A severe thunderstorm that rolled into the area around 7pm on Friday, July 28 has caused damage in several parts of Montgomery County. According to Chief Spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) Pete Priniger, MCFRS Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is currently on ‘CONDITION RED’ due to heavy call volume. Reminder: Treat traffic lights without a signal as four-way stops.
Incidents reported include:
Fabianna Herrera, instructor/Sensei at Senshi Karate Do in Montgomery Village, won the National Gold Medal in two categories – Women’s 16-34 Kata and Style Specific, at this year’s USANKF Karate Championships, which was held July 13-16th in Richmond, VA. Seventeen of Fabiana’s students also competed in junior divisions, bringing home a Total of 22 Medals – 7 Gold, 8 Silver, and 7 Bronze. The USANKF Karate Championships saw competitors from across the United States, including several who have represented the country at the Olympic Games. It is considered the most significant event on the Olympic circuit for karate.
Fabianna is a 2020 graduate of Clarksburg High School and started her karate journey at the age of seven, when she began training with her parents, David Abraham and Karla Flores, owners of the Senshi Karate dojo. Over the past decade she has participated in numerous competitions, including a Gold Medal win at last year’s US Open in Las Vegas. In 2019, Herrera earned a spot on Team USA’s roster.
Per Montgomery County: The County Council will hold public hearings to receive testimony on new items introduced to the Council as follows:
Residents have the opportunity to testify remotely for public hearings or provide in-person testimony at the Council Office Building in Rockville. Residents can register to speak in person or virtually at a public hearing, provide written testimony, prerecorded audio or video testimony using the online form at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/PHSignUp.html; or sent by mail to County Council, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850; or residents may sign up to testify remotely by phone (call 240-777-7803 for information). To express an opinion call 240-777-7900.
Per Montgomery County: The Wheaton Arts & Entertainment District, which has teamed up with the iconic Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center for this year’s TGIF Summer Concert Series in Downtown Wheaton, has postponed a concert scheduled for TONIGHT, Friday, July 28, due to the heat. The group that was going to headline tonight’s concert was The Nighthawks.
The concert was scheduled to be held outside at the Marian Fryer Town Plaza, adjacent to the Wheaton Business Triangle and near the Wheaton Metro Station. The Wheaton Arts & Entertainment District will try to reschedule The Nighthawks for a concert later this summer. For updated information on the concert series, go to https://www.wheatonmd.org/.
Per Montgomery County Police: The Special Victims Investigations Division is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 15-year-old, Sophia Isabella Roach (age 15).
Sophia was last seen on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 at approximately 9:30 p.m. on the 5600 block of Whitney Mill Way in Rockville. She is 5’2″, brown hair, brown eyes. The clothing she was wearing is unknown. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Sophia Isabella Roach is asked to call Montgomery County Police Non-Emergency (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line).
Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL), in partnership with Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Montgomery County Council, recently awarded grants totaling $1,425,000 to 21 organizations that provide 27 adult English language learning programs across the County.
Recipients of these grants include:
Torrey Moore, the man accused of murdering his 8-month pregnant girlfriend, Denise Middleton, and a gas station clerk, Ayalew Wondimu, in White Oak last December was found competent to stand trial, according to a report by MyMCMedia. Moore was previously ruled not competent to stand trial. The trial for the murder of Wondimu begins April 8, 2024. Trial begins May 8 for the murder of Middleton and her unborn baby boy. The chilling details of what occurred last year can be seen below in the Statement of Charges, per the Montgomery County State’s Attorney:
“On 12/8/22 at 3:00 PM, Montgomery County Police responded to a convenience store at the Shell Gas station located at 11150 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found the victim, Ayalew Wondimu, a black male with date of birth of 11/6/61, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigation revealed the victim was working inside the store, behind the register when he was shot. Wondimu was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Per Montgomery County Police: The Montgomery County Department of Police – Traffic Operations Division is rolling out two new versions of marked police cruisers: a standard “slick-top” cruiser and a “ghost graphic” slick-top cruiser. Neither police cruiser will have light bars mounted on the roof; however, they will have lights placed inside, on the top of the windshield and in the rear window.
The ghost graphic cruisers are outfitted with the department’s standard decal but will be displayed in what is referred to as “ghost graphics,” where the markings are a subdued gray and white instead of the standard black and gold lettering seen on most department-issued patrol cars. These graphics are faint during the day but are highly reflective at night.
Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County’s process for reviewing and approving development projects during the Development Review Process Workgroup listening sessions will provide one more opportunity for residents to provide input. Residents can sign up to provide feedback during the workgroup’s third and final listening session that will be held virtually from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 2. The second listening session was held at the Wheaton Headquarters of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) on July 18.
The Maryland General Assembly’s Montgomery County delegation created the workgroup, which is chaired by State Delegate Lesley Lopez (D-District 39). It is examining the County’s development review process, with a special focus on finding opportunities to improve the County’s economic competitiveness. The workgroup’s July 18 listening session followed a June 22 listening session and three livestreamed workgroup work sessions June 9, June 27 and July 12.
Per Montgomery County: Folklore follows formulas and conventions that govern the folksongs, the folk art and the folktales and legends people share. Many of the personal accounts of being abducted by aliens follow a three-part formulaic structure: captured by aliens; examined by aliens; and then returned to pre-abduction status, often with lasting memories of the encounter.
Mr. Deutsch is a curator and editor at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington, D.C., where he has helped plan and develop public programs on the Peace Corps, Hungary, China, Circus Arts, Apollo Theater, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Mekong River, U.S. Forest Service, World War II, Silk Road, and White House workers.
Residential customers above 150 percent of area median income and commercial and multi-unit residential accounts with master meters are eligible for the 100 percent waiver of late payment charges and turn-on fees. As of mid-July, more than 79,000 accounts were past due, accounting for $51.6 million in total revenue. The vast majority of overdue accounts reflected residential customers. WSSC Water resumed residential water service turnoffs on past-due accounts on July 5. Turnoffs were temporarily suspended in June to encourage program participation.
Only after extensive customer notification and all other reasonable alternatives have been exhausted, including efforts to connect every income-constrained customer with available financial assistance, will WSSC Water disconnect water service. WSSC Water offers several financial assistance programs to help customers get current with their bills. More information on other customer assistance programs is available at wsscwater.com/assistance.