM

Aside from the last few days, the recent weather has been a reminder that spring is around the corner. Another reminder for many who grew up in MoCo is that March 17th means Jimmie Cone opens for the season. Jimmie Cone has been serving soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt in Damascus since 1962, which make this year its 61st season.

One of the reasons Jimmie Cone’s soft serve ice cream is loved by many could be because it is made with 10 percent butterfat, which is approximately twice as much as in McDonald’s and Dairy Queen soft serve. Cars usually pack the Damascus location on warmer days with long lines that move relatively quick.

Education

MCSP Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight To Hold Town Hall Discussing Vision for MCPS and Recent Anti-Semitic Incidents in Schools

By MCS Staff

Published March 13, 2023 at 7:43AM

MCPS Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight will share her vision for MCPS and discuss the recent spate of anti-Semitic incidents in Montgomery County schools at a town hall sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC). The town hall will take place on Thursday, March 23 at 6:30pm at the Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac. RSVP here.

Per JCRC: Dr. Monifa B. McKnight currently serves as the superintendent for MCPS. Prior to this role, she served as MCPS’ deputy superintendent. She also served as the Chief School Management and Instructional Leadership Officer for Howard County Public Schools.

MoCo

Sardi’s Announces Scholarship in Memory of Co-Founder Philip G. Sardelis

By MCS Staff

Published March 13, 2023 at 7:34AM

Sardi’s, the local restaurant chain founded by two Montgomery County natives (Walter Johnson and Wheaton graduates), has announced the Sardi’s Scholarship in memory of co-owner Philip G. Sardelis. Additional information below:

“As a company we have always been proud to give back. Due to the passing of our beloved co-owner Philip G. Sardelis we have decided to create the Sardi’s Scholarship in Memorial of Philip G Sardelis. We hope this continues to impact our community as this was always an important priority for Phil. He was always involved in donating time, money and food to all of the local schools, hospitals, churches, firehouses and police stations. We hope to honor his legacy and continue the good work with this fund. If you would like to contribute please go to the below link. Give Back – PayPal.

Restaurants

Royal Farms to Open Silver Spring Location

By MCS Staff

Published March 13, 2023 at 7:28AM

Courtesy Google Maps

Royal Farms made its Montgomery County debut a little over a year ago when it opened its first MoCo location in Gaithersburg. Now, the convenience store popular for its fried chicken, is planning a Silver Spring location, according to a report by Source of the Spring.

According to the report, a Royal Farms is “planned for the Sunoco gas station site at 9475 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, according to applications filed with the county’s Department of Permitting Services.” This will be the first of the three major convenience store chains that have recently moved/announced moves into the county (Royal Farms, Sheetz, and Wawa) that will not be in Gaithersburg.

Montgomery Parks

Montgomery Parks to present plans for future Lyttonsville park

By MCS Staff

Published March 12, 2023 at 4:46PM

Montgomery Parks host a community meeting to discuss the new neighborhood park coming to Lyttonsville in Silver Spring. The park design is the result of dialogue between planners and the Lyttonsville community during two previous meetings. Montgomery Parks is now seeking feedback on the latest version of the plan. The third meeting will be held online and in person:

Or online: Zoom Link: MoCoParks.org/LCM, Phone: 301-715-8592, Webinar ID: 876 4684 3272

Arts

2023 Oscar Predictions (By MoCo Movie Critic Andrew Italia)

By MCS Staff

Published March 12, 2023 at 2:15PM

Andrew Italia is an attorney in Rockville, 2001 Quince Orchard High School graduate, and MoCo resident. When he was in college at the University of Maryland, he was the movie critic for The Maryland Diamondback. During his time as the movie critic, he began making Oscar predictions for all 24 categories. His all-time record is 21 out of 24, but he usually falls in the 18-20 range. For the fourth straight year he is providing The MoCoShow with his predictions. Earlier this week, he shared his Top 12 Movies of 2022.

I might have nodded off a little early during last year’s Oscar telecast…What did I miss?

Restaurants

Eerkin’s Uyghur Cuisine Reopens in New Rockville Location; Offering 20% Off For first Five Days

By MCS Staff

Published March 12, 2023 at 1:02PM

Eerkin’s Uyghur Cuisine has reopened in its new Rockville location at 6 N Washington Street in Rockville’s Courthouse Center, at the former home of Amici Miei. It was previously located at 1701 Rockville Pike # B1 in The Shops at Congressional Village, which recently auctioned for $44 million.

Courthouse Center, where Eerkin’s has opened, was home to the recently closed Woodside Deli, and is currently home to East Dumpling House and Subway. The restaurant is currently offering 20% off (see details in the post below). The news was first mentioned by The MoCo Source on Instagram.

MCPS

MCPS Shoe Drive Extended Until March 24

By MCS Staff

Published March 12, 2023 at 12:52PM

MCPS has been hosting a shoe drive for students of all ages. The drive, which collects new and gently used shoes for boys and girls in all sizes, has been extended to Friday, March 24. The donations will support students in the 26 community schools (listed below). Donations can be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday–Friday in the Carver Educational Services Center auditorium at 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. For more information, email Amy Beal or call 240-551-6101.