Gaithersburg

Per the City of Gaithersburg: WalletHub recently compared more than 500 of the largest cities in the U.S. and ranked them based on three key indicators of ethnic diversity, including ethnicity & race, language, and birthplace. Gaithersburg ranked as the third Most Culturally Diverse City amongst all communities in the United States with an ethnic diversity score of 72.59. The City was ranked #2 in the Small City Category for communities with populations under 100,000.

“Gaithersburg is a wonderfully diverse community, and we’re proud to foster an atmosphere of inclusion that welcomes all,” said Mayor Jud Ashman. “It is a great honor to once again rank highly on this list, and it reinforces that we must continue to offer educational, economic, social, recreational, and cultural opportunities for all.”


Education

The Board of Education business meeting on Thursday, Feb. 23, will cover key items of public interest, including discussions and Board decisions on The Recommended FY 2024 Operating Budget (Agenda Item 5.1).

The Board will take tentative action on the superintendent’s recommended $3.15 billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The Board amended the superintendent’s recommended budget, which includes additional staffing for support, monitoring and oversight of math and literacy programs, and investments that will strengthen recruitment and retention of quality and diverse staff and other supports to enhance two-way communication with families. The request includes a $245 million increase from FY 2023.


Education

The Board of Education business meeting on Thursday, Feb. 23, will cover key items of public interest, including discussions and Board decisions on Future School Boundary Analyses (Agenda Item 7.1).

Future openings of two new high schools will require boundary studies in multiple areas throughout the county. The new Charles W. Woodward High School is scheduled to reopen in 2026 and will impact current school boundaries. The clusters included in the superintendent’s recommendation for the boundary scope include Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Montgomery Blair, Albert Einstein, Walter Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Northwood, Wheaton and Walt Whitman high schools. Additional future boundary studies will address midcounty overutilization with the opening of Crown High School (2027) and upcounty with the expansion of Damascus High School (2026).


Damascus

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police- Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 13-year-old from Gaithersburg. Kiesha Vogelsang was last seen on Monday, February 20, 2023, at approximately 10 a.m., in the 900 block of Clopper Road.

Kiesha is 5-feet, 9-inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. She has dark brown curly hair and brown eyes. She was last seen carrying a gray backpack and wearing blue jeans, a black zip up jacket and black Crocs. She has a birth mark on her nose and wears glasses that have a pink frame.


Kensington

It has been over two years since we let you know about the initial plans Kensington Crossing at 10619 Connecticut Avenue (at Plyers Mill Road). Since then, the plans were approved, and Kensington Crossing has already signed it’s first three tenants– M&T Bank, Buffalo Wild Wings GO, and Mezeh. Construction recently began at the site and a couple photos, along with additional information about each tenant, available below:

M&T Bank, which currently has a Kensington location on Howard Avenue, signed on as its first tenant to take over its largest space (2,635 SF). A representative from the Howard Avenue location has told us that the plan is for the branch to relocate to the new space once it’s ready to go.


Crime

On February 21, Takoma Park Police responded for two thefts of air bags.  Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to please call Takoma Park Police at 301-270-1100. Additional info below:

7400 block of New Hampshire Avenue:  At an unknown time, unknown suspect(s) entered the victim’s vehicle (2020 Honda Accord) by breaking the front driver’s side window and stole the steering wheel air bag.  Case #23000698.  This incident occurred in Ward 6.


Germantown

Per MCPD: Officers from the Montgomery Country Department of Police – 6th District Community Action Team (DCAT) have arrested and charged 36-year-old Quinnel Martin of Germantown for possessing a controlled dangerous substance and fleeing police. On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at approximately 1:42 p.m., officers were patrolling the area of West Diamond Avenue when they observed a gold Toyota Camry committing a traffic violation. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the driver, later identified as Martin, did not immediately stop the vehicle. In the area of Clopper Road and Firstfield Road, Martin hit a white Toyota Rav4 and then collided with a tow truck. Martin then got out of his vehicle and attempted to run away. Officers quickly apprehended him and located a large amount of methamphetamine/MDMA also known as, “Molly,” and an undisclosed amount of cash.

Martin was arrested and transported to the Central Processing Unit, where he has been charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and obstructing and hindering a police investigation.


Germantown

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 5th District Investigative Section are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 71-year-old from Germantown. Robert Spence was last seen on Sunday, February 12, 2023, at his residence on Shipley Terrance in Germantown.

Robert is approximately 5-feet, 9-inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has gray hair and dark colored eyes.  Police and family are concerned for his welfare.


MoCo Government

According to the most recent Montgomery County Report on Bias Incidents, there were 143 reported bias incidents in 2021 – the highest number in nearly a decade. Of the 79 race-based incidents, 60.8% were anti-Black and 20.3% were anti-Asian. Of the 34 incidents motivated by bias towards religion, 85.3% were considered anti-Jewish, despite residents of Jewish faith making up only 10% of the population. The level of public animosity towards Jews is higher than it’s been in recent memory, with antisemitic hate crimes on the rise in our region and across the nation. Last year, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a 34% increase in antisemitic incidents nationwide – the highest number on record since ADL began tracking such incidents.

As a Jew and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I know the fear and pain many of our neighbors are experiencing. One of the central functions of government is to provide comfort and safety to our residents, which is why we have a moral obligation to promote inclusiveness, celebrate diversity, prevent the spread of misinformation, and reject hate in all its forms.


Celebrities

Kahlil Greene, known by many as the “Gen-Z Historian”, has just announced that he will be a correspondent on Nickelodean’s revamped children’s news show, Nick News. Greene, a Germantown native, was born at Holy Cross Hospital, attended Daly Elementary School and Fox Chapel Elementary School before moving on to Neelsville Middle School (all in Germantown) and then Poolesville High School before attending Yale University and becoming the school’s first Black student body President.

“Without giving too much away, the segment I host on this first episode is about misinformation and how you can’t always believe what you see on the internet. How timely and necessary is that!?”, Greene wrote in an announcement on Instagram. Nick News, which originally ran from 1992-2015, took the form of a highly rated and recognized news program for children and teenagers alike, discussing important social, political and economic issues in a format intended for both children and adults. The show was brought back in 2020.


Bethesda

Oliva’s Kitchen opened this morning at 4708 Highland Ave in Bethesda, the former home of Taco Fresco. Taco Fresco opened in the location in November of 2021 and was available for sale approximately 6 months later. Oliva’s Kitchen is offering free coffee today (Open from 7am-4pm) and will offer breakfast, lunch, and Mexican food, according to the restaurant’s Instagram account.

Breakfast options include egg sandwiches, Belgian waffles, breakfast tortes, Huevos Mexicanas, and more. Lunch sandwiches include the Cubano, Torta Milenasa, Buffalo Chicken, Steak & Cheese, and others. Full menu can be seen below: