Kema by Kenaki soft opening today at Cabin John Village

Kema by Kenaki, the new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar at 11325 Seven Locks Road in the Cabin John Mall will hold soft opening hours today, Sunday, July 16, 2023 from 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM. A sign outside the restaurant notes that the menu, and seating, will be limited. Kema is the latest concept from the owners of Kenaki Sushi Counter in Gaithersburg.

Japong Bakery to reopen today in Rockville

The long-delayed return of Japong Bakery is finally here. It will be holding a soft opening today, Sunday, July 16, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM at 765-A Rockville Pike in the Ritchie Center. The bakery has been closed since April 17 to relocate into this new space at the shopping center. However, unforeseen circumstances caused two tentative reopening dates to pass by.

"We are extremely happy and proud to announce that we will be opening our doors again to our amazing customers!" Japong Bakery wrote on its Facebook page. "We are excited to share our new shop with you, so please come to visit us soon!"

Will Jawando reports raising over $525,000 in Maryland U.S. Senate race

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D - At-Large) has raised over $525,000 in 60 days for his Maryland U.S. Senate bid, his campaign announced Friday. The haul represented donations from over 1,300 individual donors, most of whom are Maryland residents, his campaign noted. Jawando faces an uphill battle in the money race, squaring off against self-funding multimillionaire Congressman David Trone, and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who touted a $1.7 million war chest ten days ago. As a result, Jawando is positioning himself to the left of those frontrunners, as Congressman Jamie Raskin successfully did against Trone in the 2016 Maryland 8th Congressional District race. 

Raskin recently announced he would pass on the U.S. Senate race, much to Trone's relief. Jawando also sees Raskin's decision as clearing the left lane for his campaign.

"Over the past few months, a number of my good friends have speculated about running for Senate, but now we know there will be only one progressive in the race," Jawando said in a statement Friday. "I am proud to be that candidate, and grateful for all the support we have gained so far..There may be other candidates in this race who have more personal wealth and establishment support, but I am proud to be running as the only grassroots, true blue progressive. I couldn’t be more excited about where we are and I’m so grateful to everyone who donated."

Rockville Mayor & Council to review branding options for new city tagline and logo

Branding and marketing consultant Medium Giant will present two possible branding taglines, and two branding logos, to Rockville's Mayor and Council at their Monday, July 17, 2023 meeting. Medium Giant was awarded a contract last June to devise new branding to replace the City's existing "R" logo and "Get Into It" tagline. A year later, the firm has generated options centered around a diversity theme, and with visuals inspired by existing City iconography.

The diversity-themed tagline options are, "Everyone in All We Do," and "Forward Together." Option 1 requires a lot of thinking to figure out just what the heck it means. Option 2 sounds like a Plan B fished out of Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters trash can. Who knew we might one day be nostalgic for "Get Into It?"

Logo options are stronger than the tagline choices, and Medium Giant deserves credit for drawing on symbols unique to Rockville. Option 1 is a twist on the existing "R" logo, but with a walking R that is supposed to suggest the City is moving forward and progressing. It also plants a cross bottony from the City flag into the top half of the letter R, although it flips the color from red to white. Option 2 is inspired by the "Spirit of Discovery" mural on the exterior of City Hall. It could be said that Option 1 is not something you would be confused or surprised to see on a piece of mail from the City in your mailbox.

The Mayor and Council could vote on the branding Monday night, postpone a final decision, or ask the contractor to revise or entirely redo either the tagline or logo (or both). Once a final tagline and logo are approved, Medium Giant will provide the City's Public Information Office with "the deliverables" to begin a citywide implementation of the new branding. The PIO will then instruct all City departments on use of the branding in communications and public outreach. According to the agenda report, this process would take about three months, and could require additional taxpayer funds.

Images courtesy City of Rockville

Two cars stolen in Derwood

Montgomery County police are investigating the thefts of two vehicles in the Derwood area yesterday, July 12, 2023. The first stolen vehicle was taken from a residential parking garage in the 15900 block of Frederick Road. It is believed the vehicle was stolen sometime between 12:00 AM and and 10:03 AM Wednesday. The second vehicle was reported stolen at 5:11 PM in a commercial parking lot in the 17500 block of Redland Road.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, Montgomery Eagle donate emergency drinking water to Laytonsville VFD

Anheuser-Busch InBev and Montgomery Eagle donated cases of canned emergency drinking water to the Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department yesterday. The supply of canned water is intended for use during disaster relief and other extended crisis events where first responders need to stay hydrated, and may not have access to drinking water. AB InBev has committed to delivering more than 2.5 million cans of drinking water to volunteer fire departments across the country this year in support of disaster preparedness and relief efforts. Montgomery Eagle is a Gaithersburg-based AB InBev marketing firm. 

The donation was made in coordination with the National Volunteer Fire Council. Volunteer firefighters make up over two-thirds of the nation's fire response personnel. The emergency drinking water donated to Laytonsville VFD came from Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in Cartersville, Georgia, which periodically pauses beer production to can drinking water in support of nationwide disaster relief and preparedness efforts.

“We’re proud to partner with AB InBev in its effort to ensure no fire department goes without the critical emergency provision that is safe drinking water,” Montgomery Eagle President Neal Katcef said in a statement. “When our Laytonsville firefighters put their lives on the line for our community, it’s important for us all to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs.” Katcef Brothers, which owns Montgomery Eagle, is a family-owned beverage distribution company that has been in business since 1933.

Photos courtesy Trident DMG

Rockville City Council candidate Adam Van Grack announces 10 more endorsements

Rockville City Council candidate Adam Van Grack released a list of ten more endorsements of his campaign by local, state and federal elected officials yesterday. Van Grack had already been endorsed by former Rockville mayor Susan Hoffmann. His newest endorsements come from former Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, former U.S. Congressman Tom McMillen, former Rockville mayor Steven Van Grack, former Rockville City Councilman Bob Wright, former Kensington mayor and current director of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center Pete Fosselman, Maryland State Senator Brian Feldman (District 15), Maryland State Delegates Marc Korman (District 16) and Joe Vogel (District 17), former Maryland State Delegate Bill Bronrott (District 16), and former Montgomery County Board of Education member Alan Cheung.

"Our campaign for Rockville City Council is gaining momentum, and these endorsements are proof that we are building a campaign to win in November," Adam Van Grack said in a statement. "I am honored to receive the support of such a vast list of leaders from all levels of government, from the halls of Congress to our City Hall. As the only candidate raised in Rockville, we are building a campaign for a better future for this city that I love."

"Adam understands the challenges facing our city and he knows the solutions that we need," Vogel said in the joint statement Tuesday. "When we send Adam Van Grack to the City Council, he will spend his time working to make Rockville a better city for all." Vogel is also currently a candidate for U.S. Congress in Maryland's 6th Congressional District.

Hoffmann reiterated her support for Van Grack yesterday. "I support Adam for the Rockville City Council," she said. "I know that he will be an outstanding leader responsive to our residents and the needs of the City. His Rockville roots and range of unique experiences make him the right Councilmember to take on the crucial challenges facing Rockville City government at this time."

Photo courtesy Friends of Adam Van Grack