Update: Spirit Halloween locations in Germantown and Rockville have fallen through. Additional information available here.
According to EDENS, Spirit Halloween is coming to 12940 Middlebrook Rd. in the Germantown Commons shopping center. It will be located in the space that was previously home to Bed Bath & Beyond, next to the recently opened Gold’s Gym. The chain is also scheduled to open Montgomery County locations at 2210 Veirs Mill Rd. (former CVS location) in the Twinbrook Center in Rockville and at 30 Grand Corner Ave (former Pier 1 location) in Gaithersburg’s Rio. Last year, Spirit had an additional Montgomery County location in Burtonsville. While no opening dates have been provided, all three stores are expected to open this month.
During the Halloween season, Spirit operates over 1,400 stores in North America. The Spirit Halloween website is open year-round, offering its in-store products online. The store usually open 30-60 days prior to Halloween.
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division have arrested and charged 19-year-old Bill Gomez with auto theft related offenses that occurred over the span of several months in the Rockville and Baltimore areas. Detectives from the Auto Crime Enforcement Section (ACES) were investigating the rise of Infiniti G37 models being stolen in the county and developed Gomez as a suspect.
The investigation revealed that Gomez was running a pseudo “chop-shop” out of his residence located in the 800 block of Westmore Avenue in Rockville. Gomez had also obtained Vehicle Identification Numbers from wrecked/salvaged vehicles and placed them onto stolen vehicles to conceal their stolen status.
On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, ACES Detectives arrested Gomez, who was driving a stolen Infiniti at the time. Gomez was transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit and charged with multiple auto theft related charges. Gomez was released on a $5,000 unsecured personal bond.
On Thursday, September 7, 2023, Detectives executed a Search Warrant at Gomez’s residence and located an additional stolen vehicle along with evidentiary items connecting Gomez to the thefts.
Featured image courtesy of Google Maps.
Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Government has nearly 1,000 full-time and part-time jobs, currently open for employment. Interested job seekers 18‐and‐over are encouraged to attend the Montgomery County Career Fair and Hiring Expo from 3-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza, located at 1 Veterans Place in downtown Silver Spring.
This is the County’s second major job and hiring event this year designed to attract job seekers across various careers. During the County’s first career fair and hiring expo in May, one in seven attendees received a contingent job offer.
“When you choose to work for Montgomery County government, you are not just getting a job; you are opening doors to incredible career opportunities,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “With a robust package of benefits, we are committed to providing our employees a work environment that values their talents and fosters their professional growth. The average Montgomery County employee has worked for the County for over a decade, over twice as long as the average U.S. worker. Our goal is to create a culture where our employees will want to spend their entire career working for our residents, businesses, and visitors.”
Registration is not required, but attendees are encouraged to register in advance at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/JOBFAIR
County departments will be onsite to discuss available opportunities and conduct same‐day interviews for select positions, make on‐the‐spot offers or extend offers within 30 days after the event. Departments that will be represented will include:
- Alcohol Beverage Services
- Board of Elections
- Community Engagement Cluster
- Correction and Rehabilitation
- Fire and Rescue Service
- Health and Human Services
- Human Resources
- Labor Relations
- MC311
- Permitting Services
- Police
- Public Libraries
- Recreation
- Sheriff’s Office
- Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions
- Transportation
Positions available include:
- Administrative and professional
- Health care and social services
- Information technology
- Public safety
- Retail, trades and labor
To see the full list of available job opportunities and exhibiting departments, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/JOBFAIR.
Update: Postponed due to weather. Look out for updates with new dates.
The Jolly Shows Carnival will be at Westfield Montgomery Mall (7101 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda) from Wednesday, September 20th until Sunday, September 24th. There will be over 30 attractions, including carnival rides, games, and food wagons. According to their website, “We are a new generation of carnival operators who strive to be more progressive and professional. We realize that we must produce a premium product for our customer’s hard earned money. We won’t forget our proud traditions, but we are committed to overcoming the stigmas which have hindered our industry for far too long.”
Pre-Sale – Until 5pm on September 20:
1 Wristband: $25 (save up to $5)
4-Pack: $85 (save up to $35)
50 Ride Tickets: $45 (save $15)
After 5pm on September 30th:
1 Weekday Wristband (Tuesday-Thursday): $27
1 Weekend Wristband (Friday-Sunday): $30
4-Pack: $100 (save up to $20)
50 Ride Tickets: $55 (save $5)
Individual Ride Tickets:
single tickets: $1.75 each
book of 30 tickets: $40.00
book of 50 tickets: $60.00
(Rides Take 3-5 Tickets)
Tickets can be purchased here.
Beginning the week of September 26th, Clark Construction will perform night work activities on Old Georgetown Road between Commerce Lane and Woodmont Avenue. Clark will be performing a double lane closure each night from the hours of 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM.
The road will be opened for full traffic operations at 5:00 AM each morning. This lane modification will be in effect until the end of October 2023, and is in addition to the single lane closure on the right side of Old Georgetown Road that will remain in effect through February of 2024.
Those with questions should contact Mr. Rick Rocha, Clark Construction Group Senior Superintendent, at (202) 528-8198 or [email protected]. Featured Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
Each month popular food website, Eater, answers the question “Where should I eat right now?” In their September edition, Eater DC has included two Montgomery County restaurants in its list of buzzworthy restaurants that have been open for less than six months.
The first Montgomery County restaurant listed is The Farmhouse Bistro at the Crossvines (16601 W Willard Rd, Poolesville, MD). Per Eater, “Locally sourced lunch includes confit chicken wings with a “Cool Ranch”-style dip; fried clam and lobster sliders; and an aged brisket burger. Dinner highlights for summer include Chesapeake crab cakes and sweet corn; wild Chesapeake Bay rockfish with tomato butter; and Jurgielewicz Farms duck breast adorned in Virginia strawberries and fava beans.”
The Crossvines is a grape-crush facility intended to help grape farmers and winemakers. Though grapes and winemaking offer a high value crop to farmers, it can take three-to-five years to produce a full crop of grapes after vines are planted. Equipment necessary for crushing grapes and making wine can add a million dollars or more to the costs. The crush pad at Crossvines is intended to be a community resource and will enable farmers who grow grapes to use The Crossvines facility to de-stem and crush the grapes, and then process the liquid for its final destination – a wine bottle.
The second Montgomery County restaurant included on the list is The Salt Line Bethesda (7284 Woodmont Ave. Bethesda, MD). A “first look” video is available below. According to Eater, The Salt Line brings Bethesda a “fresh lineup of appetizers like a grilled giant squid salad and crudos like a kombu-cured kanpachi. The new location also introduces a special late-night menu — a rare feature for the Maryland suburb — with half-priced oysters, $10 espresso martinis, and $5 Narragansett beers.”
Highlights include the Local Heirloom Tomato Salad, Bucatini and Clams, Maine Peekytoe Crab Roll, and more. In addition to full beer and wine lists, the cocktail program is heavily influenced by the New England lifestyle and showcases imaginative twists on timeless classics such as the Cape Codder G&T, The Blue Cheese Martini, Sbagliato Spritz, and more. The interior evokes a nautical feel, with mahogany paneling, brass fixtures, booths inspired by yacht seats, a huge u-shaped bar, and vintage coastal ephemera throughout.
Featured photo courtesy of @TasteMoCo
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CunC6uBAFW2/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 1st and 4th District Patrol Investigation Units are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying fraud suspects. On Saturday, June 17, 2023, the victim stated that her credit cards were stolen out of her wallet in the Olney area. The investigation by detectives determined that the suspects fraudulently used the credits cards at several stores in Montgomery Mall.
On Friday, August 11, 2023, a Poolesville victim reported a theft from auto, where the suspects stole the victim’s credit cards and an undetermined amount of cash. The suspects fraudulently used the credits cards at multiple stores in Montgomery Mall.
Detectives obtained surveillance video of the suspects. Suspect one is described as a male, medium build, in his late teens to early twenties, with short hair and tattoos covering his left forearm. Suspect two is described as a thin build male, with his hair styled in a bun, wearing black jeans and a white zip-up jacket. Suspect three is described as a thin build male, in his mid-teens to early twenties, of a brown skin tone, with black hair that is shaved on the sides with a ponytail at the top, facial hair on his chin and mustache and a large tattoo on the left side of his neck.
Anyone with information regarding suspect(s) or this crime is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect. Tips may remain anonymous.
Per the FDA (9.11.23): Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action approving and authorizing for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines formulated to more closely target currently circulating variants and to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. Today’s actions relate to updated mRNA vaccines for 2023-2024 manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc. Consistent with the totality of the evidence and input from the FDA’s expert advisors, these vaccines have been updated to include a monovalent (single) component that corresponds to the Omicron variant XBB.1.5.
What You Need to Know
- Individuals 5 years of age and older regardless of previous vaccination are eligible to receive a single dose of an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months since the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
- Individuals 6 months through 4 years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to receive one or two doses of an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (timing and number of doses to administer depends on the previous COVID-19 vaccine received).
- Unvaccinated individuals 6 months through 4 years of age are eligible to receive three doses of the updated authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or two doses of the updated authorized Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.
- The FDA is confident in the safety and effectiveness of these updated vaccines and the agency’s benefit-risk assessment demonstrates that the benefits of these vaccines for individuals 6 months of age and older outweigh their risks.
- Individuals who receive an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine may experience similar side effects as those reported by individuals who previously received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines as described in the respective prescribing information or fact sheets.
- The updated vaccines are expected to provide good protection against COVID-19 from the currently circulating variants. Barring the emergence of a markedly more virulent variant, the FDA anticipates that the composition of COVID-19 vaccines may need to be updated annually, as is done for the seasonal influenza vaccine.
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet tomorrow (Sept. 12), to discuss clinical recommendations on who should receive an updated vaccine, as well as further considerations for specific populations such as immunocompromised and older individuals.
- Manufacturers have publicly announced that the updated vaccines would be ready this fall, and the FDA anticipates that the updated vaccines will be available in the near future.
“Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The public can be assured that these updated vaccines have met the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. We very much encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”
The updated mRNA vaccines are each approved for individuals 12 years of age and older and are authorized under emergency use for individuals 6 months through 11 years of age. As part of today’s actions, the bivalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized for use in the United States.
Data Supporting the Updated mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines (2023-2024 Formula)
The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines approved and authorized today are supported by the FDA’s evaluation of manufacturing data to support the change to the 2023-2024 formula and non-clinical immune response data on the updated formulations including the XBB.1.5 component.
- The updated mRNA vaccines are manufactured using a similar process as previous formulations. In studies that have been recently conducted, the extent of neutralization observed by the updated vaccines against currently circulating viral variants causing COVID-19, including EG.5 and BA.2.86, appears to be of a similar magnitude to the extent of neutralization observed with prior versions of the vaccines against corresponding prior variants against which they had been developed to provide protection. This suggests that the vaccines are a good match for protecting against the currently circulating COVID-19 variants.
- The benefit-risk profile of previously authorized and approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccines is well understood as these vaccines have been administered to hundreds of millions of people in the United States.
Based on an evaluation of the totality of the evidence, the benefit-risk profile is favorable for individuals 6 months of age and older to receive an updated COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Although serious outcomes from COVID-19 are less common in younger individuals, they do occur, and it has been demonstrated that recently receiving a COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk of such serious outcomes.
Additional Details on Today’s Actions
Specifically, today’s actions include:
- Approval of Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) to include the 2023-2024 formula, and a change to a single dose for individuals 12 years of age and older. Comirnaty was previously approved as a two-dose series for individuals 12 years of age and older.
- Approval of Spikevax (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) to include the 2023-2024 formula, a change to a single dose for individuals 18 years of age and older, and approval of a single dose for individuals 12 through 17 years of age. Spikevax was previously approved as a two-dose series for individuals 18 years of age and older.
- Authorization of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for emergency use in individuals 6 months through 11 years of age to include the 2023-2024 formula and lower the age eligibility for receipt of a single dose from 6 years to 5 years of age. Additional doses are also authorized for certain immunocompromised individuals ages 6 months through 11 years, as described in the fact sheets.
- Authorization of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for emergency use in individuals 6 months through 11 years of age to include the 2023-2024 formula. Additional doses are also authorized for certain immunocompromised individuals ages 6 months through 11 years, as described in the fact sheets.
The approval of Comirnaty (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) (2023-2024 Formula) was granted to BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH. The EUA amendment for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (2023-2024 Formula) was issued to Pfizer Inc.
The approval of Spikevax (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) (2023-2024 Formula) was granted to ModernaTX Inc. and the EUA amendment for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2023-2024 Formula) was issued to ModernaTX Inc.
Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown’s Securities Division announced that it has joined a $22.5 million multistate settlement with Nexo Capital, Inc. In September 2022, Maryland filed an action against Nexo in connection with its Earn Interest Product (EIP) accounts. The Securities Division had alleged that the EIP accounts enabled customers to deposit crypto assets with Nexo. In exchange, customers automatically earned interest on those deposits. Nexo offered investors interest rates of up to 36% on their deposits, significantly higher than rates offered for short-term, investment grade, fixed-income securities, or bank savings accounts. As of September 2022, over 93,300 United States residents had EIP accounts worth approximately $800 million, with more than 1,800 Maryland residents holding accounts worth about $15 million.
The Securities Division’s Consent Order, which details the case and formalizes the terms of the settlement, concluded that Nexo’s EIP accounts were unregistered securities, and that the company operated as an unregistered broker-dealer. The Order further concluded that Nexo engaged in dishonest and unethical practices and misrepresented and failed to provide important facts to its customers, such as information related to its regulatory compliance, profit-making activities, and interest generation.
“Companies that offer interest-bearing crypto asset accounts need to register to operate, just like any other investment platform, so that consumers who choose to invest with them can be informed of the inherent risks and afforded all the rights and protections that the law provides,” said Attorney General Brown. “Providing clear and honest information is not optional. It is required to do business here in Maryland.”
Nexo has agreed to pay $22.5 million to the 53 member jurisdictions of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA). Maryland and each other jurisdiction will receive $424,528.30 to resolve the violations. In addition, Nexo has agreed to cease operations in the United States until its EIP accounts have been properly vetted in accordance with U.S. securities laws. As part of the settlement, Nexo amended and updated its terms and conditions to reflect that the residents of the 53 jurisdictions are the owners of all money and digital assets held in their EIP accounts and agreed to assist customers with withdrawals/transfers from their EIP accounts. Finally, Maryland’s Consent Order will also apply to Nexo’s principal, Antoni Trenchev.
Maryland is a member of a working group of state securities regulators focused on interest bearing crypto asset accounts. Through this coordinated effort, Maryland participated in the investigation of Nexo, and is continuing to consider enforcement actions against other firms that offer interest-bearing crypto asset accounts without complying with state law. Firms that need to register and deal with past unregistered activity should reach out to the Securities Division. In addition, potential investors should reach out to the Securities Division to check the registration status of a firm before investing their money in an interest-bearing crypto asset account.
In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Brown thanked Assistant Attorney General Max F. Brauer for his work on the case. Attorney General Brown would also like to thank fellow NASAA member agencies, especially the multistate working group, for their coordinated efforts.
https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2023/091123a.pdf
MoCo High School Sports Scores for Sep 11, 2023 (powered by www.MoCoAI.com)
Field Hockey JV
| Sherwood High School (Home) | 5 |
| Magruder High School (Away) | 0 |
Field Hockey Varsity
| Rockville High School (Home) | 0 |
| Einstein High School (Away) | 1 |
| Seneca Valley High School (Home) | 0 |
| Whitman High School (Away) | 9 |
| Sherwood High School (Home) | 3 |
| Magruder High School (Away) | 0 |
| Quince Orchard High School (Home) | 0 |
| Churchill High School (Away) | 1 |
| Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (Home) | 8 |
| Watkins Mill High School (Away) | 0 |
Soccer Boys JV
| Blake High School (Home) | 3 |
| Magruder High School (Away) | 2 |
| Blair High School (Home) | 2 |
| Northwood High School (Away) | 1 |
| Kennedy High School (Home) | 1 |
| Watkins Mill High School (Away) | 0 |
| Northwest High School (Home) | 1 |
| Whitman High School (Away) | 3 |
| Tuscarora High School (Home) | 2 |
| Poolesville High School (Away) | 6 |
Soccer Boys Varsity
| Tuscarora High School (Home) | 3 |
| Poolesville High School (Away) | 1 |
| Wootton High School (Home) | 0 |
| Walter Johnson High School (Away) | 1 |
| Northwest High School (Home) | 2 |
| Whitman High School (Away) | 1 |
| Kennedy High School (Home) | 1 |
| Watkins Mill High School (Away) | 2 |
| Springbrook High School (Home) | 2 |
| Gaithersburg High School (Away) | 0 |
| Richard Montgomery High School (Home) | 3 |
| Clarksburg High School (Away) | 0 |
| Blair High School (Home) | 1 |
| Northwood High School (Away) | 0 |
| Blake High School (Home) | 6 |
| Magruder High School (Away) | 2 |
Soccer Girls JV
| Gaithersburg High School (Home) | 4 |
| Springbrook High School (Away) | 0 |
| Magruder High School (Home) | 3 |
| Blake High School (Away) | 1 |
| Poolesville High School (Home) | 3 |
| Tuscarora High School (Away) | 1 |
| Watkins Mill High School (Home) | 0 |
| Kennedy High School (Away) | 10 |
| Northwood High School (Home) | 0 |
| Blair High School (Away) | 7 |
| Clarksburg High School (Home) | 0 |
| Richard Montgomery High School (Away) | 9 |
| Whitman High School (Home) | 0 |
| Northwest High School (Away) | 0 |
Soccer Girls Varsity
| Poolesville High School (Home) | 2 |
| Tuscarora High School (Away) | 4 |
| Northwood High School (Home) | 0 |
| Blair High School (Away) | 8 |
| Clarksburg High School (Home) | 1 |
| Richard Montgomery High School (Away) | 0 |
| Walter Johnson High School (Home) | 3 |
| Wootton High School (Away) | 1 |
| Magruder High School (Home) | 7 |
| Blake High School (Away) | 0 |
| Gaithersburg High School (Home) | 4 |
| Springbrook High School (Away) | 0 |
Volleyball Girls JV
| Damascus High School (Home) | 2 |
| Kennedy High School (Away) | 0 |
| Northwest High School (Home) | 2 |
| Einstein High School (Away) | 0 |
| Clarksburg High School (Home) | 2 |
| Walter Johnson High School (Away) | 0 |
| Churchill High School (Home) | 2 |
| Gaithersburg High School (Away) | 0 |
| Blair High School (Home) | 2 |
| Blake High School (Away) | 1 |
| Whitman High School (Home) | 2 |
| Wheaton High School (Away) | 0 |
Volleyball Girls Varsity
| Churchill High School (Home) | 3 |
| Gaithersburg High School (Away) | 1 |
| Richard Montgomery High School (Home) | 3 |
| Springbrook High School (Away) | 0 |
| Northwest High School (Home) | 3 |
| Einstein High School (Away) | 0 |
| Northwood High School (Home) | 0 |
| Watkins Mill High School (Away) | 3 |
| Damascus High School (Home) | 3 |
| Kennedy High School (Away) | 0 |
| Wootton High School (Home) | 3 |
| Sherwood High School (Away) | 0 |
| Clarksburg High School (Home) | 3 |
| Walter Johnson High School (Away) | 1 |
| Whitman High School (Home) | 3 |
| Wheaton High School (Away) | 0 |
| Seneca Valley High School (Home) | 3 |
| Rockville High School (Away) | 1 |
Let us know in the comments for any missing scores.
