Beyond MoCo

Rockland Farm Responds to Today’s Statement by White’s Ferry Owners

By Patrick Herron

Earlier today, White’s Ferry owner Chuck Kuhn released a statement saying that Rockland Farm, the Virginia landing site for the ferry, had rejected a $1.1 million dollar offer to purchase the Virginia site. In the statement, Kuhn also announced his intentions to sell the ferry to Montgomery County; “We have run out of options and will now seek to sell the ferry land and operations to Montgomery County so it can work to invoke eminent domain and acquire the Virginia landing site.”

Rockland Farm tells us, “the reason that Rockland Farm turned down the $1.1 M combined offer from Loudoun County, Montgomery County, and Mr. Kuhn is that we will not accept a flat fee for our Virginia landing.” Rockland Farm has stated on several occasions that it was requesting $.50 per vehicle. “All that it would have taken to get the ferry open would be to increase the fee by 50 cents per ride for the use of our landing, but Mr. Kuhn said no.”

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Turbulence Ruled Out as Flight Issues Cause Jolts That Killed Montgomery County Woman on Flight

By MCS Staff

Turbulence has been ruled out as the cause of Montgomery County woman’s death earlier this month after pilots told investigators they did not encounter turbulence on the flight, providing an update to the early statements from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) from a preliminary assessment the day after the crash. According to FOX5, “investigators said Friday that a passenger on a business jet was fatally injured in early March when the aircraft violently bucked up and down after pilots disconnected a system used to stabilize the plane.”

The flight took off from New Hampshire and was destined for Leesburg, VA before making an emergency landing in Connecticut. Dana Hyde, of Cabin John, was transported via ambulance to Saint Francis Medical Center, in Hartford, Connecticut after suffering blunt-force injuries. Hyde worked in the Clinton and Obama White Houses and was counsel on the 9/11 Commission, which investigated the September 11th terrorist attacks.

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Beyond MoCo: Columbia Mall to Implement New Curfew Policy on Weekends

By MCS Staff

The Mall in Columbia, also known as Columbia Mall, will now require adult supervision for minors on weekends. According to WBAL, “Starting March 31, all guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 years old. The curfew begins at 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. To enforce the program, trained public safety officers will be stationed at mall entrances to check IDs.”

According to the report, the mall said the new curfew is intended to crack down on unruly behavior. The policy comes after police made three arrests in January while responding to a large group of disorderly teenagers at the mall. FOX 5 reported that “Brookfield Properties did confirm they already began a juvenile curfew policy at the Towson Town Center in Maryland. That policy requires teens 17 years old and younger to be escorted by a parent or supervising adult on Fridays and Saturdays, from 4 p.m. to close.”

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Beyond MoCo: Baltimore Fire Department Responds to Report of Vehicle in the Water at the Inner Harbor

By MCS Staff

With a recent string of crashes leading to overturned vehicles and one driving into a building in the last two days here in Montgomery County, the Baltimore Fire Department had to swiftly jump into action when they responded to a call shortly after 4pm on Wednesday afternoon for a report of a car in the water at the Inner Harbor.

Upon arrival to the scene on the 700 block of E Pratt Street, all occupants were out the vehicle with the help of a bystander. The fire department tweeted that Fireboats were on scene with a car into the water. Two people were treated and transported to the hospital with minor injuries. No word on what led to the vehicle in the water. Featured photo courtesy of the Baltimore Fire Department (tweet below).

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“LEGO Discovery Center DC” to Open This Summer

By MCS Staff

Last year we reported that Springfield Town Center, in Springfield Virginia (Fairfax County) executed an agreement with Merlin Entertainments, the world’s second-largest visitor attractions operator, to launch the next generation of LEGO Discovery Center in 2023. The 32,000 square foot indoor attraction has been co-created by Merlin & the LEGO Group and will be accessible on one level right off the main entrance to the property. Springfield Town Center is located at the intersection of I-95, 395, 495, and Fairfax Parkway. There are currently 14 Legoland Discovery Centers in the United States and 13 overseas, with the closest being in Philadelphia. The center has since announced that it will be known as LEGO Discovery Center DC and is expected to open this summer. Additional information below, courtesy of Merlin Entertainments:

“We are delighted to be opening an indoor LEGO attraction in Washington DC at Springfield Town Center. Our LEGO themed attractions have been a huge success across the globe, providing an opportunity for adults and children to spend fun and quality time together in an awesome LEGO world. We look forward to revealing more special details over the coming months ahead of welcoming our first visitors in 2023,” said Meike Lippert, Senior Divisional Director Midway Europe and Global New Openings, Merlin Entertainments. “This new attraction helps PREIT achieve its goal of creating high quality purposeful places that serve as one-stop destinations for customers at a key property in a growing market,” said Joseph F. Coradino, Chairman and CEO of PREIT. “Experiential tenants have proven to be great catalysts throughout our portfolio and we expect that, upon opening, our trade area will expand by a two hour drive time, driving traffic and sales.”

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Beyond MoCo: Governor Moore Requests Federal Fishery Disaster Declaration for Invasive Blue Catfish

By Patrick Herron

Per the State of Maryland (3.16.23): Governor Wes Moore is today calling on the federal government to declare the expanding population of invasive fish species—including blue catfish, flathead catfish, and snakehead—to be an ongoing commercial fishery disaster in the Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay. The governor sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo requesting the declaration under provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act.

Since 2012, the total catch of seven of Maryland’s marquee commercial fishery species that share their habitat with invasive fish at some point in their life cycle has declined between 27% and 91%. The dockside value of these species has likewise declined between 12% and 85%. Commercial fisheries—including hard blue crab, striped bass, yellow perch, and others—have brought in an average $64 million yearly in dockside value during that time, making declines a significant loss for Maryland’s commercial watermen and the state’s economy.

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Arrest Made in August 2022 Murder of Montgomery County Man

By MCS Staff

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in a homicide that occurred on Thursday, August 25, 2022, in the 800 block of 7th Street, Northwest. The decedent was previously identified as 21-year-old Montgomery County resident Juwaan Henry, of Silver Spring.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department: At approximately 8:16 pm, members of the First 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 transported the victim to a local hospital. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim was pronounced dead.

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Bird House Reopens at National Zoo for First Time in Six Years

By MCS Staff

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) invites visitors to soar into its renovated Bird House, having opened on Monday, March 13. The innovative exhibit explores the fascinating world of migratory songbirds, waterfowl and shorebirds native to North, Central and South American ecosystems. Migratory birds play critical roles in pest control, pollination and seed dispersal for trees and plants as well as crops. Bilingual panels—in English and Spanish—tell the story of how migratory birds connect communities and contribute to healthy ecosystems across the Americas.The Bird House closed for renovation Jan. 2, 2017 and March 13th marked the completion of the six-year, $69 million project. Additional information below, courtesy of the press release:

As Zoo visitors “migrate” through the shores of the Delaware Bay, a lush prairie pothole and a tropical Bird Friendly coffee farm, free-flighted birds stride, paddle, tweet and fly all around them. These multi-sensory, immersive aviaries mimic natural ecosystems—places that are of critical importance to the annual life cycles of migratory birds and that boost human well-being. From this exhibit, visitors can learn seven simple actions to live bird friendly to protect native species in their own backyards. The Bird House opening celebration is made possible with the support of Boeing.

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Former Laurel Police Chief Found Guilty of Attempted 1st-Degree Murder, 1st-Degree Arson and Malicious Burning

By Patrick Herron

Crawford is a former Police Chief for the City of Laurel, where he last served from 2006 until his resignation in 2010. Prior to that, Crawford was Chief of the District Heights Police Department and served as a Major for the Prince George’s County Police Department. Investigators say none of the civilian victims of the fires were connected to Crawford through his law enforcement career.

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Maryland State Police Identify Victim In Fatal Tanker Truck Crash In Frederick County

By Patrick Herron

Per the Maryland State Police: Maryland State Police have identified the man who died following a tanker truck crash Saturday in Frederick County. The victim is Ronald Leroy Heiston Jr., 58, of Smithsburg Maryland. Shortly before noon on Saturday, troopers from the Maryland State Police Frederick Barrack responded to Route 15 North, approximately a half mile north of Rosemont Avenue in Frederick, Maryland, for a report of a single-vehicle crash with a fire. According to a preliminary investigation, Heiston was driving a tanker truck with approximately 8,650 gallons of gasoline from Manassas, Virginia to Taneytown, Maryland. For unknown reasons, Heiston’s vehicle left the right side of the road, struck a tree and caught fire. Heiston was declared deceased at the scene. He was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore, where positive identification was made.

Investigators said six homes and five vehicles sustained damage from the fire that originated from the tanker truck crash. No other injuries or fatalities were reported as a result of the crash or the subsequent fires. Route 15 was temporarily closed in both directions following the crash. The Maryland State Police Crash Team will lead the crash investigation with assistance from troopers from the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division and the Traffic Incident Management Section. The Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Maryland Department of the Environment were notified and responded to the scene as well. Personnel from the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration also responded and established detours around the area. The crash remains under investigation.

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