Last Friday, an email was sent to the Paint Branch High School community informing them of the school’s principal, Dr. Joel Beidleman, going on extended leave. Beidleman was named principal at Paint Branch in June and was previously principal at William Farquhar Middle School in Olney.

A Washington Post article released this morning alleges that Beidleman was reported to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) 18 times in seven years and details alleged sexual harassment, workplace bullying, and other inappropriate conduct at multiple schools, spanning over a decade. The article states that Beidleman was placed on leave by MCPS and that the school system will launch an “independent, external investigation.”

MCPS Director of Communications, Chris Cram, provided the following statement to us when we reached out regarding the Washington Post article, “MCPS maintains its commitment to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment for our students. MCPS also maintains its commitment to provide an appropriate work environment for its staff. We have identified an external and independent investigation team with expertise in education and employment law to promptly investigate allegations that were raised in the Washington Post’s investigation. The external team will also assess the district processes concerning documenting, reporting and investigating allegations of bullying, sexual harassment, and/or discrimination of any kind. Privacy protocols will be adhered to throughout our response to this matter. The safety of our students, staff and community is a top priority for MCPS.

The full letter sent to the Paint Branch community last week can be seen below:

“Dear Paint Branch High School Parents/Guardians, Students, and Staff Members:

I hope this letter finds you well and that the summer months have given you an opportunity for rest and rejuvenation. As the Associate Superintendent of School Support and WellBeing who supervises the Paint Branch cluster, I am writing to share that Dr. Joel Beidleman, principal of Paint Branch High School, is currently on extended leave.

His absence from Paint Branch High School requires us to identify an acting principal. To ensure that we identify someone who will provide strong and effective leadership, we will share details about an acting principal next week. In the interim, if you have any questions, please contact assistant principal Belinda Penn, [email protected] or me at Donna [email protected]. I look forward to partnering with you and actively supporting the Paint Branch community in the coming weeks.

Sincerely,

Donna Redmond Jones, Ph.D”

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UPDATE: The child has been reunited with her family
Per MCPD:
Montgomery County Department of Police is asking for assistance in identifying and locating guardians or family members of a 2-year-old female. She was located at approximately 10:14 a.m., in the area of Forest Brook Rd. and Brittania Cir. in Germantown. She is approximately 2’8″ tall and has brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information regarding guardians or family is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).

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The Special Victims Investigations Division is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Sean Smith Jr., a missing 14-year-old from Germantown. Smith was last seen on August 1, 2023, in the 19300 block of Crystal Rock Dr. in Germantown. He is 6’1″, 150 lbs, with black hair, brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a black hoodie, blue jeans, carrying a blue and black backpack

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Sean Smith Jr is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).

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Permanent signage is up at Le Macaron at 7 Grand Corner Ave (next to BurgerFi) in Gaithersburg’s Rio. The shop is expected to open in the coming months, and is owned by MoCo residents Natalia Mejia and Camilo Beltran. Le Macaron, a Florida-based pastry shop now has more than 70 locations across the US, with more locations on the way as franchisees are opening in shopping centers like Rio, food trucks, and kiosks in malls.

Menu items at the upcoming Rio location will include macarons (available in 20 flavors), gourmet chocolates, French gelato, specialty European style coffees, classic French pastries, and homemade candies.  More on the history Le Macaron, per its website:

“Founders, Rosalie Guillem, who was living in Florida and her daughter, Audrey Guillem-Saba, living in France, had a dream to share delectable French macarons with the world and to reunite their family. The family, originally hailing from France, were surprised to find that the American take on the “macaron” was often simply sugar spun into a cookie shape or confused with the familiar coconut cookie “macaroon”. They knew that with a little consumer education, and by treating the American palate to true French macarons, they could bring a taste and texture sensation to the marketplace.

In 2009, Rosalie and Audrey began sharing their delectable macarons with the American consumer market and opened their first Le Macaron French Pastries®. Because of the frequent requests from customers to open a Le Macaron French Pastries® pastry shop in their community the company began franchising in 2012.

Our niche concept is unique, with very limited competition. Today’s consumers are eager to engage with their food in new, creative ways. They want flavor and texture, quality, and presentation; they are more health conscience. Each of our signature pastries is handcrafted by our team of French chefs at our Le Macaron French Pastries® commissary.

Our true French macaron is made with the finest gluten-free ingredients, no preservatives and is about 80 calories each. Beyond the signature macarons, our menu includes gourmet chocolates, French gelato, classic French pastries, European style beverages and homemade candies. Some locations may also serve a variety of wine and sparkling wine.

Our French pâtisseries are a modern European design with no on-site baking providing refined operations so minimal staffing is required. Our franchisees leverage streamlined locations which provides time to focus on excellence in customer service and opportunities for additional avenues of revenue.”

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American University President Sylvia Burwell will be stepping down from the position following this upcoming school year after six years at the school. The news was shared by the University in a memorandum earlier this week. The full memorandum can be seen below followed by a video from Burwell making the announcement:

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to extend our gratitude to President Sylvia Burwell for her dedicated leadership and service to the American University community. For the past six years, during some of the most consequential times in higher education and our broader world, Sylvia provided bold direction, personal caring, and an optimistic vision for American University. As she prepares to step down in June 2024, we will commemorate the many achievements during her tenure while continuing our vital work to building American University’s great future.

As the first woman to serve as AU’s president, Sylvia came to American University at a moment when the university was poised to build on a decade of growth and take its next step forward as a leading institution in Washington, DC, the nation, and the world. Sylvia embraced that opportunity with an inclusive, collaborative approach that leveraged one of AU’s greatest strengths–our community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

A thorough story of AU’s substantial growth under Sylvia’s leadership is on the AU website. The success of the last six years and AU’s ongoing momentum that have positioned us for our next era can be seen in three transformational areas–Changemakers for a Changing World, Change Can’t Wait, and COVID.

The best university strategic plans are both stable roadmaps for continued development and dynamic visions that can adapt to new conditions. Under Sylvia’s leadership, the Changemakers for a Changing World strategy exemplified both areas. The strategic imperatives provided clear paths to enhance the already strong AU attributes in scholarship, learning, and community. The forward-looking vision of the plan created the flexibility to leverage new and emerging opportunities. As Sylvia oversaw its implementation, faculty research thrived with more than $51 million in externally funded scholarship this year, the endowment grew by approximately 60 percent, and our commitment to student thriving advanced with the development of the Student Thriving Complex and the U.S. News & World Report specialty rankings, where AU places #12 in First Year Experience, #30 in Most Innovative, and #36 in Undergraduate Teaching.

 

If the Changemakers strategic plan is the well-designed vessel that is carrying AU into a bright future, the Change Can’t Wait fundraising campaign is the fuel that accelerates our work and impact. The first campaign in nearly 10 years, Sylvia’s deep commitment to launching Change Can’t Wait called all of us to action and ignited the unleashing of our incredible potential. From major gifts such as the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics, the Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance, and the Trone Family Eminent Scholar Chair in Neuroscience and Behavior, among many others, the campaign created numerous opportunities for our current faculty, students, and staff and built a foundation that will support generations of AU Eagles to come.

As AU accelerated, a new external challenge arose in early 2020 that would ultimately reshape nearly everything about higher education and our world. During the upheaval resulting from the rise of COVID-19 and the global pandemic, we could not have asked for a more prepared leader than a former Secretary of Health and Human Services and former Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Sylvia’s early briefing of the board featured the level of knowledge and foresight needed to immediately respond to COVID and plan for its long-term public health and economic implications. The important work that helped AU excel during the pandemic resonates today as we continue building on these learnings and shaping a university that is thriving in the new world of higher education.

There are many more achievements from the past six years that are the building blocks of American University’s future, from opening the Hall of Science to being the first university to achieve carbon neutrality. Over the next year, we will celebrate Sylvia’s impact on American University and express our gratitude to the Burwell family for all they have done for our community.

Now, we will concurrently act decisively on our near-term priorities and plan strategically for the future. Our momentum will continue unabated as we seek the next American University president to build on our legacy. Working together, Sylvia, the trustees, and our outstanding team have crafted an effective transition process that will advance our immediate work and support the selection of AU’s 16th president.

The Board of Trustees in collaboration with our community will conduct a thorough search process that features extensive engagement and input. The process will be led by a presidential search committee that is a representative body with members from across our community. I am pleased to announce the members of the presidential search committee and thank them for taking leadership roles in this critical activity:

  • Janice Menke Abraham, SIS/BA ’79, Trustee, Search Committee Vice-Chair
  • Ajay Adhikari, Faculty, Kogod School of Business
  • Marc Duber, Kogod/BS ’81, Trustee, Search Committee Chair
  • Gina Adams, SPA/BS ’80, Trustee and Board Chair
  • Michael Balmuth, CAS/BA ’72, Trustee
  • Gaurdie Banister, Trustee
  • Jack Cassell, SOC/BA ’77, Trustee and Board Chair Emeritus
  • Jehane Djedro, SIS/BA ’24, Student
  • Lia Epperson, Faculty, Washington College of Law
  • Monica Jackson, Deputy Provost and Dean of Faculty
  • Charlie Lydecker, SPA/BA ’85, Trustee and Board Vice-Chair
  • Maria Otero, Trustee
  • Carolyn Parker, Faculty, School of Education
  • Matt Pittinsky, SPA/BA ’94, Trustee
  • LaTanya Sothern, SOC/BA ’92, Alumni Association President
  • Jennifer Tether, Associate Director, Key Operations & Strategic Communication, School of Public Affairs

We are partnering with Russell Reynolds Associates, an executive search and leadership advisory firm highly regarded for its work in placing CEOs and university presidents, to assist with this process. One of our trustees, Gaurdie Banister, serves as Russell Reynolds’ independent board chair, and he did not participate in the search firm selection process. We launched a webpage that will provide additional information as we move forward. Stay tuned for further updates, including dates and opportunities for community listening sessions and additional input on the search.

Today, please join me in thanking Sylvia for her bold and impactful work with and on behalf of the American University community, her friendship, and her thoughtful stewardship of our institution.”

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Bethesda Film Fest

The 2024 Bethesda Film Fest will feature five short documentary films made by filmmakers from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Screenings will be held Friday April 5 and Saturday April 6 at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MPCS) and MedStar Health are announcing a new partnership to enhance the school system’s sports medicine program for scholastic athletics. Ahead of the upcoming 2023-24 school year, a newly-formed team of 12-month certified athletic trainers hired by MPCS has already begun working in all 25 of the county’s high schools. Their goal is to provide streamlined and enhanced care for student-athletes across all athletic programs.

“We are very excited to launch our innovative sports medicine program, which includes a full-time certified athletic trainer in each of our 25 high schools,” said MCPS Systemwide Athletic Director Dr. Jeff Sullivan. “Thanks to the commitment to safety from our school leaders and partnership with the region’s largest health system, MedStar Health, we now have medical professionals on staff to assist with the assessment and treatment of student-athlete injuries, prevention, rehabilitation, and more.”

MCPS, Maryland’s largest school system, is the state’s first to establish a sports medicine partnership of this kind with MedStar Health, the region’s largest sports medicine provider and largest overall health care provider.

As part of the innovative partnership, MedStar Health physicians and sports medicine clinicians will provide medical oversight and support for the school-based athletic trainers throughout the school year. Also, MCPS student athletes will gain directly access to MedStar Health’s elite sports medicine services should they need it. These services, like advanced sports orthopedics, are relied upon by the region’s top professional sports teams, like the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, Washington Mystics, Baltimore Ravens, and Baltimore Orioles, and top collegiate programs, like Georgetown University, Towson University, and Gallaudet University.

“With Montgomery County Public Schools and MedStar Health working together, families can feel good about the care their student athlete is getting on and off the field,” said Katie Brodka, MS, ATC, Manager of Athletic Training Services for MedStar Health in the Washington, D.C., region. “As a sports medicine leader in the region, we have already worked with many of the new MCPS athletic trainers, and we are excited to continue collaborating with them to promote sports safety for high schools along with their corresponding communities.”

MCPS and MedStar Health announced the partnership on Aug. 9, the first day of the county’s fall sports practices and tryouts.

Heading into the new school year, the partnering sports medicine providers will be focused on updating Emergency Action Planning (EAPs) toolkits for all MCPS schools, creating an environment of learning for the 25 MCPS athletic trainers, and establishing evaluation and treatment protocols necessary for their licensure.

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Back in November of 2020, we let you know that Chase Bank was close to receiving approval to take over the location previously occupied by Meixin Supermarket (formerly Maxim) on Hungerford Drive (355) in Rockville. The building was demolished last summer and construction of the bank began earlier this year. Photos of the progress can be seen below.

During the approval process, Rockville’s Historic District Commission (HDC) recommended and found that the property met certain criteria for historic designation. City staff staff disagreed and recommended the the Planning Commission deny the change of zones from MXCD (Mixed-Use Corridor District) to MXCD-HD (Historic District) due to not meeting criteria for the designation. After   a vote late last year, the City of Rockville decided that the building did not meet criteria for historic designation and the decision to move forward with the plans for Chase Bank moved forward.

History of the Site, Per Montgomery Planning: The Post-World War II era gave rise to residential and commercial development in Rockville, including new shopping centers and strip malls along Rockville Pike and other major roads. Hungerford Drive was completed in 1951, and it gradually became a successful commercial district. In June 1965, Leonard Kapiloff, operating as President of Lennard Enterprises, Inc., purchased property along Hungerford Drive from Charles A. Froman and his wife, Lora.

The land included parts of tracts of land called “Exchange and New Exchange Enlarged,” and “Valentines Garden Enlarged.” Two months after acquiring this property, Leonard Kapiloff and Vernon E. Miller registered as Trustees for Hungerford Associates. In 1967, Hungerford Associates platted a portion of the property which became the subject property, Lot 6, of City Center Subdivision.

That same year, Morris Stern opened Stern’s Furniture at 430 Hungerford Drive (now Walgreens, south of the subject property), in a new furniture showroom designed by prominent local architect, John H. Sullivan. Also in 1967, Irvin Schwartz, President of Youth Center, Inc. and Colony Shop, Inc., purchased Lot 6 from Hungerford Associates, and in 1968, Sullivan designed the new children’s clothing store, “The Colony Shop,” at 460 Hungerford Drive.

The architect for the subject building, John Henry Sullivan Jr. (1925-2014) was born in Washington, DC and moved to Montgomery County in 1928. John “Jack” Sullivan graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, after serving in World War II, and graduated from the Catholic University School of Engineering and Architecture. After working for several architectural firms, he opened Sullivan and Associates in 1957 in Rockville, where it was based until 1970. During Sullivan’s career, he designed banks, churches, schools, and public and institutional buildings. He also designed his family residence in Potomac, Maryland.

John Sullivan was an award-winning modernist architect, who was known for his ability to use brick to create surface texture and clear structural definition. His buildings had strong lines and geometric shapes. One of his award-winning projects was the Humble Car Care Center (1970) on Hungerford Drive, near the Colony Shop and Stern’s Furniture. The building had dramatic split gables that rose high above the building. Humble Car Care Center w as demolished in the 1980s to make way for construction of the Rockville Metro Station.

John Sullivan designed many buildings in Rockville, including the County Federal Savings and Loan building (1962), the Tenley Building (1964) and the award-winning Aspen Hill Library (1967). He also designed municipal buildings for the City of Rockville including the Elwood P. Smith Recreation Center (1959), and the Rockville Municipal Swim Center (1968). During the 1970s, as the president of SMS Design Group of Bethesda, Sullivan’s work included projects in the I-270 Research Corridor such as the Hoover Building (1969), DANAC Ocean Science Building (demolished, 1970), Hewlett-Packard (1972) and the Lingerfelter Building (1973).

In 2009, Mr. Sullivan and his lifelong friend and fellow Rockville architect, John Samperton, were featured in Peerless Rockville’s and Rockville 11’s award-winning multi-media documentary, “A Pair of Jacks.” The movie highlighted their lives, their careers, and the many contributions to Rockville’s mid-century modernist heritage. John H. “Jack” Sullivan Jr., died on June 17, 2014 in Rockville, at the age of 88. The ownership of the subject property is not found to have any important association with a significant person.

No information was found on Irvin Schwartz, President of Colony Shop, Inc. and Youth Center, Inc. Colony Shop may have been a retail chain or franchise; however, no information was found to confirm that. The store opened as a women’s clothing retailer and expanded to nine stores throughout Arkansas, and one store in Tennessee. Wynne, Arkansas may have been the company’s headquarters, where a large distribution center, now closed, used to be located.

There are several Colony Shops still in existence throughout t he country, some with the name “The Colony Shop, Inc.,” or “The Old Colony Shop, Inc.,” or “The New Colony Shop, Inc.” They all seem to sell clothes of a different variety, and may, or may not be associated with the Colony Shop, Inc. store that was located in Rockville. Irvin Schwartz’s name is the only name that is associated with the Colony Shop in Rockville from its debut in 1968, to the forfeiture in 1987.

In October 1985, the property transferred back to Hungerford Ltd. Partnership, Leonard Kapiloff, Trustee. In February 1995, the property was sold to Maxim Enterprises, Inc. Tien L. Chang was listed as the company President. The property is currently owned by Asian Square, LLC, and Zheng Hai Zheng is identified as the Manager. The building was an Asian Supermarket for many years, but it closed for business in 2019 and has remained vacant since that time.

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Per the Office of the United States Attorney, District of Washington DC: Jonathan Willis, 37, of North Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Special Agent in Charge Emily Odom, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.

Willis pleaded guilty on March 15, 2023, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, on March 31, 2022, the defendant began communicating with a 14-year-old minor victim who resided in Washington, D.C. using Snapchat. The defendant offered to pay the victim money in exchange for sexually explicit photographs. Over a two-week period, the defendant sent the fourteen-year-old girl multiple photos of his penis and of himself masturbating, and repeatedly asked her to come to his residence in Maryland to “make love.” The victim refused and reported the defendant’s communications to law enforcement. On May 12, 2022 and May 24, 2022, an undercover officer assumed the victim’s identity on Snapchat. On both occasions, the defendant requested sexually explicit photographs of the 14-year-old girl, sent her photos and videos of his penis, and attempted to persuade her to travel to Maryland for sexual activity.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Randolph D. Moss ordered 10 years of supervised release and ordered Willis to register as a sex offender for 25 years.

 

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CatVideoFest 2023, a compilation of the latest and greatest cat videos that have been edited by award-winning, Seattle-based filmmaker Will Braden, is showing this Saturday and Sunday only at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (8633 Colesville Road) in Silver Spring. According to its website, “CatVideoFest is a joyous communal experience, only available in theaters. Enjoy 70+ minutes of nonstop cuteness, bond with your fellow feline fanatics and learn more about how to help cats in need in DC and beyond.”

The film is co-presented with the Humane Rescue Alliance and tickets can be purchased here for $13. h/t @pike.and.rozay on Instagram. Watch the official trailer below:

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Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced that Early Charm – a company that creates, owns, and operates ventures that convert science to revenue – has officially opened its new production shop in Baltimore City, where it plans to create 115 new jobs over the next four years. The company has leased more than 26,000 square feet of space at 1300 Bayard Street in Pigtown, where it is growing its custom manufacturing operations for advanced materials and supporting the addition of 30 new ventures.

“We are excited to support Early Charm’s reinvestment in Baltimore City, where more than a hundred jobs will soon be added to the Pigtown community,” said Gov. Moore. “Investing in this new facility will allow Early Charm to continue growing its portfolio, boost manufacturing in local industry and make Maryland even more competitive.”

Early Charm is committed to transforming scientific discoveries into sustainable and profitable businesses that support equitable growth in Baltimore City. The company prioritizes long-term success, emphasizing ventures that create lasting value rather than quick exits. Its businesses serve forward-thinking industries including blue technologies, advanced manufacturing, therapeutic drug design, and engineered products.

“Baltimore has proven to be a great place for us to launch and grow ventures. We’re excited to continue growing here,” said Early Charm Executive Officer Ken Malone. “The new facility allows us to expand custom manufacturing of advanced materials including 3D printed plastic, metal, ceramic and biologic parts, nanofiber filters, membranes and textiles, flexible electronic components, and flame-retardant textile inks. Many of these products started as ideas at local universities.”

To assist with project costs, the Maryland Department of Commerce has provided a $460,000 conditional loan through Advantage Maryland, and the Baltimore Development Corporation has provided a $100,000 conditional loan. The company is also eligible for various other incentives and tax credits, including the Partnership for Workforce Quality program and the state’s Job Creation Tax Credit.

“Maryland and its educational institutions are thriving with innovation and Early Charm is helping bring their ideas to life,” said Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson. “We applaud the company’s decision to expand its advanced manufacturing operations in Baltimore.”

“We’re excited to support the continued growth of Early Charm,” said President and Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore Development Corporation Colin Tarbert. “Early Charm’s success in developing innovative businesses by leveraging new technologies and a diverse workforce exemplifies the robust equitable economy that we are building in Baltimore.”

To learn more about the company, please visit earlycharm.com.

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