Rockville

Per the City of Rockville: A city contractor is completing 58 bus stop improvement projects this spring, bringing freestanding bus shelters, benches and other improvements to bus stops citywide. The improvements, which began with concrete work in March, include constructing seven Americans with Disabilities Act-required concrete wheelchair landing pads, replacing 28 shelter benches that were not ADA compliant, and installing missing shelter benches, freestanding benches and leaning rails, and larger shelters at high-activity stops, as well as relocating trash cans and other equipment to remove sidewalk and shelter obstructions.

The contractor completed concrete work in March at bus stops on:


Rockville

Per the City of Rockville: Rockville City Hall and some city facilities will be closed on Mondays, May 29 for Memorial Day and June 19 for Juneteenth. Recycling, trash and yard waste collection will be made one day later than usual during the weeks of May 29 and June 19. Find more information at www.rockvillemd.gov/recycling-trash.

The following will be closed:


Rockville

Per the City of Rockville: Everyone — residents, neighbors, visitors, employees, and business and property owners — is welcome to provide feedback as Rockville plans a successful future for Town Center over the coming decades. To take part, register at engagerockville.com/towncenter, which has multiple ways to provide input. Take a short survey, add to the reaction map, ask a question and share ideas for how to reimagine Town Center.


Maryland

Per the Maryland State Police: Maryland State Police are reminding motorists to drive responsibly ahead of Cinco de Mayo weekend. In anticipation of an increase in impaired drivers this weekend, beginning with Cinco de Mayo on Friday, all 23 barracks across Maryland will ramp up enforcement efforts to combat impaired, distracted and aggressive driving. Troopers at each barrack, along with members of the State Police SPIDRE (State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort) Team will conduct statewide DUI saturation patrols and high-visibility enforcement, which are designed to create deterrence and change unlawful driving behaviors.

A portion of the costs associated with the increased enforcement efforts will be paid through impaired driving saturation funds provided by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office. Since its inception in 2013, the SPIDRE DUI Team has recorded more than 4,200 DUI arrests and issued more than 30,000 citations.


Event

Join Kaiser Permanente for Healthy at the Harbor, a free community health and wellness event taking place Saturday, June 6, from 11 am to 4 pm at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Bring your family and friends for free full day of fun, fitness, and preventive care along the waterfront.

Throughout the day, Kaiser Permanente nurses and physicians will offer no-cost health screenings, alongside a health and wellness expo focused on preventive care education. A lively Kids’ Zone will keep children active and entertained with spin-art bikes, face painting, balloon art, games, and more.


MoCo Government

The legislation created the Committee to recommend funding for the Public Election Fund, to estimate the funds necessary to implement the public campaign finance system, and to recommend an annual appropriation by the Council for the Public Election Fund. The Committee is composed of seven County residents appointed by the County Council for four-year terms beginning on May 1 of the first year of the new Council’s term of office. The term of this Committee will begin once established and ends April 30, 2027.

These positions can be filled by residents affiliated with any political party or unaffiliated with a political party. Political party affiliation will be verified with the Board of Elections. No more than three members can be from the same political party. Once established, the Committee will determine when it meets. There is no compensation for service on this Committee, but members may be reimbursed for travel and dependent care expenses associated with Committee duties. Members of County boards, committees and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time.


MCDOT

Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), for the first time, will have its social media platforms taken over for 24 hours by local youth safety advocates from the County’s Vizion Zero Youth Ambassador Program on Monday, May 8. The youth-created posts will appear on MCDOT’s TwitterFacebook and Instagram platforms under the handle @MCDOTNow.

For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on TwitterFacebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.


Bethesda

The Organic Butcher, which opened in March at 7925 Old Georgetown Rd in Bethesda, has announced it will hold a grand opening event on Saturday, May 6, from 10am-6pm that will feature free samples of house-made meats, local beer, wine, and more. The Organic Butcher took over the space that was previously occupied by French restaurant Le Vieux Logis. Modeled after the old-fashioned English butcher shops, The Organic Butcher is a full-service, traditional butcher shop with its first shop located in McLean, VA.

According to a press release, “in addition to the freshest cuts, they have house-prepared meats, sausages, prepared foods, produce and fresh bread delivered daily from a Baked Joint. As well as a large selection of local craft beers, boutique wines, artisan cheese and unique grocery items. Home chefs can pick up a wagyu ribeye, and all the herbs and spices you would need. Interested in bison, venison — ostrich! — The Organic Butcher has that, too. There is always an experienced butcher behind the counter to help you select the perfect cut of meat, game, poultry or seafood as well as provide you information on the farms and cooking tips on how to best prepare your purchases in your own kitchen.”


MDLottery

Fenton Street Exxon, located at 8301 Fenton Street in Silver Spring, is also celebrating this win. For selling a $50,000 top-prize winning scratch-off, the Montgomery County retailer will receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery. The Crazy 8s game launched in November 2022 still has some major prizes left. There are four more $50,000 top prizes remaining, six $5,000 prizes and thousands of additional prizes ranging from $5 to $1,000.”


Crime

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) have arrested and charged 24-year-old Orlin Martinez Orellana with second-degree rape and sex abuse of a minor. Detectives have released a photo of Martinez Orellana and are urging anyone who may be a victim of a sex assault by Martinez Orellana to come forward. On Monday, January 2, 2023, 4th District officers responded to a residence in Silver Spring for the report of a rape.

The investigation by detectives has revealed that at approximately 3 a.m., the juvenile victim contacted a taxi service to take her to a location outside of Montgomery County to meet with a friend. Moments later, Martinez Orellana picked up the victim and drove her to the location. Upon arriving at the destination, the victim determined that her friend was not going to meet with her. The victim asked Martinez Orellana to take her back to her residence. Martinez Orellana refused to comply with her demands and took her, against her will, to his residence in Silver Spring.


North Bethesda

DMV Iron Gym, a world class facility that offers hand selected, state of the art gym equipment from the 1960’s up to the latest technology from the best manufacturers in the world, is coming to MoCo. The 16,000 square foot facility will open in Rockville’s Federal Plaza in September 2023. It will be located next to Micro Center.

Its mission is to provide members with the most effective equipment, to see the fastest results, allowing them to become the best version of themselves. “For years, we’ve been hearing from our members that they would love to see us expand into Maryland. We were excited by the central location of Federal Plaza in Rockville and look forward to bringing a state-of-the-art gym and training facility to Montgomery County,” says Leo Williams, Owner of DMV Iron Gym.