The tenants association, a group of nearly 150 residents, organized the press conference to highlight long-standing maintenance and safety issues and code violations at the White Oak property. Enclave tenant Emmanuel Walker led the gathering, opening with a call and response: “When I say ‘less,’ you say ‘pests!’”
“Don’t charge me rent and then not provide livable conditions,” Walker told the crowd, after reading aloud the Enclave website’s description of the “luxury” apartments. “I don’t need luxury — I just need security and decent conditions.”
Per the Maryland Lottery: “Congratulations to the lucky player that purchased a $510,000 jackpot-winning Multi-Match ticket for last night’s drawing! The winning ticket in the Oct. 19 drawing was sold by Old Orchard Liquors in Hagerstown. Check your tickets for the winning numbers: 2, 18, 21, 24, 25 and 40. The winner can choose between the annuity, paid in 25 equal installments, or an estimated $260,000 cash option (before taxes).
Lottery officials encourage the winner to sign the back of the ticket and keep it in a safe location. The player has 182 days after the date of the drawing to claim the prize. The lucky Western Maryland retailer can celebrate, too. Old Orchard Liquors located at 17619 Virginia Avenue in Washington County will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival is coming to Montgomery County on November 7 & 8, 2026, at the Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse in Germantown, Maryland. Get ready to sip, sample, shop, and enjoy a full weekend of family-friendly fun!
Sip, Sample & Shop
Get ready to explore a festival floor filled with top chocolate makers, coffee roasters, bakeries, specialty food vendors, artisan brands and small businesses from across the region and beyond. Sample new flavors, meet the people behind the products and shop directly from the talented makers and businesses who created them.
Experience Chocolate History
One of the highlights of this year’s festival is a large-scale chocolate sculpture of George Washington on horseback, created by award-winning chocolate artist Paul Joachim.
The sculpture will be part of a special exhibit exploring chocolate’s place in early American history. Guests can see the sculpture up close, sample colonial-style drinking chocolate, and shop the exclusive Collector’s Heritage Box inspired by the historic drink. It’s a unique opportunity to experience chocolate through art, history, and taste all in one place.
Seminars, Demonstrations & More
Visit the Sip & Share Seminar Classroom for educational sessions and demonstrations throughout the weekend, all included with your festival admission. Explore topics ranging from ancestral cacao in the Ecuadorian Amazon and the realities of starting a coffee business to craft chocolate and festival trivia. Learn directly from experts and makers as they share their knowledge, demonstrate their craft and offer a closer look at how their products are made.
Fun for All Ages
The DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival offers an experience the whole family can enjoy. Kids under 12 receive free admission with a ticketed adult and can get creative at our complimentary kids’ craft tables. Festival mascots Chunk & Bean will also be on-site for meet-and-greets and photo opportunities throughout the weekend. Families can even shop for Chunk & Bean plushies, children’s books and other kid-friendly items.
Whether you’re a serious chocolate lover, a coffee enthusiast, a foodie or simply looking for a fun fall outing, there’s something for everyone to see, taste, shop and enjoy.
Save on Tickets
The DMV Chocolate & Coffee Festival Maryland Edition takes place November 7 & 8, 2026, at the Adventist HealthCare Fieldhouse in Germantown, Maryland.
MoCo Show readers can use code MOCO10 at checkout to save 10% on online festival tickets. Grab your tickets and get ready to sip, sample and shop at one of the sweetest weekends of the fall!
Per the Washington County Sheriff’s Department: “The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is currently conducting a homicide investigation. On October 19, 2023, at approximately 8:00 PM, Deputies responded to the 19100 block of Olde Waterford Road, Hagerstown, MD, for a reported shooting. The victim, an adult male, was located in the driveway of a residence. The victim was suffering from what appeared to be gunshot wounds. He was transported to Meritus Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The victim was identified as Washington County, Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, of Hagerstown.
Update: The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is searching for the below-listed individual in connection to the Olde Waterford Road homicide investigation. Anyone with information on the location of Pedro Argote, 49, is asked to notify law enforcement immediately. Argote is 5’7”, 130 lbs. with black hair and brown eyes. He may be operating a silver 2009 Mercedes GL450, displaying Maryland registration plates 4EH0408. Anyone with information in reference to Argote’s location is asked to not approach him but to immediately notify law enforcement. This continues to be an active investigation, certain details of the case will not be released to the public by law enforcement. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office will hold a press conference at 11:00 a.m. The press conference will be at 100 West Washington Street Hagerstown, MD, 21740, at the Washington County Government Administration Building.”
Per MCPD: “Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 6th District Investigative Section are investigating a residential burglary and an attempted residential burglary that occurred on Sunday, September 3, 2023. Detectives have released surveillance video of the male suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying him.
At approximately 6:09 a.m., 6thDistrict officers responded to the 8100 block of Irwell Court in Gaithersburg for the report of a residential burglary that just occurred. The investigation has revealed that, at approximately 5:54 a.m., the suspect forced entry into the rear sliding door of the home, stole property and left the scene. The victim was in the residence during the time of the burglary. At approximately 2:13 p.m., 6th District officers responded to a home in the 17400 block of Tauton Drive in Gaithersburg for the report of an attempted residential burglary. Investigators determined that at approximately 5:47 a.m., the suspect approached the front door of the home, then jumped over the fence, attempted to force entry into the rear sliding door and left the scene.
The MoCo Epic is a festival celebrating mountain biking, natural surface trails, and the community that makes this region a great place to ride! 2026 marks the 16th anniversary of the MoCo Epic.
In January we let you know that Poke Bros will be opening its first Maryland location in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood. The restaurant, which opened its first location in 2016 and has since expanded to over 75 restaurants across the country, will be taking over the space that was previously home to Next Day Blinds at 107 Market St W until 2020. Permanent signage went up earlier this summer, and now interior work is nearing completion (photo below). An opening date is not yet available, but it appears that it will be open this fall.
More bout Poke Bros: After the founders were introduced to the Hawaiian staple on a trip to California. The appeal of this fast and casual—while healthy—concept immediately inspired the founders to begin thinking how they could bring this unique dish to the midwest. From its inception, we were confident the foodies of Columbus would love the poké concept, but wanted to provide an inexpensive and accessible product in the larger market. After some intense research and trial and error, the Poké Bros founders developed their own brand of poké bowl flavor they are proud to share and call their own. Modeling similar assembly line casual dining concepts, we developed a unique way to build your “sushi in a bowl” and have fun doing so! As the poké movement has caught on, Poké Bros has rapidly expanded into multiple states across the Midwest and East Coast, offering the same fresh and authentic cuisine to a wider range of customers. We will continue to stick to our roots, as Poké Bros continues to grow, and offer only the best fresh ingredients that fill you up but don’t slow you down.
Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: “Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has joined a coalition of 49 Attorneys General announcing a $10 million settlement with payment processor ACI Worldwide over a 2021 testing error that led to the attempted unauthorized withdrawal of $2.3 billion from the accounts of mortgage-holders. The settlement includes injunctive relief designed to prevent a similar incident in the future.
ACI Payments, a subsidiary of ACI Worldwide Corp., is a payment processor for a variety of third-party clients, including mortgage servicers. Nationstar Mortgage, known publicly as “Mr. Cooper,” offered ACI’s Speedpay product to its customers so they could schedule and electronically pay their monthly mortgage payments through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. On April 23, 2021, ACI was testing the Speedpay platform when it erroneously attempted to withdraw mortgage payments from hundreds of thousands of “Mr. Cooper” customers on a day that was not authorized or expected. In many cases, consumers were subjected to the attempted withdrawal of multiple mortgage payments from their personal bank accounts. The Attorneys General allege the April 2021 incident was due to significant defects in ACI’s privacy and data security procedures and technical infrastructure related to the Speedpay platform.
Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando announced today that he is dropping out of the U.S. Senate race. Jawando announced in May that he was launching a campaign for the U.S. Senate after Senator Ben Cardin, Maryland’s senior senator and Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, announced that he would not seek re-election at the end of his term. Jawando’s full statement can be seen below (including a video):
“We are all living through such uncertain times. War is raging in the Middle East and Ukraine. Everyday Americans are not sure whether they can afford to keep a roof over their head or food on the table. Our Congress is meeting crisis with chaos and is paralyzed by far-right extremists. MAGA Republicans keep trying to elevate hard right election deniers to Speaker all while marching lockstep behind Donald Trump, a man who is running for president on a platform of revenge in a party that welcomes that with open arms. Now more than ever we need strong Democratic voices in the Senate. That’s why I got into this race.
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police, Silver Spring Investigative Section are looking for 41-year-old Freddy Hernandez Flores. Hernandez Flores was last seen on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at approximately 1:53 p.m. in the on the 8700 block of Geren Rd in Silver Spring. He is 5’07”, 170 lbs, with short brown hair, brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a red shirt with long, gray sleeves and gray pants.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Freddy Hernandez Flores is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).
Keeping Marylanders of All Faiths Safe from Hate Crimes
Per the State of Maryland: “In an effort to reinforce the administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Marylanders of all faiths, Governor Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller today met with Muslim community leaders, educators, parents, and students at the Islamic Society of Baltimore. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. and Islamic Society of Baltimore President Hasan Hammad joined the governor and lieutenant governor. Last week, Lt. Gov. Miller visited the Beth El Congregation of Baltimore to attend evening Shabbat service and meet with congregation members.
“In Maryland we do not—and we will never—tolerate hatred. Not toward Muslims. Not toward Jews. Not toward Christians. Not toward anyone. Now is the time for us to stand together in love and community.”
Below you’ll see the most recent updates or final scores of the 2023 week 8 MCPS football games. The scores will be updated as we receive them. If a score isn’t listed, it’s because we haven’t yet received a report from the game that we can confirm. An ‘F’ signifies the score is confirmed as being final.
