Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and Recreation & Parks Director Nicholas Mooneyhan today broke ground on the COVID-19 memorial and sculpture at Meadowbrook Park and Athletic Complex in Ellicott City. The memorial will consist of three main elements: a grove of native birch trees, a seating area surrounding a water fountain, and a sculpture.
Forty-two birch trees were selected due to their symbolism of new beginnings and growth. They are native, attractive, and easily adapt to Maryland’s environment and various soils. The trees are fast growing, have beautiful, curling bark, and their spreading limbs provide excellent shade.
“This memorial incorporates a thoughtful design that focuses on a space for quiet reflection,” said Nicholas Mooneyhan, Director of Howard County Recreation and Parks. “This space will allow all our residents to reflect upon those we have lost, including our very own Laura Wetherald, while also reminding us that there are brighter days ahead.”
The fountain will be made of polished black granite and will reflect the adjacent trees and surroundings, even when the water is not flowing in the winter. Landscape beds with colorful and fragrant flowers will surround the feature and seating area to brighten the area and add to the serene setting.
A sculpture will be commissioned and then placed by the path and seating area. It will commemorate all those who were lost to COVID-19 and will honor those who worked so hard to bring help, relief, and aid.
“I am deeply grateful to the County for creating a memorial that will provide a physical manifestation of our shared grief and loss,” said Christiana Rigby, Howard County Council Chair. “The memorial garden will be a powerful symbol of our community’s resilience and a reminder of the strength that comes from coming together in times of difficulty.”
The first tree was planted today at the groundbreaking ceremony. Another fifteen trees will be planted this November by the contractor Environmental Maintenance. The remaining twenty-six trees will be planted by or before May 1, 2024. The walkways, benches and fountain will be completed by early Summer 2024. The sculpture is currently scheduled for Spring 2025.
“I hope that this memorial will serve as a place of reflection for the dedicated array of health workers, volunteers, partners and public across our community and stand as a testament to their resilience and unwavering spirit during this unprecedented worldwide health challenge” said Antigone Vickery, Howard County Deputy Health Officer.
According to state data, Howard County has reported nearly 66,963 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in 2020. There have been more than 472 confirmed deaths in the county. Additionally, the state has reported more than 1.4 million cases, which has resulted in more than 16,809 deaths.
“Those of us who endured the darkest moments of the pandemic emerged stronger, but we must never forget those we lost along the way,” said Robert Smeltzer, Deputy Chief, Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services. “Their memory and legacy live on within each of us.”
About Meadowbrook Park:
Meadowbrook Park is located alongside the Meadowbrook Athletic Complex (MAC) at 5001 Meadowbrook Lane in Ellicott City. The park includes baseball fields, a large playground for all abilities, tennis courts, basketball courts and about 2.5 miles of sidewalks and pathways that circle the park.
The MAC is a destination for indoor basketball, volleyball, field hockey, badminton, jump rope and much more! The facility houses 35,000 square feet of unobstructed gymnasium space designed to serve all ages and all levels of play.
Last November, we let you know that New York‘s Chip City will be opening its first Maryland location at the Shoppes of Bethesda, replacing Fancy Cakes By Leslie at 4939 Elm St. Fancy Cakes by Leslie closed in October 2022. The new store opened to plenty of fanfare, as customers and social media influencers alike have been posting their experiences at the new shop.
Five years ago, cookies were a side hustle for Theodore Gailas and Peter Phillips. Since then, they’ve opened over a dozen Chip City cookie shops in and around New York with plans to expand outside of the area. Chip City is expected to rapidly expand, with over 20 stores expected to open in 2023. According to Forbes, The rollout plan will be supported by the founder of fast casual restaurant Shake Shack, Danny Meyer, who recently invested $10 million in the cookies.
The new cookie shop rotates through 18 flavors, allowing customers to choose from those that make it on to the weekly menu. The weekly roster can include “core cookies” like chocolate chip or dairy free chocolate chip, other flavors like blueberry cheesecake, peanut butter and jelly, Nutella sea salt, and more. Currently, location are offering seasonal Thanksgiving cookies with flavors like Pecan Pie, Sweet Potato S’mores, Pumpkin Spice Latte, and White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzKQoW-RUVO/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
MoCo High School Sports Scores for Nov 03, 2023 (powered by www.MoCoAI.com):
Field Hockey Varsity, Game MPSSAA Class 4A State Tournament of round Round 1
| Whitman High School (Home) | 4 |
| North County High School (Away) | 0 |
Football Varsity, Game MPSSAA Class 2A Regional Tournament of round Round 1
| Walkersville High School (Home) | 55 |
| Poolesville High School (Away) | 0 |
Football Varsity, Game MPSSAA Class 4A Regional Tournament of round Round 1
| Walter Johnson High School (Home) | 61 |
| High Point High School (Away) | 12 |
| Paint Branch High School (Home) | 42 |
| Northwestern High School (Away) | 0 |
| Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (Home) | 45 |
| Wheaton High School (Away) | 0 |
Football Varsity, Game MPSSAA Class 4A/3A Regional Tournament of round Round 1
| Einstein High School (Home) | 52 |
| Northwood High School (Away) | 0 |
| Magruder High School (Home) | 42 |
| Tuscarora High School (Away) | 25 |
| Wootton High School (Home) | 20 |
| Governor Thomas Johnson High School (Away) | 14 |
| Urbana High School (Home) | 47 |
| Watkins Mill High School (Away) | 0 |
| Suitland High School (Home) | 45 |
| Kennedy High School (Away) | 0 |
Soccer Boys Varsity, Game MPSSA Class 2A State Tournament of round Round 1
| Damascus High School (Home) | 1 |
| Sparrows Point High School (Away) | 0 |
Soccer Boys Varsity, Game MPSSAA Class 3A State Tournament of round Round 1
| Blake High School (Home) | 1 |
| South River High School (Away) | 2 |
Soccer Girls Varsity, Game MPSSAA Class 4A State Tournament of round Round 1
| Blair High School (Home) | 1 |
| Wheaton High School (Away) | 0 |
| Whitman High School (Home) | 3 |
| Urbana High School (Away) | 1 |
Volleyball Girls Varsity, Game MPSSAA Class 4A Regional Tournament of round Round 1
| Springbrook High School (Home) | 3 |
| Wheaton High School (Away) | 1 |
Let us know in the comments for any missing scores.
Per WMATA: Metro is reminding customers to plan ahead if traveling on the Red, Blue, Silver, and Green lines this weekend due to planned track and construction work.
On the Red Line, trains will be single tracking between Medical Center and Grosvenor while crews perform rail renewal and joint elimination to provide customers with a smoother ride. Trains will run every 10 minutes between Friendship Heights and Glenmont, and every 20 minutes between Friendship Heights and Shady Grove.
On the Blue and Silver lines, aerial structure repairs near Stadium-Armory will continue, with free local and express shuttle buses replacing trains between Stadium-Armory and Addison Rd. Blue Line trains will run every 12 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes during the evening from Franconia-Springfield to Stadium-Armory and Addison Rd to Downtown Largo. Silver Line trains will run between Stadium-Armory and Ashburn only, and will operate every 12 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes during the evening.
On the Green Line, trains will single track between U St. And Georgia Ave – Petworth while crews replace platform edge lighting for a safer customer experience. Trains will operate every 16 minutes.
Per the Prince George’s County Police Department: “The Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal collision that occurred in the unincorporated section of Upper Marlboro. The deceased driver is 71-year-old Alena Mirshahi of Bethesda. The collision occurred in late September. On November 2, 2023, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled her death was caused by injuries suffered during the crash.
On September 22, 2023, at approximately 9:00 am, officers responded to the 900 block of Harry S Truman Drive for a single-vehicle collision. The driver was transported to a hospital with critical injuries. She was pronounced deceased a short time later. The preliminary investigation revealed Mirshahi was traveling on Harry S Truman Drive, when for reasons under investigation, she lost control, left the roadway and collided with a building. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit at 301-731-4422.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device. Please refer to case number 23-0056217.
If you would prefer to translate this release into another language, please find the translation window on the right side of this webpage. Please select your preferred language from the available list.”
A Montgomery County resident is $100,000 richer after purchasing a winning lottery scratch-off ticket at a Mt. Airy 7-Eleven. Full story below courtesy of the Maryland Lottery:
“A series of close encounters with big Lottery prizes had “Harry” of Montgomery County a little down. “I love scratch-offs,” he said. But after winning $10,000 once, his luck seemed to run dry. The anonymous player, who selected the nickname “Harry’s Happy Days” to tell the story of his Lottery luck, said he favors two or three Lottery retailers. Soon after he stopped visiting one retailer, however, that store sold a $1 million winning scratch-off. Then, the regular Pick 4 player didn’t play his favorite 4444 digits one day, and those numbers were drawn. “That was the one day out of the year we didn’t play.”
Recently, “Harry” and his brother were in the Mt. Airy area, where “Harry” is planning to buy a farm, and they stopped at 7-Eleven #28890 located at 1610 Ridgeside Drive in Mt. Airy. “We were having a bad day,” he recalled, “so I said, ‘Let me try the 50 Years! scratch-offs.’”
The winner’s brother was busy buying convenience store items and “Harry” called him over to show him he won $100,000. “He didn’t believe me at first,” the accountant recalled. Their excitement spilled over and soon everyone knew what had happened. “We were loud about it! We celebrated with everybody in the store.”
Their day became “100% better!” he said. The lucky winner captured a second-tier prize in the $50 game, which still has two $5 million top prizes, three $100,000 second-tier prizes, two $50,000 prizes and 29 $10,000 prizes remaining. He hasn’t told his wife yet but plans to spring the surprise soon. The windfall will go into their retirement fund, said “Harry.” Featured image courtesy of Google Maps.
Per the State of Maryland: “Governor Wes Moore today toured the AstraZeneca site in Gaithersburg and joined BioHub Maryland to announce a new skills training agreement with the Dublin, Ireland-based National Institute of Bioprocessing Research and Training, a global leader in biopharmaceutical manufacturing training and research. The partnership makes BioHub Maryland the exclusive training partner in the National Capital Region, enabling Marylanders—including veterans and members of disadvantaged communities—to learn a unique brand of skills required to work in the life sciences industry.
“Today, we’re not just here to celebrate this new BioHub partnership. We’re here to celebrate a new direction for Maryland’s economy and workforce,” said Gov. Moore. “We are ready to win. We are ready to grow and we are ready to show the entire country what we’re made of.”
AstraZeneca is a global science-led, patient-focused pharmaceutical company. It is Montgomery County’s seventh largest employer, with more than 3,500 workers, and is Frederick County’s eighth largest employer, with 700 workers. BioHub Maryland is a Maryland Tech Council initiative, accelerating the life sciences industry for companies and career seekers to expand the state’s global innovation advantage.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the Honorable Christopher Fogleman has sentenced defendant, Marvin Frazier, 24, of Germantown to 40 years in prison suspend all but 25 to serve and five years of supervised probation upon release. Frazier was convicted by a jury in April of 2023 on charges including attempted first-degree murder, two counts each of first-degree assault and use of a handgun in a crime of violence, and illegal possession of a handgun. The sentencing hearing took place on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023.
This stems from an incident at a music studio along Montgomery Village Avenue in Gaithersburg on August 8th, 2020. Frazier shot a 19-year-old male, causing him to become paralyzed from the waist down. He also pistol-whipped a 20-year-old male. The defendant and victims are associated with rival gangs. The defendant fled but was apprehended in 2022.
At the time of the shooting, Frazier was on probation for unrelated gun charges. He has a hearing scheduled in that matter on February 2, 2024, and faces up to an addition 18 years in prison. Assistant State’s Attorney Teresa Casafranca prosecuted this case.”
Per Montgomery County:
“Dear Friends, As I write this, I am currently on an economic mission to India and Vietnam with businesses and government officials in an effort to encourage more international trade and commerce in Montgomery County.
This visit to India will enable the County to tap into one of the globe’s fastest-growing life sciences sectors in Hyderabad, which has gained the nickname of “Genome Valley.” I have signed two agreements that will help companies expand their operations to the U.S. through Montgomery County. Next week, the County’s delegation will be in Vietnam talking with leaders in another fast-growing economy.
The County is working aggressively to create the Institute for Health Computing in North Bethesda, along with our partners at the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP), the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) and the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS). This innovative research facility will transform life sciences research, thereby leading to life-saving advancements in medicine and health care across the globe.
The potential of this research facility is exciting and will attract new talent and businesses to the County. Montgomery County already is one of the top five life-science clusters in the nation, and the Institute for Health Computing is expected to make the County even more enticing to the academic and business communities.
By combining the expertise of the two Maryland universities with the diverse medical data held by UMMS, the Institute for Health Computing will help further accelerate the identification of new advances in medical research. The specific focus will be on finding solutions to the problem of healthcare disparities, which have gripped our County, our State and the entire nation for decades.
When the County’s partnership with these eminent academic research organizations was announced, UMMS CEO Mohan Suntha noted that this institute could make Montgomery County the “Silicon Valley” of healthcare computing. Dr. Suntha was signaling the game-changing impact this innovative research facility will have on healthcare and medicine, with the County positioned to be at the forefront of this endeavor.
Watch this week’s video to learn more about this exciting initiative. Imagine the North Bethesda area around Pike & Rose bustling with new businesses and activities created by the establishment of the Institute for Health Computing—all in an effort to develop life-changing medical solutions. This is just the beginning. There is more to come, so stay tuned.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive”
“Join us at Poolesville’s 18th annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony, Friday, Dec.1st at 6 p.m. as Whalen Commons is transformed into a Winter Wonderland. We have an exciting line-up of festivities planned for the evening, which include the following: A chance to visit Santa at his workshop, musical and dance performances, visits with Frosty & Rudolph, a ride aboard the “Polar Express”, a special reading by Mrs. Claus of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”, ice skating rink, wood sculpture demos, shop local with PACC artisans, PACC sponsored Gingerbread Cookie Decorating (at the Poolesville Museum), Calleva’s wagon rides through town, WUMCO Basket Auction, Shine On Together Gingerbread House Decorating Contest, and food trucks.
Santa will arrive courtesy of the Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department at 6:30 pm and the official Tree Lighting takes place at 6:45 pm. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
