Bangkok Garden announced the loss of longtime owner/employee Ricky Laohapant on Wednesday. Ricky was the owner and operator of longtime Bethesda restaurant Bangkok Garden, which closed permanently last August.
Bangkok Garden opened its Rockville location in 2019. The full statement on Ricky’s passing can be seen below. Our condolences go out to his friends and family.
“Dear Friends, Family, and Valued Customers,
We, the Bangkok Garden family, are saddened to announce the passing of Ricky Laohapant. Ricky was the face of the Bethesda location up until its closure in 2021. You would find him behind the bar, taking orders, or doing one of many tasks to not only work, but do what he loved. He would greet every customer with a smile and get to know everyone who walked through the doors. All his customers became his friends, his family. He was admired by many and loved by all. So as a family, let us say farewell to Ricky and may he find peace.
-Bangkok Garden Family”
We are deeply saddened by the passing of longtime resident and former Gaithersburg Mayor Bruce Goldensohn
Statement by Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman:
The Gaithersburg City Council and I, along with the entire Gaithersburg community, are deeply saddened by the passing of longtime resident and former Gaithersburg Mayor Bruce Goldensohn. Our heartfelt condolences are extended to his wife, Ann, and to his loving family, friends, colleagues and associates. The City of Gaithersburg flag will fly at half-staff in Mr. Goldensohn’s honor on February 22 and 23.
Bruce Goldensohn was a member of the Gaithersburg Planning Commission from 1972 to 1975. He served on the Gaithersburg City Council from 1976 to 1978, and was elected Mayor in 1978, serving two four-year terms as Mayor. He led Gaithersburg through a time of significant change. The City’s population increased by more than 30% during his decade as an elected official, swelling to nearly 35,000 people. The City actually grew in size during this time period, too, with annexations of property that later became Quince Orchard Park and the AstraZeneca campus, and the acquisition of land upon which the Activity Center at Bohrer Park was built.
When he left elected office, Mr. Goldensohn continued to be an active member of the Gaithersburg community. His passion for Gaithersburg never dimmed. He served formally as a member of the Educational Enrichment and Communications Committees, and also volunteered on the Ad-Hoc Community Facilities Master Plan Steering Committee. Mr. Goldensohn was a frequent speaker at meetings of the Mayor and City Council, expressing his opinions and advocating for improvements and enhancements in various aspects of local governance, and he was a regular at the City’s fairs, festivals, parades and events.
Gaithersburg is fortunate to have an active and involved citizenry. No one embodied civic duty and civic involvement more than former Mayor Goldensohn. He will be sorely missed, but we are comforted by the fact that his indomitable spirit and the legacy he has left will grace our community well into the future.
Mayor Bruce Goldensohn (right) cutting the cake at the celebration of the City’s 100th birthday in 1978.
Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or suicidepreventionlifeline.org
With the approval of the family, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the name of the second deputy found deceased in St. Augustine, FL, on Saturday, January 30th. Deputy Abigail Bieber, a Montgomery County native who patrolled the northwest portion of Hillsborough County, Florida, was fatally shot on January 29, 2022. The death of Bieber was the result of a suspected murder-suicide, according to authorities. They said Detective Daniel Leyden, a member of the HCSO criminal investigations division, allegedly killed Bieber and then took his own life.
Deputy Bieber, who was 30 years old and graduated from Walter Johnson High School in 2009, had worked with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office since February of 2018. Law enforcement officers and loved ones gathered Wednesday for a procession to honor her life. The procession for Deputy Abigail Bieber traveled from St. Augustine to Clearwater. Members of the sheriff’s office lined the road near the District 3 office where she worked, and stood outside to when the hearse arrived after 12 p.m.
“𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝘽𝙞𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙖𝙬 𝙚𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙨, 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡,” 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧. “𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙛𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙛’𝙨 𝙊𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛-𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙮 𝘽𝙞𝙚𝙗𝙚𝙧’𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙩.”
As a passionate advocate for child victims, Deputy Bieber frequently and diligently responded to calls for service related to sexual battery and child abuse. She aspired to one day become a detective within the Criminal Investigations Division Special Victims Section. During her nearly four years at HCSO, Deputy Bieber had a number of remarkable encounters, including everything from taking drugs off of our streets to serving as a role model to children she met during her shifts. Known for her contagious smile, Deputy Bieber was a friend to fellow deputies and a bright spot in a dark world, as described by a squadmate. Co-workers also described Deputy Bieber as a young woman with a positive attitude who never shied away from tough investigations. She was known for being kind, genuine, caring, and empathetic with the demeanor of a veteran law enforcement officer.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized.
Brigadier General Charles McGee, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, passed away at his Bethesda home this morning at the age of 102.
Brigadier General Charles Edward McGee (born December 7, 1919) was a retired American fighter pilot and one of the last living members of the Tuskegee Airmen, an all African-American military pilot group who fought during World War II (as part of the 332d Fighter Group).
He was a career officer in the United States Air Force for more than 30 years and flew a three-war total of 409 combat missions in WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, one of the highest combat totals and longest active-duty careers by any Air Force fighter pilot in history.
For his service, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star Medal, among numerous other military honors. In 2007, as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, McGee received the Congressional Gold Medal. In 2011, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame and on February 4, 2020, was promoted from colonel to brigadier general.
Courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation.
Update: All lanes now open on westbound ICC (MD-200)
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A fatal crash involving a pedestrian occurred on westbound MD-200 earlier this morning, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue PIO Pete Piringer.
The pedestrian was struck at approximately 3:30am going westbound on the ICC, prior to Georgia Avenue. MCFRS responded and evaluated one trauma patient who succumbed to injuries on the scene and was not transported to the hospital.
The crash has blocked all lanes, according to the Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination Program (MATOC)., and an extended closure is likely with traffic being diverted to Layhill Rd.
ICYMI (~330a) WB MD200 ICC Just prior to Georgia Avenue, Pedestrian struck, @mcfrs PE725, A725, ALS725 responded, @MCFRS_EMIHS evaluated 1 adult trauma patient, patient succumbed to injuries & did not survive, no transport, @TheMDTA on scene, traffic rerouted Layhill Rd
— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) November 16, 2021
Crash with Injury. MD-200 WB before MD-97 (Exit 8). Montgomery County, MD. All lanes are blocked. Traffic is diverted to MD-182. Seek alternate routes. Delays are building. Extended closure expected.
— MATOC Alerts (@MATOC) November 16, 2021
Seibel’s in Burtonsville, which has been serving the community for over 82 years, has announced that it will be closing its doors on Sunday, November 28th.
The announcement was made in a letter to customers by the family who has owned and operated the restaurant since the 60s.
The full letter can be seen below:
“I pray my message finds all of you, our Seibel’s family, well.
March was the last time I sent a message. It has been 36 years since we served our first Thanksgiving Dinner for our Seibel’s customers. When I first had the idea, my dad thought I was crazy. That first year, we roasted about 20 Turkeys, and now we are serving over 1,500 pounds of Turkey! For me, Thanksgiving was about family first and food second. If I could help our extended Seibel’s family create lasting Thanksgiving memories by keeping them out of the kitchen, I would do it!
We are forever thankful to the Iager Family for raising such wonderful Turkeys for all these years.
It is with sadness that I announce this year, 2021 will be our final Thanksgiving.
If you read the paper or listen to the news, it is no surprise to hear that staffing is challenging and the supply chain is crazy. With that being said, we are asking that you order early this year. We will stop taking orders on Sunday, November 14. We want to be sure that we have all we need to fill your requests.
The pandemic has opened our eyes to so much. There has been sadness, but there have been loads of joy as well. Our new hours enabled us to have quality family time and helped us remember what is important in life. My adventure out west created a sense of wanderlust. There are so many great places in our wonderful country that I want to see!
When Karen and I continued the business from our parents, we decided that it would be a ministry. Our faith in God has not let us down. God saw us through the pandemic and so much more. We are thankful we were able to be here for so many. You, our customers, and our incredible employees have done so much for us. For that, and so much more, we want to say THANK YOU!
After much consideration, we have made the decision to start a new chapter. Sunday, November 28, will be the final day we turn on the burners and open our doors.
There will be many tears and many stories to tell. You have all been a part of raising our families, and we have watched your families grow as well. We are thankful for each and every customer and employee, past and present. All of you have so blessed us. Some days there wasn’t enough family to open the doors, and some days there were way too many. No matter the case, we opened them for you, anyway. And we, of course, never charged extra for the family entertainment! 😊
We are very thankful for our current staff that will see us to the final day; Anita, Angie, Annie, Amelia, Carol, Debbie, George, Jonah, Jones, Katie, Lauren, Lexi, Melissa, Nicolette, Rick, Sharon, Tracey, and Xavier. *Watch for guest visits from past employees and family! *
I know the question will be, “what are you going to do now?” But I’m not sure any of us really know, except Karen, who will go into full retirement. The rest of us will surely let you know when we know. I will certainly keep the emails rolling with any updates. Meanwhile, we will continue to serve you to the best of our ability.
In January, I asked, “What is God saying?” We stopped and listened. The answer:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
With more Love than we could ever express, Lynn, Karen, and all the family- Chad, Casey, Lauren, Scott, Randi Lynn, our mother, Joyce, and of course our father Harry, who may not be with us now but has never stopped guiding us”
On September 15, officers from the Montgomery County Police – 6th District responded to the 11000 block of Game Preserve Road to assist the Maryland Department of National Resources Police with a call for the found remains of an adult male. The body of the adult male had been discovered in a pond.
The Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division, have identified the remains as Waymon Meadows Anderson, age 57, of Montgomery Village. Anderson had been reported missing and was last seen in the 9900 block of Medical Center Drive on September 11, 2021.
The preliminary investigation by detectives does not indicate any signs of foul play in the death of Anderson.
Waymon Meadows Anderson was previously reported missing earlier this week.
Detectives ask anyone with information regarding Waymon Meadows Anderson or this incident to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070.
Though Wes Yao, owner of popular Pike & Rose restaurant Kusshi Sushi, has a YouTube channel that playfully warns others to avoid opening restaurants, he never imagined he would get assaulted at his own restaurant (warning: his YouTube channel contains language that isn’t suitable for everyone).
This morning we spoke with Yao, who told us of the situation that occurred at his restaurant earlier this week. A video of the incident can be found on the JackFroot Instagram account.
Yao claims a customer ordered a double shot of Casamigos– a brand of tequila. A bit after the drink was brought to the table, the customer came inside and attempted to return the drink. After some back and forth, which included Yao recording some of the interaction with his cell phone, the customer was given a refund for the drink.
According to Yao, the customer threw the restaurant copy receipt on the floor (no tip or signature) and left the credit card that was used to pay for the tab on the clipboard before exiting the restaurant. Yao picked up the card and the receipt and went outside to return them to the customer. The customer approached Yao and punched him in the face, knocking him down. “I was asking if he would be tipping the server on the tab, but instead of taking the receipt he punched me in the face.” Yao told us.
In a separate video, that Yao didn’t see until after the incident occurred, the customer seems to pour the ordered drink into another glass before filling up the shot glasses with water prior to returning it. This was the drink he was refunded for.
Yao is uncertain as to how he will proceed.
