Home Care In Wheaton, MD

A project to bring some wet summertime fun to Wheaton Park is about to begin, and project officials anticipate it will be ready just when sizzling temperatures are setting in.

City officials have been planning a package of improvements for the park off Jonathan Street, and City Engineer Rodney Tissue said Monday he anticipates crews will begin installing a construction fence around the work areas beginning next Monday.

The contractor for the project, being funded through a federal $430,000 Community Development Block Grant, is Gaithersburg, Md.-based Superior Facilities Management Services, which specializes in interior building, paving and waterline work, among other areas.

Previously:City officials support tearing down old house in Wheaton Park as part of redesign plan

What is a misting pad?

The city says the park is due for an upgrade, and the improvements are to include a new plaza to act as welcoming area, improved parking and a "misting pad."

Misting pads are often found in municipal parks and feature misting or jetting water to cool off throngs of kids.

Tissue said he hopes the misting pad and the rest of the improvements can be ready by late July.

A bit of history:Maryland Historical Trust: Tearing down 1930s Wheaton Park house causes 'adverse effect'

The project also calls for the demolition of a two-story, concrete block house on the property which city officials say is in poor condition. The 1930s-era home, often described as a caretaker's house, is boarded up and copper pipes were stolen from it.

Wheaton Park house part of history

The planned demolition, designed to make room for future expansion of play areas, raised concerns at the Maryland Historical Trust, part of the Maryland Department of Planning.

In a Jan. 4, 2022, letter to the city, the agency said the park is in the Hagerstown Historic District, a segment of town that is historically and architecturally significant because it was a center of transportation, manufacturing and agriculture in Western Maryland from 1870 to 1941.

The caretaker's house is a contributing resource to the district and tearing it down will have an "adverse effect," the agency said.

Who was the park named for ?:Wheaton Park was named for a local Black resident. Do you know why?

City officials said previously that an "adverse effect" finding from the agency is common and doesn't mean the city can't proceed with demolition of the house.

Tissue said the city reached an agreement with the trust that a welcome sign will be placed in the park that detail's the park's history. "I think that people will find that interesting," Tissue said.

The park is named after Jacob Francis Wheaton, a Hagerstown resident who is believed to have been the first Black Marylander to cast a vote after the Civil War. He had a varied background, including being a nurse who might have saved the community from the smallpox epidemic in 1863.

Tissue said the park will remain open during the work, except for the areas where construction is ongoing.

WHEATON, Md. — Montgomery Parks invites the community to the Wheaton Ice Arena Open House, where guests can learn about and try out ice sports and activities. Stations will be set up to assist members of the community who want to try hockey, speedskating, and figure skating. Guests will be able to meet clubs that operate at Wheaton Ice Arena, get information on group lessons, birthday parties, camps and clinics, and take advantage of sign-up specials on September 17, 2023, from 9 – 11 a.m. The Open House is free, but there is a $4 per person fee to skate (which includes skate rental).

“The Open House is a great opportunity for members of the community to learn about, and experience ice skating and ice sports” said Kimberley Ransfield, Wheaton Ice Arena Facility Manager. “There will be lots of information available for those looking to join a team or club, or who are interested in taking group lessons.”

What: Wheaton Ice Arena Open House

When: September 17 | 9–11 a.m.

Where: Wheaton Ice Arena, 11717 Orebaugh Avenue, Wheaton

Skate schedule:

Participants can also skate in the public skating session for half price from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. The Open House is free, but there is a $4 per person fee to skate (which includes skate rental). Registration is required for skating activities.

About Montgomery Parks Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems.

Accessibility Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, encourages and supports the participation of individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Program Access Office at 301-495-2581 (Voice/TTY), MD Relay 7-1-1 or 800-552-7724 or [email protected] to request a disability modification. Visit Montgomery Parks Program Access for more information.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital Hosts Healthy Heroes Wellness Fair

|Updated Thu, Oct 5, 2023 at 4:26 pm CT

Maisie and Holly, TDI Therapy Dogs, gets plenty of pets from nurses at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital's Healthy Heroes Wellness Fair (Kim Waterman, Northwestern Medicine)

Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital hosted its annual Healthy Heroes Wellness Fair on Thursday, October 5th to help alleviate burnout among medical staff. Staff enjoyed stress-busting activities including building origami cranes, pumpkin and rock painting, lawn games, pet therapy, stretching sessions and more.

Burnout rates among the nation’s physicians and other health care professionals spiked dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic placed acute stress on care teams and exacerbated long-standing system issues. While the worst days of the pandemic have past, the lingering impact of work-related burnout remains an obstacle to achieving national health goals.

Angie Black, vice president of operations at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, says the Healthy Heroes Wellness Fair was first held three years ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has grown every year.

"We are highlighting the many offerings that Northwestern Medicine provides to support our staff, including programs for mental health, emotional support, physical health and financial health," said Black.

In March 2022, Northwestern Medicine created the Office of Well-Being and named Gaurava Agarwal, MD, as Chief Wellness Executive for the health system.

Find out what's happening in Wheatonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Current programs offer by Northwestern Medicine’s Office of Well-Being include:

· Scholars of Wellness – a professional development program with the objective to create a critical mass of wellness experts to drive meaningful change at NM.

· P2P Peer to Peer Support – a confidential peer-to-peer service that provides acute, emotional, and psychological first aid to clinicians who experience adverse events

· I.G.N.I.T.E. Employee Groups – organization sponsored, peer-led meetings with the goal of encouraging collegiality, shared experience, connection, and meaning in work to improve and support professional well-being.

Northwestern Medicine has earned recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Joy in Medicine™ gold-level recognized organization, one of just ten nationally. The prestigious AMA distinction is granted only to organizations that attest to the rigorous criteria of the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program and demonstrate a commitment to preserving the well-being of clinical care team members through proven efforts to combat work-related stress and burnout.

For more information about Northwestern Medicine's commitment to the well-being, personal and professional development of its employees visit the Life at Northwestern Medicine Blog.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

TIMONIUM, Md. (Jan. 16, 2024) – Planet Fitness – one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand – announces that its Wheaton club is now open at 2201 Randolph Rd., Wheaton, MD 20902.

Located in the Glenmont Shopping Center, the 28,919-square-foot space features state-of-the-art cardio machines and strength equipment, a 30-Minute Express Circuit, fully equipped locker rooms and numerous flat screen televisions – all in a hassle-free environment.

Its PF Black Card® Spa Area offers HydroMassage beds, massage chairs, tanning and a Recovery Lounge offering a multi-sensory experience combining hot, cold and compression therapy. PF Black Card® members also can relax, reset and focus on their mental health for up to 15 minutes in the RelaxSpace Wellness Pod. They can select between a variety of videos, scents and even temperatures while learning more about diet, nutrition, breathing and the benefits of exercise. Plus, the Wellness Pod tracks heart rates and encourages members to use breathing and meditation exercises to reduce anxiety levels, disconnect and recharge with a unique, multi-sensory experience.

“We are committed to investing in the Wheaton community and are thrilled to unveil our brand-new Judgement Free facilities to our existing and soon-to-be members,” said Victor Brick, co-owner of Ohana Growth Partners (OGP), a franchise division of Planet Fitness. “Already, we’ve experienced an outstanding response from the community and encourage everyone to come check out the club during our, meet our friendly team members, get a tour and see what the Judgement Free Zone® is all about.”

As an introductory special, the Classic membership will be available for just 24 cents down, $10 a month – cancel any time – through Jan. 19. All memberships include free fitness training led by a certified fitness trainer through the pe@pf® program.

Find out what's happening in Wheatonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Or, members can sign up for the PF Black Card® at $24.99/month, which includes the ability to bring a guest every day at no additional charge, access to all 2,500+ Planet Fitness locations in all 50 states, and access to PF Black Card® Spa amenities, among other benefits.

Planet Fitness Wheaton is open and staffed as follows:

● Monday through Thursday: 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

● Friday: 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

● Saturday through Sunday: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more details about the new club, visit www.planetfitness.com/gyms/wheaton-md, email [email protected] or call 240- 650-1900. For information about Planet Fitness overall, visit www.PlanetFitness.com or follow on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PlanetFitness), Instagram (www.instagram.com/planetfitness) and TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@planetfitness).

Planet Fitness Wheaton is OGP’s 33rd club in Maryland. Its other Montgomery County clubs include Planet Fitness Rockville, Planet Fitness Germantown, Planet Fitness Gaithersburg, Planet Fitness Silver Spring South and Planet Fitness Silver Spring.

About Planet FitnessFounded in 1992 in Dover, NH, Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the world by number of members and locations. As of December 31, 2023, Planet Fitness had approximately 18.7 million members and 2,575 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico and Australia. The Company’s mission is to enhance people’s lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone®. More than 90% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.

About Ohana Growth Partners, LLCOhana Growth Partners, LLC owns and operates 77 Planet Fitness health clubs with more than 550,000 members in Maryland, District of Columbia, Tennessee, Florida, Washington State and California. It also is a joint venture partner with six clubs in Australia. In 2013, OGP was named The Inaugural Franchise of the Year by Planet Fitness Corporate. In 2014, the group was named Planet Fitness Developer of the Year for opening 11 clubs in 12 months as well as receiving the award for Highest BER (Brand Excellence Review) awarded by Planet Fitness Corporate. In 2015, the group was again named Planet Fitness Developer of the Year awarded by Planet Fitness Corporate. The following year, the group was given the Judgement Free Generation award for their exceptional work with the local boys and girls clubs in Tennessee by Planet Fitness Corporate.

MARYLAND — Macy’s plans to close 150 underperforming stores amid slipping sales, the department store chain said Tuesday. It’s unclear if Maryland stores are among those that will be shuttered.

The announcement came after the company posted a fourth-quarter loss and declining sales. At the same time, the company signaled a pivot to its luxury brands, saying it will open 15 higher-end Bloomingdale’s stores and 30 of its luxury Blue Mercury cosmetics locations.

Macy’s has 13 stores in Maryland:

The Gaithersburg Macy's location at Lakeforest Mall closed in 2023.

The iconic department store chain plans to close 50 of the targeted stores by the end of 2024, and another 100 over the next few years. By 2026, Macy’s will have 350 stores, the company said.

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Related: Macy's To Close This Maryland Store In Early 2023

Macy’s faces a proxy fight from Arkhouse Management which nominated a slate of nine directors for election to Macy's board last week. Last month, Macy's rejected a $5.8 billion takeover offer from the hedge fund and Brigade Capital Management, an investment manager.

Activist investors and pressure to increase sales are just two critical issues facing new CEO Tony Spring, who succeeded Jeff Gennette earlier this month.

"We are making the necessary moves to reinvigorate relationships with our customers through improved shopping experiences, relevant assortments and compelling value," Spring said in a statement.

Even before the pandemic, department stores were facing intense competition from online rivals. Neiman Marcus and JCPenney both filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Consumers have proven resilient and willing to shop even after a bout of inflation, though behaviors have shifted, with some Americans trading down to lower-priced goods.

Macy's is maneuvering to shore up sales by accelerating the expansion of small-format stores that can provide more convenience to its customers. It announced plans in October to add up to 30 small-format locations through the fall of 2025, bringing the total number to roughly 42. The next round of expansion starts in the fall; none have been announced for Maryland to date.

Even with the shift in focus, Macy’s is cutting jobs. The department store said in January it would trim about 2,350 employees, or about 3.5 percent of its workforce, and would close five stores.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.