Per MCDOT: Starting Sunday, Jan. 9 and lasting approximately five weeks, WMATA will close five bus bays at the Wheaton Metro Station for Phase 3 of pavement rehabilitation. Bus Bays G, L, M, N, and P will be closed. Additionally, all buses will use the north exit. Temporary bus boarding locations can be found in the map below.

For the most up-to-date service information, riders should follow @RideOnMCT on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. In addition, information is available at RideOnBus.com, by subscribing to receive email alerts at montgomerycountymd.gov/govdelivery, or texting MONTGOMERY RIDEON to 468311 to receive text alerts.

For information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.

Release ID: 22-165
Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282

11310 Georgia Avenue

Westfield Wheaton Mall (11160 Veirs Mill Rd) will be hosting a free World Cup kickoff event on Saturday, November 19 from 12-2pm in the mall’s outdoor “Streetery” featuring former D.C. United player Bill Hamid. Additional details per Westfield: Westfield Wheaton is celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2022 with a family-friendly event on November 19 from 12 to 2 pm in The Streetery, the center’s outdoor event and dining space situated between Macy’s and the food court on Parking Level 2. Attendees will be able to play soccer games, enjoy free hot cocoa and apple cider, face painting, giveaways, a live DJ and more. Guests will also learn how to play soccer like a pro with Bill Hamid, the former goalkeeper for D.C. United.

“We are very excited to kick off the 2022 FIFA World Cup and holiday season with our family-friendly sporting event this Saturday,” said Stuart Amos, General Manager of Westfield Wheaton. “This event will be fun for the whole community with games, music, food and is a great opportunity to celebrate the vibrant cultures present in this year’s World Cup tournament.”

Throughout the rest of the holiday season, Westfield Wheaton will have additional programs and shopping experiences specific to the local community. For more information about these events, hours, locations and resources, shoppers can visit westfield.com/wheaton.

A Montgomery County man won $20,000 playing Mega Millions with a ticket he purchased at the Wheaton Exxon at 11310 Georgia Avenue, according to the Maryland Lottery. The same individual also won $100,000 playing Powerball in 2021. In related news, this Saturday’s Powerball drawing has an estimated jackpot of $1.6 billion, with a cash value of $745.9 million, making it the second highest lottery jackpot in U.S. history.
See: Seven Things to Know for Saturday’s $1.6 Billion Powerball Drawing

Per MD Lottery:
Monday’s visit to Lottery headquarters wasn’t the first for a Montgomery County man who chose the alias “Moe” to tell his winning story. “Moe” was on familiar ground when he turned in a Mega Millions ticket worth $20,000. While he doesn’t buy tickets for every Mega Millions and Powerball drawing, he told Lottery officials that he always plays one of these two jackpot games. “I won $100,000 playing Powerball just last year,” he said.

The 40-year-old electrician discovered his recent win last weekend when getting coffee. “I checked the Mega Millions results as I was waiting. Then, I looked at my ticket.” The father of three didn’t react when he saw several matching numbers on his quick-pick ticket for the Oct. 28 drawing. He matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball and then doubled his prize with a 2x Megaplier.

“I put my ticket away and put it out of my mind. I didn’t want to think about it until I got home and could check the website and look more closely.” “Moe” added that he and his family enjoyed a celebration once he arrived home and confirmed his win. The family plans to dedicate the $20,000 prize to their house fund. “We hope to be moving into a new home next year,” the happy Silver Spring resident said. “Moe” joked that his recent Lottery prizes were down payments on the jackpot win he knows is in his future. “I’ll keep playing until I get all of the numbers right.” His $20,000 winning Mega Millions ticket came courtesy of Wheaton Exxon at 11310 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring.

The Toys “R” Us store-in-store is now open inside of Macy’s at Westfield Wheaton Mall (11160 Veirs Mill Rd). The Macy’s locations at Lakeforest and Montgomery Malls opened their Toys “R” Us shops back in August.  Macy’s has added the Toys “R” Us stores to all of its U.S. locations and depending on the success of the Macy’s versions, the company could consider bringing back standalone stores. The former Toy “R” Us location at 600 Frederick Rd in Gaithersburg has remained vacant since the company closed all its stores in 2018.

Did you know the first ever Toys “R” Us opened in Rockville?
Charles P. Lazarus is the D.C. native that founded the company now known as Toys R Us. In 1948 he opened a baby furniture store named Children’s Bargain Town. Two years later, in 1950, he introduced a few select toys to his inventory. It didn’t take long for him to realize that toys, unlike furniture, either broke or fell out of favor with kids rather quickly…so he added a lot more toys and cut back on the furniture.

Per MCDOT:
For Immediate Release: Monday, October 24, 2022
On Thursday, Nov. 3 starting at 6:30 p.m., the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will hold a virtual public information meeting to discuss the concept design for the Upton Drive Neighborhood Greenway in Wheaton. The public will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments.

The Upton Drive Neighborhood Greenway project aims to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists by managing the number and speed of vehicles. Tools can include additional signage, pavement markings, and traffic calming measures such as speed humps. The project limit is from East Avenue to the Crossway Montessori School.

Online registration is required to attend. Upon submission of your registration, Zoom will provide the link and passcode for the meeting. On the day of the Nov. 3 meeting, an electronic invitation to participate in this meeting will be emailed to you with the Zoom connection instructions. Questions and comments will become a matter of public record.

The public is encouraged to review the project files posted on the project website prior to attending the meeting.

Comments and questions may be submitted to the Project Manager, Angel Cheng, through this online comment form or by emailing [email protected].

Interpreter services will be provided upon request with five business days advance notice by contacting Angel Cheng.

Learn more about MCDOT’s engineering and construction projects by visiting montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-dte.

For more information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.

Per MCDOT:

Starting Monday, Nov. 21, and lasting for approximately five weeks, sections of the bus loop at the Wheaton Metro Station will be closed for pavement rehabilitation. During Phase 2, Bus Bays F, G, H, J, and K will be closed. Temporary bus boarding locations can be found on the map above. This project will result in smoother bus rides and an improved experience for Metro and Ride On customers. Passengers using Montgomery County’s Ride On buses are encouraged to wear a mask but are no longer required to wear them. Masks are available on all buses for riders who need them.

Fare collection resumed on all Montgomery County buses on August 1. The one-way pre-pandemic fare, which was $2 per ride, is now $1. Monthly passes, which were $45 per rider, are now $22.50
Montgomery County seniors, members of the disability community and students can ride County Ride On buses for free if they qualify for a  Senior SmartTrip Card, Metro Disability Card or a Youth Cruiser Card.
Riders can plan trips online with Ride On Real Time.

Bus passengers are encouraged to wear a mask but are no longer required to wear them. Masks are available on all Ride On buses for riders who need them. Bus interiors will continue to be cleaned by the County’s Department of General Services with hospital-grade disinfectant. Bus filters and ventilation systems are also treated with disinfectant.

For the most up-to-date service information, riders should follow @RideOnMCT on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. In addition, information is available at RideOnBus.com, by subscribing to receive email alerts at montgomerycountymd.gov/govdelivery, or texting MONTGOMERY RIDEON to 468311 to receive text alerts.

For more information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.

“The Costco in Gaithersburg is the 7th circle of hell” is just one of many answers we received when we asked the question, “What is the worst parking lot in MoCo?” on social media.  Everyone has had their share of terrible experiences in MoCo parking lots, and while there are more than 26 “bad” parking lots, we’ve narrowed down a list (in no particular order) of what we feel are the worst.

Gaithersburg Square
In the past year this shopping center has added a Marshalls, Five Below, &Pizza, and Claire’s,  and is scheduled to open a Montgomery County Liquor store in the coming months.  These new stores, in addition to a CVS, Panera, and a very busy Chipotle, have turned Gaithersburg Square into one of the busiest shopping centers in the county.

Norbeck Center (Rockville)
This center has several incredibly popular restaurants (Full On & Big Greek Café) and only a handful of parking spots. Full On has even devoted of a portion of their website (www.fulloncraft.com/parking/) to helping guests with the parking situation. “While there are only a few spots in front of Full On, the lot in front of White’s Hardware Store is public space. 46 spots are open to the public at all times. Follow the sidewalk that runs parallel to Norbeck Rd which takes you directly to our door!”

Costco (Gaithersburg)
This article was inspired by Fox 5’s Jim Lokay when he tweeted “What is the most lawless frontier in the DC region and why is it the parking lot at the Gaithersburg Costco?”  The Gaithersburg location has the strangest layout and most people don’t use the underground portion of the lot.

Chick-Fil-A (Germantown)
The traffic for this Chick-Fil-A’s drive thru on Century Blvd is so bad that it often times closes all lanes of the parking lot.

Fallsgrove (Rockville)
The biggest issue is getting in and getting out. When those lines start to form and it seems like nobody knows who’s supposed to go? Oh man.

Every Trader Joe’s
Federal Plaza in Rockville has been one of the busiest parking lots for as long as I can remember. Trader Joe’s doesn’t help. The same goes for every other Trader Joe’s location in the county. Some say they do it on purpose so that they can increase the amount of customers during their off-peak hours.

Shady Grove Home Depot (Gaithersburg)
“Leaving Home Depot Gaithersburg #2550 off this list is a major oversight” was just one of the dozens of comments we received about the Home Depot at 15740 Shady Grove Rd when we posted the 2021 list. This year we’re not making the same mistake.

Costco (Wheaton Plaza)
The Costco at Wheaton Mall opened in 2013 and the parking lot has been packed ever since. In addition to the normal craziness of a Costco lot there’s the added bonus of a shopping mall.

Gaithersburg Commuter Bus Stop/Park & Ride 
Several readers mentioned the Park & Ride stop that’s located on West Diamond Ave in Gaithersburg, with one writing, “will take you a good 20 minutes to get out of the lot during rush hour..”

Flagship Center (Rockville)
Flagship is located on Rockville Pike across from the Montrose Crossing Shopping Center.  With restaurants like Pho 75, Thai Cuisine, and China Bistro, there’s good reason parking is always tight.

Rio AMC (Gaithersburg)
Everyone’s favorite garage at Rio, most people prefer to try to find a spot at the very bottom of the lot so they can walk out by Guapo’s.  Also a popular spot for giant SUVs backing up into spaces.

Woodmoor Shopping Center (Silver Spring)
One of the oldest shopping centers in MoCo can also be one of the most problematic. Though you can park in the back (it also gets full), we all hope for the best and try to make it into that front triangle parking lot.

Wheaton Park
With H-Mart, the Dollar Store, and AutoZone all next to each other, it’s no surprise that this parking lot is one of the worst in the area. The lot is also known for its very narrow lanes.

Montgomery Village Center 
What was once considered a “dead” shopping center, this parking lot has seen a huge increase in traffic ever since Aldi opened up next to Big Lots in 2020. With the addition of Starbucks, and several more restaurants scheduled to open this year, expect it to only get worse.

Leisure World
The closer to Giant you get, the better your chances of a bad experience. We try to park far away and get our steps in when we head to the Leisure World shopping center.

Lancaster Dutch Market/Outback Parking Lot (Germantown)
You have to just park up by Dairy Queen and walk, but we always have high hopes and look for something better when we get there. Lots of spaces, but tends to get pretty full when you want to be there.

Firstfield Shopping Center (Gaithersburg)
The Starbucks drive-thru in this center is so busy that the line of cars often extends outside of the parking lot and on to the main road. The center also includes Einstein Bagels and Jimmy John’s.

Manhattan Pizza/Upcounty Beer & Wine (Clarksburg)
A very tight spot that makes it almost impossible to get in and out of. We suggest parking on the opposite end near the Subway. On a side note, definitely try the gelato at Manhattan!

Germantown Plaza 
Whether it’s the people double parking to run into Little Caesars for pizza, or trying to find a place to park in the back alley for Planet Fitness, both sides of this shopping center are a mess.

Olney Gardens (where CVS, Cava Mezze, and Cafe Rio are).
Olney Village Center and Fair Hill are also bad, but Olney Gardens is narrower and we think it squeaks out the victory of the Olney parking lots because if that.

Aspen Hill Shopping Center
There’s a lot going on so it could take a long time to get from one end to the other. Heading to McDonald’s? That’ll make it even worse.

Lowe’s Parking lot (Kentlands)
The four way stop in the Kentlands is pretty bad, but it’s not a parking lot, so we’re gonna go with Lowe’s here. There can be 11 cars parked yet somehow 378 people are walking to and from the parking lot at all times.

Wildwood Shopping Center (Bethesda)
The truck is to park in the back, but those can fill up too, and let’s be honest…we always think we’ll find something in the front. These short parking columns are the stuff nightmares are made of.

Megamart (Gaithersburg)
The international grocery store Megamart is one of the busiest grocery stores in the entire county. The shopping center also includes a 7-Eleven and Advanced Auto Parks.  An honorable mention goes to Gaitherstowne Plaza (IHOP) right across the street on 355.

Every Whole Foods
Just like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods seem to bring out the worst in people in the parking lots. Silver Spring and River Rd. are my two least favorite parking lots, but the Kentlands and Rockville/N. Bethesda isn’t far behind.

Cabin John Village (Potomac)
The addition of the fast-casuals on the one side allows traffic to hit you from every angle. Construction didn’t help things recently either. Never a fun time when it’s busy.

Per Montgomery County:
For Immediate Release: Monday, October 10, 2022
Montgomery County health officials urge anyone age 12 and older to get their COVID-19 booster.  The County, in partnership with Por Nuestra Salud y Bienestar, Proyecto Salud and Westfield Wheaton, will host a “BOO!sterama” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29  to provide free COVID-19 boosters to shoppers. No appointment is needed.

Both Moderna and Pfizer bivalent boosters will be available at the BOO!sterama.  Anyone 12 and older who had their last vaccine dose at least two months ago should get the updated booster shot. The event will be held at Westfield Wheaton Mall, outside of the Carter’s store on the second floor.  Individuals who receive their booster at the event will be entered in a drawing to receive one of five $50 gift cards that can be used throughout Westfield Wheaton’s wide variety of retailers.

“Over the past month, Montgomery County became the largest jurisdiction to become 90% fully vaccinated,”  said County Executive Marc Elrich. “However, being ‘fully vaccinated’ doesn’t protect us enough and we must convince every eligible individual to get the new bivalent booster.  These booster shots are free and can protect you from the risk of serious illness from COVID-19.  I am grateful and appreciative of our partnership with Westfield Wheaton to provide space, incentives and access to get our vaccines directly in front of potential recipients.”

To date, more than 15,000 doses of the new bivalent vaccine have been given at County-operated vaccination clinics. In addition to the BOO!sterama event, booster shots are widely available at locations throughout the community. Make an appointment for the new bivalent booster shot or find other locations at GoVaxMoco.com.  For more information about Por Nuestra Salud Y Bienestar visit their website.

The Jolly Show Carnival is returning to the Westfield Wheaton Mall parking lot (11160 Veirs Mill Rd.) from October 5-16. There will be over 30 attractions, including carnival rides, games, and food wagons. According to their website, “We are a new generation of carnival operators who strive to be more progressive and professional. We realize that we must produce a premium product for our customer’s hard earned money. We won’t forget our proud traditions, but we are committed to overcoming the stigmas which have hindered our industry for far too long.” Tickets can be purchased here. 

About Jolly Time, pet its website:
“Like so many young men during the great depression, Frank Joseph had many doubts about the future. After all, he had two young children and didn’t really have a vocation. Since his mid teens though, he had worked hard at many things and had always managed to save some money. He dreamed of someday being in business for himself The nightclub business was his first thought. He liked the idea of a place where people could go to laugh, have fun, and forget about their troubles. He was quickly discouraged from this venture though, by his wife, Ann. She reminded him of how low his tolerance was for drunks, especially since he had never had a drink in his life.

The idea of a business that made people happy though, never left his thoughts. While visiting a firemen’s carnival with his children in 1939, Frank saw what he thought might be the new business for him. He counted the people in line at the “Roll-O-Plane” and watched as the thrilled riders exited the ride, and got right back in line to ride again. He visited the carnival again each of the next three nights and paid even closer attention to the operation of amusement rides. He was now sure that this is where he would invest his savings.

Frank Joseph bought his first amusement ride, an Eyerly Aircraft, “Roll-o-Plane” in 1939. A few years later came an “Octopus” and “Spitfire’.  He operated these rides seasonally at local amusement parks, church bazaars, firemen’s carnivals, and county fairs throughout the late 1940’s. By now, his oldest son Pete was in his late teens and able to help his father with the business.

Pete married in 1954 and the business had to get a little bigger to support the two families. In 1958, the Father and Son partnership, allied with a small carnival operator, Bill Enfante, in the Washington, D.C. area to form Jolly Shows. Mr. Enfante had gained local fame as a promoter and believed that with the addition of the Joseph’s rides to his existing operation, they could together form a more profitable venture.

Mr. Enfante’s beliefs held true. The small show did well through the 1960’s and into the early 1970’s by operating exclusively in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. The Joseph’s now had just what they wanted. They were in a business that they enjoyed and could make a good living at, and at the same time, could maintain stable family lives by avoiding the rigors of the carnival “road life”.

Mr. Enfante passed away in March of 1973. Frank, Pete, and younger brother, Bob, purchased Mr. Enfante’s interest in the business from his estate. Frank Joseph & Sons was incorporated in the state of  Maryland in that same year and now possessed 100% ownership of Jolly Shows.

Today, Jolly Shows is operated by Frank Joseph’s three grandsons; Randy, Peter, and Paul. We still operate almost exclusively in Maryland and Northern Virginia. Our events are comprised of local county fairs, regional festivals, firemen’s carnivals, and fund raisers for non-profit organizations such as the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the United Way group of charities.

Our local market is comprised of some of the highest demographics in the country. We operate in several of the wealthiest counties in the United States. In this area, there are more attorneys and more college degrees per square mile, than anywhere in the country. In this demanding atmosphere we have managed to achieve a reputation as one of the industry’s truly “clean shows”. We are now finding it possible to operate at venues and in jurisdictions, within this region, where carnivals were not permitted to operate in the past.

We are a new generation of carnival operators who strive to be more progressive and professional. We realize that we must produce a premium product for our customer’s hard earned money. We won’t forget our proud traditions, but we are committed to overcoming the stigmas which have hindered our industry for far too long.”

Coming soon signage is up for Royal Jewelers (RoyalDMV) in Westfield Wheaton Mall. Royal describes itself as a one-stop-shop for exuberant hip-hop jewelry. Royal will join Ardene, Classic Diamond by Pandora, Crown, Elite, Gold Palace, Kay, Paradise, Ruby,  and Sun’s on the list of jewelers located at Wheaton mall. No opening date has been announced.

In related news, former NFL star Antonio Brown stopped by Crown Jewelers (also located in Wheaton Mall) recently for some early morning shopping. Video below:

@themocoshow

Antonio Brown with an early morning visit to Wheaton Mall (Saturday ~ 4am) #MoCo #AB #AntonioBrown #Wheaton

♬ original sound – themocoshow

According to Royal Jewelers’ website, “We are an upcoming name in Hip-hop Jewelry and we believe in celebrating each other’s success. Each project is very important to us and we design each piece of Jewelry as a token of appreciation for our client and their accomplishments. Our clients are very dear to us and we go above and beyond to create “trophies” for them that they will cherish, for the rest of their lives.”
Feature photos courtesy of www.shoproyal.biz