Per the National Weather Service: “A Heat Advisory is in effect for much of the area between 12-8pm today. Heat index values this afternoon will range between 100-105 degrees. If spending extended times outdoors please stay hydrated & take plenty of breaks.”

Montgomery County has also issued a Heat Emergency. “These dangerously hot temperatures and heat index values could cause heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  Try to stay in an air-conditioned location.  Stay hydrated.  When possible, take frequent breaks in a cool, shaded area.

Don’t forget your pets!  If you see an animal outside who appears to be in danger, call the Animal Services Division at 301-279-8000. The following precautions will help residents remain safe and more comfortable during excessive heat days:

• Stay indoors, whenever possible. Keep in mind: Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they may not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-conditioned place is a better way to cool off. Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.  Visit nearby air-conditioned buildings in your community if your home is not air-conditioned. County facilities, including libraries, swimming pools, recreation centers and senior centersare places to cool off during normal operating hours. Public locations such as indoor malls could also be utilized.
• Be careful to avoid strenuous activities that can result in overexposure to the sun, such as sports and gardening. If you must do a strenuous activity, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the morning before 9 a.m.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration, cramps, exhaustion or heat stroke can result from not drinking enough fluids. Water is the safest liquid to drink.
• Avoid drinks containing alcohol or caffeine.
• When outdoors, wear proper protection from the sun. Light-colored clothing, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen protection are strongly recommended.
• Never leave pets, young children, or the elderly in a vehicle for ANY amount of time, even with the window open, because the temperature inside parked cars can reach 130 degrees in only a few minutes.
• Monitor those at high risk. Those at greatest risk of heat-related illness include:
  • Infants and children up to four years of age;
  • Individuals 65 years of age and older;
  • Individuals who are ill or on certain medications; and
  • Individuals who are overweight.”

Featured photo courtesy of the National Weather Service

Montgomery County Police responded to a shooting in the 14200 block of Punch St (off of Layhill Rd near Bel Pre/Bonifant in Layhill/Silver Spring) on Monday, September 4. According to MCPD, “At approximately 7:40 p.m., 4th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the 14200 block of Punch St. for the report of a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers located an adult male in the street suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital, his condition is unknown at this time. Officers went into a residence and located two females suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. One of the females was pronounced deceased. The other female was transported to an area hospital, her condition is unknown at this time.

An adult male suspect has been taken into custody without incident.  Preliminarily, this is believed to be a domestic related incident. There is no threat to the community.”

Montgomery County Police responded to a call for a shooting in the 14200 block of Punch St (off of Layhill Rd near Bel Pre/Bonifant in Layhill/Silver Spring) on Monday, September 4, around 8pm. Police report that there were injuries sustained and the suspect is in custody. We will post an update if additional information becomes available.

MCPD responded to a call for a shooting in the 14200 block of Punch St.

More information will be released when it becomes available. #MCPNews #MCPD pic.twitter.com/Bu20KFBExH

— Montgomery County Department of Police (@mcpnews) September 5, 2023

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, along with the County’s regional services offices and community partners will host 10 Community Conversations from September through December to seek input on the Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget. The first conversation will be from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Mid-County Recreation Center in Layhill. The official address of the Mid-County Recreation center is 2004 Queensguard Road in Silver Spring.

Seven of the 10 conversations will be conducted in English, including one focusing on issues for older residents and another focusing on issues of importance to Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members. For a County first, one of the forums will be conducted in Amharic. Two other non-English language forums will be held, with one in Spanish and another in Chinese. A select number of Community Conversations will be held online so that residents have the option to participate remotely.

The County is in the early stages of formulating the FY25 operating budget. County Executive Elrich is required to submit a recommended budget to the County Council by March 15, 2024. The Council then will have two months to review the budget. It must adopt a final budget no later than June 1. The FY25 operating budget will go into effect on July 1.

“This year, we have increased the number of budget forums from eight to 10 to be even more inclusive,” said County Executive Elrich. “We hold these community conversations to give people a chance to be heard because their voice matters. Their insight helps drive our decisions and our priorities for the next fiscal year. The budget not only reflects the County’s needs and concerns, but our community’s values and goals. I encourage every resident to participate in these conversations because their voice shapes our path forward.”

The Community Conversations are scheduled as follows:

• Mid-County Community Conversation. Thursday, Sept. 14. 7-8:30 p.m. Mid-County Recreation Center (Layhill), Social Hall, 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring. Click here to view online.
• Spanish Language Community Conversation. Thursday, Sept. 21. 7-8:30 p.m. Mid-County Recreation Center (Layhill), Social Hall, 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring. Click here to view online.
• UpCounty Community Conversation. Tuesday, Sept. 26. 7-8:30 p.m. BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown.
• Bethesda-Chevy Chase Community Conversation. Wednesday, Sept. 27. 7-8:30 p.m. Bethesda – Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, East West Room, Bethesda.
• PTA Community Conversation. Monday, Oct. 16. 7-8:30 p.m. Executive Office Building, Cafeteria, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville. Hybrid (link to view online to be announced).
• Amharic Language Community Conversation. Wednesday, Oct. 18. 7-8:30 p.m. Montgomery College – Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus, 7600 Takoma Avenue, Takoma Park. Hybrid (link to view online to be announced).
• Silver Spring Community Conversation. Monday, Nov. 13. 7-8:30 p.m. Silver Spring Civic Center Building, 1 Veterans Place, Spring Room, Silver Spring.
• East County Community Conversation. Wednesday, Nov. 15. 7-8:30 p.m. (Conducted in English), Site to be determined. Hybrid (link to view online to be announced).
• Seniors Community Conversation. Monday, Dec. 11. 2-3:30 p.m. Leisure World, Clubhouse 1, Crystal Ballroom, 3701 Rossmore Blvd., Silver Spring. Hybrid (link to view online to be announced). Only Leisure World residents may participate in person.
• Chinese Language Community Conversation. Date and location to be announced.

The Community Conversations will be televised live on the following cable channels:

• County Cable Montgomery (CCM): Comcast channel 6 HD 996, RCN channel 6 and HD 1056 and Verizon channel 30
• Montgomery College Television (MCTV): Comcast channels 998 & 10, Verizon 10 and RCN 1059 & 10 (Sept. 14 only)
• Montgomery County Public School (MCPS TV): Comcast 34, Comcast HD 998, Verizon 36, RCN 89, RCN HD 1058
• Montgomery Community Media (MCM): Comcast channel 21, HD 995, RCN 21 HD 1055, and Verizon 21
• Montgomery Municipal Channel (MMC): Comcast channel 16 HD 997, RCN 16, Verizon 16
• Takoma Park City TV: Comcast channel 13, RCN channel 13 HD 1060, and Verizon 28 (Sept. 21 and Nov. 13 only)

Montgomery County will provide sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids or services upon request — with as much advance notice as possible, preferably at least three business days before the event. For more information, contact Karen Falcon at 240-777-6522 or send a request to [email protected] .

In all situations, a good faith effort (up until the time of the event) will be made to provide accommodations.

TTY users can use Maryland Relay 711.

Montgomery County has activated a Hyperthermia Alert for extreme heat for Tuesday, Sep 5 from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Expect the heat index to be above 95 degrees. Stay hydrated. Take precautions to protect yourself & pets from heat-related illnesses: County officials urge residents to take precautions to protect themselves, and their loved ones, against heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion. A Hyperthermia Alert is issued for the County when forecasted temperatures, and/or heat index, in at least part of the County is at least 95 degrees or higher creating a hazardous situation in which heat-stroke and heat exhaustion are likely.

A Heat Emergency Alert could be issued for the County when dangerously hot conditions are present, including, but not limited to, temperatures and/or heat index reaching 105 degrees for a period of at least two days or longer for which it will be dangerous to anyone exposed to the heat for an extended period of time. Residents are also asked to check on elderly friends, relatives and neighbors who may be isolated, to ensure they are not showing signs of heat-related illnesses.

Update: This article originally listed menu items from the original Little Blue Menu in Nashville. The College Park location will feature different menu offerings.
Little Blue Menu, a new digital restaurant concept by Chick-Fil-A, is scheduled to open at 7242 Baltimore Ave in College Park on Thursday, September 14. Items from Little Blue Menu will only available for pickup and delivery via online ordering. In addition to the standard Chick-Fil-A menu, menu options will include wings, burgers, and sides such as onion rings, sweet potato tots and crispy brussels sprouts. The restaurant will be open Monday-Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Additional details below.

Little Blue Menu^®, created by Chick-fil-A^®, is delighted to announce the opening of its College Park location on Thursday, Sept. 14. A nod to Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy’s original blue menu at the first Chick-fil-A location, Little Blue Menu allows guests to order Chick-fil-A classics alongside soon-to-be favorites like wings and burgers. Through digital ordering only, guests can enjoy Little Blue Menu for pick-up, delivery and catering.

The food: Familiar favorites + new noshes  
Created to test and innovate new menu items, Little Blue Menu offers a variety of tastes, including Chick-fil-A favorites, all prepared under one roof. With a delectable array of culinary delights, ranging from crispy chicken wings to no-fuss burgers, complemented by a selection of sides such as golden-brown onion rings, sweet potato tots and crispy brussels sprouts, mealtime decisions have never been easier… or more flavorful.

Senior Culinary Lead Developer Stuart Tracy created the menu from scratch, testing hundreds of recipes until the new menu items were born.
“Little Blue Menu is a great opportunity to expose people to new flavors,” said Tracy. “Now more than ever, people are looking for easy, convenient and most importantly, delicious delivery options, and we’re excited to provide that in College Park.”

The digital download
Little Blue Menu will offer multiple options for guests to experience our food, including Little Blue Menu delivery, third-party delivery (Chick-fil-A menu items only), mobile pick-up and catering pick-up. All orders will be placed through the Chick-fil-A^® App.

Caring for the community
Nestled in the heart of College Park, Little Blue Menu aims to provide ever-changing, fresh culinary experiences to the vibrant community. Guest feedback will be a priority that will help evolve the thoughtfully curated menu and improve customer experience.

“College Park is a hub for innovation, so we can think of no better place to introduce Little Blue Menu and give customers more of what they want,” said L.J. Yankosky, senior director of the innovation and new ventures team at Chick-fil-A. “We can’t wait to serve the community and become an integral part of the local dining scene.”

Little Blue Menu also aims to be a hub for employment for approximately 125 full- and part-time Team Members. As a highly valued part of the team, the restaurant will invest in its people by proudly offering flexible work hours and leadership growth, competitive wages and benefits, hands-on training and mentorship opportunities.

Linking up locally
To lean into a Maryland favorite, Little Blue Menu is excited to offer OLD BAY^® as an option in the Sauces & Seasoning section of the menu. The tried-and-true seasoning is the perfect topping to menu items across the board from french fries to sweet potato tots to onion rings.

“Born on the bay and loved across the USA – nothing says Maryland pride like OLD BAY,” said Senior Director of Marketing & E-Commerce Luna Ravenna of McCormick & Company. “We’re thrilled to combine the beloved flavors Marylanders know and love with Little Blue Menu’s offerings.”

Additionally, giving back locally will be a priority for the Little Blue Menu team. In celebration of the opening, Chick-fil-A, Inc. will donate $25,000 to Feeding America to support local hunger relief efforts of Capital Area Food Bank, a certified member of Feeding America, in honor of the new restaurant.

Shortly after opening, Little Blue Menu will participate in Chick-fil-A Shared Table^®, an initiative that redirects surplus food from the restaurant to local soup kitchens, shelters, food banks and nonprofits in need. To date, more than 20 million meals have been served nationwide from Chick-fil-A Shared Table donations.

Little Blue Menu College Park will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For the latest news and updates on Little Blue Menu, visit littlebluemenu.com or follow Little Blue Menu on Facebook or Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwfbcCNIijo/?hl=en

Per Montgomery County Public Schools: All 25 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) high schools earned spots on the 2023 Best High Schools list published by U.S. News & World Report. Five ranked in the top 500 nationally, and nine were ranked in the top 30 in Maryland. Poolesville High School was ranked first in Maryland and 140th nationally.

The MCPS schools that made the top 30 list in Maryland are:

• Poolesville High School (#140 in National Rankings; #1 in Maryland)
• Walt Whitman High School (#147 in National Rankings; #3 in Maryland)
• Thomas S. Wootton High School (#235 in National Rankings; #4 in Maryland)
• Winston Churchill High School (#252 in National Rankings; #5 in Maryland)
• Walter Johnson High School (#462 in National Rankings; #9 in Maryland)
• Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (#574 in National Rankings; #12 in Maryland)
• Richard Montgomery High School (#681 in National Rankings; #13 in Maryland)
• Northwest High School (#963 in National Rankings; #18 in Maryland)
• Montgomery Blair High School (#1,285 in National Rankings; #26 in Maryland)

See the Maryland list of Best High Schools.

U.S. News and World Report uses the following categories when ranking high schools:

• College Readiness – 30%
  ​The proportion of 12th graders who took and earned a qualifying score on at least one Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam. Earning a qualifying score is worth three times more than just taking the exam
• State Assessment Proficiency – 20%
  Aggregated scores on state assessments that students may be required to pass for graduations
• State Assessment Performance – 20%
  How aggregated scores on state assessments compare with U.S. News’ expectations given the proportions of students who are Black, Hispanic and from low-income households.
• Underserved Student Performance – 10%
  Scores on state assessments aggregated just among students who are Black, Hispanic and from low-income households. These scores are compared with what is typical in the state for non-underserved students, with parity or higher being the goal.
• College Curriculum Breadth – 10%
  The proportions of 12th graders who took and earned a qualifying score on AP and IB exams in multiple areas. More exams are valued more than fewer exams up to a maximum of four. Earning a qualifying score on an exam is worth three times more than taking.
• Graduation Rate – 10%
  The proportion of ninth graders who graduated four years later.

Read more about how U.S. News calculates the Best High Schools rankings.

The family of Susan Loftus would like to invite you to attend a Celebration of Life in her honor. Details on the celebration available below. “Susan passed away August 14, 2023, unexpectedly in her sleep due to a cardiac event. “While we are grieving her passing, we know the last thing she would want is for people to dress in black and be sullen. She was a fun-loving woman and the life of every party. Please come dressed in bright colors to honor her wishes.”

In her 32 years as an educator (physical education), she connected with so many people in our community and beyond. Her life’s work was improving the lives of students, teachers, union members, neighbors, friends, and family. We invite you to come prepared to share your memories of Susan during the celebration.

Feel free to make a donation to your favorite charity in her memory, or links to five of Susan’s favorite charities will be provided at the celebration.”

Date: Friday, October 6, 2023
Time: Celebration begins at 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Place: Walt Whitman High School
7100 Whittier Blvd.
Bethesda, MD 20817

Obituary can be seen here.

https://www.facebook.com/1341211170/posts/10230150059319073/?mibextid=cr9u03

Butter Chicken House is coming to Montgomery Mall, moving into the space that was recently home to Ya Mon! Island Grill. The Caribbean restaurant, which was located next door to Chick-Fil-A, closed earlier this year. Ya Mon! served jerk chicken, meat, fish, beef patties, along with salads and sides.

Butter Chicken House plans to open on Friday, September 15th, according to Robert Dyer. Per his report, “The internationally-popular dish [butter chicken] from the city of Amritsar will be available as a bowl with rice, as a wrap, or in a combo meal.” Additional information on food court updates at Montgomery Mall, from earlier this summer, can be found here. Our latest on what’s new at Westfield Montgomery Mall can be seen here.