Restaurants

Kantutas Restaurant Has Officially Opened in its New, Larger Location

By MCS Staff

Kantutas Restaurant Bar & Grill, a Wheaton staple serving Bolivian, other South American, and Latin American cuisine, has moved from its previous location at 2462 Ennalls Ave to its new, much larger location at 2400 University Blvd W (video below). The new location was previously home to New Kam Fong, which moved from DC to Wheaton and became Eastern Gourmet before closing last year.

Kantutas’ new space comes with a more modern look and a lot more seating than the previous location. The new restaurant also has a new bar and the same menu that those who are familiar with the restaurant are used to. A video preview of the new location can be seen below:

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Burtonsville

TJ Maxx Prepares to Begin Work on its Fifth Montgomery County Location

By MCS Staff

Back in April we let you know that TJ Maxx, the discount department store that sells clothing, shoes, jewelry, and home décor would be one of Burtonsville Crossing’s new tenants in the revamped shopping center. TJ Maxx currently has four other Montgomery County locations in Germantown, Olney, Rockville, and Silver Spring.

According to Maryland Newsletters, Onyx Creative has pulled a permit for $2 million in tenant work for TJ Maxx at its upcoming 23,790 SF location at 15709 Old Columbia Pike. TJ Maxx will be located in the space that’s as previously home to Dress Barn and Sassafras before that. It was also home to Spirit Halloween following the Dress Barn closure.

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Gaithersburg

Updated Security Measures for This Year’s Montgomery County Fair; Metal Detectors and List of Prohibited Items

By Patrick Herron

The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair has revised its safety/security measures for this year’s event, which takes place August 11th-19th. Per the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair: The Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds is private property and we do not recognize any state or federal issued Concealed or Open Carry Firearm Permit. The Fair is a Family Friendly event that provides agricultural education and entertainment to children of all ages. Carrying firearms, weapons, and inappropriate behavior are prohibited.

Patrons entering the Fairgrounds will pass through metal detectors at each of our General Admission entry gates. These units will be adjusted to detect prohibited weapons and allow timely passage without the need to empty backpacks or pockets. Keys, cell phones, coins and other common items are permissible and will not be detected. Please leave hard, protective sunglass cases home as the metal in these cases will trigger the alarm. Accommodations will be in place at each gate to permit passage of strollers, child carriers, electric mobility chairs and similar devices.

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Sponsored

Montgomery County showcases its unique ecosystem at World Vaccine Congress 2026

By Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation
AstraZeneca's Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility in Rockville, Montgomery County. Photo courtesy of the Montgomery County Government.
AstraZeneca's Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility in Rockville, Montgomery County. Photo courtesy of the Montgomery County Government.

Montgomery County, MD is commonly known as being a suburb of the nation’s capital, but what might surprise some is that it is also home to a thriving biotech ecosystem. With over 350 life sciences companies, including global brands like AstraZeneca, United Therapeutics, and Novavax, Montgomery County anchors the third largest biophama hub in the U.S., behind only Boston and San Francisco.

Running annually in Washington D.C. for over 25 years, World Vaccine Congress attracts an international audience from over 80 countries and convenes more than 3,000 people to learn about the latest trends, research, and technologies in the vaccine industry. This year, Montgomery County took center stage, with a featured session on the extensive Biologics Value Chain in the County, as well as a session during which County Executive Marc Elrich spoke about the extensive resources available to companies here, and an exhibit space showcasing these resources.

A Complete Biologics Value Chain in One Region

One of the defining strengths of Montgomery County is its ability to support the full lifecycle of biologics, all the way from early research to large-scale manufacturing. During the panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Stefanie Trop, Director of Life Sciences at the Maryland Department of Commerce, local leaders emphasized that the region’s strength lies in its network of partners who work collaboratively across discovery, development, testing, and production. Panelists from companies in all stages of the value chain spectrum included Dr. Andrew Lees, Founder of Fina Biosolutions, Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca, Dr. Helen Sabzevari President & CEO of Precigen, and Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer of Integrated BioTherapeutics.

This end-to-end capability in close geographical proximity gives companies a unique advantage and is rare to find in other markets, even established ones like San Francisco and Boston. In fact, only a handful of places worldwide offer the combination of infrastructure, expertise, and collaboration found in Montgomery County and if diversity, education and population density are taken into consideration – then Montgomery County standouts even more.

“Gaithersburg is one of the six places in the world where we can do what we’re doing,” explained Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca. “We have the right partners at every step of the value chain [in Montgomery County].”

A Strong Partnership Network

Biotech breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation. They depend on strong partnerships between private companies, local and state governments, academic institutions, and workforce training organizations. Montgomery County has intentionally cultivated these connections, making collaboration and coordination defining characteristics of its life sciences ecosystem.

Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer at IBT Bioservices, a full service CRO offering clinical & preclinical contract research services, says the company’s close partnerships between them and local stakeholders have been crucial to its success. “As a Rockville-based company, we’re grateful for the partnership and support from city, County, and state leaders,” explained Dr. Holtsberg. “These programs have helped fuel our growth, and we’re excited about the continued momentum of our community.” (more…)

MDLottery

Tonight’s Mega Millions Jackpot Now at $1.1 Billion

By Patrick Herron

With excitement over the rising jackpot, the number of prizes won across the other eight prize tiers keeps growing. In the July 28 drawing, there were a total of 3,157,597 winning tickets across all tiers. Of those, 586,903 included the optional Megaplier (available in most states with an extra $1 purchase), which multiplies all standard non-jackpot prizes by a factor of 2x to 5x; Friday night’s Megaplier was 5x. In the current Mega Millions matrix and Megaplier configuration, which has been in place since October 28, 2017, there has never been a Megaplier of 5x drawn at this extraordinary jackpot level. That means a lot of prizes in other tiers have been multiplied by a factor of five!

They include a big $5 million winner in Pennsylvania, one of five tickets nationwide that matched the five white balls for the game’s second-tier prize. Another Pennsylvania ticket takes home the standard $1 million prize in the July 28 drawing, along with tickets in Arizona, California and New York. Across the country, 92 tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the third-tier prize. Fourteen of those tickets are worth $50,000 each, because they also included the optional Megaplier. The other 78 win the standard $10,000 each.

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Retail

Bed Bath & Beyond Relaunches Today as Online-Only Retailer 

By Patrick Herron

Bed Bath & Beyond, which had locations in Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Rockville, is being relaunched today as an online-only retailer. Bed Bath & Beyond’s intellectual property was purchased by Overstock.com for $21.5 million in June. Both companies will now fall under the Bed Bath & Beyond name and Overstock.com now redirects you to bedbathandbeyond.com. Per Overtsock.com: The beloved home brand, Bed Bath & Beyond, is back! This leading consumer brand, which was purchased by Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) in June, announced today the launch of BedBathandBeyond.com in the U.S. This launch marks a transformation for both Overstock and Bed Bath & Beyond, merging the best of both companies into a single online shopping destination under the Bed Bath & Beyond name.

“This is a historic day for Bed Bath & Beyond and Overstock – and for the broader ecommerce industry,” said Jonathan Johnson, CEO of the new Bed Bath & Beyond. “Overstock has a great business model with a name that does not reflect its focus on home. Bed Bath & Beyond is a much-loved and well-known consumer brand, which had an outdated business model that needed modernizing. Through this rebranding, we’re breathing new life into Bed Bath & Beyond, positioning it as an asset-light, ecommerce retailer with an expanded home furnishings and furniture assortment. Think of it as Bed Bath & a much bigger, better Beyond.”

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Law

Congressman Raskin Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Allow Cannabis Users Access to Federal Employment and Security Clearances.

By Patrick Herron

On Thursday, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01) introduced the Cannabis Users Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act, legislation to prevent prior or current marijuana use from becoming grounds for failing to receive security clearance or for being found unsuitable for federal employment. The CURE Act will also allow for someone who has previously been denied a security clearance or a federal job opportunity based on marijuana use the chance to have that denial reviewed.

“Every year, qualified and dedicated individuals seeking to serve our country are unable to secure federal jobs and security clearances because the federal government has not caught up with the widely established legal use of medical and recreational cannabis,” said Rep. Raskin. “I am proud to partner with my friend Representative Mace to introduce the bipartisan CURE Act that will eliminate the draconian, failed and obsolete marijuana policies that prevent talented individuals from becoming honorable public servants in their own government.”

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Bethesda

KID Museum FREE For MCPS Students on Sundays Through August 27 (Registration Required)

By Patrick Herron
Courtesy Kid Museum

KID Museum is dedicated to expanding access for the MCPS community by providing free opportunities to participate in our programming. Thanks to the generous support of Montgomery County Public Schools, all MCPS students and families can register for free admission to KID Museum, now through August 27, 2023.

KID Museum opened last May in its new flagship site at Bethesda Metro Center, 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 140— a brand new, 28,000 square foot facility “created to foster the “Mind of a Maker” and empower the next generation with the skills to invent the future.” The state-of-the-art makerspace is purpose-built for kids ages 4-14 to explore coding, robotics, engineering design, and hands-on maker learning, with the capacity to welcome more than 100,000 visitors every year. There will be grand opening events, becoming a member, or sponsoring us to help all kids discover a love of exploring, creating, and collaborating to become makers of the future.

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MoCo Government

Montgomery County ABC Becomes Exclusive Mid-Atlantic Seller of Domaine de Galuval Wines from the Rhône Valley

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) has leveraged its direct import capacity and is now offering eight creative and cutting-edge wines from the Domaine de Galuval winery in the Rhône Valley of France. ABS serves as the exclusive distributor of these wines in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Only a few other U.S. outlets—in California, Puerto Rico and New York City—carry Domaine de Galuval products. The Domain de Galuval wines are available now in all ABS Liquor Wine retail stores and Oak Barrel & Vine stores throughout the County. They also are available at participating privately owned beer and wine stores and restaurants.

The eight highly rated wines are unique creations, inspired by nature and true to the individual character of each vintage. The eye-catching labels feature works of art that represent the unique geology and character of the terroirs of the Domain de Galuval Estate. By importing directly, ABS is able to offer the products at attractive price points.

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MoCo

NBC Washington Highlights MoCo Lite Being Named The Best Light Beer in the Country

By MCS Staff

MoCo Lite, the collaboration between The MoCoShow and Lone Oak Farm Brewing Co. in Olney was recently named the Best Light Beer in the Country by Wine Enthusiast. NBC Washington’s Jummy Olabanji came out to Olney to speak with the team behind the beer.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvZ2QcKgg5E/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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Education

Maryland Has the 3rd Best Early Education System in America, According to Study

By MCS Staff

With only 11 states currently offering universal pre-K education, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s States with the Best & Worst Early Education Systems, with Maryland coming in 3rd overall. Maryland came in 1st in the income requirement for State Pre-K eligibility category, and was ranked as the 8th best school system overall in a study released by WalletHub last week.

In order to determine the best early education systems in America, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics. The data set ranges from share of school districts that offer a state pre-K program to number of pre-K quality benchmarks met and total reported spending per child enrolled in pre-K. Quality of Early Education in Maryland (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

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Bethesda

Vuori’s First DMV Location Now Open

By MCS Staff

Vuori has opened its first location in the DMV at 4820 Bethesda Ave, in the space that was previously home to BIBIBOP at Bethesda Row in Bethesda. Vuori makes premium performance apparel inspired by the active Coastal California lifestyle — an integration of fitness, surf, sport, and art.

Vuori draws inspiration from the active California lifestyle—an integration of fitness, yoga, surf and life. “We make products that stand the test of time and hope to inspire others to live healthy, extraordinary lives. Vuori is much more than a brand. It’s a way of life.”

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