Per the State or Maryland: Governor Wes Moore this morning delivered remarks before hundreds of representatives of small, minority, and veteran businesses during the Maryland Business Opportunities and Entrepreneurial Training Summit. The governor was joined by University System of Maryland Chancellor Jay Perman, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, Maryland Department of General Services Secretary Atif Chaudhry, and Governor’s Office of Small, Minority and Women Business Affairs Special Secretary Yolanda “Maria” Martinez in a show of support and solidarity for Maryland’s minority and disadvantaged business enterprise program participants.
“I want to thank the business leaders for being the risk takers and visionaries,” said Gov. Moore. “We must use all of the tools at our disposal to deliver the supports our minority, small and veteran owned businesses need to thrive. We don’t have to choose between an economy that is competitive and an economy that is equitable. We can, and we will, do both.”
Together, the Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Department of General Services, and University System of Maryland have an unprecedented number of projects across the state, with more than $6.5 billion dollars in procurement opportunities. The summit helps encourage and equip businesses to get their fair share of available contracts.
The Moore-Miller administration is working diligently to ensure that qualified minority businesses are actively utilized and accounted for in state government procurement and contracting opportunities. As one of his first acts in office, Governor Moore signed an executive order to underscore the administration’s commitment to strengthening participation, compliance, and accountability for Maryland’s Minority Business Enterprise program. And in May, the governor announced a $15 million commitment to minority-led small business lender Lendistry to provide relief to Maryland small businesses.
The administration also advanced regulations through the Board of Public Works that would provide contractual safeguards and protections for Minority Business Enterprise program sub-contractors. State agencies are also now required to submit marketing and outreach plans to the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs that include proactive outreach to Minority Business Enterprises to promote procurement opportunities.
To learn more about Maryland’s Minority Business Enterprise program, visit gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov.
Per the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office: “The Sheriff’s Office has been noticing an uptick in scam calls reported by residents of the County. Sheriff Uy would like to remind everyone that the Sheriff’s Office will NEVER ask for money or financial information over the phone. Also, it is important to remember that paying a “fine” will not clear up a warrant.
These scammers are giving the following fictitious story when they get an intended victim on the phone: “My name is (insert fake name) from the Sheriff’s Office (insert fake Section). You missed a court date/jury duty/failed to answer a summons, and the Judge has issued a warrant for your arrest. If you don’t pay a fine, my deputies will be coming to arrest you immediately.”
The scammers then instruct the victim to put some amount of money on a prepaid card and provide the numbers over the phone. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS SCAM. No legitimate law enforcement agency will behave in this manner. If you have questions about this scam, contact our Office and we will be glad to discuss it with you. If you have given money to one of these scammers, please contact the Montgomery County Police at 301-279-8000.”
Montgomery County Police responded to an incident involving a man threatening people with a machete on Tuesday, September 26 in North Bethesda. According to MCPD, “The call for a man with a machete was received at approximately 8:55 p.m. Officers responded to the 4800 block of Boiling Brook Pkwy and located an adult male with a machete. He was quickly taken into custody without incident. No victims were located and no injuries were reported.” We will provide an update if additional information becomes available.
Safety reported Cordell Pugh reported the following on Twitter: “NORTH BETHESDA MACHETE MAN: ~9PM Thursday, shops off Boiling Brook Pkwy East of Parklawn Dr. Security called for Police assistance with a man threatening people with a machete. @MCPnews (@2DCommander) Officers rapidly located suspect & safely detained him without incident.”
NORTH BETHESDA MACHETE MAN: ~9PM Thursday, shops off Boiling Brook Pkwy East of Parklawn Dr. Security called for Police assistance with a man threatening people with a machete. @MCPnews (@2DCommander) Officers rapidly located suspect & safely detained him without incident.
— Cordell (@CordellTraffic) September 27, 2023
Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Council enacted legislation today that will prohibit the sale and use of combustion engine-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums in most areas of the County. The vote was 10 – 1, with Council President Evan Glass, Vice President Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe, Natali Fani-González, Will Jawando, Sidney Katz, Dawn Luedtke, Kristin Mink, Laurie-Anne Sayles and Kate Stewart voting for the bill.
Bill 18-22, Noise Control – Leaf Removal Equipment – Amendments, was proposed by County Executive Marc Elrich and introduced by Council President Evan Glass. As enacted by the Council, the effective date of the ban on the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers and vacuums will be July 1, 2024. The ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers and vacuums will go into effect on July 1, 2025.
“Montgomery County is moving toward electric leaf blowers because it is an important step to address environmental, noise and health concerns in our community,” said Council President Glass, who also serves as chair of the Transportation and Environment Committee. “The legislation enacted by the Council today is one example of the many steps we are taking to help combat climate change, while also working with our small businesses to offset the initial fiscal impacts of going green. I want to thank County Executive Elrich and his team for sending this bill to the Council.”
The legislation also authorizes the creation of a grant program that will be established by regulation to partially offset the cost of replacing a combustion engine-powered leaf blower or leaf vacuum with an electric model. Information about the grants will be available after the Council receives the proposed regulations.
“This legislation is a good step forward toward meeting our climate goals,” said Councilmember Balcombe, who is a member of the Transportation and Environment Committee. “The bill has a lot of moving parts—as I said during our discussion, the devil is in the details. I’m glad that we took the time to discuss it thoroughly, so that we passed the best bill possible.”
Under the legislation, the County Executive must transmit regulations to the Council to establish the reimbursement program no later than March 30, 2024. The regulations will not go into effect until they are approved by the Council.
“Today we took action to reduce disruptive, excessive and unhealthy noise in our communities, following our Climate Action Plan to reduce fossil emissions,” said Councilmember Stewart, who is also a member of the Transportation and Environment Committee. “We will work with our Department of Environmental Protection to ensure we have a robust incentive program that smooths the transition to electric leaf blowers, especially for our smallest landscapers.”
Additionally, the bill exempts the use of gas leaf blower equipment for agricultural producers on agriculturally assessed properties, requires an annual report by the Department of Environmental Protection, and generally amends the law regarding noise control.
“As the only immigrant on the Montgomery County Council, I am particularly proud to represent the many immigrants who do these incredibly tough and dangerous jobs,” said Councilmember Fani-González, who serves as chair of the Economic Development Committee. “Today’s vote shows that we are taking action to improve the health of landscape workers, as electric leaf blowers eliminate emissions that heighten respiratory conditions like asthma. These battery-powered blowers are effective and contribute to a healthier environment and improved air quality for all.”
Retailers will be required to provide notice to customers on the forthcoming ban on combustion powered leaf blowers in Montgomery County. The County’s Department of Environmental Protection will provide the notice signs for retail businesses to use in their stores.
The full staff report can be viewed here.
Orioles legend Brooks Robinson passed away, his family and the team announced on Tuesday evening. Considered one of the greatest third basemen in the history of baseball, his career influenced many, but it was a personal story that solidified Robinson’s status as a true legend in every aspect of the word for ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt. Van Pelt shared his heartfelt story on social media Tuesday night:
Long Brooks Robinson story I believe I told on radio:
When the Orioles played in Memorial Stadium, the PA announcer was named Rex Barney. When a fan made a great catch of a foul ball, he’d say, “Give that fan a contract.” At a game with my dad and Brooks fouls off a pitch. Dad makes a leaping catch, everyone cheers, Rex does his thing. I’m over the moon. I got a Brooks Robinson foul ball. Can’t believe it.
Next day at school, I tell everyone. Obviously. After school we have to play catch with this ball. Obviously. I figure I can throw a major league curve ball with it. I can’t. I throw it low, my friend can’t catch it. Now is when I mention we lived at the top of a hill. Ball rolls down the street and into a sewer.
The Brooks ball is gone. I never told my dad when he was alive. I always look up to the sky at this point and say, “Sorry ’bout that, Pop.”
I tell this story decades later at a charity event in Baltimore. Turns out a man at our table did some work with Brooks. A week later a box arrives at my house with this and a note:
Hope this makes up for the one that got away, Brooks.
Indeed it did, Brooks. What a man.
Long Brooks Robinson story I believe I told on radio:
When the Orioles played in Memorial Stadium, the PA announcer was named Rex Barney. When a fan made a great catch of a foul ball, he'd say, "Give that fan a contract." At a game with my dad and Brooks fouls off a pitch. Dad… pic.twitter.com/tdfrksoBAX
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) September 26, 2023
Fall is here and the colors around us are about to change. Whether it’s the taste of a warm pumpkin-flavored latte, the cool breeze of a crisp fall morning, weekends full of football, or the yellow glow of the sun on a tall birch tree, autumn is often a contender for MoCo residents’ favorite season (however short it may be). Many locals are looking forward to combining all the best parts of fall and enjoying the foliage outdoors, so we’ve put together a small list of 11 where you can enjoy the foliage across the county:
Agricultural Reserve: A drive through the rural areas that the 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve encompasses, along with the larger rural communities of Damascus and Poolesville and small crossroad communities such as Beallsville, Sunshine and Dickerson, are sure to give you your fill of fall foliage.
Black Hill Regional Park (Boyds): With over 2,000 acres of land for outdoor recreation and family gatherings, you can enjoy spectacular views of the foliage and Little Seneca Lake.
Agricultural History Farm Park (Derwood): You can find fall changes beyond foliage at Agricultural History Farm Park. The fields are golden brown and ready for harvest. Dahlias are in bloom next door in the Montgomery County Master Naturalists’ gardens. And, there are glints of red on a maple tree.
Rock Creek Regional Park (Derwood): Lake Bernard Frank at Rock Creek Regional Park is a beautiful spot for quiet and solitude right now. Pack in a chair or find a log and take in the crisp air and seasonal scenery. Yellow leaves are saturated at sunset.
Seneca Creek State Park (Gaithersburg): Th3 6,300 acre park extends along 14 scenic miles of Seneca Creek, all the way to the Potomac River. Clopper Lake offers boating and fishing, as well as trails for hiking, cycling and horseback riding. A 16.5 mile hike down Seneca Creek Greenway Trail follows the entire course of the creek.
Cabin John Regional Park (Potomac): Look high and low on the trails near Locust Grove Nature Center at Cabin John Regional Park for autumn color.
Great Falls Park (Potomac): Foliage and the Potomac River? Count us in. You can catch a little of everything at Great Falls this time of year.
Maydale Conservation Park (Silver Spring): In the eastern part of Montgomery County, there are hints of fall. Dabs of yellow are beginning to show on trees around the pond at Maydale Conservation Park.
Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park (Silver Spring): Crunch your way along Sligo Creek Trail. The paved path is covered in brown and yellow leaves which collect and disperse with the wind. The canopy is punctuated with hints of yellow and orange.
Brookside Gardens (Wheaton): Montgomery County’s incomparable, award-winning 50-acre public display garden within Wheaton Regional Park has plenty of foliage for visitors to take in.
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard (Dickerson): While the mountain itself is in Frederick County, the vineyard is in Montgomery County with amazing views of the surrounding area (as seen in our featured photo). As of press time the mountain is closed to the public, but you can still enjoy the view nearby.
Featured photo courtesy of @dronifyDMV
Last November we let you know that Sodexo committed its U.S. headquarters to 915 Meeting Street, a new 276,000-square-foot trophy office building currently under construction at the award-winning mixed-use development of Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland. Sodexo’s headquarters are currently located at 9801 Washingtonian Blvd in Gaithersburg (next to Rio Lakefront). According to a recent Maryland Newsletters report, the firm pulled a permit toward a $5.59 million fitout of 51,907 square feet at the North Bethesda building.
Sodexo will be taking 52,000 square feet, along with Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), which signed a long-term lease to occupy 105,000 square feet. Sodexo is a leading global provider of catering, facilities management, employee benefits and personal home services to 100 million daily consumers in 56 countries. It will be moving from its current location in Gaithersburg to Pike & Rose in Spring 2024 (renderings are available below courtesy of Federal Realty).
915 Meeting Street will be a 16-story, state-of-the-art, LEED Gold-targeted building, featuring 9,600 square feet of ground floor retail, approximately 25,000-square-foot flexible floor plates and 700 dedicated parking spaces. Designed by Gensler, the building will incorporate a vibrant architectural design that includes numerous amenities, such as a rooftop conference center with collaborative common areas, WiredScore-targeted connectivity, a fitness center, and resource-efficient, sustainable wellness features.
Located in the rapidly emerging submarket of North Bethesda, 915 Meeting Street will sit within the transit-oriented, LEED Gold-certified neighborhood of Pike & Rose and its more than 400,000 square feet of thoughtfully curated retail, services, dining, and entertainment offerings. The new construction comes following the success of Pike & Rose’s 300,000 square foot trophy office building, 909 Rose, which includes tenants such as Bank of America, Industrious, JLL, OneDigital and Federal Realty’s corporate headquarters. “The announcement of Sodexo continues to solidify Pike & Rose as the office destination in Montgomery County,“ says Stuart Biel, Senior Vice President, Federal. “For executive leaders throughtout the D.C.-metro seeking a dynamic environment to relocate or grow their own headquarters, the neighborhood’s best-in-class offerings should on the short list for consideration,“ continues Biel.
Peterson Cos. has acquired the 402-unit Huntington at King Farm: Phase II apartment complex in Rockville for $135.5 million, according to a recent BizJournals report. This is the first residential holding for Peterson Cos. in Montgomery County. On the retail side, Peterson Cos. owns Downtown Silver Spring, Milestone Center in Germantown, and Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. Peterson Cos purchased the property on September 21st.
“Located at 801 Elmcroft Boulevard in Rockville, Huntington at King Farm: Phase II is a unique multifamily property in the prestigious King Farm neighborhood. The community has a total of 402 rental units, 165 of which are townhomes with private parking garages. Originally built in 2000 with generously sized floor plans of nearly 1,200 square feet on average, the community has benefitted from by long-term institutional ownership that maintained the property to a high level. Since 2011, approximately 342 units have been renovated.
Huntington at King Farm: Phase II is in a favorable location, walkable to King Farm’s retail and the Rockville Metro Station and situated in the second-largest life sciences research talent cluster along the I-270 Biotech Corridor proximate to the Shady Grove Innovation District (breaking ground 2024). The property is currently 95.52% occupied and Peterson Companies has renovations planned for the remaining units, demonstrating their commitment to enhancing the community for all residents.”
According to CBRE’s Mid-Atlantic Multifamily H1 2023 Report, sales volume in the Mid-Atlantic through the first six months totaled just $1.94 billion, a 64 percent decrease year-over-year, and 46 percent below the long-term H1 average since 2014. Despite the decrease recorded in H1, the latter half of the year historically records a higher sales volume, and investors are still active in the market. Strong demand and market fundamentals offer strategic investment opportunities for multifamily buyers and point toward a resurgence beginning in the latter half of 2024.
The King Farm neighborhood contains single-unit detached homes, townhouses, apartments, a shopping center, and stand-alone office buildings all on a former 440-acre farm. The City of Rockville annexed the farm property in 1995, approving its redevelopment as a neo-traditional neighborhood with a grid street pattern and a mixture of land uses and housing types. Construction began in early 2000 and parts of the original plan are still coming to fruition. King Farm was designed to accommodate multi-modal transportation with extensive sidewalks, bikeways, and a regional transit line (the Corridor Cities Transitway), all with connections to the Shady Grove Metro Station.
Preserved from the former King family farm, or “Irvington Farm,” the farmstead, and its associated two dairy barns,
two tenant houses, and other ancillary buildings, are situated on property owned by the City that is designated as a local historic district and a City park. The City, with a priority for preservation, has stabilized or rebuilt several buildings on
the site, though the long-term maintenance and use of the property remains in question. In August 2016, the Mayor and Council convened a community task force to determine the best possible future use for the site, though no final decisions had been made on the task force’s recommendations as of the date of this writing.
King Farm Village Center is the primary retail center for the neighborhood, with 120,000 square feet of commercial space, including a major grocery store. Approximately 760,000 square feet of office space and a hotel are located west of the main residential community near I-270. King Farm was originally planned for more than 3 million square feet of Class A office space in the Irvington Center section west of Gaither Road. However, some of the allocated office capacity has been converted to residential townhouses and senior housing (i.e., Ingleside’s senior living, assisted living, long-term care and rehabilitation services) due to changing market demand.
Information courtesy of the City of Rockville Comprehensive Plan and a press release from CBRE
Orioles legend Brooks Robinson has passed. Considered one of the greatest third basemen in the history of baseball, Brooks Robinson traces his love of the sport to the Little Rock Boys & Girls Club. There he played Little League ball, honing the skills that would earn him 16 consecutive Golden Gloves, the 1964 American League MVP, the 1970 World Series MVP and a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Playing 23 seasons for the Baltimore Orioles, Robinson set major league career records for games, putouts, assists, chances, double plays and fielding percentage. Also a clutch hitter, he hit 268 career home runs, at the time an American League record for third basemen. A Statement from the Robinson Family and the Orioles:
“We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson. An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of baseball.”
Information and photo courtesy of the Boys & Girls Club of America
A Statement from the Robinson Family and the Orioles:
“We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Brooks Robinson. An integral part of our Orioles Family since 1955, he will continue to leave a lasting impact on our club, our community, and the sport of…
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 26, 2023
Dust off your dirndl, grab your lederhosen and get ready to Prost! The City presents the 30th annual celebration of Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 8, 2023, from noon to 5 p.m. The festival takes place in and around the Arts Barn, Kentlands Mansion, Kentlands Village Green and along Main Street & Inspiration Lane. Admission and parking are free. Free wheelchair accessible shuttle service will run regularly during festival hours to and from satellite parking at 101 Orchard Ridge Drive, just off of Quince Orchard Road.
Experience a taste of Germany right in your own backyard with performances by the ever-popular Alte Kameraden German Band and Alt-Washingtonia Bavarian Dancers. Savor traditional festival food while enjoying selections from local breweries, including Festival partners Dogfish Head Alehouse and Saints Row Brewing, as well as Clear Skies Meadery, Landmade Farm Brewery, Two Story Chimney Ciderworks, and Silly Yak Beer. Also available this year is non-alcoholic beer for sale by Sobar.
Fall festivities include professional pumpkin carving and apple cider pressing demonstrations, fun inflatables, hands-on crafts, pumpkin and face painting, balloon twisting, bubbles, artists and crafters, family activities, and strolling entertainers. Enjoy three stages of live entertainment featuring Sol Roots, La Unica, Donuts for Dinner, and The Real Geniuses, stroll through the business expo, and explore restaurants and retail establishments within the Kentlands. Please note some activities have a nominal fee.
