Montgomery County Public Schools is reminding families and staff of a key calendar update tied to this year’s weather-related schedule changes. Wednesday, April 15 will now be an early release day for students, serving as one of the district’s designated inclement weather make-up days.
A Poolesville High School student has been named a National STEM Champion, earning a spot among some of the top young innovators in the country. Sathvik Dasari was selected as one of just 55 students nationwide recognized through the National STEM Challenge, securing an invitation to the National STEM Festival, which will take place in Washington, D.C. from June 24-27.
Six restaurants in Maryland have earned spots on Eater DC’s Spring 2026 “38 Best Restaurants Around DC” list, highlighting some of the region’s most defining dining destinations. Notably, five of the six featured Maryland restaurants are located in Montgomery County, continuing the area’s strong presence on the influential list. The latest edition, updated April 8, showcases a mix of established favorites and newer standouts across a range of cuisines.
Montgomery County, MD is commonly known as being a suburb of the nation’s capital, but what might surprise some is that it is also home to a thriving biotech ecosystem. With over 350 life sciences companies, including global brands like AstraZeneca, United Therapeutics, and Novavax, Montgomery County anchors the third largest biophama hub in the U.S., behind only Boston and San Francisco.
Running annually in Washington D.C. for over 25 years, World Vaccine Congress attracts an international audience from over 80 countries and convenes more than 3,000 people to learn about the latest trends, research, and technologies in the vaccine industry. This year, Montgomery County took center stage, with a featured session on the extensive Biologics Value Chain in the County, as well as a session during which County Executive Marc Elrich spoke about the extensive resources available to companies here, and an exhibit space showcasing these resources.
A Complete Biologics Value Chain in One Region
One of the defining strengths of Montgomery County is its ability to support the full lifecycle of biologics, all the way from early research to large-scale manufacturing. During the panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Stefanie Trop, Director of Life Sciences at the Maryland Department of Commerce, local leaders emphasized that the region’s strength lies in its network of partners who work collaboratively across discovery, development, testing, and production. Panelists from companies in all stages of the value chain spectrum included Dr. Andrew Lees, Founder of Fina Biosolutions, Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca, Dr. Helen Sabzevari President & CEO of Precigen, and Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer of Integrated BioTherapeutics.
This end-to-end capability in close geographical proximity gives companies a unique advantage and is rare to find in other markets, even established ones like San Francisco and Boston. In fact, only a handful of places worldwide offer the combination of infrastructure, expertise, and collaboration found in Montgomery County and if diversity, education and population density are taken into consideration – then Montgomery County standouts even more.
“Gaithersburg is one of the six places in the world where we can do what we’re doing,” explained Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca. “We have the right partners at every step of the value chain [in Montgomery County].”
A Strong Partnership Network
Biotech breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation. They depend on strong partnerships between private companies, local and state governments, academic institutions, and workforce training organizations. Montgomery County has intentionally cultivated these connections, making collaboration and coordination defining characteristics of its life sciences ecosystem.
Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer at IBT Bioservices, a full service CRO offering clinical & preclinical contract research services, says the company’s close partnerships between them and local stakeholders have been crucial to its success. “As a Rockville-based company, we’re grateful for the partnership and support from city, County, and state leaders,” explained Dr. Holtsberg. “These programs have helped fuel our growth, and we’re excited about the continued momentum of our community.” (more…)
Montgomery County Police have arrested and charged two individuals in connection with a stabbing that occurred February 28 in the 11500 block of February Circle in Silver Spring. (more…)
Join Kaiser Permanente for Healthy at the Harbor, a free community health and wellness event taking place Saturday, June 6, from 11 am to 4 pm at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Bring your family and friends for free full day of fun, fitness, and preventive care along the waterfront.
Throughout the day, Kaiser Permanente nurses and physicians will offer no-cost health screenings, alongside a health and wellness expo focused on preventive care education. A lively Kids’ Zone will keep children active and entertained with spin-art bikes, face painting, balloon art, games, and more.
Permanent signage is now up for Wonder’s upcoming Rockville location as the modern food hall concept prepares to enter the Montgomery County market. (more…)
Montgomery County residents are encouraged to take part in regional Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 15, with registration now open for the annual event promoting bicycling as a healthy and environmentally friendly commuting option.
A Poolesville High School student is hoping to inspire others across Montgomery County after being selected for a highly competitive national program that brings together some of the most driven students in the country. Marshall Friedman, a junior at Poolesville High School, was recently chosen as one of just 100 students nationwide to attend the Disney Dreamers Academy, a program that typically accepts around one percent of applicants.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced that the State has reached a settlement in principle with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the owner and operator of the cargo ship M/V Dali, resolving part of the State’s claims stemming from the ship’s March 26, 2024 allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Two men were arrested Monday afternoon in Takoma Park on drug-related charges following a proactive patrol by police along New Hampshire Avenue.
Montgomery County police responded to a range of incidents across multiple districts on April 8, including burglaries, auto thefts, a robbery, and a hate/bias incident at a local elementary school.
The Washington Spirit have delivered the most successful kit launch in the NWSL so far in 2026, leading the league in both jersey sales and social media impressions, according to the league’s announcement Thursday.