Bethesda

The 31st annual Taste of Bethesda is scheduled for Saturday, October 1st and will feature Bethesda’s best restaurants, five stages of live entertainment, an activity area for kids and more. The event is held along Norfolk, St. Elmo, Cordell, Del Ray and Auburn Avenues in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Taste of Bethesda is located just three blocks from the Bethesda Metro. Admission to the Taste of Bethesda is free. Taste tickets are sold on-site in bundles of four tickets for $5. Food servings cost one to four tickets. Restaurants serve delectable dishes from 11am-4pm. Ticket sales end at 3:30pm. Participating restaurants can be seen below, and additional information can be found here.


Events

DrinkMaryland, a market-like pop up event, will make a stop at Olde Towne Plaza in Gaithersburg on Friday, September 9, from 4 to 8 p.m. Featuring local Maryland wine, cider & beer, this open-air market is perfect for a casual Friday night. Learn about the local craft beverage industry from the vintners, brewers & distillers themselves while sampling their products. Enjoy live music, visit with artisans & crafters, and enjoy food from vendors & local restaurants in the historic commercial center of Gaithersburg.

Unlike traditional wine tasting events, DrinkMaryland is an open marketplace for visitors to explore. Public entry to the event is free; tasting passes for the sampling of wine, cider, mead, beer, and distilled spirits can be purchased for $20 in advance or $25 on-site. Order a sampling pass here. Artisans & crafters are still being sought for this Maryland Makers event. For vendor information, please contact the Community Museum.


Events

The annual Oktoberfest celebration returns to transform the Kentlands in Gaithersburg, with multiple stages of live entertainment featuring traditional Bavarian music & dancing, along with local, regional & national talent. Fall-themed activities for families, a Business Expo, artisans, beer, mead & cider, and delicious food will delight attendees throughout the day. The event will take place on Sunday, October 9th from 12pm until 5pm. In past years this event has drawn crowds of up to 30,000. Admission, shuttles & parking are free to the public.

In the past, Oktoberfest has allowed area residents to experience a taste of Germany right in their own backyard with musical performances, traditional festival food, and samples from many local microbreweries and Maryland varietal wines. Fall festivities have previously included professional pumpkin carving and apple cider pressing demonstrations, free horse-drawn wagon rides, hands-on crafts, pumpkin and face painting, artists and crafters, family activities, and strolling entertainers. More details will be added as the event draws nearer.


Crime

Update per Montgomery County Police: At approximately 11:23 p.m., for reasons unknown a juvenile male was involved in a dispute in the area of the 18300 block of Lost Knife Circle. During the course of the dispute, shots were fired and it was determined that a juvenile male was the victim of a shooting. Officers and fire rescue responded. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious injury.

Original Report: A teenager was shot at approximately 11:20pm last night on Lost Knife Circle, which is located just off of Montgomery Village Avenue and Lost Knife Road in Montgomery Village. Officers were initially dispatched for a sound of shots complain and found the teenaged victim critically shot. Officers rendered first aid prior to EMS arrival. The victim was transported to the hospital with very serious injuries.


Restaurants

Armand’s Pizzeria and Grille, located at 190 Halpine Road in Rockville, has been voted as the favorite in WTOP’s ‘2022 Best Pizza’ list. Armand’s once had over 25 DMV locations with multiple restaurants right here in Montgomery County. The once-mighty local chain is now down to two family-owned locations with just the Rockville location remaining in the area and “Armand’s By the Sea” located in Bethany Beach, DE. In January of 2021, Armand’s Pizza won Taste MoCo’s tournament of 64 Montgomery County restaurants that offer pizza.

Founder Lew Newmyer opened the first Armand’s back in 1975 at Veazey Street and Wisconsin Avenue NW near Tenley Circle in Washington, D.C., after tasting deep-dish pizza during a visit to Chicago. The Newmyer family, residents of Montgomery County, owned and operated several Armand’s location, closing the last of their restaurants in 2018 when the Silver Spring location closed. The two remaining restaurants are franchised locations that still use the original recipe and cooking style Armand’s is known for. Lew, who was a Silver Spring resident, passed away in 2015 at the age of 92.


Restaurants

Paris Baguette, “the neighborhood bakery café where communities come together over expertly crafted baked and brewed goods”, announced that the brand is on track to open a projected 40 new locations by the end of 2022, reaching nearly 150 locations across the United States and reinforcing its status as one of the fastest growing franchises in the country. One of those location will be in Rockville Town Square with another location (currently unknown) coming to the area soon, according to a report by Bethesda Magazine. The Rockville Town Square location will be located at 101 Gibbs Street and will offer Korean and French baked goods. Doors may open by the end of 2022.

In addition to the upcoming Montgomery County locations, the growth of the bakery/cafe will accelerate in 2023 with 96 slated bakery café openings and increased interest from franchise partners. Paris Baguette currently operates in 14 states with a focus on expanding to a nationwide footprint in top-tier markets through a combined strategic approach of corporate-owned and franchise locations; franchise agreements have been signed to expand across 25 states. “The increased interest we’ve seen in franchise agreements and rapid expansion through new store openings at Paris Baguette is a testament to the success we’ve seen by focusing on the elevated bakery café experience and creating an emotional connection with our guests,” said Darren Tipton, Chief Executive Officer, Paris Baguette America. “We set an aggressive goal to open 1,000 locations in the U.S. by 2030 and we’re on track to exceed this plan with strategic direction on growth, quality products, customer experience, and innovation.”


Colesville

At approximately 4:35 p.m., 4th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the location for the report of a traffic collision.

The preliminary at-scene investigation by detectives has determined that the driver of a light green 2007 Nissan Altima was attempting to turn left from eastbound Randolph Road into a parking lot in the 500 block of Randolph Road. The driver of a red 2017 Honda Civic was traveling west on Randolph Road. The vehicles collided in the westbound lanes.


MoCo Government

Organizations can apply independently or in collaboration with other groups. This mini-grant program will strengthen current efforts of the Montgomery County Community Food Rescue (CFR), a food recovery network of Manna Food Center. Applications are due by 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9.

A pre-application technical assistance conference will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22. More information and the online application are available online.


Business

Sidney Hechinger opened his first hardware store in Washington D.C. in 1919. In 1953, the company had grown to five stores. Sidney brought in his son, John Hechinger, and his son-in-law, Richard England, as partners. By the early 70s, the company had doubled in size to ten stores. Hechinger and England took the company public in 1972.

John Hechinger Jr. became was named president of the company in 1986. He was the third generation of Hechingers to run the show and reincorporated the company in Delaware the next year. At the time, the company was up to just over 50 stores. By 1995, there were 131 stores in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. That’s when the competition from Home Depot and Lowe’s forced Hechinger to close almost twenty stores, while reformatting a few others. It was the first major decrease in stores the company had ever seen.


Business

Barnes & Noble has announced the return of their popular Book Haul event. It began on August 12th and will be running through Labor Day weekend.  The bookseller again offers book lovers half-off from over 700 Hardcover books. While supplies last, there are books included in every genre and all stores nationwide are participating, as well as online at bn.com/bookhaul. There are Montgomery County Barnes & Noble locations in Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront and Rockville’s Congressional Plaza. In addition to books, the sale includes deals on board games, planners, LEGOs, tea, and more.

Per the press release: “This is the biggest Book Haul in our history,” said Jackie De Leo, Chief Merchandising Officer, Barnes & Noble.  “With half-off so many exciting and new hardcover titles during Book Haul, it gives our customers a fantastic opportunity to build out their bookshelf. The choice is wider than ever and for those who are quick on their feet into our stores, there are so many brilliant titles to be had.”


Fairland

On Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at approximately 9:54 a.m., 3rd District officers were dispatched to the location for the report of a fraud that occurred earlier.

The investigation by detectives has determined that on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, at approximately 3 p.m., Young arrived at the dealership and purchased a 2020 Silver Toyota Prius and a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid with two fraudulent checks.