Derwood

MCASAC to Hold Fee-Waived Adoption Event for All Dogs May 18-28

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center (MCASAC) will hold a fee-waived adoption event for all dogs starting Thursday, May 18, and running through Sunday, May 28. The “Love is Blooming” adoption event is sponsored by Friends of Montgomery County Animals (FMCA).

Through adoptions, education and outreach, MCASAC serves as a critical community resource to promote and advocate for responsible pet care. Animal Services officers are available seven days a week, 24 hours each day, to investigate complaints and respond to animal emergencies.

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Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg Book Festival Will Feature More Than 135 Authors—Including Humorist Dave Barry—This Saturday, May 20

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The Gaithersburg Book Festival, which since its inception in 2010 has evolved into one of the nation’s premier book festivals, will offer the opportunity to hear more than 135 authors for free from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg. Among this year’s feature authors will be humorist Dave Barry.

Among this year’s featured guests at the festival’s numerous pavilions will be the author of dozens of best-seller humor books Dave Barry (4:15 p.m.); poet Fran Abrams (4:15 p.m.); romantic comedy author Sarah Adler (11:15 a.m.); children’s authors M.T. Anderson (10:15 a.m.), Tom Angleberger (10:15 a.m.) and John David Anderson (11:15 a.m.); thrillers author E.A. Aymar (2:15 p.m.); mystery writers Andrea Bartz (1:15 p.m.) and Julia Bartz (4:15 p.m.); and fiction writer Louis Bayard (12:15 p.m.).

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MoCo Government

Mattresses and Box Springs Now Being Accepted for Recycling

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is now accepting mattresses and box springs at the Shady Grove Transfer Station and Recycling Center in Derwood. The new recycling program provides an opportunity for community members to responsibly dispose of old mattresses and box springs and will greatly reduce waste.

Acceptable items in the new recycling program include mattresses and box springs such as, but not limited to:

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Gaithersburg

Update: Aldi and Sheetz Coming to the Walnut Hill Shopping Center in Gaithersburg

By Patrick Herron

Earlier today, we reported that the Walnut Hill shopping center in Gaithersburg (16529 S Frederick Ave) is “at lease” with a new grocer to take over the 21,000 SF spot that has previously been home to Weis, Bottom Dollar, and Food Lion.  We can now confirm that both Aldi and Sheetz have finalized deals to come to the shopping center.

Granite Canyon Partners, a local real estate investment group, is partnering with Standard Properties, the original/current owners of Walnut Hill, with the redevelopment of the shopping center. Granite Canyon tells us that bringing a grocery store back to the shopping center was their number one priority and that the redeveloped Walnut Hill will have a modernized look and feel that includes a large mural facing 355 and nine electric vehicle charging stations.

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Event

Closing Reception at “Inspired!” Art Show & Sales

BlackRock Center for the Arts

12901 Town Commons Drive

Germantown, Maryland 20874

Website Contact Social

Beautiful venue; great art, gifts and hand-crafted items; refreshments; and meet the award-winning painters, photographers, mixed media artists, ceramicists, fiber artists, and more – some 40 artists in all. It’s an extraordinary array of framed wall works, 3-d media including sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and fiber pieces, and unframed prints.

Among them, you’ll see:

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Crime

Arrest Made in 2022 Home Invasion Where 58-Year-Old Woman Was Shot

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: A Silver Spring man is in custody, one year after a home invasion and shooting of a 58-year-old woman. 27-year-old Saatehu Mesutmen has been charged with home invasion and first-degree attempted murder for allegedly shooting the victim inside of her home in the 13200 block of Stravinsky Terrace in Silver Spring on Monday, April 11, 2022.

During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered that the suspect, Mesutmen, fired multiple shots through the sliding glass door in the back of the house and entered the residence, where he located the victim and shot her. The victim was transported to an area hospital in critical condition where she was treated in the Intensive Care Unit and later released. Mesutmen had no connection to the victim.

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Wheaton

Wheaton Mall to Host “Make a Splash with Real Mermaids” Event on May 27

By Patrick Herron

Westfield Wheaton Mall offers a wide variety of retail and dining options and play areas for children. In conjunction with the event, AMC Wheaton Mall 9 will showcase the latest, live-action rendition of Disney’s classic tale, which is set to be released in theaters on May 26. Movie goers are encouraged to purchase their tickets here.

This version of The Little Mermaid features a Black actress, singer Halle Bailey, in the iconic role of Ariel. The official trailer for the movie went viral last fall and now surpasses 15 million views. The decision to cast Bailey and release of the trailer sparked a worldwide response, with parents of young Black girls sharing their children’s enthusiastic reactions across social media. “We can’t wait to see the smiles on everyone’s faces as they meet real mermaids and lay their eyes on the elaborate decorations and experiences we’ve been planning for months. It feels great to welcome back The Little Mermaid to the big screen,” says Michael Lado, Director of Marketing at Westfield Wheaton Mall. “I know our mall patrons will be thrilled with everything Westfield Wheaton has done to bring this film to life, and make it part of their world.”

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Crime

Adult Male Charged with First-Degree Rape, Kidnapping, and Armed Robbery; Possibility of Additional Victims a Concern

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) have arrested and charged 20-year-old Jose Roberto Hernandez-Penal of Hyattsville with first-degree rape, kidnapping and armed robbery. Detectives have released a photo of Hernandez-Penal and are urging anyone who may be a victim of a sexual assault by Hernandez-Penal to come forward.

On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 3rd District officers responded to the Northwest Branch Trail in the 10700 block of Columbia Pike in Silver Spring for the report of a rape and an armed robbery. The investigation by detectives has revealed that at approximately 2:40 p.m., Hernandez-Penal approached two adult females on the Northwest Brach Trail, displayed a machete, stole their property and sexually assaulted one of the victims. Hernandez-Penal then left the scene.   Upon leaving the scene, Hernandez-Penal assaulted an adult male victim in the 1100 block of Devere Drive.

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Gaithersburg

Contents of Lakeforest Mall to Be Auctioned in June

By MCS Staff

If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of Lakeforest Mall, you will have your chance in late June as items from the mall will be available via auction, per Capital Auctions. The listing posts soon, so it is unclear what items will be available, but you may be able to purchase fixtures from stores, decorative pieces, and more. Interested parties will be able to preview the items on Wednesday, June 21st and pick up items they win via the auction between June 26 and June 30th. We’ll have additional information once the auction goes live.

Lakeforest Mall closed permanently to the public on March 31st, after almost 45 years. The mall first opened on September 12, 1978. At that time, the mall’s anchor stores were JCPenney, Sears, Woodward & Lothrop, and Hecht’s. The mall was one of the first in the United States to feature an indoor ice skating rink on the lower level, in the “H section”, along with being the biggest indoor shopping mall in the county at the time of grand opening. The ice skating rink was replaced by a NTI Theaters movie theater in 1984, later renamed Cineplex Odeon Lakeforest 5, then by a food court, which now occupies the space. The mall was built on top of Lake Walker, a park on the property prior. The mall opened with approximately 30-50 stores, with some of the first stores being relocated from the then nearby indoor Village Mall (now an outdoor strip mall called Montgomery Village Center since 1991) and absorbed onto the property.

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Events

AAHP Community Day 2023 Takes Place May 20 in Germantown

By MCS Staff

African American Health Program will celebrate the 9th annual AAHP Community Day on Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 9 am to 2 pm at Montgomery College, BioScience Center, Germantown campus, 20200 Observation Drive, Germantown, MD.

This year’s event will include a walk/run/bike activity, which will begin at 7:45 am. AAHP Community Day 2023 will also include an interactive discussion with youth, parents, and the community on security, change, and wellness. In addition, there will be pertinent workshops, physical activities (e.g., Zumba, line dancing, etc.), fun activities for children and youth, a host of exhibitors, and something of interest for all ages. Additional information and tickets for the free event can be found here.

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Gaithersburg

Police and Family Concerned for Missing 15-Year-Old

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Emily Velasquez, a missing 15-year-old from Gaithersburg.

Emily was last seen on Monday, May 15, 2023, at approximately 11 p.m., in the 19300 block of Pointsetta Court in Gaithersburg.  Emily is approximately 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighs 150. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and black shorts. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.

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Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg Teen Donates Nearly 15,000 Books to Pediatric Cancer Patients

By Patrick Herron

After her father was diagnosed with stage four thyroid cancer in 2019, Emily Bhatnagar began For Love and Buttercup, a pediatric book drive for children with cancer. Bhatnagar, a 2022 graduate of Quince Orchard High School, purchases books by using the tips she earns from working at her parents’ small bread shop, Monsoon Kitchen in Gaithersburg. A large portion also come from donations made through her Amazon Wishlist.

If you would like donate, visit the For Love and Buttercup Amazon Wishlist or send a direct message to @forloveandbuttercup on Instagram.

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