Arts

Actor Kevin Saunders grew up in Gaithersburg, attending Whetstone and Stedwick elementary schools in Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village. At 13, he moved to Western Maryland but came back to Gaithersburg when he was 20, later attending the University of Maryland at College Park. Now, his acting career is picking up steam– coming off of an appearance on the hit STARZ series BMF. In recent years he has had roles in Atlanta, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Cobra Kai, and a lot more.

When asked about his favorite role, Saunders said, “This one is a tough one to be honest, so if I can answer this as a 2 parter. My first was Falcon and the Winter Soldier. That role was honestly a gift from God. I auditioned for the show June of 2019 for a completely different part and didn’t get it. Well in the thick of 2020, my agent calls me and say casting wants me to be sent to producers for one of the parts and the rest is history. The episode aired the day after my birthday while I was back home which made everything so surreal. Leaving my job and family to pursue my dream to now being in the MCU! My second was my role in Atlanta. I told myself as I was moving down that I was going to be on that show. I loved it, understood the comedy and wanted to be apart of the masterpiece. After switching agents I got my first and only audition for the role and I booked it. I got to improv a lot of moments in that scene with LaKeith Stanfield and we had GREAT convos about leaving our mark in this business as minority actors. Not only was my time on set as an actor amazing, but being a director/writer myself, they allowed me to stay behind and watch Hiro Murai’s process as a director and he was so welcoming to have me there.”


Education

MCPS is partnering with xMinds, the Partnership for Extraordinary Minds, to host free webinar sessions to share more information with parents and guardians about autism program placement options in MCPS.

There will be three virtual Zoom meetings—simultaneous meetings on Tuesday, Feb. 7 (one for preschool students; the second for middle and high school students) and one on Thursday, Feb. 9 (for elementary students). Each presentation focuses on placement options, but parents should attend the session that is appropriate for their child’s age.


Arts

Get your free tickets now for the annual MCPS Dance Showcase, which will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 17 at James Hubert Blake High School. The snow date is Tuesday, Feb. 21. Reserve your tickets here. Blake is located at 300 Norwood Road in Silver Spring.

Students from the following 10 middle and high schools are expected to perform—A. Mario Loiederman, Forest Oak, Kingsview and Silver Spring International middle schools and Albert Einstein, Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Blake, Montgomery Blair, Northwood and Wheaton high schools. There will also be a performance from the All-County Dance Ensemble. These students thrive in dance class and exemplify their school’s instructional program. Student dancers in the ensemble are nominated by their dance teachers, and rehearse as a group for three months.


Beyond MoCo

Per the State of Maryland (2/3/2023): ​​​​Governor Wes Moore last evening attended the 53rd annual Taste of Maryland Agriculture Celebration at Live! Casino and Hotel in Hanover, MD. Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, Maryland Department of Agriculture Acting Secretary Kevin Atticks, and more than 700 agricultural leaders joined the governor to learn directly from producers and supporters of Maryland agricultural products and business and to induct the Fritz family of Carroll County into the Governor’s Agriculture Hall of Fame.​

​“For generations, Maryland’s farmers have stewarded the conservation of land and advocated tirelessly for their way of life and industry—all while putting food on our tables,” said Governor Moore. “Together we will build back our farming and agricultural industry to instill lasting strength for generations to come.”


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

Birding, hiking, crafting, volunteering, and more! Discover these and other activities happening around Montgomery Parks this weekend:

Nature: Help Locust Grove Nature Center staff with a community science project during FeederWatch Fridays(opens in a new tab) this Friday, February 3, from 11 am to 12 pm. Dress for the weather and come count birds at feeders around the facility. Free program.


Clarksburg

Miller was last seen on Friday, February 3, 2023, at approximately 11 a.m., in the 12600 block of Granite Rock Road. Miller is approximately 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighs 165 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a burgundy sweater and blue jeans. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Alexandra Faith Miller is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line). Callers may remain anonymous.


Crime

On February 2, at approximately 10:31 am, Takoma Park Police responded to the 6900 block of New Hampshire Avenue (7-Eleven) for an assault that had just occurred.

According to Takoma Park Police, The victim stated sometime between 10:00 and 10:30, he was in the 7-Eleven when an unknown male suspect approached him.  The suspect displayed a knife.  When the victim backed away, the suspect left the 7-11 but returned shortly after and confronted the victim again, this time throwing a rock through the victim’s front passenger vehicle window shattering it and breaking off the vehicle’s side mirror.  The suspect then fled on a black moped on East West Highway towards Prince George’s County.


Rockville

At approximately 12:44 a.m., Hinnant Jr., walked into the Rockville City Police Station and requested to speak with a homicide detective. Hinnant Jr., stated that officers would find the deceased body of his wife at their residence on Lanier Drive.


MoCo Government

Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink has released a statement following an occurrence involving a flat tire and call to Montgomery County Third District Police Commander David McBain. The flat tire occurred following a meeting of the East County Citizens Advisory Board in Briggs Chaney on Monday night. The full statement, which went out on the Councilmember’s Facebook page on Friday evening, can be seen below:

“In case anyone was curious about the flat tire story, here’s what happened:


Crime

On February 2 at approximately 10:00 am, Takoma Park Police responded to the 100 block of Philadelphia Avenue (Takoma Park Library) for the report of a vandalism. According to Takoma Park Police, officers spoke with the construction supervisor overseeing the library renovation who indicated that unknown suspect(s) kicked out the bottom glass of the double doors, also causing damage to the door frame, and removed a door knob from a door.  It does not appear as though anything was stolen.

If you have any information regarding this vandalism, please contact the police department at 301-270-1100 and reference case #230005379Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps


Kensington

Beach Drive will be closed from Cedar Lane to Knowles Avenue in Kensington from Tuesday, February 7, through Thursday, February 9, from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am. The closure is part of ongoing Park Police deer population management operations.

Beach Drive will be closed from Cedar Lane to Knowles Avenue Tuesday, February 7, through Thursday, February 9, from 8:30 pm to 12:30 am, as part of ongoing Park Police deer population management operations. pic.twitter.com/n6C4c2HPLv