Dickerson Archives - Page 5 of 8

2023 MoCo Haunted Trail & Forest Guide

Published October 10, 2023 at 4:26PM

The haunt is a benefit performance for Calleva, a 501c3 organization dedicated to building young leaders through positive outdoor experiences. “We spend all year empowering people through outdoor experiences that foster teamwork & individual achievement,” says Nick Markoff, one of the three brothers who founded Calleva. “Then we bring them out to Markoff’s Haunted Forest to knock their confidence back a bit.” The haunt began as a small scale event, but has grown into one of the nation’s top-ranked performances. Markoff’s Haunted Forest still helps fund Calleva’s summer camp scholarships, community partnerships, and outdoor education programming. It’s a partnership that delivers seasonal fun AND year-round benefits to our Montgomery County neighborhood. Tickets are on sale now at www.markoffshauntedforest.com.

“Since 1992, when the Markoff brothers started with a Haunted School Bus driven to events and festivals around DC, our haunt has provided fright fest lovers with a creative, dramatic, and – YES — terrifying haunt experience. Our creative team combines music, lights, scents, actors, make-up & prosthetics, and artistic brilliance in a series of high-tech, detailed scenes that consistently place MHF among the top haunts in the country.”

Sugarloaf Mountain Sets Reopening Date With Notable Changes

By MCS Staff

Published October 8, 2023 at 10:22AM

Sugarloaf Mountain, a Stronghold property, has been closed since an attempted break-in at the Strong Mansion on August 19th. Stronghold Inc., the non-profit that owns and operates the property, has announced that it will be reopening the property with notable changes. “The Stronghold property will be open to the public under these conditions beginning on October 10^th. Please enjoy the property respectfully.” The changes, per Stronghold, can be seen below:

Notable Changes: Visitors will no longer be allowed to park in the crossroads or “square”. This change will keep the intersection clear of inappropriately parked vehicles, eliminate late night loitering, and stop after hours entry onto the Stronghold property. This change will also provide a needed staging area for all EMS vehicles during emergencies.

11 Great Places in MoCo for Fall Foliage

By MCS Staff

Published September 26, 2023 at 8:31PM

Fall is here and the colors around us are about to change. Whether it’s the taste of a warm pumpkin-flavored latte, the cool breeze of a crisp fall morning, weekends full of football, or the yellow glow of the sun on a tall birch tree, autumn is often a contender for MoCo residents’ favorite season (however short it may be). Many locals are looking forward to combining all the best parts of fall and enjoying the foliage outdoors, so we’ve put together a small list of 11 where you can enjoy the foliage across the county:

Agricultural Reserve: A drive through the rural areas that the 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve encompasses, along with the larger rural communities of Damascus and Poolesville and small crossroad communities such as Beallsville, Sunshine and Dickerson, are sure to give you your fill of fall foliage.

Sugarloaf Mountain Remains Closed to The Public

By MCS Staff

Published September 17, 2023 at 9:35PM

Sugarloaf Mountain, a Stronghold property, has been closed since an attempted break-in at the Strong Mansion on August 19th. Stronghold Inc., the non-profit that owns and operates the property for the public’s “enjoyment and education in an appreciation of natural beauty”, has posted the following message:

The Stronghold property will be closed to the public until further notice. Stronghold Incorporated will be focused on providing for and reassessing the security needs for the entirety of the Stronghold property. On Saturday August 19, 2023 an unidentified individual attempted to make entry into the Strong Mansion between the hours of 8:30 am and 10:30 am. Physical evidence was collected at the scene, including a DNA sample. Security camera footage is being reviewed. If anyone happened to see anything suspicious or has any information pertaining to this situation please contact Deputy Wheeler with the Frederick County Sheriff’s office at (301) 639-4866, reference case number 2023-090125. We appreciate any information as well as your understanding and patience at this time.

Don’t Miss The Sunflowers at Mckee-Beshers This Month

By MCS Staff

Published July 23, 2023 at 8:11PM

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife and Heritage Service plants sunflowers each spring on the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The primary purpose for planting sunflowers on wildlife management areas is to provide a food source for mourning doves, as well as other wildlife species, after the plants mature and dry. Mourning doves are hunted at these fields during hunting seasons that traditionally begin on September 1 and continue through early January.

A number of fields are planted each year, although two fields are designated as Dove Management Fields. The Dove Management Area fields have restricted times and days when hunting can occur during the month of September. In addition to mourning doves, sunflowers and sunflower seeds are a favorite food source for a host of other songbirds, mammals and pollinators. Sunflowers require pollination by insects, usually bees, to produce a seed crop. In turn, honey bees and many species of native bees, benefit from the abundant nectar and pollen that sunflowers produce.

Maryland Department of the Environment Encourages Water Conservation with Drought Watch for Portions of the State

By MCS Staff

Published July 21, 2023 at 6:44AM

Per The Maryland Department of the Environment: The Maryland Department of the Environment is urging citizens and businesses in a large part of the state to voluntarily reduce their water usage as a drought watch has been issued. “Water conservation is a good practice year-round, but we are asking residents and businesses to pay particular attention during the summer months when the State can experience hot and dry conditions,” said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain.

“You can do your part by limiting the use and duration of sprinklers for lawns, taking short showers as opposed to baths, and not leaving the faucet running while brushing your teeth. These things sound simple, but it all adds up.” A drought watch has been issued for Western Maryland and portions of Central Maryland based on lower-than-normal stream flows and groundwater levels for this time of year. During a drought watch, MDE increases oversight of water supply conditions and encourages voluntary water conservation practices. No mandatory water use restrictions have been issued.

Critical Injury Crash With Ejection on Darnestown Rd Late Wednesday Night

By MCS Staff

Published July 6, 2023 at 12:04AM

MD-28 Darnestown Road is CLOSED near Peach Tree Road & Lewis Orchards in Dickerson (Upper Montgomery County, MD) following a crash.

According to our public safety reporter, Cordell Pugh, at approximately 11PM on Wednesday night, a driver crashed into a utility pole and was ejected, leading to a critical injury. The driver was transported to an area trauma center. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps

MCFRS Respond to Fire Caused by Improperly Discarded Smoking Materials Early Wednesday Morning

By Patrick Herron

Published April 26, 2023 at 8:32AM

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a house fire in the 22000 block of Dickerson Rd, near Dickerson Church Rd and Big Woods Rd in Dickerson on Wednesday, April 26 around 2am. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the fire was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials on the front porch. A smoke alarm alerted residents and they evacuated safely.

Damage is estimated to be $15K and there were no injuries reported.

Brush Fire Closes CRX/Marc Railroad Tracks Wednesday Morning

By MCS Staff

Published April 12, 2023 at 7:40AM

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a brush fire in the area of Beallsville Rd and Hillside Ln, along the the CSX railroad tracks, in Dickerson shortly before 6am on Wednesday morning.

According to a 7:26am update by MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the fire was contained and extinguished with crews getting ready to clear out. There were no injuries and likely “some deer have to be re-located & a few woodchucks are displaced & maybe a raccoon or two, as well…”, but the tracks are still shut down as of 7:30am.

Rally to Urge Reopening of White’s Ferry To Take Place on Second Anniversary of Its Closure

By MCS Staff

Published December 20, 2022 at 1:49PM | Updated December 27, 2022 at 8:47AM

Per the Fair Access Committee: As calls intensify for the reopening of White’s Ferry, members of Fair Access for Western Montgomery County and residents of Poolesville will unite at the ferry site on December 29th to mark the two-year anniversary of the shuttering of this vital service that served 800 cars daily.

The 240-year-old community connector ceased operation in December of 2020 after a decade-long lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Loudoun County over their use of private land for a Virginia landing. A critical component of our region’s transportation network, closure of the ferry has hit the town of Poolesville especially hard.

Markoff’s Haunted Forest Celebrates “1 Million People Terrorized”

By MCS Staff

Published November 7, 2022 at 10:09PM

Markoff’s Haunted Forest, located at 19120 Martinsburg Rd in Dickerson, is one of Maryland’s greatest Halloween events. This past October, Markoff’s celebrated its 30th anniversary. The spooky attraction has closed for the season, but recently shared that it has officially “terrorized” over 1 million people.

This year was the culmination of MHF’s 30 years in the business, which started on September 30th: “2022 is going to be epic. Heart-pounding scares; Terrifying , twists & turns; Eerie glades & creepy trail ghouls; and Fright-full scenes for you to tremble your way through like Mummy’s little kitten.” And epic it was, reaching a milestone that makes MoCo proud.