Rockville

Muncaster Mill Rd. is closed between Bowie Mill Rd. and Needwood Rd. as the result of a traffic collision involving a pedestrian. Drivers should expect delays and seek an alternate route. Montgomery County Police tweeted the following at 5:30pm on Monday, April 10:

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Muncaster Mill Rd. is closed between Bowie Mill Rd. and Needwood Rd. as the result of a traffic collision.


Silver Spring

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating a homicide that occurred on Sunday, April 9, 2023, on Old Columbia Pike in Silver Spring.  At approximately 3:22 a.m., 3rd District officers responded to a residence in the 11800 block of Old Columbia Pike to assist Montgomery County Fire Rescue Services.  Upon arrival, officers located an adult male with trauma to the body. Officers provided life saving measures to the victim who was then transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 20-year-old, Carlos Rashard Carter of Silver Spring. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore will conduct an autopsy to officially determine the cause and manner of the death. There is currently no suspect in custody and this is an active and ongoing investigation.  Anyone with information regarding this homicide is asked to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-455-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s). Callers can remain anonymous.


Gaithersburg

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) are responding to a call for a car on fire on the shoulder of I-270N  under the Exit 12 bridge (Watkins Mill Rd) in Gaithersburg. Most lanes are currently blocked with delays all the way down I-270N. Featured photo courtesy of Instagram user @Nefx27

Update: the fire has been extinguished, delays continue.


Maryland

Baltimore-based Shoe City has filed for Chapter 11 on March 31 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, according to BizJournals. The company has 39 stores in Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia, and has begun closing/going-out-of-business sales at all locations, including its two Montgomery County locations at Ellsworth Place in Downtown Silver Spring and Westfield Wheaton.

Shoe City has been a family-owned business since its inception as Eileen Shoes in 1949. The company rebranded to Shoe City in 1980. “Unfortunately, after 74 years in business, the Shoe City legacy has come to an end,” wrote Stanley Mastil– the chief restructuring officer of Esco (the official business name of Shoe City).


Event

Historic Indigenous Recognition Event to Take Place in Montgomery County, Maryland

The Taino American Indigenous National Organization (T.A.I.N.O.) proudly announces its upcoming signature public event,


Bethesda

HalfSmoke has closed it’s Westfield Montgomery Mall location. HalfSmoke was located in a kiosk in the mall’s food court/terrace (previously occupied by Coldstone Creamery and Gelato Galaxy) and was the first restaurant/bar to serve alcohol in the food court (nearby restaurants off of the food court served alcohol, ex: Slade’s). The menu consisted of the best selling sausages and sides from its DC location (651 Florida Ave, NW), as well as boozy milkshakes and a funnel cake bar. Earlier today we reported that HalfSmoke’s sister restaurant Butter Me Up had also closed its Montgomery Mall location.

HalfSmoke announced plans to open a Rockville Town Square location at 36A Maryland Ave back in August 2020 but there has been little movement at the site. We were told recently by an employee of HalfSmoke that the Rockville restaurant is still under construction and that there is no timeframe for opening. HalfSmoke DC was the first restaurant of its kind to serve gourmet sausages via an assembly line format and its sausages and toppings can be fully customized to create over 50,000 variations. HalfSmoke has an additional location at 2400 Boston St in Baltimore.


Gaithersburg

Signage is up for Ed Studio at 360 Main St in Gaithersburg, the former site of SPAGnVOLA chocoltier.  We’re told the store is named after its owner, Ed. The bakery specializes in birthday cakes and is expected to open next month. Ed Studio joins Neal’s Bagels, Poke Bros, Potomac Cookie Co, and TaKorean on the list of restaurants/bakeries coming soon to the Kentlands. Additional information on each location below. The news of Ed Studio opening in the Kentlands was first reported by @pike.and.rozay.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CqS_iC2Our9/


Bethesda

The April 13, 2023, Planning Board work session for the Little Falls Parkway pilot project is postponed due to the unavailability of Planning Board Chair Zyontz. A new date for the work session will be determined soon and details will be announced in a follow-up press release, on Montgomery Parks website, and on social media.

Parks staff presented details about traffic counts on the parkway and a recommendation to make the pilot project permanent at a Planning Board public hearing on March 30, 2023, which was followed by public testimony. The next step is for the Planning Board to reconvene after reviewing the parks department’s recommendation and the public testimony and decide on the future of the project. One week prior to the rescheduled work session, the Parks Department will post a memorandum summarizing and responding to the public testimony.


Education

“Dear Students, Staff, and Families,

I hope this letter finds you well and having enjoyed a wonderful and restful spring break. As we return to school, I would like to extend a warm welcome back to each and every one of you. As we head into the final stretch of the school year, I encourage our students to work hard and remain focused on their academic goals, and I want to thank all staff for helping them to get there. Let us continue to build on the momentum we have gained so far and bring the year to a close with a great sense of accomplishment.


Bethesda

Butter Me Up has closed its location in Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The breakfast restaurant opened in the former Aroma Espresso Bar location on the mall’s lower level in May of last year. Butter Me Up is the sister restaurant of popular DC gourmet sausage restaurant HalfSmoke (651 Florida Ave NW). HalfSmoke opened a location in the Montgomery Mall food terrace back in July 2022 which has also closed.

Butter Me Up featured “instagrammable” decor, offered a menu that consisted of a variety of breakfast sandwiches, toasts, sides, bowls, smoothies, and juices. A Yelp article named Butter Me Up DC’s best breakfast sandwich, as the restaurant’s first location can be found within HalfSmoke in Florida Ave NW.


Gaithersburg

Rick Ellsley, Dwayne Haskins’ attorney has filed a lawsuit one years after Haskins was tragically killed on April 9th in Broward County, Florida when he was hit by a truck on I-595. Haskins was born and raised in New Jersey, but moved to Gaithersburg while attending The Bullis School in Potomac for high school. The full statement can be seen below:

“Former Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Dwayne Haskins, Jr. was tragically killed during the early morning hours of April 9, 2022 on I-595 in Broward County, Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Report shows that Dwayne was only feet away from making it safely across the roadway when he was struck and killed by an old dump truck. This truck was going faster than the speed limit, carrying excessive cargo, had brake system problems, and was traveling on low tread tires with separated sidewalls.


Germantown

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a fire in the 13500 blk of Derry Glen Ct in Germantown around 5:30am on Monday, April 10. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the fire was located on a 2nd floor balcony at the four-story apartment building and was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials in a plastic pot. Damage is estimated to be ~$10K and there were no injuries reported.

#Protip: Planters are NOT ashtrays.
Potting soil is not dirt. Many people don’t think of potted plants as fire hazards which may be why so many smokers try to extinguish their butts in the pots. #DYK the soil is packed w/ flammable materials that can easily ignite? @mcfrs says… https://t.co/gj2IerXnt1 pic.twitter.com/ecfZfNwGG5