Patrick Herron, Author at The MoCo Show

Grants Available to Support Companies Seeking to Grow through Overseas Partnerships, with Applications Due by Thursday, Sept. 7

Published September 4, 2023 at 10:35AM

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County businesses looking to grow through partnerships with organizations overseas could be eligible for grants of up to $5,000 for qualified travel or marketing expenses through the Maryland Department of Commerce’s ExportMD program. Applications to receive grants must be submitted by Thursday, Sept. 7.

The grants would reimburse expenses for companies seeking customers, suppliers, manufacturers or academic partners to support the growth of their business. Montgomery County is organizing a delegation of business, academic and government leaders traveling to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengalaru, Saigon/HCMC and Hanoi in late October to November. Businesses interested in joining the delegation can apply for an ExportMD grant to support this travel.

Silver Spring

Shepherd’s Table Commemorates 40 Years of Feeding our Neighbors in Need This October

By Patrick Herron

Published September 4, 2023 at 10:08AM

Per Shepherd’s Table: Forty years ago, a handful of faith-based organizations in downtown Silver Spring put their faith into action by cooking dinner for community members in need. “The first evening of service was a bit slow; I had to go out and encourage people to come in,” remembers Rev. Richard Leslie. “I’m amazed at the success and progress of this organization. I am so proud to have been there the first night.”

Today, Shepherd’s Table has served over two million meals. We serve multiple meals daily to an average of 150 people and have never missed a meal service in the last four decades. Through government shutdowns, pandemic chaos, and bad weather, our table has been set, and doors open for all who need a fresh hot meal. Our anniversary year began with a stark reminder that food insecurity is still prevalent, homelessness is on the rise, and access to daily necessities is more critical than ever; we have seen a 58% increase in meals served daily in the first seven months of 2023.

Rockville

City of Rockville to Mark 9/11 Anniversary with Mayoral Remarks at Memorial Ceremony

By Patrick Herron

Published September 4, 2023 at 9:36AM | Updated September 4, 2023 at 2:04PM

Per the City of Rockville: The City of Rockville will mark the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and remember county residents who lost their lives with a ceremony at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 11 at Courthouse Square Park, at the corner of East Jefferson Street and Maryland Avenue in Rockville’s downtown. The ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will include a presentation of colors and remarks by Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton.

The 9/11 memorial at Courthouse Square Park remembers the 11 Montgomery County residents who lost their lives on Sept. 11: William Edward Caswell, Dr. Gerald Paul Fisher, Capt. Lawrence D. Getzfred, Michele M. Heidenberger, Angela Marie Houtz, Teddington Hamm Moy, Lt. Darin H. Pontell, Scott A. Powell, Todd Hayes Reuben, Patricia J. Statz and Ernest M. Willcher.

Gaithersburg

Concern for Missing 26-Year-Old Woman

By Patrick Herron

Published September 3, 2023 at 9:52PM | Updated September 6, 2023 at 9:20AM

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Sonia Carolina Marquez is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).

Clarksburg

MCFRS Respond to House Fire Sunday Afternoon; 2nd Alarm Declared Due to Heat

By Patrick Herron

Published September 3, 2023 at 2:39PM

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a townhouse fire in the 23300 blk of Brewers Tavern Way in Clarksburg on Sunday afternoon. According to MCFRS Assistant Chief David Pazos, “units reported heavy fire to the rear with extension to both exposures. Fire is reported out, and there are no injuries at this time.”

Two adults and one child have been displaced. Reports of an explosion were from a grill that was located near the fire. Approximately 68 MCFRS personnel responded to the scene. A 2nd alarm was declared due to the heat. We will post an update if additional information becomes available.

MoCo History

Rockville Awarded $16,941 Grant to Study Historic City Sites

By Patrick Herron

Published September 3, 2023 at 12:59PM

Per the City of Rockville: The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority has awarded the City of Rockville grant funding to study the Avery Road Colored Cemetery and Benjamin Franklin Smith Family Homestead, located within the footprint of today’s Croydon Creek Nature Center and John G. Hayes Forest Preserve. The city was awarded $16,941 to hire a consultant to perform historical background research and use ground-penetrating radar to document what remains below ground connected to Benjamin Franklin Smith, his family and the sites’ development.

This nondestructive approach will seek to discover what lies beneath the areas, including burial sites, funerary objects, architectural relics, and stone tools, arrowheads or other artifacts. Survey findings will assist with a second phase of the project to provide overall site interpretation of the Smith homestead and cemetery sites.

Rockville

Road Diets Project Brings New Traffic Pattern to Rockville Town Center

By Patrick Herron

Published September 3, 2023 at 12:53PM

Per the City of Rockville: The city’s contractor applied final pavement markings on North Washington Street and East Middle Lane in August as part of the city’s Town Center Road Diets Project. New traffic patterns are now in place on North Washington Street and East Middle Lane after the city’s contractor converted the two existing motor vehicle travel lanes into one lane in each direction, creating new bike lanes. New on-street parking spaces were also added.

As a final step in the project, the contractor will install precast concrete curbs for the bike lanes, meter poles and signs. For more information, including the approved construction plans, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/visionzeroprojects.

Rockville

Radon Rental Testing Requirement to Begin This Month in Rockville

By Patrick Herron

Published September 2, 2023 at 6:15PM

Per the City of Rockville: An ordinance that will require specific rental properties in the city to be tested for the presence of radon will go into effect Sept. 27. Radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas found in soil and rock, formed by the natural decay of uranium. While no immediate symptoms signal its presence, exposure at high levels can cause cancer. Testing is the only way to know a home’s radon levels. The testing requirement will apply to all units in a rental facility in contact with the ground, including basement apartments and any dwelling unit with a basement, crawl spaces or units built on a slab in contact with the ground. Landlords will be required to conduct a radon test before leasing a qualifying dwelling unit.

The legislation also addresses instances when tenants can have their rental unit tested for radon. If the test results are above the 4 picocuries per liter standard, the tenant must report the test results to the landlord in writing. Landlords must initiate a follow-up radon test within 14 days to confirm radon levels. If confirmed, the landlord must take steps to reduce the radon level within safe parameters and provide tenants a copy of test results indicating levels have been reduced. A tenant has the right to terminate the lease without the loss of a security deposit if the landlord fails to mitigate the issue.

Gaithersburg

Labor Day Detours Will Impact Ride On Routes 5 and 57 on Monday, September 4

By Patrick Herron

Published September 2, 2023 at 6:11PM

Per MCDOT: Due to Labor Day Celebrations, Ride On Routes 5 and 57 will experience detours on Monday, Sept. 4. Information for each detour can be found below.

To Silver Spring Station: From Knowles Avenue, left on Connecticut Avenue, continue on University Boulevard, right on Perry Avenue, right on St. Paul Street, left on Metropolitan Avenue, and back on route. Stops 24026, 24960, 21284, and 21282 will be bypassed. Use alternate stops 24028 and 23512.

Beyond MoCo

Man Arrested for Impaired Driving After Crashing Into Maryland State Trooper

By Patrick Herron

Published September 2, 2023 at 6:04PM

Per the Maryland State Police: Maryland State Police arrested a man on impaired driving charges after a crash in which a state trooper was injured this morning in Washington County. The suspect, Chauncey Dale Baylor II, 30, of Hagerstown, Maryland is charged with impaired driving. He was transported to the Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack for processing before being released. Additional charges are pending in the case.

At about 2:45 a.m., Corporal Kevin Mowers, who is assigned to the Hagerstown Barrack, was traveling west on Interstate 70, east of Route 66 in his marked departmental vehicle. According to a preliminary investigation, Corporal Mowers’s vehicle was struck by a silver 2013 Chrysler 300, driven by Baylor.Corporal Mowers was flown by MSP Aviation Command, Trooper 3, to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment of his injuries. Baylor was arrested at the scene. All lanes of westbound I-70 prior to Route 66 were closed temporarily for reconstruction of the crash. The crash remains under investigation.

MCPD

Update: Detectives Investigate Single-Vehicle Fatal Collision; Victim’s Identity Released

By Patrick Herron

Published September 2, 2023 at 6:01PM

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) are investigating a fatal collision that occurred on Friday, September 1, 2023, in the area of East West Highway and Washington Avenue in Silver Spring. The decedent has been identified as 22-year-old Josue Abisai Melendez of Hyattsville.

At approximately 1:11 a.m., 3rd District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to the location for the report of a collision. The preliminary investigation revealed that Melendez was traveling east in a blue Honda Civic on East West Highway, past Washington Avenue. For reasons that are still under investigation, the Honda left the roadway and collided with a tree. Melendez was pronounced dead at the scene.