Maryland

Attorney General Brown Announces Appointments to the Newly Formed Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention

By Patrick Herron

Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown is pleased to announce appointments to the newly formed Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention. The Commission is composed of 20 stakeholders from a cross-section of law enforcement, state and local institutions, and organizations representing communities targeted by hate crimes.

During Attorney General Brown’s first 100 days in office, he successfully pursued several key legislative priorities focused on his mission of justice and equity, including the transformation of his office’s existing Hate Crimes Task Force into a permanent body known as the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention. In May, the General Assembly passed HB1066, creating the Commission that now offers Marylanders a permanent, long-term mechanism to address hate crimes at the state level. Governor Wes Moore signed the bill into law, and the Commission went into effect in June.

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Crime

Juveniles Aged 13, 16, and 17 Arrested for Armed Carjacking and Robbery; Two Charged as Adults

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Three teens; 13, 16, and 17-years-old have been arrested and charged for an armed carjacking and armed robbery that occurred on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.  The preliminary investigation by detectives revealed that the adult victim was driving on Wayne Ave. when he noticed a Black Jeep Grand Cherokee following him. When the victim parked at his residence, the Jeep drove off. The Jeep then came back and blocked the victim’s car. As the victim was getting out, five to six unknown Black male suspects, wearing dark clothing and masks, got out of the Jeep, pointed a gun at the victim, demanded his property and the password to his cellphone, to which the victim complied. One of the suspects punched the victim in the face and followed him as he ran away. The suspects then left in the victim’s Black Infiniti FX35 and the Jeep.

Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified three individuals as suspects.   The 13-year-old was charged and referred to the Department of Juvenile Services.  The 16-year-old was arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant and charged as an adult with armed carjacking and armed robbery. He is currently being held in Washington, D.C on unrelated charges.  The 17-year-old has been charged as an adult with armed carking and armed robbery and is currently being held without bond at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.

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Sponsored

Check out the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival or the Annapolis Irish Festival!

By Sponsor
Image from Check out the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival or the Annapolis Irish Festival!

It’s Asian American Pacific Islander Month, and what better way to celebrate the culture than to immerse oneself at the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival outside of Annapolis on May 31st?

Or didn’t get enough Irish last month? Two of the biggest Irish acts returns to the stage with Gaelic Storm and Carbon Leaf. See below for more details and information!

All events are family-friendly, packed with food, live music, interactive experiences, and now even more ways to get active.

To kick things off, you can save 20% on tickets with code MOCOSHOW (valid through May 31 for general admission tickets).

2026 Festival Lineup

Annapolis Irish Festival

May 29 & 30

Experience the spirit of Ireland right here in Annapolis with two days of live music, great food, and high-energy performances. Headlined by internationally recognized acts like Scythian, Gaelic Storm, and Carbon Leaf, the Annapolis Irish Festival blends traditional Irish culture with modern rock festival vibes.

Haven’t heard of Gaelic Storm? Are you sure? They were the band in James Cameron’s Titanic and went from local stars to national powerhouses. We are lucky to have them right here in Maryland so don’t miss out!

Enjoy Guinness, Irish whiskey tastings, craft beverages, local vendors, and nonstop entertainment in a setting that brings thousands together to celebrate Irish heritage.

Anne Arundel Asian American Festival

May 31

Celebrate culture, community, and cuisine at the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival, a vibrant showcase of food, performances, and traditions from across Asia!

Come hungry and enjoy authentic dishes from a wide range of vendors, cultural performances throughout the day, and interactive experiences for all ages. This family-friendly event highlights the diversity and energy of the Asian American community during AAPI Heritage Month.

Food vendors include:

Namit Filipino, Ekiben, Bun’d Up, E-San Thai, MD Brad Butcher and Central Asian dishes, Thai Pinto, Pho Wheels, and The Sister House! (more…)

Montgomery Planning

Update to the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan Approved

By MCS Staff

The update to the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan was approved by the Montgomery County Council on July 25, 2023, marking the first comprehensive update to the plan since 1996.

Rustic roads are historic and scenic roadways that reflect the agricultural character and rural origins of the County. Preservation of rustic roads must be achieved by retaining certain physical features of rustic roads and by certain right-of-way maintenance procedures. Rustic and Exceptional Rustic roads are preserved under the Rustic Roads Program, which provides a system for evaluating, protecting, and enhancing these scenic roadways.

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Event

Closing Reception at “Inspired!” Art Show & Sales

BlackRock Center for the Arts

12901 Town Commons Drive

Germantown, Maryland 20874

Website Contact Social

Beautiful venue; great art, gifts and hand-crafted items; refreshments; and meet the award-winning painters, photographers, mixed media artists, ceramicists, fiber artists, and more – some 40 artists in all. It’s an extraordinary array of framed wall works, 3-d media including sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and fiber pieces, and unframed prints.

Among them, you’ll see:

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MCDOT

New Ride On Trip Planner App Now Operational

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has launched a new Ride On Trip Planner app that makes planning out transportation options in and around Montgomery County easy and convenient. The app is free and was created in partnership with Moovit, a mobility and journey app provider. Riders can download the app from the Google Play or Apple app store.

The new Ride On Trip Planner app allows for trip planning across multiple modes including Ride On buses, Metrorail and Metrobuses, scooters and Bikeshare. Additionally, the platform will give live reports on wait times and ridership levels for Ride On buses by utilizing a crowdsourcing information feature. This allows more Ride On buses to be added to busier routes based on immediate need. It also provides features to guide riders along their chosen route, including “first mile, last mile” directions to a selected bus stop, and push notifications when they have arrived.

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Gaithersburg

74th Montgomery County Agricultural Fair Will Have Nine Great Days of Summer Aug. 11-19

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The 74th Annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, which calls itself “the nine best days of summer,” returns to the Montgomery County Agricultural Center in Gaithersburg with a full schedule of daily activities from Aug. 11-19. Among the special events are the Chesapeake DockDogs canine aquatics competition on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11 and12, and truck drag racing on Monday, Aug. 14.

The fairgrounds are located at 506 Perry Parkway in Gaithersburg. Exhibitions of animals, outstanding farm products and photography are available throughout the fair. General admission is $15 for adults if bought on-site or $12 if bought online. Children 11-and-under are admitted free. There are several special admission days. Online tickets are available at https://mcagfair.com/general-information/tickets/. Tickets for rides, games and food are additional.  Parking is $15 on the fairgrounds property. However, free parking and shuttle bus service to the fairgrounds are available from nearby Lakeforest Mall, which is located at Lost Knife Road and Odenhal Avenue.

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Montgomery Parks

Nature Centers of Montgomery Parks Will Have Special Programs in August Including Family Fire Night and Treasure Hunting in Wheaton Regional Park

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: August starts giving hints that the end of summer could be in sight, so the nature centers of Montgomery Parks are offering many ways to make the most of the month. The schedule includes Family Fire Night and Treasure Hunting in Wheaton Regional Park.

The August schedule of special events at nature centers will include:

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Damascus

Collision Leads to Downed Utility Pole That Closes Road in Damascus Thursday Morning

By MCS Staff

Traffic advisory, per Montgomery County Police: Johnson Drive at Bethesda Church and Johnson Drive at Mountain View are closed following a collision (Damascus). A utility pole is down, and Pepco is en route. Drivers should seek an alternate route and expect significant delays. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

 

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Crime

Man Indicted, Arraigned in Federal Court in Multi-State Scheme to Defraud Home Depot Out of Almost $300K

By MCS Staff

A Connecticut resident, Alexandre Henrique Costa-Mota, has been arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence, RI, on charges of conspiracy and wire fraud, as reflected in an indictment that alleges that he participated in a scheme to defraud Home Depot stores in eight states, including Maryland, of approximately $297,332, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Rhode Island, it is alleged in charging documents that, from at least June 2021 to February 2022, Alexandre Henrique Costa-Mota, 26, executed non-receipted return fraud schemes at more than two dozen Home Depot stores located primarily in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, but also in Maine, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.

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Beyond MoCo

Patrick Wojahn, Former Mayor of College Park, Convicted on Child Pornography Charges

By MCS Staff

Per the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney: The former mayor of College Park pled guilty to 60 counts of distribution of child pornography, 40 counts of possession of child pornography, and 40 counts of possession of child pornography with the intent to distribute. Patrick Wojahn pled guilty in court today to 150 years suspend all but 30 years.

In February 2023, the Prince George’s County Police Department received notification from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that suspected child pornography had been distributed by someone in the county. Subsequently, the Department opened an investigation which led to Wojahn who now stands convicted on a host of child pornography charges.

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MCPS

MCPS: Important Information for the Fall Sports Season

By MCS Staff

As MCPS prepares for the first day of tryouts and practices on August 9, 2023, here is is some important information for the fall sports season. High School Fall Sports Registration:

Registration for high school fall sports is available through ParentVUE. Tryouts and practices for high schools start on August 9, 2023; details regarding tryout/practice logistics are available through the local school and team(s). Systemwide resources are available on the MCPS Athletics webpage.

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