gaithersblog.net

From the County’s website:

• An armed robbery with a handgun of B & B Beer and Wine Store, 8403 Snouffer School Road, was robbed on Tuesday 8/7 around 9:00 pm. Weapon displayed, property taken.

  Suspect: B/M 30 to 32 years, 5’7”-6’0”, 130-140, grey t-shirt, jean shorts

  Suspect: B/M 5’8” to 5’9”, 190-210, black t-shirt

  Vehicle: Blue Toyota or Honda

• A residential burglary/ attempt sexual assault occurred Saturday 8/11 around 12:45 am, the female resident in the 18200 block of Lost Knife Circle. Forced entry, made sexual demands.

  Suspect: B/M 18 to 19 years, 5’6”-5’7”, 160-180, short black hair

• A strong-armed robbery of an adult male in the 900 block of Hillside Lake Terrace on Thursday 8/9 12:35 am. The victim was assaulted, property was taken.

  Suspects: (2)B/M’s 20 to 25 years, 6’0”-6’2”, 170-180, crew cuts, black clothing

  Hillside Lake Terrace is near Great Seneca & Muddy Branch.

• An aggravated assault occurred outside the Red Rocks Café, 385 Muddy Branch Road, on Friday 8/10 around 12:40 am. The adult male victim was found unconscious in the parking lot with his wallet lying on the ground next to him.

• An aggravated assault involved a fleeing shoplifter and a loss prevention officer at Lake Forest Mall on Friday 8/10 around 2:15 pm. The suspect made it to her car and attempted to run over the guard.

  Suspect: B/F 5’6”, 156, 16-20 years old

• On Thursday 8/9 around 9:55 pm, a juvenile male was robbed by four juvenile suspects at Hart Road and Golden Ash Way. The victim was assaulted and property taken. All the suspects were described as between 5’0” and 5’4”, 130-150, in black sweat suits and ski masks. One of the suspects may have been a female.

  This would be in Kentlands.

• An attempted robbery of an adult female near the Cider Mill Apartments near the Lost Knife Safeway on Monday 8/13 around 4:30 pm. Victim assaulted, no property obtained.

  Suspects: (2) H/Ms 14 to 16 years, 5’0”-5’4”, 125-145, crew cuts

• A peeping tom was reported in the 10000 block of Stedwick Road on Thursday 8/9 around 7:50 am when a female resident saw a subject looking in her window as she got dressed.

  Suspect: H/M or light skinned 1/M 5’10”, white shirt

• Between Sunday 8/12 and Monday 8/13, theft from vehicle activity was noted on Gable Ridge Terrace and Sterling Terrace with the attempted theft of a 1991 Ford Mustang and the completed theft of a 1995 Dodge Neon 4-door. Property was stolen from the Mustang.

  Gable Ridge Terrace and Sterling Terrace are near Great Seneca & Sam Eig Highways.

• A commercial burglary occurred at the Gaithersburg Pet Center, 602 Quince Orchard Road, between Thursday 8/9 at 8:06 pm and Friday 8/10 at 6:15 am. Forced entry, property was taken.

• Attempts and vehicle theft of a Dodge Caravan between Thursday 8/9 and Friday 8/10:

  • 800 block Russell Avenue Attempt only 2005 Caravan
  • 850 block Russell Avenue Attempt only 2007 Caravan
  • 400 block Christopher Avenue Completed theft 1996 Caravan

  These addresses are all in the vacinity of the Costco & the Bloom Grocery store.

• Three residential burglaries occurred during this reporting period.

  Tuesday 8/7 9:50 am - 4:45 pm	9700 block Shadow Oak Drive Forced entry, property taken.
  Monday 8/13 7:40 am – 5:15 pm	1200 block Knoll Mist Lane Forced entry, property taken.
  Sunday 8/12 2:00 am – 5:20 am	150 block Watkins Mill Road Forced entry, Property taken.

  Shadow Oak Drive is near Montgomery Village Ave & Apple Ridge. Knoll Mist is near Watkins Mill Road & Travis Lane.

• A residential burglary occurred in the 200 block of Rolling Road on Friday 8/10 between 8:00 am and 3:45 pm. Entry was forced, property taken.

  Rolling Road is in the neighborhood behind City Hall.

• Chris Robinson writes, Flashlight assault gets Gaithersburg man an attempted murder charge:
  

  A Gaithersburg woman was hospitalized early Sunday after an argument with her boyfriend where he allegedly beat her in the head with a flashlight, according to court documents.

• Chris Robinson writes, In two Gaithersburg cases, women wake to strange men in their bedrooms:
  

  Two Gaithersburg women fought off men who forced their way into their homes earlier this month, according to police who do not believe the cases are related.

• Sebastian Montes writes, No arrests in hit-and-run death:
  

  The hit-and-run death of 17-year-old Esai Lopez is still being investigated, though it has been nearly three weeks since Montgomery County police found the car they believe killed him.

• Danny Jacobs writes, Trial set for man accused in fatal hit-and-run crash:
  

  The man alleged to be responsible for a fatal hit-and-run collision along Route 29 is in the country illegally, authorities said, while three injured construction workers involved in the Aug. 13 crash are expected to survive.

• Chris Robinson writes, Gaithersburg man acquitted in Pa. crash:
  

  A Gaithersburg trucker was acquitted Aug. 2 of charges in a Feb. 8 accident that killed a Honduran diplomat on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

• Chris Robinson writes, BMW jumps curb, hits sign that knocks over family:
  

  A Gaithersburg man received a traffic citation last week after his BMW struck a sign in the Kentlands that fell and injured a family of five, county police said.

• Chris Robinson writes, New fees for city’s fire system certification:
  

  To increase the regularity of inspections on sprinklers and other commercial fire protection systems, Gaithersburg could soon require businesses to pay for an annual verification permit for each device.

• Chris Robinson writes, City leaders OK relocation assistance program:
  

  The Gaithersburg council on Monday unanimously approved allocating $400,000 for a plan to provide financial assistance to residents displaced by redevelopment, $100,000 more than was planned.

• In the Of Note column, Chris Robinson and Sebastian Montes write:
  • Another newcomer may enter City Council race

    A ninth potential candidate in the Gaithersburg city elections this November is resident Shawn Ali, who picked up a candidate packet Aug. 10.

  • New Village leaders to take their spots
    

    The Montgomery Village Foundation\u2019s board of directors will vote in closed session Thursday whether to accept the nomination for executive vice president, according to foundation documents.

  • Solicitation law delayed another six weeks
    

    Gaithersburg leaders have decided to wait even longer to settle the fate of the city’s controversial anti-solicitation ordinance.

  • A balanced budget for Village
    

    With a raise in annual assessment fees, tightened expenses and a $700,000 contribution to its reserve funds, the Montgomery Village Foundation has come up with a balanced budget for 2008.

• Sebastian Montes writes, Tower could be in airpark’s future:
  

  Montgomery County Airpark managers may build a control tower in hopes of easing flight restrictions imposed by a federal security zone around Washington, D.C.

• Janel Davis writes, Airpark has been running a deficit for two years:
  

  The Montgomery County Revenue Authority, which operates the county airpark, has a fight on its hands as it fends off community criticism of changes to the Gaithersburg airport and tries to justify the benefit of the airport, which has operated at a deficit for the past two years.

• Chris Robinson writes, Humane Society looks toward future with a larger campus:
  

  The national Humane Society headquarters in north Gaithersburg could eventually make way for two 6- to 12-story office and residential buildings, according to a new long-range development plan.

• Kevin J. Shay writes, Jumbo mortgages are getting costlier:
  

  Rising interest rates for jumbo home mortgages — those for loans greater than $417,000 — have Ed Shaw worried.

Mariana Minaya writes in today’s Washington Post:

The Gaithersburg City Council unanimously approved a home ownership assistance program Monday night that would provide loans for people displaced by residential redevelopment.

The interest-free loans could be repaid when the home is sold or refinanced. Residents making 80 percent or less of the area median income — $75,600 for a family of four — could receive up to $20,000 in federal funds if they buy a home in Gaithersburg or $15,000 if they purchase outside the city. Those who make more could receive up to $15,000 to buy a home in the city or $10,000 if they purchase elsewhere.

But Thomas Cowley of Action in Montgomery, a religious-based group that worked with the Broadstone tenants to secure the displacement funds, said the grants are not enough for low-income residents. The organization had lobbied for up to $40,000 in aid per household and for a portion of the loan to be forgivable.

The assistance program nearly fell apart in June when Mayor Sidney A. Katz threatened to veto the city budget because the plan’s details were unclear. The council then voted to provide $300,000 to the program. On Monday, the council allotted an additional $100,000 in federal funds.