Beyond MoCo

The Great Frederick Fair begins September 15 at the Frederick Fairgrounds (797 E Patrick St) and will run through September 23.  Entry to the fair is $10 and children 10 and under get in free. Special events include tractor pulls and a demolition derby. On Friday, Gin Blossoms, Sugar Ray, Tonic & Fastball will be performing. Zach Williams, Elle King, Tracy Byrd, and Walker Hayes also have concerts scheduled. Last year’s fair featured one of the last performances by Coolio, who passed away on September 28, 2022.

TMZ reports that rapper Coolio has passed away. The video shows one of his last performances at the Frederick State Fair last Thursday, 9/22. RIP, Coolio.


Crime

Per MCPD: Detectives from the 2nd District – Patrol Investigations Unit and 5th District officers are looking for five suspects who allegedly stole from several stores in the Montgomery County area and region. Detectives have obtained surveillance photos of the suspects and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying them.

Detectives have obtained surveillance photos of the suspects and have identified a silver sedan as the suspect vehicle.


Germantown

Update: Margarita Bar & Grill is now open at 19201 Frederick Rd in Germantown and is offering 15% off for the entire week. The restaurant’s menu features a variety of tacos, burritos, chimichangas, pupusas, fajitas, steaks, salad, and seafood. Margarita options include Cadillac, Skinny, Flavored, Diablo, and Crazy (see margarita menu below). The restaurant is taking over the space that was previously occupied by the Fraternal Order of Eagle #3509 and Captain Mori’s Seafood House. Seafood in the Buff, a mobile steamed crab business, operates out of the parking lot next to this location in the summer months.

Margaritas joins Mi Rancho (19725 Germantown Rd), Señor Tequila’s (20021 Century Blvd), La Gula (21030 Frederick Rd), Abi Azteca (11514 Middlebrook Rd), La Mexicana (13016 Middlebrook Rd), and Rio Grande (13541 Clopper Rd) as places to grab a margarita in Germantown.


Bethesda

Butter Chicken House in the Montgomery Mall food terrace is currently holding its soft opening. The restaurant is located in the space that was recently home to Ya Mon! Island Grill, next door to Chick-Fil-A. Ya Mon Island Grill closed over the summer. According to its website, “Butter chicken, also known as “Murgh Makhani,” is a mouthwatering and beloved dish in Indian cuisine. It’s a rich and flavorful dish that combines tender pieces of chicken with a creamy and aromatic tomato-based sauce. The flavors are a perfect balance of savory, creamy, tangy, and mildly spicy, making it an absolute delight for the taste buds.”

Menu items at Butter Chicken House include butter chicken, tofu, shrimp, and lamb, either over rice or as a wrap. Full menu can be seen below. Our latest on what’s new at Westfield Montgomery Mall can be seen here.


Event

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.


MCPD

Police responded to a call for shots fired in Poolesville on Friday, September 15.  According to Montgomery County Police, “At approximately 11:09 a.m., MCP officers responded to the 18300 block of Cattail Rd. A person has been transported to an area hospital for an emergency evaluation petition. The officers already cleared the call and are no longer on scene.”

According to public safety reporter Cordell Pugh, Maryland Natural Resources Police assisted MCPD at the scene. We will provide an update if additional information becomes available. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps. 


Crime

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 4th District Investigative Section are investigating an armed robbery of a person that occurred on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at the Westfield Wheaton Mall in the 11100 block of Veirs Mill Rd.  Detectives have released surveillance video of the two suspects and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying them.

At approximately 7:20 p.m., 4th District officers responded to the location for the report of an armed robbery.


Beyond MoCo

Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit has arrested a juvenile male for the murder of 16-year-old DuVal High School student Jayda Medrano-Moore of Greenbelt. According to PGPD, “on September 11, 2023, at approximately 3:45 pm, officers responded to calls for a shooting in the 9800 block of Palamar Drive. The victim was located outside suffering from a gunshot wound(s). She was pronounced deceased a short time later at a hospital.

The preliminary investigation reveals the victim was walking on Palamar Drive after leaving DuVal High School when a dispute occurred between two groups. During that dispute, a suspect(s) shot the victim. Investigators continue to work to determine the circumstances of the dispute and the shooting.”


Maryland

Governor Moore released the following statement regarding Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury’s decision not to seek a second term:

“I want to thank Superintendent Choudhury for his service to the state of Maryland. He led the Maryland State Department of Education admirably during an unprecedented global pandemic and a transformative time for our state’s education system. His implementation of the initial phase of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future has set our students and educators up for success as we continue the work of making Maryland’s public schools the best in the country.


Gaithersburg

Construction continues to progress at the site of Montgomery County’s first Wawa, which will be located at the site of the old Becraft Antiques (405 S Frederick Ave.) on 355, across from Gaithersburg High School (photos below).  The store has also added job listings on its website for Customer Service Supervisor,  Team Supervisor (Overnights), and Customer Service Associate for the new location.

Wawa began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, Pa, in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and “certified” process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, George’s grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa has become an “all day, every day stop for fresh, built-to-order foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services, and surcharge-free ATMs, and Boundless Convenience. A chain of more than 950 convenience retail stores (over 750 offering gasoline), Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and Washington, D.C. The stores offer a large fresh food service selection, including Wawa brands such as built-to-order hoagies , freshly brewed coffee , hot breakfast sandwiches , built-to-order specialty beverages , and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks.”


MCPS

Jennifer Martin, President of the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), has responded to the summary of the investigation of MCPS principal Joel Beidleman by the Jackson Mewis law firm released by the Montgomery County Board of Education on Thursday. The full response can be seen below:

“MCEA is confident in the overall accuracy of the report by Jackson Lewis summarizing the problems uncovered through their investigation. The investigators echoed our concerns that MCPS brazenly ignored our members urgent pleas. There were systemic failures at every level within MCPS. We are outraged to lear how extensive the cover-ups, negligence, and abuses of power were.


Education

The Leadership Training Institute (LTI) at John F. Kennedy High School empowers students through a rigorous interdisciplinary education emphasizing experiential learning, community service projects, and leadership theory and application. LTI alumni and friends are invited on Oct. 6 to share  LTI memories and celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the program. The event will be held from 6–8:30 p.m. at Montgomery Country Club.

John F. Kennedy High School’s signature program empowers students through rigorous interdisciplinary experiential learning, community service projects, and leadership theory and application. The Leadership Training Institute is open by application to all Downcounty Consortium students.