Beyond MoCo

Maryland Resident Pat Sajak Announces He Will Retire Following Upcoming Season of Wheel of Fortune

By MCS Staff

Maryland resident Pat Sajak, host of Wheel of Fortune since 1981, has announced that the upcoming 41st season of the show will be his last. Sajak and his wife Lesly Brown-Sajak are longtime residents of Severna Park, MD.

Sajak has received 19 nominations for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host, winning three times. As a longtime Maryland resident, he has become an avid fan of the Washington Capitals and has been a season-ticket holder, making an on-ice appearances, for years– including prior to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018.

Go to Maryland Resident Pat Sajak Announces He Will Retire Following Upcoming Season of Wheel of Fortune Read more
Kensington

Largest White Oak Tree in MoCo Set For Removal This Week

By MCS Staff

Update (Postponed): Ailing historic tree expected to come down later this summer. Montgomery Parks has postponed plans to remove the historic Linden White Oak tree until later this summer. The removal is on hold pending a Historic Area Work Permit.

Montgomery Park’s Linden Oak, the largest white oak in Montgomery County, will be removed this week. The removal of the 300-year-old tree will take place on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 from 9 a.m.-Noon at Rock Creek Park (located at the intersection of Beach Drive, Grosvenor Lane and Rockville Pike).

Go to Largest White Oak Tree in MoCo Set For Removal This Week Read more
Clarksburg

GrillMarx Clarksburg Has Closed Permanently

By MCS Staff

Grillmarx in Clarksburg, located at 12011 Snowden Farm Pkwy, has closed permanently. We spoke with owner Alec Aronow, who confirmed the news and let us know that he wants to thank the community for their support the last decade. GrillMarx Clarksburg, which hasn’t been affiliated with the other GrillMarx locations in Olney and Columbia for about a year, originally leased the space about a decade ago in 2013.

The restaurant previously planned to undergo a rebrand after a split with the other GrillMarx locations located in Olney and Columbia, but ultimately wasn’t able to make it happen. “I am devastated that we have to close. I gave it everything I had,” Aronow told us, “and unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to make the decision to close.” Aronow wanted to stress how important the Clarksburg community has been to him throughout the years, “I wish it would have worked, I gave it a million percent…I just want to say thank you to everyone.”

Go to GrillMarx Clarksburg Has Closed Permanently Read more
Beyond MoCo

Beyond MoCo: Door Dash Driver Wins $1 Million at Maryland 7-Eleven

By Patrick Herron

Per the Maryland Lottery: “A Door Dash driver will be making a dash to her local bank. The Anne Arundel County resident bought a $20 Million Dollar Mega Multiplierscratch-off ticket and it turned out to be a $1 million top-prize winner.

The 47-year-old visited 7-Eleven #25410 located at 500 Donaldson Ave in Severn. She went inside the store, noticed the ticket and immediately grabbed it. It wasn’t long before she started scratching the ticket. In fact, she sat in her car outside the store and went to work on it. Upon revealing the big win, and while still in shock, she called her sister to share the news.

Go to Beyond MoCo: Door Dash Driver Wins $1 Million at Maryland 7-Eleven Read more
Crime

MD U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins with State Agencies and Non-Profits to Combat Financial Exploitation of Older Adults

By MCS Staff

            “Targeting vulnerable elderly victims is unconscionable and PROTECT Week is a great time to learn about scams targeting older adults and how to avoid them,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “But if you, or someone you know, is a victim of financial fraud, I urge you to report it.  Help is available through the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) and you could prevent someone else from becoming a victim.”

PROTECT WEEK EVENTS:

Go to MD U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins with State Agencies and Non-Profits to Combat Financial Exploitation of Older Adults Read more
Beallsville

MudFest Brings Good, “Clean” Fun to MoCo on Saturday, June 17th

By MCS Staff

“People love it because it’s all about play,” says park naturalist Katrina Fauss, “there’s permission to have fun and connect to nature and our childhoods. I also think it’s about the scale of the mud slides and piles. There’s just something fun and silly about it all.” Admission to MudFest is $20 per car. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at ActiveMontgomery Mudfest tickets. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate the day of the event with cash only. Ticket sales are final and non-transferable. MudFest goes on rain or shine. If severe weather forces a cancellation, there is a rain date scheduled the following day. “Get down and dirty, jumping, slipping, and sliding in giant mud pits! Cook up a mud pie, make mud art, and play games! This muddy fun will be great for the whole family.”

Go to MudFest Brings Good, “Clean” Fun to MoCo on Saturday, June 17th Read more
Gaithersburg

New and Coming Soon to Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg

By MCS Staff

Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg was included in a list of the “Top 10 Retail Experiences” in the country in 2022. With a beautiful lake/boardwalk and long-time favorites like the AMC theaters, Dick’s, Guapo’s, Target, and others still going strong, the retail area has recently welcomed new additions and plans to welcome more in the coming months. Below is a list of newer stores and restaurants as well as some that are coming soon.

Auntie Anne’s Cinnabon: Auntie Anne’s/Cinnabon combination restaurant is now open at 220 Boardwalk Place in Rio, taking over the location that was recently home to Lilly Magilly’s– as the cupcakery is still preparing for a move to a new location. The two brands, popular for their presence in malls, are co-branding to open locations across the country. In recent years, Cinnabon left then returned to Montgomery Mall. There’s also an existing Cinnabon location in Wheaton Mall. Auntie Anne’s has locations at the outlets in Clarksburg, Ellsworth Place Mall, Montgomery Mall, and Wheaton Mall in MoCo.

Go to New and Coming Soon to Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg Read more
MoCo Government

Montgomery County Council Meets on June 13 at 9 a.m. to Interview Candidates for Director of the Department of Health and Human Services and Director of the Department of Environmental Protection

By Patrick Herron

The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, June 13 at 9 a.m., and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first proclamation, presented by Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, commemorates International Day for Countering Hate Speech. The second proclamation presentation, led by Council President Evan Glass, recognizes the 40th Anniversary of Manna Food Center.

The afternoon session will begin with two proclamation presentations. At 1 p.m., Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles will lead a proclamation celebrating Caribbean American Heritage Month. At 1:15 p.m., Councilmember Will Jawando will lead a proclamation presentation recognizing Juneteenth.

Go to Montgomery County Council Meets on June 13 at 9 a.m. to Interview Candidates for Director of the Department of Health and Human Services and Director of the Department of Environmental Protection Read more
Montgomery Planning

Sept. 14 Public Hearing for Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment Scheduled by Montgomery Planning

By MCS Staff

Community encouraged to sign up to testify and continue providing feedback on draft plan re-envisioning areas along Maple Avenue and Flower Avenue, including the Washington Adventist campus area.

The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 6 p.m. for the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment. At its June 8 meeting, the Planning Board added its comments and accepted the Working Draft of the plan as the Public Hearing Draft, which the public is encouraged to view and provide in-person or virtual feedback by signing up to testify at the public hearing.

Go to Sept. 14 Public Hearing for Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment Scheduled by Montgomery Planning Read more
Gaithersburg

Montgomery Committee Against Hate Violence Panel Will Discuss Hate/Bias/Violence/Bullying-in County Public Schools on Monday, June 12

By Patrick Herron
Courtesy MCPL

Per MCPD: The Montgomery County Committee Against Hate Violence (CAHV) of the County Office of Human Rights, at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 12, will sponsor a “Second Conversation” panel discussion focusing on “Hate/Bias/Violence/Bullying” within the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).  The program will be held at the Gaithersburg Library and also will be livestreamed. The Gaithersburg Library is located at 18330 Montgomery Village Ave. in Gaithersburg. There is no charge to attend and audience participation will be welcomed.  The discussion will be streamed at https://www.facebook.com/CountyCableMoCo.

Scheduled to be on the panel are Attorney Guila Siegel, the associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Washington, D.C.; Stephanie Sheron, the chief of strategic initiatives of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS); Demon Monteleone, the associate superintendent of MCPS; Ryvell Fitzpatrick, the ombudsman of the Montgomery County Board of Education; and Lisa Taylor, chair of the Montgomery County Committee Against Hate Violence.

Go to Montgomery Committee Against Hate Violence Panel Will Discuss Hate/Bias/Violence/Bullying-in County Public Schools on Monday, June 12 Read more
View More Stories