Two Story Chimney Ciderworks to close in Gaithersburg

 

Two Story Chimney Ciderworks at 7115 Damascus Road in Gaithersburg will permanently close before Christmas, the distillery announced on social media. "We have been so blessed to be a part of this community and so many people’s lives," the post said. "The friendships and bonds will always be cherished. It is time we trade the early morning markets and late night tasting rooms in for time with our family. Our last day will be December 21. Stop in before the end of the year and share some stories and memories."

Sixty Vines seeks permission to add retractable screens to pergola

Sixty Vines, the new restaurant at 212 Ellington Boulevard at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg, is seeking permission from the City of Gaithersburg to add retractable screens to its outdoor dining pergola structure. The retractable vinyl curtains will utilize the MagnaTrack Vinyl Screen System. Those screens will be black in color, and will not count as increasing the building footprint under City regulations. Sixty Vines' application will be reviewed by the Gaithersburg Planning Commission at its meeting tonight, December 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM. City planning staff are recommending approval of the application.

Fatal single-vehicle crash claims life of Germantown man in Damascus

A tragic single-vehicle collision in Damascus early Sunday morning has resulted in the death of a 27-year-old Germantown resident. At approximately 4:05 a.m. on Sunday, November 30, 2025, Montgomery County Department of Police – 5th District officers and Fire and Rescue personnel were dispatched to the scene at the intersection of Ridge Road and Kings Valley Road following reports of a crash.

Upon arrival, responders located a gray 2013 Honda Civic coupe that had suffered a catastrophic crash. The vehicle had left the roadway, struck a fire hydrant, hit an embankment, and overturned.

The driver, identified as Bilcher Ronaldino Huinil Lopez, the sole occupant of the car, was ejected from the vehicle and found in the roadway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The preliminary investigation into the crash suggests the Honda was traveling southbound when the driver lost control of the vehicle. Authorities have indicated that evidence found at the scene suggests that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in the fatal collision.

The investigation is currently being led by the Collision Reconstruction Unit of the Montgomery County Police Department. Due to the complex nature of reconstructing the events, it may take several weeks or longer for the investigation to be completed.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who has information regarding the incident to come forward. Please contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit directly at 240-773-6620.

Aggravated assault in Montgomery Village

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an aggravated assault in Montgomery Village on the evening of November 19, 2025. According to police, the victim was in the 19200 block of Watkins Mill Road at 7:52 PM. That is just south of the Montgomery Village Center. Two suspects assaulted the adult male victim.

Police describe the suspects only as two Black males, aged 25-30. If you have any information that could assist detectives in closing this case, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Strong-arm robbery in Montgomery Village

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery in Montgomery Village in the morning hours of November 11, 2025. A lone assailant assaulted the adult female victim, and stole her property. Police describe the suspect only as a Black female of unknown age. If you have any information that could assist detectives in closing this case, call police at (301) 279-8000. 

Armed robbery in broad daylight in Germantown

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an armed robbery in Germantown yesterday afternoon, November 25, 2025. The robbery was reported in the 13000 block of Middlebrook Road at 4:26 PM Tuesday. It took place in a commercial parking lot.

Lakeforest Transit Center to be relocated and redeveloped at former Gaithersburg mall property

There's a new development in the redevelopment of the Lakeforest Mall site in Gaithersburg. A ceremony was held yesterday to kick off the first phase of a newly-announced partnership to relocate and redevelop the Lakeforest Transit Center. Transit is key to transforming the former community hub into a vibrant, mixed-use development, especially with no new highways or rail service planned for the massive housing and commercial growth that will occur.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Maryland State Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, and County Councilmembers, including Marilyn Balcombe, Sidney Katz, Dawn Luedtke, and Laurie-Anne Sayles, joined Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Director Chris Conklin, WRS Inc. Real Estate Investments Principal Kevin Rogers, and other community leaders to celebrate the milestone.

The redevelopment is a joint effort between Montgomery County and WRS Inc. Real Estate Investments. WRS is set to redevelop the nearly 100-acre site into a dynamic mixed-use community featuring residential housing, entertainment, shopping, and public gathering spaces.

“Lakeforest Mall was a place where people came together for decades, and this redevelopment gives us a chance to reimagine this site,” Elrich said Monday. “Transportation, housing, and economic development are connected, and this project reflects that.”

The now-closed Lakeforest Mall holds a special place in the community, having served as the County's largest mall for a time and a well-known gathering spot for 45 years since its opening in 1978. Greed on the part of the mall's final owner, and chronic failure by County leaders to address violent crime and gang activity at the mall resulted in the disgraceful demolition of the once-luxurious shopping mecca now underway at the site.

The first phase of the agreement focuses on site preparation for the new transit center. WRS will prepare nearly two acres of land, which includes filling in a drainage pond and grading the site to make it build-ready. This initial phase is expected to take about one year.

Following the completion of site preparation, MCDOT will purchase the land from WRS and commence construction on the new transit center itself.

The new transit center will continue to serve the eight existing Ride On bus routes currently using the Lakeforest Transit Center. Crucially, it is also being designed with scalability to accommodate the future MD 355 Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor. "The new transit center will support the nearly 2,000 riders per day who rely on the current Lakeforest Transit Center, as well as create capacity to accommodate the planned Flash Bus Rapid Transit corridor along MD 355 and any future developments," Conklin said.