DMV

MoCo Resident Amelia Draper Celebrates 10 Years as a Meteorologist at NBC 4

By MCS Staff

Amelia Draper is celebrating her 10th year as a Meteorologist with StormTeam 4 (NBC Washington). Her forecasts can be seen during the evening editions of News4, on NBCWashington.com and on 103.5 WTOP Radio. She joined the DC area’s NBC affiliate in March 2013. Draper lives in Montgomery County with her husband and son.

Per NBC 4: A native of Frederick, Md., Draper has wanted to forecast the weather in Washington, D.C. since she started studying meteorology at Penn State University. In fact, she graduated from college early so she could start working. Draper’s first job was with CNET in State College, Pa. While forecasting weather there, she became very familiar with weather phenomena such as lake effect snow, which helped her land her next job as weekend meteorologist for WJET/WFXP in Erie, Pa. Erie recorded its second snowiest winter on record during Draper’s first year there. From there, she joined the morning shift at WIVB-WNLO in Buffalo.

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Montgomery Village

Moe’s Closes in Wheaton Mall; One Montgomery County Location Remains (Montgomery Village)

By MCS Staff

Updated to reflect that the Montgomery Village location is the only Moe’s left in the county, rather than state.

Moe’s Southwest Grill made its triumphant return to MoCo when the fast-casual Mexican restaurant opened in the Wheaton Mall food court in late 2019. That restaurant has now closed permanently, a representative from the Montgomery Village location confirmed for us on Saturday morning.

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Restaurants

Old Miller’s Ale House Space Will be Home to Umi Sushi and Seafood Buffet

By MCS Staff

Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet is taking over the space that was recently home to Miller’s Ale House and previously home to Hooters and Shakey’s at 1471 Rockville Pike in Rockville. Miller’s Ale House closed last September after a decade in Rockville. Photos of Umi are available below.

As of now things look the same inside the restaurant with Miller’s Ale House logos still visible in exterior and interior doors. Umi shares the name and description of a restaurant that has multiple locations in New York, New Jersey and Florida. It describes itself as “the largest and most elegant Chinese, Japanese, and American cuisine restaurant.” Its other restaurants offer a lunch and dinner buffet, along with Saturday/Sunday all-day dinner, and a to-go buffet option. Lunch buffet options go for up to $16.99 per person and the dinner buffet for up to $27.99 per person, according to that menu.

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MCFRS

MCFRS Extinguish Car Fire in Rockville Saturday Morning (Video)

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a vehicle fire near Highwood Road, in Rockville, at approximately 6:15 on Saturday morning.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the vehicle fire was extinguished shortly after the MCFRS units arrived and there were no injuries. Video below, courtesy of MCFRS:

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Briggs Chaney

Montgomery Planning to present first draft of Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan to Planning Board March 23

By MCS Staff

Plan seeks to improve transit access, housing and shopping options, and pedestrian connections along U.S. 29/Columbia Pike; community invited to continue to participate during Planning Board public process

The Montgomery County Planning Department will present the Working Draft of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan to the Montgomery County Planning Board during its weekly meeting on Thursday, March 23. During this meeting, the Planning Board will have the opportunity to provide initial feedback, accept the Working Draft Plan as the Public Hearing Draft, and set the date for a public hearing to receive additional community feedback. This is the first step prior to the Planning Board conducting work sessions to review and revise the draft plan and then submitting the draft plan to the County Council for its public review and final approval.

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Beyond MoCo

Beyond MoCo: Governor Moore Requests Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration for Invasive Blue Catfish

By Patrick Herron

Per the State of Maryland (3.16.23): Governor Wes Moore is today calling on the federal government to declare the expanding population of invasive fish species—including blue catfish, flathead catfish, and snakehead—to be an ongoing commercial fishery disaster in the Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The governor sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo requesting the declaration under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act.

Since 2012, the total catch of seven of Maryland’s marquee commercial fishery species that share their habitat with invasive fish at some point in their life cycle has declined between 27% and 91%. The dockside value of these species has likewise declined between 12% and 85%. Commercial fisheries—including hard blue crab, striped bass, yellow perch, and others—have brought in an average $64 million yearly in dockside value during that time, making declines a significant loss for Maryland’s commercial watermen and the state’s economy.

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MCPS

County Council to Receive Briefings on Community Engagement Officers and Restorative Justice Practices in Montgomery County Public Schools

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The joint Public Safety (PS) and Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet on Monday, March 20 at 9:30 a.m. to receive a briefing on the Community Engagement Officer (CEO) Program and restorative justice practices within Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The joint committee will also receive a briefing and discuss school bus safety. The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink. The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Mink.

The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review a $250,000 FY23 Supplemental Appropriation and FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Amendment for streetlighting. The committee will also review CIP amendments for transportation projects and receive a briefing on the Purple Line. The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass and Councilmembers Marilyn Balcombe and Kate Stewart. The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to receiving a briefing from representatives of the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) on Housing Choice vouchers. The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Jawando.

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Germantown

Margarita Bar & Grill Coming to Germantown

By Patrick Herron

Signage is up for Margaritas Bar & Grill at 19201 Frederick Rd in Germantown. The restaurant is taking over the space that was previously occupied by the Fraternal Order of Eagle #3509 and Captain Mori’s Seafood House. Seafood in the Buff, a mobile steamed crab business, operates out of the parking lot of this location in the summer months.  No additional information is known about the new restaurant at this time. There are two Margaritas Bar & Grill locations in Georgia, and signage at the Germantown location reads “serving Middle GA since 1988,” but it is unclear if the restaurants are related.

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White Oak

Police Investigating Fatal Pedestrian Collision; Identity of 75-Year-Old Victim Released

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: The Montgomery County Department of Police – Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is investigating a fatal pedestrian collision that occurred on Columbia Pike at Stewart Lane. I On Thursday, March 16, 2023, at approximately 1:28 p.m., 75-year-old Teklu Bushen Siba of Silver Spring, was crossing the northbound lanes in a westbound direction on Columbia Pike when he was struck by a white 2002 Ford Explorer traveling northbound The driver remained at the location and Siba was pronounced dead at the scene.  This is an active and ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this collision is asked to contact CRU detectives at (240)773-6620.

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MCDOT

MCDOT to Hold a Virtual Community Meeting on the University Boulevard Dedicated Bus Lane Pilot Project on Thursday, March 30

By MCS Staff

Per Montgomery County Department of Transportation: On Thursday, March 30 starting at 6 p.m., the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will hold an online public meeting to discuss a new dedicated bus lane pilot project along the University Boulevard (MD 193) corridor between Amherst and Dennis Avenues in Silver Spring. If supported, the bus lane will launch this summer/fall. This dedicated bus lane, shared with bikes and emergency vehicles, will reduce traffic congestion for buses on the route and provide faster and more reliable service for riders. The meeting will share information, answer questions and allow for MCDOT to receive community feedback.

The bus lane will be clearly identified with signs and pavement markings, and there will be no changes to existing parking or loading. MCDOT provides for the planning, design and construction of improvements to bus service. The Bus Priority Project includes multiple projects that improve local bus timing, ease of access and safety such as marked dedicated bus lanes; queue jumps; passenger boarding and alighting improvements; implementation of transit signal priority; enhanced bus stops; and other similar improvements that will increase reliability and result in faster buses throughout Montgomery County.

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MoCo

32 ‘Women Making History Award’ Winners Honored by Montgomery Commission for Women and Montgomery Women

By MCS Staff

The Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women this week honored 32 women who were selected for the 2023 “Women Making History Awards.” The winners were recognized at ceremonies at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The awards are given in recognition of outstanding women in Montgomery County who are making significant contributions to their vocations and to the community. Recipients and their accomplishments will be featured each day in March on the social media platforms of the Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women. This year’s recipients:

Nominations were submitted by peers based on criteria such as unselfish leadership, hard work in their field, exceptional leadership in civic activities, developing or supporting programs resulting in positive social action and inspiring others. Nominees had to either reside or work in Montgomery County. For more information about the sponsoring organizations, visit the Montgomery County Commission for Women website at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw/ or the Montgomery Women website at http://www.montgomerywomen.org/.

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