gaithersblog.net

Update: Sebastian Montes reports in the Gazette, Gaithersburg teens home after stabbing:

The victim, from Gaithersburg, has been released from an undisclosed hospital he was flown to after his mother took him to a local hospital Tuesday night with life-threatening injuries, said county police spokeswoman Lucille Baur.

The suspect, also from Gaithersburg, was released into his parents’ custody with an electronic monitoring device on his ankle after an emergency hearing Thursday afternoon in juvenile court in Rockville, said Beth Blauer, spokeswoman for the state Department of Juvenile Services.

The suspect was charged as a juvenile with attempted second-degree murder and carrying a weapon openly with intent to injure.

Lori Aratani and Daniel de Vise write in The Washington Post:

Montgomery County police have charged a 13-year-old Gaithersburg boy with stabbing another 13-year-old boy in the stomach with a pocketknife during an argument at a playground Tuesday afternoon.

The victim, while bleeding, got into a fight with another boy before attempting to treat the stab wound and returning home, where he hid the gash from his parents until the evening, police said. His potentially life-threatening injury went untreated for several hours.

According to the Post, the playground where this happened was on Benji Court, which is between Girard Street and Kelly Park, south of Victory Farm Drive. The victim was taken by his mother to a hospital, from which he was later flown to another hospital, where he remained as of the Post’s publication.

I missed this when this news came out a week ago. On Wednesday, March 21, a Virginia District Court Judge declined to strike the anti-solicitation ordinance in the Town of Herndon, and upheld a $100 fine charged against a man who attempted to hire someone in front of a Herndon 7-11.

This is highly relevant to the situation in Gaithersburg, which just adopted an anti-solicitation ordinance of its own. The judge in the Herndon case made it quite clear that she was only upholding the law because of the existence of a laborer center where the speech proscribed in most of the town could still take place. Gaithersburg’s ordinance will not go into effect until the County’s new laborer center — located just south of Shady Grove Road on Crabbs Branch Way — is open and operating.

The intent of Herndon’s new Town Council to find a new operator that would check the work authorization of those who attempt to use the center is an interesting and potentially problematic twist to all this. However, this issue would appear to be moot in the case of Gaithersburg’s ordinance, as I would think that no one seriously expects that Montgomery County is going to ask CASA de Maryland to start checking for illegals, or to replace CASA with another operator if (or, I think I can say with some certainty, when ) they refuse.

In any event, Herndon would appear to be having difficulty with this plan, as, according to the Herndon Connection article linked below, they received no responses to their January RFP. Personally, I find it difficult to imagine that such a contractor would have much work to do. Indeed, again according to the Herndon Connection, the lack of response was due in large part to “a lack of perceived profit” on the part of many potential contractors. I will note here that Herndon’s current contractor, being as they are a charitable organization, has no expectation of profit, either, but I guess that this is more of a factor for those organizations that would otherwise consider bidding on such a contract for which Herndon is now soliciting.

Bill Turque writes in The Washington Post: Limit on Soliciting Work Upheld:

Court Backs Town’s Effort to Restrict Day Labor Deals

A Fairfax County District Court judge upheld Herndon’s anti-solicitation ordinance yesterday, finding that the town’s prohibition against day laborers and motorists striking deals for employment on the streets does not violate First Amendment rights to free speech.

“The regulation is justified solely on the basis of these governmental interests,” Nordlund said.

Nordlund did note an ironic twist in her ruling. Without the day labor center, established over bitter community opposition by the Town Council in 2005 as an alternative to the streets for workers and employers, her decision would have been different.

“If it were not for the labor center, I would have to strike the ordinance,” she said.

Also, Scott J. Krischke writes in the Herndon Connection: Judge Backs Town:

Members of Herndon’s Town Council have remained firm in their plans to change operators of the town’s day labor site following a ruling last week by a Fairfax County General District Court judge that upheld the town’s ordinance forbidding informal employment solicitations.

Thomas’s attorney, Alexa Mosley, had argued that the ordinance was unconstitutional, as it impeded his right to free speech, guaranteed by the first amendment.

In her ruling, Judge Lorraine Nordlund stated that the ordinance met constitutional free speech requirements in that it was narrow enough as to not impede broader free speech, reflected needs for secondary public safety effects and that the speech was still legally regulated at the town’s organized day labor site.

There were a number of letters in this week’s Gazette that are worth highlighting:

• No reason to tolerate illegal immigration

  • Kristen Schroeder Konate, Germantown:

    There is absolutely no reason why tolerance for illegal immigrants seems to becoming commonplace now. The illegal immigration situation is out of control. Everyone must follow the laws if they choose to live here and no special concessions should be given to fugitives who are in any country illegally.

  • Keith Swann, Rockville:
    

    This country welcomes immigrants from all over the world who take the proper steps to enter legally, not illegally.

  • Dave Neimeyer, Rockville:
    

    In a related article, ‘‘Police worry about growing distrust among immigrants,” Kim Propeack says, ‘‘These are people who haven’t broken any laws other than getting a traffic ticket…” Someone should tell her that breaking immigration laws is a crime.

  • Craig Correa, Gaithersburg:
    

    After picking the aforementioned jaw off the floor I got to thinking. If Ms. Propeack and others at Casa of Maryland honestly feel that there’s nothing illegal about coming into the United States and working without the authorization of the U.S. government, and nothing illegal about ignoring lawful orders to appear for hearings, then there’s no legal (notwithstanding ethical) boundary at play in their mind and they are free to facilitate the illegal employment through county day labor centers. Conclusion: Casa of Maryland is unfit to run the centers.

• Wilson Faris, Gaithersburg: Getting the vote out:
  

  As a city resident for almost 30 years, I offer my humble suggestion. How about term limits? There is no reason for any official to serve more than two terms in office. No matter how much I respect the individuals on the council, enough is enough.

• Something must be done to control deer numbers:

  • Ellen R. Litman, Potomac:

    The lack of concern and action on the part of the local and state governments is beyond comprehension. I called every agency I thought appropriate, only to be told, ‘‘Oh, well, get used to it.” Instead of recognizing the deer as a public health hazard (which numerous studies support), the agencies that are supposed to protect the people ignore the damage these animals are causing. And none of the politicians recently running for office said a word about it.

  • Marjorie Winick, Rockville:
    

    Fred Winkler’s commentary put in perspective a big picture issue — that this overpopulation of deer will change the balance of the natural environment. I feel that we — our officials and citizens — need to find effective public programs to manage the local deer population.

  • Jon Weintraub, Bethesda:
    

    Fire Island has had a long-term issue with its deer population and people contracting Lyme disease from deerborne ticks. The Fire Island National Seashore and the U.S. Park Service has successfully begun to address that problem by using an immunological contraception vaccine [Porcine Zona Pellucida {PZP}] on its female deer population.

• Chris Robinson writes: Seniors call for new center to serve upcounty area:
  

  City leaders and area seniors on Monday night rejected a feasibility study’s proposed $2.5 million in upgrades at the Upcounty Senior Center in Gaithersburg, opting instead for short-term improvements while developing a new facility.

• Chris Robinson writes: Crown Farm neighborhoods get early nod:
  

  The outline for two of the five neighborhoods in the proposed Crown Farm Village community were approved last week, paving the way for Gaithersburg’s largest residential project of this century.

• Sebastian Montes writes: Options for saving pool dry up:
  

  It appears that two last-ditch options for YMCA members trying to save the 45-year-old pool in Montgomery Village have come up short.

Update: Chris Robinson has a follow-up story about this event in the Gazette.

From the City’s website. Note the RSVP requirement.

Meeting with Police Chief Candidates for Gaithersburg
Posted 3/19/2007

City Manager David B. Humpton is pleased to report that the City is making progress on hiring a new Police Chief. The City’s Police Chief, Mary Ann Viverette will retire from City service on May 18, 2007. Approximately fifty applicants from across the country applied for this important position and the City’s consultant, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, did an extensive resume review, some preliminary background checks and most importantly telephone interviews. This process narrowed the pool of applicants down to six highly qualified candidates.

Next week, extensive interviews will be held, and there will be an opportunity for the candidates to tour and learn more about the City.

The Mayor and City Council, Police Chief’s Advisory Council, members of the Police Department, and a number of the City’s Senior Management Team plan to meet and greet all of the candidates during a reception which will be held on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:30 pm at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Avenue, Room A. Also invited are key individuals from the Neighborhood Watch communities. This meeting is open to the public; however, if you plan to attend please RSVP to Sarah Paxton at 301-258-6310, ext. 2109.

Eligwe	Bell	Slobig	Griner

I posted the first reports of this event on February 2nd. Following is a new release from the County’s website:

Update - Police Charge Previous Offenders In a Home Invasion

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division – Robbery Section have charged two men for a home invasion robbery that occurred in Gaithersburg on
January 18.

The suspects charged were Timothy Michael Slobig, age 29, of the 9100 block of Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring, and Richol Fernan Griner, age 30, of no fixed address. Slobig and Griner were also two of four men who were charged with the February 19 armed robbery of the Commerce Bank in Rockville.

On February 19 at approximately 7:34 a.m., 1st District officers responded to a bank alarm at the Commerce Bank located at 350 East Gude Drive in Rockville. Preliminary investigation revealed that three bank employees arriving at work were approached by three suspects armed with shotguns and handguns. The suspects forced the bank employees into the bank and then into the area of the vault, where the suspects demanded cash. A female employee was struck in the head with a shotgun. The suspects gained access to the vault, removed an undisclosed amount of cash, robbed the employees of property, and fled the scene in a burgundy sports utility vehicle. It was later discovered that the truck had been stolen in a carjacking in Silver Spring on February 15.

During the investigation, it was learned that an employee of the bank, Jude A. Eligwe, age 21, of the 7300 block of Oliver Street in Lanham, had aided Slobig, Griner, and a third party, Giovanni Bell, age 44, of the 9100 block of Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring, in the robbery of the bank.

Eligwe was arrested on February 20 for the bank robbery. Slobig, Griner, and Bell were arrested on February 23, during an unrelated traffic stop. The following charges were filed and bond applied: Eligwe was charged with theft over $500, conspiracy to commit theft over $500, three counts of first-degree assault, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and the use of a handgun in a crime of violence, and was held on $500,000 bond at the Montgomery County Detention Center; Bell was charged with armed robbery and making false statements; Slobig and Griner were charged with armed robbery; Bell, Slobig, and Griner were held without bond at the Montgomery County Detention Center.

At the time of the bank robbery, detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division – Robbery Section were also investigating a home invasion that had occurred on the evening of January 18, 2007.

On January 18 at 11:00 p.m., a 21-year-old man and a 21-year-old friend, both from Gaithersburg, as well as a 20-year-old friend from Richmond, were returning to an apartment in the 17000 block of Downing Street in Gaithersburg, when they were approached by two male suspects. One suspect displayed a knife, and the other a shotgun. The victims were forced to open the door to the apartment. Once inside, the suspects stole cash and property, before leaving on foot in an unknown direction. The victims were not injured during the robbery.

During the course of the investigation of the Commerce Bank robbery, information was developed and property was recovered connecting Slobig and Griner to the home invasion. Arrest warrants were obtained charging Slobig and Griner with the home invasion robbery.

On March 19, Slobig and Griner, still incarcerated at the Montgomery County Detention Center for the bank robbery, were served arrest warrants for the home invasion, charging them with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, first-degree assault, and second-degree assault. They still remain incarcerated at the Montgomery County Detention Center.

# # #

Contact: Media Services Division Phone: 240.773.5030

From the City’s website:

City of Gaithersburg
WORK SESSION
Mayor and City Council

Monday, March 26, 2007
7:30 P.M.

• Senior Center Feasibility Study Overview and Recommendations
  
  Cover Sheet (pdf format)
  Senior Center Feasibility Study Findings & Recommendations (pdf format)
  • Space Planning Study by Colimore Gallow Architects (pdf file - 7M)

District 6 just released their crime summaries for the week ending 3/14 and the week ending 3/21. Looking at the 3/14 report, they list three robberies, one aggravated assault, three commercial burglaries, three residential burglaries, nineteen thefts from vehicles, three stolen vehicles and one sex offense. In the 3/21 report, they list two robberies, four commercial burglaries, five residential burglaries, twenty-three thefts from vehicles, four stolen vehicles and one sex offense. On the thefts from and of vehicles, it does seem that these thieves are getting somewhat more aggressive. There are several reports, for example, of windows being broken locks being “punched” in order to take things from cars. Beyond this, I note in particular the following.

An armed robbery occurred on Englefield Drive on Wednesday, 3/7 at 2059 hours. The victim approached his residence and saw the suspect vehicle parked in his driveway. The suspects drove out and parked on the street. The victim opened his garage door and before he could drive inside, the first suspect came up to his window, opened the vehicle door and put a black semi-automatic gun to the victim’s side. He obtained cash and went back to the vehicle. The victim noticed the second suspect walking back to the Pontiac from the other side of his vehicle. The vehicle was last seen “southbound” on Route 28.

Suspect: B/M, 5’10”-6’/160-170 lbs., black winter jacket, black pants
Suspect: Unknown race/sex, black jacket and pants, NFD
Vehicle: black ’97 Pontiac 4D, MD/tags

Englefield Drive is near Muddy Branch & Rt. 28

An indecent exposure occurred at Bickerstaff Way and Sharpstead Lane on Saturday, 3/10 at 1750 hours. The 13-year-old female victim and two of her friends were walking when the suspect approached and lowered his pants to expose himself. The suspect then fled on foot towards Diamondback Drive.

Suspect: B/M, 13-15 yrs. old, 5’8”-5’10”/150-160 lbs., shaved head, thin build

Bickerstaff Way is near Muddy Branch, Diamondback and Sam Eig.

A strong-armed robbery occurred at 18311 Lost Knife Circle on Wednesday 3/7 at 2055 hours. The victim was walking towards the suspects when the male suspect yelled at her to give up her bag. The suspects knocked the victim down, slapped her and took her purse. Both suspects fled towards Mid-County Highway.

Suspect: B/M, 5’10”, black puffy jacket, NFD Suspect: B/F, 5’4”, all in black, NFD

An aggravated assault occurred at 18925 Earhart Court in the parking lot of Grand Billiards on Sunday, 3/11 at 0200 hours. The victim had gotten into a dispute with a subject and they moved the argument outside. The suspect came from the crowd and hit the victim. The fight was broken up and the victim left in a vehicle. When he became short of breath, he discovered he had been stabbed several times and went to the hospital where he reported the incident. The victim is slightly acquainted with the suspect.

Suspect: ‘Chunky’, B/M, 21 yrs. old, 5’9”-5’10”/200 lbs., corn-rowed hair

Earhart Court is off Snouffer’s School near the Airpark.

A strong-armed robbery occurred at Clopper Road and Firstfield Road on Thursday 3/15 at 0030 hours. The victim was walking when the suspects surrounded him and one suspect beat him with a large stick. The victim fell down and the other suspects beat and kicked him and took his cash and his cell phone. The victim flagged down an officer to make the report.

Suspect: Seven or eight B/M’s, NFD

On Wednesday 3/14, officers stopped a vehicle on Route 270 and the driver told the officer he was going to Motel 6 to meet a prostitute. The officer used the driver’s phone to call the suspect and then went to the room where he placed her under arrest.

Defendant: Neftali Cacere, AKA ‘Candy’, H/F, 30 yrs. old, 6’2”/230 lbs., red hair, Tattoo on left shoulder, of Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why do I feel like there must be more to that last story?

A 6 yr. old female victim was approached by a stranger at Welbeck Court on Wednesday 3/14 at 1630 hours. The suspect was sitting in his vehicle and the victim’s mother heard the suspect ask the victim if she wanted to get ice cream. The mom yelled at the suspect and he drove off. The mom waited two days to report the incident.

Suspect: H/M, 35-40 yrs. old, brown wavy hair, long sideburns to his earlobe
Vehicle: red Toyota Celica convertible, tan top, had tint covers on the tags

Welbeck Court is near Goshen & Snouffer’s School.

An armed robbery occurred at Gaithersburg HS, 314 S. Frederick Avenue on Tuesday 3/20 at 1845 hours. The victim’s necklace and watch were taken.

Suspect: H/M, mid 20’s, 5’8”-5’10”, clean shaven, dark curly hair

Officers stopped a suspect at S. Summit Avenue & Wells Avenue on Saturday 3/17 for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. While his PBT only recorded .06, he had a suspended license in Michigan and was arrested. He had an unloaded shotgun in his vehicle trunk and the gun was confiscated.

Suspect: Ryan Rays, W/M, 23 yrs. old, 6’/230 lbs., shaved head, has priors for assault and concealed weapon, of 8901 Wisconsin Avenue
Vehicle: tan ’98 Mazda 626 4D, MD/tags

Officers responded to Bowsprit Court on Friday 3/16 at 1014 hours for the report of a suspicious suspect. The 14-year-old female victim said she has seen the suspect once or twice a week, while she is walking to school. When the victim is walking by herself, he calls out to her to come over to him, told her she is pretty, and that she looks 18. He has patted his pocket, insinuating that he has CDS. The victim thinks he may live on Sloop Court.

Suspect: B/M, 25-30 yrs. old, 5’9”-6’/160-180 lbs., beard, black hooded sweatshirt, black jeans, has ‘very red eyes’

Bowsprit Court is near Girard & Teacher’s Way.

Officers responded to the area of Crestwood Drive on Wednesday 3/14 at 0015 for a possible peeping tom. The officers saw the suspect near a window of an apartment and he fled on foot. He went into a nearby apartment building, and officers knocked on the door. They were allowed inside and the suspect started raising his voice and using profanity, causing a disturbance, so he was arrested on the scene.

Defendant: Troy Copeland, AKA ‘Troy’, B/M, 40 yrs. old, 5’10”-6’1”/150-175 lbs, multiple tattoos, has priors for robbery, burglary theft and CDS

Crestwood Drive is in Olde Towne off of N. Summit.

Another report of a suspect approaching a child occurred at Girard Street on Monday 3/19 at 1520 hours. The 14-year-old victim said the suspect first followed her from the bus stop on 3/16. The victim asked the suspect why he was following her and he said he was just walking. However, he did follow her all the way to her building. On 3/19 he was waiting at the bus stop when the victim got off. He followed her again and asked the victim if she remembered him. He got very close to the victim and she shoved him hard enough to knock him down, giving her a chance to run home.

Suspect: H/M, 16-19 yrs. old, 5’4”-5’7”, white Nike baseball cap, black long-sleeved shirt, white sneakers, one with red laces, one with blue laces

• Erika Hayasaki in the Baltimore Sun: Closing arguments given in Hazleton case
• Suzanne Goldenberg in The Guardian: America watches as one small town tries to turn back time on immigration
• Michael Rubinkam, AP Writer, in the York Dispatch: Judge’s ruling in the Hazleton trial could take months
• Michael Rubinkam, AP Writer, in the San Diego Union-Tribune: ACLU: City demonized illegal immigrants to justify crackdown
• Milan Simonich in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Hazleton immigration trial hears closing arguments
• Matt Birkbeck in the Morning Call: Hazleton immigration law ruling may take months
• Steve Mocarsky in the Times-Leader: Now comes the wait for a ruling
• Kris Wernowsky in the Times-Leader: ‘Minuteman’ travels 200 miles to back Barletta
• Wade Malcolm in the Times-Tribune: Lawyers take final shots for, against Hazleton law
• Kent Jackson in the Standard-Speaker: IIRA trial ends: Nation awaits decision on Hazleton immigration law
• Kent Jackson in the Standard-Speaker: Judge expected to take months to decide case
• Digger’s Realm: ACLU Quotes The Bible In Closing Arguments In Hazleton Illegal Immigration Relief Act Case [Day 9 Recap]

• Steve Mocarsky in the Times-Leader: Defense witnesses talk gang activity
• Wade Malcolm in the Times-Tribune: Law enforcement, expert detail need for ordinance
• Kent Jackson in the Standard-Speaker: Cops: Illegals involved in drugs, gangs
• Kent Jackson in the Standard-Speaker: City detective testifies about gangs
• Update: Digger’s Realm: Cops And Gang Expert Take Stand In Hazleton, Attorney Sobs, KKK Says Hi, Ordinance Revised Again [Day 8 Recap]
• Alan Gregory in the Standard-Speaker: Ku Klux Klan group supports Barletta
  

  “He won’t get a call from me,” Barletta told a reporter about Bednarsky while at the federal courthouse in Scranton Wednesday morning.

  “I’ve no plans or intentions to make any contact with him or receive any contact,” the mayor said.