Tesla driver crashes into sidewalk dining area at Silver Diner in Bethesda (Video + Photos)

A Tesla driver crashed into the outdoor sidewalk dining area outside of Silver Diner at 7150 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda shortly before 6:00 PM tonight. There is no report of injuries to the driver. It did not immediately appear that there were people dining in the impacted portion of the dining area at the time of the crash, and diners further up from the crash in the same patio area are dining as if nothing serious had happened at this time. Personnel from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad are on the scene. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Free drinks for first responders this Friday at Clove & Cedar Coffeebar in Bethesda

Clove & Cedar Coffeebar is inviting area police, fire and rescue personnel to its First Responder Friday, this Friday, July 5, 2019 from 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM. All police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMTs will get a free drink of their choice during those hours Friday. If you know any first responders, please pass this article along to them. Clove & Cedar is located at 4918 St. Elmo Avenue in the ground floor of the Bainbridge Bethesda apartments.

BCC Rescue Squad to host crab feast fundraiser September 30

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad will host its annual Crab Feast fundraiser on Sunday, September 30, 2018, from 1:00-5:00 PM in the Anastasi Room at the Squad, which is located at 5020 Battery Lane. Tickets cost $50 per person to enjoy all-you-can-eat steamed crabs, fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, and applesauce.  Beer and soda will also be available. To purchase tickets, contact: (240) 876-1532 or (301) 442-4136.

The BCC Rescue Squad funds the vast majority of its $2 million annual budget with private donations, such as the ticket sales for this fundraiser. In exchange, the organization provides lifesaving emergency services to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase and upper Northwest Washington communities.

BCC Rescue Squad gearing up for October events

October is a busy month for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, when two of their major annual events are held. On Saturday, October 7, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, the squad hosts Rescue Day 2017, designed to coincide with the large crowds from the nearby Taste of Bethesda event the same day and time. Visitors of all ages can tour the squad, watch fire and rescue demonstrations, look at vehicle and equipment, and enjoy a moon bounce and free firefighter hats for kids. Admission will be free.

On October 22, the squad's Alumni Association will host an All You Can Eat Crab Feast fundraiser from 1:00 to 5:00 PM in the squad's Anastasi Room. The menu will include steamed crabs, fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, applesauce, and rolls, along with beer and soda. Tickets cost $45 per person in advance (or $50 at the door).

For tickets or further information, call 301-442-4136 or visit www.bccrs.org. Proceeds will benefit the B-CC Rescue Squad.

The squad is located at 5020 Battery Lane.

15 local governments & organizations call on MoCo Council to revise Bethesda Downtown sector plan

Fifteen Bethesda-area governments and organizations have delivered a joint letter to Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner, asking for major changes to the draft Bethesda Downtown sector plan. Chief among the requests sought are staging of the development permitted in the plan, heights and building designs more compatible with the communities surrounding the downtown, adding more parks and amenities, retaining fire and rescue stations as single-use public safety sites, improving transitions between new downtown development and adjacent neighborhoods, and the use of better and more-accurate data in formulating the plan.

The letter is also calling for not only the return of citizen advisory boards for master plans, but also a Design Review Advisory Panel with citizen representation, which would weigh in on building designs. Many residents have complained that their input no longer matters since those advisory bodies were replaced with week-long charettes.

Several elected officials signed the letter, including Scott Fosler, a former County Councilman and current Mayor of Chevy Chase; Jeffrey Slavin, Mayor of Somerset; Michael Denger, Chair of the Board of Managers of Chevy Chase Village; and William Brownlee, Chair of Section 3 of the Village of Chevy Chase.

Also signing were many civic associations, including the East Bethesda Citizens Association, Chevy Chase West Neighborhood Association, the Edgemoor Citizens Association, the Sacks Neighborhood Association, the Battery Park Citizens Association, the West Fernwood Citizens Association, the Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights, residents of Middleton Lane, the 7420 Chevy Chase Drive condominium association, and the Bradley House condo association.

Rounding out the signatories was Mary Flynn, head of the Coalition of Bethesda Area Residents, the citizen group that has spearheaded the efforts to scale back the plan.

One notable detail that jumps out - 25 life members and former members of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad submitted a separate letter in which they endorse the Squad property and the Bethesda Fire Station 6 remaining as public safety facilities only. Rather than have new stations built by a developer who would also add residential units, they say station renovations and replacements should instead be co-funded by the County. Both stations are owned by their respective organizations, not the County.

Flynn said those signing the letter are optimistic that the high level of detail in their recommendations will lead the Council to take their concerns and proposals seriously. All told, the letter represents over 10,000 Bethesda households.

To read the full text of the letter, recommendations and attachments, click here.

BCC Rescue Squad hosting holiday party fundraiser December 9

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad is hosting a holiday dance party fundraiser at the Squad on Friday, December 9, 2016, from 7:00-11:00 PM. Headlining the event will be The Fabulous Hubcaps, one of the country's most successful nostalgia acts, performing music of the 1950s and 1960s.

Tickets are $30; dinner can be added for $10, and there will be a cash bar. To purchase tickets, call 240-876-1532. All proceeds will go to the Squad, a privately-funded volunteer organization whose fire and rescue services save Montgomery County taxpayers over $4 million a year. 🚒

The Squad is located at 5020 Battery Lane, off Old Georgetown Road.

Rescue Day at BCC Rescue Squad today

Taste of Bethesda will be getting the majority of attention in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle today, but don't forget to stop by the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad's annual Rescue Day during the same time - 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Their station house is a short walk from Taste of Bethesda to 5020 Battery Lane.

The highlight of Rescue Day is the landing of a medevac helicopter. Meet the flight medics, and get a close-up look at the inside of the chopper. Plenty of the latest BCC Rescue Squad equipment will also be on display, as well as their vintage 1972 Cadillac ambulance, Rescue 15.

Tour the station, watch equipment demonstrations, and find out how you can volunteer with the Squad. For kids, there will be free firefighter helmets and a moon bounce, among other activities.

BCC Rescue Squad 2016 AYCE crab feast set for September 11

Enjoy all-you-can-eat crabs, fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, applesauce, and rolls, along
with beer and soda on Sunday, September 11, 2016, at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad from 1:00-5:00 PM. All proceeds go to support the squad, a community-supported nonprofit organization that provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area, and upper Northwest Washington, D.C.

The event will be held in the Anastasi Room at the Squad, which is located at 5020 Battery Lane.

To order advance tickets for $45 each, call 301-442-4136. Tickets will be $50 at the door on the day of the event.

BCC Rescue Squad to host 3rd annual Rescue 1 Run 8K Road Race May 1, 2016

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad yesterday announced it will hold its 3rd annual Rescue 1 Run 8K Road Race on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 8:00 AM in Bethesda. They will also host a separate event for children simultaneously, the Kids Ambulance Chase Fun Run. Food, music, an open house at the squad's station, a moon bounce, and a performance by The Great Zucchini will round out the day's festivities.

Starting off near the station house at 5020 Battery Lane, racers will follow Old Georgetown Road to Beech Avenue, Linden Avenue, Pooks Hill Road and Rockville Pike, ending back at the station on Battery.

To register for the race, volunteer at the event, and for full details, visit the event website.

All proceeds from the event benefit the squad, an excellent cause. The race is being sponsored this year by the Leonard A. and Linda K. Greenberg Foundation, and by Greenhill Realty Company. The kids' run is being sponsored by Washington Fine Properties.

All-you-can-eat shrimp and oyster feast at BCC Rescue Squad April 10

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad will host its annual All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp and Oyster Feast fundraiser next Sunday, April 10, from 1:00-5:00 PM in the Anastasi Room at the squad, located at 5020 Battery Lane in Bethesda. Tickets are $45 if purchased in advance, and $50 at the door.

Menu items include steamed shrimp, fresh shucked and fried oysters, potato salad, apple sauce, sliced ham, baked beans, rolls, beer, and soft drinks.

For tickets or further information, call 301-977-6634. The event is sponsored by the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad Alumni Association.

Always a good cause to donate to, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad is a community-supported nonprofit organization that provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area, and upper Northwest Washington, D.C.

What was the number one reason people called the BCC Rescue Squad in 2015?

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad is celebrating an impressive 76th year in Bethesda. A private fire/rescue service, BCC Rescue Squad answered 9,606 emergency calls last year, an increase over 2014. "Sick person" was the top reason for calling the squad in 2015, followed by auto collision, and personal injury.

Answering those calls not only benefits the patient, but also frees up Montgomery County Fire and Rescue to deploy its assets beyond what it could without the auxiliary function BCC serves. Of course, both services often work together at major incident scenes.

The squad's Chief, Edward G. Sherburne, Jr., noted yesterday that Bethesda's booming population brings added dangers for pedestrians and cyclists in particular. “As the number of residents and visitors in the Bethesda area increases, we see our call volume increase,” Sherburne said. “Pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, and automobile safety are still a major concern. We urge residents and visitors to drive more slowly and
watch carefully for bicycles and pedestrians.”

With a team of 150 volunteers, BCC serves the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area and upper Northwest Washington, D.C. It is currently considering options for replacing its aging firehouse at 5020 Battery Lane, and plans to remain at that site regardless of any redevelopment option chosen.

If you would like to support the organization's work, the B-CC Rescue Squad is registered under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and contributions are tax-deductible.

BCC RESCUE SQUAD CHRISTMAS TREE SALE 2012 - BETHESDA CHRISTMAS TREES

One of the Christmas tree lots actually in downtown Bethesda is at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, at the corner of Battery Lane and Old Georgetown Road.

All proceeds from tree and wreath sales go to fund the squad's lifesaving operations. Get a tree, and also know that you're helping yourself and your neighbors with every dollar well spent.

Here is their price list:

Fraser Fir 9-10' $175
Fraser Fir 8-9' $116
Fraser Fir 7-8' $90
Fraser Fir 6-7' $80
Fraser Fir 5-6' $70
Fraser Fir 4-5' $50
Table Top Trees $30
Small (14") wreath $15
Medium (20") wreath $19
Large (24") wreath $23
Roping (25 ft) $20
Bows/Other $5
Firewood $7.50
Tree Stands -reg. $20
Tree Stands -XL $25

You can stop by the Squad to buy a tree between Noon and 9 PM Monday-Friday, and 9 AM to 9 PM Saturday and Sunday.

BAKE BETHESDA A PIE CONTEST IS HOURS AWAY AT BETHESDA CENTRAL FARM MARKET

While Labor Day weekend is a time many relax, Bethesda Central Farm Market is offering even more than usual at today's market.

Stop by between 9 AM and 1 PM at 7600 Arlington Road (Bethesda ES) to pick up supplies - like premium, organic ketchup and mustard - for your holiday cookout.

The headlining event is the annual Bake Bethesda a Pie Contest from 11 AM-noon.  While Chef Joseph Poupon and Bethesda Magazine food editor Carole Sugarman will handle the professional judging part, you will have a chance to try every pie after the winners are chosen.

Also here today:  Mr. Divabetic, who will be wearing his "world famous fruit suit."  He will be asking your opinion on healthy lifestyles, and you'll be asking him how he got that name, and about his fruit suit, I suppose.

Finally, Bethesda's venerable BCC Rescue Squad will be on hand to give you a free blood pressure check, and with an ambulance customers can tour.

By getting your BP check out of the way, then you can go ahead and cheat at brunch in downtown Bethesda!