Up County Archives - Page 150 of 212

Update on CAVA Digital Kitchen in Germantown

Published October 28, 2022 at 2:45PM

Permanent signage is up for Cava Digital Kitchen at 19865 Century Blvd in Germantown, which is replacing Zoe’s Kitchen. We’re told the restaurant is hoping to open in November, but no date has been announced. CAVA opened their first Digital Kitchen in Sandy Spring, GA back in March. According to a social media posts by CAVA, “CAVA Digital Kitchen has arrived… Just order ahead on our app or our site for easy pickup or delivery! Convenient *and* delicious. Build your bowl: order.cava.com”

CAVA, the fast-casual restaurant that started in MoCo, acquired Zoe’s and its 200+ restaurants in 2018 for approximately $300 million

Maryland State Police Arrest Men On Gun Charges Following Two Traffic Stops In Montgomery County

By Patrick Herron

Published October 28, 2022 at 1:28PM

At about 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, troopers from the Rockville Barrack conducted a traffic stop on Piney Branch Road south of Ray Drive in Silver Spring, Maryland for a vehicle with suspected illegally tinted windows. Troopers observed suspected illegal drugs in the vehicle. This led to a probable cause search, which yielded a handgun that had been reported stolen in South Carolina.The driver of the vehicle, Robel Habtu, 20, of Silver Spring, Maryland was arrested at the scene. He is charged with possession of a stolen firearm, illegal possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm while underage. Habtu was transported to the Montgomery County Detention Center. He was released after posting $7,500 bond. The cases remain under investigation.

Traffic: 355 Shut Down at 118 Due to Collision

By Patrick Herron

Published October 28, 2022 at 11:55AM | Updated October 28, 2022 at 12:15PM

A traffic collision has 355 south, just before route 118 (Germantown Rd) shut down, with only one lane open, according to Montgomery County Police.

Drivers should seek an alternate route and expect significant delays. We will post an update when more information becomes available.

Progress at ‘Laperaux, the Journeymanchef’s Bistro’ in Germantown

By MCS Staff

Published October 28, 2022 at 7:23AM | Updated December 27, 2022 at 5:17PM

Back in April we let you know of the impending arrival of Laperaux, the Journeymanchef’s Bistro, the new restaurant coming to 18056 Mateny Rd in Germantown, the former home of Gumbo Ya Ya, Dickie’s BBQ Pit, and Cafe Mileto (located in the same strip as Shoppers). The French bistro is making progress and currently hopes to open in December. We’ll be able to provide you with a sneak peak and additional information in about a month or so. Chef and owner Gregory Webb, who has earned such accolades and awards as “Chef of the Year 1998” in Houston, Texas, “Winner all Categories” at the Texas Open Wild Game Cookoff, “Top Chefs of Mexico City” and many others, will be bringing a French bistro to the location, which hopes to open by the end of the year.

The restaurant will offer high casual cuisine created by Webb, who has competed against Bobby Flay on The Food Network, and won numerous ‘chopped style’ competitions put on for various local charity and fund raising events, including DC Central Kitchen’s Chefs Cook Off. Webb decided on the location because it’s close to his Gaithersburg home. Previously, he spent 7 years as the executive chef at Downtown Crown’s Paladar.

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

By MCS Staff

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.