Good morning, Gaithersburg.

Butler's Orchard in Germantown was chosen as Maryland’s best farm shop in a loveFOOD feature, ranking 37 nationally.

The family-owned farm (famous for its seasonal fruits, vegetables and pickles endorsed by Dale Earnhardt Jr.) has served the community for over 75 years at 22222 Davis Mill Rd.

OTC Bar & Grille, formerly Olde Towne Cafe, will close its longtime Gaithersburg location on Nov.

15 after 26 years; the family-owned restaurant has signed a lease for a new Bethesda location and plans a soft reopening in late spring or early summer.

MedSTAR Transport showcased its new Airbus H145 D3 helicopter at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney on Wednesday, Oct.

14 to give associates an up-close look at the aircraft designed to expand care for critically ill and injured patients. The larger helicopter offers extra space, equipment, and two-stretcher capacity (with 1,000 pounds more payload), helping crews plan longer, specialized missions.

Orange Pocket (30 Grand Corner Ave) and Kareem’s Lebanese Kitchen (212 Boardwalk Place) are now open at Rio Lakefront, while J.Crew Factory will soon occupy the former Finewine.com space as family-owned Sip (near Bear’s Shaved Ice) begins serving dirty sodas after Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen closed permanently.

Five Maryland health employers have been named among Fortune and Great Place To Work’s 2026 Best Workplaces in Health Care, based on employee surveys (released Oct.

13). Aledade of Bethesda ranked No. 14, and Maxim of Columbia ranked No. 17, with three smaller Montgomery County employers also included.

The Golden Bull (opened in the 1960s, closed in 2017) was a well-loved steakhouse in Gaithersburg known for its prime rib and iconic rooftop bull statues; its site now features Mega Mart (opened in 2023).

Approximately 12,500 MCPS fifth graders will visit the Music Center at Strathmore from Oct.

20 to Oct. 23 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Blues program, which features live performances, interactive lessons, and a sing-along (aligned with the music curriculum).

Last Thursday (Oct. 15), Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Taylor apologized to teachers for a comment that upset some and outlined changes to grading, state requirements, and school operations amid declining enrollment.

His message stressed improving consistency and reducing workload pressures for educators.

High school football heats up this week as Richard Montgomery, after its first win, faces Gaithersburg at home today—both teams look to boost their season.

Local rivalries add extra edge as the game unfolds.

Junior kicker Seth Rubin converted three field goals to lead Quince Orchard to a 9-0 win over Sherwood last night at a high school game, as junior cornerback Brody Schwartz and junior Jason Washington made key plays that kept the opponent scoreless.