Beyond MoCo Archives - Page 150 of 187

Beyond MoCo: National Air and Space Museum Reopens With Eight New Galleries

Published October 14, 2022 at 11:13AM

The National Air and Space Museum at 600 Independence Ave in DC reopens today, October 14, after completing the first phase of renovations which began in 2018. Full details below courtesy of the Smithsonian:

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum reopens Friday, Oct. 14, with eight new and renovated galleries in the west wing of its building in Washington, D.C. The planetarium and museum store will also reopen, along with the new Mars Café. The east wing of the museum will remain closed while it is renovated. Free timed-entry passes are required to visit the west wing and can be reserved on the museum’s website.

Montgomery Village Man Struck and Killed While Working Roadway Construction in Fort Washington

By MCS Staff

Published October 13, 2022 at 2:04PM | Updated October 13, 2022 at 2:23PM

Huerta Melendez, 56, of Montgomery Village was struck and killed on October 11 while working roadway construction on Indian Head Highway in Fort Washington, MD. According to the Prince George’s Police Department, the driver of a vehicle struck several traffic cones before striking Melendez, who was standing in a closed section of the roadway, on Tuesday night. The driver of the striking vehicle was transported to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

The preliminary investigation revealed Melendez was working as a roadway construction worker on site on Indian Heady Highway at the time of the collision. For reasons now under investigation, the driver struck several traffic cones before striking the victim who was standing in a closed section of the roadway. The car then struck a median and a second vehicle. Melendez was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the striking vehicle was transported to a hospital with injuries that do not appear life-threatening. The second driver was not injured.

Beyond MoCo: Ohio Man Admits to Making a Bomb and Driving it to Carroll County, Maryland with the Intent to Kill His Romantic Rival

By MCS Staff

Published October 13, 2022 at 7:05AM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: Clayton Alexander McCoy, age 32, of Chesterland, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to transporting explosives with intent to injure and to possession of an unregistered firearm/explosive device, in connection with an explosion at a home in Carroll County, Maryland. A resident of the home was the boyfriend of a woman in whom McCoy had a romantic interest.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci; Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees; and Carroll County State’s Attorney Allan Culver.

Beyond MoCo: Big Greek Cafe Now Open in Urbana

By MCS Staff

Published October 12, 2022 at 2:15PM

$6 gyros are now available on Wednesdays in Frederick County as Big Greek Cafe has officially opened its new Urbana location in Village Square at Urbana– joining the likes of Chipotle, Jersey Mike’s, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Domino’s at the new retail development (3290 Bennett Creek Ave). After a few delays with supplies and kitchen equipment the restaurant officially opened on Monday, October 10th.

This is the 6th location for the local restaurant, and the first outside of Montgomery County. Big Greek Cafe opened its first location in Downtown Silver Spring in 2009 and has quickly grown to become a local favorite across the county. There are currently additional locations in Bethesda, Hillandale, Kensington, and Rockville, along with Big Greek Cafe on Wheels– a food truck that debuted in 2020.

Beyond MoCo: Maryland State Police Aviation Crew Rescue Injured Hunter Who Fell From Tree In Howard County

By Patrick Herron

Published October 11, 2022 at 9:05AM

The aviation crew from Washington Section, Trooper 2, based out of Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base, configured the helicopter for an aerial hoist rescue and responded to the scene. While enroute, it was determined that an ATV would not be able to reach the patient. Due to the extended distance and extrication coupled with the patient’s significant injuries, it was requested that Trooper 2 hoist the patient out of the wooded area and transport the patient.

As the pilots located the extrication site in the wooded area, the pilots maneuvered the Augusta AW-139 helicopter into a steady 150-foot hover. A state trooper/flight paramedic was deployed from the helicopter to the wooded area where the injured hiker was located. The trooper flight paramedic performed an assessment and used a PEP bag to package the patient with the assistance of HCDFRS personnel. The patient was hoisted into the helicopter where Trooper 2 transitioned to a medevac and flew the patient to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

DC and Baltimore Named Among ‘Worst Cities For Driving’ in New Report

By MCS Staff

Published October 11, 2022 at 7:16AM | Updated October 11, 2022 at 6:02PM

With Americans losing an average of $564 per year in wasted time due to traffic congestion, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022’s Best & Worst Cities to Drive in. Washington DC and Baltimore, the two closest major cities included in the list, were both ranked among the worst cities to drive in, ranked in the bottom 7 of the 100 cities listed.

To determine the most driver-friendly places in the U.S., WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 30 key metrics. The data set ranges from average gas prices to annual hours in traffic congestion per auto commuter to auto-repair shops per capita.

Beyond MoCo: Columbia, MD (Howard County) is ‘Safest City in America’, According to Report

By MCS Staff

Published October 10, 2022 at 3:28PM

Personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022’s Safest Cities in America, and nearby Columbia MD (Howard County) was ranked the safest city in America. It appears that only Baltimore and Columbia, the two areas in MD with a population over 100,000 were the only places in Maryland included in the report.

Per WalletHub, To determine where Americans can feel most protected against life’s hazards, including nonphysical forms of danger, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 42 key metrics. The data set ranges from the percentage of residents who are fully vaccinated and assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and road quality.

Beyond MoCo: Howard County Plans to Repurpose “Snow Days” as Asynchronous Instruction Days

By MCS Staff

Published October 10, 2022 at 7:13AM

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) has approved a plan for the 2022-2023 school year that would repurpose “snow days”, also known as inclement weather days, as asynchronous learning days. According to the HCPSS website, HCPSS is planning to repurpose up to three inclement weather days as asynchronous instruction days, which will be used at the discretion of the Superintendent. No word yet on if MCPS plans to follow suit.

For the 2022-2023 school year, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is allowing local school systems to repurpose up to three inclement weather days as asynchronous instruction days. The HCPSS vision for the asynchronous instruction day includes minimizing the disruption to instructional momentum with a greater value than when adding days to the end of the academic calendar.

Beyond MoCo: Arundel Mills Placed on Lockdown After Accidental Discharge of Firearm in Food Court

By Patrick Herron

Published October 1, 2022 at 5:16PM

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.

MPD Seeks Public’s Assistance in Murder of Montgomery County Man Last Thursday

By MCS Staff

Published October 1, 2022 at 6:28AM

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.

Rockville Couple Facing Federal Indictment for Allegedly Providing Confidential Information to Russian Representative to Assist Russia in Connection to the Conflict In Ukraine

By Patrick Herron

Published September 29, 2022 at 9:03PM

Gabrielian is scheduled to have initial appearance at 11:30 a.m. today, in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brendan A. Hurson. Henry is also expected to have an initial appearance today, although a time has not yet been set. The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

As stated in the indictment, Gabrielian is an anesthesiologist and worked at Medical Institution 1, located in Baltimore, Maryland. Henry, a Major in the United States Army, who held a Secret-level security clearance, is Gabrielian’s husband and a doctor. During the time of the alleged conspiracy, Henry worked as a staff internist stationed at Fort Bragg, the home of the Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps, headquarters of the United States Army Special Operations Command, and the Womack Army Medical Center.