Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Schulz to appear at Rockville fundraiser in April

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announcing
his endorsement of Kelly Schulz (left) in the
Republican race for governor

Kelly Schulz, a Republican candidate for Maryland governor, is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser in Rockville next month. Hosted by Mark Epstein, the event will be held April 27 at 6:00 PM at the Woodmont Country Club at 1201 Rockville Pike. Schulz, who was endorsed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) this week, is running against Maryland Del. Dan Cox, attorney and former state delegate Robin Ficker, and attorney Joe Werner for the Republican nomination this July.

Photo via Kelly Schulz for Governor, Inc.

Hans Riemer endorsed by Matt Yglesias for Montgomery County Executive

Journalist Matt Yglesias endorsed Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer in the Democratic primary race for County Executive Friday. In a tweet that displayed a portion of a recent blog post, Yglesias wrote, "I would vote for Hans Riemer." Yglesias, who reportedly lives in Logan Circle in the District, wrote that incumbent executive Marc Elrich (D) "is bad and people should vote against him. Hans Riemer is almost certainly the best candidate in that field."

"That field" also includes businessman David Blair, businessman Peter James (who just filed for the race yesterday), and County Councilmember Tom Hucker; no candidate of any other party affiliation has filed to run as of this morning. Yglesias also weighed in with a novel take on the Maryland governor's race, predicting Peter Franchot would top the Democratic field "based on name recognition and being white in a field with many Black candidates. And that's a shame."

A co-founder of Vox Media, Yglesias is now a columnist for Bloomberg, and publishes a subscription-based blog called Slow Boring. He is also a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center.

Tend to open Rockville dental office

Tend is opening an office at 11580 Old Georgetown Road at Pike & Rose. The 2876 square foot office will offer a full range of dental services, including exams, fillings, crowns, root canals, whitening and cosmetic redesign, and preventative care such as oral cancer screenings. In other words, a one-stop shop that includes options some traditional dental offices don't offer under one roof. 

Property owner Federal Realty announced the lease Friday, touting Tend as the first dentist's office "people actually look forward to." Inside Tend's calm and inviting office, patient happiness is the stated goal. "Coming soon" signage was already up at the future location on Thursday. Tend is expected to open at Pike & Rose in the 2nd quarter of 2022.

Rivian truck spotted at Rockville Rivian facility (Photos)

The parking lot at the new Rivian facility on Rockville Pike is usually empty, save for the flatbed trucks used to deliver the new electric pickup trucks to their owners. Trucks are picked up for delivery as quickly as they arrive here. But one of the fast-moving EV pickups was finally caught on-site yesterday. 

There was an intriguing sign on the dashboard, which instructs delivery drivers in capital letters to unbuckle the truck's seatbelt after loading. I can't find any explanation online for that, but it clearly must be important, and it would be interesting to know why. It's too early for Guardian Mode on this Rivian. 

The tonneau cover was closed over the pickup bed. I think this truck is in Launch Green. Has anyone seen a Limestone yet? I'm partial to Rivian Blue myself.

Jolly Shows carnival returns to Montgomery Mall through April 3, 2022

Jolly Shows is bringing its carnival back to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda today through April 3, 2022. Workers were setting up the carnival ground in the parking lot last evening. Weather may be an issue during this stint at the mall - while there is little rain in the forecast over the next week, unseasonably-low temperatures are expected Sunday through Tuesday.

Carnival hours will be 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM Fridays, 1:00 PM - 11:00 PM Saturdays, 3:00 PM "to close" Sundays, and 5:00 PM "to close" on weekdays. Tickets for the carnival can be purchased online at the Jolly Shows website.

Frank Pepe Pizzeria hosts soft opening at Montgomery Mall

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana was hosting an unannounced soft opening last night at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, ahead of next week's scheduled grand opening. The pizza parlor was giving away free pizzas. I wouldn't suggest driving a long distance - but would I suggest you stop by and see if they are selling, or even giving away, pizzas between now and the grand opening if you're already at the mall? Sì!

In-person Mayor & Council meetings resume in Rockville March 28

Rockville City Hall will reopen to the public on Monday, March 28, 2022, after being closed for over two years due to the pandemic. Monday night at 7:00 PM will bring the first Mayor & Council meeting that the public can attend in-person. There are several things to know, if you are considering attending (you will still be able to participate in the meetings virtually online).

Seating capacity in the Mayor and Council chambers will be limited to 42 people; overflow seating will be available. The public must enter through the Main Entrance on the third floor facing Vinson Street. You can exit the building using any publicly-accessible door. Masks will be provided for those who wish to wear one, and do not have their own, but masks are not required.

If you wish to speak during the Community Forum portion of the meeting, sign up using the form at the entrance to the Mayor and Council chambers. In-person speakers will follow online virtual speakers in speaking order.

Photo courtesy City of Rockville