MoCo Government

Community members encouraged to sign up to testify about their experiences with the county’s development review process at listening session led by State Delegate Lesley Lopez, in coordination with the Montgomery County Planning Department and the Montgomery County Executive’s Office 

Per Montgomery Planning: Members of the public are invited to provide input on Montgomery County’s process for reviewing and approving development projects during the second of three listening sessions for the Development Review Process Workgroup on Tuesday, July 18 from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s (M-NCPPC) Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, 2nd floor, Wheaton, MD 20902). The listening session will feature in-person and virtual options for the public to testify.


DMV

No more searching for spare change to pay at Metro parking meters. New centralized pay stations and ParkMobile are now available at all of Metro’s 63 Kiss & Ride and hourly lots and on-street parking spaces, expanding the ways customers can pay.

Per WMATA: Metro’s Park & Ride facilities make it easy for customers to travel to work, school, or other activities. You can park your car and ride without the hefty parking fees. On weekends, all Metro owned parking facilities are free and with a $2 weekend flat fare for any one-way trip, using Metro is an even better bargain.


Beyond MoCo

Greco, a Boston area fast-casual restaurant that offers Greek cuisine, is coming to DC. According to PoPville, the restaurant will be moving in to the old &Pizza space at 1335 Wisconsin Ave, NW. Greco has been referred to by Boston Magazine as “one of the best fast-casual restaurants in Boston, period.”

Greco boasts, “There’s the American version of Greek food—then there’s true blue GRECO. Start with a classic gyro with your choice of fillings and sauces. Add a delicious side of Greek salad or zucchini crisps. And finish off your meal with legendary loukoumades. At our modern eatery, you’ll experience authentic street fare, made with Greek love.” The restaurant offers a variety of pitas, plates, salads, bowls, souvlaki, platters, and more. The full menu can be seen here.


Sponsored

It’s Asian American Pacific Islander Month, and what better way to celebrate the culture than to immerse oneself at the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival outside of Annapolis on May 31st?

Or didn’t get enough Irish last month? Two of the biggest Irish acts returns to the stage with Gaelic Storm and Carbon Leaf. See below for more details and information!

All events are family-friendly, packed with food, live music, interactive experiences, and now even more ways to get active.

To kick things off, you can save 20% on tickets with code MOCOSHOW (valid through May 31 for general admission tickets).

2026 Festival Lineup

Annapolis Irish Festival

May 29 & 30

Experience the spirit of Ireland right here in Annapolis with two days of live music, great food, and high-energy performances. Headlined by internationally recognized acts like Scythian, Gaelic Storm, and Carbon Leaf, the Annapolis Irish Festival blends traditional Irish culture with modern rock festival vibes.

Haven’t heard of Gaelic Storm? Are you sure? They were the band in James Cameron’s Titanic and went from local stars to national powerhouses. We are lucky to have them right here in Maryland so don’t miss out!

Enjoy Guinness, Irish whiskey tastings, craft beverages, local vendors, and nonstop entertainment in a setting that brings thousands together to celebrate Irish heritage.

Anne Arundel Asian American Festival

May 31

Celebrate culture, community, and cuisine at the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival, a vibrant showcase of food, performances, and traditions from across Asia!

Come hungry and enjoy authentic dishes from a wide range of vendors, cultural performances throughout the day, and interactive experiences for all ages. This family-friendly event highlights the diversity and energy of the Asian American community during AAPI Heritage Month.

Food vendors include:

Namit Filipino, Ekiben, Bun’d Up, E-San Thai, MD Brad Butcher and Central Asian dishes, Thai Pinto, Pho Wheels, and The Sister House! (more…)


Downtown Silver Spring

Chick-fil-A will be temporarily closing its Downtown Silver Spring location at 825 Ellsworth Drive for renovations according to signs placed on the restaurant. “We will be closing for renovations on August 3rd. We will be closed for about 10 weeks. Thank you for understanding and we are looking forward to serving you soon.” The news was first reported by Source of the Spring, who noted that the restaurant was last remodeled in 2017.

Chick-fil-A has additional Montgomery County locations in Bethesda, two in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Olney, Rockville, and Silver Spring (between Calverton, Fairland, and White Oak). The chain opened its newest location last month in GaithersburgFeatured photo courtesy of Google Maps.


Germantown

Montgomery County Police are investigating g a fatal collision involving a motorcycle that occurred, Sunday, July 9.  According to MCPD, “At approximately 6:11 p.m., 5th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the area of Milestone Manor Ln. and Frederick Rd. for the report of a traffic collision involving a motorcycle and a vehicle.


Restaurants

Back in May we let you know that Tequila Modern Mexican was coming to 11 N Washington Street in Rockville Town Center, the former location of Trapezaria. Trapezaria, which opened in the summer of 2013, permanently closed on March 11. Construction on the interior of the Rockville location began in May and no opening timeframe has been announced, but the restaurant does have a hearing with Montgomery County’s Alcoholic Beverage Services (ABS) for a liquor license at 1:30pm on Thursday, July 20th.

Tequila Modern Restaurant recently opened its first location at 1645 Reservoir St #185 in Harrisonburg, VA. The restaurant group also plans to open locations in Kansas and North Carolina. The menu from the Virginia location can be seen below:


Beyond MoCo

According to a GoFundMe that has been set up to help Grays mother with funeral expenses, “As some of you may know, her son Tommy (aka Trey), only 17 years of age, was murdered while on their vacation in Puerto Rico this past weekend. No parent should ever have to bury their child and unfortunately Rhonda & Trey’s father Tommy have to With the overwhelming news and the unbearable pain of losing a child, getting them as much support as possible would be absolutely appreciated. Funds will help bring Trey back home so he can be laid to rest by the rest of his family & loved ones. As well as for funeral arrangements, hospital funds, etc. Thank you in advance to those who can support! ❤️ Rest in love & peace Trey. You will forever & ALWAYS be remembered!” https://www.gofundme.com/f/pc9zs-laying-tommy-to-rest

POLICÍA IDENTIFICA A SOSPECHOSO DE ASESINATO A TURISTA EN ISLA VERDE Y SOLICITA AYUDA A CIUDADANOS PARA DAR CON SU PARADERO.@PRPDNoticias identificó a Carlos Aníbal Rosado Martínez, de 23 años, como el sospechoso del asesinato del joven de 17 años, residente de Maryland. pic.twitter.com/02RwfpsMWc


MoCo Government

According to the Montgomery County MD Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), “A Flood Watch has been issued in Montgomery County, this afternoon through evening. Heavy rain & severe storms are possible. Stay weather aware & be prepared to take your Sunday plans indoors. 🚧If you encounter high water on the road, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”

Per the Maryland Department of Emergency Management: Widespread 1-2″ of rainfall is expected across the Flood Watch area today, with isolated totals in excess of 4″ possible. Risk for flash flooding and damaging winds exist across the region. Highest risk for flash flooding is generally near and NW of the I-95 corridor.


Bethesda

Per the article, “This creative bagel and others like it are the work of partners Daniela Moreira and Andrew Dana, who opened their first deli in DC to immediate fanfare in 2018. Call Your Mother now has 12 locations, including a brand-new outpost in Denver. Moreira, who is the executive chef, infuses Call Your Mother’s menu with ingredients and flavors inspired by Dana’s Jewish heritage.Photo by Taste MoCo.

https://www.facebook.com/100896368366783/posts/370075928115491/?mibextid=cr9u03


Bethesda

Dalia’s Falafel is scheduled to officially open its first brick and mortar location, with its regular hours, at 7750 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda on Tuesday, July 11. Today, from 11am until 2:30pm, Dalia’s will be holding a special Grand Opening. Per its website, regular hours will be:

Dalia’s opened up as a pop-up restaurant at 4223 Howard Avenue in Kensington back in August 2020 serving falafel pita sandwiches and falafel bowls. New items on the menu will include radishes, french fries, rice,  and Moroccan beef kabobs (full menu below.) The Kensington pop up will close once the Bethesda location opens. Last year, the local “Yelp MD Burbs” part of Yelp released its list of “Top 25 Places to Eat in MD Burbs” list and 15 of the 25 restaurants on the list are in Montgomery County, including Dalia’s Falafel, which came in at #21. Yelp is a popular company that publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses with a major focus on restaurants.


MCPD

Per MCPD: A 21-year-old Baltimore man was shot and killed inside of a Montgomery County Parking garage early Saturday morning. On July 8, 2023, at approximately 2:40 a.m., Montgomery County Department of Police 3rd District officers were dispatched to Montgomery County Public Parking Garage 3 in the 900 block of Silver Spring Avenue, for the report of a shooting that just occurred.

Upon arrival, officers located Kymani Elijah Bailey on the first level of the garage, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.