6/28/2017 Update: The Maryland Department of Commerce approved the Burtonsville/Briggs Chaney EZ application! This spring, Montgomery County will submit an application to the Maryland Department of Commerce (MDOC) to establish an “Enterprise Zone” (EZ) in […]
Author: Sebastian Smoot
Photos of Global Food Grand Opening
Global Food opened yesterday at Briggs Chaney Marketplace, in the location of the old Safeway. Below are some photos and statements from community members, elected officials, and non-profits about this momentous occasion for East County. Peter Myo […]
New grocery store coming to Briggs Chaney
Briggs Chaney Marketplace lost its anchor grocery store eight months ago, to the surprise and dismay of the local community. Some feared that the loss would result in a “food desert” for the area, given […]
White Oak could be the “Silicon Valley of Healthcare”
East County has waited too long for investment in jobs and transit while the rest of the county prospers. The White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan would provide up to 10,000 new jobs from three […]
BRT will reduce congestion and commute times on US 29
East County has long suffered from a lack of reliable and convenient transit options. But the County plans to fix this in the next three years by providing a transit system along US 29. The County anticipates […]
Burtonsville residents launch group to make MD 198 safer
Shifting LEGO blocks around a large map of Burtonsville, local residents, businessowners, and community leaders met last night to evaluate highway improvements such as medians, turn lanes, and traffic lights along Old Columbia Pike (MD 198). This […]
East County ready for rapid growth
“East County will soon be the fastest-growing region in Montgomery County”. Standing at the edge of a nearly-vacant 300-acre site, Jewru Bandeh excitedly notes that within the next few years, there will be a massive […]
Resident suggests intersection improvement; County responds
It’s now a little easier to exit the Briggs Chaney Plaza shopping center at Castle Boulevard since the County added a turn lane at a nearby intersection. As many locals can attest, it can get […]
East County gets new recreation center and arts programs
After a long wait, the County broke ground at the Good Hope Neighborhood Recreation Center on December 10, 2016. I was particularly excited to attend the event because the Rec Center is less than a mile from my house […]
Advocates convince county to rebuild Maydale Nature Center
After nearly a decade of uphill battles and false starts, community leaders finally convinced our elected officials to revitalize the Maydale Nature Center, which had been closed since 2008. The new center, located in the Colesville/Cloverly area, […]