Wheaton Archives - Page 56 of 93

Detectives Investigate Shed Burglary; Photos of Suspect Released

Published June 27, 2023 at 2:31PM | Updated June 28, 2023 at 4:26PM

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 4th District Investigative Section are investing a shed burglary that occurred on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, in the 12300 block of Atherton Dr. in Silver Spring. Detectives have released photos of the suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying him.

At approximately 6:25 p.m., 4th District officers responded to the location for the report of a burglary that just occurred. The investigation by detectives determined that the unknown male suspect went into the victim’s shed and placed stolen tools in a black backpack. As the suspect was walking away from the scene, the adult male victim confronted him and pulled on the backpack, causing the stolen tools to fall. The suspect walked away from the scene without any stolen property.

Wheaton Mall to Offer Complimentary Parking/Shuttles For the “Mid-County Sparkles” Independence Day Celebration

By MCS Staff

Published June 26, 2023 at 3:45PM

Mid-County Sparkles, one of Montgomery County’s Independence Day celebrations, will take place on Saturday, July 1st. Live music begins at 6 pm and fireworks begin at 9:15 pm. No alcohol or pets are permitted. Time is approximate and may change due to weather and additional information will be available closer to the event date. This event will be held at Newport Mill Local Park.

Westfield Wheaton Mall will be offering complimentary parking and round trip shuttle bus transportation from the mall parking lots to Albert Einstein High School (11135 Newport Mill Rd, Kensington, MD) starting at 5:30pm on Saturday, July 1 (Westfield Wheaton Mall,11160 Veirs Mill Rd, Wheaton, MD) for the region’s popular, annual firework and live music festival.

Wiseguy Pizza to Open First MoCo Location

By Patrick Herron

Published June 23, 2023 at 9:10PM

Coming soon signage is up for Wiseguy Pizza in the Wheaton Mall food court. The restaurant will be located in the space that was previously occupied by Angel’s Pizza. Wiseguy serves stone-deck oven baked pizza by the slice that’s made with imported ingredients from Italy, homemade sauces, and dough using a special water filtration system. Pizza options include Cheese, Pepperoni, Paneer Tikki (House Masala, Paneer, Mozzarella, Onions, Tomato, Green & Chili Peppers, Cilantro, Jalapeño Sauce), Nashville Hot Chicken, Chicken Parmesan, and Whitestone (Garlic, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmigiano, Oregano, Oil from Tuscany Italy.)

Planet Fitness to Open Two New Locations in Montgomery County

By Patrick Herron

Published June 22, 2023 at 12:33PM | Updated June 22, 2023 at 3:41PM

Planet Fitness has announced it will be opening new locations at 6881 New Hampshire Ave. in Takoma Park and 2201 Randolph Rd. in Wheaton (Glenmont). Construction is scheduled to begin soon and both locations are expected to open by the end of the year. The Glenmont location will be next to the existing Lidl.

According to Planet Fitness, “Both locations will offer state-of-the-art cardio machines and strength equipment, a 30-Minute Express Circuit, fully equipped locker rooms and numerous flat screen televisions. They also will feature a PF Black Card® Spa area with HydroMassage beds, massage chairs, tanning, a RelaxSpace Wellness Pod (where members can relax, reset and focus on their mental health for up to 15 minutes) and a Recovery Lounge offering a multi-sensory experience combining hot, cold and compression therapy.

MCPS Back-to-School Fair Set for Saturday, Aug. 26

By MCS Staff

Published June 21, 2023 at 5:48PM

Courtesy MCPS

Schools may have just ended, but anyone looking to put the finishing touches on their summer plans may be interested in knowing about the Back-to-School Fair scheduled for Saturday, August 26th.

Per Montgomery County Public Schools: All MCPS students and families are invited to kick off the 2023-2024 school year at the MCPS Back-to-School Fair on Saturday, Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Westfield Wheaton mall.

Free Animation, Graphic Novel and Mini Comic Book Programs Will Be Offered at Wheaton and White Oak Branches of Montgomery County Public Libraries in July and August

By Patrick Herron

Published June 21, 2023 at 3:43PM

Per Montgomery County: The Wheaton and White Oak libraries of Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) will offer several free animation, graphic novel and mini comic book programs for ages 10 to 50-and-over in July and August. The animation workshops explore the history, science and creative possibilities of animation. Participants will create three optical toys: a thaumatrope, a zoetrope strip and a flip-book.

The graphic novel classes teach participants to create a graphic novel page using all the conventions of graphic novel storytelling: narration, dialogue, character design, dynamic page layouts and cinematic techniques. The mini comic book workshops teach participants to write and illustrate a brief fictional, factual or a combination of both that will become six-to-eight-page narratives using one folded sheet of paper.

Fernando Santiago of Silver Spring Selected as Winner of 2023 Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival Poster

By Patrick Herron

Published June 7, 2023 at 9:21AM

Per Montgomery County: The poster for the seventh annual Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival will be based on a design submitted by Fernando Santiago, a Silver Spring artist and resident. As the winner of poster contest, he will receive a cash prize of $500 donated by IHOP Wheaton. The poster contest was open to all residents of Montgomery County. After Mr. Santiago’s artwork was selected, Wheaton Arts Parade designer Josue Martinez of Corinto Gallery incorporated it into the design for the poster and T-shirt. It will be featured in all promotional materials leading up to the parade.

More than 50 festival tents are available in the 2023 festival for artists to rent to exhibit and sell their original artwork and for arts organizations and community organizations to promote their work. The day is inspired by the parade and the closure of roads so that people can pull giant floats and show off their art, play music and dance,

Mi Mariachi to Take Over Nava Thai Space in Wheaton

By MCS Staff

Published June 7, 2023 at 7:26AM

Mi Mariachi Bar & Grill will take over the space that was recently home to Nava Thai and previously home to Sir Walter Raleigh at 11301 Fern St in Wheaton. Nava Thai closed in February after approximately 16 years at the location.

It is unclear at this time if this version of Mi Mariachi is related to the Mi Mariachi that was previously in Wheaton at 2715 University Blvd W. This version of the restaurant incorporated in April 2023 and has an Alcoholic Beverage Services (ABS) hearing for its alcohol and liquor license on Thursday, June 15th at 1pm. We’ll have additional information as it becomes available. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.

MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 26 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving a Violent Murder in Montgomery County and for Drug Distribution and Firearms Violations

By MCS Staff

Published June 2, 2023 at 12:56PM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced El Salvadoran national Jose Lopez Rivera, age 27, of Elmont, New York, formerly residing in Maryland, to 26 years in federal prison for a racketeering conspiracy involving a violent murder connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13, and for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Since at least 2015, Lopez Rivera was a member of the Fulton Locos Salvatruchas (“FLS”) MS-13 clique.

MCPD: Final Suspect Arrested for 2022 Stabbing

By Patrick Herron

Published June 1, 2023 at 10:06AM

Per MCPD: Kevin Vargas Gomez, age 20, Jose Ingles Mendez, age 30, and Heidy Gomez Rodriguez, age 36, all of Silver Spring have been arrested in connection with the Sunday, August 21, 2022, stabbing that occurred near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Reedie Drive in Wheaton.

Montgomery County Police – 4^th District Patrol Investigations Unit (PIU) learned that Vargas Gomez and Mendez approached the victim in the 2400 block of Reedie Drive and began to punch him repeatedly before hitting him with a bottle causing it to break. They then used the broken bottle to stab the victim repeatedly. The victim was able to get away and ran towards Georgia Avenue. Vargas Gomez and Mendez chased after the victim and continued to punch and kick him in the street. Gomez Rodriguez picked up both Mendez and Vargas Gomez in a vehicle and drove away from the scene of the assault.

PNC to Close 26 of Its DC Metro Area Giant Branches, Including Three in Montgomery County

By MCS Staff

Published May 31, 2023 at 5:09PM | Updated May 31, 2023 at 6:56PM

Last year PNC Bank announced it would be closing “about 127 in-store branches at Giant Food and Stop & Shop supermarkets in Maryland, Virginia and the District as well as in New Jersey and Delaware.” The Pittsburgh-based bank has been closing many of these branches in waves throughout 2023, but at the time did not mention which specific branches would be closing. Today it was reported by the Washington Business Journal that 26 branches in Maryland and Northern Virginia would be closing, including three in Montgomery County (listed below).

Let year, PNC began the conversion of what will be 1,000 branches to an automated model. The conversion of all of these branches is expected to be completed by 2026. In September 2020, PNC Chairman and CEO William Demchak announced the bank was on track to close nearly 160 branches that year and another 120 in 2021 (109 ended up closing), as part of the bank’s strategy to lean harder on more prosperous digital sales. The three Montgomery County locations that will be closing are listed below: