She and her husband couldn’t have been happier after discovering that the ticket she bought was a $50,000 winner. The lucky lady said her husband was so overwhelmed that he started crying tears of joy. The couple plan to use the winnings to make a down payment on a house. The Show Me $100,000 ticked launched in May 2022, and one of its $100,000 top prizes remains unclaimed along with one more $50,000 prize, one $10,000 prize and thousands of additional prizes ranging from $20 to $1,000.” Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps. 


TaKorean, a Korean taco grill located at 261 Kentlands Blvd (former Nalley Fresh location) in Gaithersburg, will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Gaithersburg Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, May 9 at 10:30am and is offering free food for guests from 11am to 2pm. The restaurant offers Korean style tacos and bowls with options including chicken/Dak Halbi, steak/Bulgogi, pork/Bo Ssam, and tofu/Hoisin. Takorean held its soft opening on Thursday, May 4.

This is TaKoreans first location outside of D.C. According to RestaurantDive, TaKorean is currently looking to open one restaurant at a time with future franchisees, and wants to ensure success at its initial franchise locations to create a strong base for a burgeoning franchise program. The company is open to multi-unit deals, but isn’t seeking them out. TaKorean is currently casting a wide net for potential markets, and once it sees brand recognition and franchisee interest in a particular market, it expects to build up that area, Lenard said. TaKorean is flexible on potential restaurant sizes, depending on a market’s real estate conditions.


“Shake Shack is celebrating the hardworking teachers in our communities by treating them to a FREE SHAKE during Teacher Appreciation Week. Between Monday, May 8 and Friday, May 12, teachers and school staff can enjoy a hand-spun shake with their order, on us, when visiting their local Shack. This offer is valid in-Shack with proof of school badge.”

There are Montgomery County Shake Shack locations in Potomac (Cabin John Village), Bethesda (Montgomery Mall), and Gaithersburg (Kentlands). Shake Shack shared the following post via its Instagram story yesterday:


A Schematic Development Plan application, SDP-9588-2023, has been filed requesting to construct 233 residential units which include two-over-two condominiums and townhouses east of Parkview Avenue, north of the CSX Railroad, west of Metropolitan Grove Road, and south of City-owned land along I-270. The plan also includes a community amenity area.

Per the City of Gaithersburg: The Mayor and City Council approved Sketch Plan Application SK-9174-2022 on June 21, 2022 by Resolution R-38-22. The approval was up to 287 dwelling units of various residential types, including townhouse, 2-over-2 stacked townhouse condominiums and potentially triplexes. The approval also include an amenity area.


Charley Prime Foods, the new restaurant from Jackie Greenbaum & Gordon Banks (Little Coco’s, El Chucho, Bar Charley, Quarry House Tavern) that is replacing Tara Thai on the Rio Lakefront boardwalk at 9811 Washington Blvd in Gaithersburg, will now open on Saturday, May 13 at 4pm (the restaurant had previously announced an opening date of Friday, May 12.) Charley Prime will feature an extensive steak menu that includes filet mignon, New York strip, and a 36oz Tomahawk ribeye, as well as house made pastas and sandwiches like the Roasted Lamb French Dip. Additional details below:

Acclaimed DC restaurateurs Jackie Greenbaum & Gordon Banks (Little Coco’s, El Chucho, Bar Charley, Quarry House Tavern) will open Charley Prime Foods, a modern American restaurant, on May 12 at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg.   Chef/Partner Adam Harvey, long time Executive Chef with Greenbaum & Banks, will helm the kitchen, along with Russell Pike, currently the Chef de Cuisine at Little Coco’s.  Located in the former Tara Thai space (9811 Washingtonian Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD), the restaurant will be centrally positioned on the boardwalk. The space will seat roughly 90 inside, with another 100 on an expansive patio, complete with lake views.  Editlab@Streetsense designed the space.  


According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the honorable Kevin Hessler, a jury has found defendant, Jean J. Pierre, 50, of Montgomery Village, guilty of second-degree murder for the death of his wife, 41-year-old Nerlande Foreste. The jury deliberated for just two hours, reaching a verdict Friday evening, May 5th, 2023 after a five day trial prosecuted by Deputy State’s Attorney Ryan Wechsler and Assistant State’s Attorney Gabe Carrera.

It is believed that Pierre stabbed and killed Foreste inside of their home on the 20000 block of Rothbury Lane in Montgomery Village on August 21st, 2019, then placed her body inside of a shipping container and carried it out to a dumpster. The victim’s remains have not been recovered. The defendant faces up to 40 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 14th 2023, at 10 a.m.”


Vine Alley, located at 114 Market St. in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood, has reopened after a very brief closure (video below). The wine bar and restaurant has added new partners Ken and Rebecca Smondrowski to the original restaurant group, which is the same one that owns Brew & Barrels (also located in Kentlands), Royal Tandoor (820 Muddy Branch Rd, Gaithersburg),  and Creek Lodge Bar & Grill in Rockville.

Vine Alley originally opened in February 2022 in the location that was home to Wine Harvest, which closed in June of 2019 after 23 years. The Park Potomac Wine Harvest closed back in November 2020. The menu has been updated with a variety of wine and full bar, as well as small bites that can be seen in the video from this weekend’s grand reopening:


Per the Office of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney: In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the Honorable Karla Smith has sentenced defendant Sergey Danshin, 35, of Rockville, to life in prison plus an additional 20 years. The sentencing hearing was held earlier this week on Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023. Danshin was convicted by a jury on January 13th, 2023, of first-degree murder and related handgun charges for the death of 39-year-old Javier Gonzalez-Mena.

On June 22nd, 2022, Danshin and co-defendant, Micah Clemons, 33, of Virginia, knocked on the door of a room at the Red Roof Inn along the 16000 block of Shady Grove Road in Rockville, where victim, Gonzalez-Mena, had been staying. After an initial confrontation, Danshin left the area of the room, only to return several minutes later to ambush Gonzalez-Mena.  Danshin then fatally shot Gonzalez-Mena. Gonzalez-Mena’s girlfriend was holding his hand as he was shot and fell to the ground. Danshin ordered her to come to a waiting get-away car where he removed a facial covering that he was wearing and revealed his identity. The two were known to each other. As soon as Gonzalez-Mena’s girlfriend had the opportunity, she called 911. Danshin and Clemons were arrested along with the driver of the getaway car, Willman Quintanilla, 44, of Boyds.


Daytime Eats at 7889 Cessna Ave in Gaithersburg has closed. The restaurant made the following announcement on its Facebook page: “With great sadness and after much thought, we will be closing Daytime Eats. To all of our friends we have made, we are better people because of you. We are so thankful and appreciative of every guest that walked through our doors. Your support and generosity will never be forgotten. The new owner should be reopening the doors soon and we wish them much success. Feel free to reach out or stay in touch on Facebook. We will miss you immensely”

Daytime Eats was a fast casual restaurant which served breakfast all day. We will post an update when additional information is available. Featured photo courtesy of Daytime Eats on Facebook.


The Planning Commission approved the revised application 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 at its May 3 meeting. At its May 17 meeting, the Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on a draft resolution of approval based on its discussion at its May 3 meeting.

Per the City of Gaithersburg: 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.


Candidate Packets will be released on May 11. The packets will be available online or can be picked up at City Hall. Per the City of Gaithersburg: City residents will cast their ballots for three City Council Members in November of 2023. All Council Members serve at-large. The terms of office for Council Members Neil Harris, Ryan Spiegel, and Robert Wu expire in November. The Council Members elected in 2023 will each serve a four-year term.

Candidate Packets for this election cycle will be released on May 11. The packets will be available online here or can be picked up at City Hall, 31 South Summit Avenue. Candidates must file a petition for candidacy with the Gaithersburg Board of Supervisors of Electionsvia the Office of the City Attorney. The petition must be signed by at least 100 City residents who are registered voters, with both electronic and paper versions of the petition signatures available.


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