This morning at approximately 7:44 a.m., officers responded to the area of the Fox Chapel Shopping Center in Germantown for the report of multiple individuals attempting to break into vehicles. […]
Last Friday, an email was sent to the Paint Branch High School community informing them of the school’s principal, Dr. Joel Beidleman, going on extended leave. Beidleman was named principal at Paint Branch in June and was previously principal at William Farquhar Middle School in Olney.
A Washington Post article released this morning alleges that Beidleman was reported to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) 18 times in seven years and details alleged sexual harassment, workplace bullying, and other inappropriate conduct at multiple schools, spanning over a decade. The article states that Beidleman was placed on leave by MCPS and that the school system will launch an “independent, external investigation.”
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Anyone with information regarding guardians or family is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).
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 Special Victims Investigations Division is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Sean Smith Jr., a missing 14-year-old from Germantown. Smith was last seen on August 1, 2023, in the 19300 block of Crystal Rock Dr. in Germantown. He is 6’1″, 150 lbs, with black hair, brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans, carrying a blue and black backpack
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Sean Smith Jr is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).
Looking to clean out all of those old documents that have been taking up valuable space in your home or office? Join us at our Kensington Branch and we’ll help you shred your documents safely, securely, and for FREE!
After shredding, stick around to enjoy:
Permanent signage is up at Le Macaron at 7 Grand Corner Ave (next to BurgerFi) in Gaithersburg’s Rio. The shop is expected to open in the coming months, and is owned by MoCo residents Natalia Mejia and Camilo Beltran. Le Macaron, a Florida-based pastry shop now has more than 70 locations across the US, with more locations on the way as franchisees are opening in shopping centers like Rio, food trucks, and kiosks in malls.
Menu items at the upcoming Rio location will include macarons (available in 20 flavors), gourmet chocolates, French gelato, specialty European style coffees, classic French pastries, and homemade candies. More on the history Le Macaron, per its website:
American University President Sylvia Burwell will be stepping down from the position following this upcoming school year after six years at the school. The news was shared by the University in a memorandum earlier this week. The full memorandum can be seen below followed by a video from Burwell making the announcement:
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to extend our gratitude to President Sylvia Burwell for her dedicated leadership and service to the American University community. For the past six years, during some of the most consequential times in higher education and our broader world, Sylvia provided bold direction, personal caring, and an optimistic vision for American University. As she prepares to step down in June 2024, we will commemorate the many achievements during her tenure while continuing our vital work to building American University’s great future.
Go to American University President Sylvia Burwell to Step Down Following This School Year
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Montgomery County Public Schools (MPCS) and MedStar Health are announcing a new partnership to enhance the school system’s sports medicine program for scholastic athletics. Ahead of the upcoming 2023-24 school year, a newly-formed team of 12-month certified athletic trainers hired by MPCS has already begun working in all 25 of the county’s high schools. Their goal is to provide streamlined and enhanced care for student-athletes across all athletic programs.
“We are very excited to launch our innovative sports medicine program, which includes a full-time certified athletic trainer in each of our 25 high schools,” said MCPS Systemwide Athletic Director Dr. Jeff Sullivan. “Thanks to the commitment to safety from our school leaders and partnership with the region’s largest health system, MedStar Health, we now have medical professionals on staff to assist with the assessment and treatment of student-athlete injuries, prevention, rehabilitation, and more.”
Go to Press Release: MCPS and MedStar Health Launch Innovative Sports Medicine Partnership
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Back in November of 2020, we let you know that Chase Bank was close to receiving approval to take over the location previously occupied by Meixin Supermarket (formerly Maxim) on Hungerford Drive (355) in Rockville. The building was demolished last summer and construction of the bank began earlier this year. Photos of the progress can be seen below.
During the approval process, Rockville’s Historic District Commission (HDC) recommended and found that the property met certain criteria for historic designation. City staff staff disagreed and recommended the the Planning Commission deny the change of zones from MXCD (Mixed-Use Corridor District) to MXCD-HD (Historic District) due to not meeting criteria for the designation. After a vote late last year, the City of Rockville decided that the building did not meet criteria for historic designation and the decision to move forward with the plans for Chase Bank moved forward.
Per the Office of the United States Attorney, District of Washington DC: Jonathan Willis, 37, of North Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Emily Odom, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Willis pleaded guilty on March 15, 2023, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, on March 31, 2022, the defendant began communicating with a 14-year-old minor victim who resided in Washington, D.C. using Snapchat. The defendant offered to pay the victim money in exchange for sexually explicit photographs. Over a two-week period, the defendant sent the fourteen-year-old girl multiple photos of his penis and of himself masturbating, and repeatedly asked her to come to his residence in Maryland to “make love.” The victim refused and reported the defendant’s communications to law enforcement. On May 12, 2022 and May 24, 2022, an undercover officer assumed the victim’s identity on Snapchat. On both occasions, the defendant requested sexually explicit photographs of the 14-year-old girl, sent her photos and videos of his penis, and attempted to persuade her to travel to Maryland for sexual activity.
CatVideoFest 2023, a compilation of the latest and greatest cat videos that have been edited by award-winning, Seattle-based filmmaker Will Braden, is showing this Saturday and Sunday only at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (8633 Colesville Road) in Silver Spring. According to its website, “CatVideoFest is a joyous communal experience, only available in theaters. Enjoy 70+ minutes of nonstop cuteness, bond with your fellow feline fanatics and learn more about how to help cats in need in DC and beyond.”
The film is co-presented with the Humane Rescue Alliance and tickets can be purchased here for $13. h/t @pike.and.rozay on Instagram. Watch the official trailer below:
Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced that Early Charm – a company that creates, owns, and operates ventures that convert science to revenue – has officially opened its new production shop in Baltimore City, where it plans to create 115 new jobs over the next four years. The company has leased more than 26,000 square feet of space at 1300 Bayard Street in Pigtown, where it is growing its custom manufacturing operations for advanced materials and supporting the addition of 30 new ventures.
“We are excited to support Early Charm’s reinvestment in Baltimore City, where more than a hundred jobs will soon be added to the Pigtown community,” said Gov. Moore. “Investing in this new facility will allow Early Charm to continue growing its portfolio, boost manufacturing in local industry and make Maryland even more competitive.”