Boyds

Manslaughter Conviction in Shooting Death of 23-Year-Old in Clarksburg Neighborhood

By Patrick Herron

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Kevin Hessler, a jury has found defendant, Rodjaun Neal-Williams, 21 of Clarksburg, guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter and Use of Firearm in Commission of a Crime of Violence for the death of 23-year-old Javon Gordon of Boyds. The jury returned the verdict on Tuesday, March 7th, 2023. Defendant, Neal-Williams, faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before Judge Hessler on May 31st at 1:30 p.m.

This stems from an incident on April 13, 2021, on the 12900 block of Ethel Rose Way in Boyds. The defendant who was 19-years old at the time, was a passenger in a vehicle that pulled up to small group of individuals in the street. There was an altercation between Neal-Williams and Gordon while Neal-Williams was seated inside of the vehicle, and he fired a handgun, killing Gordon.”

Go to Manslaughter Conviction in Shooting Death of 23-Year-Old in Clarksburg Neighborhood Read more
Education

MCPS: Annual Report to the Community for 2021–2022 School Year and the Updated MCPS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2022-2025 Now Available

By MCS Staff

The Annual Report to the Community for the 2021–2022 school year and the updated MCPS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2022-2025 are now available.

The report provides the community with information about the district—student performance data, operational performance data, and the steps the district has taken to fulfill the vision and mission of MCPS. The 2021-2022 school year brought students back to classrooms, with a full return to in-person learning, five days a week. This return reunited students with peers, teachers and many other trusted adults in school communities. Schools worked to rebuild strong school communities, with supports for students and families still dealing with ongoing public health concerns.

Go to MCPS: Annual Report to the Community for 2021–2022 School Year and the Updated MCPS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2022-2025 Now Available Read more
Education

Poolesville ES Principal, Douglas Robbins, Wins Library Media Award

By MCS Staff

Poolesville Elementary School principal Douglas M. Robbins has been honored with the Nancy C. Walker Award for Outstanding Support to a Library Media Program for the 2022-2023 school year. The award is given annually by the Montgomery County Educational Media Specialists Association (MCEMSA) to highlight the role of administrative leaders in supporting library media centers.

Clair Ketchum, the library media specialist at Poolesville, nominated Robbins because he fully supports the media program, “Anything to get the kids more involved in the library is always going to be a yes from me!” Robbins supports having Ketchum participate in weekly grade-level planning meetings and is enthusiastic about the new flexible scheduling shift. This allows Ketchum to bring lesson ideas, enrichment opportunities and field trips that integrate media into existing elements of the curriculum in a timely manner.

Go to Poolesville ES Principal, Douglas Robbins, Wins Library Media Award Read more
Events

Montgomery Parks announces March virtual speaker series: Birding in Maryland

By MCS Staff

Montgomery Parks is hosting a virtual speaker series on birding in Maryland. This month’s guest speaker, Gabriel Foley, who coordinates the Maryland-D.C. Breeding Birds Atlas will give an overview of the project and discuss how the public can document breeding birds and support nesting birds in their own communities.

WHAT: Montgomery Parks Speaker Series(opens in a new tab): Birding in Maryland with Gabriel Foley

Go to Montgomery Parks announces March virtual speaker series: Birding in Maryland Read more
Potomac

Update on Kema by Kenaki

By Patrick Herron

Permanent signage is up at Kema by Kenaki at Cabin John Village. According to a representative at Kenaki, the restaurant has just started the hiring process for all positions and are hoping to open sometime in April.

The almost 2,000 square foot restaurant will be very similar to what Kenaki in Kentlands offers, but will be more “fast paced,” in what will be a hybrid between Kenaki and AKO. Kenaki is a full-service restaurant while AKO is a sushi counter at a food hall. Kema will offer signature rolls from Kenaki/AKO such as the Black Magic roll- made with “forbidden rice”, spicy tuna, pickled jalapenos, and truffle oil, the Donkey Kong roll- made with eel, fried plantain, cream cheese, cucumber, tempura flakes, togarashi spice mayo, and sweet shoyu, among others.

Go to Update on Kema by Kenaki Read more
Calverton

Cherry Hill Rd Closed Following Collision Thursday Morning

By MCS Staff

Update: The road is no longer closed, but some lanes remain blocked. Delayed expected.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a collision on Cherry Hill Rd at FDA Blvd in Calverton around 6:30am on Thursday morning. According to Battalion Chief Steve Mann, the vehicle rolled over due to the collision, trapping two inside. The two patients, including one adult, were extricated and transported to the local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Some lanes on Cherry Hill Rd are now blocked between Powder Mill Rd & Gracefield Rd/Calverton Blvd

Go to Cherry Hill Rd Closed Following Collision Thursday Morning Read more
Burtonsville

Police Asking for Public’s Assistance in Locating Suspect Wanted for Larceny and Burglaries Across Montgomery County

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Wheaton Patrol Investigation Unit are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 55-year-old man wanted for a number of crimes committed in Montgomery County. Jonah Ammiel Carter of Gaithersburg is alleged to have committed larceny and burglaries in Burtonsville, Silver Spring, and Kensington. Carter is reported to have stolen large quantities of items from a Giant Food in the 1200 block of East West Highway, on Monday, January 16 and a Giant Food in the 15000 block of Old Columbia Pike on Monday, February 6, 2023. He is also accused of stealing a large amount of items from a Safeway in the 10000 block of Connecticut Avenue in Kensington on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonah Ammiel Carter is asked to call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect. Callers may remain anonymous.

Go to Police Asking for Public’s Assistance in Locating Suspect Wanted for Larceny and Burglaries Across Montgomery County Read more
Rockville

MoCo High School is First to Perform ‘Mean Girls’ in Maryland

By Patrick Herron

Mean Girls is making its Maryland High School premier at Colonel Zadok Magruder High School this week. This is the first year that Mean Girls has allowed licensing for a select number of schools in the United States and Canada and Magruder HS is the first Maryland school to perform the musical. With two preview shows last week, the final two shows are at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 10 and Saturday March 11 at Magruder HS, 5939 Muncaster Mill Rd., Rockville, MD.

Mean Girls is a musical from book writer Tina Fey (30 Rock), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and composer Jeff Richmond (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). The show took Broadway by storm and has joined the musical in-crowd. Adapted from Fey’s hit 2004 film, Mean Girls was nominated for a staggering 12 Tony Awards. Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a queen bee without getting stung.

Go to MoCo High School is First to Perform ‘Mean Girls’ in Maryland Read more
Gaithersburg

Lakeforest Redevelopment: Residents Have Until March 10 to Go On Record; Policy Discussion Takes Place April 17

By MCS Staff

The Applicant, WRS, Inc., submitted Zoning Map Amendment application Z-9444-2022 that proposes to rezone the Lakeforest Mall from the current C-2 (general commercial) to the MXD Zone (mixed-use) zone. The application includes a sketch plan requesting up to approximately 1.2 million square feet of non-residential uses and up to 1,600 dwelling units on 102 acres of land in accordance with § 24-160D.9(a) “Application for the MXD Zone and sketch plan approval” of the City Code.

The Joint Public Hearing was conducted on January 17, 2023. The Planning Commission record closed 5 p.m. Friday, February 17, 2023. The Planning Commission gave a recommendation of approval on March 1, 2023. The Mayor & City Council hold their record open until 5 p.m. Friday, March 10, 2023 with Policy Discussion April 17, 2023. No public testimony will be taken on April 17. Any questions or comments on the application should be directed to the Planning Department at [email protected] or 301-258-6330.

Go to Lakeforest Redevelopment: Residents Have Until March 10 to Go On Record; Policy Discussion Takes Place April 17 Read more
Chevy Chase

Fourth Grade Teacher, Amanda Hammersla, Named MCPS Rising Star Teacher of the Year

By MCS Staff

A teacher at Chevy Chase Elementary School for three years, Amanda Hammersla has been named this year’s Rising Star Teacher of the Year by MCPS. This award honors a teacher in their first, second or third year of teaching. The winner shows a passion for the success of all students, creatively engages students in learning and contributes to a strong, positive partnership among students, staff, parents and the community.

Hammersla believes that students learn best when they are engaged, valued and challenged. She inspires students to take a deep dive into reading with innovative approaches. She turned her classroom into a restaurant while students wore chef hats and sampled new books. She wrote a PTA grant, which brought an author into the classroom virtually while students asked questions. She reads texts in characters’ voices. Through Reader’s Theater, students make costumes and props and perform for peers and families. This helps students develop speaking and listening skills, build fluency and work collaboratively.

Go to Fourth Grade Teacher, Amanda Hammersla, Named MCPS Rising Star Teacher of the Year Read more
MoCo Libraries

‘Hatchlings’ Program to Help Expectant and New Parents Build Skills as Babies’ Earliest Teachers to be Offered in March at Montgomery County Public Libraries

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Public Libraries in March will be participating in “Hatchlings: Ready to Hatch,” a Maryland State Library-sponsored program developed by Betsy Diamant-Cohen, the creator of Mother Goose on the Loose. The Hatchlings program helps expectant and new parents build the skills to be their child’s first teachers. Programs will be offered on Thursday, March 16, at the White Oak Library; Saturday, March 25, at the Wheaton Library (in Spanish and English); and Tuesday, March 28, at the Long Branch Library (in Spanish and English).

Details on the three dates and locations available in March:

Go to ‘Hatchlings’ Program to Help Expectant and New Parents Build Skills as Babies’ Earliest Teachers to be Offered in March at Montgomery County Public Libraries Read more
View More Stories