MCFRS

Per the FSCO: At approximately 3:50 p.m., on June 4, Frederick County Sheriff Office (FCSO) deputies responded to a call for service at Park Mills Road near Monocacy Bottom Road in Frederick, for a reported vehicle crash involving a 1962 Daimler passenger car and a 2003 Suzuki motorcycle. Glenn Rice Jr., age 39, of Poolesville, Maryland, the motorcycle operator, sustained fatal injuries when he crossed the center double line and struck the passenger car head on.

The Frederick County (MD) Fire & Rescue responded and attempted lifesaving techniques. Emergency Medical Services personnel pronounced Rice deceased on scene. The passenger car operator and passenger received treatment at a local hospital for minor injuries. FCSO deputies made all appropriate next of kin notifications.


Briggs Chaney

Plan recommending better access to public transportation, housing options, retail, and pedestrian connections along five-mile stretch of U.S. 29 corridor heads to County Council, County Executive for review

The Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Montgomery County Planning Department’s Planning Board Draft of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan at the May 25 Planning Board meeting. The draft plan will be transmitted to the County Council and the County Executive for public review and final County Council approval. There will be an opportunity for additional public comment on the plan with the County Council’s public hearing and work session review.


Events

Montgomery Parks is celebrating Pride Month in June with a series of fun events in the parks. The celebration will kick off this weekend with Drag Story Hour and continue with a variety of events. June 2023 Pride in the Parks Schedule:

Production group Improbable Comedy presents an evening of laughs featuring local queer comics. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or picnic blankets for this event. Food will be available for purchase from vendors. This event is for people ages 17 and up and is not recommended for anyone under 17. Viewer discretion is advised. Free. ASL Interpretation will be provided.


WMATA

Metro is making improvements at the Arlington Cemetery Station and will begin installing canopies over the station entrances to protect customers, the station, and escalators from the elements. Work will begin on Monday, June 5, closing the station’s north entrance on the north side of Memorial Drive for approximately three months. Rail service will not be impacted.

During construction crews will demolish and rebuild the parapet walls around the escalators to prepare the area for installation of the new canopy. Completing this work safely and efficiently requires closing the entrance. While the north entrance is closed, the south entrance will remain open and accessible using the crosswalk on Memorial Drive, directly across from the north entrance. Throughout construction, the two elevators on the north side of Memorial Drive that service both sides of the Metro platform will also remain open.


Business

True Respite owners Brendan and Bailey O’Leary opened up shop at 7301 Calhoun Place Suite 600, off of East Gude Drive, in 2018 and the local brewery has been able to make a name for itself in the local beer community. Recently, the location on Calhoun Place has been made available and the O’Learys have let us know that they are keeping all options open as they plan their next move for True Respite.

Anyone interested in the current location would be taking over the lease and purchasing the equipment at the 7500 SF production brewery with 2500 SF taproom. The True Respite brand and intellectual property is not for sale. Initially, True Respite considered expanding, but currently it doesn’t appear to be the most likely option for the company. “The beer industry is hard right now” Bailey O’Leary told us “and the taproom model seems to be the most sustainable for us” noting that opening a smaller location in Bethesda remains a possibility.


Crime

Per Takoma Park Police: On June 4 at approximately 4:28 pm, Takoma Park Police responded to the 6800 block of New Hampshire Avenue for the report of a strong arm robbery that had just occurred.  The victim purchased food from an establishment and while leaving the establishment, he was confronted by five to six male suspects demanding his food.  The victim declined and ran; he was followed by the suspects.  The suspects began assaulting the victim while he was on the ground and stole property from him.  All of the suspects fled the area on foot towards the 900 block of East West Highway.

The suspects are described as 5-6 males, Hispanic, all wearing dark colored hoodies and dark colored jeans; two of the suspects were wearing black ski masks. The victim was not seriously physically injured. Investigation continues under case #230026838.  Anyone with information about this crime is asked to please call us at 301-270-1100Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.


MCFRS

Update: All lanes are now open

We have received multiple reports of traffic on westbound ICC (MD-200) being at a standstill on Sunday afternoon. According to WTOP traffic there was a medical emergency on MD-200/Intercounty Connector westbound near the Muncaster Mill Rd overpass shortly before 1pm that has affected traffic. No additional information is currently available.


Gaithersburg

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a single-vehicle crash at approximately 10:30am on Sunday morning. The crash occurred on Duvall Ln, off of West Deer Park Rd, in Gaithersburg and involved a car crashing into a tree.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, one patient was evaluated with non-life-threatening injuries and was not transported to the hospital following the crash. Photos below, courtesy of Pete Piringer.


Colesville

Montgomery Parks is postponing the community meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, 2023, about plans to develop a disc golf course at Northwest Branch Recreational Park. The meeting is being postponed due to health reasons. A new meeting date will be announced soon. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause.

Montgomery Parks will hold a community meeting from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, at the National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville to share information about a proposed disc golf course at Northwest Branch Recreational Park. The planned disc golf course at Northwest Branch Recreational Park will be the first 18-hole course in Montgomery Parks.


MoCo

The 2023 class of the Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame (MCSHF) features county natives who have achieved at the national and international levels, as well local figures who are among the very best at what they have done in and for Montgomery County. The new class, which MCSHF announced today, consists of athletes, coaches, and media stars from football, soccer, tennis, basketball, and TV.

The six inductees will be honored in a ceremony on Sunday October 29th. This year’s class includes:


Crime

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Diape Seck, age 29, of Rockville, Maryland, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a bank fraud scheme in which he and his co-conspirators obtained or attempted to obtain almost $2 million by fraud, including the theft of checks from the mail of churches and religious institutions. Judge Chuang also ordered Seck to pay restitution in the amount of $1,708,446.49, and to forfeit $114,647.50. A federal jury convicted Seck on February 24, 2023.

According to the evidence presented at his eight-day trial, from at least January 2019 to January 2020, Seck, a customer service representative with Bank A, conspired with Mateus Vaduva, Marius Vaduva, Vlad Baceanu, Nicolae Gindac, Florin Vaduva, Marian Unguru, Daniel Velcu, Vali Unguru and others to commit bank fraud. Specifically, the evidence showed that Seck fraudulently opened bank accounts in fake identities in exchange for cash bribes. Co-conspirators engaged in fraud that included fraud involving rental cars and the deposit of checks stolen from the incoming and outgoing mail of churches and other religious institutions, into the fraudulently opened bank accounts. The co-conspirators then withdrew the funds and spent the fraudulently obtained proceeds.


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