Update 7:12pm: All lanes of Layhill Rd (MD 182) at Bel Pre Rd have cleared following emergency utility work.
At approximately 6:30am on Friday morning, Montgomery a county Police informed the public that Layhill Rd. is closed at Bel Pre Rd. as the result of a traffic collision. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route and significant delays are expected. A reader sent in a photo of the collision, which involves an SUV that was driven into a utility pole.
Per MCPD: The suspect wanted for a July 5 homicide is in custody. 20-year-old Lawrence Marcellus Marshall IV was wanted in connection with the shooting death of 40-year-old Cedric Warner and turned himself in at the Montgomery County Department of Police 6th District Station in Gaithersburg on Thursday, August 24.
Marshall IV, of Montgomery Village, allegedly shot and killed Warner on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in the 11500 block of Lockwood Drive in Silver Spring. Officers arrived at the scene and located Warner inside an apartment, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Uniqlo will hold its Grand Opening at 914 Ellsworth Dr in Silver Spring on Friday, August 25th at 10am. The Grand Opening will consist of exclusive, limited-time offers that are available only in-store. The event will also feature giveaways and access to new collections, according to the store website. Included in the new collections are locally-inspired ‘Maryland’ and ‘Silver Spring’ designs that have been created by artist Lauren Martin (photos below).
Uniqlo opened its first and only other MoCo location in September of 2018 in Pike & Rose. The Downtown Silver Spring location will be taking over the 10,058 SF space at 914 Ellsworth St that was formerly home to Ulta prior to the move to its current location in Downtown Silver Spring.
Summer fun starts at Good Counsel! Our Summer Camps are packed with exciting activities, sports, creativity, adventure, and unforgettable memories for campers of all ages. From the field to the classroom and everywhere in between, there’s something for everyone at Good Counsel’s Summer Camps!
Spend your summer learning, laughing, and making new friends with the Good Counsel community. Spots are filling fast so be sure to register today!
Register at: www.olgchs.org/camps
Per Montgomery County Police: On Friday, August 25, 2023, officers from the Montgomery County Department of Police and allied agencies will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint and will conduct focused enforcement on impaired driving laws. The exact location of the checkpoint will not be disclosed in advance:
What: Sobriety Checkpoint
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After shredding, stick around to enjoy:
The City of Gaithersburg is in the process of developing a 9.54-acre park with parking, community gardens, a bicycle skills course (pump track), open space, pavilions, a playground, fitness pods, and a welcome plaza. Originally scheduled to be completed February 2023, there have been some delays. While a new completion date is not yet available, much of the work in the actual park has been completed. It looks like some clean-up is needed within the park and some work on the roads leading up to it is still necessary. It’s possible this park opens this fall.
A new parking lot will be constructed at the park’s west boundary. Vehicular access to the park will be through the drive that extends from Darnestown Road. Pedestrians will be able to access the site from Darnestown Road via a path that will be located parallel to the access drive into the park. Pedestrians will also be able to access the park from Marsh Lane. A Ride-On bus stop is located on Darnestown Road at the park entrance.
Mrs. Estelle Moore has been teaching for a total of 53 years; three years in Pennsylvania and the last 50 in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Having taught in MCPS since 1973, she has worked at Harmony Hills Elementary School, East Silver Spring Elementary School, Piney Branch Elementary School, Broad Acres Elementary School, Brooke Grove Elementary School, and Cloverly Elementary School. She has been at Greencastle in Silver Spring for 30 years, where she currently teaches 2nd grade.
During her illustrious teaching career, she spent a year teaching in Japan and four months in Ghana. Mrs. Moore was also named MCPS Teacher of the Year over 30 years ago while teaching at Brooke Grove Elementary School in Olney. When asked what the biggest difference she has seen in her fifty years teaching in MCPS, Mrs. Moore said “The curriculum. It seems like every 3-5 years there has been a shift in the curriculum, but I feel in recent years it has come full circle in ways.” giving the example of phonemic awareness. When asked what’s still the same, she said “Students still need to know that you care. They need to hear their name in a positive way and to know that they matter.”
Per MCPS: New for the 2023–2024 School Year, 58 MCPS schools will operate under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Students enrolled at these CEP schools may receive breakfast and lunch at no cost, regardless of household income. A list of the participating schools can be found here. The Department of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) encourages all families with students enrolled at non-CEP schools to complete a Free and Reduced-price Meals Application.
Visit the Division of Food and Nutrition Services web page for information on prices, how to add money to your child’s account and more. We look forward to opportunities for community and student feedback on new and current menu items this fall.
Per MCPS: Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a decision declining the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction that would have required Montgomery County Public Schools to allow families to opt out of engagement with LGBTQ+ inclusive texts during English Language Arts instruction. The judge also denied the request for an injunction pending appeal.
The ruling states, “Public schools are not obliged to shield individual students from ideas which potentially are religiously offensive, particularly when the school imposes no requirement that the student violate his or her faith during classroom instruction.” (page 46) The decision comes after plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary injunction in June and following a hearing on August 9 before District Judge Deborah L. Boardman.
Gold’s Gym will also be opening in a 24,000 square-foot space in nearby Georgetown, that’s scheduled for later this year. The gym recently announced the upcoming closure of its Gaithersburg location.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to an attic fire in the 7400 Blk of Rosewood Manor Lane in Gaithersburg on Thursday, August 24. MCFRS tweeted that crews arrived to heavy fire conditions at the single family home. The fire has been extinguished and there are no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation. We will post an update if additional information becomes available.
MCFRS – 7400 Blk Rosewood Manor Lane – Single family House/Attic fire- Initial Assignment & RID Heavy Fire upon arrival. Fire Out beginning Overhaul and Investigation. All residents ok. @mcfrsPIO pic.twitter.com/GyDDTyfnpb
Around 9am this morning, Montgomery County Police tweeted that the entrance to the Department of Energy in the 19900 block of Germantown Rd. was closed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Protective Services. According to a report by FOX 5, a security dog alerted security personnel to the presence of possible explosives inside a vehicle at a Department of Energy checkpoint which prompted the investigation.
At 11am, the entrance to the Department of Energy was reopened. There were no injuries reported and the investigation is continuing off-site. We will post an update when additional information is available.