Rockville

Rockville Mayor and Council Adopt Fee Increases to Cover Development Costs

By Patrick Herron

Building permit and license fees consist mainly of building and trade-related permits, nonbusiness licenses, fire safety permits and life-safety reviews on new commercial buildings, additions and alterations, as well as occupancy permits. Certain fees, such as those for residential solar panel installations and EV charging installations, remain unchanged to support and facilitate the city’s Climate Action Plan. Additionally, to limit increases to residential one- and two-family permits, there will be small increases in fees for single-family residential projects.

Most fixed-rate fees will increase by about 2.5% to account for inflation. Rental license fees will increase from $200 biennially to $220 biennially. A new fee of $450 has been established for a short-term rental license (anticipated to be effective later this year or in early 2024).  A 10% automation fee will be assessed on all permits, to offset costs associated with use of technology in connection with permitting and inspection services.

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Person on Tracks Temporarily Shut Down Red Line in Rockville Saturday Evening

By MCS Staff

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) and the Metro Transit Police Department responded to a call for a person on the tracks at the Rockville Metro Station at 250 Rockville Pike around 6:25pm on Saturday evening.

According to MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, rail traffic was shut down in both directions between the Rockville and Twinbrook stations. The person was in custody by 6:50pm and there were no apparent injuries sustained. Things should be “picking up” again shortly. Featured photo courtesy of @a__littlewoman on Instagram.

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Detectives Investigate North Bethesda Armed Carjacking

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating an armed carjacking that occurred in the 5500 block of Executive Blvd. in North Bethesda on Tuesday, May 9, 2023. Detectives have released surveillance photos the suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying him.

At approximately 5:05 p.m., 2nd District officers responded to the 11300 block of Woodglen Dr. for the report of an armed carjacking that just occurred. The investigation by detectives determined that an adult female victim was walking away from her 2015 navy blue BMW 535i, that was parked in the 5500 block of Executive Blvd., when the unknown suspect approached her, demanded her keys and displayed a dark colored handgun. The victim threw her keys at the suspect and ran toward Woodglen Dr., where she called the police. The suspect left the area in the BMW, traveling on Woodglen Dr. toward Nicholson Ln.

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Five Things To Do in MoCo This Weekend

By Patrick Herron

Never letting the grass grow under their feet, the Kentlands Under the Lights committee has been hard at work since the beginning of the year on what will be a wholly new and reimagined Kentlands Under the Lights for 2023. Kentlands Under the Lights will have a new and expanded footprint on Market Street running from the traffic circle to CenterPoint – and now fully including the Paseo space and merchants – more music options including three band stages, more food and drink options, and more places to sit and linger and enjoy the company and fellowship of our friends and neighbors on a warm summer night. Kentlands Under the Lights 2023 will be the best yet.

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Stone Mill Elementary School Safety Patrols Honored for Heroism and Leadership

By MCS Staff

Two fifth grade students serving as safety patrols at Stone Mill Elementary School in North Potomac have been recognized by AAA Mid-Atlantic for their efforts to help a classmate who fell from a second story banister during dismissal earlier this year.

The students, Matina Naum and Alex Rossoshek, were at their safety patrol posts by a stairwell in the school. During dismissal, a fellow student fell from a banister to the cement floor two stories below. The girls remained calm, cleared the stairwell, navigated students away and got immediate adult help. Despite their emotions and their friendship with the boy, they were able to answer many questions from emergency personnel.

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Mykonos Signs On to Bring New Restaurant to Cabin John Village

By MCS Staff

Mykonos, a Rockville staple since the 90s, will be opening a new restaurant in Potomac’s Cabin John Village. The restaurant is listed as the tenant in the space that was occupied by Broadway Pizza until the end of 2021, and the new restaurant was confirmed by a representative at the restaurant. The opening of the new restaurant will not affect the Rockville location, which will continue to operate as it has.

Mykonos, which is more of a traditional Greek restaurant than its Rockville location, also has a sister, fast-casual restaurant, Gyroland. It’s located at 1701-B3 Rockville Pike and opened in 2017. Gyroland serves open or wrapped sandwiches with lamb, beef, pork or chicken as set menu items or customizable dishes, as well as platters, salads and sides, Greek appetizers like the tyrokafteri spicy feta dip, and more.

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MoCo’s Very Own, CAVA, Makes its Debut on the New York Stock Exchange

By MCS Staff

Cava is making its debut on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday morning, with its IPO priced at $22 per share, valuing the company at $2.5 billion. The company, which was started by three Montgomery County natives with its first full-service restaurant in Rockville in 2006 (Cava Mezze in Traville Gateway), has since become the largest restaurant operator in the Mediterranean category in the U.S. restaurant industry, has opened over 200 restaurants since opening its first fast-casual spot in Bethesda in 2011.

In 2006, first-generation Greek Americans Ted Xenohristos (Paint Branch High School), Ike Grigoropoulos (Gaithersburg High School), and Dimitri Moshovitis (Quince Orchard High School) launched the full-service Cava Mezze restaurant in the Traville Gateway shopping center (Rockville), with Moshovitis as executive chef. Following the launch of four additional restaurants, in 2008, Xenohristos, Grigoropoulos, and Moshovitis launched a line of dips and spreads to over 200 stores, including Whole Foods Market. In 2009, Brett Schulman joined them as CEO and co-founder of the fast-casual chain CAVA (originally called Cava Mezze Grill, later rebranded as Cava Grill and then simply as CAVA). The group opened the first CAVA restaurant in Bethesda in January 2011.

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Shady Grove Caregivers Break Ground on Hospital’s New Patient Care Tower

By MCS Staff

Building is Among First U.S. Care Spaces Designed and Built Since COVID; Tower Will Bring Upgrades to Busy Emergency Department, Critical Care Units: Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center broke ground on its new, six-story patient care tower during last month (featured photo shows construction from June 15th). The tower, adjacent to the existing hospital, will bring residents of middle and upper Montgomery County upgraded and modernized Emergency Department; a larger state-of-the art intensive care unit; new medical-surgical patient rooms; and several other features.

The groundbreaking coincided with both National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week. Accordingly, the hospital selected 10 caregivers to join Shady Grove’s president, Dan Cochran, and Adventist HealthCare President and CEO Terry Forde for the dirt turning ceremony. The group used shovels with blades decorated by caregivers, representing units connected to services in the new tower.

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Free e-Scooter Class Adults This Sunday

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Residents 18-and-older interested in e-scooter lessons will have the opportunity to attend the last free clinic of the spring schedule sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. The class will be from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, June 18, at Montgomery College, which is located at 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville.

The classes will be in Parking Lot 13. Participants can take a test ride, learn safety tips and get details on basic scooter laws. A valid driver’s license or ID is required to participate. The clinic is drop-in and no registration is required. Those interested in e-scooters can stop in at any time during the two-hour clinic. Scooters will be available at each site.

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‘Suds and Soles’ 5K on Tap in Rockville Town Center on Saturday, June 17

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The “Suds & Soles 5K” run and event, which is a Rockville tradition, will be held starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 17, in Rockville Town Center. The race, which is one of the few evening road races in the Washington metropolitan area, is presented through a partnership of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and the City of Rockville. The 5K Run is open to all ages and will be followed by a fantastic post-race party.

Suds & Soles is a USATF certified 5K course beginning and ending in Rockville Town Center. The course will run through Downtown Rockville and through neighborhood roads before returning to Town Center. Participants who maintain a pace that is greater than 20 minutes per mile may be directed to the sidewalk and from that point on will be required to follow normal pedestrian rules.

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