Per the Comptroller of Maryland: Starting on July 1, 2023, adults can legally use cannabis for recreational purposes. Anyone purchasing cannabis products from a dispensary must show their government-issued ID to demonstrate they are 21 or older. A medical card is still required to purchase medical-use cannabis. Cannabis sales tax update:
If you have a medical-use cannabis card:
Wine Enthusiast has ranked MoCo Lite, the collaboration between The MoCoShow and Lone Oak Brewing Company, the best light beer in the country.
In the article titled ‘The Best Light Beer to Drink Right Now‘, Wine Enthusiast gives MoCo Lite the highest rating out of all light beers in the country- scoring a 91. “There’s a joke that light beer is nearly water but not as flavorful. This pale straw yellow lager pours clear as a bell with a robust head and delivers on soft grain-forward refreshment. Drink all day without palate fatigue.”
Abby Meyers is Whitman High School’s all-time leading scorer with over 1,700 points and was the Ivy League Player of the Year last year before transferring to the University of Maryland for her senior season. On Tuesday, she signed a hardship contract with the Washington Mystics Tuesday. Meyers, who was a captain in her only year with the Terps, was drafted 11th overall in the first round of the WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings, but was waived prior to the start of the season.
A hardship contract is commonly used when a team has fewer than 10 players available for a game. The Mystics are on a three-game winning streak and Meyers scored 2 points in 6 minutes in her debut– the team’s most recent game on Thursday. I’m the video below, Meyers talks about what it’s like playing in the DMV again, “woke up in my own house that I grew up in, and drove down a few blocks to get here.”
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…)
Metrobus customers who travel at night will have the option to get off between bus stops along the route, closer to their destination to provide a safer, better bus experience. These “courtesy stops” put customer safety first during times of day when it is darkest outside.
Beginning, Sunday, June 25, customers may request a courtesy stop between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. If the bus operator determines it is safe to do so, the bus will pull over to the curb and allow the customer to exit. In some cases, it may not be safe to exit, such as along busy highways, at or approaching intersections, or locations without a curb or place of safety. When exiting, customers should use the front door of the bus.
Program Overview
This 6 week Saturday tennis clinic is designed for middle school players who want to learn and improve their tennis skills in a fun and supportive environment. Players will build confidence on the court while developing strong fundamentals and enjoying the game with other students.
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 3rd District Investigative Section are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Kevin Stewart, a missing 36-year-old from Silver Spring.
Stewart was last seen on Friday, June 23, 2023, at approximately 7 p.m., in the 12300 block of LaPlata St. He may be driving a Black 2022 Honda Accord with Maryland registration 9FC5345. Stewart has brown eyes and brown hair. It is unknown what he was last seen wearing. Police and family are concerned for his welfare.
Coming soon signage is up for Wiseguy Pizza in the Wheaton Mall food court. The restaurant will be located in the space that was previously occupied by Angel’s Pizza. Wiseguy serves stone-deck oven baked pizza by the slice that’s made with imported ingredients from Italy, homemade sauces, and dough using a special water filtration system. Pizza options include Cheese, Pepperoni, Paneer Tikki (House Masala, Paneer, Mozzarella, Onions, Tomato, Green & Chili Peppers, Cilantro, Jalapeño Sauce), Nashville Hot Chicken, Chicken Parmesan, and Whitestone (Garlic, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmigiano, Oregano, Oil from Tuscany Italy.)
Silky Gem, which offers crystal candies inspired by Vietnamese Lunar new year traditions, will hold the grand opening of its store in the coming days or weeks at 332 Main St in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood. The store has been described as the first crystal candy shop to open in the United States (photos below).
The shop has held a few events prior to its grand opening and offers a variety of the same crystal candies many have seen on the Silky Gem social media accounts. The grand opening was initially scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 24th, but had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. A new date will be announced via social media and the store is currently in a “soft launch” phase.
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 6th District Investigative Section (6DIS) are looking for three suspects involved in a Gaithersburg commercial burglary.
On Wednesday, June 14, 6th district officers responded to the Tobacco King, in the 18500 block of Woodfield Road where they spoke with a caller who stated that when they arrived at the store at approximately 6:45 a.m., they noticed the glass door damaged and shattered.
HESS construction is making progress at the upcoming Woodward High School at 11211 Old Georgetown Rd in Rockville, which will be used as a holding school/facility for current Northwood High School while their new high school building will be built between September 2024 and August 2026. The completed Woodward High School will officially be reopened in September 2026. MCPS Division of Capital Planning will start the process of a boundary study to determine who will go to Woodward High School 18 months prior to the opening of school (which is coming soon).
Currently, phase 1 of construction is progressing and will include all spaces necessary for Montgomery County high school students to graduate from the new Woodward High School. Phase 2 will take place between late 2023 and 2025 so that it can be completed prior to the official opening of Woodward High School. The school site sits on 27.31 acres (for reference, Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS is 16.36 acres, Walter Johnson HS is 30.86 acres). However, significant topographic change within the site limits the use of flat area for site amenities. The new Woodward HS building has been designed for a capacity of 2,700 students.
Back in May 2021, Governor Larry Hogan signed a bill into law that gave a two year extension on the sale of alcohol via delivery and carryout by licensed restaurants. That extension ends at the end of this month (June 2023) and to-go sales of alcohol will end in the state of Maryland.
The Montgomery County ABS, which regulates the sale of liquor in Montgomery County, passed a temporary resolution back on March 24, 2020 that allows holders of on-premise licenses to sell for carry out and delivery. This was one way restaurants were able to stay afloat during the pandemic while dining rooms were shut down. The new bill, SB205, replaced the temporary resolution in July 2021 for two years. Montgomery County’s ABS confirmed via phone call that to-go sales via delivery and carry-out would end on Friday, June 30th.
Now in its 31st year, the Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle continues to be a fan favorite with DC area residents and tourists alike. The Giant BBQ Battle will take place on Saturday, June 24 (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and Sunday, June 25, 2023 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) on Pennsylvania Avenue, between 3rd and 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC.
In 2023, Festival goers will have the opportunity to experience all things BBQ as Pennsylvania Avenue will become the epicenter of BBQ pork-fection. Top BBQ legends from across the country will compete in multiple contests like the Perdue Sizzlin’ Chicken Contest, National Pork Championship, Smokin’ with Smithfield, PA Steak Cook-off Kingsford Kids Que.