Montgomery County starting work on Hoyles Mill MARC station project in Boyds

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is making final preparations to begin work on the Hoyles Mill MARC station project. Utilizing land around the Boyds MARC commuter rail station, including the Anderson property the County acquired for this purpose, several upgrades and amenities will be added to the station. These include construction of a new parking lot, a new Ride On bus loop, sidewalks, a shared-use path, and restrooms for bus drivers. The current parking lot has only 15 spaces that typically fill up fast in the morning; the new lot will provide 55 spaces for commuters, as well as new bicycle parking spots.

In addition to the station improvements, the historic Hoyles Mill structure will be stabilized. It is essentially a ruin, but stabilization is needed to insure it doesn't collapse. Montgomery County has received a total of $590,000 in grants from state agencies for this purpose. According to the Library of Congress, much of the mill's sheathing and internal machinery remain intact, and it is one of a few timber-frame mills that remain standing in Montgomery County.

Overall, the goal of the project is to encourage more ridership for MARC from the Germantown and Clarksburg areas. Massive development was allowed in both, but the County Council engaged in a rug pull with new homebuyers who had expected to commute via a new Corridor Cities Transitway rail line, and M-83 Highway. After they purchased their homes, the Council pulled the plug on both projects. The Hoyles Mill MARC station project was approved in 2019, and is only now moving forward.

Song Dog Farm Distillery opens in Boyds (Photos)

Song Dog Farm Distillery has opened at 18100 Bucklodge Road in Boyds, Maryland. The distillery is located on a farm property in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, and includes a tasting room, a "front porch" outdoor patio, and expansive lawns. Song Dog Spirits was founded in 2015 by the husband and wife team of Megan Draheim and David Harris, who purchased the farm in 2021, and constructed the facilities over the past four years. 

There is a tasting room menu, and food is also available from food trucks on-site, or you can bring your own. Kids and "well-behaved" dogs are also welcomed on the premises. Song Dog produces bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, gin, and seasonal liqueurs, and all of their products reflect the agricultural produce and flavors of Maryland. Operating hours are 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Wednesday through Friday, 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. For a preview of their product line, and information on planning a private event at the farm, visit their website.

Backyard BOB brick oven food trailer up for auction in Gaithersburg

Backyard BOB, the locally-popular brick oven bistro on wheels that has been operating for three years in Boyds, is now being put up for auction online. The customized trailer sports a Marra Forni MS42-31G gas-fired brick deck oven (42”x31”), with an exhaust system, as its centerpiece. It also contains a pizza prep station, a sandwich prep station, a Waring panini press, a steam well, a glass door fridge, an under counter freezer, a three- compartment sink with overhead shelves, and hand wash sink. Bonus items include an Everstar portable air conditioner, and two 100-pound propane tanks, so that the auction winner can get started right away. The auction begins closing on September 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM.

Photo courtesy Capital Online Auctions

Boyds burglars sought by Montgomery County police

Montgomery County police are seeking the public's help in identifying and locating two suspects who allegedly burglarized a home in Boyds on September 26, 2024. At 8:35 AM, the two suspects were caught on camera entering a house in the 22000 block of Knoll Crest Court. One of the two suspects is described by police as a White male of unknown age wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black sneakers. If you can identify either suspect, or have any information about this burglary, you are asked to call police at  1-866-411-8477. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

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

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.

Boyds Warrior Canine Connection HQ proposal to be reviewed by Planning Board

A proposal to create an operational headquarters for the non-profit Warrior Canine Connection in Boyds will be reviewed by the Montgomery County Planning Board. The plan proposes to convert an existing barn and kennel facility at 14934 Schaeffer Road into a headquarters with office space for the organization. All 17 acres of the property, which are located within Seneca Creek State Park, are owned by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. That means that the plan will be review under the mandatory referral process. In plain English, that means that the Board may comment, advise and recommend changes to the proposal, but has no legal authority to force the DNR to alter the plan, or to deny approval of the plan.

Warrior Canine Connection plans to use the modified building to expand its program and the number of physically and mentally-injured veterans it can assist. Through the organization, veterans train service dogs for other veterans. The new headquarters facility will have additional space for the breeding, training and care of the dogs housed by the non-profit for the program.

Because the property is on a rustic road, no modifications are required to the front entrance of the site. The entrance driveway will be fully-paved, a new well and septic tanks will be installed, new pathways will be paved, an ADA-compliant parking area will be created, an above-ground fire suppression tank will be erected, a paved area for dumpsters will be poured, and power lines will be undergrounded. No new outdoor lighting is being sought by the applicant. There will be one employee on-site 24 hours a day in case of any emergency related to the property or to the animals. 

The Board will review the proposal at its January 19, 2023 meeting, where the public may testify. Planning staff are recommending approval of the application.

Rendering courtesy Montgomery County Planning Department

Cars stolen in Gaithersburg and Boyds

Montgomery County police responded to the reports of vehicles being stolen in Gaithersburg and Boyds on Sunday. A vehicle was taken from a commercial parking lot in the 19200 block of Chennault Way in Gaithersburg. Another was stolen from a residential parking lot in the 22500 block of Cabin Branch Avenue in Boyds near Clarksburg.