Maryland

MDOT Exploring Ways to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions as Part of ‘Climate Challenge’

By Patrick Herron

“Environmental stewardship is an essential element of MDOT’s commitment to maintain our transportation network and improve services for Marylanders,” said MDOT Secretary James F. Ports, Jr. “We appreciate the federal government recognizing our efforts and supporting additional research that could benefit the environment here, across the country and around the world.”

Two MDOT units – MDOT State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) and MDOT Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA) – each received an FHWA grant, totaling a combined $312,000. The two projects carry an overall cost of $390,000, with MDOT contributing the balance. The projects are:

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Gaithersburg

Charley Prime, a New Concept by the Restaurant Group Behind Quarry House Tavern, Expected to Open in Rio in Early 2023

By MCS Staff

Coming soon signage is now up around the exterior of Charley Prime Foods, the new restaurant from Jackie Greenbaum & Gordon Banks (Little Coco’s, El Chucho, Bar Charley, Quarry House Tavern) that will be replacing Tara Thai on the Rio Lakefront boardwalk at 9811 Washington Blvd in Gaithersburg. Originally aiming for a Fall/Winter 2022 opening, the restaurant had its Class B: Beer, Wine, & Liquor license hearing on August 4th and construction continues as Rio representatives have let us know that the restaurant is now scheduled to open “early 2023”.

According to a press release, the Charley Prime team envisions the restaurant as a mature version of their popular DC restaurant Bar Charley, with an expanded menu, but keeping its lively cocktail forward energy. The broader menu will remain steak focused, but will also feature house made pastas (a la Little Coco’s) as well as other items unique to just this location. The group has tapped Editlab@Streetsense to design the space. Explains Greenbaum, “We can’t wait to do our first suburban project and think the timing is perfect. We’ve always done restaurants that are near and dear to our hearts and that we feel are right or needed in the particular neighborhood. My partners both have young families and Rio has been a frequent destination for them for years, as it is for tons of people in north Montgomery county. This is especially true for our chef and partner in this project, Adam Harvey, who lives nearby. We’re really thrilled to bring something unique to the mix out there.”

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Sponsored

Craving El Pollo Rico?

By Sponsor
Image from Craving El Pollo Rico?

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Highways / Interstates

Overturned Amazon Truck Closes Several Lanes of I-495

By Patrick Herron

UPDATE: All lanes are now open on the outer loop I-495 after this morning’s crash involving an Amazon truck.

An overturned Amazon truck with spill has closed several lanes on the outer loop of I-495 between Georgia Ave (exit 31) and Connecticut Ave (exit 33), according to the Maryland State Highway Administration. The incident occurred around 6am on Sunday morning and as of 12pm, only a single left lane gets by, according to @WTOPTraffic on twitter.

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Entertainment

“The Catalina Haunt” Has Been a Kensington Halloween Staple Since 2015

By MCS Staff

Holly Agouridis started “The Catalina Haunt” (video below) at her Kensington home back in 2015. The haunted house, located on Catalina Terrace, is now in its 8th year with a growing audience each year. “Between October 1st and Halloween night I have about 500-600 people stop by. The last halloweens I have been on the news and we have about 300+ come on Halloween night.” Agouridis told us.

She started really getting into decorating in 2015- initially using small props and homemade scarecrows and pumpkins. Then, she found the store Spirit Halloween and it took off from there. Agouridis has lived in MoCo for nearly 20 years, since 2003. When she was trying to figure out a name for her haunted house, a neighbor’s child who was 7 or 8 and would sit on her driveway everyday to watch her work on the house said “Ms. Holly, we live on Catalina Terrace so let’s call it the Catalina Haunt Yard” and the rest was history.

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Business

Rockville Biotech Begins Withdrawing Clinical Trial Participants From Antiretroviral HIV Medication; “All 7 participants have already shown safety and blood markers of efficacy”

By MCS Staff

A Maryland biotech company has taken an important next step in their HIV Clinical Trial that they hope will lead to long-term remission for participants. Rockville-based biotech company American Gene Technologies® has begun withdrawing clinical trial participants from their antiretroviral HIV medication to determine whether the gene therapy treatment works. All 7 participants have already shown safety and blood markers of efficacy, according to the press release. Full press release below:

The Gene Therapy Industry Is Poised for Enormous Growth

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Gaithersburg

Update on Fatal Pedestrian Involved Collision in Gaithersburg

By Patrick Herron

A 39-year-old male pedestrian was pronounced dead after a collision on Midcounty Highway in Gaithersburg on Saturday night. According to Montgomery County Police, detectives were originally investigating this as a hit-and-run, but after further investigation, they do not want to definitively call it a hit-and/run. Below is a summary of events from MCPD:

“On Saturday, October 22, 2022, at approximately 8:42 p.m., 6th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the area of Midcounty Hwy. and Miller Fall Rd. for the report of a pedestrian struck.  A 39-year-old male pedestrian was located in the roadway that had been struck by at least one vehicle, which remained on scene. At this time, the circumstances leading to the pedestrian being struck in the roadway is under investigation.  The victim was pronounced dead on scene.  This is an active and ongoing investigation. 

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Celebrities

Halloweentown Star, Kimberly J. Brown, is From Gaithersburg

By MCS Staff

Actress Kimberly J. Brown, best known to audiences for her portrayal of the teen witch Marnie Piper in the Halloweentown films, is from Gaithersburg. In a 2016 interview with a Maryland-based blog, she referenced growing up in Gaithersburg in the 80s and early 90s. “There were certain areas near where I lived that were so serene. I love that whole country, green feel. Our family ritual was going to duck ponds in the area and playing with the baby chicks. I love being able to have a bat and  a ball, and not caring where the ball lands if that makes sense. In Los Angeles, you don’t have that luxury all the time.” In the interview she also refers to Washington as her favorite NFL team.

Brown got her first big break playing the role of Marah Lewis on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light– the daughter of “super couple” Josh Lewis and Reva Shayne. When she was 13 she was cast in Halloweentown as Marnie Piper, a young witch who is determined to learn magic from her grandmother Aggie, portrayed by Debbie Reynolds. Halloweentown aired on October 17, 1998, and was well received by audiences, leading Disney Channel to produce three sequels; Brown reprised her role as Marnie in two of them, but was replaced by Sara Paxton in the fourth installment, Return to Halloweentown, a decision over which Brown expressed confusion and disappointment.

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Potomac

Pama Thai Now Open in Park Potomac

By MCS Staff

Last December we let you know that Kruba Thai would be coming to Park Potomac. Instead, Pama Thai has arrived. The new Thai restaurant comes from the owners of Kruba Thai, which has a location at 301 Water St. near Nationals Park in Washington, DC. Their menu offers traditional Thai dishes, but we are told will not offer sushi like DC”s Kruba Thai (aside from one appetizer roll). Pama Thai had a soft opening earlier in the week and has since listed that it will be open from 11:00am-9:30pm, 7 days a week. It is located at the former Wine Harvest location at 12525 Park Potomac Ave B.

The menu offers a variety of appetizers ranging from $7-$13, that includes chicken satay, chive dumplings, curry puffs, and more. Pama signature dishes range from $18-$20, and include pineapple fried rice (featured photo), clay pot shrimp, crispy eggplant, and more. Entrees, curries, noodles, and fried rice dishes all come in at $15 a piece, and four different desserts are available, ranging from $5.95-$9.95.

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