Beyond MoCo

Per the Frederick Police Department: On Jan. 23, 2023, approximately 12:34 a.m., officers from the Frederick Police Department responded to a report of a man firing shots inside his residence in the 2600 block of Monocacy Ford Road. Additional information indicated that the man’s wife was still inside the residence, hiding in a closet. Upon arrival at the scene, officers established a perimeter and were able to see a man holding a gun through a window. A short time later, the man began firing his weapon again. Officers made immediate entry and one FPD officer discharged his weapon, striking the male. Officers immediately began rendering aid and EMS was called to the scene.

The male was transported to a local trauma center for treatment where his injuries were not considered life threatening at the time of this release. One officer sustained a minor hand injury while attempting to make entry into the residence and no bystanders were injured in this incident. The officer who discharged his weapon will be named at a later date and has been placed on administrative duties pending an investigation. This remains an open and active investigation. Maryland State Police will conduct the investigation into the officer’s use of force in conjunction with FPD’s Professional Services Division.


Gaithersburg

Sweetgreen at 299 Copley Place Suite D100 in Gaithersburg, which held its soft opening this past weekend, will hold its official grand opening on Tuesday, January 24.  According to Sweetgreen, “for every bowl sold on opening day, we will donate a bowl to Manna Food Center to fight hunger in Montgomery County through food, education, and advocacy. The 2,530 sq ft location will accommodate 20 diners outside and 28 diners inside through their expansive banquet seating. The restaurant will also feature a designated pick-up entrance close to the building’s parking spaces for seamless pickup. Store hours are 10:30am to 10pm, seven days a week.

Sweetgreen has also commissioned DC-based artist Christine Cover to create an acrylic and oil stick piece for the restaurant and will be giving away a print of the artwork to the first 150 customers. Sweetgreen currently has three additional MoCo locations, in Bethesda, Downtown Silver Spring, and Pike & Rose. Downtown Crown has been without a fast-casual salad restaurant since Chopt closed in early 2020 and has since moved that location to the Kentlands neighborhood


Silver Spring

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 15-year-old from Silver Spring. Damary Hernandez was last seen on Saturday, January 21, 2023, approximately 2 a.m., leaving her residence on Valleyfield Ct. in Silver Spring.

Damary is approximately 5-feet, 1-inch tall and weighs 125 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. Police and family are concerned for her welfare.  Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Damary Hernandez is asked to call the police non-emergency number at (301) 279-8000 (24-hour line). Callers may remain anonymous.


Rockville

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 14-year-old from Rockville.   Allison Espinales was last seen on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at her residence on Canterbury Lane in Rockville.

Allison is approximately 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weighs 125 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen carrying a black Kate Spade purse and wearing a red shirt, a black jacket, blue jeans and grey Jordan shoes.  Police and family are concerned for her welfare.


Event

Historic Indigenous Recognition Event to Take Place in Montgomery County, Maryland

The Taino American Indigenous National Organization (T.A.I.N.O.) proudly announces its upcoming signature public event,


Montgomery Village

The Montgomery County Department of Police will be holding cannabis intoxication impaired driving labs later this week at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy in Montgomery Village. According to MCPD,  “Montgomery County Department of Police’s Cannabis Intoxication Impaired Driving Labs are unique employee training programs that promote community engagement, increase citizen participation in understanding police activity, and work to enhance traffic safety while aiming to deter impaired driving.


Beyond MoCo

Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office:  Upholding his commitment to protecting the public from those who violate consumer laws, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has reached a settlement with Charm City Puppies, Inc. and its owner, Wayne Cossentino (Charm City Puppies). The Division alleged that Charm City Puppies violated the Consumer Protection Act when it sold puppies to consumers in violation of the “No More Puppy Mills Act.”

The Maryland legislature passed the No More Puppy Mills Act, and in January 2020 it became illegal for retail pet stores to sell puppies. Under the settlement, Charm City Puppies is barred from offering, selling, or transferring dogs from Maryland. Charm City Puppies and its owner also agreed to refund payments made by Maryland consumers who purchased dogs with certain conditions since January 1, 2020, or pay for treatment of certain conditions. The settlement bans Charm City Puppies from selling dogs in Maryland and requires the company to pay a civil penalty of $75,000 that increases to $250,000 if the company or its owners breach the agreement.


DMV

Update Jan. 22, 2022 — Due to poor weather conditions in the Wallops area, Rocket Lab’s first U.S. launch of the Electron rocket is now targeted for Tuesday, Jan. 24.  Weather for Tuesday is 90% favorable for the 6-8 p.m. EST launch window.

Previous information: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility will support the launch of Rocket Lab USA’s first Electron rocket from Virginia at 6 p.m. EST, Monday, Jan. 23. The 59-foot-tall Electron rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The mission, named “Virginia is for Launch Lovers,” will deploy radio frequency monitoring satellites for HawkEye 360.


Restaurants

Grandma’s Ice Cream and Waffles at 389 E. Gude Dr in Rockville, next to the former Branded 72/O’Brien’s restaurant space, is now open. Grandma’s is owned and operated by the same owners as “Grandma Kona’s” Kona Ice franchise in Gaithersburg/Germantown. Additional information, as well as a $1 coupon, below:

“Grandma Kona is happy to announce that Grandma’s Ice Cream and Waffles will be opening on Monday January 23, 2023!  We will be opening for breakfast at 7am till 1030am then transitioning to a great lunch till 2pm. The ice cream and waffles dessert menu will be available until 9pm. Offering liege waffles sandwiches with a variety of options including Vegan! Grandma’s Ice Cream will be an experience like non other.  Soft serve ice cream with unbelievable flavor (including dairy free options) with Grandma’s twist of injecting flavor into the ice cream and if wanted dipped in chocolate or caramel. Come use your imagination with all the different combinations you can make.”


MoCo Government

Per Montgomery County: “Over the weekend we learned about new antisemitic incidents of hate and intolerance in our County. The first took place at three MCPS schools and the other in a neighborhood in Kensington. For several months, we’ve seen and responded to hate speech being spread across our community in the form of graffiti and flyers dropped off in neighborhoods in a cowardly manner while many of us sleep. Last night flyers were left in the Kensington area targeting several Jewish families. Police are investigating the incident and, as with each incident before, we intend to prosecute any hate crime to the fullest extent of the law. If you have information that could help the investigation you’re encouraged to contact 240.773.TIPS (8477.)

On Saturday, we learned about 3 separate incidents in which swastikas were drawn into desks last week in Montgomery County Public Schools. MCPS leaders tell us the incidents were reported, the people responsible identified and punishment administered.


Entertainment

In addition to photos of old classmates and teachers, old yearbooks are always a great source of fun information about the time they were made. We had the chance to look through a 1999 edition of Watkins Mill High School’s yearbook, called “Grinder”, and came across a fun little article titled ‘99 Things You Never Knew About Watkins Mill.’ Some references will only be understood by students/staff that were at the school during that time, but most are fun facts about the Watkins Mill Wolverines that many can enjoy. Check them out below:

5. WM was featured in U.S. News and World Report, for being a school of the future.