The National Zoo announced on Wednesday that Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji will leave for China by mid-November. “Make sure to plan your visit or tune in online to the Giant Panda Cam for your panda fix.” Entry passes are required for all Zoo guests, however they are free.

As part of the terms of the Zoo’s current Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, all three giant pandas will return to China by Dec. 7 when the agreement ends. The Zoo entered into this agreement in Dec. 2000 when Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived at the Zoo. More information below:


Earlier this week Tucker Barnes, the Emmy award-winning meteorologist on FOX 5, was named the station’s chief meteorologist. He takes over for Sue Palka, the longtime FOX 5 chief meteorologist and local legend who retired from her weather duties after 36.5 years back in 2022. The announcement was made just before Barnes introduced FOX 5’s 2023-2024 Winter Outlook.

According to FOX 5, Barnes grew up watching the network and joined them in 2003 as an intern. His passion for the weather began at the age of 5, when he began issuing forecasts to his kindergarten class. By his teenage years, he was immersed in hisfavorite subject, offering often highly-inaccurate, long-range forecasts to his own high school class.


Per WMATA: If you’re headed off to the races for the 2023 Marine Corps Marathon, Metrorail will get you there starting at 5 a.m. on race day, Sunday, October 29. All lines will open early, with no scheduled track work, to get you to the start line conveniently located off the Blue or Yellow lines.

Metro is the quickest way to get around to avoid traffic and road closures. Spectators can cheer on their favorite runners by hopping on Metro to the nearest station along the course. All lines will operate frequent all-day service and fares are an affordable $2 flat rate for any one-way trip.


Per the Washington County Sheriff’s Office: “On October 26, 2023, at approximately 11:00 AM, during an expanded evidentiary search in the Williamsport, MD area, a deceased person was located. The deceased individual has been positively identified as Pedro Argote, the suspect wanted for the murder of Maryland Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson.

The deceased was located in a heavily wooded area between Clear Spring Road and Bottom Road approximately 1 mile North West of where the suspect vehicle was found. A press conference has been scheduled for 3 PM and will be held at the Washington County Administration Building, 100 West Washington Street, Hagerstown, MD.”


Fox 5 has released its 2023-2024 Winter Weather Outlook forecast and they’re expecting “more snow than an average winter, but big winter events may not arrive until the new year.” The backloaded winter could come with a warm December that brings more rain storms than snow storms, but the chance for 1-3 storms at the 5″+ level later in the winter. The outlook states that we have an “above average chance for a blizzard-level storm.”

The outlook discusses a strong El Niño weather pattern (typically wetter and warmer) that Thomas described as “feast or famine” for our area. Out of eight previous strong El Niño winters, four of them have brought us well-above average snowfall (average snowfall for DC is 13.8″), one has been at about average (13.1″), and three have been well-below average (one at 6.6″ and two with almost no snow at all- .1″ in 72-73 and 97-98). Since 1950, El Niños have brought almost twice as much snow in average than La Niñas have (18.5 inches to 9.5 inches).


As Metro prepares for critical safety repairs on the Red Line during the last two weeks of the year, plans are underway to ensure customers are well-informed about travel alternatives to get them to and from Red Line stations where service will be interrupted. Metro scheduled the work at the end of December, while ridership is at its lowest, to have the least impact on customers.

Per WMATA: To complete the work safely and efficiently, there will be no Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place between Monday, Dec. 18 and Saturday, Dec. 30. Farragut North and Metro Center (upper level) will be closed. Blue, Orange, and Silver line service will continue to be available for customers at Metro Center; however, both entrances on G Street NW at 11th and 13th streets will be closed to accommodate equipment and work crews. Customers can access the station at both entrances on 12th Street NW instead.


A man who escaped custody August 12 from the Virginia Department of Corrections while at a medical facility in Henrico County, Virginia and stole a car in Gaithersburg is back in custody today, according to the U.S. Marshals.

Per the U.S. Marshals: “Naseem Roulack, 21, was arrested at approximately 9 a.m. at a hotel in the 6700 block of Commerce Street in Springfield, Virginia, by the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and Fairfax County Police Department.


Local Facebook groups are still dealing with a nationwide scam involving car detailing or duct cleaning offers, involving social media posts typically consisting of similar content – before and after pictures of car detailing or duct cleaning and a variation of the following ad copy:

Hello neighbors!


Fall is in full swing with cooler temperatures in the area, but Mother Nature has other plans later this week. Monday will be  in line with recent weather, with a seasonable high in the low to mid 60s. Tuesday will start to get warmer with highs in the lower 70s and an abundance of sunshine, and Wednesday will likely reach the mid 70s with mostly sunny skies.

Then, summer attempts to make a return for a few days in late October. Thursday is expected to reach the low 80s, Friday is is expected to be about the same, and Saturday could even get to a couple degrees warmer– possibly reaching the mid 80s, before another day around 80 on Sunday, October 29th.


U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers arrested two fleeing Maryland rape suspects at Washington Dulles International Airport late Thursday and early Friday. Each suspect is wanted on a separate felony rape charge– one in Montgomery County and one in Prince George’s County.

According to CBP, “Officers first arrested Oscar Armando Hernandez Mata, a 53-year-old Salvadoran, on a Montgomery County, Maryland, warrant for felony second degree rape and sexual abuse of a minor. Hernandez Mata is an alien unlawfully present in the U.S. after being ordered removed by an immigration judge in 2006. CBP’s National Targeting Center alerted Dulles officers of Hernandez Mata’s impending departure flight to El Salvador. Dulles CBP officers apprehended Hernandez Mata at 4:48 p.m., Thursday at the departure gate.


Last November, we let you know that New York‘s Chip Citywill be opening its first Maryland location at the Shoppes of Bethesda, replacing Fancy Cakes By Leslie at 4939 Elm St. Fancy Cakes by Leslie closed in October 2022. A commercial permit was issued at the beginning of the summer for a $210,000 buildout at the location and now the opening date has been announced– Friday, November 3rd.

Five years ago, cookies were a side hustle for Theodore Gailas and Peter Phillips. Since then, they’ve opened over a dozen Chip City cookie shops in and around New York with plans to expand outside of the area. Chip City is expected to rapidly expand, with over 20 stores expected to open in 2023. According to Forbes, The rollout plan will be supported by the founder of fast casual restaurant Shake Shack, Danny Meyer, who recently invested $10 million in the cookies.


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