Coming soon signage went up at the upcoming Gold’s Gym location at 12922 Middlebrook Road in Germantown in late 2022, at the former location of DSW that closed earlier that year in the Germantown Commons shopping center next to Bed Bath & Beyond. We were told by a Gold’s Gym representative that the gym plans to open in mid-May.

In December we reported that Gold’s Gym closed its Layhill Center location in Silver Spring. We were told the decision was made to not renew the lease at 14348 Layhill Rd. A new Downtown Silver Spring location was announced last month. Gold’s Gym has other Montgomery County locations in Gaithersburg, Olney, and two in Rockville (Rockville Town Square and Wintergreen Plaza). A new tenant has already been announced for the old Germantown Gold’s Gym space in the Fox Chapel shopping center.


Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a two-car collision on Frederick Rd and Plummer Drive in Germantown at approximately 8pm on Sunday night.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, crash debris was spread out approximately 150 yards following the crash. The fuel tank of one of the vehicles ruptured, but the gas was contained with absorbent with some lanes temporarily blocked. Three people were transported to the hospital, all with non life-threatening injuries.


Two Montgomery County Athletic Specialist/Directors, Ed Dalton (Clarksburg) and Heather Podosek (Paint Branch) have earned state honors through the Maryland State Athletic Director Association (MSADA).

Per MCPS: Ed Dalton, athletics specialist/athletic director at Clarksburg High School, has been named the Maryland State Athletic Directors Association’s (MSADA’s) 2023 District 2B Athletic Director of the Year. He was selected by all 25 MCPS athletics specialists for the recognition. Heather Podosek, athletics specialist/athletic director at Paint Branch High School, was selected the 2023 MSADA Co-Athletic Director of the Year. They will receive their awards at the state conference banquet on Saturday, April 29.


Yesterday we highlighted MoCo native Jordan Hawkins as UCONN prepared to play Gonzaga in an Elite Eight matchup. The young man led his team to a trouncing of Gonzaga, scoring 20 points and hitting six threes to take the #3 seed UCONN to the Final Four with an 82-54 win. Hawkins is a Montgomery County native who attended Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Germantown and Gaithersburg High School for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to DeMatha. UCONN plays the winner of Miami/Texas on April 1st.

Hawkins was a top 50 recruit, who came to UConn following two years at powerhouse program DeMathaCatholic (Hyattsville, Md.) under Coach Mike Jones. He played AAU for Team Durant under Coach Angel Hernandez, and as a senior at DeMatha, averaged 19.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.9 blocks, while shooting .636 overall and .464 from three-point range to lead DeMatha to an 11-0 record and was named 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Hawkins was a two-time Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention pick and averaged 20.2 points per game as a sophomore when he was at Gaithersburg High School (per UCONN).


Jordan Hawkins, an All-Big East 6’5, 190 pound guard for the #4 seed UCONN Huskies, will lead his team against the #3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs tonight at 8:49pm as the teams compete in an Elite Eight battle to get into the Final Four. Hawkins is a Montgomery County native who attended Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Germantown and Gaithersburg High School for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to DeMatha.

Hawkins was a top 50 recruit, who came to UConn following two years at powerhouse program DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) under Coach Mike Jones. He played AAU for Team Durant under Coach Angel Hernandez, and as a senior at DeMatha, averaged 19.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.9 blocks, while shooting .636 overall and .464 from three-point range to lead DeMatha to an 11-0 record and was named 2020-21 Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Hawkins was a two-time Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mention pick and averaged 20.2 points per game as a sophomore when he was at Gaithersburg High School (per UCONN).


Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to the 15900blk of Barnesville Rd in Boyds on Friday night for the report an outside fire.  According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, firefighters encountered three buildings (two sheds and a 2-car garage) on fire a half-mile off the road. There were no injuries reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Piringer tweeted, “Power supplied by extension cords/power strips. Due to damage & numerous competent ignitions sources, incl smoking materials.” Damage is estimated to be ~15K. We will post an update if additional information is available.

Update – Barnesville Rd, fire is under control, involved Small shed, Sea container and 2 car garage. No injuries @mcfrs on scene https://t.co/FwZWPNNr03 pic.twitter.com/nQO2TC2lAV


The annual Montgomery County National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) National College Fair will be held on Tuesday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 19, at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown. This free event will feature representatives from about 300 colleges and universities, and provides resources to students and parents navigating the college admissions process. The fair runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days and is open to Grade 11 students attending with their schools.

The fair is also open to all high school students and their families from 6:30–8 p.m. on April 18. Included are two workshops: “How to Finance College” and “Applying to College 101–Simple Steps to Get You Started.” Register to attend. Courtesy of MCPS. Video below:


The Flagship Carwash locations at 87 Bureau Dr in Gaithersburg and 785 Hungerford Dr in Rockville are temporarily closed for renovations.  A representative from the company tells us they expect to reopen both locations in about 60 days. The Germantown location at 11620 Middlebrook Road remains open.  Flagship has over 20 locations across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

About: “Flagship Carwash is a professional car wash services company with several locations throughout the DMV area. Flagship offers the optionality of full-service, express service and self service washes. This location offers brushless full service, express detailing and self service interior and exterior wash options. The full service wash includes three different levels of wash options, ultimate, super or full serve, so you can customize your wash based on your needs. Our tenured customer service team is there to handle all the details. We also offer express detailing services and a 24/7 self service wash option. All of our locations offer the same speedy, high-quality car wash customers have come to expect from Flagship.”


The Minority Scholars Program (MSP), a student-led initiative, held its 12th annual retreat at Northwest High School on March 18. The event included elementary, middle and high school workshops on racism, anti-racism, community building through community circles, and dismantling stereotypes. There was also talks from four seniors about why they got involved with MCPS and a talent show, with dance, song and spoken word performances.

Per MCPS: Seventeen years ago, MSP began as a student-driven initiative aimed at tackling the opportunity gap. Through student leadership and activism, it has served as a vehicle and a blueprint for creating change. Since its inception, MSP has worked to change the conversation around race, equity and the opportunity gap. MSP has been growing steadily and now has chapters in every MCPS high school, 24 middle schools and six elementary schools. Student leaders have spoken at county, state and national events, spreading the MSP model across the state and nation.


Montgomery County Police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to a collision involving a motorcycle on Wednesday evening in Germantown. According to MCPD, “At approximately 6:48 p.m., MCP officers responded to the area of Frederick Rd. and Cider Press Place in Germantown for the report of a collision involving a vehicle and a motorcycle.


Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich will hold six “community conversations” at sites around the County in April and May to talk about long-term priorities and how he will address the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget. The first event will be from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, at the White Oak Community Recreation Center in Silver Spring. Five of the community conversations will be in-person events. On May 1, the community conversation will be a virtual only event.

A capital budget plan that states how much money is needed for major construction projects and for purchase and maintenance of the assets. It also determines the amount of time that will be used for the planning and design of the project. The CIP refers to items such as land, buildings, equipment and other investments in the County. The capital budget addresses planning for long-term major projects. It differs from the County operating budget, which funds spending needs for a one-year period.


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