Poolesville

This week, Titus Trash Services will begin delivering the new recycling containers for the town’s dual-stream recycling service. Each household will receive two bins, one bin is a wheeled cart, and the other is an 18-gallon bin. The wheeled cart is for mixed paper items (paper and cardboard), and the 18-gallon bin is for your commingled materials (glass/plastic/metal bottles, jars, cans, and containers). Please see the attached pictures for reference. Please continue to use your Bates recycling bin until the new service begins on July 1st. Courtesy of the Town of Poolesville website. AdditionalTrash Collection & Recycling Services information below:

Starting July 1, 2023, Titus Trash Services, Inc. will perform trash and recycling services for the Town of Poolesville.  Contact information: call or text 202-437-1785, email: [email protected]


Education

The Montgomery Virtual Academy (MVA) application is reopening for families interested in placing their child on the waitlist. The primary focus of the MVA is to foster a safe, inclusive online learning environment that meets the individual needs of all students. The waitlist application period will run from June 26–July 28. Students on the waitlist will be considered for Semester 1 enrollment based on space availability. Interested families can submit an application on ParentVUE.

The Montgomery Virtual Academy (MVA) is part of the continuum of digital learning opportunities offered to students and part of the choice programs in MCPS. The primary focus of the MVA is to foster a safe, inclusive online learning environment that meets the individual needs of all students in an academic setting where staff know their students’ interests, and want to see them excel as learners. The program includes the following highlights:


WMATA

Per WMATA: Metro is making it more affordable for tens of thousands of Metro customers across the region. Today, customers can begin enrollment in Metro Lift, an income-qualified reduced fare program approved by Metro’s Board of Directors in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

The program’s launch, announced earlier this month, will provide a 50 percent discount on Metrorail and Metrobus fares for customers who qualify. The discount will reduce the cost of a bus trip to just $1 and rail fare to as little as $1 and no more than $3 depending on how far you travel.


Gaithersburg

Ida Pearl (known to most as Pearl) was born and raised on Riffle Ford Road. She was born in 1918 and on Thursday, June 18, she celebrated her 105th birthday!

She has lived the last 70+ years on Quince Orchard Road, just couple miles away from her childhood home. She is a faithful and dedicated member of Fairhaven United Methodist Church and a loyal trustee of the Pleasant View Historical Association. Some know her as “The Avon Lady,” as she has been one for over 60 years.


Event

Join Us for StoryBox Comics Fair, a two-day festival celebrating local and independent comics authors!

Day 1 – Saturday, June 27th, 11-5pm @ DwightMess compound (805 Silver Spring Ave): Events are open to the public, admission is FREE. Featuring Special Guest Artists, gallery exhibitions, workshops, artist talks, a modeling session (suggested donation) and exhibitors, you can dig in to indie comics and also tour the compound, which features an extensive comics collection, a rare video collection, Risograph and screenprinting studios.


Celebrities

MoCo native Martin Amini, who is selling out comedy venues across the country, has just announced a 2023/2024 tour with comedian Matt Rife– arguably the hottest comedian in the country at the moment. Amini was just hitting his stride in Los Angeles when the pandemic hit in March of 2020 and forced him to leave his dreams behind in Los Angeles and move back in with his family in Montgomery County where he grew up (Silver Spring). Prior to the pandemic, the comedian made Thrillist’s “Best Undiscovered Stand Up Comedian list” and while Covid slowed things down for stand-up comedy, Amini came out of it better than ever. In the last year, he has been headlining and selling out shows across the country and even once joked “8 months ago I couldn’t sell over 80 tickets in Houston. This weekend I sold over 600. Grateful for all the support and tiktok algorithm for blessing me.”

Amini’s stand-up material touches on what it’s like growing up mixed in America (primarily here in Montgomery County) and coming from an Iranian and Bolivian background. His interactions with the crowd has earned him millions of likes and shares on social media. His upcoming tour mate, Matt Rife, is a standup comedian whose star has risen to the top due to his stage persona and quick wit. While both Rife and Amini are considered “roast comedians” by some, their clever replies and ability to go along with any situation the crowd hands to them has helped elevate both. The dates of the tour will be announced soon, but Amini is currently in the middle of his Bolivian Famous tour that’s taking him across the country and even across the pond to London for a show.


MCFRS

Even seemingly harmless household batteries, such as AA, AAA or button cell batteries, can contribute to these risks if not disposed of correctly. Improperly disposed materials can cause fires in trash cans, on trash trucks and at the County Transfer Station and Recycling Center in Derwood.


Germantown

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services responded to contractors hitting a gas line at 19900 Century Blvd near Crystal Rock Dr. at TD Bank in Germantown at approximately 5:40pm on Tuesday evening. The bank building has been evacuated and the area is being secured as units await the arrival of Washington Gas. Century Blvd is currently closed at Crystal Rock Dr. due to the gas leak. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route and significant delays are expected.

Per MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer: 19900 Century Blvd., near Crystal rock Dr.,, TD Bank, Germantown, contractors hit gas line, @mcfrs PE729, PE735, PE734, PE722, E753, T734, AT735, RS729, A722, A735, HM728, SU725, BC705, BC703, T725, EMS703, SA700 & others responding, Bank building being evacuated” Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.


Gaithersburg

In April we let you know that Copper Canyon Grill is requesting approval for a 1,012 square foot covered dining pier to be located in the RIO Lake. At its regular meeting on June 7, 2023, the Planning Commission made the recommendation to the Mayor and City Council for approval (5-0 vote) of Schematic Development Plan SDP-9003-2021, based on the evidence and testimony submitted to the record and the findings in the Final Staff Analysis, to the Mayor and City Council.

Per the City of Gaithersburg: The Schematic Development Plan would add commercial as an allowed use on the RIO lake parcel. The Planning Commission was supportive and complimentary of the project, noting that this is an exciting new way to enjoy the existing lake. The Mayor & City Council Record was closed at 5 pm on June 14, 2023 with the anticipated Mayor & City Council Final Action to be presented on July 3, 2023 during the Mayor & City Council Meeting. Below are renderings of the proposed piers:


Crime

Chief Antonio DeVaul from the Takoma Park Police Department has announced the arrest of Merhender Birmingham, 47, of no fixed address, for an open warrant for 1st Degree Assault and possession of Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) Crack Cocaine on Monday morning.

Per Takoma Park Police: On Monday, June 19, at approximately 11:51 am, Takoma Park Police initiated a traffic stop in the 7400 block of New Hampshire Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland.  Investigation revealed that the vehicle was unregistered, uninsured and the vehicle driver was unlicensed.  Birmingham, who was an occupant in the vehicle, was known to police to have an outstanding warrant for 1st Degree Assault in Takoma Park.  Birmingham was placed under arrest.  A search incident to arrest yielded he was in possession of Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) Crack Cocaine.  Other items of evidentiary value were recovered.  The vehicle was towed pending a search warrant.


Aspen Hill

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.