Sephora opened inside Kohl’s in Calverton and Germantown earlier this year, after Kohl’s announced a major partnership with Sephora that would open 850 Sephora “shop-in-shops” in Kohl’s locations across the country by 2023, in a similar deal to the one struck between Target and Ulta. Sephora previously had a partnership with J.C. Penney that has been slowly winding down ever since J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy in 2020.

Kohl’s will now be opening Sephora locations in its two remaining Montgomery County locations– Aspen Hill and Gaithersburg. Both are expected to open in mid/late June, according to store representatives. Sephora products that are available online and can be shipped to any of the Kohl’s locations in the area.


Loyalty & patriotism will be on full display as the City joins the nation in honoring all who have given their lives in military service at its Memorial Day Observance on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 11 a.m. at Christman Park. The public is invited to join the Mayor & City Council, Junior Mayor Milly Abdo, City staff and honored guests in a tribute to those of all generations who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Joining the May 30 observance is guest speaker retired Army Lt. Col. Larry D. Williams. Williams is a trial attorney, a member of the U.S. Supreme Court, Supreme Court of Virginia, and the Armed Forces Court of Appeals. He has been a guest lecturer at the FBI Academy, and has published articles in the “American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology.”


Flags for Our Heroes, featuring a giant display of American flags, returns to the lawn at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm, Friday, May 26 through Monday, May 29. The flag display, which is lit at night, can be enjoyed 24 hours a day. A formal opening ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 27 at 11 a.m. There will be a flag retirement ceremony on Sunday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Flags For Our Heroes is a celebration of the people who have shaped us and inspired us. Each Memorial Day weekend since 2014, Gaithersburg’s Bohrer Park is transformed into a Field of Honor where 750 8-foot-high American flags are flown to celebrate our heroes. Each flag honors a person who has made a difference in someone’s life


Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Noah Adkins, a missing 15-year-old from Montgomery Village.  Noah was last seen on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at approximately 6:30 a.m., on Lakeshore Drive.

Noah is approximately 5-feet, 11-inches tall and 140 pounds.  He has reddish-brown hair and brown eyes. Noah was last seen wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt, stone washed denim jeans and brown boots.  He may be carrying a backpack with the Spiderman logo on it.


Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) are investigating a fatal single-motorcycle collision that occurred on Sunday, May 21, 2023, on Airpark Rd. At approximately 3:04 p.m., 6th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the area of Airpark Rd. between Antares Dr. and Muncaster Mill Rd. for the report of a traffic collision involving a motorcycle.

The preliminary investigation has revealed that the adult male victim was operating a blue and white 2010 Harley Davidson FLSTN Softail Deluxe, when for reasons still under investigation, he entered the median and was ejected from the motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.  The decedent has been identified as 45-year-old Jason Ramon Caballero, of Bethesda.  This is an active and ongoing investigation.


Per the City of Gaithersburg: An official proclamation designating June as Pride Month in the City of Gaithersburg will be presented at the Mayor and City Council meeting on Monday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend the meeting, watch it live on YouTube or watch it via Zoom by registering here.

Accepting the proclamation is Emily McDermott, a social studies teacher and sponsor of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at Northwest High School. Emily encourages students to take what they learn in the classroom and use it to create a positive change in their community. Some examples of projects that students have initiated include starting a rainbow library, implementing gender neutral bathrooms, participation in Diversity Night, holding a Pronoun Day, and working with the MCPS Bridge to Wellness Program.


Gaithersburg High School hosted its annual Special Education Prom on Thursday, May 18 from 4-6pm. SGA sponsor Nilda Keres told us the event was founded in 2018 when the school noticed that many students with special needs weren’t attending general prom. “This was a chance to have a prom where students can just be themselves.” Keres said (photos below).

“This is my favorite time of year and event to plan. The students have such a great time and that’s what this is all about.” Keres told us. Students attending the prom were able to get ready during the day, with other students from the school’s cosmetology program doing their hair and makeup during the school day. There was no cost to any of the students and this year, Gaithersburg invited students from nearby Watkins Mill High School, providing a bus for Watkins Mill to get to GHS. The funding for the event was provided by the Gaithersburg SGA.


The MBW and Haris Design and Construction Co. Concept Site Plan application (SP-9149-2021) that was submitted on December 16, 2021, has been approved by the City of Gaithersburg’s Planning Commission. The plan is to demolish the buildings located at 9, 11, and 15 Park Avenue and 201 Brookes Avenue in anticipation of redevelopment into a pair of four-story multifamily buildings totaling 151 units with 182 parking spaces. A commercial service road will bisect the property. A preliminary/final site plan application has not been submitted for the project (map available below).

History: The Historic District Commission initially reviewed SP-9149-2021 at its June 22, 2022 meeting for potential historic or architectural significance. The application was deferred to its next meeting so the HDC could receive more historical information on the properties. At its July 27 meeting, the HDC determined there was reasonable probability 9, 11, 13, and 15 Park Avenue and 201 Brookes Avenue could be locally designated as an historic district, or, in the alternative, 9 and 15 Park Avenue and 201 Brookes Avenue could be locally designated as individual sites. The HDC directed Staff to prepare a petition resolution to the Mayor and City Council, and the HDC approved the resolution at its August 24 meeting. At its October 3 meeting, the City Council voted not to accept the HDC’s petition to designate the properties as historic.  The HDC provided a nonbinding courtesy review of the Concept Site Plan (SP-9149-2021) at its October 26 meeting.


Applications are now being accepted for this FY24 grant. The application deadline is 4 p.m. on May 31: The City of Gaithersburg has announced the availability of Fiscal Year 2024 Mental Health Support Services for Youth Grants that address holistic, professional, and culturally competent Mental Health Supportive and Direct Services and provide quality, accessible, and equitable services for City students.

Applications are now being accepted for this FY24 grant. All applications must be submitted through an automated grant portal, accessible here. The application deadline is 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. The portal will be closed after that date and time. The City of Gaithersburg is seeking not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) agencies in the Gaithersburg area to apply for FY24 Mental Health Support for Youth Grant. The design of this program funds support to qualifying agencies that provide youth mental health services to City youth.


The owner of popular dim sum restaurants China Garden (Rockville) and Han Palace (Tysons, Woodley Park, Barracks Row) has announced that she is bringing a new restaurant to Rio– taking over the space that was previously home to Union Jack’s until June 2020. 

There is no comment from Rio at this time, but Zhu made the announcement via social media, “Another milestone.New baby from Han Palace coming to Rio Gaithersburg. Next to AMC theater & Guapo’s 🤗🤗🤗.” We have reached out to Zhu for additional information and will have an update as soon as it’s received. A menu from one of the DC Han Palace locations can be seen below.


The preliminary investigation has revealed that the school bus was turning left from East Village Avenue onto Plum Creek Drive when it was struck by a BMW traveling on East Village Avenue.  The driver and passenger of the BMW were transported to area hospitals with life-threatening injuries.  

There were six occupants on the school bus. Some occupants on the bus sustained minor injuries but none were transported to area hospitals.  


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