MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL AT-LARGE DEBATE (VIDEO) + HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE

Montgomery Community Media and the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County hosted a Montgomery County Council At-Large Candidate Forum last night. You can watch the debate in its entirety here. Candidates from the Democratic, Green and Republican parties participated in the forum, which included transportation, Bus Rapid Transit, the Silver Spring Transit Center debacle, and affordable housing among its topics.

Today is the deadline to register to vote in the November 4 election. You can register today online or go to the Board of Elections office in person at 18753 North Frederick Avenue, Suite 210, Gaithersburg, MD 20879. If you have questions, call 240-777-8500.

Early voting will be available for all registered voters between October 23 and October 30 at these early voting sites around the county.

ROCKVILLE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: THE UPTON/CAMBRIA SUITES (PHOTOS)

Things are coming along quite nicely at the construction site of the future Cambria Suites hotel and Upton apartments in Rockville Town Center.

TACO BELL ROCKVILLE STARBURST STRAWBERRY FREEZE REVIEW (VIDEO)

Rockville's Taco Bell has a brand new Freeze beverage, and it's another collaboration with a major food brand. The Mexican fast food chain has teamed up with Starburst candy to create... the Taco Bell Starburst Strawberry Freeze. A slush-style frozen beverage, the Starburst Freeze is available in regular size and large. Does it really taste like a Starburst, and is it worth heading to Rockville Pike for? Watch my review and find out!

ROCKVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION REJECTS DUBALL PLAN FOR MORE DENSITY, LESS PARKING IN TOWN CENTER

The new building would be
on the site of the parking lot
pictured at upper left

The Rockville Planning Commission is recommending the Mayor and Council reject proposed changes to the second phase of the Duball project in Rockville Town Center. Duball has filed a request to nearly double the number of units in its planned apartment building at 198 E. Montgomery Avenue from 222 to 400, while reducing parking by 25%. The building would rise on the second half of the former city parking lot in front of the Regal Cinemas.

Commissioners were convinced it was too much, too soon for Rockville Town Center. Chair Don Hadley said he would not necessarily oppose the change at a later date, but not at this stage of the town center's development. One central question was whether the nature of the town center has been fully defined or realized yet. It seems to be primarily a dining destination right now, and just how urban it should become - compared to Bethesda, for example - is not yet determined, in Hadley's assessment. Parking is felt to remain a concern in town center, and was the developer's albatross at last night's meeting.

Ultimately, the Commission voted 4-1 to recommend non-approval of the request, with the motion being made by Commissioner Jack Leiderman. Commissioner John Tyner, the lone dissenting member, argued that the increased density would be essential to the commercial viability of Rockville Town Center. Several tenants have vacated, or been evicted from, Rockville Town Square over the last few months. Some have blamed rising rents, while others feel the parking situation is responsible, relative to the free and easy parking offered by nearby competition like Rio/Washingtonian Center.

Duball's phase 1 project is already under construction across from the proposed new building site, featuring The Upton apartments, and a Cambria Suites hotel.

PIKE & ROSE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

Many more of the future tenant spaces at Pike & Rose now have signage showing where they will be located in the new Federal Realty development. Meanwhile, the next phase of construction is beginning on the site, formerly known as Mid-Pike Plaza.

Chipotle

Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt

This actually is not where
Sport & Health will be

PerSei apartments,
already open and leasing

Future garage ramp

Stella Barra Pizzeria

Summer House

City Sports

Gap, iPic Theaters
and AMP by Strathmore

Gap (left) AMP (center)

Del Frisco's Grille,
now open

ROY ROGERS ROCKVILLE SIGNS INSTALLED (PHOTOS)

The signs are up on the future Rockville location of Roy Rogers. Missing from the city for many years, Roy's will be wrangling up their legendary fried chicken, roast beef sandwiches and Double R burgers starting in early November. The new restaurant is across from Marlo Furniture at 718 Rockville Pike, which a lot of us "old-timers" will remember as a Ford dealership.

SHEETZ PUMPKIN PIE LATTE REVIEW (VIDEO)

The Halloween Countdown continues on the Robert Dyer Channel. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are a dime-a-dozen these fall days (except for McDonald's odd decision to not bring theirs back this year), but I stumbled across an alternative to the ubiquitous beverage while on the road this weekend.

Sheetz has a different concept - a Pumpkin Pie Latte, rather than Pumpkin Spice. The ordering process is unique as well at Sheetz. The convenience store and mega gas station eliminates the need to use Starbucks lingo at the counter (and the often misspelled name on your cup) by letting you place the order on a touchscreen. Pick exactly what you want added to your coffee on the screen (including an extra shot of pumpkin pie flavor or an espresso shot), pay at the cashier counter, and wait for your number to be called to pick up your Pumpkin Pie Latte.

Was it worth the (short) wait? Watch my review to find out. Sheetz is in several nearby states, including Maryland (of course), Virginia, West Virginia, and its home base of Pennsylvania.