Laytonsville Elementary School principal Maria Watson sent a letter to the Laytonsville community on Monday informing them of vandalism discovered on a bench outside of the school. According to the letter, the vandalism included a “drawing of a swastika with the name Hitler” drawn on a bench outside of the school. The full letter, with additional information, can be seen below:
“Dear Laytonsville Elementary School Community,
Throughout the school year, MCPS has offered Cohort Inspire, an MCPS professional development opportunity for current and aspiring leaders trying to better understand the roles and responsibilities of a high-impact school principal and develop their leadership knowledge, attitudes and skills to work in a high-impact school.
Recently, 29 participants completed the program, which focused on five key areas for effective principal leadership: leading with equity, instructional focus, school climate, building collaborative professional learning communities, and strategic personnel and resource management. “I valued the cohort discussion as it was vulnerable, rich, purpose-driven and passionate,” one participant shared. Another commented that the experience provided “access to conversations that promote and support much-needed changes, as well as a reminder of what needs to be done in a high-impact school.”
Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is has announced that first-year Truett student Josepha Mbouma is among two students to have been awarded Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE). Mbouma, a native of Cameroon, grew up in Montgomery County, attending Roberto Clemente Middle School in Germantown and Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village where she excelled in the classroom and on the basketball court.
The FASPE is awarded to students pursuing professional degrees in business, journalism, law, medicine, theology, and technology as well as to early-career professionals. Through the program, fellows spend two weeks in Germany and Poland visiting Auschwitz and other key historical sites and participating in seminars led by experts in their respective fields of study. Award recipients are able to examine the roles their counterparts played in Germany and elsewhere from 1933-1945. They then draw on historical, cultural, philosophical, literary, and discipline-specific sources to explore the ethical issues facing their respective fields today.
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!
Register at: www.olgchs.org/camps
During the event, Governor Moore also presented a governor’s citation to Marcus Moore, an individual living with autism, in recognition of his contribution to the autism community and for his self-advocacy. To help Marcus achieve economic self-sufficiency, he and his family created Moore Crunch Pretzels, which are now available online and in several local stores.
Governor Moore also presented a citation to Ken White, General Manager of Historic Inns of Annapolis, in recognition of his support and promotion of opportunity, access, and choice for individuals with autism. Ken has helped spotlight Moore Crunch Pretzels, in addition to opening his commercial kitchen for use as Marcus expanded his business.
Connect with neighbors, learn about Lafayette Federal, and grab fun giveaways! All while enjoying food from local Tacos el Pariente.
First 75 registrants can receive free food.*
Per the Office of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney: In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before Jusge Michael McAuliffe, a jury has convicted defendant, Joshua Grice, 30, of Washington D.C., on charges of first-degree rape and first-degree burglary-home invasion for breaking into a Takoma Park home and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl who was asleep in her bedroom.
Grice faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and the potential of a life sentence. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. The verdict came back late yesterday afternoon after a six-day trial prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney’s Frank Lazzaro and Daniela Chavez.
Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will kick off “Public Works Week” on Saturday, May 20, with Truck Day at the MCDOT Depot and Salt Barn in Gaithersburg. Truck Day is a free, family-friendly event that invites members of the community to touch, climb and explore the many first-response, construction and transportation vehicles that make the county run.
Truck Day will take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on May 20 at the MCDOT Truck Depot and Salt Barn, which is located at 17000 Crabbs Branch Way in Gaithersburg.
Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County recently received $4,870,352 from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of its Continuum of Care (CoC) grants program. It is the only jurisdiction in Maryland to receive a Special Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) award to address unsheltered and rural homelessness, which is a first-of-its-kind funding initiative. In addition to the $4.8 million in programmatic funds the county received 30 Stability Vouchers that will be allocated through direct referral through the County’s Coordinated Entry System for households experiencing homelessness. These vouchers will be used to ensure people can stay in homes and avoid homelessness. They will be administered by the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County and Rockville Housing Enterprises.
The County’s Interagency Coalition on Homelessness recently reiterated its commitment to end homelessness for all populations by 2025 through its Zero for All campaign. The recently awarded $4.87 million will add to the $10 million already awarded annually from HUD’s CoC NOFO process and the anticipated $84 million allocated in the County Executive’s recommended FY24 operating budget for homeless prevention and services to end homelessness.
Bethesda’s Hull Street Energy, a private equity firm that specializes in deploying capital into the power sector as it decarbonizes, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 100% interest in Sunrise Power Holdings, LLC from an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC, Generation Bridge Acquisition, LLC (“Generation Bridge”). Hull Street Energy is headquartered at 4747 Bethesda Ave in Bethesda. Sunrise Power Holdings is located in Fellows, California, where the facility provides 586 megawatts of critical generation and reliability services to California’s Central Valley.
Per the press release: The Sunrise plant and its experienced employees will be a high-quality addition to Hull Street Energy’s critical power infrastructure business unit, Milepost Power, which was formed to enable the next wave of growth in the electricity industry. With this acquisition, the firm will continue to support grid reliability, allowing for the integration of new variable renewable energy resources as California works to achieve its climate goals.
Kobe Japan Hibachi & Sushi at 19226 Montgomery Village Ave, next to Moe’s Southwest Grill in the Montgomery Village Center, will open this Wednesday, April 25. Kobe Japan has additional Montgomery County locations at 1163 University Blvd E in Takoma Park and 13623 Georgia Ave. Suit A in Aspen Hill. The menu features sushi, sashimi, spring rolls, bento boxes and hibachi (full menu can be seen below).
In other Montgomery Village Center news, last week we let you know that Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, which was scheduled to open in the space next to Kobe Japan, appears to no longer be coming to the shopping center. The space is now listed as available again on the shopping center’s leasing website.
Per MCPD: On Tuesday, May 9, starting at 6:30 p.m., the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will hold an in-person public meeting to discuss the latest progress of the Flower Avenue Bike Lanes project in Silver Spring. The public will have an opportunity to attend in person to ask questions and provide comments.
The Flower Avenue Bike Lanes project provides for designing and constructing high-priority bicycle and pedestrian improvements. The project proposes approximately 0.2 miles of separated bike lanes along Flower Avenue between Piney Branch Road (MD 320) to Arliss Street. The project will also include streetscape improvements for pedestrian/ADA access, transit access, roadway/pavement, parking, drainage, stormwater management, traffic signals, signing and marking, plantings and lighting.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a collision involving two vehicles on Tuesday, April 25 around 12pm. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the collicion occurred at the interscetion of Parkland Dr & Faroe Pl in Wheaton. One adult was transported to the hospital with Priority 2 trauma. We will post an update if additional information becomes available.
Per @mcfrsPIO on Twitter: “(~12n) Faroe Pl & Parkland Dr, collision involves two (2) vehicles, @mcfrs PE718, M723, RS742B, E702, EMS704, A726, @MCFRS_EMIHS transported 1 adult Pri2 trauma”