Auntie Anne’s/Cinnabon combination restaurant opened last week at 220 Boardwalk Place in Rio, taking over the location that was recently home to Lilly Magilly’s– as the cupcakery is still preparing for a move to a new location. Until today, the restaurant had only Cinnabon products available. Auntie Anne’s pretzels have made their debut today as the new oven has arrived and employees are working towards stocking the display counter.

The two brands, popular for their presence in malls, are co-branding to open locations across the country. In recent years, Cinnabon left then returned to Montgomery Mall. There’s also an existing Cinnabon location in Wheaton Mall. Auntie Anne’s has locations at the outlets in Clarksburg, Ellsworth Place Mall, Montgomery Mall, and Wheaton Mall in MoCo.


Per Montgomery County: Today the Council unanimously passed Bill 24-23, sponsored by Councilmember Dawn Luedtke, to establish an Airpark Community Advisory Committee (ACAC) for neighbors of the Montgomery County Airpark (MCA), Airpark users, and other key stakeholders to address facility operations as well as noise and safety impacts. Councilmember Luedtke represents Council District 7, which includes communities adjacent to the Airpark.

“Creating an Airpark Community Advisory Committee is an important step many communities around the country are taking to provide a platform for residents impacted by air traffic to better understand operations and discuss potential improvements with regulators – most prominently the Federal Aviation Administration,” Councilmember Luedtke said. “I’m pleased for the unanimous support of my Council colleagues and thankful to the many residents, Airpark users, and the leadership of the MCA for their feedback to help strengthen the new ACAC.”


Nando’s Peri Peri is offering a free ¼ chicken in exchange for a donation of a new back-to-school item today, July 18, from 4-7pm at all its locations. The promotion is recognition of Nelson’s Mandela’s birthday.  Nando’s has Montgomery County locations in Gaithersburg, North Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Wheaton.

“July 18th is Nelson Mandela’s birthday. His birthday is recognized and celebrated world wide as Mandela day; a day for us all to inspire change and make a difference in our communities. At Nando’s we are proud of our South African heritage. We will join in celebrating his birthday on July 18th by following his example and giving back to our communities. Come to any Nando’s during this time and bring new school supplies to donate in exchange for a Free ¼ Chicken on us. All supplies will be donated to local schools and students.”


Proposed ordinances to amend Chapters 15A of the City Code to apply restrictions to the use of marijuana, including but not limited to the same restrictions that now apply to smoking, were introduced to the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council at last night’s regular session. Per the City of Gaithersburg, this has become necessary since Maryland State voters in the 2022 elections approved the use of cannabis, including marijuana, in small amounts for more than medical purposes.

The proposed ordinance would amend Section 15A-1, establishing restrictions in City parks, by adding cannabis and marijuana to the definitions.  The proposal would also amend Sections 15A-7 to add cannabis and marijuana to current restrictions on tobacco and controlled substances to sell or distribute and package or transport with the intent to sell or distribute cannabis and marijuana, while Section 15A-8 also specifies that smoking and vaping of cannabis, unlike tobacco, is also prohibited.


Sam’s Club is offering a $20 annual membership for verified teachers (60% off), according to its website. “Verify your Teacher status now & become a member for just $20 after savings. Get access to low prices, Scan & Go™ shopping & more perks. Ends Aug 17”

Sam’s Club has one Montgomery County location, at 610 N Frederick Ave. Additional details per Sam’s Club: This offer is limited to U.S. teachers. Must join as a new Sam’s Club member through the link provided via ID.me to qualify for this Offer. Offer is valid for new Sam’s Club members only; and is not valid for (i) membership renewals, those with a current membership, those who were Sam’s Club members less than six (6) months prior to joining, or Walmart and Sam’s Club associates. You must be 18 years or older to become a Sam’s Club member and membership is subject to Sam’s Club’s qualifications. Membership cards are nontransferable, and valid at all Sam’s Club locations nationwide. Primary memberships are valid for one (1) year from the date of issue. Visit http://samsclub.com/privacy  to view our privacy policy.


Today we are starting our “where to park” series so that you can enjoy different shopping areas across MoCo with a little less worrying about where to park. We’ll explore popular shopping centers and developments across the county and let you where (and where not to) park. Today we begin with Rio Lakefront, formerly the Rio Washingtonian Center, in Gaithersburg:

If you leave the roundabout and enter between Dick’s and True Food Kitchen on Rio Blvd (photo below), you may have to deal with some congestion during busy times, which is why we recommend avoiding doing so during those times. There’s an immediate left you can make where you can find a few spots in a very small lot or you can turn right into the YardHouse lot. The small lot on the left is almost always full and the YardHouse lot is convenient, but fills up quickly. Luckily, you can see if there are any spaces as you drive by so you can make a decision without much of an impact. Then you arrive at the crosswalk between Uncle Julio’s and Corner Bakery. This is the cause for the congestion, as people are often crossing the street– individuals, big groups, families with children, etc.  


Nebi Tsarni of Maryland, a rising senior at Watkins Mill High School was named Outstanding Wrestler after defeating returning Junior Nationals champion Sydney Perry of Illinois.

Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling described the match as “a wild, back-and-forth battle at 144 pounds, 12-10.” He wrote, “With the score tied at 10-10, Tsarni scored a takedown in the closing seconds to capture an intense match. Tsarni was a 2022 16U Nationals champion.”


The new series, Quarterback, that follows NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings), and Marcus Mariota (Atlanta Falcons) for the entire 2022 season, debuted on Netflix last week and has quickly become one of the most talked about shows on television. The show’s director, Tim Rumpff, is a 2002 graduate of Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village.

Rumpff has been with NFL Films for over 15 years and has worked on the hit HBO series Hard Knocks for just about as long as he has been with since the company. He has worked as a producer or director on the NFL’s Hard Knocks, All or Nothing, and more. Rumpff even helped produce the viral Eli Manning video “Chad Powers.” He graduated from Watkins Mill High School in 2002 and went on to study journalism at the University of Maryland, graduating in 2006.


Xavier Gilliam, who has committed to attending and playing at Penn State University, has announced that he will be transferring to Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg. Gilliam previously attended Wilde Lake High School in Howard County, where he was a 4-star prospect EDGE.

Gilliam will join a Quince Orchard squad that will be looking to win its third straight State Championship (they defeated Prince George’s County schools Flowers 32-7 last year and Wise 31-13 in 2021). Gillian’s tweet can announcing his move for the upcoming school year can be seen below.


Montgomery County Recreation is hosting a “Pooch Pool Party” on August 26th and 27th from 11am until 3pm at the Upper County Outdoor Pool, located at 8211 Emory Grove Rd. in Gaithersburg. Additional information can be found for this paid event below, per Montgomery County Rec:

“We’ve closed the pool to humans and opened it to dogs! Dogs will be allowed to swim and frolic at the pool before it is closed and cleaned for the winter. Each dog MUST be accompanied by a responsible adult. Any dog displaying any signs of aggression will be asked to leave immediately. ALL DOGS MUST PROVIDE WRITTEN PROOF OF A CURRENT RABIES VACCINATION before they will be allowed into the event, and dogs owned by county residents must have a current Montgomery County dog license, available from the County Police Department. Please register in the name of the responsible adult who will accompany the dog. Due to health concerns, humans may wade only up to the knees at your own risk. For more info, call 240-777-6840.” Anyone interested can register here.


Auntie Anne’s/Cinnabon combination restaurant opened last week at 220 Boardwalk Place in Rio, taking over the location that was recently home to Lilly Magilly’s– as the cupcakery is still preparing for a move to a new location. We have received an update that only Cinnabon is available for now with Auntie Anne’s items coming soon.

The two brands, popular for their presence in malls, are co-branding to open locations across the country. In recent years, Cinnabon left then returned to Montgomery Mall. There’s also an existing Cinnabon location in Wheaton Mall. Auntie Anne’s has locations at the outlets in Clarksburg, Ellsworth Place Mall, Montgomery Mall, and Wheaton Mall in MoCo.


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