Community members are invited to attend in-person and virtual events in June and July to share ideas for the future of the plan area
WHEATON, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department announced the launch of the Visioning Phase of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan. The community is invited to attend virtual and in-person events to share ideas for the future of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan area. This phase will kick off with a virtual Visioning Workshop on June 27.
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Juan Carlos Sandoval-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Picaro,” “El Pastor,” and “Gasper,” age 24, of Annapolis, Maryland, to life in federal prison for a racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, attempted murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit murder in aid or racketeering, as well as related violent crimes in aid of racketeering, including three murders, connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13.
On October 31, 2019, after a nine-day trial, a federal jury convicted Sandoval-Rodriguez of murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, in connection with a murder that occurred on March 11, 2016.
Maryland driver’s licenses and state-issued identity cards (IDs) can now be added to your Apple Wallet on iPhone and Apple Watch to provide an easy, private, and secure way for Maryland citizens to present their state ID. Currently, it can only be used with TSA, and various entities, including law enforcement, are not yet accepting Maryland Mobile ID.
Maryland Mobile ID is a voluntary, secure, digitized version of your MDOT MVA-issued driver’s license (DL) or identification card (ID) available in the Apple Wallet app on your iPhone and Apple Watch. Maryland Mobile ID offers even more security and privacy benefits than the physical state ID or driver’s license because Marylanders get to review the personal information they share with others and use biometric authentication with Face ID or Touch ID to authorize it. Maryland Mobile ID on iPhone and Apple Watch is currently the ONLY form of mobile phone-based identification that is recognized by MDOT MVA and it is only available to individuals that have a current, valid Maryland-issued driver’s license or ID card. You must have an eligible Maryland driver’s license or state-issued identification card.
Northwest Varsity Head Baseball coach, Todd Varesco, has stepped down after 20 years with the program. During his time as head coach, Varesco helped guide Northwest to two State Championships (2012 and 2017). In his goodbye letter, seen below, Varesco states that he will be putting his time towards his family and cites them as the most important reason for moving on.
After lengthy thought and consultation with my family, I have made the decision to step down as the Varsity Head Baseball Coach at Northwest High School. I am now going to be able to spend time in the spring with my two daughters, my wife and my family. The amount of time that I will be able to put towards my family now is the largest and most important reason I am moving on. The Journey has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. To be able to convey and teach life lessons that transcend baseball has been nothing short of amazing. I will miss the field, the smells, the sounds, the players, the community, and more than anything my staff that took the journey with me. There are many people that I want to thank, too many, as I know I will forget some of you here, but know that truly I have not forgotten.
Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the honorable Judge David Lease, a jury convicted defendant, Danys Martinez Lazo, 21, of Silver Spring, on one count of Criminally Negligent Manslaughter by Motor Vehicle for the death of Jaques Vainqueur, 57, of Silver Spring.
Martinez Lazo faces up to three years in prison and an additional five years of probation upon release. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday, September 9th, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. This stems from a traffic collision on November 8th, 2020, on Old Columbia Pike, near Ruxton Road, in Silver Spring. Below is a summary adapted from a court filing in the case and attached is a photo of the victim which is being released with the family’s permission (There was no booking photo taken of the defendant).
Montgomery Parks is partnering with local nonprofit Leveling the Playing Field (LPF) to collect new and gently used sports equipment. The donations are distributed to schools and organizations that provide them to under-resourced youth groups, community programs, and schools in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and the District of Columbia. Equipment can be dropped off at bins located at three Montgomery Parks locations: Olney Manor Recreational Park (near the softball field, next to the indoor swim center), Ridge Road Recreational Park(near the accessible parking spots and baseball field), and Wheaton Regional Park – Orebaugh Area (near Wheaton Indoor Tennis).
“Our parks play a critical role for youth sports, and we are pleased to be able to provide convenient and central locations where people can donate this much-needed equipment,” said Mike Riley, director of Montgomery Parks. “Getting kids outside and engaging them in physical activity is a key part of our mission, so this is a great program and a natural partnership for Montgomery Parks.”
Press release: Today during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Governor Larry Hogan announced a $2 million investment in the state’s innovative Global Gateway Initiative. Managed by the Maryland Department of Commerce, this first-in-the-nation program helps attract international businesses and ease their transition into the U.S. market by connecting them with local incubators and accelerators.
“As we continue to have one of the strongest recoveries in the world, we want to be as aggressive as possible and kick this initiative into high gear,” said Governor Hogan. “Our state is worth the attention and investment of even more international companies, and now we look forward to making it easier than ever to forge closer ties with partners across the globe.”
White Oak Day will take place on Saturday, June 4th to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the White Oak Community Recreation Center at 1700 April Lane. The event will take place from noon until 4pm.
Per the event flyer: “The White Oak Community Rec center will open its doors to the community. Great for all ages and families. Enjoy music, vendors, food, and fun activities.” Children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult.
This actress, born in 1981, has had an extensive career in film since her teenage years. She has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, for which she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Golden Globe Awards.
Though the actress was born in Israel, Rockville was her first home in the United States. She lived in Rockville and attended Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School until she was 7 years old while her father completed his residency at George Washington University Medical Center. She then moved to Connecticut in 1988 before relocating permanently to Long Island in 1990.
Gaithersburg High School alumni, Dr. George Garbis and Viron Wildy, have developed innovative new protection for athletes provides visual alert for overheating
ThermoPact will debut its groundbreaking MouthShield to the public at this year’s Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association (PSFCA) Big 33 football weekend, where a team of Pennsylvania all-stars will go head-to-hea d with Maryland’s finest 33 high school players.
Montgomery College has announced that Dr. Tiffany Thames Copeland has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award in Communications for the 2022-2023 academic year from the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Her research is titled “African Americans Respond to Ghana’s Mediated Call: Digital Media & The Year of Return.”
Per the press release: Thames Copeland is the twelfth Montgomery College employee to receive a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award since the Fulbright Program started in 1946, the same year Montgomery College was founded. Fulbrighters engage in cutting-edge research and expand their professional networks, often continuing research collaborations started abroad and laying the groundwork for forging future partnerships between institutions and nations.