Dinty Moore Beef Stew recalled due to wood in cans

Dinty Moore Beef Stew is usually one of the best canned products you can buy. But not one recent batch. Manufacturer Hormel has announced a recall of 20-ounce metal cans of the product with “BEST BY Feb 2028” and lot code “T02045” printed on the can. That lot code may also have an additional number at the end on your can. You will also see establishment number “EST 199G” printed on the can. The recall is nationwide.

Hormel received three consumer complaints reporting pieces of wood in the beef stew product. So far, there have been no confirmed reports of injury from the foreign material. Hormel can be contacted with questions and concerns at 800-523-4635.

Merlo Point, Chocolate Moonshine officially close at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Merlo Point and Chocolate Moonshine have officially closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Merlo Point's closure was expected and announced in advance, while Chocolate Moonshine made a quiet exit. Chocolate Moonshine had begun clearing its shelves and filling packing boxes as the month of May began. It was also removed from the mall's online directory. As of last evening, signage had been stripped from its space in the Dining Terrace food court. Chocolate Moonshine can still be found online.

Compared to Chocolate Moonshine, which had been a tenant at the mall for nearly a decade, it was a super short run for Merlo Point. The furniture store opened right before Christmas 2024. Although attorneys for regional furniture giant Marlo were no doubt thrilled by the name Merlo, the latter was operating in a niche of Italian and Turkish furnishings and home decor. Last evening, Merlo Point was sealed shut, the windows were covered over, and its signage was also gone.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning movie tie-ins at AMC Montgomery 16 in Bethesda

Mission: Impossible briefcase popcorn
holder as seen at AMC Montgomery 16 in Bethesda

AMC Theatres continues to outdo itself in the movie tie-ins department, with the release of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning this holiday weekend. The MacGuffins Bar in the lobby is serving The Reckoning, a limited-edition cocktail featuring "a covert blend of spicy tequila BURSTING with juicy flavor." For agents who don't mind blowing their covers, there is a briefcase popcorn holder with a light-up Mission: Impossible logo. It sells for $50, as a combo with popcorn and drink included. Face your final reckoning at AMC Montgomery 16 at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, AMC Dine-In Rio Cinemas 18 in Gaithersburg, and AMC Wheaton Mall 9 at Wheaton Plaza in Wheaton.

Sneak peek: UNIQLO grand opening today at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

UNIQLO will hold its grand opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this morning, May 23, 2025, starting at 10:00 AM, and continuing through Sunday. Here's what the Japanese apparel retailer has in store for you each day, and enjoy a sneak peek in the photos below:

• Friday, May 23 - Taiko Drum Performances at 10AM, 1PM and 3PM
• Free breakfast for first 200 customers in line each day - May 23, 24 & 25
• Free knot bag with branded tissue box & pocky snack for first 200 customers in line each day - May 23, 24 & 25

Look for UNIQLO on Level 2, in the former Sears wing of the mall. It is in the spaces vacated by Express and Express Men.

Police respond to assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda this past weekend. The assault was reported at the mall on Saturday, May 17, 2025, at 12:41 PM. This the fifth assault to take place at the mall this year. There were 11 assaults reported at the popular retail center in 2024, 5 in 2023, and 12 in 2022.

Signage installed at UNIQLO at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Permanent signage for UNIQLO has been installed on its outdoor-facing storefront at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The Japanese apparel store is scheduled to open this Friday, May 23, 2025. Operating hours for UNIQLO will be 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday (including Memorial Day on May 26), and 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Sundays. When it opens, look for UNIQLO on Level 2 of the mall, in the space where Express and Express Men used to be.

Rockville Trader Joe's construction update (Photos)

Permanent signage has been installed on the facade of Trader Joe's, opening soon at 225 N. Washington Street at Rockville Town Square. Inside, cash registers and shopping carts are now in place, the screens of the former already active. Trader Joe's replaces departed grocer Dawson's Market as the retail anchor of the struggling development in Rockville Town Center. No official opening date has been made public as of this writing. 

Rockville Wegmans installs seating for outdoor dining (Photos)

The new Wegmans grocery store at 1590 Rockville Pike continues to prepare for its opening next month. Furniture has now been installed on an outdoor dining patio, with seating and umbrellas for those enjoying takeaway foods from the store in the fresh air of the Pike. Menu items will include sushi, pizza, chef-made salads, and sandwiches. Wegmans is scheduled to open on June 25, 2025.

Peeping Tom at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police were called to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda after someone reported a Peeping Tom incident there on Tuesday afternoon, May 13, 2025. The voyeur was reported at the mall at 4:10 PM Tuesday. No further information is available at this time.

UNIQLO sets opening date at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

UNIQLO has stayed on-schedule with the interior fit-out of its newest store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, and as a result, will meet the promised "Spring 2025" opening timeframe. The Japanese casual apparel boutique will open on Friday, May 23, 2025, the chain announced on Instagram yesterday. UNIQLO has two existing locations in Montgomery County, at Pike & Rose in Rockville, and in downtown Silver Spring. The company's origin in Japan was initially inspired by The GAP's business model, but UNIQLO evolved into its own original concept, best known for its partnerships with high-profile brands and designers while keeping prices reasonable.

Assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on May 5, 2025. The assault was reported at the mall at 2:55 PM Monday. This the fourth assault to take place at the mall this year. There were 11 assaults reported at the popular retail center in 2024, 5 in 2023, and 12 in 2022.

Police called after assault at 7-Eleven in Rockville

Damage to 7-Eleven front door
allegedly caused by assailant

Montgomery County police responded to a report of an assault at the 7-Eleven store at 11530-G Rockville Pike on Thursday, May 1, 2025. The alleged assailant entered the store shortly before 2:00 PM that afternoon, and was confronted by employees, who accused him of shoplifting. In response, he threw unspecified items at the employees, kicked and cracked a glass panel in the store's front door, and fled. An officer responding to the assault call forwarded a photo of the suspect to other officers in the White Flint area.

The suspect was seen walking near the 7-Eleven by police around 3:01 PM. Officers followed the suspect to the nearby White Flint Metro station. When they informed the suspect he was under arrest, he attempted to run away. Following a brief foot chase, the suspect was arrested. Asked to identify himself, he allegedly provided a false name. A search of his person led officers to conclude he was in possession of clothing stolen from H&M and GAP at the nearby Pike & Rose development. Security at both stores confirmed that Shall had been in their stores earlier that day.

Ceolus Shall, 32, of no fixed address, was charged with theft of less than $100, malicious destruction of property, obstructing and hindering an investigation, and failure to truthfully identify. However, he was quickly released on a $100 unsecured personal bond. A woman was assaulted at the same 7-Eleven store 16 days earlier.

Photo courtesy Montgomery County Police Department

Janie and Jack opens in new location at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Janie and Jack has completed its move at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It was a short move across the Nordstrom wing on Level 2 for the children's apparel boutique. Janie and Jack is now open next to California Pizza Kitchen. Founded in 2002 in San Francisco, Janie and Jack carries clothing for children in sizes from "newborn to 18."

The demise of Forever 21 at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Forever 21 has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Their two-level space has been cleared out. The surveillance camera and monitor are still running, though. Forever 21 is closing all stores after filing for bankruptcy; most were due to close by May 1, likely depending on how quickly a store was able to liquidate inventory.

Pickleball firm JOOLA begins construction of retail store in Rockville

JOOLA has begun construction on its first retail store at 917 Meeting Street at Pike & Rose. The pickleball and table tennis equipment manufacturer recently relocated its Rockville headquarters to Pike & Rose, the latest of many corporate HQs poached from the City of Rockville by the newer Federal Realty development in unincorporated Rockville, with Choice Hotels being the most prominent. With completion of the new store, JOOLA will have the opportunity to sell its products directly to the rapidly-growing number of pickleball players in the area. 

Anti-drug carnival at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda May 2-11, 2025

A carnival with an anti-drug message for children has set up in the parking lot at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. L.E.A.D Fest, an initiative produced by the organization Law Enforcement Against Drugs, will be at the mall tonight through Sunday May 11, 2025. A parent or guardian must accompany children under 18, some rides require a parent to also ride along, only clear bags will be allowed into the carnival area, and no face coverings are allowed, unless required for a medical reason. 

Tickets can be purchased online. It's intriguing to have an anti-drug event in a county and state whose leadership are strongly pro-drug, both legal and illegal. Worth contemplating, is why your elected officials want you to be zonked out on mind-altering drugs. Just say no!