Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a collision on New Hampshire Ave and Tree Lawn Dr in Ashton-Sandy Spring on Tuesday Morning According to MCFRS Captain Franco Martinez one trauma patient was extracted from a single vehicle We will provide an update if additional verified information becomes available New Hampshire Ave and Tree Lawn Dr is shut down due to a vehicle collision. One trauma patient extracted from a single vehicle. @mcfrs units still operating on the scene. @MCFRSNews @mcfrsPIO pic.twitter.com/fQ38Mv21qp — Captain Francisco(Franco) Martinez (@mcfrsPIO19) March 25, 2025 March 19 Update: In an update Wednesday police identified the decedent as 51-year-old Melissa Thomas of Owings Mills in Baltimore County first responders found her in cardiac arrest According to the Montgomery County Police Department A witness stayed on the scene and provided information to investigators Police ask anyone with information to contact the police department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620 Original: Police said a woman died after crashing into a tree in the Sandy Spring area on St A woman driving a Honda Accord crashed into a tree on eastbound Ashton Road at New Hampshire Avenue close to 11 p.m according to the Montgomery County Police Department Police said more information including the name of the decedent will be shared after notifying next of kin Maryam is a reporter with Montgomery Community Media She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism She can be reached at mshahzad@mymcmedia.org or on Twitter @maryam_mcm COVID-19 Updates Vaccine and Booster Information View All Media Advisories View All Speeches & Testimony Sign up for a newsletter or update your subscription preferences. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and evening. Some may become severe with large hail and high winds. TRACK RADARTeen dead 2 others injured after vehicle crashes into pole in Montgomery Countyby 7News Staff (7News) — A Sherwood High School student was killed and two other students were injured when they crashed into a utility pole about a mile from the school a little before 8 a.m Montgomery County Police said the 17-year-old female driver of a 2005 Toyota Corolla was pronounced dead at the scene while a 17-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl who were also in the car were taken to the hospital in critical condition The accident happened in the 17500 block of Norwood Road Police said the teens were traveling northbound in the direction of Sherwood High when the accident happened It happened close to the time school starts at 7:45 a.m teenagers began visiting the scene and leaving behind flowers and stuffed animals police identified the victim as Sanaa Virtue Vil "Everyone is sending their condolences to everyone who is affected," said Luke Amberman a senior at nearby Sandy Spring Friends School "We’ve really been thinking about it and talking about it It’s really tragic to think about and we just thought we’d come out and pay our respects." MCPD spokesperson Shiera Goff said police are investigating to determine the cause of the accident She said one of the factors being looked at is whether Wednesday morning’s wet and it is very disturbing that there has been no movement on how to get this done with the amount of engineering that's available to us now to make this happen," said Joy Turner Turner lives across the street from where the car hit the utility pole and said Wednesday morning’s tragedy is far from the first time there has been an accident in the same area cars traveling north towards the center of Sandy Spring lose control at a curve near a creek She said her neighbor’s fence was hit so many times he gave up on rebuilding it and mailboxes have been repeatedly destroyed along with one of her trees "There is a slow-down sign that's been put up here but there have been no other mitigation amenities that have been put there," she said "Rumble strips have been considered but because this is on a creek bed it creates another additional problem so we're trying very hard to find solutions." teenagers have been involved in the most serious crashes “This has been a problem since this neighborhood was built in the 1950s There have been numerous children who have died and come around this curve and flipped their cars,” said Turner who is with the Sandy Spring Civic Association The Montgomery County Department of Transportation said it will do a “post-crash assessment” to determine if safety changes need to be made to that section of Norwood Road A spokesperson said 35 mph speed limit signs were added about seven years ago after a request from a resident Montgomery County Councilmember At-Large Will Jawando shared the following statement: “It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge the devastating loss of Sanaa Vil a beloved member of the Sherwood High School community This tragedy has also left two other students injured Sanaa was not just a student; she was a vibrant leader and talented athlete whose presence brightened our halls and inspired her peers Her untimely passing leaves an irreplaceable void in our community To the Vil family: We extend our deepest condolences Your grief is shared by all who knew Sanaa and we stand ready to support you in any way we can during this unimaginably difficult time To the injured students: We wish you a full and speedy recovery Our thoughts are with you and your families as you heal Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is providing comprehensive support services for all students who may need assistance coping with this tragedy We encourage anyone struggling to reach out and utilize these resources As Chair of the Education and Culture Committee I am committed to addressing the broader implications of this heartbreaking event I will be meeting with MCPS and State Highway Administration officials to discuss urgent measures to enhance student safety our committee will be convening a special session focused on comprehensive school safety initiatives This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the preciousness of life and the critical importance of safety in our community As we mourn Sanaa and support those recovering we also pledge to work tirelessly to prevent such devastating losses in the future." Update: According to Montgomery County Police “The investigation has revealed that a vehicle collided with a wooden light pole A 17-year-old female sustained life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene have been transported to an area hospital in critical condition.” Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a collision involving a vehicle into a poll on Norwood Rd According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer the collision resulted in multiple injuries as one person remains trapped and others have been extricated Montgomery County Police tweeted the following at 8:12am: “Traffic Advisory: A single-vehicle collision has the intersection of Norwood Road and Nesbitt Farm Lane shut down Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route.” We will provide an update if additional information becomes available The town of Sandy Spring, Maryland was settled by religious Quakers in the 1720s the Quakers internally outlawed members of the church from enslaving people and a community of formerly enslaved people settled alongside the Quakers in the area These two groups would eventually work together to make the town a major waypoint on the Underground Railroad helping enslaved people from the American South escape to the North Starting in the early-1800s and continuing through the Civil War until the eventual abolition of slavery, the Underground Railroad was a loosely structured network of routes and safehouses that people escaping slavery would use to travel north, sometimes as far as Canada.  The Underground Railroad Trail Experience was established by the Montgomery County Parks system to commemorate the county's role in the historic operation such as in 1857 when fugitive slave Dred Scott was given shelter at Sandy Spring and represented by the county attorney while the Supreme Court decided his fate The hike starts at the historic Woodlawn Manor an old plantation whose owners were kicked out of the Quaker church for refusing to free their enslaved laborers. The trail traverses the dense woods and meanders across fields and streams passing by hollowed out trees that may have been used as food caches and boulders that marked property boundaries and may have been used as trail markers for escaping slaves Visitors will pass the small freshwater spring that gave Sandy Spring its name and finally end up at a large 300-year-old white ash tree that stood in the center of the historic community and would have been a beacon guiding those escaping slavery to a place where they could find some brief shelter and supplies before continuing their journey further north The park is open year-round but parking is limited so if you visit on a weekend try to get there early so dress appropriately.Also in Sandy Spring are the historic Quaker Friends Meeting House and the Sandy Spring Slave Museum The Meeting House can be seen with a short detour off of the trail and the Slave Museum is a short drive away Maine’s only official memorial to the Underground Railroad People escaping slavery may have hidden inside a corpse vault This historic Georgian mansion contains a hidden room that was used to harbor a fugitive in the days of the Underground Railroad This once-forgotten African American cultural hub was an important stop on the Underground Railroad A ghostly cabin attempts to reverse the erasure of enslaved people through poetry these brass installations commemorate the lives of enslaved Vermonters Harriet Tubman escaped arrest at this site while attempting to reunite an enslaved woman named Tilly with her fiancé Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates Sandy Spring Friends School will close for good following the 2024–2025 academic year due to what officials described as an “untenable financial position,” the school’s Board of Trustees announced Monday board members said they made the “extremely difficult but necessary determination” to shut down the historic Quaker school after efforts to stabilize enrollment and fundraising fell short despite an immense effort to shore up the school’s financial foundation we simply do not have the financial wherewithal to meet our obligations next year,” the Board wrote in its letter Sandy Spring Friends School has served students across Montgomery County and beyond with an emphasis on Quaker SPICES values — simplicity The announcement acknowledged the shock and disappointment it may bring to families still navigating school choices for the 2025–2026 year School leaders said they will support families through the transition with details on refunds Staff will also be provided information on compensation and career transition support “We are incredibly grateful for the support trust and dedication that each of you has shown to Sandy Spring Friends School over the past six decades,” the Board wrote the Sandy Spring-based school served students from pre-K through grade 12 Officials said more information will be shared in the coming days Want breaking education and community news in the DMV as it happens? Join the DMV All Incidents Facebook group Olney Winery, located at 52 Olney Sandy Spring Rd. in Ashton, announced in November that it would be “closed until further notice.” On Friday an email was sent to customers confirming that Olney Winery would be closing permanently Olney Winery has been operating since 2012 The winemaker was located at 18127 Town Center Drive in the Fair Hill shopping center in Olney until September of 2022 expanded and opened a tasting room in the stone house at 12810 Shank Farm Way in Hagerstown Olney Winery opened its new space at 52 Olney Sandy Spring Road in Ashton Market announces the closure and thanks customers for support through the years It also notes that discounted wine would be available for sale on Saturday It is with a heavy heart that Olney Winery is closing its doors permanently We truly appreciate all our customers and all your support through the years Did you want to purchase wine while it’s still available you can… We will be at the tasting room this Saturday Transactions are cashonly and wine is discounted at 50% off 12 or more bottles We want to personally thank everyone for their loyalty to us over the years It’s truly been a pleasure getting to know each and every one of you Update: Olney Winery announced a permanent closure on Friday Olney Winery has closed until further notice according to a social media post shared late last week “Dear customers we regret to inform you that the winery is closed until further notice we will reach out to you individually for your outstanding wine club pick up.” Per Olney Winery: “Olney Winery employs the unique business model of sourcing our grape product from suppliers and vineyards all over the world to ferment over 34 different varietals of award-winning wines locally and Sauvignon Blanc are made from high quality California grapes All of our wines are made by our talented wine making team at our nearby Winery Production Facility.” Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call at approximately 6:30pm for an electrical hazard on the 100blk of Olney-Sandy Spring Rd (Route 108) between New Hampshire Ave and Sherwood high school in Ashton According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer PE704 responded “for electrical hazard some lanes blocked.” As of now there is no word on how the pole was damaged (~630p) 100blk Olney-Sandy Spring Rd, Rt108, IAO Between New Hampshire Ave., and Sherwood high school, Sandy Spring, @mcfrs PE704 responded routine for electrical hazard, wires down, some lanes blocked pic.twitter.com/lxXjKSzPuX — Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) February 1, 2023 Olney Winery has been operating since 2012 The winemaker is currently located at 18127 Town Center Drive in the Fair Hill shopping center in Olney Olney Winery expanded and opened a tasting room in the stone house at 12810 Shank Farm Way in Hagerstown.Now we’ve learned that Olney Winery will be one of the new tenants at Ashton Market a new development that includes shopping and retail located at 12 Olney Sandy Spring Road in Ashton Olney Winery will remain at its current location until the new location opens They are currently aiming for a June opening Up to 7,020 SF of newly constructed ground floor retail w/ storage space Featured photo courtesy of the Olney Winery Facebook page “After whom our Mexican restaurant is named we were wandering on our own journey – a journey to set down roots and to share our love of food with a community we could call home That journey brought us from El Salvador to Ashton Cristina Vasquez and friends founded El Andariego in 1999 The restaurant quickly became a popular Mexican restaurants in the area drawing customers from across Montgomery and even Howard County A few years later Jaime Vasquez joined Cristina to oversee the dining room during the evenings His days were spent managing the Lafayette Room a “destination” restaurant at the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington after more than 16 years in fine Italian restaurants in Washington most recently as Executive Chef at Finemondo Consuelo works seamlessly with a devoted kitchen staff many of whom have been here since the restaurant opened sixteen years ago Jaime expertly oversees a bustling dining room full of familiar faces where he has watched young kids grow into fine young adults “Cristina and our teenage daughter warmly greet every guest as they enter happy to know that our family has indeed planted roots and created a gathering spot of warmth The entire El Andariego family looks forward to seeing you – and serving you -when you next wander in.” Montgomery County Police are investigating a fatal accident in Sandy Spring The accident occurred near the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Ednor Road in Ashton-Sandy Spring just after 7:15 a.m New Hampshire Avenue reopened in both directions at Ednor Road at about 1 p.m The deceased was identified as Julian Waldemar Gallardo Duarte The 41st annual festival will take place at the Sandy Spring Museum (17901 Bentley Road) on June 3 and 4 “You might not think it’s possible but this year’s festival is going to be more fun than ever That’s because it’s the 41st year and there are at least 41 great things to look forward to.” and community celebration all rolled into two days of outdoor the world’s greatest strawberry shortcake and many more activities https://www.instagram.com/p/CP4OQFkjM5G/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== In a stunning twist that has left the community buzzing Sandy Spring Friends School (SSFS) in Maryland is not closing after all Just weeks after blindsiding families with the bombshell news that it would shut its doors after the 2025 school year SSFS has officially reversed course — and it’s thanks to an outpouring of last-minute financial support and good old-fashioned community grit the Board of Trustees announced that “a path forward” has been secured thanks to “substantial and meaningful funding guarantees” from a newly formed Coalition of Friends of Sandy Spring Friends School and other backers Translation: the school will stay open for at least three more years “These past weeks have been the most difficult in our school's history,” the board wrote “We profoundly regret the pain (the closure announcement) caused.” They’re now vowing to rebuild trust and keep the Quaker mission alive "We take full responsibility for the sense that there was no other path forward at the time," they wrote "We are deeply heartened by the generous and passionate responses from across the SSFS community which reflect the deep love and care for the school and the lasting impact the school has had for many." The board says more details are coming soon A task force will start outreach on Monday Sandy Spring Friends School has been a staple in the Montgomery County community since 1961 Its surprise closure — and now surprise un-closure — is one for the books Check back with Daily Voice for the latest This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page I stopped by this past weekend and was able to experience a new limited time exhibit “ The History of Black Schools in Montgomery County” The exhibit highlights the education for black students in Montgomery County pioneer educators and the importance of education to the achievement sustainability and cross-cultural communication of the people from the 17th century to today The exhibit runs through October 7th and the museum is open Thursdays from 10:30am-1pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm-4pm. Group tours are available at any time on any day and can be booked by e-mailing [email protected] The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has released additional information regarding a fatal collision that claimed the life of a Brookeville teen in Sandy Spring 17-year-old Sanaa Virtue Vil was driving a red 2005 Toyota Corolla northbound on Norwood Road near Ashton Forest Way Officers from the 4th District and Montgomery County Fire Rescue responded to the scene along with two other 17-year-old passengers were transported to a local hospital in critical but stable condition The Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash. Detectives are asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has information to contact CRU at (240) 773-6620.” Approximately 65 Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) firefighters responded to the 16,700blk of Alexander Manor Drive off Ednor Road in Sandy Spring on Thursday December 21 for the report of a house fire which was caused by batteries for handheld tools being charged started in the home’s garage and extended to attic Five adults and two pets have been displaced and there were no injuries reported Piringer reports that a smoke alarm alerted the occupant that was home and that neighbors helped get the pets to safety **Update – Sandy Spring area house fire in Ashton Preserve neighborhood; Origin/Cause, batteries for handheld tools being charged in garage (not in use); smoke alarm alerted occupant; **5 adults, 2 pets displaced; **Damage $1M; neighbor helped get pets to safety https://t.co/7fK89lmOZk pic.twitter.com/d6s9IVOEHx — Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) December 22, 2023 Please email if you would like to be allow listed A 17-year-old girl has been killed and two of her friends have critical injuries after she drove into a wooden light pole while the three were on their way to school in Montgomery County Wednesday at the intersection of Norwood Road and Nesbitt Farm Lane in Sandy Spring after the 2005 sedan she was driving failed to make a turn were taken to the hospital in “critical but stable condition,” Montgomery County police said Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring said in a letter that the community grieves the loss of the senior whose “vibrant presence touched many.” “Losing a young life is one of the most difficult and painful experiences we face as a community,” Sherwood High School Principal Timothy Britton wrote Sherwood High School said that psychologists social workers and counselors will be available to students and staff in the coming days The crash investigation shut down roads at the site of the crash Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Abigail Constantino started her journalism career writing for a local newspaper in Fairfax County She is a graduate of American University and The George Washington University Summary: An area of low pressure brought a widespread swath of 6 to 12" of snow from the Alleghenies through the Shenandoah Valley across the DC metro and into Southern Maryland This was the most snowfall in one location from a single snow event since January 2022 for many areas This storm impacted the region with numerous closures for several days Route 108 Pizza & BBQ Taking its Place Smoketown BBQ has closed permanently and will be rebranding under new management Smoketown took over the Urban BBQ in Sandy Spring (805 Olney Sandy Spring Rd) back in early 2019 Taking its place will be Route 108 Pizza & BBQ the restaurant will be under new management Route 108 Pizza & BBQ is expected to open on or about December 14th Featured photo courtesy of Alejandra Figueroa Urban BBQ was in the location for about a decade after moving in following the departure of Willoughby’s Market The winemaker was located at 18127 Town Center Drive in the Fair Hill shopping center in Olney until September of last year they’re also offering pizza at the location All of our wines are made by our talented wine making team at our nearby Winery Production Facility.” Featured photo courtesy of Olney Winery on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/100064013558819/posts/679534117523701/?mibextid=cr9u03 Just in time for Women's History Month in March filmmaker and photographer will be launching an inclusive art exhibit questioning the beauty industry's standards as well as encouraging women in accepting themselves (ABC7) — Just in time for Women's History Month in March filmmaker and photographer Alyscia Cunningham will be launching an inclusive art exhibit questioning the beauty industry's standards as well as encouraging women in accepting themselves The 'I Am More Than My Hair' exhibit will be featured at the Sandy Spring Museum starting March 19 through Sept 5 and will also highlight the experiences people with alopecia have to go through The exhibit will be accessible to everyone including people in wheelchairs and people with sight or hearing loss through 3D-printed images of the art on display along with audio narration of the stories behind the art "'I Am More Than My Hair' started as a photography book and I've asked women of various backgrounds with alopecia - which means hair loss - about their experiences," Cunningham explains I wanted to educate what alopecia is and show hair loss can be from various illnesses So it started as a book and now it's a film." She says she had a personal experience with alopecia when she was pregnant with her daughter but it wasn't until after she was involved in her art project she said a clump of hair fell out from stress It was through the project that she discovered what the bald spot was actually from The beauty industry has faced a lot of criticism in the past including the lightening of some models' skin along with having hair a certain way and using photoshop to reduce the weight for women and adding weight for men is when you open a magazine or you look at a billboard it's not real - all of these images have been photoshopped," the artist adds "Another thing they do with the skin is they make it to where it's blemish-free People try to live up to a standard that really doesn't exist." RELATED: Meet the Maryland woman who became the first Black gymnast at Univ. of Nebraska the film screening and reception part of the exhibit will be online but she says she wanted to make the experience as inclusive as possible including making it wheelchair accessible as well as sensory accessible "I just wanted to make it accessible for everyone to be able to experience and that really came from my experience from going to a meeting with the National Federation of the Blind and hearing the members talk about how they don't feel included in the experience," she explained "And I had never thought about it before because I'm not blind so I never thought about how as an artist I can impact and make sure everyone is included in the experience." and that's on the low end - it can be up to $110,000," Cunningham said That compared to the about $10,000 to $15,000 it would normally cost to put on the exhibit "I'm hoping that what comes out of this is that other companies will be able to make this more affordable so other artists can actually incorporate that in their work," she emphasized Viewers will be able to hear the voices of the women and what they experienced in the exhibit as the artwork appeals to all levels of the senses viewers will not be able to use touch in the exhibit but she's hoping that will change somewhere along the way once cases go down and the vaccine becomes more available Cunningham reiterated that "it starts in the home." "I would say to the parents that it's really important to let your kids know let them know they're handsome," Cunningham says She adds that kids can be harsh and bullying can be really hard on children's self-esteem The artist adds that it's just as important for boys and men to learn about women's history which is part of what she hopes viewers will get from her exhibit and it's also important to boost the self-esteem of their sons [as well as the daughters]," she said "[The men] see the message that they can give to their daughters and their wives they say that they appreciate it because they were able to pass on this message and things that they've never thought about She adds that she hopes artists will feel inspired by her work and just go for an idea when they have it She says one way artists can do this is through not just research and planning but also involving themselves with other artist and art communities that can help further their ideas She says that's the reason she's in the position she is currently with her work and exhibit "It's important to fill your space with other people or other organizations or groups that will help elevate you," she said make sure you're putting yourself in a place where you're connecting with other people who can help you." she says she has also faced issues with funding for her project but she hopes that this will also change with time "The struggle really was seeing those who would get the funding initially in the beginning," she said trying to diversify who they're giving funding to If I'm looking at a funding page and none of the grantees look like me is welcome and invited to attend the exhibit 'Making Art Accessible' is scheduled for April 4 from 2 p.m the audio-described and captioned film screening will be from 2 p.m The Sandy Spring Museum is located at 17901 Bentley Rd. in Sandy Spring, Maryland. For more information, click here for Alyscia Cunningham's website Watch the full interview withAlyscia Cunningham below Andrew Einsmann has officially declared his candidacy and will be on the ballot for Montgomery County Council Seat in the newly formed District 7  Andrew has lived in the county for over 20 years- with the majority of those years in this new district The newly formed 7th district is an upcounty district bordered on the south by Derwood and the Shady Grove Metro It goes West to Montgomery Village and then traverses north through Damascus all the way to the county line A large portion of this district is the Agricultural Reserve Additional information is available via his press release below: former member of the Upcounty Advisory Board Peace Corps Volunteer and two-time President of Upper Montgomery and Rockville Rotary Clubs “My long history in our community gives me deep experience and  allows for a balanced smart approach when it comes to representing the district.” said Einsmann If elected Andrew Einsmann’s major focuses would be: Jobs- Why is Montgomery County last of any local jurisdiction when it comes to private sector job creation We need to use Novavax as a model and find more companies like them to come into the county and stimulate our economy We need to work with small businesses and hire more small business navigators and make it less cumbersome for a small business to open We need to work with the SBA and local banks to increase the opportunities for small businesses to find funding Housing and Transit options- These two items in my mind go hand and hand If you cannot get from your house to your job I support the 2050 thrive plan but I will work to get more transit hubs in the county and therefore places we can put higher density I look forward to talking with our community about starting a study to expand Metro out to Olney to reduce dependency on cars Hopefully we can get more transit options to alleviate that Increasing affordable housing is very important but we need some outside the box thinking   New construction cannot always be the fix for affordable houses so in certain circumstances we need to be flexible with zoning and potentially convert unused office spaces into houses One idea I like is The Lofts in Gaithersburg which was converted from a hotel to an apartment complex Environment- We have some strong policies in place Now we need to work towards implementing them the more it makes environmental and economic sense to buy electrical vehicles   “Smart Solar” or solar power combined with battery storage is the best option in our county and we need incentives so people can cover lesser used spaces into solar farms We need to learn how to make solar farms and agricultural farming coexist “I am a good listener and not afraid to ask the hard questions.”  He believes he can bring “common sense to complex problems.”  “We need to create a Montgomery County that provides opportunities to our kids.” “When they graduate college or go straight into the workforce work and play.” “I have a vision to move Montgomery County forward to be that place again So come along for the ride and see the places we can go.” the adult female driver of a 2024 white Honda Accord crashed into a tree on eastbound Ashton Road at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue Montgomery County Police – 4th District officers and Fire Rescue personnel responded to the location where first-responders provided life-saving efforts The Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating this fatal collision and more information will be released as it becomes available following proper notification of next of kin.” Olney Winery expanded and opened a tasting room in the stone house at 12810 Shank Farm Way in Hagerstown Olney Winery will be one of the new tenants a couple miles down the street at Ashton Market Pacific Dental Services Taking Over Old JoS PDS has an office in Silver Spring known as Dentists of Silver Spring It’s the only other Maryland location for the company which  currently has over 850 supported offices in 26 states Many practices take on a name that references the city/area the practice is in so PDS will likely have an Olney-based name when it opens We first reported back in November 2019 that the Olney Crab House was coming to the location that used to be home to The Olney Tavern (18200 Georgia Avenue) in the Hillcrest Center in Olney Renovations on the building began in the summer of 2020 but since then the building has largely remained dormant and “For Lease” signs were placed back on the building in late 2020 A few weeks back we were informed by the property management of center that the original owners had pulled out of the location and new owners have just recently taken over the lease The new owners are still planning to open the restaurant as a crab house F45 Training an Australian franchisor and operator of fitness centers based in Austin is opening its third Montgomery County location in Olney (current locations exist in Bethesda and Silver Spring though Google lists Bethesda as temporarily closed) The fitness center will open in the 3,200 sf location that was previously home to Pet Valu in Olney’s Fair Hill Shopping Center (previously Olney Town Center) at 18100 Town Center Drive Kung Fu Tea has signed on to take over the location that’s as recently home to Yogi Berry next to Starbucks in the same shopping center as Cava Mezze and Cafe Rio at 3128 Olney Sandy Spring Road The bubble tea cafe was one of the first to distinguish itself by having a system where drinkers customize their orders by sweetness using Asian teas as a base rather than commercial powders The company opened its flagship DMV location in Rockville in 2015 and has since expanded by opening many shops across the county Quickway Japanese Hibachi has already put “coming soon” signage up in the location that was formerly home to Fashion Cleaners in the Shoppes of Olney shopping center, between CVS and Bubbles Hair Salon. Fashion Cleaners closed this past spring after 8 years in the location Quickway describes itself as bringing the Teppanyaki cooking technique to a quick service restaurant setting with cooked to order hibachi dishes This will be the regional chain’s sixth MoCo location Back in July it was announced that the Montgomery County Green Bank and Sandy Spring Bank are teaming up to provide flexible financing to help the Olney Ale House re-open. We spoke with a representative from Montgomery County Green Bank in September who let us know that the construction is moving along well and that construction could take around 3-5 months They said they want to make sure to keep the county up to date on potential activities around the reopening and will provide additional information soon We haven’t received any updates since then A kitchen fire at the Olney Ale House caused the restaurant to temporarily shut down in 2019 and COVID-19 only compounded the issues for the restaurant More than 200 residences have sold at this three-section Sandy Springs venture Continuing a theme of English Arts and Crafts-style architecture that harkens the 19th century, a large residential venture neighboring Mercedes-Benz’s new USA headquarters is barreling ahead with a townhome and condo phase that includes pricing meant to be more approachable And the olde-worlde theme continues with the names of some floorplans: Tchaikovsky the Aria development by national builder Ashton Woods has sold more than 200 homes since opening two years ago The next phase in what’s called Aria North is bringing townhomes (series names: Opera all designed to merge “the excitement of the city and the serenity of the hillside,” per a company release Townhomes will range from 2,171 to 3,576 square feet with prices from the $500,000s to $690,000 Meanwhile, the Composer series lofts will each have one bedroom Loft sizes range from 970 to 1,633 square feet Other Aria townhome options climb up to nearly $1.25 million Elsewhere, a multifamily facet of the community—the upscale Alastair at Aria Village—was expected to deliver about 350 rentals The entire community spans three tracts of land, including the site that once housed the grandiose, demolished Tudor mansion Glenridge Hall Large sections of forests that filled the site before Glenridge Hall’s demise were clearcut but a focal point of development is lush greenery and trees Elsewhere in the northern ’burbs, Ashton Woods lifted the veil last year on a planned 300-home, gated community called Reverie on Cumberland Parkway Plans at the Cobb County site also call for a mix of townhomes Car giant’s headquarters relocation from New Jersey to metro Atlanta is official Mercedes-Benz has officially opened their new USA headquarters in Sandy Springs The opening is the culmination of several years of work; in late 2014, word got out that Atlanta was attempting to woo the car giant away from its home in New Jersey A large celebration attended by business leaders and government officials—including Gov and Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul—was held Thursday to mark the occasion Guests got the chance to tour the facility and see an array of Mercedes-Benz cars, from the world’s first motor car to a futuristic electric car with the power of a Formula One racer with open office zones arranged on either side of a three-story atrium Sleek and modern, the building replaced what had been a forested hillside. It’s part of a larger development by Ashton Woods on the former Glen Estate, which resulted in the demolition of historic Glenridge Hall Work is continuing to bring housing to the surrounding sites The $90 million facility encompasses nearly 200,000 square feet and will ultimately house 1,000 employees A gym—which employees will pay $25 a month for access to—and a childcare facility for up to 50 kids are located on the “garden” level Furniture will be moved into the building this weekend The coronavirus pandemic has left many Americans clamoring for more living space But those able to move have to ask the question: How much will it cost them Historically low interest rates and a shortage of homes for sale sparked bidding wars in many markets But Realtor.com has identified the suburban communities, within 25 miles of the nation's 10 biggest metro areas that offer the most space for your money.  house hunters can snap up a suburban abode that costs the same as a home near downtown, but with up to 65% more square feet Or they can typically save 29% per square foot when they purchase property in a community just a half-hour drive away from an urban hub.   The sharpest contrast is in Southern California where a 2,000-square-foot single-family house in Fullerton is typically $304,000 cheaper than a similar property in nearby Los Angeles Here are the top 10 spots for deal seekers ranked by the median listing price for a home: Follow Charisse Jones on Twitter @charissejones Though billed as being a “customer support team lead from Burbank champion Isaac Hirsch was born and raised in Montgomery County The three-time champion (as of now) is from Ashton Maryland and graduated from Blake High School in 2010 He went on to study history at the University of Maryland as part of the Class of 2014 he worked as a barista in Olney and later moved to Los Angeles in 2016 Hirsch has cumulative winnings of $70,186 after claiming victory on July 3rd ($19,185) Jeopardy host Ken Jennings brought up a story regarding Hirsch’s vehicle making a cameo on the television show Brooklyn Nine-Nine but I understand your car was famous before you were.” I don’t appear on the sitcom at all but you can see my car very clearly and people from my hometown messaged me ‘We saw your car!’ So I’m basically famous.” The Chase is described as a “heart-racing quiz show where three competitors face off against the Chaser a ruthless quiz genius determined to stop them from winning cash prizes.” Isaac and his team defeated Jeopardy Tournament of Champions winner Buzzy Cohen on The Chase to earn $140,000 as a team Featured photo courtesy of Isaac Hirsch on Instagram (@IBHirsch) A 28-year-old Maryland woman was killed after a tractor-trailer struck her SUV and dragged it down the road in a violent crash in Montgomery County was pronounced dead at the scene following the wreck at the intersection of Layhill and Norbeck roads Investigators say Kim was driving a 2021 Kia Seltos northbound on Layhill Road when a 2006 Freightliner truck pulling a Brazos trailer east on Norbeck Road slammed into her vehicle The force of the crash pushed the Kia several hundred feet before the massive truck finally came to a stop Detectives from the Collision Reconstruction Unit are investigating the crash Anyone with information is asked to contact Montgomery County Police Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribute? Join the DMV All Incidents Facebook group WILLIAMSPORT — Facing a staffing crisis as it deals with a spike in COVID-19 cases among staff and nursing home residents Williamsport Retirement Village is transferring some of its patients to other facilities its registered nurse COVID coordinator said Wednesday Williamsport Retirement's nursing home had 52 active COVID-19 cases Williamsport Retirement has had 62 total COVID cases among nursing home residents and staff — so most of those cases occurred recently Staff members with the novel coronavirus are mostly nurses especially since the spike started last week," with people working longer hours than usual Williamsport's workers are physically and mentally tired The rapid increase in cases led to a staffing crisis this week prompting transfer agreements with two regional facilities to help ensure quality of care as well as the safety of its residents and staff about half of the 35 nursing-home residents with COVID-19 were being taken to Williamsport Retirement Village's sister facility Brooke Grove Retirement Village in Sandy Spring six non-COVID residents will be taken to Northampton Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Frederick Williamsport Retirement officials are "incredibly grateful" to the two facilities helping their patients as well as to the community for its support as it deals with the recent spike in cases What's happening in its nursing home is mirroring what's happening in Washington County and the greater Tri-State community Washington County has experienced spikes in active COVID cases in recent weeks there were 71 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the county The county will not be updating its COVID stats again until Monday because of the holiday weekend one staff member at the assisted-living center at Williamsport Retirement Village tested positive for COVID-19 That brings the total COVID cases among all staff and residents to 63 since the pandemic began Like the other staff members who tested positive about 200 work in the nursing home's various departments the nursing home building on the campus had 104 patients staggered coronavirus cases until recently Williamsport Retirement started with an isolated two-bedroom COVID unit But more recently it has had one wing dedicated to those residents Williamsport Retirement has been in touch with county and state health officials The state had a technical assistance team visit and make recommendations regarding infection control but no manpower help for residents has been provided by the state Nursing home patients have chronic conditions which makes them particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus adding that with both the staff and resident cases Retirement village officials are keeping residents and families updated in a timely manner The facility also provides some updates on its website and via its COVID hotline extension families and to local and federal agencies Williamsport Retirement employees know this crisis is overwhelming and challenging and empathize with those feelings and the separation families feel from their loved ones 17 except for end-of-life compassionate care visits If one of the residents with COVID reaches the point where an end-of-life compassionate care visit is needed They would have to wear full personal protective equipment is part of the nonprofit Brooke Grove Foundation On Oct 9 the Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) in Montgomery County is hosting a charity golf event to help fund their program The event will take place at Blue Mash Golf Course in Laytonsville All proceeds from the event benefit the Army JROTC program at Colonel Zadok Magruder High School Proceeds also support cadets from Rockville High School Sherwood High School and Damascus High School The deadline to register is Saturday, Sept. 21 on mhsjrotcboosterclub.org. The golf event will offer prizes available to all participants courtesy of different sponsors of the event such as Curbio There will also be contests to win some of these prizes like Mega Putt Closest to the Pin and a $10,000 Hole in One contest Half of the prize money goes to the winner and half to the JROTC program MCPS teachers and staff may receive a discount by emailing Dana Noga-Grubb Hannah Dalsheim was an intern at Montgomery Community Media during the fall of 2019 government and politics at the University of Maryland and other landscapes around the world are spectacular trails that bring hikers and wanderers closer to nature and away from the rigamarole of modern society A few also take us on a journey into the past Many of these paths were laid down over time by indigenous populations establishing new trade routes pioneers as they crossed foreboding landscapes But not all were used for trade and exploration others provided inspiration to writers and thinkers and still more follow the paths of historical tourists Here are 18 of our favorite places to take a walk through history.  Get credit for your contribution by submitting a complete place entry with photos Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.