MCFRS

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call for a crash on College Parkway, near Princeton Place in Rockville, at approximately 6am on Thursday morning. The collision caused the vehicle to overturn, trapping the driver inside. College Parkway is currently closed between Nelson Street and Princeton Place. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

HAPPENING NOW: A rollover has closed all lanes of College Parkway between Nelson Street and Princeton Place in Rockville, officials said.


Gaithersburg

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a collision with rollover that occurred shortly before 1:30pm on Midcounty Highway and Woodfield Rd in Gaithersburg on Wednesday afternoon.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, a total of three people were trapped inside the two vehicles involved in the collision upon arrival onto the scene. All patients were extricated and were transported to the hospital after suffering non-life threatening injuries. The crash temporarily blocked multiple lanes, but has since been cleared.


Derwood

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center (MCASAC) is holding a fee-waived adoption event for dogs over 40 pounds starting Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, Feb. 14, and running through Friday, Feb. 24. The “More to Love” adoption event is sponsored by Friends of Montgomery County Animals (FMCA). While small dogs get adopted quickly, often within an hour of being made available for adoption, it is not uncommon for dogs over 40 pounds to wait a month or more for their new homes.

“Some people have misconceptions that bigger dogs are harder to train, require more exercise or need more space,” said Adoption Supervisor Faith Koleszar. “That all really depends on the personality of the dog. Some are hiking buddies and some are couch potatoes. Believe it or not, a big dog can be a great apartment dog—as long as they are getting the care and attention they need. If you come to the adoption center with an open mind, we can find you a great match.”


MoCo Government

The Food Council is an independent nonprofit organization that connects businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and concerned residents to create a robust, sustainable and equitable local food system. In addition to the Food and Beverage Guide, the MoCo Made Program includes efforts to increase networking opportunities for farmers, wholesale and retail buyers and producers; provides educational resources for existing and aspiring food and beverage business owners on how to scale a business; connects small businesses to tools and resources; and provides overall facilitation and connections of small businesses to customers, capital and infrastructure.

For more information on the Food and Beverage Guide, go to


Event

Historic Indigenous Recognition Event to Take Place in Montgomery County, Maryland

The Taino American Indigenous National Organization (T.A.I.N.O.) proudly announces its upcoming signature public event,


MoCo Government

Per Montgomery County: Marylanders either needing or just contemplating replacing appliances could be motivated to shop from Feb. 18-20 when they can save on paying State sales tax on eligible Energy Star-rated appliances during “Shop Maryland Energy Weekend.”

During Presidents’ Day weekend, appliances bearing the Energy Star label, whether purchased in-store or online, will be exempt from the State’s six percent sales tax. Eligible appliances could include air conditioners, washers, dryers, standard-size refrigerators, furnaces, heat pumps, boilers, compact fluorescent light bulbs, dehumidifiers and programmable thermostats. Solar water heaters are tax-exempt year-round.


MDLottery

“At first, I couldn’t figure out what or where Talbott’s was, what I was doing there. I’d assumed the ticket was from one of my regular locations. If not for that errand, this never would have happened,” he said.

On Sunday morning, when he discovered that his quick-pick Powerball numbers had matched enough numbers to win big, he let out a shout that brought his wife running. “I told her that I thought we’d just won $50,000. We studied the ticket and the results together to make sure it was real.”


MCPS

Congratulations to the following MCPS high schools that won recent athletics championships! The Sherwood boys’ wrestling team won the 4A North Regional Championship. The James Hubert Blake girls’ indoor track and field team are the 4A West regional champions. Swimming and diving division champs include:

And Northwood won the county championship in bocce for the first time in school history.


Education

When they are not playing basketball or performing at games, students from the Thomas S. Wootton High School Basketball team and the Poms Squad volunteer their time at Fallsmead Elementary School. Basketball coach Erick Graves started the Wootton Cares Reading and Mentoring program seven years ago to give his players a way to give back to their community. The poms squad also joined the effort this year.

“I think our guys get a lot out of it. They get to see, you know, the power of their presence, and how the power of a simple high five could change a kid’s day,” coach Graves said. The student-athletes visit the elementary school on Fridays after school about seven to eight times during the basketball season to tutor the students on reading and other subjects.


Olney

The Olney Boys & Girls Club was able to grant scholarships to over 530 kids, in 2022 to play house sports that totaled nearly $73,000. The scholarships ensured that players that would be unable to participate financially would have the opportunity to play their favorite sport and stay active and healthy.

“One of the most personally rewarding programs we run is our scholarship program, said Brad Scott, director of the Olney Boys & Girls Club. “We always ensure that no child is unable to participate in our programs due to financial constraints.”


MoCo Government

Per Montgomery County: Councilmember Dawn Luedtke on Tuesday introduced legislation to address Open Meetings Act violations and inconsistencies found in Montgomery County government. Bill 8-23 would set clear and consistent deadlines for the more than 80 County government boards, committees and commissions that meet to inform the public and advise policymakers on critical issues impacting the community. The legislation would require the deadlines for groups to publish basic information critical to transparency, including meeting notices, agendas, minutes and recordings if a meeting was recorded.

In August 2022, the State Open Meetings Act Compliance Board found several County boards, committees and commissions violated existing State Open Meetings Act law by failing to provide reasonable advance notice of meetings, failing to provide information on how to access virtual meetings, failing to post minutes, and more.


Maryland

These letters generally ask for a response to the notice by a certain date, often include language such as “final notice,” and threaten that failing to call may result in financial risk for the homeowner. In examples of such a letter sent to the Attorney General’s office, also included are a document that resembles a check, with the words “renewal fee voucher,” as well as an actual photo of the homeowner’s home on the return envelope.

Solicitations that use threatening language or unnecessary urgency are almost always a scam. Although they include the name of the homeowner’s mortgage company, scam letters like this rely on publicly available information to deceive the homeowner. To reiterate, the people sending these letters are not representing, nor have any affiliation with, mortgage companies. They use this information, as well as other seemingly “official” references, such as “record ID” numbers, to appear legitimate. If you have a home warranty, check with the company through which you already purchased your warranty for expiration and renewal information.