Gaithersburg

The Flagship Carwash locations at 87 Bureau Dr in Gaithersburg and 785 Hungerford Dr in Rockville are temporarily closed for renovations.  A representative from the company tells us they expect to reopen both locations in about 60 days. The Germantown location at 11620 Middlebrook Road remains open.  Flagship has over 20 locations across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

About: “Flagship Carwash is a professional car wash services company with several locations throughout the DMV area. Flagship offers the optionality of full-service, express service and self service washes. This location offers brushless full service, express detailing and self service interior and exterior wash options. The full service wash includes three different levels of wash options, ultimate, super or full serve, so you can customize your wash based on your needs. Our tenured customer service team is there to handle all the details. We also offer express detailing services and a 24/7 self service wash option. All of our locations offer the same speedy, high-quality car wash customers have come to expect from Flagship.”


Education

Café Edison, an in-school, student-run restaurant at Thomas Edison High School of Technology, is now open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays through Friday, May 19. The restaurant will be closed through spring break, but will reopen on Wednesday, April 12.

Breakfast is served at 8:40 and 9 a.m., and lunch at 12:05 p.m. and 12:20 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 240-740-2024 or emailing Hospitality and Tourism teacher Jason Potyk. Cash or check payments are acceptable. The menu is available on the flyer, available on the school website (via QR code). Café Edison gives students an opportunity to gain valuable, real-world skills in a working restaurant. Students greet and seat guests. They also cook and serve the meals, bus the tables and handle restaurant clean up. Edison High School is located at 12501 Dalewood Dr. in Silver Spring.


Downtown Crown

Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg has announced a “Restaurant Week” scheduled to begin on March 26 and run through April 2. According to Downtown Crown, diners can “enjoy prix fixe menus, specialty food and drink items, exclusive offers and more at participating eateries! Gather with friends, family, and coworkers to indulge in delicious bites on each of our festive theme days. As you treat yourselves, let’s treat our community by bringing packaged or canned goods to participating eateries. All donations will go to Gaithersburg HELP, Inc.” Theme Days can be seen below:


I-270

I-270 was closed in both directions between Montrose Road and the I-270 split (Old Georgetown Rd/Democracy Blvd) due to a collision and police activity on Friday morning. According to Chief Spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services Pete Piringer, “units responded for a personal injury collision in the northbound lanes of 270 between the split and Montrose Rd. They came across an unattended vehicle… but it turns out the alleged driver of the vehicle disrobed, dropped all of his clothes in the middle of the road, and attempted to get into several vehicles… as truck 10 from Cabin John was heading southbound, the man jumped onto the truck and was attempting to get into the moving vehicle. They slowed down so the man would have to hold on. The doors were locked ”

It appeares as though the person was suffering from “excited delirium” and has been secured and transported to the hospital for evaluation. All lanes have reopened.


Event

Join Kaiser Permanente for Healthy at the Harbor, a free community health and wellness event taking place Saturday, June 6, from 11 am to 4 pm at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Bring your family and friends for free full day of fun, fitness, and preventive care along the waterfront.

Throughout the day, Kaiser Permanente nurses and physicians will offer no-cost health screenings, alongside a health and wellness expo focused on preventive care education. A lively Kids’ Zone will keep children active and entertained with spin-art bikes, face painting, balloon art, games, and more.


Bethesda

Westfield Montgomery has announced the signing of an expanded lease with Liljenquist & Beckstead. According to a press release, “The luxury boutique, housing exquisite collections of Swiss timepieces and stunning jewelry from around the world, will soon be home to a Rolex corner and storefront, along with an expanded selection of David Yurman offerings. The boutique will be built upon the existing location and expand into the former Lush and Swarovski spaces with Swarovski and Lush relocating nearby.”

Stuart Amos, Senior General Manager said: “we are honored to welcome the exciting expansion of Liljenquist & Beckstead. The Rolex boutique and expanded David Yurman offerings will be a welcome addition to our guests and speak to Westfield Montgomery’s evolution as an iconic shopping destination.”


Rockville

A change.org petition has been created to oppose a vape/tobacco shop that has signed a lease to take over the former bank space at 1101 Nelson St in the Woodley Gardens Shopping Center in Rockville. Woodley Gardens is home to Carmen’s Italian Ice, Hard Times Café, and Z&Z – Manoushe Bakery. According to the petition,  “a shop of this nature would have a direct and negative impact on the community that frequents the current businesses in the shopping center and family amenities in the park.” Full text from change.org/p/oppose-the-vape-tobacco-shop-in-woodley-gardens below:

“The Woodley Gardens Shopping Center has signed a lease with a “tobacco shop” to be the new tenant in the old bank location. This business will likely be selling tobacco products and vaping supplies (which are often targeted at minors) among family-friendly retailers and across from the Woodley Gardens park. It is highly concerning that a shop of this type could open in such close proximity to an ice cream store, playground, park, sports fields/courts, family swimming pool and future early childhood education center.


Arts

A new exhibit by the artists of the VisAbility Art Lab opens at The Seneca (55 West Gude Drive) in Rockville this Saturday.  The VisAbility Art Lab is a studio program that “provides artists with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities a place and the resources to create art and develop the skills necessary to work in the arts.” The exhibit will be open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM through Friday, April 26. Full details below courtesy of VisArts:

We are delighted to announce that more than 30 pieces of art will go on exhibit at The Seneca in Rockville on Saturday, March 25 – works created by the artists of VisArts’ VisAbility Art Lab. These highly talented painters, sketchers, and sculptors have two things in common: they are artists with autism or other intellectual and developmental disabilities and they are successfully pursuing careers in art.


Education

Three MCPS students have been named Carson Scholars, earning $1,000 college scholarships. Carson Scholars are students who excel academically and donate their time and talents to others. students in grades 4 –11 who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and humanitarian qualities. MCPS students who are first-time scholarship recipients are:

Six additional MCPS students also reaffirmed their status as Carson Scholars for maintaining a 3.75 grade point average, and continuing to do volunteer work. They are:


Germantown

The Minority Scholars Program (MSP), a student-led initiative, held its 12th annual retreat at Northwest High School on March 18. The event included elementary, middle and high school workshops on racism, anti-racism, community building through community circles, and dismantling stereotypes. There was also talks from four seniors about why they got involved with MCPS and a talent show, with dance, song and spoken word performances.

Per MCPS: Seventeen years ago, MSP began as a student-driven initiative aimed at tackling the opportunity gap. Through student leadership and activism, it has served as a vehicle and a blueprint for creating change. Since its inception, MSP has worked to change the conversation around race, equity and the opportunity gap. MSP has been growing steadily and now has chapters in every MCPS high school, 24 middle schools and six elementary schools. Student leaders have spoken at county, state and national events, spreading the MSP model across the state and nation.


Education

Per Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS): MCPS expects all classrooms to be inclusive and safe spaces for students, including those who identify as LGBTQ+ or have family members in the LGBTQ+ community. A broad representation of personal characteristics within curricular or instructional materials promotes this desired outcome. Therefore, as with all curriculum resources, there is an expectation that teachers utilize these inclusive lessons and texts with all students.

As is standard practice, when planning for instruction teachers/schools are encouraged to utilize a variety of resources to continue to promote an inclusive environment as outlined in the MCPS Core Values and Board Policy. Students and families may not choose to opt out of engaging with any instructional materials, other than “Family Life and Human Sexuality Unit of Instruction” which is specifically permitted by Maryland law. As such, teachers will not send home letters to inform families when inclusive books are read in the future.


Arts

The American Film Institute (AFI) announced that Ray Barry, Director of the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, will retire this month after nearly 50 years at AFI. Silver Theatre Director of Programming and Associate Director of the Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, Todd Hitchcock has been named as Barry’s replacement. Additional information below, per AFI’s press release:

Ray Barry has been a fixture at AFI for nearly 50 years, serving as the Director of the AFI Theater at the John F. Kennedy Center, and later spearheading AFI’s initiative to restore the historic Silver Theatre and transform it into the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center—a state-of-the-art center for the moving image. He was also instrumental in the launch of many of AFI’s national programs over the years, including AFI FEST in Los Angeles and the AFI/Discovery Channel SILVERDOCS Documentary Film Festival, the annual AFI European Union Film Showcase and AFI Latin American Film Festival in Washington, DC, as well as having developed a wide variety of special exhibition projects for presentation both in the United States and overseas.