This Saturday, October 29, the Kensington Volunteer Fire Department and the Town of Kensington are once again hosting their annual Halloween Movie Night. “Hotel Transylvania” will be shown at dusk in St. Paul Park on the big screen. Costumes are encouraged for all attendees.

The Kensington Volunteer Fire Department and the Town of Kensington will have refreshments available for purchase in the Park, including pizza, popcorn, and candy.

https://www.facebook.com/KensingtonVFD/posts/pfbid02ZeJXoeDAzboepkMYZ52AJiB9QgbA6t7wyfisRmXpDcSpo8iP9sbLmVFM9img7Mtal

Esteemed Federal Government columnist and radio host Norman “Mike” Causey passed away late last month at the age of 82.

At the Federal News Network and WTOP Radio studios in Friendship Heights, Causey had wrapped up recording a radio segment when he was found unresponsive in his office by a colleague. Valiant bystander CPR, as well as attempts from Montgomery County Fire & Rescue, proved unsuccessful.

Causey joined Federal News Network, previously Federal News Radio, in the early 2000s. Prior to jumping over to radio, Mike Causey wrote the iconic Federal Diary daily column in the Washington Post. Causey remained a newsroom legend at Federal News Network and throughout the Federal Government. At FNN, his columns and posts were frequently their most popular online content. Mike Causey is also credited with popularizing the now-mainstream phrase “Inside the Beltway.”

In a tweet, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin remembered Mike Causey as “a fierce advocate for the federal workforce. His institutional knowledge, which was legendary, and his distinct voice will be missed dearly. My condolences to his family and colleagues.”

An online Federal News Network remembrance, posted shortly after Causey’s death, highlighted how “Mike never took himself, or the content, too seriously…Former Federal News Network workforce reporter Nicole Ogrysko…recalled how Causey, preferring to read things in hard copy, once tried to print out the entire bill text of the Affordable Care Act — all 974 pages of it”.

Mike Causey’s grandson, Tyler Guthrie, highlighted Causey’s extensive familial presence in Montgomery County. The day he died, Causey had been planning to meet family at Pines of Rome, an Italian Restaurant that Causey had been visiting with two generations of his family for almost four decades. He also patronized Wild Tomato restaurant in Cabin John, where he lived for more than three decades, and the Irish Inn at Glen Echo. Causey’s morning routines often revolved around stopping for coffee and visiting friends at Cabin John’s Market on the Boulevard.

Causey’s son, Michael Causey, further emphasized how much Causey loved Montgomery County and the surrounding area, remembering him as a man of the World who especially loved the DC area. Mike loved spending time along the C & O Canal and visiting other establishments including Clyde’s of Chevy Chase, Signature Cigars, and Cafe Deluxe.

After hearing of his death, the owners of Signature Cigars hung Mike Causey’s photo on the wall of their shop, in remembrance of an exceptional journalist and pillar of the community.

Featured Image: Family Photo

On September 19, the Maryland State Highway Administration announced that the current closure of Brookeville Road, between Georgia Avenue (MD-97) ,and Grayheaven Manor Road, has been extended through late November. According to the State Highway Administration, the newly–extended duration of the Brookeville Road closure will allow contractors to efficiently complete Brookeville Bypass construction tasks.

The State Highway Administration recommends utilizing Georgia Avenue (MD-97) and Olney Laytonsville
Road (MD-108) as alternate routes during the Brookeville Road closure. The Brookeville Bypass project is currently 72 percent complete. The project includes a new 0.7-mile, two-lane highway with bicycle-compatible shoulders between north of Goldmine Road and south of Holiday Drive. Once complete and open to traffic, the new roadway will make Georgia Avenue more accessible and safer for local residents, cyclists, and pedestrians. The project also includes construction of two bridges – one at Meadow Branch stream and the other at Reddy Branch stream – and two single-lane roundabouts that will improve traffic and safety operations. MD 97 functions as a major north-south commuter route between Brookeville and northern Montgomery and Frederick counties.

MD 97 has a 90-degree curve at Market Street, which is accompanied by a steep hill.

Work is well underway at the new Adelphi Wawa, currently set to open later this year. The new Wawa will be located on the Southwest corner of Adephi Road and Riggs Road, just across Adelphi Road from the existing 7-Eleven and Popeyes.

The location, which features a 5,619 square foot food and beverage store and a gas station, is currently set to open this Fall.

Construction is still underway on Wawa’s first MoCo location in Gaithersburg.  Wawa also has a new location under construction next to the College Park Ikea, though that location is only in the initial stages of its construction.

Final paving is underway today at Westbound Randolph Road in Rockville/N. Bethesda. Wesbound Randolph Road has been closed since August 30th of last summer. The closure was needed for underground electrical work as part of Pepco’s new White Flint Substation. Traffic heading westbound on Randolph Road has been diverted to Parklawn Drive and then directed to Rockville Pike (MD-355). The Road is expected to open soon.

Final paving underway today on Westbound Randolph Road. Westbound Randolph has been closed at Parklawn Drive for ~9 months. Crews have been installing underground infrastructure for @PepcoConnect’s new White Flint substation on Nebel Street. #MDTraffic @TheMoCoShow @WTOPTraffic pic.twitter.com/lLsz3Mu7Y8

— Cordell (@CordellTraffic) May 20, 2022

Beginning the first week of June, Ridgefield Road will be closed between River Road (MD-190) and Westbard Avenue. An updated announcement states that Ridgefield Road will remain closed for approximately 16 months, meaning Ridgefield likely won’t reopen until at least October 2023.

Two separate posted detours will direct some traffic to Goldsboro Road, and others to Little Falls Parkway. Ride On Route 23 (Friendship Heights-Sibley Memorial Hospital) will also be detoured during the closure. One of the two sidewalks along Ridgefield is slated to remain open during the closure.

Portable Changeable Message Signs were placed during the final week of April advising of the upcoming closure. Crews have also begun staging detour signage to direct traffic once the closure is implemented.

The University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD) announced that 30-year-old Joshua Leo Black of Olney has been arrested and charged with two assaults that occurred at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Per the University of Maryland Police Department:

Per Maryland Transportation Authority Police:

On Monday, January 24, 2022, three Baltimore City Firefighters were tragically killed while fighting a row house fire. Lieutenant Paul Butrim, Firefighter/Paramedic Kelsey Sadler & Firefighter/Paramedic Kenneth Lacayo were engaged in an interior attack of the fire when a significant portion of the home suddenly collapsed. Baltimore Firefighter John McMaster is currently hospitalized with critical injuries.Firefighter/Paramedic Kenneth Lacayo was a Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad Life Member and graduated from Wheaton High School. In addition to his service with the Baltimore City Fire Department, Kenny had volunteered in Wheaton for almost 11 years.

The Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad released a statement remembering Kenny:

“Kenny joined the Rescue Squad in May of 2011 and steadily advanced through the ranks. He became a firefighter in 2012, a paramedic in 2014, and a founding member of the Honor Guard in 2017. Among his many awards he received the Rescue Squad’s award for paramedic of the year in 2016 and was recognized as a top ten responder in 2015 and 2016. He also received a unit citation in 2018 for his life saving actions in responding to a pedestrian struck by a car.
His exceptional skills as a firefighter and paramedic were matched by his bright smile and his unfailing good nature. He was dearly loved by his fellow WVRS volunteers and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kenny’s family, his many friends, and his brothers and sisters in the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service and the Baltimore City Fire Department.”

The Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad has also setup a GoFundMe page (a secure online fundraiser) to support Kenny’s family.

Many questions remain unanswered after a teen suddenly died while walking at Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus Sunday night.

Around 10:30PM Sunday Night, members of the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, and Montgomery County Police responded to Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus (51 Mannakee Street). Responders found 1 teen critically injured and 1 EMS Provider was also injured on scene.

Electric crews were on the scene Sunday night, though it was not clear if electric shock played a role in the teen’s death and the EMS provider’s injury. The teen’s cause of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).

In 2017, Montgomery College installed new “Gateway Signage” around the Rockville Campus’ Mannakee Street entrance. This project incorporated several elements of lighting and electronic digital display signage. Sunday’s incident occurred immediately around the Mannakee Street entrance, though it is not yet known what role the electronic components played in the teen’s injury.

In 2018, a 6-year-old girl was critically injured when she was shocked by malfunctioning handrail lighting at MGM National Harbor. There, a Security Guard was also shocked by the same handrail while responding to the girl’s injury.

Beginning on Friday, December 3 at 7AM, Maryland State Highway Administration contractors will implement long-term continuous lane closures on Northbound US-15 in Thurmont, Frederick County.

Crews will be replacing the bridge deck (concrete driving surface) on Northbound US-15 above MD 77 (West Main Street) and Hunting Creek. Northbound US-15 will be reduced to a single lane for six to eight months during both phases of this two-phase bridge rehabilitation. Southbound US-15 will not be affected by this project.

“This project is another example of [the State Highway Administration’s] commitment to infrastructure improvements and safety,” Maryland State Highway Administrator Tim Smith said in a written release. “Rehabilitation of the aging bridge will result in a smoother driving surface for motorists and reduce the need for costly future maintenance.”

The Northbound US-15 bridge was built in 1957 and though it is still safe, it is nearing the end of its useful service life. In addition to the bridge deck replacement, crews will also be repairing and strengthening the steel beams and concrete bridge piers underneath the bridge deck.

Bicycle traffic on Northbound US 15 will be detoured via Thurmont Boulevard, MD-806 (Frederick
Road), Water Street and MD-77.

Maryland State Highway Administration photo of Northbound US-15 above MD 77 (West Main Street) and Hunting Creek.