Pleasant View Park, a nearly 10-acre park with amenities including a bicycle pump track, community garden and large grassy lawn, is expected to open in Gaithersburg this fall, according to city officials.

The opening of the park at 10901 Darnestown Road comes nearly three years after construction began in November 2021. As of Aug. 21, the park was in the final phase of completion, according to the project webpage. A specific opening date has not been set.

In addition to the bicycle skills course – a circular loop with berms and rollers that cycylists can ride without pedaling – garden and large green space, the park will also have an outdoor fitness zone, walking trails, visitor plaza and pavilions with picnic tables

The land where the park sits originally was used from 1955 to 1975 as a fire control radar site of the U.S. Army NIKE Missile system, according to the city. After 1975 the site was home of the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Laboratory Campus, where consumer products were tested.

Named after the Pleasant View community, one of the first free Black communities established in the county after the Civil War, the “park’s name honors the historic significance of that community and the beauty of its natural surroundings,” Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman said Monday in an email statement to MoCo360.

“Pleasant View Park will add to the city’s diverse landscape of parks [and increase] access to outdoor amenities for residents and visitors. We are excited to welcome residents to Pleasant View Park soon,” Ashman said.

The community garden at Pleasant View Park will also be the city’s first, according to Ashman.

Plots are allotted to gardeners on a lottery-based system, according to the community garden webpage. Those interested in renting a plot must submit an application to enter the lottery, although this year the plot allotment has already been finalized.

Eighteen raised-bed plots are available, six of which measure 48 square feet and cost $30 per year and 12 that are 32 square feet and cost $25 per year. Individuals and families are limited to one plot per household/family, according to the community garden website.

The park will have a parking lot and a Ride-On bus stop is located at the park entrance on Darnestown Road.

Here are photos of the park in August:

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Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, an upscale restaurant chain, is looking for approval from the City of Gaithersburg to construct a 10,000-square-foot restaurant fronting Gaithersburg’s Lake Varuna, according to an application filed Aug. 12 with city planners.

If the project is approved and constructed, the restaurant will be the first Maryland location for the restaurant chain. The MoCoShow first reported Eddie V’s proposal to construct the restaurant.

According to the application filed by the property owner, 151 Lakelands LLC, the restaurant is proposed for the corner of Lakeland Drive and Great Seneca Highway next to the lake. The development plan is under review and a public hearing has not been scheduled, according to the City of Gaithersburg’s planning website.

A media representative for Darden Concepts, which owns and operates Eddie V’s, did not respond to MoCo360’s multiple calls and emails for comment.

Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Yard House, the Capital Grille and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse are among some of the restaurants owned and managed by Darden Concepts.

Eddie V’s offers an upscale dining experience with signature cocktails, a jazz lounge and private events, according to its website. At its other locations, Eddie V’s menu includes oysters, Maine lobster bisque, crab fried rice and ahi tuna for lunch and dinner offerings include a shellfish tower, steak tartare, Chilean sea bass, scallops and cold-water lobster.

Eddie V’s operates 30 locations in the United States, with the closest to the county in Tyson’s Corner in McLean, Virginia, according to the chain’s website.

The restaurant’s proposed site has been the subject of controversy in recent years after the property owner applied to build a 12,900-square-foot daycare/early childhood education building, according to city planning documents.  Currently, the site is a forested green area.

The application was “controversial and resulted in vigorous community opposition to what was deemed to be despoilation of a natural area, with an adjacent lake, that had become, de facto, a community-oriented space,” the documents stated.

The city’s planning commission recommended approval of the childcare center to the City Council but in August 2021 the Gaithersburg City Council voted 3-2 to deny the application. The property owner filed an appeal of the council’s decision to the Montgomery County Circuit Court. After oral arguments were heard, a judge affirmed the council’s decision to deny the application in June 2022.

The site remains zoned for a 6,000-square-foot restaurant. According to planning documents, Eddie V’s approached the property owners with interest in the site due to its proximity to the lake for a “water view dining experience,” a large surrounding population and easy access from nearby transit routes.

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County firefighters rescued a dog and two parakeets Saturday from a Gaithersburg apartment after a webcam alerted the tenant, who was away from the home, about a fire in the kitchen, according to authorities.

Around 6:50 p.m., Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) crews responded to the apartment at 15 Prism Place for a report of a fire in a kitchen, MCFRS Assistant Chief Public Information Officer Dan Ogren told MoCo360 Monday.

Ogren said the fire started on the kitchen stovetop likely from an unattended pot on a burner, but did not spread to other areas of the kitchen or the apartment.

MCFRS Assistant Chief Public Information Officer David Pazos wrote on social media Saturday that the fire extended slightly beyond the stove.

The resident of the apartment was at work when the fire occurred and was alerted of the fire by a webcam in the home, Pazos said.

Upon arrival, crews forced entry into the apartment, extinguished the fire and rescued the dog, Lady, and two parakeets from a “smoke filled” apartment, Pazos said.

No injuries or displacements were reported. Pazos said the building management was assisting the resident with fixing the apartment door that was forced open by MCFRS crews.

Ogren said the fire caused minimal damage to the apartment. “It doesn’t look like there was any extension besides the cooking surface, so not a big fire,” he said.

After rescuing the animals, MCFRS crews waited with the pets until the resident of the apartment returned from work, according to Pazos on social media.

“@MCFRS is dedicated to protecting all lives and property, including animals,” Pazos said.

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Montgomery County’s outdoor pools are closing for the season, but a pool in Gaithersburg will open its waters for dogs to enjoy at its annual Pooch Pool Party this weekend.

The party, hosted by Montgomery County Recreation, will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Upper County Outdoor pool at 8211 Emory Grove Road.

Pooches of all ages and sizes are welcome to lap around the pool, play with toys and other canine friends and frolic in the waters, according to a news release.

Pet owners are allowed to wade in the pool only up to their knees due to health concerns, according to the recreation department.

Pre-registration is required for admission to the event and tickets are still available. Tickets cost $10 for county residents. Non-residents pay $25 per ticket, which includes a $10 activity fee and $15 non-resident fee.

Tickets can be purchased at this link.

According to the event page, each dog must be accompanied by an adult. In addition, owners must provide written proof of current rabies vaccination to be allowed into the event, and dogs owned by county residents must have a current dog license (available from the county police department).

After the event, the pool will be closed and cleaned for the winter, according to the recreation department.

Here is a video from the last year’s pool party:

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Han Spot, a dim sum eatery, will open its doors in Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront Friday night, the restaurant said in a press release.

The restaurant at 9811 Washingtonian Center Drive will hold a soft opening and then hold an official grand opening celebration at 6 p.m. Aug. 16, the release said. Han Spot is located in the former Union Jack’s space.

Han Spot is the latest project from restaurateur Chris Zhu, who owns China Garden in Rockville and other Asian eateries in the Washington, D.C., area. In March, Han Spot was featured in Eater D.C.’s most anticipated spring restaurant openings.

The restaurant’s menu is expected to feature Cantonese dim sum options, Peking duck and other popular dishes from Zhu’s other restaurants such as Han Palace in the District’s Woodley Park neighborhood.

Dim sum is a traditional Cantonese meal made up of small plates of dumplings and other small dishes–similar to Spanish tapas. The small plates are typically eaten during brunch hours and shared with family and friends.

At Han Spot, diners will be able to choose from an all-day dim sum menu, a la carte items or an unlimited tasting menu, according to the release.

The unlimited tasting menu offers two options: the first ($38 per person, $18 per child) will feature a selection of dim sum, appetizers, soups, noodles or rice and dessert; and the second ($48 per person, $25 per child) will include the same dishes in the first option plus chef recommendations such as Han-style Peking Duck, Mapo Tofu and Sautéed Squid with XO sauce, according to the release.

In addition, dishes including braised abalone with mushroom and live lobster–which will be served with ginger and scallions, golden egg yolk and pan-fried noodles–will be available for an additional charge.

Sticking to dim sum tradition, Han Spot will offer a daily brunch with a $20 per person bottomless mimosa, Mai Tai and Lemon Drop martinis for $20 per person, the release said.

The restaurant also will offer a “comprehensive cocktail list” offering soju, sake and other creative cocktails. Happy Hour will be available from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Friday.

Late-night karaoke will be offered from 10 p.m. to midnight Sunday to Thursday and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

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A Gaithersburg man is facing up to 49 years in prison after he was convicted of assaulting three Montgomery County police officers in June 2023, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Jermaine Palmer, 36, was found guilty by a jury Monday in Montgomery County Circuit Court on charges of first-degree assault, second-degree assault on law enforcement, second-degree assault, resisting arrest and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. Palmer is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 6.

Public defender Meghan Ellis Brennan, Palmer’s attorney, told MoCo360 Tuesday that she couldn’t comment on the case.

The charges stem from a June 30, 2023, incident in the 7900 block of Spiceberry Circle in Gaithersburg that began when county police responded to a report of a person spraying a fire extinguisher in the hallway of an apartment building, according to a state’s attorney’s office news release.

Charging documents state that the person allegedly spraying the fire extinguisher was shirtless and “banging” on apartment doors. Upon arrival at the scene, the responding officer encountered someone who matched the suspect’s description, but the man refused to identify himself and appeared to be under the influence of “a mind-altering substance,” charging documents state.

Palmer later left the apartment building after officers inquired if he lived there, to which he responded that he was visiting someone, documents said. Officers were then approached by a girl who told them that Palmer had gone inside her apartment after she went outside to play with friends and left the door unlocked, according to charging documents.

When the girl returned home, Palmer was inside. He asked her how old she was, and the girl told him to leave the apartment, which he eventually did, according to the documents.

Police found footprints made from the fire extinguisher chemicals inside the apartment and after learning that Palmer had been inside, officers circulated in the area around the apartment building and located him nearby. According to charging documents, Palmer refused to provide his name and began to walk away from the officers. The officers attempted to block his path and told him he would be arrested if he failed to identify himself, the documents said.

Palmer then ran towards one of the officers and punched him in the face, causing the officer to fall backward and hit his head on the pavement, knocking him unconscious, charging documents state. Palmer then fled toward the Flower Hill Shopping Center on Flower Hill Way.

At the shopping center, other responding officers saw Palmer running and officers chasing him, according to the documents. Palmer continued to run after the officers ordered him to stop and went into a McDonald’s at the shopping center, documents state.

Inside the McDonald’s at 18273 Flower Hill Way, officers attempted to arrest Palmer and he resisted as they tried to put handcuffs on him, charging documents said. Palmer punched two officers in the face and fled the McDonald’s. Officers took him into custody “after a brief struggle” in the parking lot, charging documents state.

According to the charging documents, Palmer was searched after his arrest at the county’s Central Processing Unit in Rockville and a syringe and an amount of what officers suspected was crack cocaine was found in Palmer’s pants pockets.

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Montgomery County police are investigating a stabbing at a Gaithersburg soccer field that left a man with life-threatening injuries Tuesday evening, according to authorities.

At approximately 6:56 p.m., officers responded to the 18400 block of Lost Knife Circle for a report of a stabbing, according to police on Wednesday. The incident occurred near the Cider Mill Apartments and Horizon Run Condominium communities.

A preliminary investigation found that a suspect fled the scene after stabbing the man in the upper body, police said.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) spokesperson Pete Piringer reported the stabbing Tuesday evening on social media. He said residents in the area had “waved down” MCFRS crews that were leaving another call to notify them that a person had been stabbed at a nearby soccer field.

The victim was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to county police and Piringer.

No further information was available. Police said an investigation of the incident is active and ongoing.

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A Montgomery County Circuit Court judge sentenced a Gaithersburg teenager to life in prison Friday after he was convicted in the fatal shooting of another teen at the Wheaton Metro station in May 2023, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Emmanuel Simmonds, 17, pleaded guilty in December to first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, for shooting and killing Tenneson Vaughn Leslie Jr., 18, of Greenbelt.

Paul Zmuda, Simmond’s attorney, did not immediately respond to MoCo360’s request for comment Monday afternoon.

Simmonds is expected to serve 35 years in prison and five years of supervised probation upon release, according to a release from the state’s attorney’s office. Circuit Court Judge Marybeth Ayres recommended that Simmonds be admitted to a youthful offenders program at the Patuxent Institution, a maximum-security correctional facility in Jessup, while he is incarcerated, the release said.

On May 18, 2023, shortly before 6 p.m., two groups of young males who did not know each other got into a physical altercation on an escalator at the Wheaton Metro station at 11171 Georgia Ave., according to charging documents and the state’s attorney’s office.

The altercation escalated to the point in which Simmonds pulled out a gun and shot Leslie in the back of the head, charging documents indicated.

During a preliminary hearing in May, prosecutors said the incident was recorded on WMATA surveillance cameras, which showed that Leslie was running away when he was shot. A public defender said Simmonds was a 10th grader at Col. Zadok Magruder High School in Rockville at the time of the shooting.

Montgomery County police and fire and rescue service crews, along with Metro Transit police officers, responded to the scene and located Leslie, who was unresponsive, on the station platform near the bottom of the escalator, charging documents said. He was transported to MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., where he was pronounced dead later that night, according to charging documents.

“This was a shockingly brazen, callous act by a young offender,” State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in a release. “The defendant executed a young man on a crowded Metro platform, not only claiming one innocent life but placing many other people at risk as there were other citizens, simply using the Metro system, that easily could have been struck by a bullet.”

According to a plea deal reached in December, Simmonds’ incarceration time cannot exceed 40 years, and prosecutors requested the judge recommend Simmonds be admitted to the Patuxent Youthful Offenders program while incarcerated.

The program provides “assessment, stabilization, and transition services to offenders within the department who have serious mental illness,” according to its website.

A co-defendant, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, is facing proceedings in the juvenile court system, the state’s attorney’s office said. MoCo360 generally does not identify juveniles accused of crimes.

Simmonds is being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds.

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A cat awakened residents of a two-story townhome in Gaithersburg early Sunday, alerting them of a fire that had started in the first-floor kitchen, according to authorities.

At approximately 4:20 a.m. Sunday, fire and rescue crews responded to the 600 block of West Side Drive for a report of a house fire, MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer wrote on social media.

Piringer said firefighters encountered a kitchen fire on the first floor and three residents trapped on the rear deck of the home. All three were rescued from the deck via ladder, he said. No injuries were reported.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) spokesperson David Pazos wrote on social media Sunday that the cat did not survive the fire.

Pazos said MCFRS crews “did great work to breach a wood fence” in the rear of the house to rescue the residents. One male and two females were rescued, Pazos said.

No cause of the fire was provided by authorities. The residents were displaced from their home.

The MCFRS posts did not say how the cat died. In his post, Pazos said that before the residents moved to the second-floor deck–where they waited to be rescued by fire crews–they had “closed the door,” but did not specify which door.

An X user commenting on Pazos’ posts about the fire called the feline a “hero cat.”

MCFRS officials did not immediately respond to MoCo360’s requests for comment Monday morning.

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The Chinese restaurateur Chris Zhu behind China Garden in Rockville is opening a new dim sum restaurant, Han Spot, in Gaithersburg’s rio Lakefront this spring. The eatery claims it will have Maryland’s first unlimited tasting menu and will offer endless or a la carte dim sum, Peking duck and buns. Han Spot was featured in Eater Washington D.C.’s most anticipated spring restaurant openings. [Eater]

Choice Hotels ends yearlong bid to acquire Wyndham Hotels

North Bethesda’s Choice Hotels has stepped back from a nearly $8 billion offer to acquire Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, a merger that would have combined many well-known hotels.

Wyndham’s board of directors had rejected the acquisition bid repeatedly. “The Wyndham Board is pleased that Choice has ended its hostile pursuit and proxy contest, following the expiration of its unsolicited exchange offer,” Wyndham board chair Stephen Holmes said.

Choice Hotels relocated its headquarters from Rockville to Pike & Rose in North Bethesda in December. [WTOP]

Heidi Gardner of SNL out for Montgomery College performance

Saturday Night Live cast member Heidi Gardner will no longer perform at Montgomery College in Rockville on March 22. Another SNL member, James Austin Johnson, known for his impression of Donald Trump, will replace Gardner and join comedians Amy Silverberg and Alice Wetterlund. [Montgomery Community Media]

Today’s weather:

Partly sunny with a high of 75 degrees

In case you missed it:

Teacher at Derwood church charged with sexual abuse of minors

Developer files plan for 230-unit residential building in downtown Bethesda

Teen with loaded handgun at Gaithersburg High School under arrest, police say

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