A trip back to "the ultimate fall" of 1986 at Lakeforest Mall

Great Scott! Lakeforest Mall certainly knew how to take the edge off of chilly temperatures and schoolwork in September 1986, with a month-long promotion called "the ultimate fall." Thirty-six years ago, the mall was in its golden age, which arguably ran from its opening in 1978 through the 1990s. Looking back now, one has to admit the fall promotional campaigns of today's retail properties pale in comparison to Lakeforest's ultimate fall 1986.

For starters, the mall had celebrity guests targeted to the younger crowd. Children attending the Back to School Best fashion show had a chance to meet actress Cherie Johnson of the then-popular TV show, Punky Brewster. On the same September afternoon, Rooty, the Great Root Bear mascot of A&W was on hand to serve everyone a free A&W Root Beer in a collectible mug.

Did you know there was once such an entity as the Lakeforest Fashion Panel? Members of this esteemed body modeled the latest junior back-to-school wear in another fashion show. A week later, "Lakeforest covergirl" Do Hopkins walked the runway during a men's and women's fashion show featuring "the season's best from the stores at Lakeforest."

When was the last time the mall helped you advance in your life and career? September 1986 also saw Lakeforest Mall offer men and women the opportunity of a "business and social etiquette seminar...designed to help you handle any business or social situation." Attendees heard from Entertaining Etiquette author Dorothea Johnson and "body language expert" Karen Diamond. 

"Discover Lakeforest living. And discover fall at its best!" the promotional copy read. "Hecht's, JCPenney, Sears, Woodward & Lothrop and over 160 other fine stores, restaurants and services" awaited mall patrons. The same cannot be said today! A better and simpler time. A better and smarter mall owner. These - and a frosty mug of A&W Root Beer - were the ingredients for the ultimate fall at Lakeforest Mall in 1986.

Hurricane Ian remnants to impact Montgomery County sooner than expected

The worst of Hurricane Ian may have already passed in Florida, but the now-Tropical Storm is expected to make a speedy trip up the East Coast, including a jaunt out to sea and another landfall somewhere in the South. Yesterday, Ian's timetable for arrival in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and North Virginia area began to look like it was slipping from early next week to this weekend. Now, Accuweather is forecasting the first rains of Ian to arrive in the Mid-Atlantic as early as tomorrow. 

Tropical rain showers are now expected all weekend, and showers may continue from Monday into Wednesday. This does not look good for events like Taste of Bethesda this Saturday. Rain associated with Ian will arrive well ahead of the actual storm center, which is expected to pass through Maryland sometime Sunday night or early Monday morning.

Ian has further business south of here first, however. After crawling across mainland Florida, the storm will go back over the Atlantic, and make another landfall tomorrow evening. Accuweather currently predicts Ian's landfall will be somewhere near the border of Georgia and South Carolina Friday night; the National Hurricane Center's prediction is for a landfall in South Carolina. 

The full impact of Ian's second landfall, and the strength of the storm's remnants when it arrives here in the D.C. area, will be determined by how long it drifts over the waters of the Atlantic prior to Friday night's landfall. The National Hurricane Center says the storm could again near hurricane strength as it approaches land.

Ian already has shown plenty of destructive power after making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. Over 2 million utility customers in Florida are currently without electricity. Accuweather reports that every customer in Hardee County, Florida is in the dark. Part of the Sanibel Causeway collapsed, the only bridge between Sanibel Island and mainland Florida. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said earlier this morning that helicopter rescues are being performed on barrier islands by the Coast Guard and Florida National Guard. He said 100 portable cell towers are being set up to restore some level of phone service, and that power line infrastructure in the hardest hit areas would in some cases have to be entirely rebuilt. Pine Island Bridge, like the Sanibel Causeway, is damaged and impassable, he added.

Fox Weather reports that there are believed to be hundreds of fatalities in Lee County, Florida, according to the sheriff there. Accuweather reports one confirmed death in Florida from Hurricane Ian, a 72-year-old man in Deltona. He slipped down a hill behind his home into a flooding drainage ditch while trying to drain his pool as the storm approached his area at 1:00 AM this morning. Fox Weather also reports Ian has caused a 200-year flood event in Orlando. More than a foot of rain has fallen on the city.

DeSantis said his state has all of the supplies it needs for storm victims. "It's much better to donate financially, rather than sending items. We've got a lot of items," he said at a news conference this morning. Those seeking to help storm victims displaced in Florida can have the greatest impact by donating funds at FloridaDisasterFund.org, or text DISASTER to 20222, he said. Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis said the fund has already raised $1.6 million in the last 24 hours.

Tropical Storm Ian's current location is 40 miles east of Orlando, the National Hurricane Center reports. Its current maximum sustained winds are at 65 MPH, and it is moving NE at 8 MPH.

Graphic courtesy Accuweather.com

Car stolen from home in Germantown

Montgomery County police are investigating the theft of a vehicle from a residence in Germantown early Monday morning, September 26, 2022. The vehicle was taken from the driveway of a home in the 19200 block of Warrior Brook Drive. It is believed the vehicle was stolen sometime between 12:00 and 5:45 AM Monday morning.

Amazon Fresh Shady Grove Road store still has empty shelves (Photos)

There's still no official opening date for the Amazon Fresh store at the 270 Center on Shady Grove Road, on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. On my latest trip by, the shelves inside the store remained bare. An Amazon Fresh store opened recently at Chevy Chase Lake, so they may just be staggering the openings so they can focus on ensuring a smooth launch at each store, especially with all of the technology involved with the Just Walk Out checkout system.

Strong-arm robbery at Gaithersburg supermarket

Gaithersburg City police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery at a grocery store early Friday afternoon, September 23, 2022. The robbery was reported at a supermarket in the unit block of Bureau Drive at 12:00 PM Friday. There is a Giant store in the shopping center on that block.

Oak Barrel & Vine "coming soon" in Gaithersburg

"Coming soon" signage is up at the future Oak Barrel & Vine store at 512 N. Frederick Avenue, at Gaithersburg Square. The store is the new retail concept from the Montgomery County government liquor monopoly. It will be designed to resemble a privately-owned shop, rather than the government-operated store it will actually be.

Armed carjacking in Kentlands area of Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg City police responded to a report of an armed carjacking in the Kentlands area of Gaithersburg early last evening, September 21, 2022. The carjacking was reported on the unit block of Granite Place at 6:51 PM last night. That is outside the Colonnade at Kentlands condominiums.

Montgomery Village Starbucks opens (Photos)

It's PSL season in Montgomery Village. The new Starbucks has opened for business at 19290 Montgomery Village Avenue, in the Montgomery Village Shopping Center. It has a drive-thru for extra convenience, but is not open 24 hours a day. Operating hours here are 5:30 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Saturday, and 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM on Sundays.

Christmas decorations hit the shelves at Walmart in Germantown (Photos)

Halloween isn't even here yet, and Walmart in Germantown is already gearing up for Christmas. A selection of Christmas decor is now on display. Santa, gnomes, nutcrackers, Mrs. Claus, reindeer, the Grinch, Buddy the Elf...the gang's all here.

Pollo Campero now open in Gaithersburg (Photos)

The new Pollo Campero has opened in the former KFC building at 426 N. Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg. It has a convenient drive-thru, and a much more colorful design than the Colonel had. They have a sign out front advertising a new Campero Spicy Chicken Sandwich. If it matches the picture, it looks like a large piece of chicken, as big as any competitor out there. 

King's Laundromat opens in Gaithersburg

King's Laundromat has opened at 112 N. Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg. They have Speed Queen washers and dryers, with an available capacity of up to 80 lbs. for a load. King's also offers pick-up and delivery wash-and-fold service if you are in their coverage area, which you can confirm by entering your zip code on their website. If you're coming in to wash your own clothes, you'll find free WiFi, flatscreen televisions, comfortable seating and convenient parking.

Montgomery County Executive, Civic Federation call on County Council to disapprove Thrive 2050 plan

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) and the Montgomery County Civic Federation have both asked the County Council to disapprove the controversial Thrive 2050 growth plan. Elrich wrote in a memo to councilmembers that a new consultant report underscored his previous concern that there was insufficient outreach to residents of color, and of lower-income levels. He also noted that a survey touted by Thrive 2050 proponents used deceptive questions that referred to end goals of the plan, without disclosing the new zoning changes that would be implemented to achieve them.

Elrich advised the Council to put its political interests in passing Thrive 2050 before the November election aside, in favor of more outreach, and incorporation of more than 65 changes recommended by the consultant to prevent gentrification and displacement of residents of color and lower incomes. These proposed changes include Community Benefit Agreements, rent-to-own programs, and constructing more parks in areas that fit those demographics. Elrich said disapproving the current plan would also allow time for further public hearings.

A major complaint of Thrive 2050 detractors from the beginning has been the impression that the plan was rammed through by the County Planning Board while the general public was distracted by the pandemic. The most controversial aspect is that the plan would allow construction of multifamily housing in existing single-family home neighborhoods. This would drastically change the character of those neighborhoods, while the resulting attached housing units would be too expensive to help address the perceived lack of affordable housing in the county. 

Thousands of new housing units have come online countywide since 2014, but that surge in inventory has had no downward effect on prices. As volume increases, home prices and rents have only gone upward, creating skepticism that Thrive 2050's massive construction scheme will make housing affordable. In fact, based on the data of the last decade, it would likely only jack up prices further. If new townhomes sell for over $1 million in an industrial area of 20816, how much would a new larger duplex unit sell for in the same desirable zip code? Not less.

The resolution passed by the Civic Federation addressed many of the same concerns Elrich raised, as well as environmental sustainability and the need for broad community support for master plans. Thrive 2050 supporters have dismissed that idea, arguing that despite their six-and-seven figure investments in a SFH-neighborhood environment, County home buyers should have no say or leverage in the zoning or development of any property besides their own. 

New chapters should be added on each of the topics that the consulting team determined were shortchanged in the current draft, the Federation advised, including environmental, racial equity and social justice issues. A new public hearing should be held on each of those new chapters, its resolution added. The Federation also opposes universal upzoning and by-right zoning changes implemented through the controversial Zoning Text Amendment process, and notes that the consultant report suggests that a legitimate process to address the areas of concern it identified would take at least one year.

Other concerns that have been expressed throughout the Thrive 2050 process have included school overcrowding, loss of green space and tree canopy, inadequate parking spaces for the higher neighborhood densities proposed, and whether the existing infrastructure such as water and sewer can handle such a population increase in existing neighborhoods. 

The Council currently has planned to vote on the Thrive 2050 plan by October 25.

Indecent exposure at Gaithersburg bus stop

More than the timetable was on display at a bus stop in Gaithersburg Monday afternoon. Gaithersburg City police were called after an indecent exposure incident occurred at a stop in the 9400 block of Gaither Road at 3:32 PM on September 12, 2022.

Maryland says possible CSX strike could impact MARC commuter rail service starting September 16

CSX Transportation has informed the Maryland Transit Administration that a potential labor strike by CSX railroad employees could impact MARC commuter rail service beginning this Friday, September 16, 2022. The MTA says a strike would impact the Brunswick and Camden lines, which are operated by CSX personnel. Penn Line service, operated by Amtrak employees, would not be affected. Many residents of towns like Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Silver Spring and Kensington rely on MARC service.

The MTA is recommending that Brunswick and Camden line commuters begin making alternate travel plans for Friday morning, and plan to possibly continue using those alternatives until any potential labor action ends. A list of alternative commuting options is posted on the MTA website to assist riders in planning an alternative itinerary, if needed. A freight railroad worker strike would have far-reaching impacts to communities across the country, including supply lines and store inventories. This could cause inflation in prices, just as inflation pressures appeared to be slightly easing in many sectors.

Baskin Robbins opening store at Montgomery Village Center

Baskin Robbins will open a new store in Montgomery Village, at the Montgomery Village Center, at 19201 Centerway Road. It will be located next to Suburban Hair. The shopping center recently completed a major renovation, and has added many new tenants, including Aldi, Moe's Southwest Grill and Starbucks. 

An equally-recognized national brand, Baskin Robbins has been holding its own in a tough economic climate. Baskin Robbins' Congressional Plaza location closed, but most of the brand's recent real estate moves in Montgomery County have been relocations, in the cases of its Rock Grove and Potomac stores.

Strong-arm robbery in Germantown

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery in Germantown on Tuesday evening, September 6, 2022. The robbery was reported in the 12200 block of Peach Crest Drive at 6:59 PM Tuesday. That is an apartment complex near Gunners Lake and the CSX railroad tracks.

Crumbl Cookies Kentlands update (Photos)

The interior of the future Crumbl Cookies at 277 Kentlands Boulevard is gleaming white. Order and Pickup locations have been marked on the front counter area. The sign is now lit at night, and they are advertising for help wanted. Stay tuned for an opening date!

The Labs at West Watkins on Gaithersburg Planning Commission agenda tonight

Trammell Crow is asking the City of Gaithersburg to allow it to rellocate and consolidate approved office and retail space for its planned biotech development, The Labs at West Watkins. Located in the Watkins Mill Town Center, the two life sciences buildings would be larger than originally planned, allowing Trammell Crow to eliminate two other office buildings it had approvals for. For that reason, the company needs to reallocate the 62,494 square feet of retail and 100,950 SF of office space already approved for the two canceled buildings among these two biotech buildings, and three other future buildings.

The Labs at West Watkins is to be part of the long-delayed urban core of the Watkins Mill development, where there has been substantial residential development such as the Parklands community. Future streets that would connect to the Labs property are Town Center Boulevard, Commerce Street, Midtown Street, Grand Street and Parkview Avenue extended. All of these roads have yet to be constructed. Trammell Crow also notes that the replacement of the Corridor Cities Transitway rail line with a bus rapid transit route has made the required dedications of land on its property for the railway obsolete.

The Gaithersburg Planning Commission will review the requested site plan update at its meeting tonight, September 7, 2022 at 7:30 PM. City planning staff are not yet making a recommendation on the request to the commissioners at this early stage of review.

Renderings courtesy Trammell Crow Company

Paranormal Cirque Clarksburg shows "postponed until further notice"

The Paranormal Cirque shows planned for September 8 to 18, 2022 at the Clarksburg Premium Outlets have been "postponed until further notice," the touring company announced on Facebook yesterday. New dates will be announced. The circus is extending its run in Waldorf rather than move to Clarksburg as scheduled.

Flood watch in effect until 2:00 PM today for Central Maryland, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for all of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Montgomery County and Central Maryland to the border with Pennsylvania. It is in effect from 4:00 AM to 2:00 PM this afternoon, September 6, 2022. There is the possibility of rainfall of 2-3" during this time, with potential totals up to 5" in some areas, due to heavy showers and possible thunderstorms.

Expect creeks, streams, rivers and flood-prone areas to experience high water levels and overflows. If you see high water in the road ahead, do not attempt to drive through it. Turn around and find an alternate route.

Montgomery County Executive candidate Reardon Sullivan releases new campaign ad

Reardon Sullivan, the Republican nominee for Montgomery County Executive, has released a new campaign ad. "Montgomery County has changed," he says as the ad begins. "We were once the premier county in the country, but now violent crime has skyrocketed in our neighborhoods and schools. Our police are not supported, and can't do their jobs." 

Sullivan accuses the County's public school system of "pushing radical social agendas," instead of "the real lessons our children need to learn." He notes the trend of businesses leaving the county or closing, and the financial impact of that on County revenues. Alluding to the disatisfaction of a majority of Democratic primary voters with the incumbent executive, Sullivan asks, "[D]o you really want another four years of Marc Elrich?"

The ad ends with an appeal for voters to make their choice based on the areas of agreement residents have about the future of the County, as opposed to on the basis of party labels. “Now voters have a clear choice to make in the General Election," Sullivan said in a statement announcing the video this morning, "and I ask all voters for their support and their vote so together we can put Montgomery County back on the right track.”