MASSIVE POWER OUTAGE IN LONG BRANCH AREA OF SILVER SPRING

Here's a big one folks. I think this may be the one I had just heard about. 1818 Pepco customers just lost power in the Long Branch area of Silver Spring, between Indian Spring Drive and Gilbert Place, west of University Boulevard. It spreads as far west as Highland View.

Pepco has assigned crews to respond to these outages, but the cause is not yet known. The utility expects power to be restored in Long Branch by 3:00 AM this morning.

A smaller outage was just reported near Indian Spring Drive and University Boulevard. Pepco has a longer timetable for that one - 1:00 PM this afternoon.

WILD NIGHT, POWER OUTAGES IN WHEATON, SILVER SPRING, GLENMONT

The only consolation in eastern Montgomery County on this windy night, is that you're doing far better than Pepco customers in Bethesda.

A transformer reportedly exploded in the downtown Silver Spring area earlier. I just saw a report on Twitter by @calloni saying that power just went out elsewhere within the 20901 zip code.

Sparks falling from the sky - or the power lines, to be precise - in the vicinity of Georgia Avenue and Arcola Avenue set the tone for the night. Arcing power lines were responded to by Montgomery County Police, and eventually Pepco. Residents along Georgia there were unable to pass beneath the wires out in front of their homes tonight. 6 customers there are scheduled to get power back by 6:00 AM this morning.

Several Glenmont customers could get power back by 3:00 AM in the areas of Glenmont Forest and Glenmont Village, along the Randolph Road corridor. A few customers in the Lund Place/Soward Drive vicinity are due for power back by sunrise at 7:00 AM.

50 customers are out in the Bryants Nursery Road area, just south of Norbeck Road. They're estimated to be restored by 4:00 AM. 11 customers nearby off Norwood Road should be restored an hour earlier than that.

In the downtown Silver Spring area, 27 customers are without power after a tree limb fell northeast of the railroad tracks, in the area between 16th and Spring Streets. They should be restored by 6:00 AM, Pepco predicts.

No such luck for 5 customers knocked out hours ago in Northwest Park; they're scheduled to be restored at 1 PM on Thursday. Same for another 5 customers in the vicinity of Dale Drive and Wayne Avenue. And for 5 more east of University Boulevard, in the Edgewood Avenue area.

High winds are expected to continue through 11:00 AM, so this list could grow.

ASSAULT ON ENNALLS AVENUE, 2 DOWNTOWN SILVER SPRING DRUG ARRESTS - SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on March 9, according to crime data:

Theft. JC Penney at Wheaton Plaza.

Theft. Macy's at Wheaton Plaza.

Assault. 2500 block Ennalls Avenue (Wheaton).

Drug arrest. East-West Highway at Georgia Avenue.

Theft. 7900 block Georgia Avenue (downtown Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. Spring Street and Roeder Road (downtown Silver Spring).

Theft. 900 block Wayne Avenue (downtown Silver Spring).

Liquor arrest. Georgia Avenue and University Boulevard (Wheaton).

CRIME UPDATE FOR SILVER SPRING, ASPEN HILL, WHEATON, TAKOMA PARK AND GLENMONT

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on March 8, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 8300 block 16th Street.

Drug arrest. 2700 block University Boulevard W. (Wheaton).

Theft. 8500 block Colesville Road (downtown Silver Spring).

Liquor arrest. 11200 block Grandview Avenue (Wheaton).

Liquor arrest. Grandview Avenue at Ennalls Avenue.

Disorderly conduct. Majestic Theater (downtown Silver Spring).

Theft. 800 block Ellsworth Drive (downtown Silver Spring).

Vehicle burglary. 7300 block Birch Avenue (Takoma Park).

Theft. 13100 block Parkland Drive (Aspen Hill).

Liquor arrest. 12300 block Georgia Avenue (Glenmont).

MCDONALD'S BACON CLUBHOUSE BURGER REVIEW (VIDEO)

Montgomery County is one of the first places in America to get a historic new sandwich from McDonald's: the new McDonald's Bacon Clubhouse. The Bacon Clubhouse can be ordered as a burger, or as a chicken sandwich (grilled or crispy).

What makes the Bacon Clubhouse historic? It is the first time McDonald's has used its famous Big Mac special sauce on a non-Big Mac product. In this case, you're getting the special sauce on a quarter-pound, all-beef patty, with premium leaf lettuce, tomato, grilled caramelized onions, Angus seasoning, and thick-cut smoked Applewood bacon.

One other big deal with this sandwich? The bun.

The Bacon Clubhouse features a special new bun, which McDonald's is calling a "soft and warm Artisan roll." A shiny egg wash effect tops off the premium bun, which is slightly sweet in flavor, and has the toasted exterior and soft interior of a high-quality dinner roll.

What's the verdict?

Watch my review to find out!

3 ASPEN HILL DRUG ARRESTS, ANOTHER AT GLENMONT SHOPPING CTR., 2 TAKOMA PARK BURGLARIES - CRIME UPDATE

We have an epic crime report from last Friday here. Police were able to make 3 drug arrests in Aspen Hill, and another at the nearby Glenmont Shopping Center. Plus, the east county area of Cloverly makes its first appearance in a crime report on this blog.

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on March 7, according to crime data:

Vehicle burglary. 10500 block Georgia Avenue (near Evans Drive).

Weapons arrest. Georgia Avenue near Rampart Way (Wheaton).

Burglary. 11100 block Veirs Mill Road (Wheaton).

Theft. Wheaton Plaza.

Theft. 11100 block Veirs Mill Road (Wheaton).

Liquor arrest. Parking Lot 13 (Wheaton).

Liquor arrest. 8000 block Blair Mill Way (Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. Fenton Street at Cameron Street.

Theft. 8700 block Cameron Street (downtown Silver Spring).

Disorderly conduct. 2500 block Ennalls Avenue (Wheaton).

Theft. 8700 block Colesville Road (Silver Spring).

Disorderly conduct. Austin Grill (Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. 900 block Wayne Avenue.

Drug arrest. 12200 block Veirs Mill Road (Wheaton).

Liquor arrest. Mississippi Avenue at Piney Branch Road.

Drug arrest. 9800 block Colesville Road (near Beltway interchange).

Theft. 7500 block Maple Avenue (Takoma Park).

Drug arrest. Glenmont Shopping Center.

Burglary. 8200 block Piney Branch Road (near Dale Drive & La Casita).

Drug arrest. 4600 block Hallet Place (Aspen Hill).

Assault. Piney Branch Road at Dale Drive.

Drug arrest. 4400 block Independence Street (Aspen Hill).

Burglary. 7200 block Carroll Avenue (Takoma Park).

Liquor arrest. Flower Avenue at Piney Branch Road (Long Branch).

Burglary. 9500 block Seminole Street (near Franklin Ave./Long Branch).

Disorderly conduct. 500 block Domer Avenue (Long Branch).

Burglary. 6400 block New Hampshire Avenue (Takoma Park).

Drug arrest. Georgia Avenue at Bel Pre Road (Aspen Hill).

Theft. 11200 block New Hampshire Avenue (White Oak).

Theft. 1500 block November Circle (White Oak).

Drug arrest. 12400 block Columbia Pike (Calverton).

Vehicle burglary. 15400 block New Hampshire Avenue (Cloverly).

DRUG ARREST AT WHEATON HS, SILVER SPRING ASSAULT - SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on March 6, according to crime data:

Drug arrest. 3400 block University Boulevard W. (Wheaton).

Vehicle burglary. 8600 block 16th Street (downtown Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. Georgia Avenue and Evans Drive (Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. 1200 block East-West Highway (downtown Silver Spring).

Assault. Georgia Avenue at Sligo Avenue.

Drug arrest. 10400 block Julep Avenue (Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. Wheaton High School.