Olney

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a 2nd alarm fire on the 3500 block of Landing Way off of Norbeck Rd near Georgia Avenue in Olney on Friday night. According to MCFRS PIO Pete Piringer, crews arrived on the scene at approximately 8pm and were able to knock down the bulk of the fire by 9pm. There were no injuries reported.

Eight townhouses in total were damaged by the fire and three families were unable to re-occupy their homes. Fire pit ashes that were placed inside a plastic trash bag and left outside near the ground-level deck are likely what ignited the fire, according to Piringer. Damages are estimated to be around $1,500.000.


Silver Spring

On October 1, 2022, at approximately 7:30 a.m., Andy Amaya was last seen leaving his residence in the 2600 block of Elnora St. in Silver Spring.   Amaya is 5-feet, 1-inch tall and weighs 120 lbs. He has brown eyes and black hair.

Amaya is believed to be with Kimberly Zuniga, who was also reported missing on October 1, 2022. They are likely to be traveling towards Baltimore in a 2019 gray Nissan Rouge SUV bearing Maryland license plate 3DY4445.  Police and family are concerned for his welfare.


Rockville

The award highlights the significant and successful efforts of the Mayor and Council, Planning Commission, staff and community, along with numerous other stakeholders, to produce a document that lays out Rockville’s vision for its future.

More than 1,000 people took part in the plan’s creation at more than 100 community meetings and workshops, public outreach events and listening sessions.


Maryland

Maryland has become the second state in the county to ban the act of declawing cats, unless deemed necessary for therapeutic purposes. It was banned in New York in 2019. The bill was approved back in April and Governor Hogan signed it for the law to go into effect on October 1. Sen. Cheryl Kagan and Del. Lorig Charkoudian,  both Montgomery County Democrats, were the lead sponsors for the bill in their respective houses.

According to the Humane Society, declawing involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.


Gaithersburg

On October 1, 2022, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Kimberly Zuniga was last seen leaving the shopping center in the 18300 block of Contour Rd. in Montgomery Village. She is driving a 2019 gray Nissan Rouge SUV bearing Maryland license plate 3DY4445.

Zuniga is approximately 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighs 110 lbs. She has black hair, brown eyes and a pierced nostril. She was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and multi colored pajama pants.


Beyond MoCo

Anne Arundel Police responded to Arundel Mills Mall (7000 Arundel Mills Cir) in Hanover, MD around 4pm on Saturday, October 1 after reports of shots fired. A preliminary investigation/review of video revealed that a male subject accidentally discharged a firearm in the mall’s food court. There were no injuries reported from the discharge and police are currently on scene investigating.

FOX5 reports that the mall was placed under a lockdown after the incident and has since reopened and resumed normal operations. In a tweet sent out at 4:30pm, the Anne Arundel County Police stressed that nobody was shot inside the mall; “PIO will update staging area once on scene and briefed. AGAIN no one shot!” Arundel Mills is home to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Books-A-Million, Cinemark Egyptian Theatres, Dave & Buster’s, and Medieval Times Dinner.  Maryland Live Casino is located next the mall.


Pike & Rose

As of Saturday afternoon, Sunday’s PIKEtoberfest event is still scheduled to take place, according to the Pike & Rose Instagram account. Per Pike & Rose:

✨For every stein distributed, @pikeandrose will make a $1 donation to @joseandresgroup @wckitchen to support #HurricaneIan clean-up and recovery efforts. While supplies last. One stein per person.”


Gaithersburg

Omar Flores Pineda was last seen on September 30, 2022, at approximately 9 a.m., in the 700 block of Quince Orchard Blvd.

Flores Pineda is 5-feet, 3-inches tall and weighs 100 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. He has a star tattoo on the front area of his neck that says “free spirit.” He was last seen wearing a blue Adidas jacket, black pants and black shoes.    Police and family are concerned for his welfare.


MoCo Government

The County’s Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Grants Management are seeking applications from qualified Community Based Organizations (CBOs) providing direct services that support the right to access abortion care in the County. Applications are due by 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct.10. 

Resolution 19-1357 provides a total of $1 million for the County’s FY 2023 Abortion, Reproductive Health, and Related Services Access (ARHRSA) Grants Program with individual awards ranging from a minimum award of $50,000 and a maximum award of $500,000 for an up to one year (12 month) performance period.  The target population for this grant are women seeking access to abortion, reproductive health, and related services as well as the staff providing these services.


Beyond MoCo

Per the Metropolitan Police Department: Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect and vehicle in reference to a homicide that occurred on Thursday, September 22, 2022, in the 3000 block of Adams Street, Northeast. At approximately 12:41 pm, members of the Fifth District responded to the listed location for the report of a shooting.

Upon arrival, the members located an adult male victim suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and after finding no signs consistent with life, the victim remained on the scene until transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The decedent has been identified as 57-year-old Bacilio Villatoro, of Silver Spring, MD.