Bassett’s Restaurant at 19950 Fisher Ave in Poolesville has announced it will reopen on Monday, October 9. The restaurant closed due to a fire on June 5. The fire was located in a small building in the back and thankfully there was no extension to the main building/restaurant.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Sharon Burrell, a jury has convicted defendant, Kevin Orihuela, 22, of Rockville, on charges of Homicide by Motor Vehicle while Under the Influence of Alcohol and Gross Negligent Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle for causing the crash that killed 62-year-old Noel Powell of Germantown. The jury reached its verdict late yesterday afternoon, October 5th, 2023. Orihuela faces up to 15 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 15th, 2023.
The fatal crash occurred on Sunday, August 14th, 2022, at Josiah Henson Pkwy and Randolph Rd, at the intersection of Josiah Henson with the exit ramp from route 355 at approximately 4:12 p.m. The defendant, Orihuela, had gone to brunch at a restaurant in the Pike and Rose center with a large group of friends to celebrate one of their 21st birthdays, where they ordered “bottomless mimosas.” Based on a review of surveillance video, the defendant drank 11 mimosas over the course of one hour and 55 minutes (1:06 pm to 3:01 pm). The video depicts the defendant consistently sitting with his head on the table and head in his hands in the minutes before he leaves. He then got into his Audi A4, left Pike and Rose via the Towne Road exit, turned right onto Josiah Henson, and quickly accelerated his Audi toward the intersection with the ramp from route 355. The event data recorder from his vehicle showed that as he approached that intersection, he was accelerating at one hundred percent of his vehicle’s capability and reached a speed of 70 miles per hour. The speed limit on that road is 40 mph.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to Brickyard Rd and Stable Ln in Potomac for the report of a collision involving an overturned ambulance. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the incident occurred around 9:30am on Friday, October 6 due to the road surface being wet from morning precipitation, and “apparently very slick (likely build up of oil on road).”
The unit was returning from the hospital and there were no patients inside of the ambulance at the time of the collision. The crew of two sustained no serious injuries. We will provide an update if additional information becomes available.
Montgomery County, MD is commonly known as being a suburb of the nation’s capital, but what might surprise some is that it is also home to a thriving biotech ecosystem. With over 350 life sciences companies, including global brands like AstraZeneca, United Therapeutics, and Novavax, Montgomery County anchors the third largest biophama hub in the U.S., behind only Boston and San Francisco.
Running annually in Washington D.C. for over 25 years, World Vaccine Congress attracts an international audience from over 80 countries and convenes more than 3,000 people to learn about the latest trends, research, and technologies in the vaccine industry. This year, Montgomery County took center stage, with a featured session on the extensive Biologics Value Chain in the County, as well as a session during which County Executive Marc Elrich spoke about the extensive resources available to companies here, and an exhibit space showcasing these resources.
A Complete Biologics Value Chain in One Region
One of the defining strengths of Montgomery County is its ability to support the full lifecycle of biologics, all the way from early research to large-scale manufacturing. During the panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Stefanie Trop, Director of Life Sciences at the Maryland Department of Commerce, local leaders emphasized that the region’s strength lies in its network of partners who work collaboratively across discovery, development, testing, and production. Panelists from companies in all stages of the value chain spectrum included Dr. Andrew Lees, Founder of Fina Biosolutions, Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca, Dr. Helen Sabzevari President & CEO of Precigen, and Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer of Integrated BioTherapeutics.
This end-to-end capability in close geographical proximity gives companies a unique advantage and is rare to find in other markets, even established ones like San Francisco and Boston. In fact, only a handful of places worldwide offer the combination of infrastructure, expertise, and collaboration found in Montgomery County and if diversity, education and population density are taken into consideration – then Montgomery County standouts even more.
“Gaithersburg is one of the six places in the world where we can do what we’re doing,” explained Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca. “We have the right partners at every step of the value chain [in Montgomery County].”
A Strong Partnership Network
Biotech breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation. They depend on strong partnerships between private companies, local and state governments, academic institutions, and workforce training organizations. Montgomery County has intentionally cultivated these connections, making collaboration and coordination defining characteristics of its life sciences ecosystem.
Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer at IBT Bioservices, a full service CRO offering clinical & preclinical contract research services, says the company’s close partnerships between them and local stakeholders have been crucial to its success. “As a Rockville-based company, we’re grateful for the partnership and support from city, County, and state leaders,” explained Dr. Holtsberg. “These programs have helped fuel our growth, and we’re excited about the continued momentum of our community.” (more…)
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation warns of an increased chance of encountering deer on the roadway. In a tweet from earlier today, MCDOT wrote: “With the shorter days and 🦌deer🦌 mating season here, please be on the lookout👀for deer alongside and on the roadway during dawn🌄 & dusk 🌆. Slow down if a🦌deer🦌crosses the road ahead. Deer often travel in groups & others🦌🦌🦌🦌 may be nearby.”
Additional information and tips below, per the Maryland Department of Natural Resources: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds motorists to be vigilant. During this time deer travel across roads in often unpredictable patterns at all times of the day in search of a mate. Most wildlife species are also more active this time of year, as they search for food to prepare them for the coming winter.
Join Kaiser Permanente for Healthy at the Harbor, a free community health and wellness event taking place Saturday, June 6, from 11 am to 4 pm at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Bring your family and friends for free full day of fun, fitness, and preventive care along the waterfront.
Throughout the day, Kaiser Permanente nurses and physicians will offer no-cost health screenings, alongside a health and wellness expo focused on preventive care education. A lively Kids’ Zone will keep children active and entertained with spin-art bikes, face painting, balloon art, games, and more.
Northwest High School principal Scott Smith sent a letter to the community informing them that the school is in a “modified shelter” due to an anonymous threat made via social media. At this time, it is not believed that the threat is credible, but Montgomery County Police is on-sight as a precaution. Full letter can be seen below:
“Dear Northwest High School Students, Families and Staff,
On October 5, 2023, at approximately 1:00 pm, Takoma Park Police responded to the 1300 block of Holton Lane (El Alazan Western Wear), for the report of an armed robbery and assault that had just occurred.
According to Takoma Park Police, “The suspect entered the establishment under the pretense of being interested in purchasing merchandise. However, for unknown reasons, the suspect’s demeanor turned hostile and he brandished a silver handgun. One of the store’s owners attempted to call 911. In response, the suspect aggressively charged at her in an attempt to take her phone. During the struggle, the suspect forcibly dragged the owner out of the establishment causing her to fall to the ground outside. The suspect fled on foot towards the rear of “La Union” Mall located in the 1400 block of University Blvd east.
Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today delivered remarks at the 2023 Maryland League of Conservation Voters Changemakers celebration, honoring Marylanders who have demonstrated vision, leadership, and courage in protecting the environment. The event took place at the Colwell Center in downtown Baltimore, home to the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology.
“Being a changemaker is hard and it takes partnership. We praise these changemakers not only for their individual accomplishments, but also for how their collective accomplishments moved us forward,” said Gov. Moore. “If we follow the example of these changemakers, I know we will meet this moment united and build a better, more sustainable, more resilient, and more equitable future.”
The U.S. government will continue to make COVID-19 tests available to uninsured individuals and underserved communities through existing outreach programs. Contact a HRSA health center, Test to Treat site or ICATT location to learn how to access low- or no-cost COVID-19 tests provided by the Federal Government. Most Montgomery County Public Libraries also are distributing free test kits provided by the County. Check with your local library to see if it has test kits available.
Per MCDOT: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will hold a series of virtual public meetings to present the findings of three separate elementary school walkability studies including Forest Knolls Elementary (Silver Spring), New Hampshire Estate Elementary (Silver Spring), and North Chevy Chase Elementary (Chevy Chase) schools. The meetings will show study findings and discuss the sidewalk and safety needs of students walking and biking to the studied school.
Each of the walkability studies reviewed the condition of existing infrastructure and recommended improvements that may be implemented within the school walkshed to provide safe and accessible routes for students walking and biking to the school. Most of the improvements that could be implemented quickly, such as signing and marking, have been completed. These community meetings will help County staff better understand safety needs and plan future sidewalk and safety improvement projects within the school walkshed.
White House press release (10/4/23): President Biden has long believed that college should be a ticket to the middle class, not a burden that weighs on families. That’s why from day one, his Administration has taken unprecedented steps to fix the broken student loan system, make college more affordable, and bring the promise of higher education in reach for more Americans.
Marking a key step forward in that effort, President Biden is announcing that an additional 125,000 Americans have been approved for $9 billion in debt relief through fixes his Administration has made to income-driven repayment (IDR) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and by cancelling debt for borrowers with total and permanent disabilities. Today’s announcement brings the total approved debt cancellation by the Biden-Harris Administration to $127 billion for nearly 3.6 million Americans. The Biden-Harris Administration is announcing it has approved:
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) responded to a tractor trailer-fire on Thursday, October 5, around 10:30pm. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the incident occurred on the I-270 Spur, in the area of the MCPS school bus depot. The fire was caused by a damaged fuel tank and there were no injuries reported.
Hazmat assisted at the scene due to a fuel spill. We will provide an update if additional information becomes available. Featured photo courtesy of Aaron Wolf.