A fundraiser has been launched to support employees of Crabcake Factory Bayside, which remains closed following a vehicle crash that caused significant damage to the restaurant’s kitchen area. (more…)
Automated stop sign enforcement in Takoma Park officially moves from warnings to citations this week, with drivers facing fines beginning Thursday, January 8, 2026.
The Montgomery County community is rallying to support the family of Taeyon Malachi Prather, an 18-year-old Gaithersburg resident whose death is being investigated as a homicide. According to the Montgomery County Police Department, officers were called around 7:21 p.m. on Friday, January 2, to the 23600 block of Rolling Fork Way near Damascus after Fire and Rescue responded to a report of a person down and found Prather suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. (more…)
Montgomery County, MD is commonly known as being a suburb of the nation’s capital, but what might surprise some is that it is also home to a thriving biotech ecosystem. With over 350 life sciences companies, including global brands like AstraZeneca, United Therapeutics, and Novavax, Montgomery County anchors the third largest biophama hub in the U.S., behind only Boston and San Francisco.
Running annually in Washington D.C. for over 25 years, World Vaccine Congress attracts an international audience from over 80 countries and convenes more than 3,000 people to learn about the latest trends, research, and technologies in the vaccine industry. This year, Montgomery County took center stage, with a featured session on the extensive Biologics Value Chain in the County, as well as a session during which County Executive Marc Elrich spoke about the extensive resources available to companies here, and an exhibit space showcasing these resources.
A Complete Biologics Value Chain in One Region
One of the defining strengths of Montgomery County is its ability to support the full lifecycle of biologics, all the way from early research to large-scale manufacturing. During the panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Stefanie Trop, Director of Life Sciences at the Maryland Department of Commerce, local leaders emphasized that the region’s strength lies in its network of partners who work collaboratively across discovery, development, testing, and production. Panelists from companies in all stages of the value chain spectrum included Dr. Andrew Lees, Founder of Fina Biosolutions, Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca, Dr. Helen Sabzevari President & CEO of Precigen, and Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer of Integrated BioTherapeutics.
This end-to-end capability in close geographical proximity gives companies a unique advantage and is rare to find in other markets, even established ones like San Francisco and Boston. In fact, only a handful of places worldwide offer the combination of infrastructure, expertise, and collaboration found in Montgomery County and if diversity, education and population density are taken into consideration – then Montgomery County standouts even more.
“Gaithersburg is one of the six places in the world where we can do what we’re doing,” explained Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca. “We have the right partners at every step of the value chain [in Montgomery County].”
A Strong Partnership Network
Biotech breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation. They depend on strong partnerships between private companies, local and state governments, academic institutions, and workforce training organizations. Montgomery County has intentionally cultivated these connections, making collaboration and coordination defining characteristics of its life sciences ecosystem.
Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer at IBT Bioservices, a full service CRO offering clinical & preclinical contract research services, says the company’s close partnerships between them and local stakeholders have been crucial to its success. “As a Rockville-based company, we’re grateful for the partnership and support from city, County, and state leaders,” explained Dr. Holtsberg. “These programs have helped fuel our growth, and we’re excited about the continued momentum of our community.” (more…)
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For anyone who spent Friday nights at Quince Orchard, the names Aydan and Elisha West still echo like a PA announcement before kickoff. Two Maryland brothers who grew up chasing each other around the CougarDome secondary are now chasing a shared future in the University of Minnesota’s maroon and gold.
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,
Popular Frederick, Maryland Instagram account @TheFrederickFeed has narrowed down some of the best steaks you can find in Frederick, and the list highlights a mix of classic steakhouses, chef-driven restaurants, and value standouts across the city. With so many of our readers living in or frequently visiting our neighbor to the north, we decided to put together a quick write-up inspired by their list.
New estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that federal employment in Maryland declined by an estimated 10,300 jobs in October and November 2025 combined, contributing to a total loss of about 24,900 federal positions in the state since January, while private sector employment fell by 4,400 jobs over the same two months.
Montgomery County’s Office of Food Systems Resilience announced a new phase of its Food Recovery Network strategy, expanding coordination, infrastructure, and direct funding to support organizations that rescue surplus food and redistribute it to residents in need, with investments totaling more than $764,000 across multiple grant programs.
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Araceli Elizabeth Mena Pineda, a missing 17-year-old from Silver Spring. (more…)
Ledo Pizza announced the passing of its former president and co-founder, Thelma W. Beall, who died last week at the age of 101.
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HomMali Thai Dining at 614 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg, next to Quincy’s in the Quince Orchard Plaza shopping center, will hold a soft opening on January 12-13, and a grand opening on January 14, with promotional discounts. (more…)
Montgomery County native and Wake Forest star defensive lineman Mateen Ibirogba has committed to Texas Tech, according to a report by Hayes Fawcett, citing Ibirogba’s representative Jon Perzley, who confirmed the decision to Pete Nakos and Fawcett for On3Sports.