Daboba will be holding its grand opening at 1079 Rockville Pike in Rockville’s Talbott Center on Saturday, July 8th (a time has not been included on social media postings by the shop). The bubble tea shop was established in early 2018 in Taiwan and is now based in Malaysia.

Daboba will offer a free drink to the first 50 customers on Saturday, July 8th and – deal of “buy 1 get 1 free” for the next 50 customers after that. On Sunday, July 9th Daboba will offer free gifts to the first 100 customers and 50% off certain drinks after 3pm (see flyer below). Photos courtesy of Daboba Rockville on Facebook.

Hong Kong Pearl has announced that it will be taking over the location that has been home to New Fortune at 16515 S Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg. New Fortune has operated in Gaithersburg for many years and the dim sum restaurant, known for having over 140 different offerings, has been a staple in the Walnut Hill shopping center.

Recently a sign was placed on the New Fortune window explaining that the restaurant is under new management. The same notice can be found on the New Fortune website. Hong Kong Pearl, which has a location in Falls Church, also offers dim sum. The new restaurant will hold its grand opening on on Saturday, July 8th with “new dishes and a dragon dance” starting at 11:30am.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuYCZ4Jx1g_/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

UPDATE: Isaiah Salvator Mitchell has been located safe and unharmed. 
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Isaiah Salvator Mitchell, a missing 6-year-old from Silver Spring.

Isaiah was last seen on Thursday, July 6, 2023, at approximately 3 p.m., in the area of Montgomery Avenue and East West Highway in Bethesda. Isaiah was seen inside a dark gray 4-door F-150 bearing New Jersey license plate PGTW70 that was driven by his mother’s boyfriend, 28-year-old Chris Mitchell, who resides in New Jersey.

Isaiah is approximately 4-feet tall and weighs approximately 55 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. He was last seen wearing an orange long sleeved sweatshirt and navy-blue shorts. Isaiah is believed to be traveling with his mother’s boyfriend, Chris Mitchell, to New Jersey.

Chris is 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a white polo shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers.
Family and police are concerned for his welfare. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Isaiah Salvator Mitchell is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line). Callers may remain anonymous.

Isaiah Salvator Mitchell (Original Image)

Chris Mitchell (Original Image)

Per Takoma Park Police: As reported by the news media, Taylor Taranto was arrested on June 29, 2023, near former President Barack Obama’s home in Washington D.C. by federal authorities on numerous charges stemming from the January 6^th riot at the U. S. Capitol. Prosecutors are requesting that he be held without bail.  The Washington Post reported that Taranto had live-streamed from within the Piney Branch Elementary School on June 18^th and the excerpt from the article is below:

Separately, prosecutors said that on June 18, Taranto live-streamed himself and several others entering a gymnasium and displaying a Jan. 6-related film at Piney Branch Elementary School in Takoma Park, just north of Washington. Prosecutors said Taranto said he chose the school because it was close to the home of Raskin, a four-term Democrat who has been a leading congressional critic of Donald Trump. – Washington Post Report by Emily Davies.

Members of the Takoma Park Police Department have been in close contact with federal and local law enforcement partners concerning the incident involving Taylor Taranto.  Currently, there is no active threat against any facility in the City or the community.  In reference to the incident at the Piney Branch Elementary School, the police department did not receive or respond to any calls related to a burglary, trespass, or suspicious situation at the school. We are investigating the incident and remain in contact with the MCPS School Security and Piney Branch Elementary School staff. Our understanding is that an organization known as Make America Safe Again rented the cafeteria through the Montgomery County Office of Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF) to host a film-showing that Taranto attended. If we determine that a crime occurred, we will work with our law enforcement partners to file charges as appropriate.

The Police Department wants to emphasize that there is no active threat against our community at this time. We are always proactively working with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our community.

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating a homicide that occurred on Wednesday, July 6, 2023, in the 11500 block of Lockwood Drive in Silver Spring.

At approximately 9:51p.m., 3rd District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel were dispatched to the location for the report of a shooting.    Officers arrived at the scene and located an adult male inside an apartment, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers provided life saving measures to the victim until Montgomery County Fire Rescue arrived.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene and has been identified as 40-year-old Cederic Allen Warner, of Silver Spring. The victim was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, where an autopsy will be conducted to officially determine the cause and manner of death.

This is an active and ongoing investigation.  There is currently no suspect in custody, however detectives believe this to be an isolated incident.

Anyone with information regarding this homicide is asked to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-455-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect(s). Callers can remain anonymous.

Baked Potato House, featuring “delicious stuffed potatoes”, is now open in the Clarksburg Premium Outlets, taking over the space that was previously home to Day & Night Cereal Bar. The cereal bar cleared out of the space in May and is expected to open in a new location sometime this summer.

Menu items at Baked Potato House include a “build your own” stuffed potato with toppings such as cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, gyro meat, broccoli, olives, sweet corn, and a variety of sauces, a selection of specialty baked potatoes, ice cream, and lemonade. The menu also features “wet burgers,” an Istanbul-style street burger that has been marinated in a special tomato sauce.

Per Montgomery County: The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) an $18.5 million RAISE grant to fund the rehabilitation of multi-use paths to fill gaps in the Capital Trails Network. The Capital Trails Network is a plan developed by local jurisdictions, the National Park Service and trail advocacy organizations, to connect 990 miles of trail between Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Two Montgomery County trails will be among the five that will benefit from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) money. Those are the Northwest Branch Trail and the Sligo Creek Trail.

The grant emphasizes the importance of connected trails and active transportation infrastructure to equitably deliver quality-of-life benefits across the region. This grant will represent 34 percent of the funding needed for the renovation or construction of five high-priority projects in the network, which provide new access to recreation, outdoor space, and multimodal transportation in underserved neighborhoods.
“These enhancements to Prince George’s and Montgomery County’s trails and connections will allow residents to travel by bicycle, foot and other non-motorized means, easily and safely, and enjoy our park resources. This win is an important step as we work to design and construct our remaining planned trails in the Capital Trails Network,” said Peter A. Shapiro, chair of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The funds will be used in Montgomery to:

• Rehabilitate the existing Northwest Branch Trail from the community connection at Oakview Drive down to the Piney Branch Road connection. Bridges and fords will be replaced across side streams.
• Rehabilitate the Sligo Creek Trail from its University Boulevard crossing in Montgomery County down through Chillum Park in Prince George’s County. The project will include Vision Zero safety improvements, enhance ADA access, replace bridges, improve drainage. It will bring the 30-year-old shared-use path up to current standards.

“Thank you to USDOT and the Biden-Harris administration for this grant to help M-NCPPC advance its goals of creating more safe, convenient, walkable, and bikeable pathways for the more than two million Montgomery County and Prince George’s County residents we serve,” said Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “This is another example of the value of our bi-county agency working together to harness federal dollars to enhance equitable access to public infrastructure and community connections.”

The grant money that went to M-NCPPC grant also will be used to:

• Develop a shared-use path between the Northwest Branch Trail in Chillum Community Park and the path that links Avondale Community Park to Eastern Avenue in Washington, D.C.
• Add to existing funding for phases 2-6 of the Central Avenue Connector Trail.
• Design and construct a new 10-foot-wide trail from the current trail terminus at the D.C.-Maryland border to the Naylor Road Metrorail Station in Prince George’s County

Sligo Creek Trail is a 10.2-mile hard surface trail located along Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park, in Silver Spring. The Northwest Branch Trail is 11.7 miles long—nine miles are natural surface, and the remaining 2.7 miles are hard-surface trail.

There are 445 miles of natural and hard-surface trails throughout Prince George’s and Montgomery County Parks for people walking, biking and riding horses. Explore the trail network at pgparks.org/parks-trail and MontgomeryParks.org/trails.

Per Montgomery County: The 2023 Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale on Saturday and Sunday, July 22-23, will be a unique opportunity for residents to explore 21 select farms in the County’s Agricultural Reserve, shop local, enjoy fresh food, see farm animals and learn about farming as a way of life. The Farm Tour will offer a chance to visit select farms, some of which are only open to the public during this special weekend event.

Tourgoers can get a behind-the-scenes look at agriculture from robotic cow-milking to butter churning. Participating farms will offer a variety of activities including hayrides, pony rides and tractor rides. Some locations will have arts and crafts.
The tours are self-guided driving tours. Most tour locations and events are free to explore. However, select sites or activities, such as picking fruit or flowers, require a nominal fee. There are charges for products, food and drinks sold at the locations.
“Montgomery County is often recognized as a great place to live, work and for its arts and entertainment but we also have 558 farms and 350 horticultural businesses in the County. Agriculture annually pumps $282 million into the County’s economy,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Farming is vital to the economic health of Montgomery County. Taking the Farm Tour is a great way for residents to support local businesses by exploring one of the country’s most vibrant farming and craft beverage industries, located practically in their own backyards.”

Montgomery County’s Office of Agriculture touts the rural Agricultural Reserve as one of the County’s hidden treasures. While Montgomery County is home to a diverse population of more than 1 million people, about one-third of its land mass is dedicated to agricultural uses. It is the highest percentage of farmland under formally dedicated agricultural land preservation in the nation.
“We invite residents to escape their everyday life, take a day trip to rustic Upcounty and experience farm life firsthand,” said County Office of Agriculture Director Jeremy Criss. “This will be a weekend to enjoy all the farm fresh food, craft beverages and natural beauty that the Ag Reserve has to offer.”

Tourgoers can take part in the Buy Local Challenge to pick fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers or simply appreciate the peacefulness of the Ag Reserve.
The Farm Tour organizers suggest three self-guided tours.

• The Grape & Grain Tours: Comprised of two separate self-driving tours, there is an opportunity to visit three farm wineries, four breweries or combine both into a comprehensive tour of the Ag Reserve’s craft beverage industry.
• Farms-2-Feast Tour: Buying local and purchasing meats, eggs, fruits, vegetables, herbs, milk and desserts along the route will provide opportunities to create meals made entirely from ingredients grown in Montgomery County. Home chefs can complete their farm-to-table dinner menu with a variety of specialty craft beverages from local farm breweries, wineries and cideries featured in on the Grape & Grain Tours.
• The Revive the Sunday Drive Tour: A relaxing, scenic tour highlighting the beautiful countryside of the Ag Reserve features suggested stops for picnics, walks/hikes and photo opportunities.

During the Farm Tour weekend, all 21 participating farms will be open on Saturday, July 22, and 17 farms will be open on Sunday, July 23. Tourgoers should check the 2023 Farm Tour website for each farm they plan to visit for any additional costs, details on hours and activities or to make any necessary reservations. No pets are allowed except service animals for persons with disabilities.

The participating farms will include:

• 61 Vineyard
• Butler’s Orchard
• Button Farm Living History Center
• Camp Olympia
• Doc Waters Cidery
• East Rivendell Farm
• Homestead Farm
• King Barn Dairy MOOseum
• Kingsbury’s Orchard
• Landmade Farm Brewery
• Lewis Orchards
• Lone Oak Farm Brewery
• Madison Fields
• Pleasant Valley Farm
• R.B. Savage & Sons Farm, LLC
• Red Wiggler Community Farm
• Rockhill Orchard
• Rocklands Farm Winery
• Two Story Chimney Ciderworks & Silly Yak Beer
• Waredaca Farm Brewing Company
• Windridge Vineyards

Explore all things sports as the City of Gaithersburg hosts the annual SportsFest on Saturday, July 15th from 8am-11am. Youth entering grades K through 8 can participate in a variety of activities. The free event, which takes place rain or shine, will be held at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm.

The Gaithersburg Sports philosophy of participation over competition will be on display throughout the day. The event kicks off with a 3K Run through Bohrer Park at 8 a.m., registration is required for the 3K Run. The deadline to register is Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Following the 3K Run, we will have an opening celebration before the stations open at 9 a.m.

From 9 to 11 a.m., participants can test their skills in soccer, football, baseball, track & field, basketball, volleyball, and on an inflatable obstacle course, while visiting challenge stations located on the front field & inside the Activity Center. T-shirts & prizes will be awarded for completing the challenges, while supplies last. “Coach G,” the official Gaithersburg Sports mascot will also be in attendance.

Gaithersburg sports programs offer a variety of activities that encourage & support lifetime skills, personal interest & competition. Explore our offerings here. Courtesy of the City of Gaithersburg