Are the Festival of Lights events free? All of the Festival of Lights events and displays at the Washington D.C. Temple are free of charge. The performances require you to reserve free tickets in advance. Ticket holders are asked to be in their seats no later than 15 minutes prior to the performance. After this time, the standby line will be admitted to fill in any remaining seats.

I am not a member of your church, can I still come? Absolutely! Everyone is welcome to attend our events and our worship services (learn more about worship services). We only request that all attendees dress modestly, use clean language, and treat everyone with respect. We are Christians who do our best to follow the commandments and teachings of Christ. Whatever your background, you’re invited to join us!


Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced that the State of Maryland will invest $67.5 million to redevelop Harborplace during the second annual Baltimore Together summit. During the summit’s press conference this morning, MCB Real Estate Managing Partner P. David Bramble announced plans to revitalize and redevelop Harborplace in downtown Baltimore, representing a generational opportunity to reimagine Baltimore’s waterfront for the next century.

“This is what progress looks like: People from all backgrounds coming together to deliver for Baltimore. We cannot take this moment for granted. Because today isn’t just about how we redefine a cultural landmark – today is about how we rewrite the narrative of a city,” said Gov. Moore. “This is about ensuring our state’s largest city claims its rightful place in the American story. For this to be Maryland’s decade it has to be Baltimore’s time. And we will work together to make it so.”


Ahead of a winter that will see above-average snowfall and normal to colder-than-normal temperatures, according to the latest forecast from the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its 2023’s Best Winter Holiday Destinations report, with the DC Metro area rated the second best cold weather destination in the country.

Focusing on cost and convenience rather than scenic beauty, WalletHub compared nearly 70 of the largest U.S. metro areas grouped by warm and cold weather. Each destination was analyzed based on 37 key metrics, primarily the expense and hassle of traveling to each location but also on other indicators, such as weather forecasts, safety and variety of activities. Here’s a quick glimpse at some of the report’s most interesting findings:


The National Weather Service has warned of impending cold for the DMV area over the next couple of nights as we leave 80° days behind and head into November. “The coldest weather of the fall thus far is in store over the next couple of nights. We also have our first accumulating snow forecast of the fall in the Allegheny Mountains Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

Warmer Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with temperatures in the 60s for November’s first weekend. Featured photo courtesy of the National Weather Service


Per the State of Maryland: “Governor Wes Moore today announced that the Maryland Department of Labor received an additional $2 million in grants to expand the Employment Advancement Right Now Maryland program. The 13 new awards announced today will allow more than 700 Marylanders to receive industry-driven occupational training and meaningful connections to employment opportunities offered by more than 200 participating employers and industry partners.

“Maryland’s economy thrives when there is more access to job opportunities across all sectors,” said Gov. Moore. “Expanding the EARN program provides yet another opportunity to help businesses cultivate a skilled and competitive ​workforce and to connect Marylanders to good jobs in vital industries.”


Dan Cox, a Republican politician who recently represented district 4 in the Maryland House of Delegates and won the Republican nomination for Maryland Governor before losing to Governor Wes Moore in the general election, has announced his candidacy for Maryland’s 6th district.The district encompasses all of Garrett, Allegany, Frederick, and Washington counties as well as a portion of Montgomery County. David Trone is its current representative. Fox made his announcement via a video on social media.

Cox has stated he has been active in politics since 1980, when he campaigned with his parents for Ronald Reagan. He also worked on the 1996 presidential campaign of Alan Keyes and as an aide to former U.S. Representative Roscoe Bartlett. From 2007 to 2009, he was the President of the Town Commission of Secretary, Maryland, located in Dorchester County. He was the Republican nominee for Dorchester County Circuit Court Clerk in 2006, losing the race to Democratic nominee Michael L. Baker. Cox was also the Republican nominee for Maryland’s 8th congressional district in 2016, losing the race to Democratic nominee and state senator Jamie Raskin of Montgomery County.


Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: “Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a coalition of 17 Attorneys General in support of the Biden administration’s defense of its revised “public charge” regulations, which determine who can obtain or keep legal immigration status.

The revised regulations reject changes undertaken by the previous administration, which caused hardworking immigrants and their families to avoid or refuse critical health, nutrition, and housing programs for which they qualified. In today’s amicus brief, the coalition emphasized the importance of the Biden administration’s new rule, which supports their states’ efforts to protect the health and well-being of immigrant families and all the states’ residents.


From the Montgomery County Sentinel in 1876: “As the story goes, during the Civil War a soldier was decapitated by a saber in a skirmish around what is now Game Preserve Road. After the fight, his fellow soldiers hastily buried him in an unmarked grave, even though they couldn’t find his head to bury with his body.

The story has been passed down for many generations and many have told tales about the supposed unmarked grave of the headless man. Some have recalled strange noises and apparitions with glowing eyes. Others have seen the figure of a headless soldier (sometimes on a horse and sometimes without it), while many have driven down the Gaithersburg, Maryland road several times and have stated they’ve never noticed anything out of the ordinary. NBC Washington’s Melissa Mollet highlighted the 150-year-old road in a video last year (available below).


John Astin, 93, who is perhaps best known for starring in the 1960s version of The Addams Family as patriarch Gomez Addams, is a Maryland native who was born in Baltimore and raised in Bethesda. Astin was born in Baltimore to Margaret Linnie (née Mackenzie) and Dr. Allen Varley Astin, who was the director of the National Bureau of Standards, now the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At that time, Astin and his family resided on Battery Lane in Bethesda. Astin graduated from Johns Hopkins University (also in Maryland) in 1952.  He studied drama while at Johns Hopkins and was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at Johns Hopkins.

Astin got his start in theater, appearing on Broadway in the 50s. His first big film break came with a small role in West Side Story in 1961. Actor Tony Randall, famous for his role as Felix Unger in The Odd Couple, spotted Astin’s knack for comedic roles, which led to guest starring roles on the sitcoms Dennis the Menace, The Donna Reed Show, and more. During the 1962–63 television season, Astin had his first lead in a television series, the ABC sitcom I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster, co-starring with Marty Ingels. By the time I’m Dickens, He’s Fenster gained a following and started winning its time slot, ABC had already canceled the show after a total of 32 episodes were produced.


More Maryland students will have access to fresh fruits and vegetables during the school day through a $4.7 million federal grant program. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is distributing funds to 213 elementary schools statewide from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), up from 196 participating schools during the 2022-23 academic year.

According to MSDE: The program provides a variety of produce at no charge and shows students that fresh fruits and vegetables can be a healthy and delicious snack. Additionally, the program enhances school-based nutrition education initiatives “Improving access to fresh fruits and vegetables helps to create healthier school communities,” said Dr. Carey M. Wright, Interim Superintendent of Schools. “Healthy minds start with healthy bodies. With more schools participating in this program, we can introduce more students to the benefits of smart eating and help establish the foundation for a lifetime of overall wellness.”


View More Stories