“Muhammad Ali helped me realize that being outspoken can be a good thing.” – Robin Ficker
He’s definitely outspoken. Robin Ficker’s name is synonymous with local elections. He hasn’t won since 1978, when he was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican (he has run as a Democrat, Republican, and as an independent candidate), but he is confident that he will get this one.
Tree lighting ceremonies will take place at Pike & Rose (4pm-7pm) and Rio Washingtonian (6:30pm-8pm) on November 17th. Rockville Town Square will hold theirs on November 18th (5pm-8pm).
Damascus, Northwest, Paint Branch, and Quince Orchard High Schools will be playing in the regional football finals on Friday (NW and QO will be playing each other).
Raising minimum wage to $15 per hour in MoCo is once again being discussed, this time with modifications made to the proposed bill (I don’t have specifics on the modifications). A public hearing on the matter is expected at the end of September.
I took to Twitter to poll our followers and it looks like 60% of 1,321 voters would like to see a $15 minimum wage. The poll ran for 24 hours.
One of our Twitter followers informed us of a rumor swirling around Olney about the possibility of Sakura closing and being replaced with an IHOP. For what it’s worth, I called Sakura last night and the manager told me that this is not true.
K-Mart and Payless in the Kentlands will both close by the end of this summer.
http://www.mymcmedia.org/closings-and-changes-at-kentlands-square-shopping-center-in-gaithersburg-photos/
Hometown Holidays Music Festival (featuring Taste of Rockville) is going down on Memorial Day Weekend (May 27 and 28). Free music, inexpensive and great tasting food, and so much more at Rockville Town Square.
Quince Orchard High School alum, Darnell Leslie, has signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent.
Staples on Georgia Avenue has closed permanently (Silver Spring).
After 41 years, Seneca Valley held the last sporting event at the stadium last Thursday (Germantown).