From the Office of Council President Evan Glass: The Montgomery County Anti-Hate Task Force will hold its second meeting with all six cohort groups representing the Jewish, Black/African American, LGBTQ+, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic and Muslim communities on Tuesday, August 1 at 7 p.m.
The meeting will feature a presentation by Montgomery County Public School leaders with an overview and plan on combating hate and bias incidents in schools.
Montgomery County’s first Sheetz, which will be located at 751 Progress Way in Gaithersburg, is now scheduled to open on Thursday, August 24. Gas pumps were recently installed at the site and signage is now up for its 24-hour drive-thru. In May we reported that Sheetz will also be opening a location in the Walnut Hill shopping center in Gaithersburg sometime in 2024. Sheetz rival Wawa has also recently ramped up the construction on its upcoming Gaithersburg store.
Sheetz is a gas station/convenience store that offers made to order food and has over 650 locations throughout Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. According to the company, Sheetz provides “kicked-up convenience while being more than just a convenience store. Sheetz is a mecca for people on the go. If you need to refuel your car or refresh your body, we have what you need to keep you moving on to whatever comes next.”
Takoma Park Police has provided an updated on road closures and reopening a stemming from this weekend’s storms. Additionally, road closures for the city’s National Night Out event on Tuesday, August 1st, can also be seen below:
• Takoma at Buffalo and Albany – road is open
Home to over 6,000 advanced technology companies working on the technologies of the future, spanning all the way from health-tech to quantum to clean energy to artificial intelligence, Montgomery County, Maryland, is earning global attention for its ability to attract investment and support companies in high-growth industries, including quantum, cyber, artificial intelligence, life sciences and more.
A top destination for companies in the innovation economy, it’s no surprise that leading brands choose to be here. With a unique combination of world-class talent, established infrastructure, and proximity to federal agencies and research institutions, this strategic location is home to 18 federal agencies and 36 federal research laboratories and some of the world most pioneering companies including Lockheed Martin, United Therapeutics, Hughes Network Systems, Vaisala Xweather, and X-energy. Additionally, the County offers a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem with private and publicly-owned incubators, accelerators and extensive opportunities for partnerships and collaborations—all of which enable startups and early-stage companies to have key strategic advantages and access to the capital and resources they need to grow and thrive.
Known for having one of the most highly educated workforces in the country with approximately one-third of its adult residents age 25 or older holding a master’s degree or higher, the County has a deep talent pool which ranks 5th highest in the technology sector, the 2nd highest concentration of PhDs in the country, and is home to approximately 90,000 technology professionals. The County also boasts top ranking public schools, the #1 community college in the state of Maryland, and proximity to over a dozen academic institutions, including the Universities at Shady Grove, which offers a consortium of nine public institutions on one campus located at Shady Grove. (more…)
Nick’s Diner at 11199 Veirs Mill Rd in Wheaton remains closed after a heavy storms knocked out power in the immediate area on Saturday afternoon. The restaurant posted the following update Monday morning: “Attention valued customers, We regret to inform you that Nick’s Diner is still closed due to the ongoing power outage. We apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding. Updates on our reopening will be provided as soon as electricity is restored. Thank you for your patience and continued support. -Nick’s Diner”
Nick’s recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and serves diner classics like pancakes, French toast, omelets, hot & cold sandwiches, chili, souvlaki, and gyros. Featured photo courtesy of Nick’s Diner on Instagram.
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.
Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying two suspects who broke into a construction site and stole construction related equipment in the 10100 block of Washingtonian Boulevard in Gaithersburg– the site where The Carnegie at Washingtonian is being built, next to Life Time.
Per Gaithersburg Police: In July 2023, during the early morning hours, the two suspects entered the construction site and removed construction related equipment and electrical related property with a value of over $170,000. Detectives from the Gaithersburg Police – Investigative Section obtained surveillance video and photos of the suspects. Detectives describe suspect one as a male, thin build with short dark colored hair. The second suspect is a male with two distinguishing tattoos. The first tattoo is located on his left leg and the second tattoo is located on his right forearm.
All Set Restaurant & Bar, located at 8630 Fenton Street, Plaza 5 in Silver Spring, has announced it will be hosting its inaugural Oyster Eating Contest on Saturday, August 5th, from 2pm-4pm featuring, an oyster shucking demonstration from Owner & Head Chef, Edward Reavis. The contestant who eats the most oysters will be awarded one dozen oysters a day, every day, for one calendar year, All Set & Money Muscle merchandise, their photo posted on All Set social media, & ultimate bragging rights. All interested competitors must sign a waiver & pay a $25 registration fee. Additional details on the contest can be seen below:
Each ‘athlete’ will have 1 minute to eat as many oysters as possible. Contestants will receive a tray filled with 24 pre-shucked oysters on the half shell. If the competitor consumes all the oysters on the tray, they will be given supplemental dozens.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) will release a limited number of passes at noon on Monday, July 31 for its 2023 Hip-Hop Block Party at nmaahc.si.edu/HipHop50. This daylong event celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Saturday, Aug. 12, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (last admission at 10 p.m.), at the intersection of Madison Drive and 14th Street N.W. The event is free, but passes are required. The 2023 Hip-Hop Block Party will be hosted by Vic Jagger and feature performers such as DJ Beauty and the Beatz, The True School DJs – DJ Cuzzin B, Miss H.E.R., and DJ Marc Nfinit, Adam Blackstone and Special Guest Sugar Bear, Mumu Fresh, Monie Love, Kid Capri, J.Period, and more to be confirmed.
NMAAHC hosts the block party in celebration of the culture and music that originated and has been shaped by Black America for decades. Attendees will also be able to participate in interactive activities, such as graffiti art, hip-hop dancing and more. The Hip-Hop Block Party also marks the return of Club Café, where attendees can taste a delicious hip-hop-inspired menu while experiencing a vibe only the museum can provide. For a complete schedule, please visit nmaahc.si.edu/HipHop50.
Last month it was announced that The Citi Open in Washington, D.C. is combining with the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic to become the Mubadala Citi DC Open beginning in 2023. The move from San Jose elevated the DC women’s event from a WTA 250 level to a WTA 500 level, making the Mubadala Citi DC Open the only combined ATP-WTA 500 tournament in the world on the tour calendar. The move is subject to ATP Board approval.
The Mubadala Citi DC Open is the fifth largest pro tennis event in the United States and kicks off in earnest Monday with a star-studded lineup on the first day of main draw play at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park in the nation’s capital. From former World No.1s Viktoria Azarenka and Andy Murray to past DC champions Liudmila Samsonova, Sloane Stephens and Gael Monfils to local favorite Frances Tiafoe, fans will be treated to plenty of headliners on the first full day in Rock Creek Park.
Per Montgomery County: Neighborhoods throughout Montgomery County, including many in the cities of Gaithersburg and Rockville, will join in the celebration of National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 1. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and Police Chief Marcus Jones will be among those joining police and fire department representatives and local leaders stopping by events that will include block parties, community cookouts and activities for all ages.
Neighborhood events will start at various times. Most start around 5 or 6 p.m., although some enthusiastic communities will get started as early as 3 p.m. Residents should check with their neighborhood or civic associations for details on events that may be happening in their communities.
Per Montgomery County: A community mosaic mural that was created by families living in Montgomery Housing Partnership (MHP) apartments in Wheaton working with artists from the Wheaton Arts Parade organization was formally dedicated on Thursday, July 27. The mosaic panels were created in 2019, but installation was delayed due to the COVID-19 health crisis. The Wheaton Arts Parade “Community Mosaic” was supported in part by a grant from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County.
The mosaic mural is installed on the wall of the Pembridge Square Apartments at 2319 Blueridge Ave. and is visible from the side facing Elkin St. in Wheaton. Residents from nearby Amherst Gardens also participated in its creation. Among those at the dedication were Montgomery County Councilmember Natali Fani-González, MHP representatives and mosaic artists Edwin Salmeron and Ge’Vonna Keyes. Dan Thompson of Wheaton Arts Parade led the ceremonies.
Per MCPD : Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) are investigating a fatal collision that occurred on Saturday, July 29, 2023. At approximately 5:49 a.m., 1st District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the area of Veirs Mill Road and Twinbrook Parkway for the report of a single vehicle collision.
The preliminary investigation revealed that a black 2012 Honda Civic Hatchback was traveling eastbound on Veirs Mill Road when, for reasons unknown it left the roadway and collided with a guardrail.