Author: MCS Staff

WMATA

Metro Advances Final Phase of 7000-series Return-to-Service Plan

By MCS Staff

Per WMATA: Metro announced concurrence from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WSMC) that allows Metro to move to the final phase of its 7000-series Return-to-Service Plan. Under the new plan details, the operations team will implement a 15-day manual measurement interval with a path to progress to a longer measurement period in the future. 

The new 15-day process comes as a result of data analysis combined with operational considerations that will make more trains available to meet the May 7 service schedule, which coincides with the return of the Yellow Line and allows for the training of additional rail operators.

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Education

MoCo Native Michael Solomon Selected As 2023 Truman Scholar

By MCS Staff

The Board of Trustees of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation announced the 62 exceptional college students from 60 U.S. colleges and universities selected as 2023 Truman Scholars. The list includes Montgomery County native Michael Solomon The Truman Scholarship is the premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States.

More on Michael Solomon: Originally from Silver Spring, Michael is double-majoring in history and international relations as a Trustee Scholar at the University of Southern California. Before enrolling at USC, he co-founded Montgomery County Students for Change, one of the D.C. Metropolitan Area’s largest youth advocacy organizations. Michael has dedicated years to grassroots organizing around the issues of gun violence prevention, education equity, and civic engagement. He has gone on to complete internships at multiple levels of government, including with the Montgomery County Council, the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs, and the U.S. House of Representatives. He also worked as a policy intern for Cornerstone Government Affairs and the National Education Association. On campus, Michael works as a pro-bono consultant for Los Angeles Community Impact and serves as Co-President of USC’s chapter of BlackGen Capital. Michael currently serves as an undergraduate research assistant for a postdoctoral project at Yale University, where he studies the impact of colonial institutions on contemporary African secession movements. A child of immigrants from Ethiopia, he intends to pursue a MA/JD to combine his interests in history and the law in preparation for a career in legal advocacy.  Contact: Email Michael ([email protected])

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Aspen Hill

Life Plus 40 Years for Co-Defendant in 2013 Murder

By MCS Staff

In the Circuit Court hearing that took place on April 11,  Montgomery County Judge John Maloney sentenced defendant, Vaughn Darvel Bellamy, 32, of Hagerstown, MD, to life in prison plus an additional 40 years. A jury convicted Bellamy and co-defendant, Bryan Byrd, in September 2022 on charges of first-degree murder for the death of Alexander Buie in 2013, and multiple related charges.

In November of 2013, the defendants forced their way into a home on Grenoble Drive in Rockville, intending to rob one of the occupants. At the time, the residence was serving as a recovery house, and home to several residents. The defendants were unaware their intended target had recently moved from the home. They confronted three adult males in the home, one of whom was the victim, Buie. A struggle ensued, during which, Mr. Buie was shot and fatally wounded. The defendants then fled the residence. Neither of the other two victims were injured.

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Clarksburg

Hallie Wells Assistant Principal, Beth F. Thomas, Wins Edward Shirley Award

By MCS Staff

Per MCPS: Beth F. Thomas, assistant principal at Hallie Wells Middle School, is the 2023 recipient of the Dr. Edward Shirley Award for Excellence in Educational Administration and Supervision. This prestigious award, given by the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP), is presented annually to an administrator or supervisor who exemplifies outstanding leadership and accomplishments in purposeful leadership, instructional or systemwide leadership, human resources development, resource management, interpersonal skills, professional involvement, and community and stakeholder involvement.

In addition to her eight years of service in New York, Thomas has spent most of her educational career in MCPS. Over the last 28 years she has served as a special education teacher, special education resource teacher, alternative I teacher and administrator. In 2006, Thomas became an administrator at James Hubert Blake High School. When Hallie Wells Middle School opened in 2016, she was selected as the assistant principal and has served there since.

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Crime

Police Investigating Robbery of Elderly Couple in Gaithersburg’s Crown Neighborhood

By MCS Staff

Detectives from the Gaithersburg Police Department – Investigative Section are investigating a robbery that occurred in the 400 block of Salk Circle in Gaithersburg (video accessible below). Per Gaithersburg Police:

On Sunday, April 9, 2023 at approximately 5:05 p.m., officers from the Gaithersburg Police Department responded to the 400 block of Salk Circle for the report of a robbery that just occurred. An unknown male suspect, last seen wearing all dark clothing and a winter cap, approached two adult victims from behind and forcibly removed a purse. The suspect then fled in the opposite direction on foot.

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MCFRS

MCFRS Respond to Call For Pediatric Fall From Apartment Building Window; Non-Life-Threatening Injuries Sustained

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) and police responded to a call for a 3-year-old boy who fell from the second floor window of an apartment building in Takoma Park at approximately 2pm on Wednesday afternoon. The child was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the incident is still under investigation.

Per Takoma Park Police: “Today at approximately 2:00 pm, the Takoma Park Police Department, along with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, responded to the 1100 block of Linden Avenue, for a the report of 3-year old male falling from a 2nd floor window of an apartment building.  The child was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  This incident is still under investigation.” Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps

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Bethesda

Whitman Alumna Abby Meyers Drafted in the First Round of WNBA Draft

By MCS Staff

Abby Meyers is Whitman High School’s all-time leading scorer with over 1,700 points and was the Ivy League Player of the Year last year before transferring to the University of Maryland for her senior season. Meyers, who was a captain in her only year with the Terps, was drafted 11th overall in the first round of the WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings.

In an interview with the Diamondback earlier this year, she credited her  junior and senior years at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda as helping her evolve as a teammate and leader, playing a big role in being named a captain ahead of her first season at Maryland. ESPN’s post-draft analysis states, “After three seasons at Princeton, Meyers was impressive against upgraded competition in the Big Ten. She averaged 14.3 PPG and routinely made tough shots. Meyers also had career highs in assists and steals, and almost immediately took over as a leader for a Terrapins team that made the Elite Eight. The Wings roster is now ballooning with four players acquired in the first round, but Meyers could slide in as a backup at either guard spot. — Charlie Creme.”

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Crime

Police Are Investigating Armed Robbery of 7-Eleven

By MCS Staff

Per Takoma Park Police: On April 12, at approximately 1:44 am, Takoma Park Police responded to the 900 block of Merrimac Drive (7-11) for the report of an armed robbery that occurred earlier. The suspect entered the 7-11 and displayed a black handgun and demanded cash.  The employee complied and the suspect fled on foot from the store towards Carroll Avenue.

The suspect is described as a Black male, approximately 18-20 years old, last seen wearing a black face mask, gloves, black hooded sweater, blue jeans and tan “Timberland” style boots. Officers conducted a canvas of the area with negative results. Lookout information was provided to all surrounding jurisdictions.

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Montgomery Planning

Community Invited to Workshops for University Boulevard Corridor Plan

By MCS Staff

Workshops in April and May will discuss opportunities and challenges for the plan area. The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is inviting the community to attend a series of workshops for the University Boulevard Corridor Plan. The meetings will be held in a workshop format and will feature staff presentations on existing conditions followed by facilitated discussions on topics such as housing, land use, parks and open spaces, and neighborhood aspirations for the plan area. The workshops comprise of two in-person meetings and two virtual meetings for two different geographic areas along the University Boulevard Corridor plan area to allow a more focused conversation on specific parts of the plan area.

I-495 to Dennis Avenue Workshop: Focused on the University Boulevard Corridor plan area, from I-495 to Dennis Avenue

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