GAINSWave Therapy in Silver Spring, MD

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Business owners in downtown Silver Spring say construction on the Purple Line is threatening their companies.

The concerns arrive amid ongoing and delayed construction on the Maryland Transit Administration's long-awaited project.

Customers are noticeably absent from the businesses along Bonifant Street.

Business owners like Eskndr Bekele, who owns Spring Smoke Shop, are blaming the propped-up orange cones, restricted parking zones, and road closures specifically for the lack of patrons.

"It's dead," Bekele said, "because every time they close the road, especially in the morning, this [street] closes – both sides, so there is no traffic. And then they do construction in front of my shop."

FOX 5 spoke with several other business owners who say their businesses have taken huge hits and there’s little to no help in sight. Many of them say they don’t know how they’re making it.

"I don't know how to describe it," said Patrick Dossoukbe, a restaurant owner in the area. "We don't have a choice. I don't know how my food is keeping the restaurant still open."

Several of the shops have managed to navigate closures caused by COVID-19, and now they’re trying to navigate this.

Officials from Maryland's Department of Transportation (MDOT) say they’ve been meeting with business owners and offering them signage saying open for business.

Bekele said he's been urged to apply for grants, but what the state is offering is not enough.

In a statement, a Maryland Transit Administration spokesperson says in part, "The Purple Line team recognizes the impact and disruption construction in a dense, urban environment can create … The Purple Line’s dedicated Business Engagement team meets regularly with businesses, including those on Bonifant Street, to provide construction updates, listen to concerns, and work with county partners, where needed, to resolve issues. As construction progresses, we will continue to listen to and work with local businesses to ensure a vibrant business community."

Montgomery County's Urban Search and Rescue team headed to Maui on Wednesday after wildfires claimed the lives of more than 100 people.

|Updated Wed, Aug 16, 2023 at 5:16 pm ET

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Members of Montgomery County's Urban Search and Rescue team headed to Hawaii on Wednesday to assist residents after wildfires tore through parts of Maui, killing more than 100 people, destroying a historic town and leaving thousands of others displaced.

Also known as Maryland Task Force 1, the federally-funded team is comprised of 80 members from Montgomery, Howard, and Prince George's County fire departments, as well as DC Fire and EMS, according to officials.

The team, one of 28 across the United States that respond to natural and manmade disasters as part of FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, previously assisted with recovery efforts following Hurricane Floyd and the Oklahoma City bombing, according to county officials.

Crews using cadaver dogs have scoured about 30 percent of the burn area, according to officials. Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said teams are rushing to secure remains ahead of possible storms forecast for the weekend.

"Many of the fatalities were on the road, down by the sea," Green told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Wednesday. "So the numbers will increase, but they will not increase — we hope — to ... catastrophic proportions. We just don't know yet."

After the blaze swept through Maui County, thousands of people were staying in shelters, in hotel rooms and Airbnb units, or with friends. Around 2,000 homes and businesses still don't have electricity, county officials wrote Tuesday night after the power company restored supply to over 10,000 customers. The fire also contaminated water supplies in many areas.

Maryland Task Force 1 was scheduled to depart Montgomery County by 5 p.m. Wednesday and planned to arrive by 8 a.m. Thursday local time, according to Pete Piringer, public information officer for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Services.

In a statement released Wednesday, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich commended team members for their "unwavering commitment to assist others."

"This team is among the best in the country, so it has experience with situations like this," Elrich said. "It is my hope that its presence will help bring closure to the families impacted by this terrible tragedy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The magazine evaluated nearly 1,900 cities, towns, suburbs, exurbs, villages, and townships and reviewed more than 200,000 unique data points.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Fortune Magazine ranked Silver Spring, Maryland and Alexandria, Virginia in its top 50 list of the 2023 Best Places to Live for Families. Silver Spring took the No. 3 spot, and Alexandria ranked No. 18.

The list showcases a city in each U.S. state where multigenerational families are most likely to find access to critical resources, community support, and financial well-being. Silver Spring was only beaten by Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

To select the best places to live in each state, Fortune Magazine evaluated nearly 1,900 cities, towns, suburbs, exurbs, villages, and townships and reviewed more than 200,000 unique data points. These data points applied to five broad categories, including education, aging resources, general wellness, financial health, and livability.

Fortune Magazine's ranking focused on multigenerational families, many of whom are raising their own children while caring for aging parents. They considered factors like quality of local schools, graduation rates, college affordability, nursing homes, assisted living communities, home health care agencies, social isolation risks for older residents, and access to healthcare providers.

The magazine pointed to education as a reason families enjoy living in Silver Spring, along with above-average access to senior living facilities.

"Alexandria offers copious fine dining and shopping choices along its walkable streets and a real sense of community in its many residential neighborhoods, such as Del Ray and Cameron Station. Lively King Street in the area of Old Town offers shopping from both local boutiques and national retail stores," Fortune says of its No. 18 pick.

"The City of Alexandria continues to receive recognition as a place where diverse families can find a sense of belonging and establish roots. It is a tremendous honor to be acknowledged by Fortune Magazine as a preeminent location for families to reside within the Commonwealth of Virginia and nationwide. Our residents, visitors, and vibrant business community play a vital role in making Alexandria a community where everyone can thrive," said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson in a press statement.

Check out the full list here.

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SILVER SPRING, Md. (7News) — Pop star Bebe Rexha returned to the stage at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Wednesday days after she was injured by a cell phone hurled from the audience at a hometown show in New York City Sunday night. One man was arrested in the incident, police said.

The Grammy-nominated, multiplatinum-selling singer-songwriter was taken to a hospital after the phone hit her, police said. A bruise and a bandage were visible above her left eye in social media posts she made Monday.

“I'm good, yeah, I'm feelin' alright,” she sang in a TikTok video, taking a line from “I'm Good (Blue),” her recent hit with DJ David Guetta.

ALSO READ | LIST | Fourth of July events, fireworks, parades in DC, Maryland and Virginia

Rexha, 33, was on stage at Pier 17, a rooftop venue in Manhattan, when the phone was thrown, police said. Video posted on social media showed the phone ricocheting off the artist's head, and then Rexha grabbing her face and sinking to her knees.

Nicolas Malvagna, 27, of New Jersey, was released without bail after being arraigned Monday on assault, aggravated harassment and other charges. Each is either a misdemeanor or a violation.

According to a court complaint, Malvagna told a third party he tried to hit Rexha with the phone at the end of the show because he thought "it would be funny.”

A message seeking comment was sent to his attorney.

A three-time Grammy nominee, Rexha is known for such hits as “I’m Good (Blue),” “Meant to Be,” featuring country’s Florida Georgia Line, and “I Got You.” Raised in New York, she was a songwriter for other artists before becoming a solo star.

“What I’m learning is that not everybody is going to connect with you and understand you, and that’s OK,” she told The Associated Press in April, shortly before the release of her latest album, “Bebe.”

“And I feel like you have to just be your realest, truest version of yourself because, at the end of the day, if you try to change yourself to be liked by other people, you’re not really being yourself,” she added.

She is next scheduled to perform in Atlanta on Friday.

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Neighboring Silver Spring, Maryland is home to locals who want a taste of the suburbs but crave that immediate proximity to the District. While the downtown marketplace remains the central hub for entertainment, there are several culinary gems dotted around the perimeter, from old-guard restaurants to family-friendly modern eateries. The best part about coming to visit? Once the eating’s done, stick around to shop or catch a movie—all within a quick walk of the downtown area.

Fryer’s Roadside is a pitstop worth making on New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring. Chef Edward Reavis and Jennifer Meltzer serve up Southern comfort foods including gluten-free and halal fried chicken, regional American barbecue, sides, milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream, and baked goods. The restaurant is a casual spot for walk-up ordering and carryout from Tuesday through Sunday.

This family-owned restaurant turns out Italian favorites like calzones, signature white- and red-sauced pizza, homemade meatballs, and more. Order the Napoli pizza (anchovies, black olives, and basil), Quattro Stagioni pizza (a four-in-one pie featuring mozzarella, salami and ham, mushrooms and tomatoes) and a Calabrese (salami and sausage) calzone for the table. Not to be missed is the dessert menu, which includes chocolate profiteroles, limoncello shortcake, and Nutella pizza. The team recently expanded to D.C. with a new Pacci’s on Capitol Hill.

The old Mrs. K’s Toll House transformed itself into an indoor tavern and outdoor garden bar with plenty of space to kick back and enjoy the natural beauty of this historic estate. Weekend brunch is a particularly good time to visit for essential dishes like a veggie shakshuka, challah French toast, and a Louisiana-style po’boy packed with Gulf shrimp.

Money Muscle BBQ is a Black-owned business sharing space with All Set Restaurant. It started as a food truck serving regional American styles of barbecue, including one of the best pulled pork sandwiches in the DMV. To get your hands on this prized smoked meat, order online for pickup or visit their new standalone stall at nearby Riverdale Park’s growing Le Fantome food hall.

This seafood-centric restaurant serves tasty lobster rolls, Maryland-style crab cakes, and an array of freshly shucked oysters. The top dish of the moment is the trout crab meuniere, a dish with a pan-seared filet topped with lemon butter crab and served on a bed of fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, and roasted cherry tomatoes.

Silver Spring restaurateur Jerry Hollinger recently rolled out a new steakhouse in an upscale setting with a raw bar and seafood platters. This includes fresh oysters and crabs sourced from the Chesapeake Bay watershed region and steaks raised on cattle farms in Texas for certified black Angus beef.

El Sapo Cuban Social Club serves up fresh mojitos and Cuban fare in a bright and shimmering space along with a mojito garden open in the spring and summer. Chef Raynold Mendizábal features bold island food and street food from Havana, including masitas (fried pork bites), cod croquetas, and Cuban sandwiches.

At this beloved Burmese restaurant, flavors of curry, ginger, and cilantro dominate. Kayann thee gyaw (eggplant fritters), let thoke sone (mixed noodles), and thinn bawthee thoke (green papaya salad) are just some of the delicious options offered. Close things out with brown sugar and coconut sticky rice, or coconut ice cream served in a coconut shell. Dine-in service made a long-awaited return this month.

Descend the 13 steps down to this basement dive bar and restaurant, which also happens to be one of the oldest taverns in Maryland. This place serves up juicy burgers, pages of whiskey options, and a craft beer list that shows love for several Montgomery County breweries.

Spice Street specializes in Indian street food from several different regions across the country. From paneers to chats, there are several veggie-friendly dishes to choose from, plus a warm and welcoming bar with a generous happy hour. Silver Spring’s 9-to-5 office crowd will also want to try the “Lunch Thali” special for $13.

Dive deep into a bowl of matzo ball soup or grab a Reuben sandwich to-go at this Jewish deli on Grubb Road. This comfort food classic does dine-in, takeout, and delivery, with a front shop for beer, wine, deli favorites, and baked goods.

Consistently ranked as one of the best Ethiopian restaurants in the D.C. region, Beteseb features a welcoming dining room with live music and plenty of injera to go along with the fun. Try the derek tibs with chunks of lean beef and sauteed with onion, tomato, and green pepper (served mild or spicy). Or sample one of several vegetarian and vegan dishes; the ever-popular veggie combo features five combinations of misir wot, kik alicha, atakilt wot, ye gomen wot, and shiro wot.

Denizens is where you can gather with friends, family, or pups to sip craft beers and hard seltzers made on-site. More recently, the beloved Maryland brewery partnered with Silver Spring’s All Set to bring a delicious, chef-driven menu to this indoor/outdoor beer garden.

This old-school seafood house might feel as if you’ve traveled to the real seaside town of Crisfield—about a three-hour drive east on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. You are required to try the crab cake platter that’s been on the menu since day one, going all the way back to 1945.

Fryer’s Roadside is a pitstop worth making on New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring. Chef Edward Reavis and Jennifer Meltzer serve up Southern comfort foods including gluten-free and halal fried chicken, regional American barbecue, sides, milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream, and baked goods. The restaurant is a casual spot for walk-up ordering and carryout from Tuesday through Sunday.

This family-owned restaurant turns out Italian favorites like calzones, signature white- and red-sauced pizza, homemade meatballs, and more. Order the Napoli pizza (anchovies, black olives, and basil), Quattro Stagioni pizza (a four-in-one pie featuring mozzarella, salami and ham, mushrooms and tomatoes) and a Calabrese (salami and sausage) calzone for the table. Not to be missed is the dessert menu, which includes chocolate profiteroles, limoncello shortcake, and Nutella pizza. The team recently expanded to D.C. with a new Pacci’s on Capitol Hill.

The old Mrs. K’s Toll House transformed itself into an indoor tavern and outdoor garden bar with plenty of space to kick back and enjoy the natural beauty of this historic estate. Weekend brunch is a particularly good time to visit for essential dishes like a veggie shakshuka, challah French toast, and a Louisiana-style po’boy packed with Gulf shrimp.

Money Muscle BBQ is a Black-owned business sharing space with All Set Restaurant. It started as a food truck serving regional American styles of barbecue, including one of the best pulled pork sandwiches in the DMV. To get your hands on this prized smoked meat, order online for pickup or visit their new standalone stall at nearby Riverdale Park’s growing Le Fantome food hall.

This seafood-centric restaurant serves tasty lobster rolls, Maryland-style crab cakes, and an array of freshly shucked oysters. The top dish of the moment is the trout crab meuniere, a dish with a pan-seared filet topped with lemon butter crab and served on a bed of fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, and roasted cherry tomatoes.

Silver Spring restaurateur Jerry Hollinger recently rolled out a new steakhouse in an upscale setting with a raw bar and seafood platters. This includes fresh oysters and crabs sourced from the Chesapeake Bay watershed region and steaks raised on cattle farms in Texas for certified black Angus beef.

El Sapo Cuban Social Club serves up fresh mojitos and Cuban fare in a bright and shimmering space along with a mojito garden open in the spring and summer. Chef Raynold Mendizábal features bold island food and street food from Havana, including masitas (fried pork bites), cod croquetas, and Cuban sandwiches.

At this beloved Burmese restaurant, flavors of curry, ginger, and cilantro dominate. Kayann thee gyaw (eggplant fritters), let thoke sone (mixed noodles), and thinn bawthee thoke (green papaya salad) are just some of the delicious options offered. Close things out with brown sugar and coconut sticky rice, or coconut ice cream served in a coconut shell. Dine-in service made a long-awaited return this month.

Descend the 13 steps down to this basement dive bar and restaurant, which also happens to be one of the oldest taverns in Maryland. This place serves up juicy burgers, pages of whiskey options, and a craft beer list that shows love for several Montgomery County breweries.

Spice Street specializes in Indian street food from several different regions across the country. From paneers to chats, there are several veggie-friendly dishes to choose from, plus a warm and welcoming bar with a generous happy hour. Silver Spring’s 9-to-5 office crowd will also want to try the “Lunch Thali” special for $13.

Dive deep into a bowl of matzo ball soup or grab a Reuben sandwich to-go at this Jewish deli on Grubb Road. This comfort food classic does dine-in, takeout, and delivery, with a front shop for beer, wine, deli favorites, and baked goods.

Consistently ranked as one of the best Ethiopian restaurants in the D.C. region, Beteseb features a welcoming dining room with live music and plenty of injera to go along with the fun. Try the derek tibs with chunks of lean beef and sauteed with onion, tomato, and green pepper (served mild or spicy). Or sample one of several vegetarian and vegan dishes; the ever-popular veggie combo features five combinations of misir wot, kik alicha, atakilt wot, ye gomen wot, and shiro wot.

Denizens is where you can gather with friends, family, or pups to sip craft beers and hard seltzers made on-site. More recently, the beloved Maryland brewery partnered with Silver Spring’s All Set to bring a delicious, chef-driven menu to this indoor/outdoor beer garden.

This old-school seafood house might feel as if you’ve traveled to the real seaside town of Crisfield—about a three-hour drive east on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. You are required to try the crab cake platter that’s been on the menu since day one, going all the way back to 1945.