MoCo Government

‘Glow-in-the-Dark Pickleball,’ Fall Harvest Festivals and ‘Spooktacular’ Happenings Highlight Montgomery Recreation’s October Special Events

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: A variety of fall harvest festivals and Halloween-themed happenings highlight Montgomery County Recreation’s calendar of special family-friendly events in October. The events will include “Glow-in-the-Dark” pickleball, swimming with pumpkins and haunted houses.

The festivals and events will be hosted at community recreation centers, senior centers and aquatic facilities across the County. Registration for events can be completed online at ActiveMONTGOMERY.org. Not all events require registration. Registration for fall programs is also currently underway. Winter program registration begins Monday, Nov. 13.

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Bethesda

Zuma By Chef Ninja, A Japanese/Latin Fusion Restaurant, is Now Open

By MCS Staff

Chef Mitsuhisa Nishio, or “Michu” to his family members and friends and Chef Ninja to many of his followers across social media, is opening Zuma By Chef Ninja in the space that was previously home to Brickside at 4866 Cordell Ave in Bethesda. The restaurant opened on October 6th and has been sharing posts on social media of dishes being enjoyed by various diners.

About “Michu”/Chef Ninja: Mitsuhisa Nishio, better known to the public as “El Ninja”, is a world-renowned chef who specializes in Asian-Latin fusion cuisine. Despite being of full Japanese descent, Chef Ninja was born and raised in Constanza – a lovely town in the Dominican Republic. There is no doubt that Ninja takes pride in both of his co-cultures. This sense of pride is displayed through his art where he fuses traditional Japanese foods with the savory, full of taste ingredients of Dominican cuisine. Although the food of said cultures are so different, Chef Ninja has found a way to perfectly bridge the gap between his two nationalities through his eccentric dishes. What’s more Japanese-Dominican than a sushi roll with sweet plantains placed on top?

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Events

Kensington Volunteer Fire Department Hosts Family-Friendly Open House on Sunday, October 8

By MCS Staff

The Kensington Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting its family-friendly open house on Sunday, October 8th at 10620 Connecticut Ave from 11am-3pm. The event will offer experiences for the entire family, including firefighter and EMS demonstrations, a DJ with music, clowns, temporary tattoos, balloon animals, gift basket raffle, blood pressure checks, fire prevention, fire hose station, fire safety bounce house, station tours, apparatus showcase, and more. Additional information in the flyer below.

Brief History of the KVFD: On October 26, 1899 a large fire was discovered around 6:00 AM. The bell at St. Paul’s M. E. Church was vigorously rung to alert the town citizens to the disaster. There was little that could be done however, and the fire destroyed the Montgomery Press office and the Town Hall. Realizing that the town needed protection from fire, the citizens met that night at the town library. Mr. Leslie W. Maxson was elected chief of the Kensington Fire Company and was instructed to organize a fire company immediately.

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MCFRS

Three Adults and Two Pets Displaced Following Potomac Fire on Saturday Night

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call for a fire at a two-story single family home on the 12000 block of Coldstream Drive, near Victory Lane, in Potomac late Saturday evening into Saturday night.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the fire was out by approximately 8pm and one patient was evaluated for minor injuries. That person refused transport and all three occupants of the home were able to get out safely. The fire originated in the basement of the home, but a cause has not been made available. Three adults and two pets have been displaced. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

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Event

StoryBox Comics Fair 2026

Third Hill Brewing Co.

8216 Georgia Ave

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Contact Social

Join Us for StoryBox Comics Fair, a two-day festival celebrating local and independent comics authors!

Day 1 – Saturday, June 27th, 11-5pm @ DwightMess compound (805 Silver Spring Ave): Events are open to the public, admission is FREE. Featuring Special Guest Artists, gallery exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, a modeling session (suggested donation) and exhibitors, you can dig in to indie comics and also tour the compound, which features an extensive comics collection, a rare video collection, Risograph and screenprinting studios.

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DC Sports

Washington Spirit Participate in Record-Setting NWSL Match (Highest Attendance)

By MCS Staff

The Washington Spirit drew, 0-0, with OL Reign in a thrilling contest. A record-setting 34,130 fans attended the match, becoming the largest crowd in NWSL history. The Spirit played their home games in Germantown full-time from the team’s first season in 2013 until the 2018 season. For the next two seasons, the team split its time between various stadiums including its current home stadium of Audi Field.

Former USWMNT player Megan Rapinoe was honored before and after the match in what was the final regular season home match of her career. Even though the Spirit rallied late with several near-goals, the score remained level after 90 minutes. Following the pregame ceremonies, the nationally televised bout between the Spirit and Reign began without much affair. The first 25 minutes of play saw both teams jockeying for chances without success. In that time, there were no shots on target and the Spirit was statistically outplayed. OL Reign controlled over 60% of possession, doubled the Spirit’s passes and logged ten touches in the opponent’s box compared to the Spirit’s one.

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Maryland

Governor Wes Moore’s Statement Regarding Senator Melony G. Griffith’s Hiring as New President and Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Hospital Association

By Patrick Herron

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today released the following statement regarding Senator Melony G. Griffith’s hiring as new president and chief executive officer of the Maryland Hospital Association:

“Melony Griffith has represented Prince George’s County with distinction in the Maryland General Assembly. We are grateful for her fierce advocacy for reducing health disparities, driving economic development, and building a responsible budget. Senator Griffith’s legacy of service will strengthen our communities for generations to come.

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Crime

Developing: Suspect in Custody Following Shooting in Olney

By MCS Staff

Update: This incident is now being investigated as a domestic related homicide.

4th District Montgomery County Police officers responded to the 4500 block of Mt. Olney Lane shortly before 8:30 for a shooting. The suspect is in custody and officers are still on scene. This story is developing and we will update with additional information as soon as it’s available.

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Gaithersburg

Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Driver in Gaithersburg Saturday Night

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) and Montgomery County police responded to a call for a collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on Snouffer School Rd. in Gaithersburg on Saturday night. According to our public safety reporter, Cordell Pugh, the pedestrian was deceased upon arrival and Snouffer School Rd. will remain closed between Cherry Laurel Ln. and Flower Hill Way for several hours for collision reconstruction.

Police tweeted the following at 9:32pm, “A collision involving a pedestrian has the 8200 block of Snouffer School Road shut down in both directions. Drivers should seek an alternate route.” We’ll update with additional information when it becomes available. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

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Events

Gaithersburg Traffic Advisory For Sunday October 8th

By MCS Staff

Sunday, October 8 is the City of Gaithersburg Government Annual Oktoberfest celebration. The festivities will be occurring by the Arts Barn, Kentlands Mansion, and Kentlands Village Green, along Main Street and Inspiration Lane. Starting at 6 a.m. the following streets will be closed and will re-open at approximately 9 p.m.:

More on Oktoberfest can be found here.

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DMV

New Escalators Open at Grosvenor-Strathmore

By MCS Staff

Metro’s escalator replacement project is headed for the home stretch with installation complete on half of the 130 escalators planned for replacement . On Monday three brand new, more reliable escalators will be up and running at the Farragut North Entrance on L Street NW, and another new escalator is returning to service at Grosvenor.

Metro’s contractor, KONE, is working to complete the remaining escalators as part of an ongoing escalator replacement project through 2028, helping to ensure our infrastructure remains in a state of good repair.

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Takoma Park

30 Years of Non-Citizen Voting in Takoma Park

By MCS Staff

November marks the 30th anniversary of the first non-U.S. residents voting in Takoma Park. The landmark initiative first passed by the Takoma Park City Council in 1992 gave immigrants—regardless of their legal status—the right to vote in municipal elections. In Takoma Park, nearly one-third of the residents are foreign-born, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Even if it’s only a handful voting in elections—and it’s more than that—it’s a huge step forward for democracy,” said Seth Grimes, co-founder of Takoma Park Mobilization a volunteer organization that supports local immigrants, among other issues. “Non-citizens have a stake in civic affairs, and everyone should have a voice in who governs them.”

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