Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a collision with entrapment on Tuesday, June 20, around 4pm. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the incident occurred near the intersection of Bonifant Road and Layhill Road in Layhill/Aspen Hill (Silver Spring). One patient has been extricated and EMS is transporting one adult with Priority2 trauma.
Back in February of 2019, Mezeh Mediterranean Grill closed its Wheaton Mall location and reported on its website that it will be relocating to the Aspen Hill shopping center. The would-be Aspen Hill location was later removed from the Mezeh website in 2020, but a representative from the shopping center told us the two sides still hoped to reach an agreement. Nearly three years later, it’s officially happening. Mezeh has recently started construction on the old Jerry’s Subs & Pizza space. An opening date is not yet available.
Mezeh Mediterranean Grill will also be opening a new location in the upcoming Kensington Crossing development at 10619 Connecticut Avenue (at Plyers Mill Road). The restaurant has signed on to take over a new 2,350SF space with plenty of outdoor seating. Mezeh is a fast-casual eatery with a buffet-style of offerings that include rice and salad bowls, wraps and a variety of sauces and toppings. Mezeh currently has MoCo locations in Gaithersburg and Germantown.
Montgomery Parks is postponing the community meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, 2023, about plans to develop a disc golf course at Northwest Branch Recreational Park. The meeting is being postponed due to health reasons. A new meeting date will be announced soon. We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause.
Montgomery Parks will hold a community meeting on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, from 7‒9 p.m. at the National Capital Trolley Museum to share information about a proposed disc golf course at Northwest Branch Recreational Park(Aspen Hill/Silver Spring). Parks staff will provide details about the project including how disc golf will activate this largely undeveloped park and complement the National Capital Trolley Museum.
Sephora opened inside Kohl’s in Calverton and Germantown earlier this year, after Kohl’s announced a major partnership with Sephora that would open 850 Sephora “shop-in-shops” in Kohl’s locations across the country by 2023, in a similar deal to the one struck between Target and Ulta. Sephora previously had a partnership with J.C. Penney that has been slowly winding down ever since J.C. Penney filed for bankruptcy in 2020.
Kohl’s will now be opening Sephora locations in its two remaining Montgomery County locations– Aspen Hill and Gaithersburg. Both are expected to open in mid/late June, according to store representatives. Sephora products that are available online and can be shipped to any of the Kohl’s locations in the area.
Last August we let you know that Floor & Decor would be taking over the space that was the longtime home of K-Mart at 14014 Connecticut Ave in Aspen Hill. The store is now officially open. This store opening marks the company’s seventh store in the Washington DC market, and second in Montgomery County (Gaithersburg), including six warehouse stores and one Design Studio. The Floor & Decor warehouse store and design center will open with a team of about 50 full-time and part-time associates led by Benjamin Whitting, the new store’s Chief Executive Merchant, according to a recent press release.
“Floor & Decor is thrilled to open our doors in Aspen Hill,” said Whitting. “We are excited to introduce both Professional customers, as well as Homeowners, to our one-stop solution for their flooring needs with an extensive selection of in-stock, trend-right flooring options. We offer unmatched service and quality flooring at unbeatable prices. With our free design services, we look forward to helping every customer turn their vision into reality.”
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Evelyn Sanchez-Gomez, a missing 15-year-old from Aspen Hill.
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Elias Montiel-Ulloa, a missing 15-year-old from Aspen Hill. Elias was last seen on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at approximately 10:30 p.m., in the 3000 block of Hewitt Avenue. Elias is approximately 6-feet tall and weighs 150 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue pants, and green and white sneakers. He has his right ear pierced. Police and family are concerned for his welfare.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Elias Montiel-Ulloa is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line) or the Special Victims Investigations Division at (240) 773-5400. Callers may remain anonymous.
In the Circuit Court hearing that took place on April 11, Montgomery County Judge John Maloney sentenced defendant, Vaughn Darvel Bellamy, 32, of Hagerstown, MD, to life in prison plus an additional 40 years. A jury convicted Bellamy and co-defendant, Bryan Byrd, in September 2022 on charges of first-degree murder for the death of Alexander Buie in 2013, and multiple related charges.
In November of 2013, the defendants forced their way into a home on Grenoble Drive in Rockville, intending to rob one of the occupants. At the time, the residence was serving as a recovery house, and home to several residents. The defendants were unaware their intended target had recently moved from the home. They confronted three adult males in the home, one of whom was the victim, Buie. A struggle ensued, during which, Mr. Buie was shot and fatally wounded. The defendants then fled the residence. Neither of the other two victims were injured.
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 4th District Patrol Investigative Unit are investigating a theft that occurred on Monday, April 3, 2023, at the Walgreens in the 13800 block of Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring. Detectives have released video (available below) of the three suspects and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying them.
The investigation by detectives has revealed that at approximately 7:54 p.m., the three suspects entered the store, stole a large amount of merchandise and left the scene. The first suspect is described as a Hispanic male, in his twenties or thirties, with black short hair, wearing a black Jordan hat, a black mask, a plaid long sleeved-bottom shirt, blue jeans and black/white Nike tennis shoes. The second suspect is described as a Hispanic female, in her twenties or thirties, with long blue hair, carrying a brown purse and wearing a plaid dress and gray tennis shoes.
Chavez is approximately 5-feet tall and weighs 115 pounds. She has short black hair and brown eyes. It is unknown what she was last seen wearing. She may be traveling with missing teen Elia Rosado Gamez. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Genesis Chavez is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line) or the Special Victims Investigations Division at (240) 773-5400. Callers may remain anonymous.
Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division have arrested 19-year-old Hector Zelaya Reyes with an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, February 3, 2023, in the 14100 block of Weeping Willow Drive in Aspen Hill. At approximately 1:10 p.m., 4th District officers responded to the location for the report of an armed robbery.
The investigation by detectives has revealed that the victim, a ride share driver, picked up a passenger, later identified as Zelaya Reyes, in the 12900 block of Connecticut Ave. and drove him to the 14100 block of Weeping Willow Drive. Upon arrival, Zelaya Reyes asked the victim for change, displayed a black handgun and demanded money. The victim handed over an undisclosed amount of money to Zelaya Reyes, who then exited the vehicle and left the scene. Through the investigation, detectives identified Zelaya Reyes as the suspect.