Gaithersburg

The Bath & Body Works location inside of Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg was scheduled to close this Saturday, January 7, but that has been pushed back according to associates at the store. The new closing date is currently not available, but staff wanted customers to know that there are not any closing sales at the store at the moment. A new Bath & Body Works location will be opening in Gaithersburg’s Downtown Crown later this month. The new store will be located at 130 Crown Park Ave, in the location that was formerly home to Hair Cuttery, in between ZAGG and Warby Parker. Employees from this location will be transferred to the Germantown store at 20934 Frederick Rd.

Bath & Body Works offers its own brand of fragrances for the body and home. The brand is a consumer favorite for top-selling body products, including lotion, cream, wash, hand soap and hand sanitizer. The retailer is also known for its fragrance diffusers, fine fragrance mist and candles. Bath & Body Works will join Sweetgreen as an upcoming tenant in Downtown Crown.


Crime

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Dwight Luis Clarke, age 32, of Germantown, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and four counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Clarke admitted that he sold crack cocaine and seven firearms, including five privately manufactured firearms, known as “ghost guns” to an undercover law enforcement officer.

According to his plea agreement, during late 2021 and early 2022, Clarke was identified as a suspected trafficker of narcotics and firearms.  In February 2022, an ATF Special Agent, acting in an undercover capacity (the UC) contacted Clarke, who agreed to sell the UC crack cocaine and firearms.  During three meetings that month, Clarke sold the UC:  two privately made firearms (PMFs) that Clarke referred to as “ghost guns,” specifically, Polymer80 Inc. 9mm semi-automatic pistols, bearing no apparent serial numbers; a.22-caliber semi-automatic AR-style pistol; a 33 round 9mm extended magazine, which contained one 9mm cartridge; a .22-caliber extended AR-style magazine loaded with three .22-caliber cartridges, a .22LR caliber mini mag ammunition box containing 95 cartridges; a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol; and 44.48 grams of crack cocaine.


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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.

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MDLottery

After nobody matched all six numbers in last night’s drawing, the Mega Millions jackpot has reached an estimated $1.1 billion. While there was no grand prize winner, CBS News reports that a  $1 million dollar ticket was sold on Friday at Marlboro Liquors located at 5725 Crain Highway in Upper Marlboro, MD. This past fall, lottery fever took over MoCo when Powerball’s jackpot reached a record-setting $2.04 billion and became the largest prize in lottery history.  Like Powerball, the Mega Millions jackpot continues to build after each drawing where no ticket is matched. The next drawing takes place at 11pm on Tuesday, January.

Per Mega Million: For the fourth time in a little more than four years, the Mega Millions® jackpot has topped $1 billion! After no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Friday night – the white balls 3, 20, 46, 59 and 63, plus the gold Mega Ball 13 – the jackpot for the next drawing on Tuesday, January 10, is currently estimated at $1.1 billion ($568.7 million cash). If won at that amount, it would be the third largest jackpot in the game’s history.


North Bethesda

The Action Committee for Transit is hosting a rally in support of the Maryland State Highway Administration’s decision to improve safety on nearly two miles of MD 187 (Old Georgetown Road) in North Bethesda. The safety improvements on MD 187, between south of I-495 (Capital Beltway) and Nicholson Lane, converted one travel lane in each direction in order to add buffered bicycle lanes and the installation of flex posts to outline the new bicycle lanes.

“Please join us on Sunday, January 8, to show support for the State Highway Administration’s decision to enact a road diet when replacing a portion of Old Georgetown Road. Biking? Meet at 10:30 am at Medical Center Metro Or 11:00 am at Old Georgetown Rd & West Cedar Ln. Then ride the Old Georgetown bike lanes to Nicholson Ln and back! Walking or rolling? Meet at 11:15 am at Old Georgetown Rd & Tuckerman Ln, then walk or roll past future Woodward HS to Edson Ln (0.8 miles) or Nicholson Ln (1.6 miles) and back (Parking at Timberlawn Local Park, 10800 Gloxinia Dr) Short rally for safety at West Cedar Ln, after the ride!”


MCFRS

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a fire on the 100 block of E Melbourne Ave off of Sudbury Rd in Silver Spring at approximately 2:30am on Saturday, according to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer.

The fire was on the second floor and attic of the single family home and started as an electrical fire in the attic. Two occupants and a dog that lived in the home were able to get out without injury while the fire was extinguished. Damage totaled approximately $25K ($10K structural, $15K contents). The two adults and dog will be displaced.


Germantown

Last summer we let you know that KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot will be opening a second MoCo location, taking over the space that was previously occupied by Honey Pig at 19727 Frederick Rd #1337 in the Fox Chapel shopping center. Honey Pig closed permanently in November of 2021 after five years at the location. The restaurant, which is not owned by the same franchisee as the Rockville location, is moving closer towards opening as it has a hearing for a Class B, Beer, Wine & Liquor License at 11:30am on January 19th. An expected opening date is not yet available.

According to KPot, the restaurant was started by four friends from different backgrounds who decided to share their mixed cuisine over the same table. KPot combines traditional Asian hot pot with Korean BBQ flavors. Hot pot, also known as “soup-food” or “steamboat,” is a communal pot of simmering broth that is stuffed with raw ingredients like meat and vegetables to cook in the pot.


Bethesda

Juarez is approximately 5-feet tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black shirt, black jacket and purple pants.  Police and family are concerned for her welfare.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Maybeli Juarez is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line) or the Special Victims Investigations Division at (240) 773-5400. Callers may remain anonymous.


Silver Spring

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a fire on the fifth floor of the Central Apartments (8400 Fenton Street) in Silver Spring a little before 4pm on Friday afternoon. According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the sprinkler system was activated and the building was evacuated. By 4:09pm the fire had been extinguished and two people were being evaluated for non-life threatening injuries. Fire department activity blocked some lanes on Fenton St and Bonifant St until the early evening.

The cause of the fire was unattended cooking and three occupants of the apartment, including a small child, were able to get out safely. There were no injuries after evaluation of residents, but 18 apartments are dealing with varying degrees of smoke and water damage, with 26 people being displaced.


State’s Attorney

Per the The State’s Attorney’s Office Special Victims Division: The office is highlighting the fact that with stalking crimes, intervention can prevent violence. An estimated 13.5 million people are stalked annually in the United States according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced stalking. https://www.stalkingawareness.org/ is a great resource, and the Montgomery County Family Justice Center can help if you are being stalked by a current or former intimate partner. Educate yourself on stalking related laws in Maryland:

“Stalking” defined


Bethesda

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating an armed carjacking that occurred on Thursday, January 5, 2023, in Bethesda. Detectives have released surveillance photos of the suspect’s vehicle and are asking for the public’s assistance.   At approximately 12:11 a.m., 2nd District Officers responded to the area of Elm Street and Wisconsin Avenue for the report of an armed carjacking that just occurred.

The investigation by detectives has determined that an adult female victim was parking her 2018 burgundy Hyundai Tucson SUV at the location, when a dark colored SUV pulled up next to her vehicle and stopped. A suspect exited the passenger door of the vehicle and forced open the victim’s car door, lifting his shirt to reveal a handgun in his waistband. The victim exited and the suspect then entered the victim’s vehicle and drove away from the scene, following the dark colored SUV.


Gaithersburg

One of the suspects, later identified as 19-year-old Martir Ismar Mejia of Washington, DC, contacted the victim about buying the motorcycle. They agreed to meet at the West Side Drive address. Mejia arrived in a silver Kia Optima, driven by a 16-year-old. Mejia asked to take the motorcycle for a test drive, and when the victim asked Mejia for his car keys as collateral, Mejia displayed a handgun and pointed it at the victim. He then rode away on the motorcycle, with the 16-year-old following in the Kia.