Author: Patrick Herron

Montgomery Village

Local Startup Clothing Brand Provides a Book for Every Child and Teacher at Whetstone Elementary

By Patrick Herron

Earlier today Montgomery County based women’s clothing company Kind Cotton donated over 800 books to Whestone Elementary School in Montgomery Village, enough for every student and teacher.  The company, which has donated over 85,000 books nationwide, donates a book for every item purchased from their website. Per Kind Cotton: Whetstone Elementary students had a surprise this morning when they each had an opportunity to browse over 100 books and choose one to take home, courtesy of Kind Cotton, a Maryland-based brand with a mission to promote and encourage childhood literacy throughout the United States. In total, Kind Cotton provided over 800 books to Whetstone Elementary this morning for free during their first ever book fair.

“We were so excited to receive books for every child at our school. This means so much for the Whetstone family. We are incredibly grateful to all the work Kind Cotton has done to get books into the hands of every child here”, Teacher, Mollie Kane stated. I Believe I Can was the book of choice for the entire school. A vast majority of the books Kind Cotton donates focus on inclusion with a message of empathy, justice, and kindness. “We wanted to do something really special for an elementary school here in Montgomery County because it’s where we are establishing our roots and we were beyond excited to hear that Whetstone Elementary wanted to work with us”, said Kaitlin Johnstone, co-founder of Kind Cotton. “Along with spreading kindness, our primary goal is to promote and encourage literacy, so to be able to provide these books to the students and educators of Whetstone makes us really proud.” Kind Cotton sells clothing and accessories designed to spread compassion and empathy, with every purchase helping to provide books to children globally.  To date, they have donated over 85,000 books nationally.

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Maryland

Governor Hogan Proclaims November 22 as Kimchi Day in Maryland

By Patrick Herron

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Larry Hogan today proclaimed November 22, 2022 as Kimchi Day to recognize the importance of this popular Korean dish, and to further celebrate Korean culture in Maryland.

First Lady Yumi Hogan, the first Korean-American First Lady in the United States, has promoted kimchi through her “Yumi Cooks” series. Government House is the first and only governor’s mansion in the nation with a kimchi refrigerator. The First Lady also led the effort to open Maryland’s Koreatown last year in Ellicott City.

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Gaithersburg

MCFRS Respond to Collision with Rollover and Entrapment in Gaithersburg

By Patrick Herron

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to a collision with rollover and entrapment on Monday morning in Gaithersburg. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the incident occurred around 8:30am on MidCounty Highway in the area of Goshen Road and Hidden Forest Drive. A single occupant was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

MidCounty Highway is currently closed between Saybrooke Oaks Blvd and Woodfield Rd. There are reports of a secondary collision in area as well. We will post an update when additional information becomes available. Per @mcfrsPIO on twitter: “Update – MidCounty Hwy IAO Goshen Road/Hidden Forest Drive, collision with rollover & entrapment, secondary collision in area, @mcfrs A728, RS717, PE728, SA700 on scene, Some lanes blocked”

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Highways / Interstates

Governor-Elect Wes Moore’s Statement on MDOT Decision on I-495/1-270 Toll Lanes Contract

By Patrick Herron

Last week the Maryland Department of Transportation announced the next steps for the State of Maryland’s Traffic Relief Plan, which included a10-month extension for private companies to submit proposals. On Friday, Governor-Elect Wes Moore issued the following statement:

Under Lt. Gov.-Elect Aruna Miller’s leadership, the Moore-Miller administration is eager to work collaboratively with Comptroller-elect Brooke Lierman, Treasurer Dereck Davis, the Maryland General Assembly, County Executive Marc Erich, and our communities to find the best path forward.”

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Gaithersburg

ALDI Rolls Back Thanksgiving Foods to 2019 Prices

By Patrick Herron

ALDI is currently running a “Thanksgiving Price Rewind”  now through November 29 at all of its locations. The grocery chain is matching 2019 prices, up to a 30% discount,  on holiday food items marked with a red sticker. “Think favorites like brie cheese, prosciutto, cornbread stuffing, award-winning wines, mini quiches, fresh brown-and-serve rolls, macarons and apple pie, to name a few. Shoppers can look for the Thanksgiving Price Rewind icon in their local ad and throughout the store for extra savings,” the company said in a press release.  Aldi has MoCo locations in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Kensington, Montgomery Village, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Takoma Park.

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Beyond MoCo

Montgomery County Council Statement on the Mass Shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County —The Montgomery County Council issued the following statement about the horrific mass shooting in Colorado Springs, Colorado at Club Q on Nov. 19.  “Our nation has endured another horrific, premeditated mass shooting fueled by hate that has taken the lives of five people and left at least 18 others fighting for their lives. This senseless attack targeted members of the LGBTQIA+ community who were gathering to commemorate this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors the memory of transgender people who where killed because of anti-transgender bigotry and violence.

“Our hearts break for those who lost their lives and their families and loved ones. Our thoughts also go out to the survivors of this tragedy who will be forever impacted by the trauma of this horrifying attack.

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Silver Spring

Silver Spring Wings Now Open

By Patrick Herron

Silver Spring Wings at 11335 Elkin Street (former site of El Rinconcito Catracho) in the Wheaton Urban District is now open for carry out and delivery. The menu features chicken wings, chicken tenders, boneless wings, fried rice, potato wedges, coleslaw, fresh lemonade, strawberry shortcake, and double fudge brownies.  The restaurant is also expected to eventually share a space with its sister brand, District Teriyaki.

Owner Evan Walton started Silver Spring Wings in 2020 around the start of the pandemic after all of his catering business events were suddenly cancelled. He decided to launch several food concepts out of his catering kitchen to  attempt to make up for the loss and keep his employees.

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Gaithersburg

Statement of Support from Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman on the Explosion and Fire at the Potomac Oaks Condominium Complex

By Patrick Herron

Per the City of Gaithersburg: City of Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman, on behalf of the City Council, issued a statement in regards to the explosion and fire that occurred on November 16, 2022, at the Potomac Oaks condominium complex located in the 800 block of Quince Orchard Boulevard. The Gaithersburg City Council and I, along with the entire Gaithersburg community, are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred on November 16 at the Potomac Oaks condominium complex that resulted in multiple injuries and displaced residents. Our thoughts are with our residents and their families who have been affected by this devastating event.

We are profoundly grateful to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue, the Montgomery County Police Department and the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security – and to our own Gaithersburg Police Department – for their life-saving rescue efforts. As the investigation is ongoing, we have every faith that our County partners and first responders will determine exactly what happened.

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MoCo Government

Montgomery County Releases Final Recommendations from Audit of the Montgomery County Police Department

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Today, County Executive Marc Elrich was joined by Montgomery County Police Department Chief Marcus Jones and Reimagining Public Safety Task Force Member Co-Chair Bernice Mireku-North for a presentation of the final recommendations by Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA) s that offer improvements in officer education, supervision, practices, accountability and public transparency. To read the final review and recommendations, please click here. To view the press conference of this presentation, please click here. The full report can be found here.

Since July 2020, ELEFA has partnered with County officials, the MCPD, the Reimagining Public Safety (RPS) Task Force, and local residents to identify, evaluate, and recommend structural and systemic improvements the Department can implement to achieve a shared vision of safe and effective law enforcement in Montgomery County. ELEFA’s audit included evaluation of the Department’s organizational culture, policies, resources, transparency, procedures and operations. The Preliminary Report issued in June 2021 identified a number of opportunities for improvement. Since then, ELEFA has continued its audit of the MCPD, working in close cooperation with MCPD and other constituent organizations.

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Health

Open Enrollment: Less Than Three Weeks Left to Enroll in Medicare and Receive Lower Premiums in 2023

By Patrick Herron

Per the State of Maryland—With Medicare Open Enrollment in full swing, Governor Larry Hogan and Maryland Department of Aging Secretary Rona E. Kramer are reminding Marylanders that lower premiums are available for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. In addition, beneficiaries can now compare 2023 Medicare health and drug coverage premiums and deductibles using the recently updated Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. “Medicare plays a key role in providing health and financial security to many residents across the state who utilize the program,” said Governor Hogan. “We want to continue to ensure that every Marylander has access to affordable care and, ultimately, a better quality of life.”

More than 1 million Marylanders are enrolled in Medicare. The projected average premium for 2023 Medicare Advantage plans is $18 per month, a decline of nearly 8% from the 2022 average premium of $19.52. Medicare Advantage plans will continue to offer a wide range of supplemental benefits in 2023, including eyewear, hearing aids, preventive and comprehensive dental benefits, access to meals (for a limited duration), over-the-counter items, and fitness benefits. The average basic monthly premium for standard Part D coverage—which helps pay for both brand-name and generic prescription drugs—is projected to be $31.50, compared to $32.08 in 2022.

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