Per Montgomery County: Bicycles that are no longer being used by some can make a big difference for others. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s annual Bicycle Donation Drive will be held on Friday, Oct. 20. The event will make it easy to donate previously owned bikes and ensure they will have a continued impact.

From  7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Oct. 20, bikes will be collected (rain or shine) outside of the Montgomery County Council Office Building Garage at East Jefferson and Monroe Street in Rockville. Bicycles should be in good working condition or in need of only minor repairs. Donations will be refurbished and MCDOT will match the bikes with residents in need through the Bike Match program.


According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office, “Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable John Maloney, a jury found defendant, Leaundra Matthews, 25, of Accokeek, guilty of second-degree murder for the death of Christian Matthews, her 17-year-old brother. Christian Matthews was fatally strangled during an attack by the defendant’s boyfriend and another co-defendant while he was asleep inside the family’s Silver Spring home in the early morning hours of March 21, 2017.

Leaundra Matthews faces up to 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2024 at 2 p.m. In January of 2019, a jury convicted Leaundra’s boyfriend, 26-year-old Tysean Lipford, on a charge of second-degree murder for the death of Christian Matthews. He was sentenced in June of 2019 to 30 years in prison and is currently serving that sentence. Daniel Howard is the other codefendant facing murder charges. His trial is scheduled for April 2024. In addition, Leaundra’s twin sister, Lemae Matthews, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder in October of 2021 and will be sentenced following the conclusion of Howard’s April 2024 trial.”


Per MCPD: Sawsan Al Hadidi of Rockville has been charged with obstruction of justice and bribery after she allegedly attempted to bribe a Montgomery County Child Welfare Services (CWS) employee. The 42-year-old is accused of attempting to pay off an Assessment Social Worker, who had been assigned to investigate claims of sexual abuse against a child, which had been initiated by Al Hadidi.

The CWS employee reported that on Wednesday, July 26, Al Hadidi stated she had a gift for the investigator and presented a large amount of cash. The investigator refused the money and reported the incident. A warrant was requested and Al Hadidi was issued a summons to appear in court.


Wendy’s, located at 5001 Nicholson Ln. in Rockville, will hold its Grand Reopening celebration on Saturday, September 23rd at 10:30am. As with recent area Wendy’s Grand Reopening celebrations, the fast food chain will offer “free food for a year” to the first 100 guests in line.

As the fast food chain did with one of its Gaithersburg locations and its Derwood location, Wendy’s will give away 100 VIP ticket to those 16 and older and present in line at 10:30am when the dining room opens (a purchase is necessary to be considered for a card). Anyone who gets a VIP ticket will be able to come back to the store once a week for a year to receive a free sandwich, salad, or breakfast biscuit.


According to the Rockville City Police, “at approximately 10:20 p.m. on August 28, 2023, Rockville City Police responded to the 700 block of Rockville Pike for a report of an assault. Through the course of our initial investigation, several juveniles, known to each other, met at an undisclosed location and engaged in mutual combative behavior which resulted in one of the juveniles being stabbed several times. The victim was transported to a local hospital in stable condition.”

The incident is under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact the RCPD Criminal Investigations Unit at 240-314-8938 or [email protected]. Featured image courtesy of Google Maps.


On Monday, the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (JFGW) shared a photo of antisemitic graffiti that was found in North Bethesda. Councilmember Evan Glass, who spearheaded the task force, tweeted: “I’m disgusted by the antisemitic graffiti sprayed under the Josiah Henson parkway bridge in North Bethesda. The county is working to remove this hate speech,” and “This is an unfortunate reminder of the important work being done by the Anti Hate Task Force, which will meet virtually on Tuesday 8/29 at 7pm with a presentation from the Jewish members.”


The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington (JFGW) shared a photo of antisemitic graffiti found under a bridge on Josiah Henson Parkway in North Bethesda (an unedited photo can be seen below). They released the following statement: “We are deeply disturbed by the racist and antisemitic message found under a bridge of Josiah Henson Parkway in North Bethesda, MD. Our community will continue to stand strong and resilient in the face of hatred in all its forms.” The JFGW also stated that they are working closely with their security team and Montgomery County Police to keep the community safe and learn more about this incident. JFGW asks the public to continue to report security concerns or incidents to their security team.

Montgomery County Councilmember Kate Stewart also tweeted the following regarding the graffiti, “I condemn the hateful message and swastikas found under a bridge of Josiah Henson Parkway in the vicinity of Tildenwood Dr in North Bethesda. I have been in touch with MCPD District 2D, which is investigating this hate vandalism and we are working to remove it immediately.” She also tweeted that residents are advised to report similar incidents to MCPD at 301-279-8000 as soon as they are seen.


Summer Metropolitan Restaurant Week runs from Monday, August 28 until Sunday, September 3, with various Montgomery County restaurants participating (listed below). The event is one of the area’s signature dining promotions that closes out summer and Labor Day Weekend.

“This year’s Summer Restaurant Week cycle is a special one,” said RAMW President & CEO Shawn Townsend. “Not only does the promotional week take place during the DC Jazz Festival, we have multiple restaurants participating from our region’s airports, allowing both locals and travelers to the area to take part in the special offerings.”


Ming’s, a new restaurant serving Chinese cuisine, is now open at 800 Pleasant Dr. Suite 120 in Rockville’s King Farm neighborhood. Ming’s is located in the space that was previously home to Imperial Chinese Gardens.  Menu specialties include Hunan Style Bamboo Shoots, Kongbao Jumbo Shrimp, House Style Cumin Lamb, and Sauteed Beef Intestines.  Full menu can be seen here. The restaurant is open 11am-9:30pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11am-9am Sunday, and closed Tuesdays.

In other King Farm news, coming soon signage is up for Pet Wants at 302 King Farm Blvd Ste 130 in Rockville, next to Montgomery County’s last remaining Baja Fresh. Pet Wants offers pet food that contains no corn, wheat, soy, or animal byproducts.  Pet Wants Rockville has been in business since 2021 operating as a delivery service and vendor at local farmers markets, and this will be its first brick-and-mortar location. The store is targeting a fall opening and plans to host regular pet adoption events with local rescues.


Filo Cafe at 4836 Boiling Brook Pkwy in Rockville is currently listed for sale on BizBuySell for $250,000.  The self-described “mom and pop restaurant” that offers Filipino cuisine opened in October 2022. According to the listing, “Filo Cafe owned by Romeo & Lydia Ermitano seeks new ownership. Exceptional opportunity. Look no further, our highly regarded Filipino restaurant is now available for sale. We have been the go-to-destination for authentic Filipino cuisine, captivating the hearts and palates of our loyal customers. Our restaurant has become synonymous with quality innovation, and an unrivaled dining experience. Now it’s time for a new chapter , and we invite you to be visionary behind its continued success.

Furthermore, our prime location in a bustling area ensures high visibility and easy accessibility for both locals and visitors alike. The potential for growth and expansion is immense. Don’t miss out on this remarkable opportunity to own a renowned Filipino restaurant that’s poised for continued success”


Teso Life is coming to 1701 Rockville Pike in The Shops at Congressional Village shopping center. Teso Life is a retail store that collaborates with a variety of well-known Japanese suppliers and has a limited amount of products from China and Korea as well. The company was established in 2017 in Flushing, NY and is based in Queens.

“Teso Life retail store is a great place to shop for high quality daily used products with decent prices, or stick around and enjoy the town! Along with the amazing make-up products, small housewares, kitchen supplier, snacks and more, we look forward to serving the best products in town!” In addition to purchasing in-store, you can order through their website where customers can place both pick-up or delivery orders. An opening date it not yet available for the store.


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