Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call for a kitchen fire on the 3200 block of Hewitt Ave in Aspen Hill a little before 8am on Thursday morning. According to MCFRS Public Information Officer Pete Piringer, smoke was showing from the first floor of a three-story apartment building that caused all residents to be evacuated.

The fire started in and around the stove/oven in the kitchen when combustibles in a bottom drawer storage area we’re too close to the heat source. It was quickly extinguished by crews on the scene and approximately $1,000 in damages was incurred. There were no injuries and all residents were able to  re-occupy the building.


Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, Judge John Maloney sentenced defendant, Bryan Byrd, 31, of Washington D.C., to life in prison suspend all but 40 years and five years of supervised probation upon release. A jury convicted Byrd and co-defendant, Vaughn Darvel Bellamy, 32, of Hagerstown, MD, last month on charges of first-degree murder for the death of Alexander Buie in 2013, and multiple related charges. Bellamy is scheduled for sentencing on December 13th.

Bellamy and Byrd face a potential sentence of life in prison. A sentencing hearing for Bellamy is scheduled for Oct. 17, at 2pm. A sentencing hearing for Byrd is scheduled for Oct. 28th at 2:30pm. A third defendant pleaded guilty to charges of attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and conspiracy to use a firearm in commission of a crime of violence. He is in custody and awaiting sentencing.


BB.Q Chicken is now open at 2235 Bel Pre Rd in Plaza Del Mercado (Silver Spring).  It has been over a year and a half since we announced that it would replace Fu Lin Restaurant, which closed on February 21st, 2021. BB.Q Chicken, a global chain of restaurants offering Korean fried chicken and more, has another Montgomery County location at 9712 Traville Gateway Dr in Rockville.

The “BB.Q” stands for “Best of the Best Quality”. The restaurant’s menu offers a wide variety of starters, including waffle fries with nacho cheese, kimchi chicken sliders, and many different flavors of their olive chicken strips. Entrees include half/whole chicken, boneless chicken, garlic chicken, and many different flavors of wings. They also have sandwiches, soups, salads, and plenty of homemade sides. Below you’ll see a picture of the interior, courtesy of Dean Themis.


“The Costco in Gaithersburg is the 7th circle of hell” is just one of many answers we received when we asked the question, “What is the worst parking lot in MoCo?” on social media.  Everyone has had their share of terrible experiences in MoCo parking lots, and while there are more than 26 “bad” parking lots, we’ve narrowed down a list (in no particular order) of what we feel are the worst.

 


The classes are being in-person after being held virtually over the past two years due to the COVID-19 health crisis. They will be taught by instructors certified in Rape Aggression Defense (RAD).

The self-defense seminars will be offered from 7- 9 p.m. at each of the locations. The seminar schedule:


After several roof leaks became prominent last winter, DGS evaluated the existing roof structure and determined that it needed to be replaced. The new roof will have simplified lines, which will provide a significant energy savings. “We anticipate the project taking eight weeks to complete,” said DGS Director David Dise. “However, over the course of the work, hidden conditions may be discovered which may require remedial attention prior to proceeding. We will keep the Aspen Hill community updated on the progress.”


Coming soon signage is up at Floor & Decor, which is taking over the location that was home to Kmart at 14014 Connecticut Avenue in Aspen Hill.  The new store is expected to open in 2023. Floor & Decor was founded in 2000 and has an existing Montgomery County location at 18501 N Frederick Ave, formerly Great Beginnings and Hechinger, in Gaithersburg. There are no current plans to close that location. 

The Aspen Hill Kmart location was the retailer’s last remaining Maryland location. An opening date for Floor & Decor is not available, as plenty of work is left to be done inside.


Pacific Dental Services (PDS) has announced the grand opening of its 900th supported practice, and third Maryland location, in Aspen Hill. Aspen Hill Modern Dentistry is located at 13745 Connecticut Ave in the Aspen Hill Shopping Center. PDS previously opened a Montgomery County location in Silver Spring in 2020 (Dentists of Silver Spring at 1286 East-West Hwy)  and will be opening its upcoming Olney location in the Shoppes of Olney in the coming months.

Per the press release: “Surpassing 900 supported practices nationwide is not only an extraordinary achievement for Pacific Dental Services, but a testament to our solid foundation upon which dentists can grow successful businesses,” said Stephen E. Thorne IV, the Founder and CEO of PDS. “We’re honored that so many dentists have trusted us to provide the support services to their clinical practices that enable outstanding patient care. I look forward to our sustained growth as we continue our efforts in helping clinicians create healthier, happier patients across the nation.”


Montgomery Parks will host a screening of the 1970s camp cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” on Friday, October 7, 2022, at Northwest Branch Recreational Park from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

“Montgomery Parks is excited to be bringing the screening for all Rocky generations to enjoy. This will be a fun and memorable introduction to the phenomenon that is Rocky Horror for those that have yet to experience it,” said Jordan Crumback, Parks activation specialist. The audience can begin arriving at 6 p.m. with blankets and chairs to get a spot on the lawn. Food and beer concessions will be available for purchase from Liquidity Aleworks, Catalyst Hot Dogs and O’Boy Pizza & Ice Cream before and during the show.


On Monday, April 4, 2022, at approximately 3:38 p.m., 4th District officers responded to the 4000 block of Aspen Hill Rd. in Silver Spring for the report of a robbery that occurred earlier.

The investigation by Detective M. Vendemio has determined that an adult female victim was sitting inside of her parked vehicle in the1900 block of Veirs Mill Rd. in Rockville, when suspect one approached her and stated that he had a winning lottery ticket but did not want to claim it because of his alleged illegal immigration status in the United States.


Tuesday Morning, an off-price retailer of home goods and décor that has Montgomery County locations in Rockville and Aspen Hill, announced that it has entered into an agreement to secure $32 million in convertible debt financing from a special purpose vehicle (“SPV”) formed by Retail Ecommerce Ventures LLC (“REV”), the owner of a diverse portfolio of consumer brands that includes Pier 1 Imports (“Pier 1”), Linens ‘n Things, Stein Mart, Modell’s Sporting Goods, and Ayon Capital, LLC (“Ayon”). Additionally, certain members of Tuesday Morning’s management team, including Chief Executive Officer Fred Hand, are providing $3 million in convertible debt financing.

The deal will lead to Pier 1 products being sold in Tuesday Morning stores, something that hasn’t happened since Pier 1 closed all of its stores in 2020. The proceeds from the parties’ investments (collectively, the “Transaction”) are expected to strengthen Tuesday Morning’s balance sheet and allow it to begin executing an omni-channel strategy, which will now include an ecommerce presence and digital activations to complement the Company’s store footprint over the long-term. The Transaction’s terms also provide for the following:


View More Stories