UPDATE: Avalon Godwin has been located safe and unharmed. Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s […]
|
Rockville
There will be a community Chanukah Celebration tonight at the Pike District’s Banneker Street Pop-up Park on Grand Park Ave in North Bethesda (green space behind the Bethesda North Marriott […]
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 14-year-old from Rockville. Allison Espinales was last seen on Monday, December 12, 2022, at approximately 1 p.m., at her residence on Canterbury Lane in Rockville.
Espinales is approximately 5-feet tall and weighs 110 pounds. She has reddish hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and gray Jordan sneakers. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.
Per the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office: Today in the District Court in Rockville for Montgomery County, MD, defendant, Torrey Moore, appeared before the Honorable Amy Bills for a bond hearing for the charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a violent crime for the death of Ayalew Wondimu that was continued from December 15th for a court diagnostic (mental evaluation). After reviewing the report by the Office of Court-Ordered Evaluations and Placements (OCEP) within the Department of Health (MDH), Judge Bills ruled Moore is not competent to stand trial and scheduled a date for a competency hearing on June 13th, 2023. She also scheduled a preliminary hearing for January 6th, 2023.
Last week, State’s Attorney John McCarthy announced Moore is also being charged in the death of a woman and her unborn child. Once the Department of Corrections transports Moore to the Central Processing Unit to be arraigned on those charges he will have an additional bond hearing. Mr. McCarthy spoke with reporters following today’s hearing and that can be seen here.
The Rockville City Police are attempting to locate a missing teenager last seen at the Rockville Library (21 Maryland Ave) on December 11. Per RCPD:” Missing -Julia Echo Ames, 19, last seen at Rockville Library on 12/11/22 wearing a dark blue tank top, light gray windbreaker jacket, zebra print leggings, small blue backpack. Concern for her welfare. Call RCPD CIU at 240-314-8938 with info. A photo of Julia Ames is included.”
Missing -Julia Echo Ames, 19, last seen at Rockville Library on 12/11/22 wearing a dark blue tank top, light gray windbreaker jacket, zebra print leggings, small blue backpack. Concern for her welfare. Call RCPD CIU at 240-314-8938 with info. A photo of Julia Ames is included. pic.twitter.com/9NK9DqGhDf
According to Buffalo News, a Seattle man, Joey George (37), was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court to two years in federal prison for threatening to kill Black customers at a grocery store in Buffalo as well as other businesses across the country, including a cannabis dispensary in Rockville.
According to the Department of Justice, George pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle to making interstate threats and committing a hate crime for interference with a federally protected activity. The defendant has been in federal custody since his arrest on July 22. According to the plea agreement, Joey David George, 37, of Lynwood, telephoned multiple grocery stores in Buffalo, New York, and threatened to shoot Black people in the stores. George told the staff at the store to “take him seriously,” and ordered the store to clear out the customers, as he was “nearby” and “preparing to shoot all Black customers.” One store closed. The threats followed a racially-motivated shooting at another Buffalo grocery store in May. Law enforcement traced the phone number and identified George as the person who made the call.
Last January we reported that Boston Market would be opening a new Rockville Pike location, according to signage that was put up at the old Katsu Go location in Towne Plaza (the shopping center that’s home to Navy Federal Credit Union and PM Pediatrics) at 12238 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852. This morning we spoke with a klnb representative who told us that Boston Market signed a lease, but is pulling out of the space. The restaurant previously had a location just a couple miles away– on Randolph Road in Loehmann’s Plaza. That location closed back in February of 2019 and has since been replaced by Toosso.
Boston Market also closed its White Oak location in early 2020, but has remaining MoCo locations in Aspen Hill and Gaithersburg. Boston Market was founded as Boston Chicken in 1985. Currently the chain has over 340 company-owned restaurants nationwide. An expected opening date is not currently available.
Nearly 100 Robert E. Peary High School alumni gathered for a surprise celebration to honor and thank their former teacher, Mr. Vincent Gibbs, for a lifetime of sharing his love for the performing arts, humanities and English education with his students. Mr. Gibbs, known as Mr. Christmas is in his Germantown community for the decorations and nativity scene that he puts up at his home each year, hasn’t been able to decorate due to his treatments for melanoma.
Debi Barbee, Class of 1983, drove attendees in a Montgomery County School bus from Fox Chapel Shopping Center to Mr. Gibbs’s nearby home in Germantown. The celebration began at 1:00 pm in the front yard of Mr. Gibbs’ home. Attendees held up posters, sang Christmas carols and the song “The Impossible Dream” (brief video below), and delivered a few short speeches to honor their former teacher.
Back in March, we let you know that Hulu Skewer House would be moving in to 1488-B Rockville Pike, the former location of Mi Rancho and On The Border before that, next to Yekta. The restaurant had its hearing with Alcohol Beverage Services for a beer, wine, and liquor license at 9:30am back on March 17, so final inspections appear to be the only thing left to go on the restaurant that’s nearing its opening (exact date not currently available).
Hulu Skewer House touts “the most authentic Chinese BBQ experience in Maryland.” It will offer a variety of skewers, appetizers, and Chinese cuisine. They will also have karaoke available on the second floor, which is currently being constructed. The space has been vacant since Mi Rancho closed its Rockville location since September 18th. Mi Rancho continues to operate its Germantown and Silver Spring locations.
In June we let you know that Lil’ Cakes & Creamery will be opening a new location at 844 Rockville Pike, the former site of Sam’s Cafe & Market, also known as Sam’s Hookah. Sam’s closed permanently at the end of March. Lil’ Cakes initially expected the new location to open in about 3-4 months, but it has taken a little longer than anticipated. Construction is now underway inside and we expect an opening in the first half of 2023.
Lil’ Cakes & Creamery offers a rotating selection of cupcakes and ice cream, as well as macarons, pupcakes, cookies, cookie sandwiches, pushpops, and milkshakes. Their Gaithersburg shop opened in October 2019 and is located a few stores down from the former site of Chuck E. Cheese’s (now Five Below) in Gaithersburg Square. They have additional locations in White Marsh and Urbana.
Ebisu Life Store opened at 836 Rockville Pike, the former location of Shah and Patel Grocery, last January. The store has recently expanded to take over what was formerly home to Mattress Frame, with additional signage being put up today (photo below). In addition to the new signage, Ebisu is adding Gashapon, also known as gachapon, toy vending machines.
Per Japan Crate: “Gashapon are vending machines that sell capsule toys and other tiny products for a few hundred yen almost everywhere in Japan. They can be seen lining the Tokyo streets, restaurants, and retail malls. Gashapon toys is a distinctive feature of Japan and a compulsive type of amusement. The most thrilling moment is when you can finally open the capsule and see what’s inside after you’ve put some coins in the machine and started it. Items obtained from capsules inside gashapon machines are extremely well-liked and affordable. It features toys and trinkets such as keychains, figurines, and pouches of various kinds. You’ll need to be extremely lucky if there is something specific you are looking for to receive it on your first try.”