Up County

Hughes Breaks Ground On New 140,000SF Building on Montgomery College Germantown Campus

By MCS Staff

In August we let you know of a joint-venture between Minkoff Development and South Duvall signing a lease with Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) to build a 140,000 square foot build-to-suit project on Montgomery College’s Germantown Campus. The Hughes Network Systems Sattelite Production Facility broke ground on Monday and will be bringing approximately 300 jobs to Germantown, according to Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce CEO, Marilyn Balcombe.

The campus currently is home to the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology at Montgomery College (PIC MC) with Holy Cross Germantown Hospital as its anchor tenant. Located at 19710 Observation Drive in Germantown, Maryland, adjacent to the Hughes headquarters complex (11717 Exploration Lane), the new high-tech manufacturing building will house production of Hughes satellite broadband and networking equipment.

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No Charges to Be Filed Against Two U.S. Secret Service Officers Who Fatally Shot 19-Year Old Germantown Man After Report of Burglary in Progress

By MCS Staff

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, DC: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against two officers from the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division who were involved in the fatal shooting, in April 2022, of 19-year-old Gordon Casey of Germantown outside an ambassador’s residence in Northwest Washington.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of law enforcement and civilian eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department.

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History of the Town of Barnesville, Which Recently Celebrated its 275th Anniversary

By MCS Staff

The Town of Barnesville recently celebrated its 275th anniversary on October 2nd with a celebration that was to originally include a morning fun run and afternoon parade, but cancelled all planned outdoor activities. The celebration, however, continued indoors with a Barnesville history exhibit and pot luck dinner. Located at the top of a ridge with views of Sugarloaf Mountain to the north and the Catoctin Mountain and Blue Ridge ranges to the west, Barnesville enjoys a connection with the rhythms of the natural world while being within commuting distance of the nation’s capital. Barnesville is served by the MARC commuter rail system. The town’s motto, “A Caring Community,” is a testament to the sense of place enjoyed by the town’s residents and their neighbors in the Agricultural Reserve of Western Montgomery County.

History, Per the Town of Barnesville: At the heart of the Agricultural Reserve and within commuting distance of Washington, D.C., the Town of Barnesville lies today on land first surveyed for Jeremiah Hays in 1749.  After taking the Patriots Oath of Fidelity in 1778, Hayes served in the Revolutionary Army Militia before his death in 1783. What is now Barnesville was first known as Barnestown after James Barnes, who bought the land known as “Jeremiah’s Park” in 1803 from Vachel and Margaret Hall. His father, David Barnes, who was a younger son from a prominent English family, emigrated to the United States in 1758 and settled in Frederick, Maryland along with his two brothers. Until about 1798, James Barnes worked as a tenant farmer as he does not appear as a property owner until in the 1800 Census. However, James Barnes leaves the area in 1804 for Ohio because of the lack of Quaker meeting houses.

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“Leech Woods” Haunted Trail Opens in Damascus

By MCS Staff

Leech Woods, a brand new haunted trail, is now open at 11201 Bethesda Church Rd in Damascus. It’s described as “a thirty minute immersive haunted trail experience of dark terror” that promises a night of chain saws, clowns and dark corners.  Leech Woods also offers food and drink, four bonfires, axe throwing, a DJ booth, fortune telling, and other forms of entertainment each night.

Per Leech Woods: According to Montgomery County historical land records, the present site of Leech Woods was originally settled by Warwick and Jeanne Leech and their six children sometime in early 1790.  Having immigrated from Hungary, the family chose Damascus, Maryland based on its temperate climate and heavily wooded region which reminded them of their homeland.  The Leech family store thrived as the leading local merchant of hides, furs and hunting supplies.  During the disastrous Winter of 1804, the Leech family store was robbed and vandalized by unknown attackers and the body of John Leech, the youngest son, was found nailed to the back wall of the store.  The remaining bodies of the family members were later found bludgeoned and bound inside of the root cellar of their homestead.  No further information about the attackers or motives for the killings are known.

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YouTube Personality ‘Deestroying’ is in Attendance as Seneca Valley Takes on Quince Orchard High School in Germantown

By MCS Staff

Donald De La Haye Jr., also known online as Deestroying, is a Costa Rican-American YouTuber with over 4 million followers on the platform and millions more across other forms of social media. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he was a kicker for the team. This Friday night he will be at Seneca Valley High School to watch the undefeated Screaming Eagles take on undefeated Quince Orchard High School.

De La Haye is known for his videos demonstrating his kicking ability as well as his sports-related skits and vlogs talking about his life journey. He also made news while in college when the NCAA controversially banned him for profiting off his name and YouTube videos, which sparked reform for student athlete compensation and became a driver for the implementation of a fair and balanced set of rules for student-athletes to monetize their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).

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Three MS-13 Members Convicted of Racketeering, Murder, Extortion, and Federal Drug Charges After Three Week Trial

By MCS Staff

Today, a federal jury convicted Luis Flores-Reyes, a/k/a “Maloso,” “Lobo,”’ and “Viejo Lovvon,” age 41, of Arlington, Virginia; Jairo Jacome, a/k/a “Abuelo,” age 40, of Langley Park, Maryland; and Brayan Contreras-Avalos, a/k/a “Anonimo,” and “Humilde,” age 27, of Langley Park, Maryland, on federal charges related to a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or “MS-13.”  Jacome and Flores-Reyes were also found guilty of murder in aid of racketeering.  Jacome was convicted of an extortion conspiracy and Flores-Reyes was also convicted of extortion conspiracy.  The jury also found Contreras-Avalos and Flores-Reyes guilty of a drug distribution conspiracy.

“These defendants wreaked havoc within our communities through murder, extortion, and drug trafficking, now they will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron.  “We will relentlessly prosecute MS-13gang members who terrorize our Maryland communities with intimidation and violence.”

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‘That Smoothie Place’ to Open in Damascus in Coming Weeks

By MCS Staff

Back in May we let you know about ‘That Smoothie Place’ coming to Damascus, taking over the location that was formerly home to Sprint in the Damascus shopping center at 9815 Main Street, suite 106. The store is now expected to open within the next couple weeks.

That Smoothie Place has been operating as a food truck since 2018, frequenting Damascus and other surrounding areas.  They offer a variety of smoothies known as “Rock Star Smoothies” named after popular rock stars of the past and present. The featured photo shows a special known as “The Lennox” named after Annie Lennox of the popular 80s group Eurythmics and contains apple, banana, apple cider  and a few other ingredients. Other smoothies on the menu include the Ozzy, Ringo Starr, Jagger, Morrison, and more.

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Northwest HS Booster Club is Holding a 5K Fun Run/Walk on October 29

By MCS Staff

The Northwest High School Booster Club is holding a community 5K Fun Run/Walk on Saturday October 29 at 8:00 AM. Registration is $35 per person and includes a t-shirt (sign-up by 9/23 to be guaranteed your desired shirt size). Every person on the course must be registered and able to individually navigate the course (course map). No strollers or pets please. The run will begin and end at Northwest High School and will include a Health & Wellness Fair with information from numerous local businesses. The entire community is invited to participate.

Volunteers are needed to help with various tasks on race day.  If you are injured and can’t run or are accompanying a runner to the race, or you just want to give something back to the sport and contribute to the success of the event, please send an email to [email protected].

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Del. Lesley Lopez Announces Expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Montgomery Village and Germantown

By MCS Staff

District 39 Delegate Lesley Lopez has announced the expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Montgomery Village and Germantown. “It’s finally happening! My lifelong dream of collaborating with Dolly Parton is happening… kind of. I’m excited to say that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is expanding to District 39, specifically Montgomery Village this month and in Germantown in November! I was thrilled to be contacted by the IL team and am so glad to partner with them to spread the word to the upcounty community! Residents with zip codes 20886 and 20876, and who have children aged 0-5, will be able to receive a new book every month to help build their library at home. Use this link to  sign up and view information about the current program, which Dolly started in 1995 to honor her father who was illiterate.”

Per Imagination Library of Montgomery County: As an affiliate of of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we provide free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5. Each month a carefully selected, new book will arrive in the mail, allowing children to build their own personal libraries, regardless of family income. We aim to foster the parent-child connection through a love of books. When young children are read to by adults and start learning to read at an early age, they develop literacy skills that prepare them to succeed in school. Books have the power to engage the imagination and contribute to a brighter future!

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Joint Message From Principals of Gaithersburg and Northwest High Schools Following Altercation at Football Game on Friday Night

By MCS Staff

The principals of Gaithersburg and Northwest high schools sent out a joint message to the community following the altercation that took place during the football game between the two schools. The full statement can be seen below:

“Dear Gaithersburg and Northwest High School Communities,

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