Burtonsville

Police Asking for Public’s Assistance in Locating Suspect Wanted for Larceny and Burglaries Across Montgomery County

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Wheaton Patrol Investigation Unit are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a 55-year-old man wanted for a number of crimes committed in Montgomery County. Jonah Ammiel Carter of Gaithersburg is alleged to have committed larceny and burglaries in Burtonsville, Silver Spring, and Kensington. Carter is reported to have stolen large quantities of items from a Giant Food in the 1200 block of East West Highway, on Monday, January 16 and a Giant Food in the 15000 block of Old Columbia Pike on Monday, February 6, 2023. He is also accused of stealing a large amount of items from a Safeway in the 10000 block of Connecticut Avenue in Kensington on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jonah Ammiel Carter is asked to call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect. Callers may remain anonymous.

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Rockville

MoCo High School is First to Perform ‘Mean Girls’ in Maryland

By Patrick Herron

Mean Girls is making its Maryland High School premier at Colonel Zadok Magruder High School this week. This is the first year that Mean Girls has allowed licensing for a select number of schools in the United States and Canada and Magruder HS is the first Maryland school to perform the musical. With two preview shows last week, the final two shows are at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 10 and Saturday March 11 at Magruder HS, 5939 Muncaster Mill Rd., Rockville, MD.

Mean Girls is a musical from book writer Tina Fey (30 Rock), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and composer Jeff Richmond (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). The show took Broadway by storm and has joined the musical in-crowd. Adapted from Fey’s hit 2004 film, Mean Girls was nominated for a staggering 12 Tony Awards. Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on The Plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a queen bee without getting stung.

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Gaithersburg

Lakeforest Redevelopment: Residents Have Until March 10 to Go On Record; Policy Discussion Takes Place April 17

By MCS Staff

The Applicant, WRS, Inc., submitted Zoning Map Amendment application Z-9444-2022 that proposes to rezone the Lakeforest Mall from the current C-2 (general commercial) to the MXD Zone (mixed-use) zone. The application includes a sketch plan requesting up to approximately 1.2 million square feet of non-residential uses and up to 1,600 dwelling units on 102 acres of land in accordance with § 24-160D.9(a) “Application for the MXD Zone and sketch plan approval” of the City Code.

The Joint Public Hearing was conducted on January 17, 2023. The Planning Commission record closed 5 p.m. Friday, February 17, 2023. The Planning Commission gave a recommendation of approval on March 1, 2023. The Mayor & City Council hold their record open until 5 p.m. Friday, March 10, 2023 with Policy Discussion April 17, 2023. No public testimony will be taken on April 17. Any questions or comments on the application should be directed to the Planning Department at [email protected] or 301-258-6330.

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Chevy Chase

Fourth Grade Teacher, Amanda Hammersla, Named MCPS Rising Star Teacher of the Year

By MCS Staff

A teacher at Chevy Chase Elementary School for three years, Amanda Hammersla has been named this year’s Rising Star Teacher of the Year by MCPS. This award honors a teacher in their first, second or third year of teaching. The winner shows a passion for the success of all students, creatively engages students in learning and contributes to a strong, positive partnership among students, staff, parents and the community.

Hammersla believes that students learn best when they are engaged, valued and challenged. She inspires students to take a deep dive into reading with innovative approaches. She turned her classroom into a restaurant while students wore chef hats and sampled new books. She wrote a PTA grant, which brought an author into the classroom virtually while students asked questions. She reads texts in characters’ voices. Through Reader’s Theater, students make costumes and props and perform for peers and families. This helps students develop speaking and listening skills, build fluency and work collaboratively.

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MoCo Libraries

‘Hatchlings’ Program to Help Expectant and New Parents Build Skills as Babies’ Earliest Teachers to be Offered in March at Montgomery County Public Libraries

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Public Libraries in March will be participating in “Hatchlings: Ready to Hatch,” a Maryland State Library-sponsored program developed by Betsy Diamant-Cohen, the creator of Mother Goose on the Loose. The Hatchlings program helps expectant and new parents build the skills to be their child’s first teachers. Programs will be offered on Thursday, March 16, at the White Oak Library; Saturday, March 25, at the Wheaton Library (in Spanish and English); and Tuesday, March 28, at the Long Branch Library (in Spanish and English).

Details on the three dates and locations available in March:

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Wheaton

Downtown Wheaton will be a “Shamrockin’ Good Time’ as it stretches St. Patrick’s Day to a two-day celebration on Friday-Saturday, March 17-18.

By Patrick Herron

The March 17 event at the Limerick Pub will include food, music and dancing. More information about the events at The Pub can be found at https://www.thelimerickpub.net/. The March 18 event will include music, food, arts and crafts, face painting, balloon art and games. Food will be provided at the March 18 event (while supplies last). The Limerick Pub will provide free food samples and Green Plate Catering will be distributing shamrock sugar cookies for cookie decorating.

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Silver Spring

Detectives Investigating Hampshire Green Lane Homicide; Victim’s Identity Released

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating a homicide that occurred on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, in the 1700 block of Hampshire Green Ln.  At approximately 9:02 p.m., 3rd district officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshots wounds and provided life saving measures until Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel arrived. The victim, 20-year-old Walter Woods, of Takoma Park, was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Washington, D.C., where an autopsy will be conducted to officially determine the cause and manner of death.  Currently, there is no one in custody. This is an active and ongoing investigation.

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MoCo Government

Councilmember Will Jawando and Councilmember Kristin Mink Introduce the Housing Opportunity, Mobility and Equity (HOME) Act, with Support from County Executive Marc Elrich

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando, Councilmember Kristin Mink, with the support of County Executive Marc Elrich, introduced the Housing Opportunity, Mobility, and Equity (HOME) Act during the Council session on Tuesday, March 7. Community organizations, landlords and renters joined the Councilmembers and County Executive for a press conference introducing the HOME Act. They highlighted the costly impacts of renting in the County and how the bill would help relieve hundreds of thousands of renters.

“Housing is a human right. Affordable housing is not a nice to have but a necessity for renters to be able to live and contribute to our communities,” said Councilmember Jawando. “One-third of our County residents are renters, and most are Black. 58 percent of Black households rent, double the percentage of White or Asian households. With inflationary concerns, we must provide stable housing for residents.”

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Restaurants

New Restaurant By The People Behind Zinnia and Republic To Open This Spring

By MCS Staff

Restaurateur Chris Brown (Zinnia, Soko & Takoma Bev Co) and Executive Chef Danny Wells (Republic, Zinnia and Takoma Bev Co.) team up to launch a new restaurant with a bold name, Motorkat. Motorkat will be located in the heart of Takoma Park in the space formerly home to Republic restaurant (6939 Laurel Ave). The Motorkat concept is inspired by Takoma Park’s activist roots and the menu will revolve around a high quality sourced raw bar and a seasonally-led wood-fired culinary experience. Its bar program will feature extraordinarily balanced cocktails with irreverent names and a unique local rotating draft beer program. The restaurant is aiming for a spring 2023 soft opening (photos below).

“The city is well known for its affinity to symbolize animal inspired heroes like city mascot Roscoe the Rooster, but Motorkat was first,” said Danny Wells, Co-owner, Executive Chef and Takoma Park native. “Motorkat is a legend, who cruised the streets of Takoma Park on a motorcycle, inspiring the community around her to live fast. We centered our concept around this symbolism and the progressive roots of Takoma Park.”

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Gaithersburg

Police and Family Concerned for Missing 32-Year-Old

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 32-year-old from Gaithersburg. Hakeem Saud Morris was last seen on Friday, February 3, 2023, at approximately 7 a.m., leaving his residence in Gaithersburg.

Hakeem is 6-feet tall and weighs 180 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Police and family are concerned for his welfare. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Hakeem Saud Morris is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000. Callers may remain anonymous.

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North Bethesda

Twenty-One-Year-Old Rockville Man Indicted on Charges Following Fatal Collision

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: A Rockville man has been indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on charges related to a fatal collision that occurred on Sunday, August 14, 2022. The investigation revealed that 21-year-old Kevin Saul Orihuela was under the influence of alcohol and was driving a 2019 Audi A4 eastbound on Josiah Henson Parkway at a high rate of speed prior to the collision.

At approximately 4:12 p.m., Orihuela struck a 2014 Ford Fusion driven by 62-year-old Noel Henry Powell of Germantown. Powell was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after the collision. The charges against Orihuela include grossly negligent manslaughter by vehicle, homicide under the influence of alcohol, homicide under the influence of alcohol per se, and homicide while impaired by alcohol.

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