Crime

Per Takoma Park Police: The Takoma Park Police responded to the 7300 block of New Hampshire Avenue for the report of vandalism. Unknown suspect(s) threw rocks through a stained-glass window. The incident occurred in the overnight hours.

According to Fox 5, this incident occurred at the Bright Light Baptist Church. Anyone with information on this case should call the Takoma Park Police Department at 301-270-1100 and refer to case #230001043. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.


Montgomery Planning

Per Montgomery County:

The Montgomery County Council is currently seeking applicants to fill three upcoming vacancies on the Montgomery County Planning Board. In October 2022, the County Council appointed five temporary acting Planning Board members. All members serve until their successors are appointed. The Council intends to appoint successors, before February 28, 2023, for three members. The Council is expected to appoint the remaining two positions, including the chair, by June 14, 2023 and will advertise to fill those positions at a later date.


Sponsored

Everything you need is at EDE: lifestyle, community, proximity, serenity, activity. What sets EDE apart is what’s inside, outside, and all around – an elevated suite of features and amenities that define living well.

Read on to explore the top 12 ways to experience a centrally astounding lifestyle at EDE apartments in Downtown Frederick.

1. CONTEMPORARY DESIGN: Finely crafted studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom floorplans showcase luxury finishes throughout, featuring stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, tile backsplash, soft-close cabinetry, sleek plank flooring, and a selection of two designer color palettes.

2. WFH PRODUCTIVITY: Accomplish your tasks efficiently in convenient co-working spaces within each residential building or at the co-working lounge in the Clubhouse. Select layouts include a den or built-in desk to create a dedicated home workspace.

3. HEALTH AND WELLNESS: Support your wellness goals in the 24-hour leading-edge fitness center including cardio, strength, and functional training. Take your workout outside at the outdoor fitness stations.

4. ABUNDANT AMENITIES: Discover enviable lifestyle amenity spaces anchored by a high-design clubhouse with a warm, minimalist aesthetic. Rack up the fun in the clubroom with billiards and a double-sided fireplace. Unwind in the chic lounge with seating areas and curated artwork. Entertain your little ones at the enclosed playground.

5. ACTIVE EVENTS CALENDAR: Experience a welcoming community atmosphere with opportunities to connect through an engaging line-up of events featuring a monthly book club, wine tastings, food trucks, and other social gatherings. (more…)


Restaurants

Dunkin’, which is in the process of adding several new locations in Montgomery County, is giving away Free coffee and “Wake-Up” wraps for American Red Cross donors as a part of National Blood Donor Month.  Per Dunkin’: January is National Blood Donor Month, a time to recognize the importance of giving blood and platelets while honoring those who roll up a sleeve to help patients in need. To help drive awareness and blood donations this winter, Dunkin’ of the DMV is partnering with the American Red Cross to provide 20,000 coupons valid for (1) free Medium Hot or Iced Coffee and (1) free Egg & Cheese Wake-Up Wrap to blood donors in the region, redeemable at participating Dunkin’ restaurants throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.*

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.


Maryland

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Hogan will deliver his farewell address to Marylanders tomorrow evening, Tuesday, January 10, at 5:00 p.m. ET.  “We have come a long way together over the last eight years changing Maryland for the better,” said Governor Hogan. “I look forward to having one final opportunity to express to Marylanders how grateful I am for the privilege to serve as governor, and share some thoughts about the direction of our state and our country.”

Over the course of his last year in office, Governor Hogan has visited every region of the state to highlight administration initiatives and accomplishments.


Beyond MoCo

Many of us likely grew up with a Sears department store somewhere nearby, but lately you may have noticed that you haven’t seen much from the brand that has been a household name for decades. Sears has been rapidly closing locations since 2018, when it filed for bankruptcy in October of that year. According to a report from the Frederick News Post, the Sears department store at Frederick’s Francis Scott Key Mall is set to close on January 15th. Note: There is still a Sears Hometown Store listed as open in Chestertown, MD, but it is not a traditional Sears department store and focuses on selling appliances, tools, hardware and lawn and garden equipment.

Sears at Frederick’s Francis Scott Key Mall — one of the final remnants of a once great department store empire — is going out of business.The last day customers can shop at the store will be Jan. 15, a manager, who declined to provide her name, told a Frederick News-Post reporter on Tuesday afternoon. Bright yellow signs advertising the store’s impending closure in red block letters are plastered on the store’s windows. More hang around the building’s interior.


Lakeforest Mall

This was one of the largest hurdles in order for WRS Inc. to reach its target date of 2024 for demolition of the mall and the start of new construction. A more specific date will be available after the approval of sketch plans. The City of Gaithersburg Joint Planning Commission/Mayor and City Council Hearing on the plan is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023 at at City Hall, 31 S. Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

WRS purchased the core, ponds, and forest conservation of the mall back in 2019 and added the four anchor sites earlier this year, spending a total of $75 million to acquire Lakeforest Mall. At a meeting in October, WRS announced that they have worked with the City of Gaithersburg since March and plan to submit their zoning application and sketch plan in the next couple weeks. As mentioned above, the target date for demolition of the mall and the start of new construction is currently 2024, with a more specific date to come after the approval of sketch plans. The sketch plan requires at least 35% “green space” and WRS stated that initial sketches are currently at a little more than 35%. Green space is defined as trees, grass, walking/biking areas, etc.


DMV

U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal at the White House on Friday for his role in protecting the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. Officer Dunn, who lives in Wheaton, shared the following statement on social media:

“Thank you, Mr. President. It is the honor of a lifetime to receive this award from you. I accept it humbly, and with gratitude to you and the other distinguished guests who are present today. I would like to thank my parents, Harry and Joyce Dunn, my daughter, Daphne, my sisters Janice and Lisa as well as Crystal and Cristen who could not be here today and to my cousin, Jarryd, for being here. I firmly believe that a man is only as strong as the family and his support system who surrounds him. I have been blessed with two loving parents who taught me to protect the things that I love, whether they were my sisters growing up, members of Congress, or my daughter, Daphne. And for you Daphne, I stood my ground on January 6, 2021, and every day since so that you can grow up in a country worthy of the label “land of the free and home of the brave.” I would like to lastly but certainly not least, acknowledge the men and women of The US


Maryland

Governor Larry Hogan announced the appointment of Bernice Mireku-North—a former assistant state’s attorney in Anne Arundel County—to represent Legislative District 14 in the House of Delegates. This appointment will be effective January 11, 2023, the date that the 445th session of the Maryland General Assembly convenes. Mireku-North succeeds Del. Eric Luedtke, the incoming Chief Legislative Officer for Governor-Elect Wes Moore.

“I want to congratulate Bernice Mireku-North on her appointment to the General Assembly, and wish her well in representing the people of Montgomery County,” said Governor Hogan. District 14 is also represented by Sen. Craig Zucker, Del. Anne Kaiser, and Del. Pam Queen.


Maryland

With rampant inflation making raising children much more costly than usual, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best & Worst States to Raise a Family. Maryland was ranked 19th overall, coming in at 8th place for ‘affordability’ and 10th place for ‘education & child care.’

To determine the best states in which to put down family roots, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 51 key indicators of family-friendliness. The data set ranges from the median annual family income to housing affordability to the unemployment rate.


DMV

Over 1.9 million vehicles on the road have rolled-back odometers, a 7% increase from the previous year, according to Carfax research. That includes an increase of 18% in odometer scale in Maryland, a 6% increase in DC, and Virginia  leading the area– coming in 8th in the nation in odometer scams.

“Many people think odometer fraud disappeared with the invention of digital odometers,” said Emilie Voss, Public Relations Director for CARFAX. “But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We’re still seeing the number of vehicles on the road with a rolled-back odometer rise year-over-year.” According to Carfax data, consumers lose an average of $4,000 in value from unknowingly buying a car with a rolled-back odometer, and that doesn’t include unexpected maintenance costs.


WMATA

Starting Monday, three new escalators will be up and running at L’Enfant Plaza Station following eight months of construction that closed the north entrance at Maryland Avenue and 7th Street SW. The project, completed on budget, will provide better, more reliable escalators for customers and includes the latest safety features and LED lighting. The reopening of the north entrance will also restore the connection to Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and the closest Metro entrance for government agencies, office buildings and some of the most popular museums on the National Mall.

During construction, Metro’s contractor, Kone, removed all three escalators at once. New concrete encased support beams had to be installed before replacement work could begin. Each escalator is custom built to fit the entrance and is industrial grade, designed to be more durable for the weight and traffic of a busy station. The completion of the north entrance escalators is part of a seven-year project to replace 130 escalators by 2028 and brings the number of escalators replaced in the past two years to 39. Work will begin next year to replace the remaining six escalators at L’Enfant Plaza’s two other entrances.