Silver Spring

Police and Family Concerned for Missing 15-Year-Old

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Jonathan Loza Osorio, a missing 15-year-old from Silver Spring.  Osorio was last seen on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at approximately 1 a.m., in the 1000 block of Quebec Ter.

Osorio is 5-feet, 4-inches tall and weighs approximately 110 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing gray pants and a white t-shirt.  Osorio has pierced ears and a nose piercing.  Police and family are concerned for his welfare.

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Germantown

Police and Family Concerned for Missing Fourteen-Year-Old

By Patrick Herron

Sarabia is 5-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs approximately 134 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing black and white pajamas and a red blanket. She was also carrying a black and white backpack with white lettering. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Belinda Sarabia is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line) or the Special Victims Investigations Division at (240) 773- 5400. Callers may remain anonymous.

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Derwood

MCFRS Respond to House Fire Thursday Morning; Crabbs Branch Way Closed

By Patrick Herron

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a house fire on Hiawatha Ln. in Derwood on Thursday morning. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the bulk of the fire was in basement of the townhome and has been extinguished. All occupants are reported to have made it out of the home safely and firefighters are checking neighboring exposure. There were no injuries reported. According to Montgomery County Police, Crabbs Branch Way is closed between Indianola Dr. and Redland Rd. as the result of fire rescue activity. Drivers should expect delays and seek an alternate route.

Per @mcfrsPIO on Twitter: “Update – Hiawatha Lane, 3-level TH, heavy fire conditions all occupants are reported out, @mcfrs  RS717, AT740, A703 & others assisting”

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WMATA

Metro to Reveal Better Bus Visionary Network with 50 Events in 50 Days

By MCS Staff

Per WMATA: Metro announced 50 events in 50 days kicking off the next phase of its Better Bus Network Redesign. During this phase, Metro will also provide a first look at the draft Visionary Network of the future that provides frequent, fast, and reliable service, matches the region’s changing travel needs, advances equity and sustainability, and increases access to opportunities.

Starting Monday, April 17 through Monday, June 5, Metro will host community-focused events across the region and launch an interactive website where customers can explore the reimagined bus network and provide input. The Better Bus “Experience LIVE!” will include in-person workshops, community pop-up events, and virtual “lunch and learns.” The virtual “Experience LAB” will also offer people an interactive tool that enables customers to compare their trip today to their routes in the draft Visionary Network, as well as a map library to explore route profiles and the network as a whole.

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WMATA

Metro Advances Final Phase of 7000-series Return-to-Service Plan

By MCS Staff

Per WMATA: Metro announced concurrence from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (WSMC) that allows Metro to move to the final phase of its 7000-series Return-to-Service Plan. Under the new plan details, the operations team will implement a 15-day manual measurement interval with a path to progress to a longer measurement period in the future. 

The new 15-day process comes as a result of data analysis combined with operational considerations that will make more trains available to meet the May 7 service schedule, which coincides with the return of the Yellow Line and allows for the training of additional rail operators.

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Education

MoCo Native Michael Solomon Selected As 2023 Truman Scholar

By MCS Staff

The Board of Trustees of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation announced the 62 exceptional college students from 60 U.S. colleges and universities selected as 2023 Truman Scholars. The list includes Montgomery County native Michael Solomon The Truman Scholarship is the premier graduate scholarship for aspiring public service leaders in the United States.

More on Michael Solomon: Originally from Silver Spring, Michael is double-majoring in history and international relations as a Trustee Scholar at the University of Southern California. Before enrolling at USC, he co-founded Montgomery County Students for Change, one of the D.C. Metropolitan Area’s largest youth advocacy organizations. Michael has dedicated years to grassroots organizing around the issues of gun violence prevention, education equity, and civic engagement. He has gone on to complete internships at multiple levels of government, including with the Montgomery County Council, the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental and Legislative Affairs, and the U.S. House of Representatives. He also worked as a policy intern for Cornerstone Government Affairs and the National Education Association. On campus, Michael works as a pro-bono consultant for Los Angeles Community Impact and serves as Co-President of USC’s chapter of BlackGen Capital. Michael currently serves as an undergraduate research assistant for a postdoctoral project at Yale University, where he studies the impact of colonial institutions on contemporary African secession movements. A child of immigrants from Ethiopia, he intends to pursue a MA/JD to combine his interests in history and the law in preparation for a career in legal advocacy.  Contact: Email Michael ([email protected])

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Aspen Hill

Life Plus 40 Years for Co-Defendant in 2013 Murder

By MCS Staff

In the Circuit Court hearing that took place on April 11,  Montgomery County Judge John Maloney sentenced defendant, Vaughn Darvel Bellamy, 32, of Hagerstown, MD, to life in prison plus an additional 40 years. A jury convicted Bellamy and co-defendant, Bryan Byrd, in September 2022 on charges of first-degree murder for the death of Alexander Buie in 2013, and multiple related charges.

In November of 2013, the defendants forced their way into a home on Grenoble Drive in Rockville, intending to rob one of the occupants. At the time, the residence was serving as a recovery house, and home to several residents. The defendants were unaware their intended target had recently moved from the home. They confronted three adult males in the home, one of whom was the victim, Buie. A struggle ensued, during which, Mr. Buie was shot and fatally wounded. The defendants then fled the residence. Neither of the other two victims were injured.

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Clarksburg

Hallie Wells Assistant Principal, Beth F. Thomas, Wins Edward Shirley Award

By MCS Staff

Per MCPS: Beth F. Thomas, assistant principal at Hallie Wells Middle School, is the 2023 recipient of the Dr. Edward Shirley Award for Excellence in Educational Administration and Supervision. This prestigious award, given by the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP), is presented annually to an administrator or supervisor who exemplifies outstanding leadership and accomplishments in purposeful leadership, instructional or systemwide leadership, human resources development, resource management, interpersonal skills, professional involvement, and community and stakeholder involvement.

In addition to her eight years of service in New York, Thomas has spent most of her educational career in MCPS. Over the last 28 years she has served as a special education teacher, special education resource teacher, alternative I teacher and administrator. In 2006, Thomas became an administrator at James Hubert Blake High School. When Hallie Wells Middle School opened in 2016, she was selected as the assistant principal and has served there since.

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Crime

Police Investigating Robbery of Elderly Couple in Gaithersburg’s Crown Neighborhood

By MCS Staff

Detectives from the Gaithersburg Police Department – Investigative Section are investigating a robbery that occurred in the 400 block of Salk Circle in Gaithersburg (video accessible below). Per Gaithersburg Police:

On Sunday, April 9, 2023 at approximately 5:05 p.m., officers from the Gaithersburg Police Department responded to the 400 block of Salk Circle for the report of a robbery that just occurred. An unknown male suspect, last seen wearing all dark clothing and a winter cap, approached two adult victims from behind and forcibly removed a purse. The suspect then fled in the opposite direction on foot.

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MCFRS

MCFRS Respond to Call For Pediatric Fall From Apartment Building Window; Non-Life-Threatening Injuries Sustained

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) and police responded to a call for a 3-year-old boy who fell from the second floor window of an apartment building in Takoma Park at approximately 2pm on Wednesday afternoon. The child was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the incident is still under investigation.

Per Takoma Park Police: “Today at approximately 2:00 pm, the Takoma Park Police Department, along with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, responded to the 1100 block of Linden Avenue, for a the report of 3-year old male falling from a 2nd floor window of an apartment building.  The child was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  This incident is still under investigation.” Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps

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