Assault at Silver Spring Civic Building

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an assault at the Silver Spring Civic Building on Wednesday evening. The assault was reported on the plaza outside the Montgomery County government building at 1 Veterans Place around 6:37 PM, according to crime data.

Burtonsville Day returns for 2021

After a pandemic cancellation in 2020, Burtonsville Day is returning for 2021. The popular annual parade and event is now set for Saturday, September 25, 2021. You can see a full list of all of the festival events and attractions here. Having been in the parade myself in 2018, I can say you are in for a treat. According to the countdown clock as I write this, there are only 57 days, 23 hours and 0 minutes until Burtonsville Day 2021!

Strong-arm robbery in Connecticut Avenue Estates

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery in the Connecticut Avenue Estates neighborhood of Silver Spring Monday night. The robbery was reported in the 3500 block of Edwin Street around 9:33 PM, according to crime data.

Car Wash Coffee shop becoming office space in Kensington

Here's something you rarely hear in moribund Montgomery County, which has been at rock bottom in the region in job creation over the last decade - a property being converted to office space, rather than office space being converted to residential. It's going to happen in the former Car Wash Coffee shop space at 10700 Connecticut Avenue in Kensington. 

No structural changes to the building will be needed for the planned conversion. Car Wash Coffee closed after the start of the pandemic, and did not reopen. Longtime residents will recall this building once having been a Roy Rogers fast food restaurant.

New crosswalk in Wheaton Triangle (Photos)

A new crosswalk with flashing signal posts has been added to Grandview Avenue alongside the new Montgomery County government office building, which has its entrance at 2425 Reedie Drive. The lights appear to be still under wraps, but the crosswalk is open with signage, pedestrian-activated switch, ADA-compliant ramps, and bollards in the center of Grandview. The crosswalk should get a lot of use, as it provides access to and from local businesses, the office building, the public parking garage, the Wheaton Metro station, and the new Wheaton town square event space.

Battlestar airsoft shooting range opens at Wheaton Plaza

Battlestar, an airsoft indoor shooting range, has opened at Westfield's Wheaton Plaza mall. A similar attraction was briefly a tenant at Westfield sister property Montgomery Mall in Bethesda in 2019. Aim Point proved controversial among gun control activists, and departed the mall after only two months in business. Battlestar features a sci-fi space theme, without the overt military and automatic weapon images that were found on the interior of Aim Point.

Police investigate prostitution at Silver Spring residence

Montgomery County police responded to a call regarding possible prostitution-related activities at a Silver Spring apartment early Wednesday morning. Police were summoned to a building in the 10800 block of Georgia Avenue - just south of Wheaton - around 4:34 AM Wednesday morning, crime data indicates.

Shalom Kosher drops Ben & Jerry's ice cream after company's Israeli settlements announcement

Shalom Kosher supermarket at 1361 Lamberton Drive in the Kemp Mill Center has announced it is dropping all Ben & Jerry's products, after the frozen dessert company announced it would no longer sell its ice cream "in the Occupied Palestinian Territory." The Ben & Jerry's decision targeted Israeli settlements, and has triggered a firestorm of blowback for the politically-engaged company, and the company may now be in violation of recent state and local laws that penalize entities that cut financial ties with Israeli settlements. Even its parent company, Unilever, is distancing itself from the ice cream maker.

But local businesses like Shalom Kosher are taking more immediate action. "Due to the recent announcement by Ben & Jerry's, Shalom Kosher has removed all of the Ben & Jerry's products from our store, and will no longer sell their products effective immediately," the store said in a statement, adding, "We stand with Israel!" 

Car stolen in Longmead area of Silver Spring

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a stolen car in the Longmead neighborhood of Silver Spring yesterday morning. The vehicle was taken from a townhome community parking lot in the 15100 block of Cider Wood Court, according to crime data. It is believed the vehicle was stolen sometime between 7:45 PM Monday night, and 7:45 AM Tuesday morning.

Strong-arm rape reported at Wheaton Metro station garage

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm rape in the Wheaton Metro station parking garage on Saturday afternoon. The rape was reported in the garage on Reedie Drive around 5:43 PM, according to crime data.

Wendy's introduces limited-time Ghost Pepper Ranch sauce for chicken nuggets

Wendy's is being haunted by a spicy new chicken nuggets sauce option. The fast food chain has temporarily added Ghost Pepper Ranch sauce to its menu. How hot is it? Watch a detailed review on YouTube.

New mural in Wheaton (Photos)

The newest piece of public art in Wheaton is at the new Montgomery County government office building at 2425 Reedie Drive in the Wheaton Triangle. Kensington artist Nicole Bourgea cites her son's love of dance, and the diversity of Wheaton, as the primary inspirations behind the mural. Bourgea's concept received the most votes from the community in online voting this past March.

Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins store to open in Silver Spring July 16

The Luis Group's large network of Dunkin' Donuts stores continues to expand across Montgomery County. A new Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins combination store will open at 11140 New Hampshire Avenue in the White Oak area of Silver Spring this Friday, July 16, 2021. 

Starting at 10:00 AM on Friday, the first 100 guests at the store (Maryland residents "in the Silver Spring area" 18-and-older) will receive free coffee for a year. That should wake you up for the ribbon cutting at 11:00 AM. Following the ribbon cutting, Luis Group will present a $1000 grant to Silver Spring non-profit Drive to Cure, which generates awareness and funding for research of rare cancers.

The 2,400 square-foot store will employ 10 crew members, and be open daily from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM. It features Dunkin’s new restaurant design, including modern finishes, lighting and interior layout; the brand's new Premium Pours coffee tap system; a dedicated mobile pickup area, and environmental features that make it about 33% more energy-efficient than the standard Dunkin' restaurant model.

Photo courtesy Luis Group

Montgomery County to rifle through residents' recycling bins with camera crews in tow

Montgomery County is experiencing a violent crime wave, but has defunded 27 police officer positions. The County was chastised last year for leaving 54 positions unfilled at its 911 call center, a failure that was highlighted by a 36 minute response time to a fatal drowning incident. Those are far from the only areas of government understaffed, as witnesses to the collapse of a rusted-out traffic signal pole in Bethesda this week can attest. But the County's Department of Environmental Protection appears to be well-staffed, as it will demonstrate this morning in Bethesda. 

According to a press release, DEP inspectors will go house-to-house in the neighborhood near Walt Whitman High School, and rifle through each resident's recycling bin. "Reporters and camera crews will be able to follow the inspectors" starting at 6:30 AM this morning, in what appears to be a massive violation of residents' privacy. This was clearly the wrong week to toss your unshredded sensitive documents or Playboy collection. Do you read the wrong newspaper, or drink too many boxed alcoholic beverages? We may find out this morning!

The "Oops Tag" program quietly began two months ago, the press release states. Inspectors have had the time and manpower to already sweep through those early-targeted neighborhoods "two to three times." Rummaging through residents' recycling bins, they have left a tag on those which contained items that cannot be recycled, identifying the ineligible items. Such ineligible items cost taxpayers approximately $750,000 in 2020, the press release says.

Two Hands Corn Dog coming to Wheaton

Two Hands Corn Dog, a South Korean hot-dog-on-a-stick fast food chain, is coming to Wheaton. It will be located at Westfield's Wheaton Plaza mall, according to an updated restaurant sign at the retail center. Hot dogs will feature sweet, savory and spicy Korean flavors, a product similar to that found at Ssong's Hot Dog at sister property Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda.

Car stolen in Takoma Park

Takoma Park police responded to a report of a stolen car last night. The vehicle, a dark gray 2013 Nissan Altima with MD Tag #1DD7228, was stolen in the 1100 block of University Boulevard around 9:30 PM, according to Takoma Park Police Department Public Information Officer Catherine Plevy. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to please call 301-270-1100.

Overnight utility work on Mansfield Road scheduled for Tuesday night

A crew will perform Purple Line-related utility work on Mansfield Road Tuesday night, July 13, 2021. The work will take place from 7:00 PM Tuesday to 7:00 AM Wednesday. It will be in the vicinity of the intersection of Mansfield and Wayne Avenue. Temporary lane closures will be required during the work. The project was postponed from an earlier date due to bad weather.

Purse snatching at Wheaton laundromat

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a purse-snatching at a Wheaton laundromat on Wednesday afternoon. The incident was reported at a laundromat in the 11300 block of Georgia Avenue around 5:28 PM, according to crime data.

Indecent exposure at Silver Spring bus stop

City of Takoma Park police responded to a report of indecent exposure at a bus stop in Silver Spring on Tuesday night. The incident was reported at a bus stop in the 8500 block of Piney Branch Road around 9:12 PM, according to crime data.

The Fillmore welcomes back concertgoers in Silver Spring

"Welcome back!" reads the marquee at The Fillmore in downtown Silver Spring. The concert venue has already hosted shows, and the calendar is filling up for August and September, after a disastrous pandemic year for the live music industry.

Car stolen from home in Four Corners area of Silver Spring

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a vehicle being stolen from a home in the Four Corners area of Silver Spring yesterday morning. The vehicle was taken from the driveway of a home in the 10100 block of Kinross Avenue. It is believed the car was stolen sometime between 6:00 PM Sunday evening and 7:00 AM Monday morning, according to crime data.

Takoma Park police non-emergency number outage

The City of Takoma Park police department reports its non-emergency number of 301-270-1100 is temporarily down.  Until the outage is restored, if you have a non-emergency, you are asked to call 301-891-7132.  If you have an emergency, call 911.  

Aggravated assault during downtown Silver Spring bank robbery

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a bank robbery in downtown Silver Spring yesterday afternoon. During the robbery, an unidentified person was the victim of an aggravated assault with a gun, according to crime data. The robbery was reported at 5:07 PM at a bank in the 8400 block of Georgia Avenue. Police have not yet identified the bank; there is a Chase Bank branch on that block.

Modena Reserve at Kensington update (Photos)

Construction appears to be approaching the finish line at the new Modena Reserve at Kensington. Located adjacent to the Kensington MARC station, the Modena Reserve will feature 135 luxury senior housing units. In addition to independent living apartments, some units will be designated for assisted living and memory care. Modena Reserve will be managed and operated by Solera Senior Living.