Beyond MoCo Archives - Page 131 of 191

Beyond MoCo: Maryland State Police Arrests Drivers Indicted In Deaths Of Six Workers Following Pedestrian Crash On I-695

Published June 8, 2023 at 8:32AM

Per the Maryland State Police: Maryland State Police have arrested two people who were indicted Monday on charges associated with the deaths of six highway construction workers following a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred on March 22, 2023 on Interstate 695 in Baltimore County.

Lisa Adrienne Lea, 54, of Randallstown, Maryland, has been indicted on six counts of manslaughter, six counts of negligent homicide, six counts of causing the death of a vulnerable individual while operating a motor vehicle, driving under the influence, conducting an unsafe lane change, speeding, failure to control speed to avoid a collision, following a vehicle too closely, negligent driving and aggressive driving. She surrendered this morning at the Maryland State Police Golden Ring Barrack, where she is being processed.

The World’s Largest Pickle Party Returns to Maryland in September

By Patrick Herron

Published June 7, 2023 at 8:45AM

The Big Dill, which describes itself as the “#1 Pickle Party in the World”, returns to Power Plant Live! at 34 Market Pl in Baltimore on September 23 and 24. The two day event will include pickle sampling, concerts, carnival games, a pickle eating contest, a brine chugging competition, and an appearance by “Dilly” the pickle. Pickle flavored cupcakes, donuts, fudge, ice cream, and pizza are a few of the items that will be available for purchase at the event.

Per the Big Dill: The Big Dill World’s Largest Pickle Party® is the premier pickle event of the year, featuring a pickle garden with 10+ handpicked artisan pickle companies sampling and selling a variety of pickles from all over the country. After the festival, attendees will receive a survey to vote for their favorite pickle company that will win The Best in Show. Entertaining guests throughout the weekend is a modern country, pop, and rock-themed live stage production with performances by musicians, actors, comedy routines, and choreographed dancers. Guests are also entertained by the crowd’s favorite, The Pickle Eating Championship featuring competitive eaters and the hilarious Brine Chug Challenge.

Scotland Freedom Day Concert Featuring Wyclef Jean Moved Again

By Patrick Herron

Published June 6, 2023 at 7:17PM | Updated June 13, 2023 at 7:51PM

The Scotland Freedom Day Concert featuring artists Wyclef Jean, Gyptian, Jamaican reggae legend Tarrus Riley, and Dean Fraser & The Blak Soil Band scheduled for Monday, June 19th at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg has once again been relocated, to the Anthem in DC, after initially being relocated to the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship, MD. Additional information here.

“Celebrating the past and present of the first places African-Americans owned land in Montgomery County, the Scotland community of Potomac, Md., is announcing a significant expansion of our annual Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival for 2023.

New York Bagel Icon H&H Bagels is Bringing 10 Restaurants to the D.C. Area

By MCS Staff

Published June 5, 2023 at 7:25PM

H&H Bagels is entering a new era of expansion in 2023, with agreements in place for 25 new restaurants, including 10 units in the D.C. area. H&H Bagels, which has been featured on shows like “Seinfeld,” “Sex and the City,” “Entourage,” “The Office,” and more, is now expanding outside of the tri-state area for the first time, opening new company-owned and franchised locations in Florida, California, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Illinois, and Connecticut. A company-owned location will also open at the newly remodeled Penn Station in New York City later this year. “We’re excited to bring our New York City bagels to cities across the country as part of our expansion plan,” said Jay Rushin, Chief Executive Officer of H&H Bagels. “With each new company-owned and franchise location, we are looking forward to welcoming new customers to the H&H family.” H&H Bagels Locations Under Development:

No locations are currently scheduled for Maryland, and the expanded D.C. region will include Norfolk and Virginia Beach, according to the company’s press release. The closest restaurants will be in D.C. and Northern Virginia, but exact locations have not been named yet. The first H&H Bagel franchise location will be in Boca Raton, Florida which is expected to open in the third quarter of 2023. In addition, the first company-owned locations outside of New York City will be in West Palm Beach, Florida at NORA, the redevelopment of West Palm Beach’s warehouse district and in Chicago, Illinois in Fulton Market. H&H Bagels’ sixth New York City location is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2023 in the newly renovated Penn Station.

Silver Branch Brewing to Open Virginia Location

By Patrick Herron

Published June 5, 2023 at 11:59AM

Silver Branch Brewing has announced its opening a second location in Old Town Warrenton, Virginia. According to the brewery, the new facility will allow them to brew a wider selection of beer and increase production on core beers. Silver Branch Brewing opened at 8401 Colesville Rd #150 in Silver Spring in 2019. Additional information below courtesy of Silver Branch:

Silver Branch Brewing Companyannounced today they will open a second taproom and biergarten in Old Town Warrenton, Virginia. Silver Branch Warrenton Station will expand our ability to brew a greater variety of beers and bring our brand of hospitality and taproom experience to Virginia.

Montgomery County Resident Killed in Collision Sunday Morning in Frederick County

By Patrick Herron

Published June 4, 2023 at 7:16PM

Per the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office: At approximately 8:35 a.m. today, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) and the Frederick County (MD) Fire & Rescue (DFRS) responded to a single vehicle crash at the Union Bridge Quarry located off Peter Shriner and Clemonsville Roads, in Union Bridge, Maryland. Upon arriving on scene, first responders found three adults, one male and two females, deceased.

Initial indications show that the 2022 Dodge Charger was traveling at a high rate of speed, left the roadway, and plummeted into the bottom of the dry quarry, owned and operated by Heidelberg Materials. First responders found one female ejected from the vehicle and the other female and male were still inside the heavily damaged vehicle. Those killed in the vehicle crash include:

Sonic Boom Heard Across DMV

By Patrick Herron

Published June 4, 2023 at 4:33PM

Residents across Maryland, DC, and Virginia reported hearing a large explosion around 3pm on Sunday, June 4. According to the Annapolis Office of Emergency Management, “The loud boom that was heard across the DMV area was caused by an authorized DOD flight. This flight caused a sonic boom. That is all the information available at this time.” A sonic boom is defined as a loud explosive noise caused by the shock wave from an aircraft traveling faster than the speed of sound.

According to Rueters, the Federal Aviation Administration reports that a Cessna aircraft crashed into mountainous terrain in southwest Virginia around the time the sonic boom was heard in the area and it is unclear if the two incidents are related.

New 126,000 SF Indoor Water Park Opens This Month in Maryland

By Patrick Herron

Published June 3, 2023 at 10:43AM

Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, MD, will open on June 14, 2023, according to the indoor water park’s website. Great Wolf Lodge Maryland will be the company’s 20th resort in North America, and their largest. It will offer 700 family-friendly suites, a 126,000-square-foot indoor water park, a 57,000 square-foot entertainment center, and 12,000 square-feet of conference space. Perryville is about 70 miles and a little less than an hour and a half away from most parts of MoCo.

Per Great Wolf Lodge: Careening down slides, jumping over waves, floating down a lazy river, and getting drenched by a thousand gallons of water cascading from a giant tipping bucket are a few of the water-filled adventures families will discover at the all-new Great Wolf Lodge Maryland. The indoor water park is the marquee attraction at Great Wolf Lodge, and the water park planned for the company’s Maryland resort will be the largest Great Wolf Lodge has ever built. The water park at Great Wolf Lodge Maryland will offer more than 128,000 square feet of enclosed fun with slides, pools and water play for all ages, and a cozy 84-degree temperature year-round.

Beyond MoCo: “Happy Dog Groomer” Wins $2 Million on Winning Scratch-off Lottery Ticket

By Patrick Herron

Published May 31, 2023 at 9:08AM

She explained that her father played Lottery games and always had the goal to win enough money to take care of his family. She wants to honor her father’s dream by sharing some of the prize with her sister and her family members. “Happy Dog Groomer” also plans to purchase a new house and a car for herself.

Metro Summer Construction Continues June 3, With Four Orange Line Station Closures in Virginia

By MCS Staff

Published May 30, 2023 at 2:19PM

Per WMATA: Beginning Saturday, June 3, Metro will begin rail replacement work on the Orange Line in Virginia. During construction, which will be done in two phases to minimize station closures, Metro will replace the original 40-year-old steel rail between Ballston-MU and Vienna stations. Replacing the track in this section is a top priority to ensure safety and increase reliability. Crews will also install fiber-optic cables during this shutdown to modernize communications and allow for more efficient maintenance in the future.

Free shuttle bus service will be available for customers during all station closures. Customers are advised to plan extra time for their travel. Metro is boosting outreach to customers at the affected stations and will have prominent signage, announcements in stations and on trains, and teams of outreach personnel to assist customers with the temporary travel patterns during the construction. “Replacing some of the oldest tracks in our system is critical to safety and reliability, and crews will work 24/7 to complete this project as quickly as possible so we can get back to normal service,” said Metro Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off. “We make every effort to minimize impacts to our customers, and we thank them for their patience while we continue to build a safe and modern Metro to serve the entire region.”

Beyond MoCo: Fifteen People Indicted in Dangerous Prison Contraband Conspiracy Involving Drones, Hospitals, and a Staff Member at Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown

By MCS Staff

Published May 26, 2023 at 3:43AM

Per the Office of Maryland Attorney General, Anthony G. Brown: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced that fifteen people have been indicted in three different prison contraband conspiracies in connection to inmates at Roxbury Correctional Institution (RCI) in Hagerstown, Maryland. The investigation unveiled a sophisticated criminal network that employed drones, a correctional officer, and a hospital, allowing the distribution of dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, and a wide array of contraband such as cell phones, tools, and other illicit items. This is the second major announcement of multiple indictments in prison contraband smuggling schemes in just the past six weeks.

“Our Intelligence and Investigative team did a great job collecting information to build a strong case that we could present to our partners in the Attorney General’s office for prosecution,” said Carolyn J. Scruggs, Secretary of the MD Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. “Anytime contraband is introduced into one of our facilities, it places our staff and the incarcerated in danger. We will not tolerate contraband because it can lead to violence.”