Up County Archives - Page 141 of 203

Damascus High School Renovation Approved; Project Scheduled to Be Completed August 2026

Published October 27, 2022 at 8:11PM

A major capital project was approved to address various building systems and programmatic needs for Damascus High School, located at 25921 Ridge Road. The Board of Education, in the requested FY 2021–2026 CIP, included expenditures in FY 2022 to continue the planning and design of this major capital project with a completion date of August 2025, but the County Council delayed the expenditures by one year. An FY 2023 appropriation was approved to begin the design of this Major Capital project. An FY 2024 appropriation is recommended for construction funds. This project is scheduled to be completed August 2026. Once completed in 2026, school capacity is expected to increase from 1,543 (where it’s at currently) to 2,250. Community meetings are expected to take place in 2023 regarding future plans for the project.

Damascus Elementary School, located in the Damascus HS cluster at 10201 Bethesda Church Rd, has been approved for a feasibility study for a major capital project. The Key Facilities Indicators (KFI) is utilized to identify schools for possible major capital projects. The scope for the project will be identified based on the individual building system and programmatic and capacity needs for each school. Once the feasibility study is complete, a recommendation regarding scope, timeline and funding will be considered in a future CIP.

The Blair Witch Project: Created by Wheaton High School Graduate and Filmed Primarily in MoCo

By MCS Staff

Published October 26, 2022 at 7:31AM

With Halloween almost here, it’s the perfect time to watch some scary movies. Did you know that the first installment of the Blair Witch franchise, The Blair Witch Project (1999) was primarily filmed right here in Montgomery County?

In the indie supernatural horror, three film students camp in the fictional Black Hills Forest of Burkittsville, Maryland in October of 1994 to film a documentary on the local legend of the Blair Witch. Mysteriously, the trio vanishes, leaving behind hours of footage to be discovered a year later by University of Maryland anthropology students. What the viewer witnesses is this purportedly real home video style footage.

Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Ask for Public’s Assistance Locating Missing 14-Year-Old

By Patrick Herron

Published October 25, 2022 at 8:21PM

Azevedo is approximately 5-feet tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black sweater tied around her waist, green leggings and white Fila sneakers. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Fernanda De Silva Azevedo is asked to call the Special Victims Investigations Division at (240) 773-5400 or the police non-emergency number at (301) 279- 8000 (24-hour line). Callers may remain anonymous.

MoCo Ghost Story: The Headless Horseman of Game Preserve Road

By MCS Staff

Published October 24, 2022 at 7:57AM

From the Montgomery County Sentinel in 1876: “As the story goes, during the Civil War a soldier was decapitated by a saber in a skirmish around what is now Game Preserve Road. After the fight, his fellow soldiers hastily buried him in an unmarked grave, even though they couldn’t find his head to bury with his body.”

The story has been passed down for many generations and many have told tales about the supposed unmarked grave of the headless man. Some have recalled strange noises and apparitions with glowing eyes. Others have seen the figure of a headless soldier (sometimes on a horse and sometimes without it), while many have driven down the Gaithersburg road several times and have stated they’ve never noticed anything out of the ordinary. Below you’ll see a few responses to this story in years past:

Worst Parking Lots in MoCo 2022

By Patrick Herron

Published October 21, 2022 at 4:17PM

“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.

Clopper Mill Elementary School in Germantown Awarded Mini-Grant to Help with Food Insecurity

By MCS Staff

Published October 20, 2022 at 2:07PM

Clopper Mill Elementary School in Germantown has won a mini-grant for reducing food insecurity in its community. Nine Montgomery County nonprofit organizations involved in food recovery and security work were awarded more than $65,000 to help with these efforts. Clopper Mill was awarded $2,000.

The school maintains a fresh pantry, and distributes nutritious food to families in the community, which works to eliminate food insecurity throughout the school year. Manna Food Center, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and the Montgomery County Food Council, in collaboration with the Greater Washington Community Foundation awarded the mini-grants.

10 Great Places in MoCo for Fall Foliage

By MCS Staff

Published October 20, 2022 at 9:03AM

We are about a month into fall and the colors around us are changing. Whether it’s the taste of a warm pumpkin-flavored latte, the cool breeze of a crisp fall morning, weekends full of football, or the yellow glow of the sun on a tall birch tree, autumn is often a contender for MoCo residents’ favorite season (however short it may be). Many locals are looking forward to combining all the best parts of fall and enjoying the foliage outdoors, so we’ve put together a small list of 10 where you can enjoy the foliage across the county:

Agricultural Reserve: A drive through the rural areas that the 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve encompasses, along with the larger rural communities of Damascus and Poolesville and small crossroad communities such as Beallsville, Sunshine and Dickerson, are sure to give you your fill of fall foliage.

Bomb Squad Investigation in Germantown Has Concluded, No Explosives Located

By Patrick Herron

Published October 19, 2022 at 6:02PM

The bomb squad investigation of a suspicious package at the Department Of Energy (19901 Germantown Rd) has concluded and there were no explosives found, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services. Germantown Road was closed between Crystal Rock Drive and I-270, including ramps 15A and 15B, from 11:30am until around 5pm. As of 5pm, two lanes of northbound Germantown Rd. were still closed as a result of equipment being removed. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route and to expect significant delays.

Per MCFRS: “Update(Final) : Department of Energy (Germantown Maryland). Methodical Investigation by MCFRS – Bomb Squad, MCPD, MCSO – All Clear Nothing Found. Incident is Scaling Down. MCFRS Units Clearing Incident. @mcfrspio @mcfrs”

MoCo Native and Lead Guitarist of Hootie and The Blowfish, Mark Bryan, Will Perform With His Band “The Screaming Trojans” (Nod to Seneca Valley and Gaithersburg) in Frederick This Saturday

By MCS Staff

Published October 19, 2022 at 12:23PM

Half of Hootie and The Blowfish, Mark Bryan and Dean Felber, are graduates of Seneca Valley High School in Germantown. Mark Bryan, lead guitarist of Hootie and The Blowfish, will […]

Germantown Rd. Closed Due to Suspicious Package

By Patrick Herron

Published October 19, 2022 at 12:10PM

Germantown Rd. is currently closed between Crystal Rock Dr. and I-270, including ramps 15A & 15B, as a result of a suspicious package in the 19900 block of Germantown Rd, according to Montgomery County Police.

Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route and to expect significant delays. We will post an update as soon as more information becomes available.

MoCo Haunted Trail & Forest Guide

By Patrick Herron

Published October 18, 2022 at 11:10AM

Field of Screams, now in its 22nd year in business, was recently voted as the #1 spot in USA Today’s 10 Best Haunted Attractions in the country. Located in Olney, this Hollywood-level production includes well-trained actors and an intense fright experience with decor and props not seen outside the movie industry.

“Enter a horrifically terrifying world beyond imagination at the Fields of Screams in Olney, Maryland. A good walk through the woods on The Haunted Trail and Trail of Terror leaves visitors scurrying away. Along their journey, guests are welcomed into thirteen haunted houses, where they might find anything from dead bodies to hillbillies and butchers. Enjoy Body Bean Bag Pumpkin Toss, Zombie Brain Smash, and other Carnival Town Games for a thrilling, competitive experience.”