Northwest (5-0) at Paint Branch (3-2): Northwest looked very mortal against BCC and the Panthers, who were looking like distant longshots last week, may just have a shot if they can find a way to apply the film. One might think the Panthers’ defense, which has been performing consistently well in spite of the gloom, might be able to do what the Barons defense did. Could this, of all years, be the year PB gets that long sought after first ever win vs. the Jags?  WJ was able to gash PB on the ground, and NW’s offense has the personnel to run a similar attack between dual threat QB David Davis, a plethora of speedy rushers and a huge O-Line.  Prediction: Northwest by 15

Seneca Valley (3-2) at Quince Orchard (5-0): SV’s got a little mojo back after boat racing RM. Unfortunately, handling the Rockets in the trenches is not a particularly notable accomplishment and SV will likely be in for a world of hurt against QO.  Prediction:   QO by 35


From the Office of Councilmember Will Jawando: Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando released the following statement related to the Maryland Attorney General’s Opinion on the Safety and Traffic Equity in Policing (“STEP”) Act.

“I introduced the Safety and Traffic Equity in Policing (“STEP”) Act to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement and to free up our police department to focus on enforcement of traffic violations that are the key drivers of serious injuries and fatalities, for example, speeding, reckless driving, DUI and driving without seatbelts.


Per Montgomery County: On Thursday, Oct. 12 from 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m., Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo and Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe will be hosting a town hall at the BlackRock Center for the Arts to discuss the transportation challenges and opportunities facing the Upper Montgomery County area. Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo represents District 15 in the Maryland General Assembly, and Councilmember Balcombe represents District 2 in the Montgomery County Council. Together, both members represent Upper Montgomery County, including Germantown, Clarksburg, Poolesville, Darnestown, North Potomac, Dickerson, and the surrounding areas.

“Upper and Western Montgomery County continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in the region, with new jobs, housing and opportunity coming to our communities every year,” Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo stated. “Despite this steady and sustained growth, state and County transportation services continue to leave Upcounty residents out of the loop. This town hall is both an opportunity for residents to hear directly from state and local leaders on the progress being made, and for these officials to engage with the residents who will be impacted by their policy decisions.”


On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to oust Kevin McCarthy from the speaker’s chair. Shortly after, Congressman Jamie Raskin tweeted, “Kevin McCarthy’s sycophantic appeasement of Trump’s MAGA enablers brought to our body chaos, extremism and his own toppling. Today, unified behind our exceptional leadership, Democrats are clearly the only party capable of ending the dysfunction and governing for the common good.”

Earlier Tuesday, Raskin released the following statement: “Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) today released the following statement on the current crisis of GOP chaos and dysfunction in the House of Representatives.


Per the Office of Senator Van Hollen: U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced $530,000 in Department of Homeland Security grants in Montgomery County, MD to develop violence prevention programs focused on LGBTQ+ youth.

The federal investment comes through the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2023. This funding will help the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL) develop programming to address the risk of violence and negative mental health outcomes faced by LGBTQ+ youth in D.C. and Montgomery County. SMYAL’s program will provide in-school support and resilience programming for LGBTQ+ youth, training for school staff and youth service providers and support for parents and caregivers.


1. (LW 1) Quince Orchard 5-0: The Cougars posted their 4th shutout of the season, beating Blair 41-0. Running Back Iverson Howard rushed for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns in the victory. Its Homecoming this Friday at Quince Orchard as they host Seneca Valley.

2. Northwest (LW 2) 5-0: The Jaguars earned a hard fought win over BCC 14-13.  Northwest had 301 passing yards as a team.  The Jags will travel to Burtonsville to take on Paint Branch this Friday.


With almost one third of the population saying that they’d prefer to live in a suburban area, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best Small Cities in America, with two areas in MoCo listed in the top 7% (and others ranking relatively high on the list, as seen below). We refer to them as areas, since not all are technically considered cities.

”To help Americans put down roots in places offering good quality of life and affordability, WalletHub compared more than 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 across 45 key indicators of livability. They range from housing costs and school-system quality to restaurants per capita and the crime rate.”


The Gaithersburg Police Department is investigating a stabbing that occurred on Monday, October 2. According to police, “Detectives are investigating a stabbing that occurred in the area N. Summit Ave & Park Ave. Today at approx 3:16 p.m., ofcs located a 27-years-old male victim suffering from lacerations. The victim was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”

We will provide an update if additional information becomes available. Featured image courtesy of Google Maps.


Per Montgomery County: The County is discussing building a new recreation center in Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village. Tomorrow night, Oct. 3, from 7-9 p.m. at Montgomery Village Middle School, Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles will be joined by community leaders, residents, and organizations to discuss the vision for a recreation center. There will be food and beverages provided. Students who attend will be eligible for SSL hours.

“The County is committed to providing an enriching amenity for the Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village communities, where there is a high need for investment in our residents, with a particular focus on our youth,” said Councilmember Sayles. “During the ‘Stop the Violence’ town hall held in July at Germantown Library, a consistent need that came up was for there to be more space where residents could live, learn, work, and play. Communities with convenient access to recreation space and opportunities have proven economic success and well-being.”


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