K2 Cafe is expanding. The popular Poolesville-based cafe will open a second location at the Clarksburg Market, located at 23335 Frederick Road in Clarksburg, bringing its Himalayan-inspired bowls, wraps, and specialty drinks to another Montgomery County community. A video of the K2 Cafe experience can be seen below.
A Poolesville High School junior is building a fast-growing internship platform that has already attracted more than 22,000 users worldwide and landed him in Silicon Valley founder circles.
Governor Wes Moore has signed an executive order titled “Building an Affordable and Reliable Energy Future,” directing a coordinated, whole-of-government effort to address rising energy costs and projected gaps in electricity generation in Maryland.
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…)
Poolesville High School formally dedicated its gymnasium on December 19, 2025, in honor of longtime educator, coach, and athletic director Fred Allen Swick, whose impact on Montgomery County athletics spanned decades. The newly named Fred Swick Gymnasium recognizes Swick’s lasting legacy as a mentor, leader, and champion for student-athletes in the Poolesville community. (more…)
Connect with neighbors, learn about Lafayette Federal, and grab fun giveaways! All while enjoying food from local Tacos el Pariente.
First 75 registrants can receive free food.*
Caspian House of Kabob, located at 72 Market St. in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood, has permanently closed.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded around 7:50 p.m. on Saturday, December 20, to a house fire in the 5500 block of Namakagan Road in Bethesda. (more…)
Olympic gold medalist and Montgomery County native Dominique Dawes has shared a tragic update in the search for her missing father-in-law, Leonard Thompson. On Saturday evening, Dawes confirmed that Thompson has died, sharing a message of gratitude and remembrance following days of public appeals for help locating him.
Twelve Montgomery County Public Schools students have been named recipients of full-tuition, four-year college scholarships through the Posse Foundation, MCPS announced.
If you’re looking to dine out on Christmas Day, dozens of Montgomery County restaurants will be open across the county, offering everything from breakfast and bagels to late-night dining and full holiday meals. The list was compiled by Michelle Katz, who runs the Instagram account @pike.and.rozay. Katz is also a local teacher and a former MoCoShow contributor, and her annual holiday restaurant guides have become a helpful resource for residents planning ahead.
Dominique Dawes shared a tragic update Saturday evening, confirming that her father-in-law, Leonard Thompson, has died. “We take comfort in knowing that he is now with our Lord and Savior,” Dawes wrote. “Thank you all for the prayers and support during this very difficult time. Our last moment with him was accompanying him at mass and giving him a hug and my husband and I said, ‘Get home safely’… Rest in Peace, Papa T.”
North Potomac-based Casa Blanca Creations recently brought its signature holiday style to Los Angeles, creating a festive winter wonderland for Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco as part of a high profile collaboration led by celebrity event planner Mindy Weiss. The project marked a major milestone for the immersive designer holiday boutique, showcasing how a local Montgomery County concept is now reaching the highest levels of celebrity events.