Up County Archives - Page 110 of 212

Upper Montgomery County VFD Open House and Local Vendor Fair This Sunday

Published October 5, 2023 at 4:51PM | Updated October 8, 2023 at 9:10AM

The Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department is hosting their fall open house, along with a local vendor fair, this Sunday (October 8) from 12PM to 4PM at 19801 Beallsville Road Beallsville, MD 20839. According to the UMCVFD, the event will feature a pumpkin patch, hay rides, Fire & Rescue Service demonstrations, and police vehicles on display. Additionally more than 30 vendors will be present at this Sunday’s event. Visitors can enjoy free hot dogs, Cotton Candy, and giveaways for children.

At their newly-expanded Beallsville Road firehouse, the Upper Montgomery County VFD currently has an ambulance, Canteen Unit, several boats paired with support vehicles as part of their Swiftwater Rescue Team, Medic Unit, Brush Truck, Brush Engine, Rescue Engine, and Tanker. The units responded to more than 1,200 calls in 2022.

Hybrid Meeting for Planned Skate Park in Clarksburg Takes Place October 14; Four Additional New Skate Parks Planned Across The County

By MCS Staff

Published October 5, 2023 at 4:10PM

New state-of-the-art skate park to be developed at Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park

Montgomery Parks is hosting an in-person and online community meeting to brainstorm design ideas for a new skate park to be built at Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park in Clarksburg. It will be the first of five skate parks built in Montgomery Parks in the coming years. At the meeting, Montgomery Parks planners, and representatives from the private skate park design firm Spohn Ranch will take ideas from the public about the design of the skate park. Spohn Ranch a California-based firm well-known in the skating community for its unique and contemporary skate park designs.

Mother Delivers Her Own Baby on The Way to Holy Cross Hospital

By MCS Staff

Published October 5, 2023 at 2:30PM

Mother and son are both doing well and resting at Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown after she delivered her own baby on the way to the hospital late Wednesday night. We caught up with the family who told us that “things just kind of progressed quickly on the ride to the hospital” and the baby boy was born on the road leading up to the emergency room entrance just before midnight.

“At one point we were going to go to Shady Grove, which was a couple minutes closer, but she thought we could make it to Germantown.” the shocked father told us. As soon as the family turned onto Observation Dr., where the hospital is located, the baby decided it was time to make an appearance. In the minute or so that it took to get to the emergency room entrance, which was the only entrance open due to the time, the baby was born with mother holding him as hospital staff came out to meet her.

Three Adults and One Kitten Displaced After Fire Caused by Candle

By Patrick Herron

Published October 5, 2023 at 12:53PM

Around 45 firefighters responded to a house fire in the 13300 block of Country Ridge Dr, near Club Hill Drive in Germantown on Wednesday, October 4. According to Chief Spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services Pete Piringer, the fire was caused by a candle that was on a nightstand in a bedroom closet.

All occupants made it out of the home safely and there were no injuries reported. Damage is estimated to be ~$40,000. Three adults and one kitten have been displaced. We will provide an update if additional information becomes available.

Clarksburg, Whitman High Chorus Students Perform at World Culture Festival

By MCS Staff

Published October 4, 2023 at 3:18PM

Last month, 250 chorus students from Clarksburg and Walt Whitman high schools performed at the 2023 World Culture Festival. Nearly 1 million people from more than 180 countries are estimated to have participated in the three-day celebration of unity, diversity and peace on the National Mall. The event included 60 performances from more than 17,000 artists, musicians and dancers representing cultures from every corner of the globe. MCPS students opened the festival singing the national anthem with the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” and the U.S. Army Chorus, followed by two original compositions fusing English and Sanskrit lyrics—Blessings Invocation and One World Family, and America the Beautiful – Vande Mataram with Grammy-nominated artist Chandrika Tandon.

Amy Vanek and Michelle Kim, choral music directors at Clarksburg and Whitman, worked to prepare the students for the festival within three weeks. Others who help to coordinate the students’ appearance included: Kanan Shah, MCPS’ World Culture Festival coordinator and occupational therapist at Infants and Toddlers, Emory Grove; Elaine Chang, director of partnerships; Amita Mongia, teacher at Garrett Park Elementary School; Randy Rumpf, fine arts supervisor; Katie Murphy, choral and general music coordinator, and Ed Owusu, principal at Clarksburg, and Robby Dodd, principal at Whitman.

Teenage Brothers Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder for Death of Rival Gang Member in Germantown

By Patrick Herron

Published October 4, 2023 at 11:07AM

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Cheryl McCally, and after a three week trial, a jury found defendants, Malik Hney, 16, of Kensington, and Malachi Hney, 17, of Kensington, guilty of Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder for the death of Taon Lamont Cline, 20, of Frederick, MD. Cline was fatally shot along the 19500 block of Gunners Branch Rd. in Germantonon April 22, 2022.

The jury returned its verdict late in the afternoon yesterday, October 3rd. 2023. The Hney brothers each face the potential of life in prison when they are sentenced. The sentencing date is TBA. The investigation revealed the defendants and two additional juvenile co-defendants were involved in an ongoing dispute between gangs in the Germantown and Gaithersburg areas. The victim was associated with a rival gang.”

Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo and Councilmember Balcombe to Hold Upcounty Transportation Town Hall

By Patrick Herron

Published October 4, 2023 at 9:39AM

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.”

Cafe Hong Kong Available for Sale in Germantown

By MCS Staff

Published October 3, 2023 at 5:40PM

Cafe Hong Kong, located at 13038 Middlebrook Rd in the Germantown Commons shopping center, is available for sale for an asking price of $250K. According to the business listing, the 3,150SF restaurant has a lease that expires in September of 2028 and has been in business for 45 years.

Per the listing, the “Chinese Restaurant for Sale – 45 Years in Business! Great Opportunity. Fully Equipped Turn-key Chinese Restaurant for Sale in Germantown Priced to Sell. Opportunities are endless when you have the high traffic counts and tenure this location has provided the nearby community.”

IRS Information Technology Supervisor From Germantown Facing Federal Charges for Extortion and Attempted Witness Tampering

By MCS Staff

Published October 3, 2023 at 4:25PM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Satbir Thukral, age 61, of Germantown, Maryland, for interference with commerce by extortion, and attempted witness tampering. The defendant had an initial appearance on September 29, 2023, in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ajmel A. Quereshi.

“A top criminal priority for the FBI is to investigate public corruption perpetrated against the government and American taxpayers,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Today’s indictment is an example of an important partnership with TIGTA and the work we do every day towards our common goal. The FBI will not relent in our mission to root out corruption and fraud within the government, and to hold those accountable who put greed above their trusted positions.”

Concern for Missing 31-Year-Old

By Patrick Herron

Published October 2, 2023 at 10:20PM

The Montgomery County Department of Police – 5th District Investigative Section is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Eddy Prospero Zevallos, a missing 31-year-old. Zevallos was last seen on Monday, September 2, 2023, at approximately 4 p.m., in the 20600 block of Boland Farm Road in Germantown. He is 5’8″ tall, 160 lbs., with dark brown hair, a birth mark on his wrist, and was last seen wearing a gray shirt, blue pajama pants, bright orange Crocs.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Eddy Prospero Zevallos is asked to call the Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).

Retail Building in Damascus Sells For $1.14 Million; Now Looking For Additional Tenants

By MCS Staff

Published October 2, 2023 at 1:17PM

A 5,600 SF retail building at 26437 Ridge Rd. in Damascus has been sold to a partnership headed by Alexandria, VA-based Harmon Capital Group for $1.14 million, according to a report by Maryland Newsletters. The building is currently home to Domino’s Pizza on the front-facing side on Ridge Rd, but the restaurant only takes up approximately 1,500 SF with no plans to close. There is an additional 4,100 SF looking to be leased with entrances on the back side of the building.

Per the Capstar Commercial Realty listing, there are two spaces currently available in the building– A 2,800SF space and a 1,250 SF space that was previously home to Verizon. The retail building was built in 1987, and touts “Multiple access points off the intersection of Ridge Rd and High Corner St.” and a “Location adjacent to McDonald’s and at the primary gateway to the bustling Damascus Shopping Center which houses prominent names like Chipotle, Dollar Tree, Advance Auto Parts, T-mobile, Mathnasium, and several more.”