Uncategorized

2023 ‘Women Making History Award’ Winners to be Honored by Montgomery Commission for Women and Montgomery Women on Thursday, March 16 in Silver Spring

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County:  The Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women have named 32 women who were selected for the 2023 “Women Making History Awards.” They will be recognized at the Women Making History Celebration and panel discussion at 6:30 p.m. on March 16 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The awards are given in recognition of outstanding women in Montgomery County who are making significant contributions to their vocations and to the community. Recipients and their accomplishments will be featured each day in March on the social media platforms of the Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women.

This year’s recipients are:

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MCFRS

Driver Crashes Into Market and Outdoor Seating Area of Restaurant; No Injuries

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) and Montgomery County Police responded to a driver crashing into the Corner Market and then the outdoor seating at the Daily Dish in the Rock Creek Shopping Center on Grubb Rd in Silver Spring.

According to a witness on the scene, we were told that the driver appeared to lose control and initially crashed into the market before driving into the outdoor tables outside of the Daily Dish restaurant. Per the witness, there were no injuries. Photos below courtesy of @comidatragosyco on Instagram.

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Gaithersburg

Public Hearing for Proposal That Would Bring 380 Residential Units to Old Nike Missile Site in Gaithersburg Scheduled For March 20 Public Hearing

By MCS Staff

Pleasants Development/Muddy Branch Investments, LLC  has submitted Sketch Plan application SK-9497-20231, to establish a new sketch plan for approximately 13.71 acres of land at 770 Muddy Branch Road, the former Nike Missile Site, surrounded by the Muddy Branch Shopping Center, Lakelands Ridge, City-owned park land, and Timberbrook Condominium. The Application proposes to create a residential community of up to 380 multifamily units. The Applicant has submitted an application proposing to develop a new multifamily residential community with associated open space and amenities. The development will include up to 380 dwelling units. The Applicant, as part of the application, has submitted a statement of support and justification outlining the purpose of the current request:

According to the Statement, the main purpose of the sketch plan is to redevelop the former Nike missile site into a multifamily residential development that will complement and be compatible with the surrounding Lakelands Ridge, Timberbrook, and Shady Grove Village communities, as well as the Muddy Branch Square Shopping Center. The Application proposes a maximum of 380 multifamily dwelling units, located within four separate development blocks. Individual blocks have been allocated a maximum number of dwelling units out of the overall 380 unit cap. Although the 380 units proposed across the entire 13.71-acre site is significantly less dense (27.7 units per acre) than other recently-approved stand-alone multifamily developments, such as the Fishman Site (109 units on 0.99 acres, or 110.0 units per acre), Kentlands Apartments (365 units on 3.1 acres, or 117.7 units per acre), and Camden at Washingtonian (365 units on 5.86 acres, or 62.3 units per acre), the proposed density is comparable to and compatible with the surrounding Timberbrook Condos (168 units on 9.74 acres, or 17.2 units per acre) and Lakelands Ridge Condos (159 units on 9.39 acres, or 16.9 units per acre).

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Crime

Teenager Arrested for Stolen Auto; Other Offenses

By MCS Staff

Per Takoma Park Police: On March 12, at approximately 12:57 am, Takoma Park Police responded to the 7100 block of Holly Avenue for the report of a stolen auto.  As officers arrived, they observed a vehicle driving away at a high rate of speed with the stolen auto being driven behind it.  Officers attempted to make a stop of both vehicles without success.  Upon reaching Maple Avenue and Erie Avenue, the vehicles split up, with the vehicle in front turning onto Erie Avenue towards Flower Avenue.  Officers continued to surveil the stolen auto.  The driver of the stolen auto lost control of the vehicle and ran off the roadway onto a tree stump near the intersection of Maple Avenue and Kennebec Avenue.  The suspect was taken into custody, identified, and a search incident to arrest yielded items of evidentiary value on his person indicative of tools to jump start vehicles.  The victim was notified.  A lookout for the other vehicle was provided to surrounding jurisdictions.

The driver of the vehicle, a 15-year-old male from Hyattsville, Maryland, was charged with Auto Theft, Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle and various other traffic offenses. The charged juvenile was released to the custody of a parent(s). Investigation continues. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to please call us at 301-270-1100 and refer to case #230012056. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

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Rockville

CM Chicken in Rockville Rebrands to Gama Chicken & BBQ

By Patrick Herron

Choong Man (CM) Chicken at 765 Rockville Pike #E, which specializes in Korean style fried chicken, has rebranded to Gama Chicken & BBQ. A representative from the restaurant tells us that they made the change a few months back and that you can still find many of the same menu items.  Last week, we reported that the CM Chicken at 12933 Wisteria Dr in Germantown had rebranded to Chicken Pocho.

About Gama Chicken & BBQ: “Established over 6 years ago, we are a korean fried chicken franchise made with only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Whether you eat in, get it to go, or get delivery, Gama Chicken will make sure to satisfy your taste buds. It is our great pleasure to serve you with the highest quality food and excellent service at the best prices. Next time you’re craving chicken, come by our Gama Chicken in Rockville, MD. We look forward to seeing you!”

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Education

Board of Education Takes Tentative Action and Adopts the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget; Holds a Work Session on the FY 2024 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2023–2028 Capital Improvements Program, and Received a Biannual ADA Facilities Update; and Discusses and Takes Action on Legislative Items

By MCS Staff

The Montgomery County Board of Education (Board) held a business meeting on Thursday, February 23, 2023. During the meeting, the Board took tentative action to adopt the Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget; held a work session on the FY 2024 Capital Budget and Amendments to the FY 2023–2028 Capital Improvements Program, and received a Biannual ADA Facilities update; and discussed and took action on legislative items. The agenda for the meeting, with related links, can be viewed on the Board website. Watch the meeting recording.

The Superintendent’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget: The Board took tentative action to adopt the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget. The budget reflects amendments based on BOE feedback to provide focused investments to improve literacy and math across the district. This budget continues to be centered on Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) core purpose of preparing all students to thrive in their future and graduate with deep academic knowledge and preparation for the complex world and workplace of tomorrow. The request includes a $296 million (10%) increase over the current budget and $272 million above the minimum amount required by the maintenance of effort law. The increase in funding is to provide a high-quality education for our growing student population, continuing our recovery from the impact of lost learning time from the pandemic, the addition of new research-based innovative approaches to teaching and learning in our district, providing competitive salaries for our staff and the rising cost of health care for our employees and retirees, opening of our 211th school in the Clarksburg Cluster, and supporting the increased cost of goods and services in our district. Read the memorandum to the Board. View the PowerPoint Presentation.

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MCDOT

MCDOT to Hold an Online Public Informational Meeting on the Greater Seneca Transit Network on Wednesday, March 15

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: On Wednesday, March 15 starting at 6 p.m., the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will hold an online public informational meeting to engage the community on the Great Seneca Transit Network, a new Ride On extRa bus service in and around Shady Grove Medical Center, Rio, and adjacent properties. The meeting will share information, answer questions and allow for MCDOT to receive community feedback.

The Great Seneca Transit Network will provide frequent and equitable transit, improving mobility and crucial access to jobs in the healthcare, biotech, and education sectors as well as healthcare providers, and medical facilities. The network will include five frequent bus routes with dedicated bus lanes, new bus stations and safer pedestrian and bicycle connections in the area. Sustainability is important to MCDOT. Along with reducing the number of single-passenger cars by replacing them with dependable bus service, MCDOT is also transitioning to a zero-emission bus fleet with upgraded facilities.

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MoCo Government

Montgomery County Council and Committees Meet on March 14 for Briefings on Fire Inspections and Fire and Housing Code Enforcement

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP), Public Safety (PS) and Economic Development (ECON) Committees will meet on Tuesday, March 14 at 9:30 a.m. to receive a briefing from the Department of Permitting Services (DPS) to discuss fire inspections and fire code compliance. The PHP Committee will meet at 11 a.m. to receive a briefing on housing code enforcement and troubled properties from the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA). The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Will Jawando. The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink. The members of the ECON Committee include Chair Fani-González, Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe, Council President Evan Glass and Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles. More detail on each agenda item is provided below.

There are 80 buildings in Montgomery County that currently are not yet retrofitted with sprinklers. DPS serves as the regulatory body for fire codes that are adopted from the national and state level. According to County Code, a building permit cannot be issued for the construction or reconstruction of a residential building without a fire sprinkler system. The County Code also provides a property tax credit for any residential building where a fire sprinkler system was not legally required, if installed on or after July 1, 2000.

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Wheaton

Suspect Charged With Multiple Counts of Carjacking and Attempted Murder at Wheaton Mall

By Patrick Herron
Courtesy Google Maps

Per MCPD: A Washington, D.C. man is in custody following multiple carjackings and shootings in D.C. and Montgomery County. The suspect was apprehended by Montgomery County Police 4th District officers in Wheaton. Through the course of the investigation, Major Crimes detectives learned that earlier in the day, 43-year-old Monteray Horn had boarded a Metro train in Anacostia, and armed with a handgun on the train, Horn shot at an adult male. The bullet went through the victim’s clothing but did not strike the victim.

When the train stopped, Horn left the Metro and carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint in Washington, D.C. He abandoned that vehicle and boarded the Metro train, riding it to the Wheaton Metro stop where, at approximately 11:06 a.m., he attempted to carjack an Audi at the Westfield Wheaton Mall. Horn pointed the gun at an adult female with two young children and demanded the keys to the Audi. The woman was able to get her children out of the car and run away. Horn entered the Audi and although he had the key, he was not able to start the car.

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Kensington

Husband Found Guilty in Brutal Murder of Wife

By Patrick Herron

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Margaret Schweitzer, a jury has found defendant, Reginald Dunlap, 45, of Silver Spring, guilty of First-Degree Murder for the brutal slaying of his wife, 40-year-old Lauren Charles.

Charles’ body was found inside the couple’s home on March 7th, 2021. She had asphyxiated due to a pillowcase forced down her throat and was beaten to death. A decorative Buddha statue is believed to have been the murder weapon. After murdering his wife, defendant, Dunlap poured bleach on her body and ransacked their bedroom in order to stage a crime scene.

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Gaithersburg

Fry Guy Southern Cuisine Has Closed its Gaithersburg Location

By MCS Staff

Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine has closed its Gaithersburg location. The restaurant opened at 7601 Airpark Rd Suite B in Gaithersburg, the former site of Penang Garden, in July of 2021 and offered a wide variety of southern cuisine. Fry Guy has an additional location in Capitol Heights.

Per the Fry Guy Southern Cuisine website: “Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine is a family owned black business that is centered around great cooking, love family recipes with a southern homestyle flavor. Fry Guy was a name given to me by a close friend because I always use to cook fish and chicken in the early morning hours and he started calling me Fry Guy.  But it didn’t start there my cooking was inspired by watching my grandmother cook and helping her clean fish for dinner.  She loved her some fresh fish and I loved her cooking, so I watched her every moved in the kitchen.  Yes, grandma Dorothy “Dottie” Johnson I paid attention. I can also remember growing up in my neighborhood “Lincoln Park” when Mrs. Beet Offutt and Ella Hawkins will sell Friday night dinners  and the whole community would be talking about it and they would sell out so fast because it was that good.  As a child that always stayed in my head of how good the food was when they cooked along with my children grandmother Francis Hawkins whose chicken I would do anything for I mean it was the best.  I can’t leave out my mom who made the best old bay chicken ever the Queen B.  As time went on my passion grew for cooking on the grill  and watching people enjoy eating my food, from having the fish fry’s  on the football field for coach Rob Hill (RIP), holidays and selling dinners for my Germantown Hardknocks Basketball AAU program.  Cooking at coach Big Dog house after a great season or tournament and seeing how it bought everyone to gather in  love and happiness, I knew I was going to open a restaurant one day.  I use to tell my son one day were going to have our own restaurant and here it is Fry Guy Southern Homestyle Cuisine.  GOD IS GOOD”

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