Cloverly

Burger King To Open Soon in Cloverly

By MCS Staff

Last summer we let you know that Potomac Foods Group leased part of the parking lot from the property owner, Safeway, at 15411 New Hampshire Ave to build a new Burger King restaurant (with drive-thru). Demolition of the previous bank building occurred in early 2022 and construction has been ongoing ever since. After a few delays, it appears the restaurant is ready to go and will be opening very soon (photos below). An exact date is not yet available.

The process for Burger King coming to the shopping center included Safeway applying for a reduction in the number of parking spaces required for the Safeway store. A parking waiver is needed because removing the parking spaces necessary to build the new Burger King will reduce the number of parking spaces for Safeway below the minimum required by the Zoning Ordinance. Safeway filed the amendment requesting to remove the parking easement on the Burger King site and was eventually approved after the initial application was filed a couple years back.

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Gaithersburg

Flo’s Taiwan Cuisine Takes Over Hearty’s Chinese Restaurant Location

By MCS Staff

Flo’s Taiwan Cuisine took over the space that was previously home to Hearty’s Chinese restaurant at 227 Muddy Branch Rd. in the Festival at Muddy Branch shopping center (Gaithersburg). We were told signage officially changed over in May, but the restaurant has kept “Hearty’s” in the name on some delivery apps.

According to information shared by @Pike.and.Rozay, the chef and owner remain, but are now offering Taiwanese cuisine as a fixture on the menu. Previously, the Taiwanese cuisine was considered a “secret menu item.” It was also shared that the restaurant is under new management. The restaurant offers a variety of cuisine that can be seen here.

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Colesville

Progress at Kat’s Kitchen and Company in Colesville

By MCS Staff

In June we let you know that Kat’s Kitchen and Company signage is up in the window of 12854 New Hampshire Ave, previously the home of Dominic’s Italian Grille, which closed permanently in January. Permanent signage is now up and Google lists August 29th as the opening date for the restaurant (photo below). After stopping by today, it appears more work needs to be done and the restaurant’s hearing with Montgomery County’s Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) isn’t taking place until Thursday, September 7th, so it’s likely the opening may take place later than Google suggests.

There is still not much known about Kat’s Kitchen and Company, but a martini glass is adorns the the logo, so a full bar will be included in the plans. We have left a message with the phone number listed on Google and are awaiting to hear back for additional information.

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Bethesda

UPDATE: Montgomery Mall Bomb Threat Determined Not Valid

By MCS Staff

UPDATE: Montgomery Mall bomb threat determined not valid. Mall has been cleared and turned back over to mall security.

Montgomery County Police tweeted the following on Friday, August 18, at 8:12pm:  “MCPD at Montgomery Mall for reported bomb threat. Mall being evacuated as a precaution. Currently investigating validity of the report. More information will be released when it is available.”

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Education

MCEA President Releases Statement on MCPS Response to Sexual Harassment Allegations

By Patrick Herron

MCPS must fulfill its duty to protect its employees through a truly independent investigator, one with extensive experience in victim-focused sexual misconduct investigations and one that does not have a pre-existing relationship with the district. We encourage the public to join us in calling for a truly independent investigation, and for MCPS to work with us on reforming their policies so that this never happens again.

Given the scale and scope of allegations employees provided to MCPS, an investigation needs to focus on why MCPS management failed to protect staff and instead promoted the principal. MCPS has now chosen to conduct a second investigation of their complaints using a firm that specializes in protecting management from sexual harassment claims, not in ensuring safe working conditions for employees.

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Maryland

Attorney General Brown Leads Coalition of 13 State Attorneys General Supporting Federal Rules to Improve Pipeline Safety and Protect the Environment

By Patrick Herron

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown co-led, along with Attorney General Letitia James of New York, a coalition of 13 attorneys general in comments supporting the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) proposed Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair Rules. The rules largely implement the bipartisan PIPES Act of 2020 and would require the use of commercially available leak detection technology and common-sense operational controls to minimize both intentional and unintentional releases from gas pipelines.

“Every leak from gas infrastructure poses a direct threat to our communities and fuels global warming, which we know disproportionately impacts already overburdened families and communities. This proposal is a commonsense approach to eliminate leaks and needless environmental waste,” said Attorney General Brown. “It’s a win for both the safety of our citizens and the protection of our environment.”

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Maryland

UMD Ranked Nation’s No. 1 College for LGBTQ+ Students

By MCS Staff

The University of Maryland was named the top college in the nation for LGBTQ+ students by Campus Pride and BestColleges. It leads the list of 2023’s Top 25 LGBTQ+-Friendly Colleges, recognizing educational institutions that foster inclusive and supportive environments for LGBTQ+ students. Maryland was No. 1 in 2020 and appeared among the top 25 in 2021 and 2022.

The ranking is based on an extensive evaluation of various factors, including efforts to support and provide academic, financial, and social resources for LGBTQ+ students. In addition to the Campus Pride Index rating scale, BestColleges has included its own ranking methodology accounting for academic quality and college affordability. The collaboration between BestColleges.com and CampusPride aims to empower prospective LGBTQ+ students by providing them with valuable insights and information as they make decisions about their higher education journey.

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Maryland

Maryland Is the “State with the Best Unemployment Rate Change”, According to Report

By MCS Staff

With inflation slowing but prices still relatively high and the U.S. gaining 187,000 jobs in July, slightly higher than in the previous month, WalletHub today released updated rankings for its report on Changes in Unemployment Rate by State, with Maryland being the “state with the best unemployment rate change.” Recently, Montgomery County announced an unemployment rate of 1.5%, which is the lowest in more than 30 years.

In order to take stock of how unemployment rates are changing throughout the U.S., WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on six key metrics that compare unemployment rate statistics from the latest month for which data is available (July 2023) to key dates in 2023, 2022, 2020 and 2019. Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A.

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Burtonsville

Ulta Signs on as Newest Tenant at Burtonsville Crossing

By MCS Staff

Ulta is listed as the newest tenant for the Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center that’s currently being renovated. The center will be home to Montgomery County’s first Sprouts grocery store, which is on pace to open by the end of this year. It will also be home to Domain Fitness & Performance, an upcoming TJ Maxx location, and Creative Outlets Arts Center which recently announced that they’ll be moving into the shopping center from their previous Montgomery Mall location that closed in Bethesda earlier this summer. EDENS is also likely to receive a $3.5 million grant to renovate and revenant the shopping center.

Ulta opened 47 new stores in 2022 and renovated or relocated 32 stores, according to its 2022 fiscal year-end earnings call. The brand is known for its variety of beauty and skin care products ranging from entry level brands to prestige lines, allowing customers to try from the least expensive brands to top line brands all under one roof. The company saw growth throughout 2022 and expects the same in 2023 with plans to open another 25 to 30 more new stores and provide facelifts to or relocate another 20 to 30, according to Ulta CEO Dave Kimbell. These additional storefronts are above and outside of the plans to expand its shop-in-shops with Target. An opening date for the Burtonsville Crossing location is not yet available.

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Education

Montgomery County Public Schools to Announce Attendance Action Plan to Combat Student Absenteeism

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will be hosting a press conference to introduce a comprehensive Attendance Action Plan titled “ALL TOGETHER Now: In School Together, Learn Together, Achieve Together / Attendance Action Plan” This multifaceted initiative aims to address a significant problem faced by school systems across the country – student attendance in school.

During the press conference, MCPS Superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight and MCPS Staff will unveil the Attendance Action Plan, which encompasses various strategies and interventions to promote consistent attendance and enhance student learning outcomes. The plan focuses on fostering a collaborative effort among students, parents, educators, and the wider community to ensure all students have equal opportunities to succeed academically. Chronic Absenteeism is defined as 18 or more days absent in a school year without permission (10%).

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Burtonsville

EDENS Expected to Receive $3.5 Million Grant For Burtonsville Crossing Renovations

By MCS Staff

Last month we showed you some of the progress EDENS continues to make at Burtonsville Crossing. Sprouts, the first business announced as part of the renovated shopping center, is on track to open by the end of this year.  Sprouts was the first to sign a lease for the renovated Burtonsville Crossing and will be opening the grocery chain’s first Montgomery County location in the shopping center. Now, EDENS is expected to receive a $3.5 million grant towards the renovations, according to a report by Maryland Newsletters. “The state Board of Public Works takes up the grant, aimed at renovating the Route 29 center that has lain dormant for years, this month. Edens first signed grocery store Sprouts for about 23,000 feet, then added T.J. Maxx and more recently, Domain Fitness & Performance, for 32,100 feet.”

Former NBA player Jason Miskiri is part of a group that will be opening Domain Fitness & Performance, a new fitness center that has signed on to open in the shopping center and will be located adjacent to Sprouts. Miskiri also owns several restaurants in Silver Spring, including the Angry Jerk, The Breakfast Club, and Society Restaurant & Lounge. A representative from EDENS also confirmed to us that TJ Maxx will be opening a location in the shopping center in 2024. In addition to TJ Maxx, Creative Outlets Arts Center has announced that they’ll be moving into the shopping center from their previous Montgomery Mall location that closed in Bethesda last month. Ulta has also recently signed on to become the newest tenant at the shopping center. Progress video from last month can be seen below.

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