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Montgomery County Public Schools have changed the schedule for Wednesday, Feb. 12, because of the snowstorm. Here's the latest.

Deb Belt, Patch Staff

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — With 6 inches or more of snow expected overnight, all Montgomery County Public Schools and offices will be under a Code Red closure on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

District officials announced Wednesday's cancellation at 6 p.m. Tuesday, noting that an expected heavy snowfall in the county would make roads and sidewalks inaccessible.

The notice said:

"Snow has begun falling, and we are closely monitoring its impact on our schools across the district. With forecasts predicting up to six inches of accumulation by early tomorrow morning, roads, sidewalks, and school campuses will not be safe or accessible for an on-time or delayed opening on Wednesday. However, our teams will be hard at work.

"Overnight and into the morning, MCPS operations crews will begin clearing snow from buses and depots while plowing, shoveling, and treating school parking lots and sidewalks. Meanwhile, our county partners will be working diligently to prepare highways and neighborhood streets to ensure safer travel conditions.

Find out what's happening in Silver Springfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

"This work will likely take throughout the day on Wednesday as we have 211 schools, seven bus depots and other facilities that will all need to be readied for students, staff and visitors."

Important Reminder: An empty parking lot means we can plow and treat school parking lots and reopen faster. We encourage anyone with a vehicle in a school parking lot to remove it as soon as possible.

Making decisions about weather-related closures are driven by the safety of students, staff, and visitors to our schools, the district said. The ability to transport students, staff’s ability to get to work, and school campus conditions after a weather event are all factors in weather-related closures.

Conditions in one part of the county may be perfectly fine and drastic in another — the staff required to open your child’s school may be inhibited from getting to work because of conditions different than the ones in your neighborhood. Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate inclement winter weather in Montgomery County’s 500 square miles, school officials said.

Officials consider:

Closures and Delayed Opening:

Early Release

How residents can receive MCPS Emergency Information and any changes to the Operating Status Color Codes:

Resettlement agencies in Montgomery County are already starting to feel the impact of the loss of federal funds.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Refugee families in Silver Spring are being evicted after a councilmember said federal funding was cut off. The families are from Afghanistan and helped the U.S. fight the Taliban ─ forcing them to flee the country during the American evacuation.

The evictions began at Enclave Apartments in Silver Spring Thursday. They were put at Enclave by immigration resettlement agencies and charged above-market rent.

“This is a lot of policy failures stacked on top of each other and it’s heartbreaking,” said Montgomery County Councilmember Kristin Mink as she surveyed the fallout of Thursday’s evictions.

Montgomery County Sheriff deputies directed workers to clean out units in the building, leaving furniture, cribs, toys, and clothes out on the street.

Mink says the county has spent months working with state officials and resettlement agencies to keep families housed and fend off eviction.

Now, Mink worries Thursday’s evictions could play out for other newly arrived immigrants.

Mink says that President Donald Trump’s January order to stop the State Department’s federal funding to resettlement agencies has abruptly cut off a key resource in taking care of newly arrived immigrants, with no plan to make up the gap.

“So what we’re seeing is resettlement agencies desperately trying to fulfill their obligations on behalf of the federal government to folks and to make sure they’re not left homeless,” Mink said. “In order to do that, we are seeing them make tough choices ─ having to lay off staff. I talked to one resettlement agency that is down to one case manager here as they try to desperately try to find the funds to help keep people afloat.”

According to the Refugee Processing Center, 1,000 refugees have already arrived in Maryland, and more than a third of them earned SIV visas by helping the U.S. military in their home countries, such as families from Afghanistan who helped the U.S. fight the Taliban.

“We owe them something,” Mink declared. “We brought them here with promises. That is the pool of funding that the Trump administration has just pulled away and creating situations like this where we are not able to pay rent for people who are supposed to have those funds guaranteed.”

Mink says that right now, county government is still trying to keep up with all the changes coming from D.C., and is looking to put together fundraising events and volunteer case manager opportunities, but she’s also calling on everyone to reach out to their representative and tell them that funding for resettlement is necessary.

Lutheran Social Services National Capital Area, one of the agencies that’s placed refugee families at the Enclave in the past, put out a statement that reads, in part:

“This news puts the lives of nearly 400 new neighbors LSSNCA has welcomed in our community since the end of October in harm's way,” said Kristyn Peck, LSSNCA CEO. “They are rebuilding their lives after fleeing unimaginable life-threatening situations. Each one of them is now at risk of homelessness and food insecurity. We implore the administration to rescind this order. We must keep our promise to support the transition for recently resettled refugees, including Afghan allies.”

The organization’s full statement can be found here.

Dacha Beer Garden appears set to take over the former Denizens Brewing Co. taproom and brewery in downtown Silver Spring.

According to Maryland business filings, Dacha co-owner Ilya Alter filed a trade name application for the location at 1115 East-West Highway in late January, which is no longer available for lease.

The Montgomery County Board of License Commissioners will hold a hearing on April 10 at 10 a.m. regarding Dacha’s application for a beer, wine, and liquor license.

An opening timeline has not been announced.

Denizens closed its downtown Silver Spring taproom in 2023 due to a dispute over renewing the brewery’s lease. According to DCBeer.com, the decision to close the Silver Spring taproom, which opened in 2014, was primarily driven by the expiration of the original ten-year lease.

The landlord wanted to renew the lease for another ten years, but Denizens sought a shorter renewal term, which the landlord refused.

Co-founder Julie Verratti stated that given the uncertainty of the last few years, the brewery was not interested in signing another ten-year lease. Following the pandemic, Denizens stopped brewing at its Silver Spring location, relocated its brewing equipment to Riverdale Park, and sold surplus equipment to other regional breweries, including Atlas Brew Works, Lost Generation, and Black Narrows.

Dacha Beer Garden co-owners Ilya Alter and Dimitri Chekaldin opened their first location in Washington, D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood in 2013. They later expanded to Navy Yard in 2019 and were honored as one of the best beer gardens in the U.S. in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 2022 Awards.

Alter and Chekaldin announced plans to expand the Dacha Beer Garden franchise along the East Coast in 2023.

Photo: “Denizens Brewing Co – Silver Spring, Maryland” by Farragutful is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. (Thanks to reader Marcus for the photo and tip!)

Several Silver Spring restaurants will participate in the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s annual Winter Restaurant Week promotion.

This year’s promotion runs from January 27 through February 2 and features lunch and brunch deals at more than 350 area restaurants. Diners can select multi-course meals priced between $25 and $35 for lunch and brunch and $40 to $65 for dinner, including drink pairings at nearly 100 restaurants.

Additionally, diners can enjoy unique Japanese Wagyu dishes at select restaurants, including ART DC, Bresca, Epic Smokehouse, Little Blackbird, RPM Italian, The Grill, and Vagabond, in partnership with the Embassy of Japan. These restaurants will feature Wagyu dishes within their three-course Restaurant Week menus or as add-ons, showcasing the diverse varieties and high quality of Wagyu beef.

“Restaurant Week is the perfect time to explore and support local restaurants, connect with friends and family over incredible meals, and experience the passion and creativity of our chefs at an amazing value,” said RAMW president and CEO Shawn Townsend. “We can’t wait to welcome diners to celebrate this delicious tradition with us!”

Forty-two restaurants are participating in Restaurant Week for the first time. In D.C., these include Michelin-starred Tail Up Goat, Elle, and Namak in Adams Morgan; Arrels, ART DC and District E in Penn Quarter; Gordon Ramsey Fish and Chips and Pink Tiger at The Wharf; a.kitchen+bar in the West End; Amelie in Logan Circle; Cordelia Fishbar and JINYA Ramen Bar in Union Market; Cynthia in the H Street Corridor; El Bebe Tacos and Tequila in Capitol Riverfront; El Taller del Xiquet in Glover Park; Republic Cantina in NoMa; and River Club DC in Downtown.

This year, five Silver Spring restaurants will participate in Winter Restaurant Week, including All Set Restaurant & Bar, J. Hollinger’s Waterman’s Chophouse, Matchbox, The Daily Dish Neighborhood Bistro & Bar, and Milk & Honey Southern Inspired Kitchen, which is participating for the first time.

All Set’s three-course lunch menu features three options for each course. Guests can start with Maryland Crab Soup, which includes crab and vegetables, or meatless Buffalo Cauliflower Nuggets with bleu cheese. The main course options include the Blackened Chicken Quarter with quinoa and kale or a lighter Salmon BLT with pecan-smoked bacon and avocado on toasted brioche. Dessert options include the popular Mixed Berry Scone with whipped cream.

Brunch guests can enjoy a $35 three-course menu featuring specialties like Slow Smoked Chicken Wings from Money Muscle BBQ. Choices include All Set’s Breakfast Burger with a fried egg, Vermont white cheddar, and bacon on a brioche bun with home fries or Belgian Waffles topped with powdered sugar, Vermont maple syrup, and macerated berries. A brunch highlight is the Salmon Cake Benedict with seared salmon cakes, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce served with a mixed green salad. To finish, guests can choose from various desserts, including the chef’s selection of vegan sorbet.

Guests ordering from All Set’s $55 dinner menu can try one of the restaurant’s iconic dishes recently featured in WETA’s television series Signature Dish.

Chef Reavis’s Jumbo Lump Crab Cake—made with crab beurre blanc, corn purée, bell peppers, fingerling potatoes, arugula, and Old Bay—can be added as an entrée for an additional $15. Other available options include Wild Mushroom Risotto (featuring smoked cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms, arborio rice, parmesan, and fried shallots), Seafood Pasta (with mussels, shrimp, scallops, linguine, tomato brown butter, and grilled bread), and Slow Smoked Salt & Pepper Texas Beef Brisket (served with sweet potato fries, collard greens, and South Carolina gold BBQ sauce).

To complete their meal, guests may choose from the dessert options or a trio of Whoopie Pies (red velvet cream cheese, chocolate peanut butter, and vanilla strawberry cream).

Chef-owner Jerry Hollinger and his team at J. Hollinger’s Waterman’s Chophouse have created a Winter Restaurant Week menu that showcases their dedication to sustainable and flavorful cuisine. For Winter Restaurant Week, J. Hollinger’s will be open daily for lunch service and on Monday, when the restaurant is typically closed.

The $25 three-course lunch menu offers a choice of appetizers including Seafood Bisque, Winter Apple Salad (with roasted walnuts, dried cranberries, pickled red onion, arugula, spinach, feta, and Meyer lemon & honey dressing), Vegetable Tempura (local vegetables with chili ponzu sauce), and Fried Calamari (served with sautéed peppers, olives, tomatoes, and marinara dipping sauce).

For an additional charge, diners can upgrade to Chophouse Steak Satay with chimichurri sauce or Crab-Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp with jumbo lump crab imperial and a petite salad.

The entrée options include Blackened Salmon with julienned fennel and saffron mussel cream sauce, Steak Salad with grilled flatiron steak and buttermilk dressing, and a Chophouse Burger with bacon and cheddar served with French fries. Additional selections include a Spicy Buttermilk-Fried Chicken Sandwich, Homemade Pappardelle with Bolognese sauce (a vegetarian option is available), Grilled Cauliflower “Steak” with olive feta cream, and Carrot Ricotta Ravioli in sage brown butter.

Optional upgrades include Fried Oyster Caesar Salad, Filet Mignon with whipped potatoes, and a Crab Cake Entrée served with fries and coleslaw. The lunch menu’s dessert options include chocolate mousse with whipped cream and berries, warm apple crisp with salted caramel ice cream, or lemon posset, a delicate lemon cream.

The lunch menu is available from Monday, January 27, to Saturday, February 1. On Sunday, February 2, the restaurant will offer its $35 all-you-can-eat brunch instead.

The $40 three-course dinner menu, available from Monday, January 27 through Sunday, February 2, includes starters such as Seafood Bisque, Winter Apple Salad, Shrimp Toast + Pork Belly, and Carrot Ricotta Ravioli. Entrée highlights include Blackened Salmon, Statler Chicken Breast Saltimbocca, Squid Ink Pasta with Crab, and Grilled Cauliflower “Steak.” For an additional charge, guests can opt for Braised Lamb Shank, Surf and Turf, or a 12 oz. Prime NY Strip Steak.

Dessert choices include Chocolate Pots de Crème, Warm Apple Crisp, and Lemon Posset. Menu upgrades and an à la carte raw bar will also be available. All dishes will be served in full-size portions, ensuring a complete dining experience.

Winter Restaurant Week kicks off Monday, January 27, and runs through Sunday, February 2. Visit RWDMV.com for more details, including restaurant menus and reservations.

Photo: Michael Collins for J. Hollinger’s