Update: Ms. Buford has been located safe and unharmed.
The Rockville City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing Rockville woman. Evelyn Buford, 89, of McLane Ct, was last seen at 10:00 a.m. this morning (7/31/22) leaving her residence and heading to Lewis Orchard in Dickerson. She drives a 2022 Chevy Malibu, gold in color, MD plate 9FB2870.
Per WMATA: An investigation by Metro’s safety department is ongoing, but Chief Safety Officer Theresa Impastato and Acting Chief Operations Officer Mike Hass have determined that there is no evidence a train was directed to perform a track inspection in an area where there was a report of smoke or fire.
A detailed review of multiple data recording sources along with employee statements, which are being shared with WMSC, revealed that within just two minutes of a fire alarm activating at a drainage pumping station near Dupont Circle, the Rail Operations Control Center attempted to contact train 108 to instruct the operator to hold at Woodley Park Station, however, contact with the train was not successful before the train departed. Shortly thereafter, the operator of train 108 communicated to the control center that he lost speed commands and the controller responded with a request for an inspection. Within moments, the operator reported that he saw sparks on the tunnel wall ahead and observed smoke. This report, along with a report from the station manager at DuPont Circle Station, were the first reports of smoke conditions. The operator immediately stopped his train before entering the incident area and was directed to reverse ends and take customers back to Woodley Park Station.
Naz’s Halal will be opening its Rockville location on Saturday, August 6th at 1040 Rockville Pike in Edmonston Crossing– the shopping center that’s home to Iron Age. The restaurant recently opened a Germantown location and has a White Oak location coming soon, in addition to the Burtonsville location that opened in 2020. Naz’s is offering a free platter for its grand opening (QR code available below).
The first location outside of New York was also in MoCo, at the Burtonsville Town Center, next to Tropical Smoothie Cafe. That location opened in August 2020 and has become a local favorite with late night hours, remaining open until 2am Sunday through Thursday and 4am on Friday and Saturday.
As mail-in and provisional ballots continue to be counted in the Democratic primary for Montgomery County Executive, the latest update by the Maryland State Board of Elections (10:23am, 7/31) shows that David Blair (47,980, 39.27%) leads incumbent Marc Elrich (47,959, 39.25%) by just 21 votes.
Some updated canvass numbers, per the Board of Elections for Montgomery County:
Adventist HealthCare hospitals in Montgomery County have earned national recognition for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive high-quality care. Shady Grove Medical Center was recognized with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus and Target: Stroke Elite Plus Honor Roll awards. White Oak Medical Center achieved the Get with The Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus and Target: Stroke Honor Roll awards. Both hospitals were also awarded the association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll recognition.
Per the press release: High-quality stroke care ultimately leads to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospitals. Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability, and accelerating recovery times. Both hospitals are committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest research-based guidelines.
Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Council voted Tuesday to approve a new zoning measure introduced by Councilmember Andrew Friedson that will help attract and retain biohealth companies in Montgomery County and spur economic development, particularly in transit-oriented locations. The new zoning measure continues the Council’s ongoing efforts to support innovation and the biohealth sector, which is an essential part of Montgomery County’s economic engine.
ZTA 22-02 Density and Height Limits, Parking – Biohealth, will allow additional height and increased flexibility in density allocation for urban biohealth facilities in recognition of the unique mechanical challenges of biohealth buildings.
Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging four defendants with theft of mail matter and the unlawful possession of postal service keys. The indictment was returned on July 21, 2022 and unsealed today upon the defendant’s arrests. Charged in the indictment are:
• Eyalan Owona, age 21, of Upper Malboro, Maryland;
During the Halloween season, Spirit operates over 1,400 store locations in North America. The Spirit Halloween website is open year-round, offering its in-store products online. The stores are usually open for 30 or 60 days prior to Halloween. Spirit has announced Montgomery County locations via its website, including:
• Burtonsville at the Former Fashion Bug, located at 15791 Columbia Pike
As mail-in and provisional ballots continue to be counted in the Democratic primary for Montgomery County Executive, the latest update by the Maryland State Board of Elections (8:11pm, 7/29) shows that David Blair (46,824, 39.32%) leads incumbent Marc Elrich (46,693, 39.21%) by 131 votes.
David Blair led by 1,191 votes when early voting and Election Day votes were tallied. Elrich took the lead early on during the canvassing of mail-in votes, but Blair closed the gap and eventually reclaimed the lead. Overall, Blair has received 17,470 mail-in/provisional ballot votes compared to 18,665 for Marc Elrich. Marc Elrich defeated David Blair by just 77 votes in the 2018 Democratic Primary.
Gaithersburg’s 20/20 GeneSystems, Inc.’s, (“20/20”), Clinical Lab InnovationAxcellerator (CLIAx), received an honorable mention in Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards in the Health category. The category “honors medical innovations that save lives, extend longevity, or increase access to care.” About 60 companies joined 20/20 as Health category honorees on this year’s coveted Fast Company’s list including Johnson & Johnson, Bose, Abbott, 3M and Colgate-Palmolive.
Believed to be the first shared CLIA lab designed to help diagnostics start-ups more rapidly enter the U.S. market, CLIAx offers nearly 3,000 square feet of ready-to-use communal clinical laboratory space and testing equipment. Additionally, 20/20’s marketing and sales teams help promote the new tests introduced by CLIAx’s clients to the market segments in which 20/20 is currently active. Since its launch in fall 2021, CLIAx was designated by the Maryland Department of Commerce as a “Soft Landing” program for overseas companies seeking to enter the U.S. market, securing its first tenant, Australian-based Minomic International Ltd, a diagnostics firm, with several diagnostics firms coming onboard in the coming months.
From Montgomery Planning Director Gwen Wright: I have informed Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson that I will be retiring from the Montgomery County Planning Department and M-NCPPC as of January 1, 2023.
Since July 2013, I have had the honor of serving as Director of the Montgomery County Planning Department. During my tenure with M-NCPPC, which began in 1987, I have seen Montgomery County change and grow in a positive direction. I am grateful for the many roles I have held with the Commission, including serving as Historic Preservation Supervisor for Montgomery County’s robust preservation program, as Chief of the Countywide Planning Division, and as Acting Planning Director in 2007-2008.