gaithersblog.net

• Sebastian Montes writes, Moves being made to accommodate Belward Campus:
  

  As Johns Hopkins University’s vision for keeping Montgomery County at the forefront of biotech and applied research begins to take shape, Gaithersburg officials are looking to annex an 108-acre property hailed as the centerpiece.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Market downturn prompts changes in development plans:
  

  In Gaithersburg, two builders have pulled out of a residential project on the Casey West property near the planned Watkins Mill interchange with Interstate 270, losing a $10 million deposit, said Assistant City Manager Fred Felton.

  And at Crown Farm’s Aventiene community near the Washingtonian Center, two builders want to forgo their planned spring start with upscale single-family homes.

• Erin Donaghue writes, North Potomac teen indicted on first-degree murder charges:
  

  A North Potomac teen accused of stabbing his father to death on Christmas Day has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder by a Montgomery County grand jury.

• Sebastian Montes writes, Hundreds line up to become U.S. citizens:
  

  For about seven hours Saturday, the busy din filling the cafeteria at Gaithersburg Elementary School was the sound of ground zero in a national campaign to get eligible immigrants to apply for U.S. citizenship.

• Erin Donaghue and Kevin Shay write, Economy worries even Montgomery:
  

  Ezekiel Wololo, who works at Lowe’s in Kentlands, is worried about his job because people are not spending money on home improvements the way they were last year.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Gaithersburg faces lawsuit over stormwater woes:
  

  A Gaithersburg property owner has filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the city claiming that stormwater runoff from improvements made to a city-owned parking lot in Olde Towne has caused substantial harm to her neighboring commercial parking lot, retaining wall and stormwater system.

  “I held the door open for a long time on this,” said Tova Fliegel, owner of the Fliegel Building on East Diamond Avenue. “Litigation was really a last resort for me.”

• Gaithersburg Elementary School principal dies of cancer:
  

  Gaithersburg Elementary School Principal Sharon J. Jones died Monday morning in her Germantown home after a battle with cancer.

• Sebastian Montes writes, Man who fled fatal crash gets to earn a paycheck:
  

  On a judge’s recommendation, the driver who killed Esai Lopez, 17, of Gaithersburg and fled the scene of the crash last year has been accepted into a pre-release work program that enables him to earn a salary and cuts more than two months off of his sentence.

  On Jan. 7, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge DeLawrence Beard sentenced Brian L. Schwartz, 43, of Columbia to two years, with one year suspended.

• Marcus Moore writes, Coming to your computer: Crime stats in real time:
  

  The county police department will launch an interactive program this week that will allow county residents to track crime in their neighborhoods through the Internet.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Kentlands dog poisoned twice:
  

  Gaithersburg police and animal control officers are investigating a suspected dog poisoning in the Kentlands after a 3-year-old pug named Molly twice ingested two different types of rat poison found in her owner’s yard.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Lakelands parents cross with caution:
  

  Lakelands Middle School parents are calling on city and county officials to add safety improvements at two intersections near the Gaithersburg school.

Give this a try; it’s actually pretty well done.

From the County’s website:

1/29/2008

Montgomery County Police Partner with “Public Engines” to Offer Montgomery County Crime Reporting Service on the Internet

Today, Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger announced a new partnership with Public Engines, a software development company, to provide the ability to share neighborhood crime incident information through the Internet. The service will be available in Montgomery County on Friday, February 1, and will be found at the www.crimereports.com website. There will also be a link to the CrimeReports website from the Montgomery County Police website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/police at that time.

This service for Montgomery County, currently in a pilot program phase, will allow the department to publish local crime incident data in near real-time on the crime reports website.
The program converts raw crime data into easily accessible information for anyone to view via the Internet.

The data is presented on a Google Maps interface where residents can review up-to-date crime activity for any location within the jurisdiction of the Montgomery County Police Department. Users may also elect to receive free e-mail crime alerts that are sent when crimes occur close to home or near any other address of interest; such as a business address, school, or community center. Users control the e-mail crime alerts they receive by specifying the address, the crime types, and the distance from the address for which they wish to receive e-mail alerts.

The CrimeReports service is free to the public, allowing them easy access to neighborhood crime data in near-real time, however, it is important to understand that due to the timeliness of the reporting, investigations will not yet have been completed, and the information will be preliminary and subject to change during the course of the investigation. Crime incident data will be updated nightly by the police department.

The basic information that will be received is:

• Type of incident (which will be listed as it is processed in the 911 center, prior to completion of the investigation)
• Date of incident
• Block address location
• May include additional pertinent information

This is the first stage of an evolving program and additional information and features will be added.

Montgomery County Police have for many years set a high priority on community policing. Chief Tom Manger said, “We know that our community members are very interested in what crime is occurring in their county, and in particular their neighborhoods. Crimereports.com gives us another tool to keep our community informed and to strengthen the department’s partnership with the people we serve. When community members know what crime is occurring in their neighborhoods, they can better prevent themselves from becoming victims, and may be more apt to report to police any suspicious persons and activities that may be related to those crimes.”

The program was tested by several community members who have demonstrated a continuing interest in receiving crime information. After reviewing the program, the Community Service Director of the Flower Hill Central Corporation Linda Horensavitz said, “I believe the Montgomery County Police crime reporting website will be a great asset to the community. It will allow members of the community to utilize the Internet to access information that will assist in them partnering with the police to ensure the safety of their local neighborhoods. This will be particularly useful to neighborhoods who participate in the Neighborhood Watch programs.”

“Through CrimeReports.com, the Montgomery County Police Department is taking another step forward in helping community members become and stay involved,” said Greg Whisenant, CEO of Public Engines. “By participating in CrimeReports.com, the Montgomery County Department of Police is demonstrating its continued leadership in its commitment to service and safety by making crime information readily available to the residents they protect.”

The same www.crimereports.com website is used in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department. Montgomery County Police are one of 30 police agencies who are “Foundation Partners” nationwide in providing guidance and input into the direction of the crime reports service.

For more information about Public Engines, log onto www.PublicEngines.com.

###
Contact: Media Services Division Phone: 240.773.5030

From the City’s website:

Monday, January 28, 2008
Aggravated Assault

On 1/28/08 at 5:08 P.M. there was a stabbing in the 300 block of E. Diamond Ave. The victim was stabbed by his roommate who was arrested on the scene.

The 300 block is just east of Summit Ave, near Gaithersburg Elementary & Middle Schools, and where some apartment complexes are slated to be torn down to make way for new, 300-400 unit apartment building.

From the City’s website:

Saturday, January 26, 2008
Armed Robbery

On 1/26/08 at 9:54 P.M. there was an armed robbery of a business in the 200 block of Muddy Branch Road. The suspects were armed with handguns and obtained cash and jewelry.

Suspects- Four Hispanic males wearing black jackets and ski mask.

Burglary Arrest

On 012308 at about 07:09 a.m. the police were called to the unit block of Teachers Way for a burglary report. A police investigation revealed that eight juveniles broke into a building through an open window. All eight juveniles were identified and later charged with burglary

Rape

On 012608 at about 06:30 a.m. MCP units responded to 400 block of Quince Orchard Rd for a report of a fight in progress. A police investigation revealed that rape had just occurred. The victim told officers that she, the suspect and two other men were drinking at local restaurant. At about 01:30 a.m., the victim, the suspect and one other individual decided to rent a room for the night. Some time, later the victim was awaken by the suspect having sex with her. The victim started fighting with the suspect to get him off of her. The commotion woke the other individual in the room and he pushed the suspect off the victim. The suspect then left the room.

Suspect: Hispanic Male, 5′11″, 220 lbs, 40’s

---

Thursday, January 24, 2008
Strong Arm Robbery

On 01/24/2008 at approx. 4:50 p.m. victim was at the Transit Center at Lakeforest Mall. The victim was approached by three suspects, wearing masks. The victim was assaulted and cell phone was taken. All suspects fled the area on foot and were arrested a short distance away.

The publishers of the website www.Maryland20878.com aren’t particularly fond of the County’s proposal for the development of the GE Tech Park, and are focusing particularly on the helipad element of the proposal:

It is clear from other communities’ experiences that once a helipad is in place, there is no control, and it becomes an unending nightmare for residents. All that we have worked on in Kentlands, in Lakelands, in Gaithersburg, could be for naught. All the disagreements that we have painstakingly hammered into agreements could become nothing more than wasted effort. Our new Lakelands Park Middle School, our new Lakelands Park could disintegrate from what they now are and what they represent.

From the City’s website:

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Arrest
On 01/23/08, at 9:40 p.m., police attempted to stop a driver for a traffic violation on Saybrooke Oaks Drive. The driver bailed out of the vehicle and was chased on foot into a wood line on Mid-County Highway where he was apprehended. Investigation revealed that the suspect was transporting a large amount of marijuana.

---

Monday, January 21, 2008
Armed Robbery
On 01/21/08, at approximately 7:35 p.m., the victim was approached by suspects in the 400 block of West Side Drive. The victim was struck in the head with a handgun and property was taken. Suspects fled on foot. Investigation to continue.

Burglary
On 01/21/08, between 7:50 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. unknown suspect(s) entered an apartment in the 300 block of North Summit Avenue and removed property. Investigation to continue.

---

Friday, January 18, 2008
Robbery
On 01/18/08, at approximately 10:52 p.m., the victim was walking in the 300 block of N Summit Avenue when he was approached by the three suspects. Suspect #1 pushed the victim to the ground and held a folding knife to his throat. Suspect #2, who also had a folding knife, helped hold the victim down. The two suspects took the victim’s wallet. All three suspects left on foot.

Suspect #1 - Hispanic male, 24 yrs old, 5′05″, 180 lbs, wearing blue jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt.
Suspect #2 - Black male, 18-19 yrs old, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.
Suspect #3 - Black male, 19-21 yrs old, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Burglary
On 01/16/08, at approximately 12:10 p.m., police responded to the 300 block of N Summit Avenue for the report of a burglary. Police found the front door lock broken but nothing was taken.

---

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Burglary
Sometime between 9:00 p.m. on 01/14/08 and 9:00 a.m. on 01/15/08, an unknown suspect burglarized the Smoothie King, 552 North Frederick Avenue. The unknown suspect smashed out the glass front door and stole money.

Sometime between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on 01/14/08, a residence in the unit block of Dalmar Street was burglarized. The victim believed to know the suspect and was able to recover the property that was taken.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, New council shifts city’s priorities
  

  Signaling a significant shift in the status quo, Gaithersburg’s new City Council rearranged the city’s priorities over the weekend by choosing to put a long-planned aquatic center in the Lakelands on hold while fast tracking a new upcounty senior center and promising to beef-up police spending.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Survey calls for attention to safety, affordable housing
  

  Councilman Michael Sesma said he was surprised that 40 percent of respondents said they had been victims of crime and not reported it.

  ‘‘Forty percent of anything is a pretty significant number,” he said. Reporting crimes is critical both to keeping the city safe and helping the city know the level of police services needed.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, City forgoes criminal investigation of e-mail fraud
  

  Gaithersburg officials have decided not to open a criminal investigation of Assistant City Manager Fred Felton for accessing the then-city manager’s e-mail account without authorization and sending inappropriate messages to a female staff member in October.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Kentlands business district headed for master plan
  

  The city has scheduled a joint public hearing of the mayor and council and Planning Commission to amend the 2003 land use element of the Gaithersburg Master Plan to include the Kentlands Commercial District Special Study area

• Sebastian Montes writes, Casa will have to compete for day-laborer centers
  

  As Montgomery County opens its contracts to run three day-laborer centers to competition for the first time, it remains unclear whether bidders will be provided direction on whether they can ask about the immigration status of people using the employment centers.

• Sebastian Montes writes, GE Tech Park plan gets mixed reviews
  

  The County Council’s first formal presentation of a sweeping plan to create a new ‘‘public safety campus” in South Gaithersburg was met with interest and concerns over the details of how it will be executed and its impact on neighboring communities.

• Janel Davis writes, County hoped for more on transportation
  

  Included in O’Malley’s allocation is $5 million in engineering funds for an interchange at I-270 and Watkins Mill Road in Gaithersburg

• Melissa J. Brachfeld writes, Car fire snarls traffic at Metro station Tuesday morning
  

  County Fire and Rescue Service officials say a mechanical malfunction in a vehicle’s engine caused that vehicle and four others to catch on fire early Tuesday morning at Shady Grove Metro station parking garage.

Note that in my previous post regarding County Police reports, I mentioned that the nominal January 14 report covered only through January 2. However, they have since changed the text on their webpage to properly link it as the January 2 report. The new report being for January 9 keeps them a bit over a week behind on the release of the reports, which is an improvement over the past few months, when the delays had grown to as much as a month.

From the County’s website:

P2 Beat:

• Three commercial burglaries occurred in Darnestown between Friday, 1/4 and Saturday, 1/6:

  • Friday, 1/4 - Midnight to 7:00 a.m. Karate Kicks, 12109 Darnestown Rd Forced entry. Property taken.
  • Saturday, 1/5 - 3:00 a.m. (alarm call) I Sold it on Ebay, 12101 Darnestown Rd Forced entry. Nothing taken.
  • Sunday, 1/6 - 2:50 a.m. (alarm call) I Sold it on Ebay, 12101 Darnestown Road Forced entry. Property taken.

• Half of the vehicle-related thefts occurred in the Cheyenne Road area probably after midnight on Wednesday, 1/2. Only one of the six events involved a secured vehicle. Most involved small items being stolen.

  Cheyenne Road is off Quince Orchard Road, opposite Little Quarry Road in Kentlands.

R1 Beat:

• The more recent of two delivery person armed robberies occurred on Sunday 1/6 at 10:20 PM in the 9400 block of Collette Way in Montgomery Village. One suspect implied a weapon. Property was taken. The suspects fled on foot. The other incident is noted below under the S1 Beat.

  Suspect #1: Hispanic male, age 16 to 18, 5’3” tall, wearing all black clothing.
  Suspect #2: Hispanic male, age 16 to 18, 5’2” tall, wearing all black clothing.

  Collette Way is between Contour Road and Goshen, north of Odend’hal

R2 Beat:

• Two residential burglaries occurred; one on Highland Hall Drive and one on Doolittle St. in Montgomery Village. They are unrelated. There are no further details regarding these incidents.

  Doolittle St is southwest of the intersection of Apple Ridge Road and Montgomery Village Ave, while Highland Hall Drive is within the triangle formed by Goshen, Wightman and Warfield Roads.

• There were six thefts from vehicles in the beat during this time period. There is no further details regarding these incidents.

S1 Beat:

• This earlier delivery person armed robbery occurred on Saturday, 1/5 around 10:59 p.m. in the 8400 block of Towne Crest Drive in Gaithersburg. Property was taken, and the suspects fled on foot.

  Suspect #1: black male, age 17 to 20, 6’0” tall, wearing all black clothing.
  Suspect #2: black male, age 17 to 20, 5’5” tall, wearing all black clothing.

  Towne Crest Drive is off Washington Grove Lane, south of Midcounty Hwy.

• There were two aggravated assaults in the beat that were domestic-related. There are no further details.

• All but one of the stolen vehicles in the beat involved the attempted theft of a Honda Accord, with four being on Old Mac Donald Road or Cottage Hill Court.

  Old MacDonald Road or Cottage Hill Court are between Emory Grove Road and Midcounty Hwy, on opposite sides of Woodfield.

• Two commercial burglaries occurred:

  • Tuesday 1/1 to Wednesday 1/2 Diversity Latin Market at 8411 Snouffer School Rd. Entry gained and property taken.
  • Tuesday 1/1 to Wednesday 1/2 Texaco Station at 8441 Snouffer School Rd Entry gained and property taken.

• The vehicle-related thefts were dispersed throughout the district. A common trend was the theft of GPS units from four of the five vehicles. Entry was forced in each incident. These incidents occurred on the following streets: Antares, Reliant, Tindal Springs, and Hedge Apple Way.

  Antares and Reliant Drives are off Airpark Rd, east of Woodfield. Tindal Springs Court, Place & Drive are between East Village Ave and Snouffer’s School. Hedge Apple Way is south of Snouffer’s School, near Flower Hill Way.

• Two thefts of vehicles occurred of Honda Accords on Meadow Green Way in Gaithersburg during the same time frame. The Accord from the 8400 block of Meadow Green (the only one of the eight targets actually taken) was recovered.

  Meadow Green Way is near Old MacDonald Road, mentioned earlier.

The two beats combined looks like this: