St. Elizabeth Ann Seton pilgrimage to make several stops in Montgomery County

This year marks a half-century since Elizabeth Ann Seton was canonized by the Catholic Church. A two-week walking pilgrimage will travel from Point Lookout in Southern Maryland all the way to The National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Emmitsburg, starting this Monday, June 9, 2025. Along the way, pilgrims will stop at several waypoints in Montgomery County, overnight in some cases. These include Our Lady, Queen of Poland Church at 9700 Rosensteel Avenue in Silver Spring; The Avalon School at St. Catherine Laboure Church at 11801 Claridge Road in Wheaton; the Shrine of St. Jude at 12701 Veirs Mill Road and St. Mary's Catholic Church at 520 Veirs Mill Road in Rockville; St. Martin of Tours Church at 201 S. Frederick Avenue and St. Rose of Lima Church at 11701 Clopper Road in Gaithersburg; and St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima at 18230 Barnesville Road in Barnesville.

For options on how you can participate by walking, or virtually from home, or to register, visit the website of The Camino of Maryland.

Image via The Camino of Maryland

When will Tropical Storm Debby impact upper Montgomery County?

Tropical Storm Debby is currently 471 miles from Montgomery County, Maryland, which will feel the former hurricane's impacts over the next three days. The storm will affect the entire Washington, D.C. metro area from around 8:00 PM Thursday night to 1:00 AM on Saturday morning. Accuweather is currently forecasting a total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with peak wind gusts of 40 MPH. The peak of the storm is expected to be from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Friday, when the most rain will fall on the area.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has declared a State of Preparedness ahead of the storm. "The safety of Marylanders is our top priority," Moore said in a statement. "By declaring a State of Preparedness, I am directing the Department of Emergency Management to coordinate the comprehensive preparation of State government ahead of potential impacts from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. Residents and visitors should monitor local weather forecasts, remain vigilant, and be prepared to follow safety instructions from local emergency officials."

Remember to keep phones and devices charged ahead of the storm. Now is the time to check batteries in your flashlights, and purchase additional batteries. Have a small transistor radio to monitor emergency bulletins and weather conditions if you lose power. And make sure your gas tank is at least half-full.

Tropical Storm Debby is currently approaching the coast of South Carolina. Its maximum sustained wind speed is 60 MPH, according to the National Weather Service, and it is moving northeast at 5 MPH. The storm is blamed for the deaths of six people in the southern United States so far.

Images courtesy NOAA, Office of Gov. Wes Moore

Florida woman killed when her motorcycle collides with a deer in Dickerson

Montgomery County police announced that a Florida woman riding a motorcycle in Dickerson was killed when a deer collided with her Sunday night, July 9, 2023. Michelle Lee Beach, 53, of Dunedin, Florida was following another motorcyclist in the 21400 block of Beallsville Road around 8:43 PM Sunday when a deer entered the roadway and struck her motorcycle. Beach was thrown from her motorcycle by the collision. She was transported to a local hospital, where she later died. The accident occurred in the southbound lane near Sellman Road, in the vicinity of the Barnesville MARC station.