Beyond MoCo

Beyond MoCo: Howard County’s Columbia Ranked Second in “2023’s Best Places to Find a Job” List

By MCS Staff

With the unemployment rate at 3.7% and employers planning to hire 15% more new graduates from the Class of 2023 than they did from the Class of 2022, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best Places to Find a Job, with nearby Columbia, MD (Howard County) ranked #2 on the list.

Columbia, Maryland, has the highest median annual household income (adjusted by cost of living), $104,486, which is 3.5 times higher than in Newark, New Jersey, the city with the lowest at $30,271. To determine the strongest local job markets in the U.S., WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 32 key metrics. The data set ranges from job opportunities to employment growth to monthly average starting salary. Top 10 and bottom 10 can be seen below:

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Beyond MoCo

Beyond MoCo: Frederick Police Arrest Two for New Years Eve Homicide

By Patrick Herron

Per the Frederick Police Department: The Frederick Police Department has arrested two individuals in relation to an early morning homicide that occurred on New Years Eve.

On December 31, 2022, at approximately 4:47 AM, officers of the Frederick Police Department were dispatched to the Frederick Health Hospital, located at 400 W Seventh Street, in Frederick City, for an adult female who had been stabbed.  Lifesaving efforts were provided to the female, but she was later pronounced dead. The victim was identified as Mary Alice Seward, 41.

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Rockville

New Planet Fitness Location in Rockville Opens

By Patrick Herron

Planet Fitness is now open in the Montrose Shopping Center at 5520 Randolph Rd. in Rockville. The new gym is double in size of that of its previous location at 1776 E Jefferson St. The Planet Fitness locations in Gaithersburg and Germantown also recently completed renovations.  Per Planet Fitness: “We’re thrilled our Rockville club is moving to a new location that will double the size of the current location and include more fitness equipment, better parking and easy access to the Capital Beltway,” said C. Victor Brick, co-owner of PF Growth Partners (PFGP), a franchise division of Planet Fitness. “The new space will provide a bigger and better option for current members and the community of Rockville.”

Offering a hassle-free environment, the future Planet Fitness Rockville will feature new Matrix cardio machines, a new functional training area, new Matrix training cycles, and new rowers and Sci fit, as well as a 30-Minute Express Circuit, fully equipped locker rooms and numerous flat screen televisions.

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Bethesda

Founder of Big Planet Comics in Bethesda Retires After 36 Years; Store to Remain Open

By Patrick Herron

Joel Pollack, owner of Big Planet Comics at 7939 Norfolk Ave. in Bethesda, has retired.   Pollack tells us his love of the comics medium was a driving force in Big Planet’s creation, but it was the wonderful people he met through his business that sustained him all of these years. The comic shop has been purchased by longtime employee and partner, Nick Liappis, and will remain in business.

According to Pollack, “The business started on the second-floor of 4865 Cordell Ave. In 1991, we moved to 4908 Fairmont Ave. When the wrecking ball came for the Fairmont store in 2012, we high-tailed it to 4849 Cordell where we spent eight glorious years until Covid struck. We were forced to seek radically lower rent which we did by moving to a second-floor location at 7939 Norfolk. So I started on a second-floor and finished on a second floor. Funny, the same family owns both of those buildings.”

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Beyond MoCo

Bridge Project Brings Speed Cameras Back to Beltway

By Cordell Pugh

A Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) bridge rehabilitation project is bringing Safe Zones Automated Speed Enforcement (“speed cameras”) back to the Beltway. This project involves the rehabilitation of the bridge carrying I-95 above the Outer Loop of the Beltway (I-495 West) within the I-495/I-95 interchange in College Park. Contractor crews will be repairing the bridge’s deck joints as well as its concrete piers and columns.

The Automated Speed Enforcement is focused on traffic on the Outer Loop of the Beltway, just past the split with I-95 North, headed towards New Hampshire Avenue and into Montgomery County. In a written statement, the State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) highlighted the different phases of this Automated Speed Enforcement effort:

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Rockville

Woman Found Guilty of Second-Degree Murder for 2020 Death of Yousuf Rasmussen

By Patrick Herron

Per the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office: Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Terrence McGann, a jury found defendant, Sophia Negroponte, 29, of Washington, D.C., guilty of Second-Degree Murder for the death of 24-year-old Yousuf Rasmussen.  Negroponte faces up to 40 years in prison and is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on March 31, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.  Assistant State’s Attorneys Donna Fenton and Robert Hill prosecuted this case. They joined State’s Attorney John McCarthy for a news conference following the verdict today, along with Dr. Zeba Rasmussen who is the mother of the victim. Dr. Rasmussen read a statement from the family. The video of the news conference can be viewed here: https://fb.watch/hQqqnV19Ck/

We are grateful for the dedication and professionalism of Maryland and Montgomery County officials, notably in the Circuit Court, the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Victim Assistance program. Above all, we wish to thank the many police and emergency medical technicians who rushed to the scene and tried to save Yousuf’s precious life.

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MoCo Government

Montgomery Council Seeks Applicants for Montgomery County Planning Board; Deadline for Applications is January 13, 2023

By MCS Staff

The Montgomery County Council is currently seeking applicants to fill three upcoming vacancies on the Montgomery County Planning Board. In October 2022, the County Council appointed five temporary acting Planning Board members. All members serve until their successors are appointed.

The Council intends to appoint successors, before February 28, 2023, for three members. The Council is expected to appoint the remaining two positions, including the chair, by June 14, 2023 and will advertise to fill those positions at a later date.

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Maryland

Anthony G. Brown Sworn in as Maryland’s 47th Attorney General

By Patrick Herron

Attorney General Brown also announced he will seek additional funding to attract and retain attorneys, ensure attorney salaries are competitive, and to provide the necessary resources for investigations, enforcement, training, and support.

The Office of the Attorney General provides counsel to the Governor of Maryland and all state agencies, the Maryland General Assembly, and the judicial branch. Its major functions also include consumer protection, criminal appeals, criminal investigations, and civil litigation.

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MDLottery

$50,000 Lottery Ticket Sold in MoCo on December 27 Remains Unclaimed

By Patrick Herron

A $50,000 winning Bonus Match 5 lottery ticket sold on December 27 at the Fenton Citgo (8333 Fenton Street) in Silver Spring remains unclaimed as of January 3. Other recent MoCo winners of note include a $10,000 winning Powerball ticket sold on December 27 at the 7-Eleven at 1301 University Boulevard in Takoma Park and a $20,000 winning Lady Luck scracth-off sold at the 7-Eleven at 29 Olney-Sandy Spring Road in Ashton. Additional information on winners across the state of Maryland below, courtesy of MD Lottery:

Winners of prizes larger than $25,000 must redeem their tickets at the Maryland Lottery Claims Center in Baltimore, which is open by appointment only. Prizes of up to $5,000 can be claimed at any of more than 400 Expanded Cashing Authority Program (XCAP) locations. All Maryland Lottery retailers are authorized to redeem tickets up to and including $600. More information is available on the How To Claim page of mdlottery.com.

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Maryland

Beyond MoCo: Governor Hogan Announces Funding to Advance $100 Million I-81 Project Critical For Western Maryland, Regional Supply Chain

By Patrick Herron

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Larry Hogan today announced $100 million in funding through the Maryland’s Final FY 2023-2028 Consolidated Transportation Program to advance the I-81 Phase 2 project in Washington County into construction. The I-81 Phase 2 project has long been a top priority for Western Maryland and will support economic and job growth, improve safety, ease congestion, and reinforce supply chain reliability for Maryland and the entire region.

“Our administration has been committed to making these transformative improvements to the I-81 corridor from day one, because it is such a critical economic lifeline for the communities and businesses of Western Maryland, and it is vital to our interstate supply chain,” said Governor Hogan. “We are proud to move this project forward in spite of federal inaction, and look forward to seeing all the jobs and opportunities it will deliver for the region. This is another way we are keeping our promises and changing Maryland for the better.”

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Arts

MoComCon 2023 Comic Convention Returns January 14

By Patrick Herron

MoComCon is back and it’s an all day, all ages event celebrating all things comics, graphic novels, and fandoms. MoComCon 2023 will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Germantown Library. Additional information available below:

On-going between 11:00 – 3:30pm: Life Sized Candy Land, Dungeons & Dragons Demo, FOLMC Book Sale, Beat Saber VR Stations, Coloring Stations, Scavenger Hunt, Button Making, Selfie Station, Take & Make Kits (while supplies lasts), and more!

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