MCPD releases details about shocking assault in Kenwood

The Montgomery County Police Department has released a few details on last month's aggravated assault in the exclusive Kenwood neighborhood in Chevy Chase. According to police, two suspects were attempting to steal items from inside a vehicle parked in the 6400 block of Garnett Drive at 3:49 PM on December 17, 2025. The vehicle's adult male owner spotted the suspects and, accompanied by a second individual, confronted them. Both victims were then physically assaulted by the alleged thieves, who fled the scene.

Police describe the suspects only as a Middle Eastern male and a Hispanic male, both of unknown age. They did not indicate whether the suspects fled on foot, or in a getaway car. If you have any information that could assist detectives in closing this case, call police at (301) 279-8000.

Bethesda construction update - Cheltenham apartments (Photos)

Construction of Cheltenham, a new apartment building at 4725 Cheltenham Drive in downtown Bethesda, is entering its fifth month. The project is already five stories above street level, and more than halfway toward topping out on the former Midas site next to CVS Pharmacy. There isn't an official website for the building yet, for leasing purposes, that I can find. No delivery date for the 102-unit building has been announced by developer Community Three, but the project was previously forecast to take about 18 months to complete.

Bethesda-based Orano USA receives $900 million from USDOE for uranium enrichment plant

Orano USA, the American division of the French nuclear fuel cycle corporation, has received a $900 million award from the United States Department of Energy to produce low-enriched uranium at its new U.S. enrichment facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Headquartered at 4747 Bethesda Avenue in downtown Bethesda, Orano USA is one of only three companies to receive the DOE funding, which totals $2.7 billion. The money is part of the Trump administration push to increase domestic uranium enrichment capacity, and increase nuclear energy production to support American leadership in artificial intelligence. America is working against time in this regard, as enriched uranium imports from Russia - one of our major suppliers - will be banned in 2028.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright

"President Trump is catalyzing a resurgence in the nation’s nuclear energy sector to strengthen American security and prosperity," U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said in a statement. "Today’s awards show that this Administration is committed to restoring a secure domestic nuclear fuel supply chain capable of producing the nuclear fuels needed to power the reactors of today and the advanced reactors of tomorrow."

Orano USA CEO Jean-Luc Palayer

"We are honored by DOE’s decision to identify Project IKE as a key driver for U.S. energy security," said Orano USA CEO Jean-Luc Palayer said Monday. "Orano’s Project IKE facility is designed to generate a secure and significant American-based supply of enriched uranium. For Orano, there is no mystery to making enriched uranium—and a lot of it—when you have reliable centrifuges, existing transport containers, and enrichment processes refined over decades of successful commercial operations."

Project IKE facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee 

Orano has exported enriched uranium from France to supply America's fleet of nuclear reactors for the last forty years. With the Tennessee facility, Orano USA will be able to continue to provide this stable supply domestically, with high-wage American jobs.

Socks to Be You, Native Arts close at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Two recent additions to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda have closed. Socks to Be You and Native Arts were seasonal pop-ups, and have departed to possibly return next year. The socks retailer has been a perennial tenant since at least 2022. I thought socks and native arts were year-round things, though.

Beyond Yoga to open at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Beyond Yoga is coming soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. The "female-founded and led" (it's actually now owned by Levi Strauss & Co.) athleisurewear brand will immediately face intense competition from existing mall tenants like Lululemon and Fabletics. Like those labels, Beyond Yoga has celebrity endorsers, including Jennifer Lawrence and Olivia Wilde. 

The Los Angeles-based company's calling cards include a "body-positive" product line, a Thred-Up apparel exchange program, and its proprietary soft Spacedye fabric. It recently expanded into men's apparel. Beyond Yoga is expected to be open by summer.

Power outage in downtown Bethesda

Hundreds of Pepco customers are without power in downtown Bethesda after an apparent transformer explosion in the Woodmont Triangle area overnight. Residents report hearing multiple explosions around 3:15 AM this morning. Pepco crews have been working in the area all morning. The utility hopes to have power restored by 2:00 PM. Frequent transformer explosions and outages downtown continue to highlight the question of whether Montgomery County's adequate infrastructure laws regarding growth are, well, adequate. The empirical evidence would suggest not.

Strong-arm rape reported at library in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm rape at a Montgomery County public library in Bethesda on Friday afternoon, January 2, 2026. The sexual assault was reported at a library in the 7400 block of Arlington Road at 4:30 PM Friday. The Connie Morella Library is located at 7400 Arlington Road. No further information is available at this time.

River Road segment dedicated to CJPVFD Fire Chief James P. Seavey, Sr.

The State of Maryland has dedicated a portion of River Road (Maryland Route 190) in honor of former Fire Chief James P. Seavey, Sr. Chief Seavey began his career as a volunteer with the Glen Echo Volunteer Fire Department in Bethesda at the age of 16. His 43 years of public service culminated in his 25 years as Fire Chief of the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department, the longest term by a fire chief with the CJPVFD. When Seavey passed away from cancer in 2018, the disease was determined to be occupational, and his death was ruled to have been in the line-of-duty as a result. 

Seavey had been a champion for firefighter safety and occupational cancer prevention at the local, state, and national levels, and his efforts led to important policy changes. Maryland has dedicated the segment of River Road between Falls Road and the Washington, D.C. border in memory of Chief Seavey's extraordinary service to the community. The dedication was announced last summer, but this particular sign was just installed by the Maryland State Highway Administration by the Kenwood Golf & Country Club east of Goldsboro Road.

Nathan Landow, developer and philanthropist, dies at 93

The Bethesda business and civic communities lost a giant earlier this week, when real estate developer and philanthropist Nathan Landow passed away on December 30, 2025, at the age of 93. He leaves behind an outsize imprint on the Bethesda skyline. His contributions to the town include his namesake Landow Building office property, and several apartment and condominium towers. Landow went above and beyond design and regulatory requirements, bestowing buildings such as The Seasons, Crescent Plaza, and Fairmont Plaza with resort hotel-style balconies and design features. If you've been inside The Promenade at Pooks Hill, you know it's like being on a luxury ocean liner on land.

Other landmark properties developed by Landow outside of Montgomery County include The Colonnade and The Carlton Towers in Washington, D.C., and Prospect House in Arlington. He was responsible for 17 large-scale residential buildings in total over his career, beyond his commercial and office developments.

Landow's contributions extended outside of improving the architecture of the region. He was a prolific fundraiser and contributor to the Democratic Party at all levels, and even served as Chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party at one point. He was not only a key benefactor of the Mayo Clinic and Charles E. Smith Life Communities, but also made architectural additions to both of their campuses.

Services will be held on Sunday, January 4, at 12:30 p.m. at Washington Hebrew Congregation (3935 Macomb Street NW). Shiva will be observed at the home of Harolyn and Michael Cardozo on Sunday, January 4 at 7 p.m. and on Monday, January 5 at 7 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to Landow House, c/o Charles E. Smith Life Communities, 6121 Montrose Road, Rockville, MD 20852, or online at www.smithlifecommunities.org/giving.

Chip City closes in Bethesda (Photos)

Chip City has closed at 4939 Elm Street at the Shoppes of Bethesda. It is the first cookie to crumble in the cookie wars among neighbor Levain Bakery and deliveries from Crumbl Cookies. Chip City lasted just over two years, and had expanded to offer late night hours this past summer. A message posted in the window yesterday evening directed customers to their Tysons location.

Update on Bartaco at Pike & Rose (Photos)

There's still no opening date for Bartaco at 950 Rose Avenue at Pike & Rose. But construction progress continues inside and outside of the former NADA space at the development along Rockville Pike. Permanent signage has been installed over the storefront. The location is also hiring staff, as you can see on the banner below. 

Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream "coming soon" to Chevy Chase

Sarah's Handmade Ice Cream is "coming soon" to Chevy Chase. It will be located at 8551 Connecticut Avenue, in the ground floor of the Ritz-Carlton Residences at Chevy Chase Lake. This will be the fourth shop opened by the local chain, which started in Bethesda. Sarah's will replace The Charmery, and is arguably a major upgrade. It's only a matter of time before Joe Biden's limousine pulls up!