MoCo Government

Policing Advisory Commission to Hold Public Forum on Traffic Enforcement in Montgomery County; Believes that Traffic Enforcement Practices Do Not Meet Basic Tests of Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equal Enforcement

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The Policing Advisory Commission (PAC) of Montgomery County is holding a virtual public forum on Jan. 9, 2023, to solicit community testimony and feedback on traffic enforcement in the County by the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). Other police departments — municipalities, park police, state police, etc. — are not under the PAC’s purview. Community members are invited to register to provide live testimony during the public hearing or to submit written, audio, or video testimony. Community members are asked to limit their live testimony to no more than three minutes and to one speaker per organization (if applicable). Written, audio, and visual testimony submitted prior to the public hearing may be longer, if needed. The deadline to register to speak at the public hearing is 4 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2023.

The PAC believes that traffic enforcement practices in the County do not meet basic tests of effectiveness, efficiency, and equal enforcement, and that a change in mission, focus, and strategy is necessary. The PAC’s report on traffic enforcement, including recommendations, can be found here. The PAC is very interested in hearing from the Montgomery County community regarding their experience with traffic enforcement, and what changes or improvements they would like to see.

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Gaithersburg

2022’s Top Stories: Sheetz Submits Final Site Plan For First MoCo Location

By MCS Staff

As 2022 ends, we’re sharing a few of our most-read stories of the year, from August 2022: Royal Farms has opened, Wawa is on the way, and many have been waiting for the trifecta to be complete with the Sheetz announcement. Good news for the lovers of the convenience store/gast station, as Sheetz, Inc., has submitted Final Site Plan application, SP-9217-2022, requesting approval for a 6,139 square foot convenience retail store with drive-through and automobile filling station at 751 Progress Way, located off of N. Frederick Rd (355) in Gaithersburg.

Sheetz will be part of the new Progress Labs development, which is very visible from the corner of Montgomery Village Avenue and 355. Progress Labs at Progress Way in Gaithersburg, MD is a two-building approximately 495,000 SF development situated on 44 acres with I-270 visibility and access off of exit 11 Montgomery Village Avenue. Construction commenced at Progress Labs at 700 N. Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg, MD back in October, and according to the video below (posted by Progress Labs on Monday, July 18th), is scheduled to be delivered in Q4 of 2022.

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Beyond MoCo

Maryland State Police To Increase Patrols As New Year’s Eve Approaches

By Patrick Herron

Per the Maryland State Police: With New Year’s Eve coming up on Saturday, Maryland State Police are urging those who plan to celebrate with alcohol to be safe and smart and avoid impaired, distracted and aggressive driving. With an increase in impaired drivers expected throughout the state this weekend, state police will be conducting saturation patrols at each of the 23 barracks focusing on impaired, aggressive and distracted driving. Enforcement will be bolstered by impaired driving saturation patrol funds from the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office.

The initiatives, which will take place on various days through New Year’s, include saturation patrols in areas known to have a higher number of DUI crashes or arrests. These efforts in many cases will include partnering with allied law enforcement and other state agencies to both enforce the law and offer outreach to the community through social media and electronic billboards.

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Maryland

2022’s Top Stories: Maryland Minimum Wage Increases Starting January 1

By MCS Staff

As 2022 ends, we’re sharing a few of our most-read stories of the year: Maryland’s general assembly previously voted to override Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of the Maryland minimum wage increase. The Maryland minimum wage, starting in 2023, will be $13.25 for larger businesses and $12.80 for small businesses. Montgomery County’s minimum wage increased earlier this year, on July 1, to $15.65 for all large employers. As part of the bill that was recently passed, Maryland’s minimum wage will gradually increase over time (much like a Montgomery County’s has). The Maryland minimum wage is $15 per hour in 2025 for businesses with 15 or more employees, and in 2026 it will raise to $15 for businesses with 14 or fewer employees. The Maryland minimum wage increase schedule is as follows:

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Beyond MoCo

2022’s Top Stories: Ledo Pizza Gets a ‘One Bite’ Review From Barstool’s Dave Portnoy

By MCS Staff

As 2022 ends, we’re sharing a few of our most-read stories of the year: At one point Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, ate pizza every day for two years while getting his “One Bite” pizza reviews started on Instagram and YouTube. Through the years, he has eaten pizza from various restaurants across the country– providing a 1-10 rating for each slice. While most of his reviews come from pizza places in Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey, he recently tried a New York City Ledo Pizza location (video below).

“It’s good…you’d have to put it in a chain if it has over 100 locations, it’s pretty good for that type of pizza.” Portnoy said of the “Maryland style pizza”, referencing the amount of stores Ledo Pizza has grown to in recent years. He gave it a 6.7, which puts it towards the middle of the pack of the over 1,000 pizza places he has reviewed so far.

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Beyond MoCo

2022’s Top Stories: Cookout Has Officially Opened its First DC Metro Area Location

By MCS Staff

As 2022 ends, we’re sharing a few of our most-read stories of the year, from November: Back in May 2021, we let you know that fast food chain Cook Out is coming one step closer to MoCo, as a new location was expected to open at 8502 Centreville Road in Manassas Park– the first in the DC Metro area. The location, which was formerly home to a Roy Rogers, is now open according to a social media post by the fast food chain (seen below).

In 2020, the MoCo Show made the 60 mile trek down to Fredericksburg, VA to visit what was then the area’s closest Cook Out location. We left Gaithersburg, located in the approximate center of MoCo, at 6:14pm and arrived an hour and twenty minutes later, at 7:34pm. The Manassas Park location is a little over 30 miles from the center MoCo, about half the distance of Fredericksburg. Another location recently opened in Winchester, VA, but that isn’t considered part of the DC Metro area. There is also a location in Salisbury, MD but that is further than both of the Virginia locations mentioned.

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MDLottery

2022’s Top Stories: Powerball Jackpot Climbs to $1.2 Billion

By MCS Staff

The Powerball® jackpot has climbed to an estimated $1.2 billion ($596.7 million cash) for the next drawing on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The jackpot rolled after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Monday night – white balls 13, 19, 36, 39, 59 and red Powerball 13. If a player wins Wednesday’s jackpot, it will be the second-largest jackpot in Powerball history, only behind the world record $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot, and fourth-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history. Despite there being no jackpot winner in last Monday’s drawing, more than 5.4 million tickets won cash prizes totaling $59.5 million in the Halloween night drawing. Big winners include 10 tickets (CA-2, FL, IN, MI, NY, OH-2, TX-2) that matched all five white balls to win a $1 million prize. Three tickets (FL, NY, OK) matched all five white balls and increased the $1 million prize to $2 million by including the Power Play® option for an additional $1 per play. There were also 134 tickets nationwide that won a $50,000 prize, and another 23 tickets that won a $150,000 prize.

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Bethesda

MCFRS Respond to Apartment Fire in Bethesda Friday Morning

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a call at 7170 Woodmont Ave, the Flats at Bethesda Ave apartment complex, for a fire on the fourth floor of the residential apartment building at approximately 7am on Friday morning.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, a small fire on the stove top of a fourth floor apartment activated the sprinkler system. The fire was extinguished by the sprinkler and the firefighters that arrived on the scene cleared smoke from the area. There was minor extension of the fire and some water damage on the floors below, but no injuries.

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Rockville

Rockville Police Seeks Public’s Help to Find Man Missing Since October

By MCS Staff

Yerayel Ben Yehuda, 27, of Piccard Drive, was last seen leaving his home on October 23, 2022 and is still missing, he has not been seen or heard from since that time. Police and family continue to be concerned for his welfare.

Yehuda is 5’8, 160lbs, light/med complexion, brown eyes/black hair. He suffers from a mental condition which may impact his ability to communicate in a responsible manner if approached. Yehuda is also known to frequent the Washington D.C./Northwest area and may possibly be in Virginia.

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Aspen Hill

Approximately 50 Firefighters Respond to House Fire in Aspen Hill

By Patrick Herron

Around 50 Montgomery County firefighters responded to a single-family house fire in the 13300blk of Georgia Ave, near Regina Dr, in Aspen Hill on Thursday. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the fire originated in the basement of the home, which appeared to be abandoned  (however power was still connected). The fire was reported by a passerby who reported smoke coming from home. There were no injuries reported.

Per @mcfrsPIO on twitter: “Update – Georgia Avenue, fire in basement, lots of stuff in basement, bulk of Fire is knocked down, checking for extension, no injuries”

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Damascus

MCFRS Respond to Three Car Collision in Damascus

By Patrick Herron

Per @mcfrsPIO on twitter: “Update – Ridge Road and Preakness Drive, collision,  MCFRS_EMIHS, evaluating multiple injuries, incl at least 2 trauma patients, CCM18 assisting, fire hydrant damaged/sheared off, some lanes blocked”

Update – Ridge Road and Preakness Drive, collision, @MCFRS_EMIHS evaluating multiple injuries, incl at least 2 trauma patients, CCM18 assisting, fire hydrant damaged/sheared off, some lanes blocked https://t.co/EsAW9PIoLA

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