Police called after assault at grocery store in Rockville

Rockville City police were called to a grocery store in the Rockville Town Center area yesterday morning, after an individual reported being the victim of a 2nd-degree assault there. The assault was reported at a store in the 200 block of N. Washington Street at 10:20 AM Friday, December 16, 2022. A suspect was accused of shoplifting at the store, as well. Dawson's Market is located on that block.

Downtown Brews to open in Rockville

Downtown Brews will be opening soon at 5751-E Fishers Lane in The Alaire apartment building in Rockville. The shop will sell beer, wine and coffee. It will be open from 6:00 AM to 1:00 AM seven days a week. This space was formerly home to Downtown Beer and Wine.

Car stolen from parking lot in Rockville

Montgomery County police are investigating the theft of a vehicle from a parking lot in Rockville on Tuesday, December 14, 2022. The vehicle was stolen from a commercial parking lot in the 5600 block of Fishers Lane. It is believed the vehicle was taken sometime between 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM.

Rockville Sport & Health rebranding as Onelife Fitness

The Rockville location of Sport & Health is being rebranded as Onelife Fitness. Located at 11594 Old Georgetown Road at Pike & Rose, the gym is one of eight Sport & Health clubs still operating under that name. Corporate owner U.S. Fitness Holdings, LLC is now bringing those locations into the Onelife Fitness portfolio all of its other clubs operate under. The signage hasn't been changed yet here, but a banner has been placed out front to announce the change.

Update on Hulu Skewer House, opening soon in Rockville (Photos)

Hulu Skewer House looks close to opening at 1488-B Rockville Pike. The restaurant is promising "the most authentic Chinese BBQ experience in Maryland." Tables and seating are in place in the dining room, and the permanent sign has been installed. Last night, it was already lit. While we await an official opening date announcement, take a sneak peek at their menu, from a website where you will be able to make online pickup or delivery orders directly from the restaurant when it opens.

Nationwide romaine lettuce shortage temporarily nixes Caesar salad at Montgomery Mall's Frank Pepe Pizzeria

A nationwide romaine lettuce shortage discussed in the media since November is now hitting home at Frank Pepe Pizzeria at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The pizza parlor is unable to offer its Caesar salad at this time, due to the shortage, a sign at the business says. Romaine lettuce prices have doubled due to the shortage, which has been blamed on a insect-spread virus that killed off 70-80% of some farmers' lettuce crops this year. 

A massive fire destroyed a major produce packing plant in Salinas, California earlier this year, knocking out a facility that "provides a majority of west coast food service customers with fresh lettuce and vegetables" until 2023. Months later, no cause for the fire has been positively identified. Investigators noted that maintenance workers were performing welding work at the facility the day the fire started. It was one of several major food processing plants destroyed by fire earlier this year across the country, which has contributed to pandemic-related supply chain issues.

Rockville's Westat awarded FDA contract

Rockville-based research firm Westat has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration, to assist in policy creation and public messaging by the federal agency. The contract charges Westat with more than a dozen tasks to complete, including literature reviews, focus groups, cognitive interviews, pretesting, and experimental studies. The information gathered will give the FDA a sense of current consumer and medical professional opinions about products it regulates.

Westat will conduct in-person and virtual meetings of focus groups, as well as individual interviews. Participants will give their thoughts on a diverse array of products, ranging from sunscreens to CBD to genetically-engineered salmon. Westat will also be examining public opinion on product labeling and pharmaceutical advertising.

"Westat is a natural fit for this work. We have strong, established expertise in message testing and a team that specializes in qualitative analysis and reporting," Westat Vice President of Public Health and Epidemiology Kerry Levin, PhD said in a statement. "Our goal on these important tasks is to maintain a collaborative, collegial, client-centered relationship, and to successfully execute each project to meet the needs of FDA."