Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a fire in the 12700 block of Holdridge Rd, between Weller Rd and Denley Rd in Glenmont on Tuesday, October 10, around 7:15pm. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, two large sheds were fully engulfed when firefighters arrived and there was no extension to nearby houses. One adult was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
We will provide an update if additional information becomes available.
ICYMI (~715p) 12700 Holdridge Rd, between Weller Rd & Denley Rd, Glenmont, @mcfrs PE718, PE721, PE725, E705, PE724, AT718, T725, RS742, A724B, BC704, BC701 & others responded, 2 large sheds fully involved. No extension to house(s). @MCFRS_EMIHS transported 1 adult, NLTI pic.twitter.com/8hP8WCGqZj
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) October 11, 2023
At the beginning of this year we let you know of MoCo’s largest rooftop solar project on multifamily property being underway at the Seneca Village apartment complex in Gaithersburg. Recently, a partnership between the Montgomery County Green Bank and Inclusive Prosperity Capital (IPC) was announced and will support the completion of a combined 1.97 MW rooftop solar array at Seneca Village, a 58-building, 684-unit affordable housing apartment complex.
Upon completion in fall 2023, the project will be the largest rooftop solar project on multifamily affordable housing in Montgomery County. The project was catalyzed by a $5 million financing from the Montgomery County Green Bank as the lead lender, and participations from NYCEEC and Virginia Community Capital to install new energy-efficient roofs throughout the complex. Inclusive Prosperity Capital provided a subsequent $2.5 million loan to support the installation of the rooftop solar arrays. This marks the first transaction in which IPC and the Montgomery County Green Bank have partnered.
Additional information per the press release: “Leveraging innovative partnerships to establish flexible financing structures for clean energy initiatives is a fundamental component of the Montgomery County Green Bank’s mission,” says Montgomery County Green Bank’s CEO, Steve Morel. “We are excited to join forces with Inclusive Prosperity Capital to amplify funding for Montgomery County’s most significant solar venture at Seneca Village Apartments. We are enthusiastic about this initial endeavor and anticipate that it will be the first of numerous collaborative projects ahead.”
“Inclusive Prosperity Capital is thrilled to partner with Montgomery County Green Bank in supporting the Seneca Village project, the largest integrated affordable housing and renewable energy project in the County,” said Kerry O’Neill, IPC’s CEO. “This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to partner with green banks, developers, and lenders across the country focusing on underserved markets and communities that are too often left out of the benefits of the clean energy transition.”
Kristine Musademba, Associate Manager of Clean Energy Transactions at IPC added, “We are proud to support the largest project of its kind in the County with this creative financing solution that can serve as a model for future clean energy projects on multifamily affordable housing. We look forward to continued collaboration with Montgomery County Green Bank and other like-minded partners in the months and years to come.”
With the solar array and new energy efficient roof upgrades, Seneca Village Apartments is projected save 2,583,535 kWh in energy, generate more than $300,000 in annual savings, and mitigate 2,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emissions per year.
La Carreta Grocery is now open at 18749 N Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg, in the location that was previously home to Active Physical Rehab and the Montgomery County Department Of Police 6th District station. The market features Latin American specialty products, as well as produce, dairy, and a meat department.
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Ledo Pizza opened its first “Ledo Pizza Corner Shoppe” inside of a Giant Food store at 1649 Crofton Center in Crofton, MD (Anne Arundel County) this past summer. Now it has opened its first MoCo Corner Shoppe inside of Giant at 18140 Village Center Dr. in the Olney Village Center.
Why open less than half a mile from a Ledo restaurant? The “Corner Shoppe” offers take and bake pizza that allows customers to take home a frozen pizza to bake themselves at a later time. The store will also offer hot pizzas from the oven as well.
Ledo Pizza started near The University of Maryland in 1955 with its first location on University Boulevard. Since 1955, Ledo Pizza has grown substantially from just one location to over one hundred locations throughout Maryland, D.C., Virginia, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Florida. Ledo Pizza is one of the pioneers of what we call “Maryland Style Pizza.”
Per Ledo Pizza: You may have heard that Ledo Pizza “Never Cuts Corners,” and that has been true for over 60 years. Its famous, square pizza gives Ledo Pizza customers more pizza than the traditional round pizza. In 1955, Ledo Pizza decided to give families a fresh, enjoyable, and affordable pizza. Each pizza is made with fresh handmade dough, rolled to order, topped with high-quality smoked provolone cheese, and famously sweet Ledo tomato sauce. Ledo Pizza is famous for its thick sliced pepperoni, with its unique size, which is a result of the cooks cutting the pepperoni by hand in 1955. The thicker the slice, the faster the work was finished. The customers loved it so much that Ledo Pizza continues the thick slice today.
U.S. News & World Report released its Best Places to Live in 2023-2024 list, which includes 20 places that are ranked according to the following factors; affordability, job market, morning commute, access to quality health care, and more. While places like Los Angeles, Miami, Charleston and others were expected on a list like this, one town in Maryland unexpectedly came in at 14– Salisbury, ranked a couple spots ahead of San Diego (16).
To add a little context, U.S. News includes popular beach destinations like Ocean City (MD), Rehoboth Beach (DE), and Bethany Beach (DE) in Salisbury’s “metropolitan statistical area”, per the U.S. Census. Salisbury is also home to Maryland’s only Cookout location– a popular fast food area focused in the southeast that has slowly expanded further north.
Per the list, “While the city of Salisbury is in the middle of Maryland’s eastern peninsula, the metropolitan statistical area, as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau, includes popular beach destinations like Ocean City, Maryland; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; and Bethany Beach, Delaware. These spots are popular during the warm months of the year, particularly among residents of other areas of the mid-Atlantic who visit for a few days and rent a beach house. For those looking to stay year-round, Salisbury University, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional Hospital and Perdue Farms are major employers in the metro area.”
Featured photo courtesy of Salisbury University
Montgomery County’s Revenue Authority purchased the building that was most recently home to Gold’s Gym at 18810 Woodfield Rd in Gaithersburg for $3.68 million in a deal that has been in the works for over five years, according to Maryland Newsletters.
This past summer we let you know that Gold’s Gym at 18810 Woodfield Rd in Gaithersburg, located next to the Montgomery County Airpark, would close in August. The gym’s last day in business was Friday, August 25. In an email Gold’s Gym sent to its members, the gym stated, “The county is taking the land back under what is called eminent domain relating to the neighboring airfield – we are being required to exit and turn the building back over to the landlord.”
The Maryland Newsletters report states that the County’s Revenue Authority paid $3.68 million for the 17,670 SF building that sits on the southeast corner of the airfield after the Federal Aviation Authority had identified it as necessary to expand the safety ring around the airport.
Arrival of fall and the end of daylight-saving time increases chances of deer-related collisions
Montgomery Parks is urging the public, especially drivers, to use caution this fall, as deer activity reaches its peak. Late October through early December constitutes most of the rut, or breeding season, for white-tailed deer in central Maryland. During this time, deer activity is at its highest. Additionally, daylight saving time ends (November 5, 2023) which means commuters are on the roads more often at dawn and dusk.
“As daylight hours decrease, acorns fall, crops are harvested, herbaceous vegetation dries up, and the breeding season, known as the rut, begins” said Ryan Butler, wildlife ecologist with Montgomery Parks. “White-tailed deer shift their movement patterns, compete for breeding, increase feeding, and prepare for the winter season. This results in more crossing of roadways and more risk to motorists.” Because of that, Montgomery Parks is issuing the following safety tips:
- Be alert for deer on or near roadways and take precautions
- Be aware that deer are most active from dusk through dawn.
- Look for eye-shine along road edges.
- Deer may travel in groups, so if you see one deer, expect others.
- Pay attention to deer crossing signs; these signify areas where multiple accidents have occurred.
- Never swerve to avoid colliding with a deer.
- A collision with a deer can happen on any roadway in the county but be particularly cautious in areas where you observe deer often and where woodlands and other natural habitats run adjacent to the roadway.
Butler adds “Even though deer-vehicle collisions in Montgomery County are on a downward trend, the risk remains substantial, and drivers must be vigilant during this season when deer are crossing roads at all times of day and night.” For more information on deer and deer management in Montgomery County, please visit www.ParksDeerManagement.org.
Frank’s Burgers will open its new location at 11230 Grandview Ave in Wheaton-Glenmont (former site of Umberto’s), this Saturday, October 14. Nicaraguan restaurant El Chante, which currently splits space with Frank’s Burger Place at 11265 Triangle Ln, will take over that entire space once the new Frank’s opens.
The new Grandview Ave location will be split into two restaurant concepts, with Frank’s on one side and District Bistro on the other, united by a kitchen in the back. According to owner Pedro Matamoros, District Bistro is a new American concept that is focused on “seasonality and use of local ingredients when permitted.” Menu items at District Bistro will include beef tartare, steak frites, roasted duck and lamb bolognaise, and its bar will focus on classic cocktails like Martinis and Manhattans. We will provide an opening date for District Bistro when it is announced.
Items currently on Frank’s Burger Place’s menu includes burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken sandwiches, and milkshakes. Photos of the new restaurant below:
Spooky season is in full effect and there’s still plenty of time to check out some of the scariest haunted forests and attractions in and around Montgomery County.
1. Markoff’s Haunted Forest – 19120 Martinsburg Rd, Dickerson
As the fall nights grow longer and a cool crisp in the air blows with the breeze, the silence at Calleva Farm is broken by blood curling screams echoing through the woods. In its 31st year, Maryland’s original and most terrifying haunted attraction, Markoff’s Haunted Forest, is open weekends in late September and October. The MHF experience has built a national reputation for its unique, multi-sensory haunt experience. Music, lighting effects, scents & creepy human interaction set the tone for a fully immersive experience in each of 3 attractions.
The haunt is a benefit performance for Calleva, a 501c3 organization dedicated to building young leaders through positive outdoor experiences. “We spend all year empowering people through outdoor experiences that foster teamwork & individual achievement,” says Nick Markoff, one of the three brothers who founded Calleva. “Then we bring them out to Markoff’s Haunted Forest to knock their confidence back a bit.” The haunt began as a small scale event, but has grown into one of the nation’s top-ranked performances. Markoff’s Haunted Forest still helps fund Calleva’s summer camp scholarships, community partnerships, and outdoor education programming. It’s a partnership that delivers seasonal fun AND year-round benefits to our Montgomery County neighborhood. Tickets are on sale now at www.markoffshauntedforest.com.
“Since 1992, when the Markoff brothers started with a Haunted School Bus driven to events and festivals around DC, our haunt has provided fright fest lovers with a creative, dramatic, and – YES — terrifying haunt experience. Our creative team combines music, lights, scents, actors, make-up & prosthetics, and artistic brilliance in a series of high-tech, detailed scenes that consistently place MHF among the top haunts in the country.”
2. Leech Woods – 11201 Bethesda Church Rd, Damascus
Leech Woods first opened in 2022 and is described as “a thirty minute immersive haunted trail experience of dark terror” that promises a night of chain saws, clowns and dark corners. Leech Woods also offers food and drink, four bonfires, axe throwing, a DJ booth, fortune telling, and other forms of entertainment each night.
Per Leech Woods: According to Montgomery County historical land records, the present site of Leech Woods was originally settled by Warwick and Jeanne Leech and their six children sometime in early 1790. Having immigrated from Hungary, the family chose Damascus, Maryland based on its temperate climate and heavily wooded region which reminded them of their homeland. The Leech family store thrived as the leading local merchant of hides, furs and hunting supplies. During the disastrous Winter of 1804, the Leech family store was robbed and vandalized by unknown attackers and the body of John Leech, the youngest son, was found nailed to the back wall of the store. The remaining bodies of the family members were later found bludgeoned and bound inside of the root cellar of their homestead. No further information about the attackers or motives for the killings are known. Remnants of the Leech family homestead still stands deep in the woods where the present Leech Woods experience is built. The Leech Woods immersive experience follows the original walking path from the site of the Leech family hunting supply store to the remnants of the original family homestead. As the property was classified as a historical site in 1972, no artifacts may be removed and we ask that you respect the privacy of the grave sites. Tickets are available here.
3. Field of Screams – 4501 Olney Laytonsville Rd, Olney
Field of Screams, now in its 23nd year in business, was voted as the #1 spot in USA Today’s 10 Best Haunted Attractions in the country. Located in Olney, this Hollywood-level production includes well-trained actors and an intense fright experience with decor and props not seen outside the movie industry.
“Enter a horrifically terrifying world beyond imagination at the Fields of Screams in Olney, Maryland. A good walk through the woods on The Haunted Trail and Trail of Terror leaves visitors scurrying away. Along their journey, guests are welcomed into thirteen haunted houses, where they might find anything from dead bodies to hillbillies and butchers. Enjoy Body Bean Bag Pumpkin Toss, Zombie Brain Smash, and other Carnival Town Games for a thrilling, competitive experience.”
All tickets must be purchased in advance at www.screams.org. Field of Screams Maryland is located at 4501 Olney Laytonsville Rd., Olney, MD just 30 minutes from Washington DC, downtown Baltimore and Northern Virginia. Open Thurs-Sun, as well well as Monday, October 30 and Tuesday, October 31. Follow Field of Screams Maryland on Facebook and Instagram (@fieldofscreamsmaryland).
4. Salgado’s Haunted Trail- 11609 Lucrece Ter. in Germantown
The Salgado family, known for their extravagant yearly Christmas display, is hosting a haunted walkthrough this year for Halloween at 11609 Lucrece Ter. in Germantown. The Christmas display will be returning following the Halloween display. The “Salgado’s Haunted Trail” was created by siblings Pahan and Supuli Salgado and their cousins Nimaya and Nipun.
They will be open Sunday, October 1 from 7:30pm-10pm and from October 6 through 15 from 7:30 to 10pm. Then they will open on October 20, 21, 22, 27, and 28, and on Halloween 31 October from 7:30pm to 10pm (all weather permitting).
“We welcome everyone to come take photos and walk through the yard of terror where you can take pictures with the animatronics. We will also be giving the kids candy during all dates listed above we have fog machines, strobe lights, animatronics, and spooky sound effects that add to the scare factor of the haunt.” Pahan Salgado told us. The haunted trail is free to all, but the family will be collecting donations.”
5. Kindred Hills – 8421 Ball Road, Frederick
Just outside of Montgomery County, Kindred Hills is a fun and scary Halloween event located in Frederick, MD off of Rt. 355, between Frederick and Urbana. In addition to the haunted trail and hayride, Kindred Hill also offers axe throwing and private fire pits. Tickets available here.
Do you dare to enter the domain of the hills? The madness starts with a hayride into the darkness. A dimly lit trail through the woods will lead you past remnants of a previous time, then back to the safety of the modern day.
