North Star Christmas Trees gets set for 53rd Christmas season outside downtown Silver Spring

After Thanksgiving dinner, shopping for the Christmas tree is among the Black Friday weekend activities for many. North Star Christmas Trees has been a popular choice for over half a century; this will be North Star's 53rd year in the business. They'll be returning to their spot of recent years at 2550 East-West Highway Service Road at Grubb Road in Chevy Chase. You may recall them being on the "Green Mile" along Wisconsin Avenue in the past, but they've found this Chevy Chase location is the sweet spot to draw customers from both Bethesda and the greater downtown Silver Spring areas. 

North Star will open the day after Thanksgiving. Hours will be Monday-Friday 12:00pm - 9:30pm; Saturday/Sunday 10:00am-9:30pm; and Christmas Eve 10:00am-3:00pm. 

Maryland U.S. Senate candidate Robin Ficker announces first TV ad buy

Robin Ficker, a Republican candidate for the Maryland U.S. Senate seat of the retiring Ben Cardin (D), is hitting the airwaves for the first time in the 2024 election season, his campaign announced yesterday. Entitled, "Logic," the ad will first air in the Baltimore and Salisbury television markets. The ad will continue to run on TV through Christmas, Ficker campaign manager Dean Cavaretta said in a statement. 

"I’ve had a lot of political success at the grassroots level, and now I am looking to turn this into a successful campaign," said Ficker, who was previously elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in the 1970s. "That’s why I am running a serious, professional campaign to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate." 

Ficker, a resident of Montgomery County, is currently the only prominent GOP candidate with statewide name recognition in the race. Retired Brigadier General John Teichert, an Air Force veteran who resides in Anne Arundel County, told Maryland Matters last month that he would be entering the contest. Maryland Matters reports that Cecil County Delegate Kevin Hornberger is also mulling a run for the GOP nomination, but that he is giving himself until December 31 to make his decision.

Assault reported at Kennedy High School in Glenmont

Montgomery County police were called to John F. Kennedy High School at 1901 Randolph Road in Glenmont Monday morning, after a 2nd-degree assault was reported there. The assault was reported at the public high school at 8:50 AM Monday.

Armed robbery at Silver Spring townhome community

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in the Good Hope area of Silver Spring Monday night, November 6, 2023. The robbery was reported in the 1200 block of Twig Terrace at 7:30 PM Monday. A firearm was the weapon employed in the robbery.

Strong-arm carjacking in Takoma Park

Takoma Park City police responded to a report of a strong-arm carjacking Saturday afternoon, November 4, 2023. The carjacking was reported in the 8300 block of Roanoke Avenue at 1:00 PM Saturday.

Sheet pile installation for Lyttonsville Purple Line crash walls to begin November 9

Sheet pile installation for crash walls related to the future Purple Line light rail system will begin in Lyttonsville on November 9, 2023, the Maryland Transit Adminstration announced today. The walls will be constructed between the Purple Line and CSX railroad tracks adjacent to Talbot Avenue. Installation will take place between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on weekdays, to avoid nighttime noise. The sheet pile work is expected to continue through the end of 2023.

Black People's March on the White House this Saturday, Nov. 4 in Washington, D.C.

The 15th annual Black People's March on the White House will be held tomorrow, Saturday, November 4, 2023 in Washington, D.C. It will begin with a rally at Malcolm X Park (Meridian Hill Park) at 16th Street and W Street N.W. at 11:00 AM. Attendees will then march to toward the White House, and a second rally at Lafayette Square Park. A pre-march event - where signs will be made, chants practiced, and you will have a chance to meet some of Saturday's speakers - will be held tonight, Friday, November 3 at 6:00 PM at the Thurgood Marshall Center at 1816 12th Street NW Washington, DC 20009.

Speakers will include Marsha Coleman-Adebayo, President of the Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition; broadcaster Garland Nixon; African People's Socialist Party Chair Omali Yeshitela; WPFW-FM Program Director Katea Stitt; Hands Off Uhuru Fightback Coalition Chair Mwezi Odom; artist Yulong Jones of the International Women's Alliance; John McCarthy of the Center for Political Innovation; and a recorded message from Mumia Abu-Jamal. Cultural performances will feature Luci Murphy, Shirmina Geneva, and the Malcolm X Drummers. 

This year's march is being co-sponsored by the Black is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations, and the Hands Off Uhuru! Hands Off Africa! Fightback Committee. Registration for the march is available online.