Keeping Marylanders of All Faiths Safe from Hate Crimes
Per the State of Maryland: “In an effort to reinforce the administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Marylanders of all faiths, Governor Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller today met with Muslim community leaders, educators, parents, and students at the Islamic Society of Baltimore. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. and Islamic Society of Baltimore President Hasan Hammad joined the governor and lieutenant governor. Last week, Lt. Gov. Miller visited the Beth El Congregation of Baltimore to attend evening Shabbat service and meet with congregation members.
“In Maryland we do not—and we will never—tolerate hatred. Not toward Muslims. Not toward Jews. Not toward Christians. Not toward anyone. Now is the time for us to stand together in love and community.”
Below you’ll see the most recent updates or final scores of the 2023 week 8 MCPS football games. The scores will be updated as we receive them. If a score isn’t listed, it’s because we haven’t yet received a report from the game that we can confirm. An ‘F’ signifies the score is confirmed as being final.
1. Upcoming Operating Budget Forums on Oct.19, Oct. 25 and Nov. 14 : MCPS is hosting a series of forums to learn more about the process for the 2024–2025 operating budget. Join us for a discussion with MCPS leadership and an opportunity to engage in breakout sessions. Events will be held on the following dates:
2. Applications for High School Regional/Countywide Special Programs: Grade 8 students can apply to Regional/Countywide Special Programs using the high school common application found in ParentVUE. Additionally, students in Grades 9-11 may apply for career readiness programs. Information sessions will be available for students and families, and all dates can be found on the special programs webpage.
Summer fun starts at Good Counsel! Our Summer Camps are packed with exciting activities, sports, creativity, adventure, and unforgettable memories for campers of all ages. From the field to the classroom and everywhere in between, there’s something for everyone at Good Counsel’s Summer Camps!
Spend your summer learning, laughing, and making new friends with the Good Counsel community. Spots are filling fast so be sure to register today!
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) and Montgomery County Police responded to a collision involving a school bus and a pedestrian on Thursday, October 19 in Silver Spring.
According to police, “At approximately 3:54 p.m., MCP officers responded to the area of East West Hwy and Grubb Rd. for the report of a collision. The preliminary investigation has revealed that a school bus struck an adult male pedestrian who was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. A child inside the school bus sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.” We will provide an update if additional information becomes available.
Join Kaiser Permanente for Healthy at the Harbor, a free community health and wellness event taking place Saturday, June 6, from 11 am to 4 pm at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Bring your family and friends for free full day of fun, fitness, and preventive care along the waterfront.
Throughout the day, Kaiser Permanente nurses and physicians will offer no-cost health screenings, alongside a health and wellness expo focused on preventive care education. A lively Kids’ Zone will keep children active and entertained with spin-art bikes, face painting, balloon art, games, and more.
Today, the State’s Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County unveiled a “data dashboard,” a publicly available resource designed to provide the community with access to information about case referrals, outcomes, and performance indicators. The Montgomery County Prosecutorial Dashboard was created by the nonprofit agency, Prosecutorial Performance Indicators. The Office of the State’s Attorney states that they are pleased to be able to provide a clearer view into the work of our office and how the criminal justice system operates in our community.This is the result of a two-year grant funded study commissioned by State’s Attorney John McCarthy. It is the first of its kind in the state of Maryland.
As part of this project, we received theFinal Report on Racial Justice in Prosecution in Montgomery County from Brian Johnson, PhD, a professor of Criminology at the University of Maryland in collaboration with Towson University and George Washington University. It is published within the dashboard under the heading “Data Stories.” “Data and transparency lead to greater access to justice. This is a starting place, and we will now be able to monitor trends over time to understand what’s working and where there are opportunities for improvement,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy. A link to the dashboard is now available via the State’s Attorney’s Office website and it will be updated regularly. “We thank State’s Attorney John McCarthy for his leadership and willingness to commit to building a data culture within his office and promoting transparency in prosecution,” said Melba Pearson, Esq., Co-Manager of the PPIs and Director of Prosecution Projects, Florida International University
Report updates plan implementation progress and development activity in North Bethesda since 2021
The Montgomery County Planning Department at its October 19 meeting on the 2023 Biennial Monitoring Report for the North Bethesda (White Flint) Sector Plan area. The report is a comprehensive update on development, infrastructure, and staging requirements, which ensure that new infrastructure is implemented with new development. The report also provides recommendations on mobility, infrastructure, and public facilities and amenities necessary to further implementation of sector plan recommendations.
The Anti-Hate Task Force was formally adopted through a resolution with unanimous support in June. The task force is made up of community and faith leaders working to engage the community and develop recommendations to inform policies that promote safety and combat hate crimes in Montgomery County.
Cohort groups representing the Jewish, Black/African American, LGBTQ+, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic and Muslim communities will present their policy recommendations at meetings throughout the fall. Each of the six cohort groups may also hold listening sessions to provide an opportunity for the public to engage and provide input.
An attempted carjacking took place on Wednesday, October 18, at 11:18 pm, on the 7100 block of Holly Avenue in Takoma Park, police say.
According to Takoma Park Police: “5-7 juvenile males approached the victim, who had just gotten out their vehicle. One male, described as a young-looking black male, wearing a red scarf over his face, pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded the victim’s car keys and cell phone. The victim complied and then ran inside to safety and called the police.
At a bond hearing this afternoon at District Court in Rockville, Raphael Mayorga, 19, of Frederick, MD, was ordered to be held without bond for allegedly striking Montgomery County Police Officer Patrick Kepp with his vehicle on I-270 in Gaithersburg early Wednesday morning. Officer Kepp remains in critical condition and is said to have lost the use of both of his legs. Mayorga is being charged with attempted first-degree murder.
The incident occurred around 3:48 a.m. on October, 18 after Kepp got out of his vehicle to deploy “stop sticks” near the Watkins Mill Rd exit on northbound I-270 after a citizen was almost run off the road by Mayorga. Mayorga is believed to have been traveling over 100mph when he intentionally struck Kepp with his vehicle. A second officer successfully deployed stop sticks near Clarksburg Rd, eventually bringing the Mayorga’s vehicle to a stop. A second person who was in the vehicle with Mayorga has not been charged and is being treated as a witness.
According to the United State’s District Attorney’s Office, Montgomery County Police Officer Justin Lee, 25, of Rockville, has been charged in a seven-count indictment that was unsealed today in the District of Columbia with offenses including assaulting a law enforcement officer and obstructing, impeding, or interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder. Lee is accused of “entering and remaining in the U.S. Capitol grounds while the Vice President was and would be temporarily visiting without lawful authority to do so and engaging in disruptive conduct, physical violence, and disorderly conduct while on restricted grounds of the Capitol.” Montgomery County Police released the following statement announcing his supension:
“The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) announces the suspension of Officer Justin Lee without pay as a result of his involvement and subsequent indictment in connection with the events of the January 6 insurrection. In July of 2023, MCPD was informed that Officer Justin Lee was the subject of an FBI investigation. Prior to his suspension, Lee had been on administrative leave for his involvement in the shooting death of an armed suspect on July 22. The Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division is currently overseeing the investigation into this incident to ensure a thorough and impartial examination of the facts.