Author: MCS Staff

Gaithersburg

Kentlands: MOD Pizza Reopens; Construction Begins at Brio’s Chicken

By MCS Staff

MOD Pizza has reopened its Kentlands location after a temporary closure that lasted a little longer than anticipated. The fast-casual pizza restaurant with over 500 locations nationwide, reopened at 145 Commerce Square Place in Gaithersburg earlier this week according to an employee we spoke with earlier today. The acronym “MOD” in the company’s name stands for “Made on Demand” and the company has three locations in Montgomery County– Downtown Silver Spring, Kentlands, and Montrose Crossing in Rockville. MOD Pizza offers individual, customizable pizzas made with organic dough using King Arthur Flour. Customers specify which ingredients they want included on their order, and watch the preparation process, though the restaurant also offers recommended combinations. Pizzas are then cooked in three minutes using stone ovens at 800 °F.

Back in October of 2020 we let you know that Brio’s Chicken would be coming to the Kentlands neighborhood. Over two year later, it looks like construction has started on the interior. The Peruvian chicken restaurant will be occupying one of the newly constructed storefronts found in the paseo in the Kentlands. It will be located right behind Vine Alley (the old Wine Harvest location) and next to the future location of Neal’s Bagels. Brio’s Chicken had a location in Aspen Hill in the Aspen Manor shopping center, where Outback is located, but that location is under new ownership and is now known as Gio’s Chicken. No projected opening date yet, but it’s now looking like Spring 2023 is a possibility.

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Beyond MoCo

Gaithersburg Man Arrested and Charged With Second Degree Murder in DC

By MCS Staff

Per the Metropolitan Police Department: On Wednesday, December 14, 2022, 44-year-old Anthony Williams, of Gaithersburg, MD, was arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder while Armed. Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announces an arrest has been made in reference to a homicide that occurred on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, in the 2700 block of Good Hope Road, Southeast.

At approximately 2:45 pm, members of the Seventh District responded to the listed location for the report of a traffic accident and a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male victim, unconscious and unresponsive suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to an area hospital for treatment. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim was pronounced dead.

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Burtonsville

MCFRS Respond to Crash on Old Columbia Pike Thursday Afternoon

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a crash on the 13700 block of Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville at approximately 1pm, according to MCFRS Lieutenant Franco Martinez. According to Martinez a person was extracted fro the vehicle, but there is no word on any possible injuries.

13700 BLK of old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville for a vehicle collision with one trapped. PE715, RS715, M715 & BC701. Person extracted from the vehicle. pic.twitter.com/tZNNirgoE0

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Montgomery Parks

Concept Plan Unveiled for New South Silver Spring Park

By MCS Staff

Montgomery Parks is unveiling the concept plan for the new South Silver Spring Park(opens in a new tab) planned for 1110 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Md., at the former National Tire and Battery site.

The concept plan(opens in a new tab) for the new park was developed based on recommendations in the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan(opens in a new tab) and extensive community feedback gathered through an open house and online surveys. Many of the amenities specifically requested by the community are incorporated in the concept plan, including a promenade, picnic area, fitness area, stage, dog run, bocce, multi-sports court, drinking fountain, age-specific playgrounds and nature play areas, and games.  Plantings will include street trees, shade and flowering trees, bioretention areas and landscape beds for pollinator-friendly plants.

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Events

Things To Do in Montgomery Parks December 16-18

By MCS Staff

Per Montgomery Parks: Light up long dark nights. Make decorations and gifts for friends and family. Walk through winter woods. Check out these suggested activities for Friday, December 16, to Sunday, December 18.

Winter Solstice: The winter solstice is on Wednesday, December 21. We have two programs to bring light and warmth to the countdown to the shortest day and longest night of the year.

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Beyond MoCo

Beyond MoCo: Stagg Bowl (D-III Football Championship) To Be Played in Maryland for First Time

By MCS Staff

The 2022 NCAA Division III Football Championship Game, more commonly referred to as the 2022 Stagg Bowl or Stagg Bowl XLIX, is a postseason college football game that is scheduled to be played on December 16, 2022, at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. This is the first time the game will be played in Maryland. It will determine a national champion in NCAA Division III for the 2022 season. The contest is scheduld to begin at 7:00 p.m. EST, and will air on ESPNU. The game will feature the two finalists of the 32-team single elimination playoff bracket- Mount Union (Alliance, Ohio) and North Central College (Naperville, Illinois).

No. 2 Mount Union advanced to the 2022 Stagg Bowl following a 34-31 win over No. 12 Wartburg in the NCAA Semifinals last Saturday at Kehres Stadium. North Central College finished as runners-up in the 2021 Stagg Bowl, and won the title in 2019, with the 2020 Stagg Bowl being canceled due to COVID-19. Mount Union and North Central College are two of just six teams to win the D-III national title in the past 20 seasons. Mount Union has the most D-III Championships in history, having won a total of 11 (1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012). The championship game is named after Amos Alonzo Stagg. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as both a college football player and coach in 1951.

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Bethesda

Detectives are Seeking Additional Victims in a Cash for Gold Robbery Scheme

By MCS Staff

Per Fairfax County Police: On Oct. 29, a victim was driving home, when he saw three people on the side of I-495 in Bethesda. The victim stopped to provide aid. A woman said the stranded group needed money to continue their travels. She showed the victim a watch and gold jewelry. She requested cash in exchange for the items. The woman convinced the victim to drive to an ATM. Two men in a black SUV followed the victim and woman. The victim began driving and quickly realized this was likely a scam. The victim stopped in a parking lot and exited his car. One of the men from the other vehicle exited their car and told the victim to sit in the driver’s seat while he drove the victim to obtain money.

The suspect then drove the victim to four locations in Fairfax County. Through intimidation, the crew forced the man to withdraw money. Once the victim’s accounts were empty, the suspects left the victim, and he called 911. Officers believed this crew was likely operating in the area and continued to search for the black SUV used in the crime. On Nov. 3, an officer saw a gray Chevrolet Tahoe that appeared to be disabled on the Dulles Toll Road. The officer conducted a traffic stop and identified the occupants as Magdalena Mazil, 39, Hagi Voinescu, 36, and Romeo Voinescu, 23 all from Baltimore. Officers obtained consent to search the vehicle and located large amounts of fake gold jewelry.

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MoCoSnow

Latest Update and Final Pencil Prediction For Thursday, December 15

By MCS Staff

All of MoCo is under a Winter Weather Advisory starting at 10pm Wednesday night until 1pm Thursday afternoon. The advisory starts a few hours before any wintry precipitation is expected to fall and ends a couple hours after it’s expected to changeover to just rain as a buffer in case things decide to start or end a little earlier or later than anticipated.

Per our featured photo, the National Weather Service expects things to get started in MoCo between 1am and 3am. Freezing rain is expected to fall until about 8am when we see things start to changeover to just rain. Areas like Bethesda and Silver Spring may not see much freezing rain at all, while areas north of Gaithersburg may see a tenth of an inch or more. Either way, it doesn’t take much for freezing rain to make things messy.

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Poolesville

PFAS Detected in Samples From Poolesville’s Water System

By MCS Staff

Per the Town of Poolesville: “In Poolesville’s water system, elevated levels of PFOA or PFOS were detected in the water samples collected from Well 2 and Well 3. A Tier 2 Public Health Advisory Notice was mailed to every resident. While there are no national or state Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFAS in drinking water, the EPA released interim health advisories for PFOA and PFOS. For this reason, we have taken Wells 2 and 3 offline.” Full press release available below:

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are a group of over 5,000 human made compounds. Used since the 1940s, PFAS compounds can be in a wide range of consumer and industrial products and processes. PFAS released to the air, soils, ground- or surface water can enter into nearby drinking water sources. To assess the presence of PFAS in state drinking water sources, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has initiated an assessment from 137 selected Community Water Systems. These Community Water Systems were selected by the proximity, number, and type of potential sources of PFAS MDE mapped over 2,000 potential sources of PFAS in Maryland. The 2,000 potential sources include military installations, fire training areas, airports, landfills, manufacturing facilities, and wastewater treatment plants.

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Business

Rockville’s E. Cohen and Company Acquired by Marcum LLP

By MCS Staff

Marcum LLP announced earlier this month that Rockville’s E. Cohen and Company, CPAs of Rockville, Maryland (1 Research Ct #400) merged into Marcum, effective December 1. In conjunction, E. Cohen’s information technology subsidiary, BinaryNetworks, merged into Marcum Technology, LLC. The transactions expand Marcum’s tax, assurance, and advisory services across the Mid-Atlantic region, where the Firm currently has offices in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Rockville.

Per the press release: E. Cohen and Binary add more than 90 partners and associates to Marcum, bringing the Firm’s team to approximately 4,000 nationwide. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. E. Cohen was a full-service tax and accounting firm serving individuals and middle-market businesses. The firm’s practice was focused on construction, government contracting, hospitality, nonprofit, professional services, real estate, and wholesale distribution. E. Cohen was consistently ranked among the top accounting and advisory firms in the Capital Region and the top 300 firms nationally. In 2019, it was named the No.1 firm for women by Accounting Today. “E. Cohen was a recognized leader with deep roots in the Maryland business community and brings substantial experience to Marcum. They will not only bolster our existing presence in Rockville but will also play a key role in our expansion throughout the Mid-Atlantic region,” said Jeffrey M. Weiner, Marcum’s chairman & chief executive officer.

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Burtonsville

Burtonsville Crossing Update

By MCS Staff

Montgomery Planning staff has recommended the approval (with conditions) of a site plan that contains an amendment to allow for redeveloping the Burtonsville Shopping Center by demolishing 7,600 square feet of existing retail uses and relocating that retail square footage into two new pad sites with drive- thrus including improvements to open space, landscaping, lighting, and pedestrian circulation. In June it was announced that a lease has been signed by the Phoenix-based company Sprouts Farmers Market in what is seen as the first critical step to kick start the revitalization of a once thriving retail area. It will also be the grocery chain’s first store in Montgomery County. “We are excited to partner with Sprouts on bringing a unique grocery experience to Burtonsville,” said David Germakian, Managing Director, EDENS. Additional information below, courtesy of Montgomery Planning:

The Applicant proposes to redevelop 6.90 acres of the existing shopping center by demolishing a 7,600 square foot area in the center of the existing shopping center to create a community gathering space (seen in our feature photo). This 7,600 square feet of demolished commercial space in the center of the existing shopping center will be reallocated to two new free standing pad sites with new drive-thru accessory uses on the front of the Property for Retail/Service Establishment or Restaurant uses. Separately from this Site Plan Amendment, the Applicant intends to make façade improvements to the existing buildings to enhance the aesthetics of the shopping center. These interim improvements are not subject to review as part of this Site Plan because they are outside the boundary of the amendment area. Additionally, Site Plan 819851040 approved in 1985 did not include any approved architectural drawings or conditions relating to architectural or building design. As a result, moving forward with façade and exterior building improvements is not a violation of any previous approval.

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