Briggs Chaney: ‘Profound Income Disparities’ in East Montgomery County

A study by local nonprofit finds some residents living east of Route 29 had significantly lower incomes than people with similar education on the west side of the road.

A new study suggests that residents on the west side of Route 29 may generally be more wealthy than their counterparts on the east side of the road. But not more educated. During an intense study of the Briggs Chaney neighborhood, IMPACT Silver Spring discovered census tracts with very similar levels of education, but very different income levels.  “That was the most startling revelation,” said Ronnie Galvin, executive director of IMPACT. “The education level is the same, but [the income levels] are almost triple the difference.” According to a report submitted to the county’s department of health and human services in January 2011, the residents of the tracts with lower income were primarily African-American and continental African. …

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Update: Eight Rescued from Briggs Chaney Apartment Fire

Initial reports say fire began in the rear of a bottom-level apartment and traveled up three stories, fire officials said.

Update, 10:50 a.m.: Friday's early morning apartment fire in the 14000 block of Castle Boulevard began in the rear of a ground-level apartment, said Capt. Oscar Garcia, spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services. Firefighters arrived on the scene at Woodlake Apartments around 7:30 a.m. and rescued at least eight people from apartment balconies, Garcia said. "Several" occupants of the building were assessed by rescue personnel, but no one needed to be transported to a hospital and no firefighters were injured, he said.  Crews arrived from Kensington, Laurel, Hillandale, Beltsville and Howard County, among other places, to assist Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department with the massive fire. Garcia said that 36 units in the …

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Police Investigate Two Deaths in Briggs Chaney Area

A suicide note was found at the scene where a man and his wife were found dead.

The Montgomery County Police Sunday investigated the deaths of a man and woman in the Briggs Chaney area of Silver Spring, according to a statement.  Police said they found a 49-year-old man and his 39-year-old wife dead inside their apartment on the 13600 block of Colgate Way at about 10:36 a.m. Sunday after responding to a missing person call.  In the apartment, police say they found both victims dead and with evidence of trauma. Police also say they found a suicide note.  The Major Crimes Division’s Homicide/Sex section was investigating the circumstances of the deaths and the Chief Medical Examiner’s office in Baltimore will conduct autopsies to determine the cause and manner of death. Police have not yet released the names of the two …

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Citizen’s Advisory Board Calls on County, SHA to Improve Safety in Briggs Chaney Plaza

Some residents complained that entering and exiting the shopping center on Briggs Chaney Road is now unsafe.

The roads around Briggs Chaney Plaza, a shopping center on Outlet Drive, have undergone many reconfigurations in the 20-plus years since the buildings were erected. Changes to Route 29, Briggs Chaney Road and the addition of the Intercounty Connector have left the plaza with no direct access to Route 29, limited exit points and unsafe for at least a few motorists.  The Board unanimously voted Wednesday to ask County Executive Isiah Leggett to prompt Maryland’s State Highway Administration (SHA) to figure out how to make the parking lot safer for drivers. “Several area residents have expressed concern that there is only one exit from the Plaza to head east on Briggs Chaney Road,” reads the letter to Leggett, dated Nov. 15. “Others have also…

Castle Boulevard Gets a Pedestrian Safety Makeover

Councilmember Nancy Navarro called for a look into the area, where two pedestrian accidents took place in the last three years.

Parents, teens and transit-riders living on Castle Boulevard in the Briggs Chaney area may welcome the latest effort to calm vehicle traffic and protect pedestrians. Councilmember Nancy Navarro (D-Dist 4), along with County Executive Isiah Leggett and County Transportation Director Art Holmes, met in front of Windsor Court and Tower apartments to announce improvements to the street. Among the changes, bus stops were relocated to improve transit-rider safety; new traffic signs and pavement markings were created; pedestrian “refuge islands” were created; gutters and sidewalks were brought up to national standards for people with disabilities and crossings at bus stops were updated. Holmes said Navarro began pressuring his office to take a …

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Bites Nearby: A Yearn for Asian Food at Yo Yo Cafe

Your choice of cuisines at this Briggs Chaney Plaza eatery.

Got a craving for Asian food? You can seek out places specializing in one cuisine or go to Yo Yo Cafe for a choice of three. The restaurant serves Chinese, Thai and Japanese food, both traditional and fusion. "I like that the Yo Yo Cafe is accommodating for my dietary needs. They are always friendly when you come in and give good service," said Sara Kopf, a repeat customer. "The food is delicious and the price is right." The cafe has a laid-back atmosphere with a mix of Asian decor, ceiling fans and smooth Jazz music. Manager and part-owner, Kunakorn "Kunie" Sangkhankaw, takes pride in offering good quality food at reasonable prices. The Crispy Whole Fish in Thai Garlic Sauce is one of the cafe's biggest sellers at $16.95. "It has three …

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Family, Police Ask for Help Catching Briggs Chaney Murder Suspect

The reward for tips leading to an arrest will be increased.

Nearly one year after Julian Kelly was beaten and shot on his way home in the Briggs Chaney neighborhood, police are still looking for one of the men they believe is responsible for the crime. Kelly’s family will ask for public help locating the last suspect, Tyshon Jones, 19, at a media conference on Monday, July 11. Police say they will also announce an increased reward for information that leads to Jones’ arrest.  Kelly’s sister, Kisha Kelly, held a press conference and pleaded for help finding Jones last October. "To anyone out there helping Tyshon stay at-large please find it in your heart to report him,” she said. “You have no idea the pain this kid has caused, not just my family, but to all who has known my brother." On Aug. 21, …

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New Indian Restaurant Spices Up East County

Traditional Indian cuisine hopes to add more flavor to the Briggs Chaney area.

A new restaurant promising a palate full of flavor opened its doors to the East County community with grand applause last Friday. Naan Kabob and Curry, located in the shopping center on Old Columbia Pike and Briggs Chaney Road, offers a menu full of traditional Indian and Pakistani cuisine while putting a dab of modern twists on a few conventional favorites. "We've had a mixture of people that have come here," says part owner and manager Nadeem Mahmood. "Every kind of resident has come here, all types of races and ages, and everyone seems to really enjoy themselves," he said.  Mahmood is just as new to the area as his restaurant. Born in Pakistan, Mahmood has spent more than 25 years living and managing restaurants in New York. "I saw this…

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Farm Fresh

Chess an Unexpected Offering at Local Farmers' Market

Tai Campbell teaches chess each week at a local farmers' market.

When you venture out to your local farmers’ market, you expect to pick up some fresh squash, strawberries, maybe even a hand-crafted beaded necklace—but a game of chess?  In the age of Xbox and Wii, the Briggs Chaney-Greencastle Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market offers children weekly workshops on how to play chess in the hopes of building community and teaching youngsters life skills. Tai Campbell, a community activist who runs the workshops, explained that knowing the rules of chess has helped him so much in his life that he wanted to pass that knowledge on to the next generation. “I’ve been playing chess since I was 5 years old,” Campbell said. “My father got me into chess.  Ever since I was little, I was sitting on his lap playing chess.  …

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Photos: Briggs Chaney Welcomes New Farmers' Market

Patrons and vendors enjoyed food and entertainment.

The Briggs Chaney-Greencastle Farmers' and Artisans' Market opened last Saturday with music and food. 

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