Silver Spring

Chipotle has opened a new digital-only restaurant at 13801 Outlet Drive at the Briggs Chaney Marketplace in Silver Spring, according to a report by WTOP. The new concept, also known as “Chipotlane,” has no dining room and requires you to order through the Chipotle app, rather than the traditional assembly line format Chipotle is famous for. According to Chipotle, “guests and delivery drivers can collect their digital orders through the Chipotlane drive-thru or walk-up window.” We first reported that Chipotle would be taking over the Little Caesers location in Briggs Chaney Marketplace back in June.

Other “digital kitchen” restaurants in Montgomery County include Ensemble at 4856 Cordell Ave in Bethesda, CAVA at 19865 Century Blvd in Germantown, and Flip’d by IHOP at 8537 Georgia Ave in Silver Spring. 


DMV

The Long & Foster Companies, parent company of Long & Foster Real Estate, celebrates the life and contributions of P. Wesley (Wes) Foster, Jr., its founder and chairman emeritus. Foster, who started the leading real estate firm in 1968 with then-partner Henry A. Long, was 89 years old. Henry Long passed away in 2020 at the age of 83.

Per Long & Foster: “Wes was an extraordinary leader, businessman and person, and my heart goes out to his family and all those he touched through his caring and generosity,” said Patrick Bain, president and CEO of The Long & Foster Companies. “Working with Wes for several years, what stood out the most was his appreciation and attention for everyone he met. Wes always treated you as the most important person and knew it was the agents and employees who chose to work here, who were the heart and soul of the company. His people-first approach defined us, and his legacy lives on at Long & Foster.”


Real Estate

Solaire Wheaton, located at 10914 Georgia Ave., was completed by Washington Property Company (WPC) in April 2014. According to Biz Journals, it has been sold to Chicago’s 29th Street Capital for $64 million (according to records filed with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation).

Featured photo courtesy of WPC


Maryland

With the U.S. spending over $600 billion per year on R&D, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Most & Least Innovative States, with Maryland coming in 4th in the nation. In order to give credit to the states that have contributed the most to America’s innovative success, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 22 key metrics. The data set ranges from share of STEM professionals to R&D spending per capita.

Innovation in Maryland (1=Most Innovative, 25=Avg.):


Event

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.


Events

Per Montgomery Parks: Beyond just places to skate, roller rinks of the 70s and 80s were bustling community hubs for fashion, camaraderie, and great music — and Parks Roller Disco is harkening back to those slammin’ good times. This event will be held at Ridge Road Recreational Park on Friday, April 14 from 6 to 9 pm, at Ridge Road Recreational Park’s inline skating rink.

A live DJ will be pumping the tunes and O’Boy Pizza, Catalyst Hot Dogs, Trippy Tacos and Clayboys Shaved Ice will be selling refreshments. Grab your family, invite your friends, and be sure to wear your bell bottoms, peace signs, tie-dye, and other groovy garb. The event is free, and there will be no on-site skate rentals. Some seating will be available, but guests are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs. Can you dig it?


Gaithersburg

Per the City of Gaithersburg: At the Mayor & City Council meeting on Monday, March 20, 2023, Program Coordinator Karen Yaffe Lottes and the Emergency Shelter Mobilization Team were recognized with Employee Recognition Awards for the fourth quarter of calendar year 2022. Made up of peers from each department, Gaithersburg’s Employee Recognition Committee (ERC) reviews nominations for individuals and teams on a quarterly basis. These winners are then eligible for the annual Employee & Team of the Year Awards.

Karen Yaffe Lottes, Community Museum Program Coordinator within the Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture, was named Employee of the Fourth Quarter for her efforts to promote the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory and highlight its history through Skywatching and other programs. The Observatory is now open five to six times each year and, at one point, tripled its visitor count.


Events

The City of Gaithersburg invites you to participate in activities that celebrate & improve the environment during Gaithersburg Green Month in April, and beyond. “In addition to being fun & educational, it is also a great way for students to earn service learning credits while making our community a better place to live.”

This year’s Green Month includes a variety of activities to help protect & preserve our environment. Below is access to a list of 50 ways to be a “Better Environmental Steward”: 50 Ways to be a Better Environmental Steward


Montgomery Village

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) and Montgomery County Police responded to the Montgomery Village Shopping Center on Tuesday, March 21 for the report of a collision after a vehicle was driven off the road and into the front of The Joint Chiropractic (19218 Montgomery Village Ave). We will post an update when additional information is available. Featured photo courtesy of Moe’s Southwest Grille in Montgomery Village.


Gaithersburg

A Quince Orchard High School student was found unconscious in a nearby McDonald’s bathroom on Tuesday, March 21. According to Montgomery County Police, “at approximately 11:56 a.m., a Quince Orchard High school student was located unconscious in a bathroom in the 12100 block of Darnestown Road. Narcan was administered. The victim left the McDonald’s where he was stopped by an MCPD officer. He has been transported to an area hospital in stable condition.” Quince Orchard High School Principal Elizabeth L. Thomas sent the following message to Quince Orchard staff, students, and families (courtesy of FOX 5):

Feature image courtesy of Google Maps.


Silver Spring

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division have arrested 21-year-old Javier Reyes of Silver Spring and 20-year-old Brian Gaitan-Sanchez of Bladensburg for the homicide that occurred on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, in the 1700 block of Hampshire Green Ln. in Silver Spring.  Reyes and Gaitan-Sanchez are accused of killing 20-year-old Walter Woods, of Takoma Park. Through the investigation, detectives identified Reyes and Sanchez as suspects.

Both were transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where they are being held without bond.


Events

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck, a traveling food truck selling Hello Kitty-themed treats, will make a stop at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda on Saturday, April 8th from 10am-7pm. The truck will be located near The Gap on Grand Park Avenue. Treats like cookies, madeleines, macarons, clothing, bags, all decorated with Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters, will be available while supplies last. The truck will make nearby stops in Tyson’s Corner from 10am-7pm on Saturday, March 25th and at The Mall in Columbia on Saturday, April 1 from 10am-7pm.

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck has been making annual trips to MoCo with its last one being almost a year ago at Bethesda Row. There are two Hello Kitty Cafe Trucks in the US, one that travels up and down the East coast, and one that travels the West coast. Additionally, there are two Hello Kitty Cafes in the US, one in Las Vegas and one in California. You can learn more about the traveling trucks here.