MoCo

“Every veteran who has served in the history of the U.S. military has their own unique story,” said Wayne Miller, chair of the County’s Commission on Veterans Affairs. “It is the intent of our commission to allow residents to learn more about these remarkable people. The veterans we are honoring during Black History Month all have stories that the people of this County should know.”

The following information is needed on the forms:


DC Sports

Those who complete the Challenge will be eligible for a variety of prizes that will be available at their local library while supplies last. They will also be entered into a raffle for a chance to win two tickets to the Wizards’ home game on April 9 against the Houston Rockets. Register for the Wizards Winter Reading Challenge at: https://www.dcfamily.com/winter-reading-challenge or by visiting MCPL’s website or any of MCPL’s 21 locations.


MoCo

The symptoms of canine influenza are cough, runny nose, eye discharge, fever, lethargy and poor appetite. The signs range in severity between no signs at all and severe illness sometimes resulting in death.

Canine influenza is thought to spread in aerosol respiratory droplets and contaminated surfaces. It is not transmissible to people. However, people can spread the virus to dogs via their clothing, equipment or hands.


MCPS

Per MCPD: Rockville City and Montgomery County Police responded to Richard Montgomery High School on Friday, January 13, 2023, for the report of a gun on the school’s grounds. At approximately 10 a.m., two students from an area Montgomery County school entered Richard Montgomery High School (RMHS) without authorization and allegedly assaulted an RMHS student inside of the school.

The students left RMHS and reportedly returned to the campus, which is located at 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, at approximately 12:30 p.m., but did not enter the school. During this second incident, an RMHS student reported what they thought might have been a gun on one of the students outside of the school and reported it to school security. That information was shared with the RMHS principal, the police were called, and the school was placed on lockdown. The students outside of the school ran away.


Education

MCPS has sent a letter providing an update to the community of the new process for informing the community when weather requires an operational status change and when a closure might justify a shift to virtual instruction. The color-coded messages and additional information can be seen in the full letter below:

“Dear MCPS Students, Families and Staff,


Business

Gaithersburg-based Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, Inc., (APT) a clinical-stage biotechnology company (located at 708 Quince Orchard Rd) advancing the APT phage bank, the world’s largest therapeutic phage initiative for treatment of bacterial infectious diseases, announced the first patient has been dosed in the PHAGE clinical trial, evaluating bacteriophage therapy in adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) who carry Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) in their lungs. The trial is evaluating whether the bacteriophage, or “phage,” therapy is safe and able to reduce the amount of bacteria in the lungs of volunteers. The trial is being conducted by the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG) which consists of more than 100 leading experts, working together to combat the ongoing antibacterial resistance crisis and improve patient care. ARLG is funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The investigational phage therapeutic, WRAIR-PAM-CF1, was developed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) and is licensed to and manufactured by APT. The trial is expected to enroll a total of 72 patients at multiple sites across the country.

Per the press release: “At Adaptive Phage Therapeutics, we are committed to developing innovative treatments that address the growing problem of antibiotic resistance,” said Greg Merril, CEO of Adaptive Phage Therapeutics. “We are proud to be a part of this important trial and look forward to working with the ARLG, NIAID, WRAIR, and the CF community to bring new hope to those affected by this devastating disease and secondary respiratory infection.”


Germantown

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a house fire in the 13200blk of Bayberry Drive in Germantown on Friday morning . According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the fire originated in the kitchen of the end-of-row townhouse and was caused by “combustibles too close to heat source.” Damage is estimated to be $100K ($80k structure, $20k contents).  Firefighters reported lots of storage and other materials in the home. One adult was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries (minor burns) and two people have been displaced.

Per @mcfrsPIO on twitter: “Update – Bayberry Dr, fire under control, @mcfrs  FFs report lots of storage & other materials in house,@MCFRS_EMIHS evaluating 1 adult patient/occupant, otherwise checking for extension”


MCPS

Update: The lockdown at Richard Montgomery HS has been lifted. No weapon was found on campus. The school will remain in a shelter in place through dismissal.

Richard Montgomery High School at 250 Richard Montgomery Drive in Rockville is currently on lockdown following the report of a weapon on campus. Montgomery County Police tweeted the following update at 1:50pm on Friday, January 13: “Richard Montgomery HS is still on lockdown. Officers are on scene. They are looking into the report of a weapon on campus and whether that report is legitimate.” We will post an update when additional information is available.


Arts

Drummer, composer, and educator Allison Miller created Rivers in Our Veins as an exploration of the cultural and ecological life of rivers. She combines original jazz music with tap dance by Claudia Rahardjanoto and Luke Hickley, modern dance by Maleek Washington and improvisational video projections by Todd Winkler inspired by the sights, sounds, and movements of five U.S. rivers, including the Potomac and James.

Between the rhythmic elements inherent in tap and her dynamic movements, Rahardjanoto serves as a bridge between the aural and visual impacts of the piece. Rahardjanoto is both a dancer and a musician, blending into the performance as an additional member of the band. At the same time, Winkler improvises with imagery as his instrument. His projected natural sets shift in reaction to the band’s improvisational interplay and Claudia’s rhythmic vibrations, captured live via a feed connecting Rahardjanoto’s tap floor with his video equipment. What results is a balanced, multimedia experience that unifies the senses and fully immerses the audience into the wonders of these great American waterways.


MDLottery

“The jackpot has rolled again, keeping everyone who follows Mega Millions in suspense for yet another drawing,” says Ohio Lottery Director Pat McDonald, Lead Director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “Now at $1.35 billion, the Mega Millions jackpot is moving up and making history as the second highest Mega Millions jackpot ever. Our member lotteries raise funds for many good causes, ranging from education to conservation programs. We’re proud to support these efforts.”

Michigan has been particularly lucky with Mega Millions jackpots on Friday the 13th, winning four of them (June 2008, May 2011, June 2014 and October 2017). That 2017 jackpot was shared with a winner in Rhode Island. Other jackpots on Friday the 13th have been won in New York (March 2009) and Ohio (November 2015). None of them, however, came close in size to the estimated $1.35 billion up for grabs later this week.