Sinners guitar case popcorn bucket available at 2 AMC Theatres in Montgomery County

Sinners, one of the biggest blockbuster movies of 2025, just set a new record in 2026 for the most Oscar nominations of all time. While an anticipated nomination haul had already spurred a return to the big screen for the vampire flick, AMC Theatres has sweetened the even-better-than-fans-expected 16 nominations celebration with a very limited-edition Sinners guitar case popcorn bucket. So limited-edition, that the chain has currently removed the collectible from its website, where some lucky fans have successfully scored one when it has intermittently appeared in the online store.

That leaves buying one the old-fashioned way as your best bet. But the guitar case is not available at every AMC cineplex. Fortunately for Montgomery County moviegoers, two AMC locations here are on the list: AMC Montgomery 16 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, and AMC Dine-in Rio Cinemas 18 at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg. If they sell out there, or if it's more convenient for you, the bucket is also available at the AMC Columbia 14 in Howard County, the AMC Georgetown 14 in Washington, D.C., and the AMC Tysons Corner 16.

You may want to call ahead to confirm they still have some in stock. Tonight's showing of Sinners is already sold-out at AMC Montgomery 16. You don't have to see the movie to buy the popcorn bucket, though. Tomorrow is likely to be a no-go due to the expected impact of the winter storm that is hitting the area tonight, but tickets are still being sold for Sunday's screening as of this writing.

Kitchen Social coming soon to Gaithersburg

Kitchen Social is coming soon to Gaithersburg. It is taking over the large space at 203 Crown Park Avenue at Downtown Crown. Kitchen Social has a large presence in the great state of Ohio, and one location in the Sunshine State. This will be its first restaurant in the Mid-Atlantic region. The chain is known for its menu of global cuisine, and its signature Cheddar Scallion Biscuits with honey butter. Kitchen Social is expected to open this summer.

Panic grocery buying begins ahead of snow in Montgomery County (Photos)

Several days of media coverage of the snow storm expected to arrive Saturday night in the Washington, D.C. area has inspired a run on essential items at local grocery stores. Empty shelves were visible in some aisles at Harris Teeter in downtown Bethesda last night. Products being snapped up include the old stalwarts of milk, toilet paper, and paper towels. 

Shoppers are dutifully following new health advice from Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and are buying whole milk over the low-fat options. Of course, if power goes out due to ice or falling trees, massive supplies of milk will be of little value. Also going fast under RFK, Jr.'s guidelines: red meat. 

Snow totals were expected to top 13" in initial guesses, but the National Weather Service Winter Storm Watch is now talking about 5-10" of snow accumulation. Given the decline of area government resilience in the face of even a few inches of snow this century, 5-10" could paralyze the region for days. Back in the 90s, Metrobus and Ride On kept going on major routes under reduced frequency, and Metro certainly ran on underground segments if not aboveground with more intense snow plowing operations. In recent years, the entire transit system shuts down during moderate to heavy snowstorms, and governments urge residents to "shelter in place." Heckuva job, Brownie!

Incompetence of government means you're on your own until plows and utility crews belatedly reach your neighborhood. Make sure you have plenty of batteries for flashlights and a transistor radio to receive news and weather updates in the event of a power outage. Warm clothes and blankets are essential, as well. Shelf-stable milk will be a lot more useful than those perishable plastic jugs people are hoarding. And fill your gas tank at least halfway.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich to hold data center community forum Feb. 3

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced today that he will host a community forum on the hot button issue of data centers on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Montgomery County Executive Office Building at 101 Monroe Street in Rockville. The forum will be held in the Auditorium of the building, and will also allow virtual participation online via Microsoft Teams. 

Input collected from the public at the forum will be considered as the County government formulates new legislation, policies, and regulations regarding data centers. The controversial facilities are considered essential, along with ample energy resources, to the development of artificial intelligence and related economic and job growth. But the lack of jobs provided by the facilities themselves, their heavy energy use and cooling needs, imposing size, and noise pollution have generated strong community opposition. Adding to the increasing focus on data centers has been a vigorous attempt by states to divert attention from the impact of their past moves to shutter power plants and force the purchase of wind and solar power, which along with government fees have jacked up energy bills in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, by placing the blame on data centers.

"Data centers are part of the modern economy, and we need to have an honest conversation about what they mean for Montgomery County," Elrich said in a statement today. "Data centers can bring investment and jobs, but they also place real demands on our power grid, our water supply, and our land use. I want residents, businesses, and environmental advocates at the table, so we need to get this right. The decisions we make now will affect our climate goals, our neighborhoods, and energy costs for years to come. This forum is about listening first and making sure any policy we adopt reflects the values and priorities of the people who live here."

Montgomery County Council President Fani-González (D-Dist. 6) and Councilmembers Balcombe (D-Dist. 2) and Sayles (D-At-Large) have already proposed a zoning text amendment that would limit data center locations to industrially-zoned sections of the county. At-Large Councilmember Evan Glass (D) has introduced his own bill, which would establish a data center task force, if passed.

Chris Burnett, a Republican running for the 6th Congressional District in Maryland, which includes part of Montgomery County, warned against the Council pursuing a "piecemeal" approach to data center regulation. "Whatever the Councilmembers decide should be aligned to a part of a strategic plan. I offer real leadership strategies instead of knee-jerk reactions and band-aid solutions through my Innovation Corridor plan," Burnett, a retired Marine Corps officer and national security lawyer, said in a statement. "The piecemeal approach being proposed is what got Virginia into the mess it's in, and we appear to be wading into the exact same scenario without any long-term solutions. This shortsighted approach that doesn't align with national security strategies will inevitably lead to short-term gains at the expense of local residents without any opportunity for strategic growth."

Shooting at Gaithersburg McDonald's

Gaithersburg City police are investigating a shooting that took place at the McDonald's restaurant at 465 N. Frederick Avenue last night, January 19, 2026. Officers from the City and Montgomery County police responded to a report of a shooting there at 7:08 PM Monday. They found a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. He was transported to a local hospital, where his injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening. 

Police refer to there being multiple suspects in the shooting, who fled the scene and remain at large. Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Gaithersburg Police Department Investigative Section at 301-258-6400. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the Gaithersburg Tip Line at 301-330-4471.

NIST AI center in Gaithersburg seeks input on securing AI agents

The era of AI is shifting from models that simply "chat" to agents that "act." As we move toward systems capable of planning, executing tasks, and interacting with the real world autonomously, a critical question emerges: How do we keep these agents secure? To answer this, the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at NIST in Gaithersburg has issued a Request for Information (RFI). This is a call to action for the tech community to help shape the security standards for the next generation of AI.

Unlike traditional AI, agentic systems don't just provide information; they take actions. They can navigate software environments, manage files, or even interact with physical infrastructure. While this autonomy promises a massive leap in productivity, it also introduces a new "attack surface" that goes beyond traditional software vulnerabilities.

The RFI highlights that while agents share some common risks with standard software (like memory leaks or authentication bugs), they also face unique AI-driven threats:

Indirect Prompt Injection: Where an agent processes data from the web or an email that contains hidden instructions, tricking the agent into performing unauthorized actions.

Data Poisoning: Using insecure or manipulated models that have been "trained" to behave maliciously under specific conditions.

Alignment Risks: "Specification gaming," where a model achieves its goal in a way that is technically correct, but is at the same time harmful or dangerous to the computer network or software system it is working within.

NIST is looking for data and insights across several topics: 

Threat Landscape: How do agent-specific threats evolve over time?

Development Best Practices: How can we build security into the agent's "brain" from day one?

Cybersecurity Gaps: Where do current security protocols fall short when applied to autonomous agents?

Measurement & Monitoring: How do we quantify the "safety" of an agent before it's deployed?

Guardrails: What interventions can limit an agent’s access to sensitive environments?

The responses NIST receives from industry leaders, researchers, and developers will directly inform voluntary guidelines and best practices used by organizations worldwide. As these systems become integrated into national security and public safety infrastructure, establishing a baseline for "what good looks like" is essential. "The security challenges not only hinder adoption today but may also pose risks for public safety and national security as AI agent systems become more widely deployed," NIST/CAISI warned in a press release announcing the RFI this week.

If you are a developer, security researcher, or deployer of AI systems, NIST wants your case studies, actionable recommendations, and technical insights. The submission deadline is March 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. To submit any materials in response to this RFI, go to www.regulations.gov and search for docket no. NIST-2025-0035.

Kentlands Market Square seeks permission for larger signage from Gaithersburg

Kentlands Market Square has filed an application with the City of Gaithersburg requesting an amendment to its August 2020 site plan approval for signage at the property. Kimco Realty, Inc., the property owner, is seeking permission to enlarge wall signs bearing the development name beyond the dimensions allowed under City code. If approved, the wall signage could increase beyond the existing zoning allowance of 13.5-square-feet to 40 SF. 

The Gaithersburg Planning Commission will review the request at its January 21, 2026 meeting at 7:30 PM. City planning staff are recommending approval of the amendment.