Germantown

Coming soon signage is up at the upcoming Gold’s Gym location at 12922 Middlebrook Road in Germantown, in the former location of DSW that closed earlier this year in the Germantown Commons shopping center next to Bed Bath & Beyond. In September  we spoke with a representative from Gold’s Gym current Germantown location in the Fox Chapel shopping center, and we’re told that the existing location will close when the new one opens “sometime next year.” According to advertisements on social media, the new Gold’s Gym location is now expected to open in “Spring 2023” (photo below).


Chevy Chase

3:35pm Update per MCFRS: Two dogs were located in the smoke filled house, likely over come by smoke. They did not survive, no other injuries

Original report: Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call on the 4800 block of Chevy Chase Rd near Hillandale Rd in Chevy Chase at approximately 2:40pm on Sunday afternoon, according to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson, Pete Piringer.


MCFRS

Two teenagers suffered non life-threatening injuries following a crash that left the vehicle upside down against a utility pole, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) PIO Pete Piringer. Both were transported to a local hospital and were likely unrestrained in the vehicle when the crash occurred.

Report from Sunday morning: WTOP Traffic reports that Norwood Rd remains closed late Sunday morning, between Dr. Bird Rd and Layhill Rd, for emergency utility following a crash that occurred around 12:45am early on Sunday morning. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call for an overturned vehicle into a telephone pole with occupant(s) trapped inside the vehicle. The crash occurred on the 16900 block of Norwood Rd, near Excalibur Lane, in the area of Sandy Springs Friends School, according to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer.


Crime

Per Takoma Park Police: Chief Antonio DeVaul from the Takoma Park Police Department announces the arrest of Jose Mazara, 27, of no fixed address, for 1st degree burglary, possession of a firearm with a felony conviction and loaded handgun on a person.

On September 29, 2022, Takoma Park Police detectives conducted a traffic stop in the 7600 block of Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland.  During the traffic stop, Mazara was developed as a possible suspect in multiple Takoma Park burglaries, however, was released at that time.  Recently, it was confirmed that Mazara is responsible for multiple burglaries in Takoma Park.  At this time, it’s known that Mazara is responsible for the burglary on June 21 in the 100 block of Sherman Avenue, November 13 in the 900 block of East West Highway, November 27 in the 900 block of Larch Avenue and December 7 in the 1300 block of Erskine Street.


Event

Historic Indigenous Recognition Event to Take Place in Montgomery County, Maryland

The Taino American Indigenous National Organization (T.A.I.N.O.) proudly announces its upcoming signature public event,


Gaithersburg

Planet Fitness at 255 Muddy Branch Rd in Gaithersburg will be temporarily closing next week to complete renovations at the gym. Signage on the front door reads, “We are working on an upgraded club! We temporarily close on 12/13 at 9pm and plan to re-open tentatively on 12/30. Further communication will be posted!”  The Planet Fitness at 13031 Wisteria Dr in the Germantown Plaza shopping center briefly closed for renovations back in November.

Planet Fitness has also announced that its new location in the Montrose Shopping Center in Rockville is scheduled to open this month. The gym is moving from its 15,000 sq ft space at 1776 E Jefferson St to the 30,000 sq ft space at 5520 Randolph Rd, which was the previous site of Gold’s Gym. This will also be the first Planet Fitness location in Maryland to feature the new RelaxSpace Wellness Pod, where the gym’s Black Card members can “select between a variety of videos, scents and even temperatures while learning more about diet, nutrition, breathing and the benefits of exercise.”


MCFRS

WTOP Traffic reports that Norwood Rd remains closed late Sunday morning, between Dr. Bird Rd and Layhill Rd, for emergency utility following a crash that occurred around 12:45am early on Sunday morning. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call for an overturned vehicle into a telephone pole with occupant(s) trapped inside the vehicle. The crash occurred on the 16900 block of Norwood Rd, near Excalibur Lane, in the area of Sandy Springs Friends School, according to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

ADVISORY: Norwood Rd remains CLOSED btwn Dr. Bird Rd and Layhill Rd for emergency utility, follow crew direction #SilverSpring #MdTraffic #DCTraffic


Aspen Hill

Gold’s Gym closed its Layhill Center location in Silver Spring earlier this month, according to a representative from one of its Rockville locations. We were told the decision was made to not renew the lease at 14348 Layhill Rd.

Gold’s Gym has other Montgomery County locations in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Olney, and two in Rockville (Rockville Town Square and Wintergreen Plaza). The current Germantown location (Fox Chapel) will be closing once the new location opens in the former DSW space in the Germantown Commons shopping center next to Bed Bath & Beyond.


Beyond MoCo

Caleb Williams, a Prince George’s County native who attended high school at Gonzaga College High in DC, has won the Heisman Trophy. He is the first player from the DMV to win the prestigious college football award, after leading the USC Trojans to an 11-2 record as a sophomore. Williams beat out C.J. Stroud of Ohio State, Stetson Bennett of the University of Georgia, and Max Duggan of TCU to win the Heisman Trophy

Williams threw 4,075 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just 4 interceptions this year, while running for 10 more touchdowns. Williams enrolled at Oklahoma in the spring of 2021 after graduating a semester early from high school, and emerged as the Sooners’ starting quarterback by mid-season, proving to be one of the nation’s premier freshmen in 2021. He transferred to USC last year and earned the starting job.


Crime

Per Gaithersburg Police: On Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 8:58 p.m., Gaithersburg Police responded to the Macy’s located at 701 Russell Avenue in Lakeforest Mall for the report of a shoplifting. Two male suspects entered the store and one male suspect selected merchandise. Both suspects then exited the store without paying. While both suspects were fleeing, one of the male suspects brandished a firearm.

LAKEFOREST MALL FIRST-DEGREE ASSAULT: ~8:50PM Saturday at Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg, MD. Suspect armed with handgun in some sort of confrontation at the Mall, possibly related to shoplifting. Suspect fled; GPD investigating the incident as a First-Degree Assault..


Aspen Hill

Jersey Mike’s will be opening a new restaurant in the Northgate Plaza in Aspen Hill. The restaurant, which is currently hiring, will be taking over the  location that was formerly home to Body & Brain Tai Chi– between Dunkin’ and Roy Rogers.

Jersey Mike’s was founded as Mike’s Submarines in Point Pleasant, New Jersey in 1956. Peter Cancro started working at the restaurant in 1968 when he was 14 and the shop was on its third hour. Three years later the shop went up for sale again and with the help of a local high school football coach who was also a banker, Cancro was able to pull together $125,000 to buy it at age 17. He began to franchise the restaurant in 1987 and now has over 2,000 locations with various locations across Montgomery County.


MoCo

Earlier this year, the local “Yelp MD Burbs” part of Yelp released its list of “Top 25 Places to Eat in MD Burbs” list and 15 of the 25 restaurants on the list are in Montgomery County, including four of the top five. Yelp is a popular company that publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses with a major focus on restaurants. The Montgomery County restaurants that made the list can be seen below (most pictures courtesy of Taste MoCo):

25. Trattoria Da Lina (7000 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park)