The Damascus resident describes himself as a once-in-a-while Lottery player. “I rarely think to play. If the machine hadn’t been there in the laundromat, I never would have bought a ticket that day.” The Crazy 8s game debuted in November 2022 with eight $50,000 top-prize winning instant tickets. There are still five $50,000 winners in stores, along with six $5,000 second-tier prizes. Hats off to Aspen Hill Laundromat at 14201 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring for supplying the scratch-off that led to this happy ending. Management there will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling the $50,000 top-prize winning scratch-off.”

Feature photo courtesy of Google Maps.


According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Kevin Hessler, a jury has found defendant, Rodjaun Neal-Williams, 21 of Clarksburg, guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter and Use of Firearm in Commission of a Crime of Violence for the death of 23-year-old Javon Gordon of Boyds. The jury returned the verdict on Tuesday, March 7th, 2023. Defendant, Neal-Williams, faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before Judge Hessler on May 31st at 1:30 p.m.

This stems from an incident on April 13, 2021, on the 12900 block of Ethel Rose Way in Boyds. The defendant who was 19-years old at the time, was a passenger in a vehicle that pulled up to small group of individuals in the street. There was an altercation between Neal-Williams and Gordon while Neal-Williams was seated inside of the vehicle, and he fired a handgun, killing Gordon.”


Dwarakesh Baraneetharan, a junior at Northwest High School in Germantown, was one of 20 finalists in a Black history essay contest sponsored by WJZ-TV, CBS Baltimore. His full essay can be seen below:

George Washington Carver once said that “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” While true, the keys and doors are actually multiple, freedom a multi-level building with incremental levels separated by doors. As you acquire more education, you receive keys to unlock higher levels, gaining eligibility for opportunity. Of course, people aspire to reach different degrees of freedom. Some aspire to have the freedom to possess a lavish lifestyle, while others may aspire to escape poverty. Education is key in both scenarios.


Montgomery County Police responded to the 11800 block of Morningstar Drive for a barricaded person. The adult male has been taken into custody, and there is no threat to the community. #MCPD #MCPNews pic.twitter.com/w83k69bwIw

— Montgomery County Department of Police (@mcpnews) March 2, 2023


Powerball and Double Play drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night. The Powerball drawing happens at 11 p.m., and is followed by a separate Double Play drawing 30 minutes later. Powerball tickets are $2, and players can add the Double Play option for an additional $1, making the ticket good for both drawings.

The Powerball jackpot has rolled to an estimated annuity value of $143 million for the March 1 drawing, with an estimated cash option of $73 million. This year, the Maryland Lottery has sold 17 third-tier winning Powerball tickets worth $50,000 to $150,000 and four third-tier Double Play tickets.


Today, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Amentum Services, Inc., a leading provider of engineering and advanced solutions and services to the U.S. government, allies, and commercial companies, will invest $495,000 to relocate its headquarters from Germantown, Maryland (20501 Seneca Meadows Parkway #300) to Fairfax County. In 2022, the company acquired PAE Incorporated, another leading government services contractor, and will consolidate its integrated operation at Amentum’s office at 4800 Westfields Boulevard in Chantilly. Virginia successfully competed with Maryland for the project, which will create 157 new jobs.

Per the announcement: “Fairfax County offers the location, access to decision-makers, and talent pipeline that global providers like Amentum are seeking, and we are proud to welcome the company’s leadership and operations team to Virginia,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Amentum joins the ranks of the Commonwealth’s diversified ecosystem of more than 800 corporate headquarters across a broad cross-section of industries.”


A $100,000 winning $100,000 Extreme Cash scratch-off sold at Hillandale Beer ‘N’ Wine (10117 New Hampshire Blvd) was the top lottery prize claimed in Montgomery County for the week of February 20 – 26. Other local winners this past week included a $10,000 winning scratch-off sold at Safeway (9807 Main Street) in Damascus and a $14,204 winning Racetrax ticket sold at Beer on Tapz (19520 Walters Road) in Germantown.  Additional information on winners across the state of Maryland, including a $2 million winner in Millersville, below courtesy of the Maryland Lottery:

Winners of prizes larger than $25,000 must redeem their tickets at the Maryland Lottery Claims Center in Baltimore, which is open by appointment only. Prizes of up to $5,000 can be claimed at any of more than 400 Expanded Cashing Authority Program (XCAP) locations. All Maryland Lottery retailers are authorized to redeem tickets up to and including $600. More information is available on the How To Claim page of mdlottery.com.


Quincy’s South at 11401 Woodglen Dr in Rockville, which will be closing its door on March 31, has released additional information on its closing due to redevelopment, as well as an update on the restaurant’s future and its staff. Quincy’s has additional locations at 9813 Main St in Damascus, 616 Quince Orchard Rd in Gaithersburg, and 1093 Seven Locks Rd in Potomac. Per Quincy’s:

“It’s the end of a 9-year run for Quincy’s South Bar and Grille in North Bethesda, the popular sports bar from restaurateur Marty Magill and partners Jeff Greenberg, John Sahakian and Chris McCasland.


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