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Gaithersburg, MD Real Estate News

By Roy Kelley
(Retired)
2025 Gaithersburg City ElectionGaithersburg residents will cast their ballots for Mayor and two City Council Members on Tuesday, November 4. The terms of office for Mayor Jud Ashman and Council Members Lisa Henderson and Jim McNulty expire in November. The Mayor and City Council Members elected in 2025 will each serve a four-year term.The City will use a hybrid process that allows for mail-in or in-person voting at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park. Early Voting will take place at the Activity Center on Sunday, October 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The polling place will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Mail-In Ballot Applications will be mailed to all registered voters the second week in September. In addition, Applications are available online here and ...
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By Roy Kelley
(Retired)
The Jackrabbit Advantage: Why Agility is Essential for Real Estate Success "Jackrabbits have an amazing ability to change directions instantly when being pursued by predators. This agility keeps them alive in the wild. Like the jackrabbit, it's crucial to stay flexible and be able to adapt rather than stubbornly sticking to one path. Being agile means you can change course when something isn't working and find alternative ways to achieve your goals." - Carol Williams, ActiveRain Blogger, Author, Retired Real Estate Broker, Avid Golfer  In the ever-evolving landscape of residential real estate, professionals who thrive share a remarkable trait with one of nature's most successful survivors: the jackrabbit. Just as these desert dwellers pivot instantly when faced with danger, successful ...
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Annual Bike Drive to Repurpose BicyclesDo you have an unused bike collecting dust in your garage? Montgomery County is making it easy to put it to good use. Donating your bike can give someone in our community access to safe and reliable transportation for work, school, or daily errands. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s annual Bicycle Donation Drive is coming up, and your contribution can make a real difference.Click here to learn more.This is a Montgomery County, Maryland announcement. Clematis Seed Pod, Kentlands Photowalk, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA IMG 0327Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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Andrew Jackson's Beloved Blackberry Jam Cake: A Presidential Sweet Tooth In the annals of American culinary history, few desserts can claim the distinction of being a president's favorite. Yet according to food historian Anne Byrn in her comprehensive work American Cake, the humble blackberry jam cake held a special place at Andrew Jackson's table. This Southern delicacy not only satisfied Old Hickory's sweet tooth but also represented the ingenious way early American cooks preserved summer's bounty for the lean winter months. A Cake Born of Necessity and Tradition The blackberry jam cake emerged from the practical realities of 19th-century Southern life. Fresh blackberries, abundant during the summer harvest, would quickly spoil without proper preservation. Resourceful cooks transform...
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What public school teachers earn in Montgomery County, MarylandPublic school teachers in Montgomery County earned the highest average salaries in the state last year, and the pay was competitive with nearby jurisdictions outside of Maryland, as well as with private schools in the county. Here’s a look at teacher pay, by the numbers. All figures are for the 2025-2026 school year unless otherwise noted.$7,182 stipend for high school football head coach—the best-paid extracurricular position in Montgomery County—in 2024-2025$5,814 stipend for high school girls varsity basketball coach, the highest-paid girls coach, identical to the pay for high school boys varsity basketball coach, 2024-2025$6,066 stipend for high school drama director—the best-paid non-sports extracurricular position, 202...
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Book Recommendation: Burning Ridge by Margaret MizushimaBurning Ridge (2018, Crooked Lane Books) is novel number four of the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series by Margaret Mizushima. I highly recommend this series for your reading list. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and her books.On a rugged Colorado mountain ridge, Mattie Cobb and her police dog partner Robo make a grisly discovery—and become the targets of a ruthless killer.Colorado’s Redstone Ridge is a place of extraordinary beauty, but this rugged mountain wilderness harbors a horrifying secret. When a charred body is discovered in a shallow grave on the ridge, officer Mattie Cobb and her K-9 partner Robo are called in to spearhead the investigation. But this is no ordinary crime—and it soon bec...
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Book Recommendation: Dead Man Blues by S. D. HouseDead Man Blues (October 14, 2025, Crooked Lane Books) is the new novel by Kentucky author S. D. House, the pen name for Silas House. This is a good selection for your reading list. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and his books.Two grisly murders. A disgraced former mayor. A tranquil town on the verge.This gripping historical crime novel set in the South pulls the past into the present, perfect for fans of Attica Locke and Wiley Cash.Dave Hendricks was once a respected man in Shady Grove, a tiny town on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. But after his wife leaves him for his best friend, he also loses his job, and his reputation is left in shambles. With nothing but his houseboat and his dog left, he’s wo...
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By Roy Kelley
(Retired)
John Quincy Adams and Indian Pudding: A Presidential Sweet Tradition Setting the Historical Record Straight When exploring the culinary preferences of America's sixth president, John Quincy Adams, one encounters a fascinating case of historical mix-up that has persisted in popular culture. While Indian pudding—that quintessentially New England dessert made from cornmeal, molasses, and spices—was indeed a beloved treat in the Adams household, it was actually John Adams, the second president and John Quincy's father, who was particularly fond of this traditional dessert. Historical records reveal that John Quincy Adams had notably different tastes from his father. Unlike many of his presidential peers, the younger Adams maintained remarkably austere dietary preferences. Contemporary acco...
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Hispanic Heritage Month in Gaithersburg, MarylandCelebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15, with educational and cultural programs and exhibits. Explore our complete list of programs here. An official proclamation was presented at the September 2 Mayor and City Council meeting to City resident Marcela Urtubey. Born in Costa Rica, Marcela has dedicated the past 12 years to serving families as a Parent Outreach Worker at the Gaithersburg High School Wellness Center.As a proud mother of two sons raised in Gaithersburg, Marcela’s shift in efforts began when she noticed a gap in support for Spanish-speaking parents during her children’s middle school years. She saw a need and stepped forward with a simple but powerful goal: to ensure that every parent feels seen, hea...
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Book Recommendation: Daikon by Samuel HawleyDiakon (July, 2025) is a gripping and fascinating work of historical fiction by Samuel Hawley. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and this book.A sweeping and suspenseful novel of love and war, set in Japan during the final days of World War II, with a shocking historical premise: three atomic bombs were actually delivered to the Pacific—not two—and when one of them falls into the hands of the Japanese, the fate of a couple that has been separated from one another becomes entangled with the fate of this terrifying new device.War has taken everything from physicist Keizo Kan. His young daughter was killed in the Great Tokyo Air Raid, and now his Japanese American wife, Noriko, has been imprisoned by the brutal...
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Harvest Moon Festival on Sept. 21 in Silver SpringSilver Spring Town Center Inc. will host the 12th Annual Harvest Moon Festival from 1-7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21, at Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring. The event will feature live entertainment, cultural performances and seasonal festivities. The event is free.Click here to learn more.This is a Montgomery County, Maryland announcement. Phlox, Kentlands Photowalk, Gaithersburg, Maryland USA IMG 2238Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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By Ellie McIntire, Luxury service in Central Maryland
(Ellicott City Clarksville Howard County Maryland Real Estate)
  8105 Irwell Ct, Gaithersburg, MD Click here to Get Directions$550000 4 Beds - 3 Baths - 0.34 acres Lot Photos Maps & Local Schools Print For more info, contact directly the Official Listing Agent, Ellie Mcintire with Keller Williams Realty at 443-418-7668 © or 443-574-1600 (o) – Have your mouse tour the house with the 3D tour - https://bit.ly/8105IrwellCtTour Welcome to this well-cared-for four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home tucked away on a quiet cul-de-sac on Irwell Court in Gaithersburg. Loved by its original owners since 1979, this is a rare opportunity to become only the second household to call it home. Set on a generous .34-acre lot—one of the largest in the neighborhood—this property boasts a terrific front yard complete with a long driveway and a covered front porch AND a spacious fe...
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Book Recommendation: A Moment's Shadow by Anna Lee HuberA Moment's Shadow (August, 2025) is novel number eight of the excellent Verity Kent Mystery series by Anna Lee Huber. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and her books. Violence, reprisal, and intrigue abound in post-World War I Ireland as the bloody conflict between the Irish Republican Army and the British authorities continues to escalate.  But former Secret Service agent Verity Kent must deal with a more immediate concern—the possession of poisonous gas by a ruthless adversary . . .August 1920, Dublin,  A fraught task keeps Verity and her husband Sidney in the country after their initial clandestine mission has been the traitor Lord Ardmore is scheming to employ the deadly phosgene gas he’s sto...
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National Capital Dahlia Society 90th Annual Flower ShowSaturday September 27 2 p.m.-5 p.m.Sunday September 28 9 a.m.-3 p.m.Bloom sale Sunday at 3 p.m.Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902Open to all to enter and to view1000+ dahlia blooms including design and photography sectionsInformation on growing dahliasVisit us online: https://www.nationalcapitaldahlia.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Nationalcapitaldahliasociety instagram: nationalcapitaldahlias   Dahlia lovers will enjoy this annual event.  Dahlia, Kentlands Photowalk, Gaithersburg, Maryland USA IMG 9916Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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Clean Water Montgomery Grants Available for Local Non-ProfitsThe Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection and the Chesapeake Bay Trust, announced $900,000 in funding for local, community-driven initiatives to enhance water quality. Through the Clean Water Montgomery Grant Program, Montgomery County nonprofit organizations, including local watershed groups, homeowner and community associations, faith-based organizations, and service and civic groups, may be eligible for grants ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 to support projects to improve stream health and water quality.  Click here to learn more.This is a Montgomery County, Maryland announcement. Orchids, Longwood Gardens Photowalk,Kennett Square, Pennsylvania USA IMG 4589Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy Kell...
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Book Recommendation: Hunting Hour by Margaret MizushimaHunting Hour (2017, Crooked Lane Books) is novel number three of the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series by Margaret Mizushima. I recommend this series for your reading list. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and her books.Deputy Mattie Cobb is working through issues from her past and has withdrawn from Cole Walker and his family to focus on herself, when she and her K-9 partner Robo get called to track a missing junior high student. Until they find the girl on Smoker's Hill behind the high school, dead. But that's only the start of trouble in Timber Creek, because soon another girl goes missing--and this time it's Sophie Walker. Hard as they search, Cole, Mattie, and Robo can't find her anywhere. Mat...
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Children’s Day on Sunday, Sept. 21 at Brookside Gardens Children and their families are invited to explore the science and art of gardening at Children’s Day from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Brookside Gardens. Participants will rotate through outdoor activity stations designed to educate and entertain. Bring your friends and family. Picnics are allowed only during this special event. Registration is encouraged but not required.Click here to view the website.This is a Montgomery County, Maryland announcement. Dahlia, 'Radegast', Kentlands Photowalk, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA IMG 2800Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs
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Book Recommendation: The List by Steve BerryThe List (July, 2025) is the new suspense novel by the New York Times Bestselling Author Steve Berry. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and his books. In the vein of David Baldacci, John Grisham, and Harlan Coben—this is Steve Berry like you’ve never read him before.After a ten-year self-imposed exile, Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, a quaint town in central Georgia nestled close to the Savannah River. Two years ago, his father died, and now Brent, hired by Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company as its assistant general counsel, is returning to care for his ailing mother.For decades, Southern Republic has invested heavily in Concord, creating a thriving community where its employees live, work, ...
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Granny Smith Apple & Goat Cheese Harvest SaladIngredients (4 servings) 2 crisp Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced 5 cups mixed greens (spring mix, baby spinach, or arugula) ½ cup dried cranberries ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese ½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional, for crunch) ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional, for sharpness) Yogurt-Honey Dressing ½ cup honey vanilla yogurt 1 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional, for balance) Pinch of salt & black pepper Instructions Prepare the dressing:In a small bowl, whisk together honey vanilla yogurt, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard (if using), salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill until ready to use. Assemble the salad: Place mixed greens in a large ...
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Book Recommendation: The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa ScottolineIf you enjoy psychological thrillers, you will definitely want to read The Unraveling of Julia (July, 2025) by Pennsylvania author Lisa Scottoline. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and her many books.From a #1 international bestselling author, a gothic, suspenseful tale in which a young widow inherits a Tuscan estate from a mysterious benefactor and finds herself thrust into the crosshairs of a dangerous conspiracy—a “compelling thriller with dashes of romance and excellent twists!” (Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author).Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horosco...
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