Beyond MoCo

National Zoo’s Newest Gorilla Named

By Patrick Herron

Per the Smithsonian (6.9.23): The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s (NZCBI) 2-week-old western lowland gorilla received her name today. After five days of voting and just over 25,000 votes, the winning name is Zahra [ZAH-rah], which means “beautiful flower” in Swahili. It was one of three names that were offered for a public online vote from June 5 to June 9 on the Zoo’s website. Zahra received 12,071 votes—50% of the total votes. Lola [LOH-la], Yoruba for “greatness,” came in second with 7,894 votes, or 30% of the total. In third place was Mkali [M-KAH-lee], Swahili for “fierce,” which received 5,563 votes, or 20% of the total.

Zahra was born at the Zoo’s Washington, D.C., campus May 27 and is the second offspring for both 20-year-old mother Calaya and 31-year-old father Baraka. Other members of NZCBI’s western lowland gorilla troop include Zahra’s brother, 5-year-old Moke, as well as a 41-year-old female named Mandara and her 14-year-old daughter, Kibibi. Virtual visitors can stay up-to-date on Zahra’s milestones on the Zoo’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts with the hashtag #GorillaStory. Great Ape House visitors can see the western lowland gorilla troop and meet an animal keeper at 11:30 a.m. daily.

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MoCo Government

Saturday Parking No Longer Free at County Operated Garages, Lots, and Meters in Downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County-operated garages, parking lots and street meters in Downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring will begin charging for Saturday parking beginning on Saturday, July 8. The Saturday hours and rates will be the same as the existing weekday schedules. Sundays will remain free. Drivers will be able to purchase monthly parking passes valid for mornings, evenings and weekends.

Parking revenue will be used to implement new safety and security measures in Downtown Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton parking facilities. This will include installing more lighting and cameras, in addition to maintenance. The Montgomery County Council approved the new parking schedule and a monthly pass with Resolution 20-167, ‘Setting Transportation Fees, Charges, and Fares, as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 budget process. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will implement the changes in accordance with the resolution. Paid parking on Saturdays already is in effect in Downtown Wheaton.

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MCPD

Police and Family Concerned for Missing 12-Year-Old

By Patrick Herron

Cardillo is approximately 4-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 93 pounds. She has brown eyes and curly hair that is currently dyed red. She was last seen wearing a black tank top, a brown hooded sweatshirt, black shorts, white Crocs and black framed glasses.  Police and family are concerned for her welfare.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Isabella Faith Cardillo is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line). Callers may remain anonymous.

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Event

Closing Reception at “Inspired!” Art Show & Sales

BlackRock Center for the Arts

12901 Town Commons Drive

Germantown, Maryland 20874

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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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Potomac

Black Bear Spotted in Rockville Tuesday Morning

By MCS Staff

Yesterday we received two reports of a black bear that was spotted in the Rockville area. This morning at 6:15, a Rockville resident spotted a black bear in a tree in a Rockville neighborhood near Horizon Hills park. A black bear was also spotted around 7:50am a couple miles away in nearby Willerburn Acres in Potomac, but it is not clear if it’s the same bear. The Rockville City Police Department tweeted the following on Tuesday morning: “Community Alert – Black Bear Sighting – In the area of W. Kersey Ln, Sunrise Dr & Bent Pine Ct at 6:00 am today. RCPD is working with DNR to alert of sightings. Please call RCPD at 240-314-8900 if you see the bear. Stay alert, calm & do not approach or attempt to capture.” According to neighbors, animal control is now on the scene.

Last week a black bear was spotted in Burtonsville and last month there were multiple bear sightings in Chevy Chase, Kensington, and Rockville, with one bear that was trapped and relocated by the Rockville City Police Department and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on May 8th.

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Beyond MoCo

Beyond MoCo: Tony of Tony’s Pizza in Ocean City Passes Away

By Patrick Herron

Tony Russo, owner and founder of Ocean City boardwalk favorite Tony’s Pizza (3 Atlantic Ave, Ocean City, MD) has passed away. According to a message on the restaurant’s Facebook page, “It is with a heavy heart that our family announces the passing of our beloved father, Tony Russo. He died peacefully at home Thursday morning surrounded by his children, nephew, grandchildren and friends. The viewing will be held Monday, June 19th from 4-7 at Holy Savior Church. The funeral mass will be Tuesday June 20th, at 11 a.m. at Holy Savior Church. Mom and Dad had a special place in their hearts for each customer, friend , and family member that visited them on the boardwalk.”

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Rockville

Concern for Missing Rockville Teen

By MCS Staff

Arguetta Alvarez is 5’2, 97lbs, short black hair, brown eyes, wearing a black “Puma” sweatshirt. Arguetta Alvarez is believed to be in the company of a a juvenile female, who has also been reported missing from another area of the County. Anyone with information about Arguetta Alvarez whereabouts is asked to call the Rockville City Police non-emergency line at 240-314-8900 (24-hour line) or 911.

 

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Beyond MoCo

Montgomery County Firefighter Struck and Dragged By Passing Vehicle While Responding to Collision in Frederick County

By MCS Staff

While directing traffic on scene of collision on Monday afternoon, a Montgomery County firefighter who was wearing protective safety equipment in a high visibility traffic vest was struck and dragged before the driver/car came to a stop, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services Chief (MCFRS) Spokesperson Pete Piringer.

The injured firefighter was transported to the hospital, where he treated for non-life threatening injuries and released. The incident occurred on the 10000 block of Lewisdale Rd, near Urbana Rd, in Ijamsville. ‘It could have been worse, much worse,’ the injured firefighter said in a Firehouse News article.

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Rockville

Rockville Asks Residents to “Propose A Project”

By MCS Staff

The City of Rockville is seeking input from community members about Rockville’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for Fiscal Year 2025-2029. The CIP lays out how Rockville plans to invest funding over a five-year period for capital projects such as parks, roads, buildings and other infrastructure. As Rockville begins preparations for the budget process for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins July 1, 2024, residents are encouraged to tell the city about the condition of streets and parks and help plan new facilities or infrastructure upgrades to meet community needs.

To tell the city what capital projects are needed in your neighborhood, complete and submit the form at www.rockvillemd.gov/Propose-a-Project by Friday, Sept. 15. Proposals cannot serve a private purpose or be located on private property and should have an equal, accessible benefit to all community members. If submitted on behalf of a neighborhood group, the proposal should be discussed and agreed upon by the neighborhood group before submission.

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Events

Juneteenth Celebration to Take Place in Germantown on Saturday, June 17

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County will celebrate Juneteenth at a special event featuring live music, food, art, films and awards from 12-10 p.m. Saturday, June 17, 2023 at the BlackRock Center for the Arts. The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights coordinates the program, which also features the Living Legends Awards honoring county residents who have helped shape the cultural heritage of the African American community. Look for a City of Rockville table and city representatives at the celebration.

The Juneteenth holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, when the Union army arrived in Texas bearing federal orders proclaiming the end of slavery. The orders arrived nearly two-and-a-half years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation declared that enslaved people living in the secessionist Confederate states were now free.

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Gaithersburg

Petition Filed To Annex Walnut Hill Shopping Center into the City of Gaithersburg

By MCS Staff

An annexation petition, proposing to annex properties that include the Walnut Hill Shopping Center into the City of Gaithersburg, has been filed by Granite Partners. The properties to be annexed are located northeast of MD Route 355 and include the Walnut Hill Shopping Center at 16531 South Frederick Avenue, a restaurant at 8941 North Westland Drive, a vacant parcel at 8939 North Westland Drive, and a portion of the right of way of North Westland Drive.

Granite Partners has submitted Annexation Petition X-9510-2023, proposing to annex three parcels that currently abut the City boundary, along with a portion of the North Westland Drive right of way.  The Annexation Plan proposes several changes to the existing Walnut Hill Shopping Center, including constructing a new freestanding convenience store with accessory gasoline pumps, demolishing an existing small freestanding building on the south side of the property, renovating the exterior of the main shopping center building, and making improvements to the parking lot and landscaping.  No changes are proposed for the other two properties included in the Annexation Petition.

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