gaithersblog.net

• Patricia M.Murret writes, Quince Orchard band named state champions:
  

  Blast the trumpets, sound the horns. Gaithersburg’s Quince Orchard High School Marching Cougars beat five other bands on Saturday to win their division at state championships.

• Contessa Crisostomo writes, Oprah joins community to dedicate Mattie’s park:
  

  Oprah Winfrey made a surprise appearance in Rockville Saturday as hundreds of people gathered to dedicate the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park, bringing the boy’s mother to tears.

  Oprah also recently visited Gaithersburg High School and interviews with some students appeared on her show.

• Gazette Staff writes, Lanes to shift to accommodate ICC construction:
  

  North- and southbound traffic along Needwood Road in Derwood will be shifted onto a temporary adjacent road beginning at 9 a.m. Monday as construction continues on the Intercounty Connector.

• Joe Beck writes, Button Farm Living History Center gets funding boost:
  

  The state Board of Public Works approved an agreement Oct. 15 that allows a Germantown man to continue restoring a 19th century farm on state-owned land as a museum depicting life on a slave plantation.

  The Board of Public Works on Oct. 15 also approved spending […] $100,000 for landscaping at the Gaithersburg International Latitude Observatory Park.

  The Gaithersburg International Latitude Observatory Park consists of an observatory built in 1899, a caretakers house and garage, monuments used to take geographic measurements and a pagoda like object used to align the observatory telescope. The federal government operated the observatory until 1915 to study variations in latitude caused by the Earth’s wobble on its axis. It reopened from 1932 to 1982. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and conveyed to the city of Gaithersburg in 1987.

  Note that the caretaker’s house (and maybe the garage, I don’t recall for sure) were recently torn down.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Of Note Around Gaithersburg:

  • Village shopping center moves ahead

    The 27,000-square-foot shopping center planned for the site of the former YMCA pool in Montgomery Village is back on track after county planners decided not to make the developer pay more than $2 million called for by revised traffic impact regulations.

  • City police at full staff

    Effective Monday, the Gaithersburg Police Department is at full staff for the first time in recent memory. A recruiting push by Chief John King and his staff, coupled with pay hikes, has helped the department to reach its authorized strength of 54 officers.

  • Archstone project on schedule, developer says

    Plans for the future Archstone development on East Diamond Avenue in Olde Towne Gaithersburg are on schedule despite market downturns and the current credit crunch, according to the developer.

From the City’s website:

Monday, October 20, 2008

Armed Robbery

On 10/20/08, at approximately 10:18 p.m., police responded to the 800 block of Clopper Road for a call that was later determined to be an armed robbery. The two victims advised that they were approached in the parking lot by two suspects, who brandished handguns and physically assaulted them. Property was taken from one of the victims, then the suspects fled the scene. One suspect was located and apprehended a short time later. Police are attempting to locate and identify the second suspect.

Suspects:
One suspect has been arrested.
Second suspect is described as a black male, wearing a black hooded jacket or sweatshirt, and armed with a silver colored revolver.

Arrest

On 10/20/08, at 1:42 a.m., police responded to the 800 block of West Side Drive for a stabbing. Upon arrival, investigation revealed that two roommates had an altercation over a female acquaintance and one cut the other on the abdomen with a box cutter. The victim’s injury is non-life threatening. Arrested: Jose Gomez, Hispanic male, 26 years old, with a Gaithersburg address.

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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Aggravated Assault

On 10/19/08, at 12:25 a.m., police responded to the 400 block of Girard Street for a dispute. Upon arrival, police officers were advised by the victim that he confronted a group of 10-15 youths that were being disorderly in the parking lot. One of them exposed the butt of a handgun, and another produced a knife. The victim was also struck in the face by a third youth wearing a cast on his right hand. The youths all ran in different directions prior to police arrival.

Suspects: (1) Black male, 16-18 years old, 5′2, 130 lbs. Light brown skin, wearing a cast on his right hand, red and white T-shirt, black and white bandana, and blue jeans (2) Black male, 16-18 years old, 5′6, 140 lbs. Light brown skin, armed with a handgun. (3) Black male, 16-18 years old, 5′6, 140 lbs. Light brown skin, armed with a knife.

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Saturday, October 18, 2008

Aggravated Assault

On 10/18/08, at approximately 11:39 p.m., police responded to unit block of Russell Avenue for the report of an aggravated assault. The victim was approached by four suspects. One of the suspects asked for a cigarette and when the victim went to get it the suspect pulled a box cutter out. The victim tried to defend himself and received a cut on his arm. The suspects left the scene.

Suspect #1 - Hispanic male, 5′07″, 175 lbs.
Suspect #2, #3, and #4 - Hispanic males

On 10/18/08 at 11:00 P.M. an aggravated assault occurred in the unit block of Steven Court. The suspect is known and a warrant has been obtained.

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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Burglary

On 10/16/08, at approximately 6:25 a.m., police responded to Cookies by Design at 476 N Frederick Avenue for the report of a burglary. The front door glass was broken and property was taken.

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Sunday, October 12, 2008

Arrest

On 10/12/08, at approximately 4:15 p.m., officers stopped a vehicle in the 400 block of Girard Street for a traffic violation. Search of the vehicle revealed a handgun and ammunition. The driver and passenger were arrested and charged according.

Burglary

On 10/12/08, sometime between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m., an unknown person entered into the rear sliding glass door of a residence in the 300 block of W. Deer Park Road. Numerous items were stolen from the residence. There were no signs of forced entry. An investigation is ongoing.

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Armed Robbery

On 10/11/08, at approximately 8:04 p.m., police responded to the unit block of Water Street for the report of a robbery. The victim, who was intoxicated, stated that a known acquaintance pulled a knife on him and took some property.

Suspect - Hispanic male, 20-25 yrs old, 5′10″-6′00″, 175-185 lbs, bald, wearing black pants, a black shirt and a blue visor.

Burglary

Sometime between 7:09 p.m. on 10/10/08 and 7:50 a.m. on 10/11/08, MRB Counseling located at 317 E Diamond Avenue was burglarized. There were no signs of forced entry and property was taken.

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Friday, October 10, 2008

Burglary

On 10/10/08, at approximately 11:32 p.m., police responded to the 800 block of Flagler Drive for a burglary. The victim was contacted by the known suspect asking for some property back. The suspect was outside the victim’s house. The victim asked the suspect to leave. The suspect entered the victim’s house and displayed a knife. The victim called the police and the suspect left the scene. No property was taken.

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Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Burglary

On 10/8/08 a burglary was reported in the unit block of Anna Court. The incident occurred between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Entry was made through a basement window and property was removed.

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Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Burglary

Sometime between 1:00 p.m. and 4:25 p.m., a residence in the unit block of Federal Court was burglarized. A rear window was forced open and property was taken.

On 10/07/08, at approximately 12:16 p.m., police responded to the 700 block of Sunnybrook Terrace for the report of a burglary. The resident was home and heard a knock at his front door and then his rear sliding glass door. He went to look at the rear sliding glass door and when he returned to the living room the two suspects were inside. When the suspects saw the victim they fled. No property was taken. The investigation is ongoing.

Suspect #1 - Black male, 18-26 yrs old, 5′08″-5′09″, 190-210 lbs, black hair, wearing blue jeans, a long black t-shirt and a green hat.
Suspect #2 - Black male, 18-26 yrs old, 5′05″-5′06″, 100-120 lbs, black hair, wearing black jeans and a black jacket.

According to the WTOP, the boy was found unharmed late last night in DC:

Kamron Wells was located in the District of Columbia around 1:30 a.m. Monday, Fairfax County Police say.

Sources tell WTOP the child was found after someone waved down a police officer saying they knew what house the boy was in. The boy found inside sleeping.

He was unharmed and returned safely to his parents.

See the Virginia Amber Alert site for more information and photographs.

From Channel 4:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — An Amber Alert has been issued for a 5-year-old child last seen Sunday morning in Alexandria.

Police said Kameron Deveaux Wells is in extreme danger and was likely abducted in the area of the 6200 block of Little River Turnpike in Alexandria.

Authorities said the child disappeared while shopping with his grandfather at the Shoppers Food Warehouse at the Plaza At Landmark.

The boy was last seen at about 11 a.m. inside the store. The grandfather said he turned into an aisle, looked back, and his grandson was not there.

He looked for the boy for about 40 minutes and then contacted police.

Police are searching the store, parking lot, and via helicopter and with dogs.

Kameron is 3 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing a camouflage T-shirt, blue jeans, black suede shoes and a gray pullover hoodie. He is also missing his front left tooth.

Anyone with information should contact Fairfax police at 703-691-2131 or Virginia State Police at 800-822-4453.

For those of you who normally watch the City Council on Gaithersburg Channel 13, my understanding is that this session will not carried on that channel. It will, however, be carried on the Rockville channel, which I believe is on Channel 11 on Comcast, RCN and Verizon FIOS.

From the City’s website:

Agenda - Work Session (Rockville): Climate Change, 10/20/2008

Posted 10/17/2008

City of Gaithersburg
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

WORK SESSION AGENDA
Monday, October 20, 2008
7:30 p.m.
Rockville City Hall
111 Maryland Avenue

• Receive Joint Briefing for the Mayors and Councils of Gaithersburg and Rockville on the July 9, 2008 Draft “National Capital Region Climate Change Report” Prepared by the Climate Change Steering Committee of the Council of Governments
  Background Material (pdf format)

The (131-page) background document actually contains quite a lot of information, in the form of the draft from the Council of Governments. The cover memo provided by City Staff notes Gaithersburg’s extensive progress in complying with the report’s recommendations:

In 2006, the Mayor and Council, with the support of the City’s Environmental Affairs Committee, unanimously approved a resolution to sign onto the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement and join hundreds of cities throughout the nation in a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Subsequently, Gaithersburg’s 2008 Strategic Plan includes a goal to implement climate protection policies and programs.

In May 2007, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) established a Climate Change Steering Committee to catalog best practices and greenhouse gas reduction techniques and to develop a potential action plan to address climate change issues in the region. While Gaithersburg was not represented on this committee, the City is interested in the Committee’s findings and in regional coordination of climate change policies and programs.

COG has requested the opportunity to provide a joint briefing to the Mayors and Councils of Gaithersburg and Rockville on the July 9, 2008 Draft “National Capital Region Climate Change Report.” The report summarizes:

• The science behind the causes and effects of climate change;
• The likely ecological and economical impacts on the Washington, DC metropolitan region; and
• Recommended methods and actions for mitigating the effects of climate change.

During the course of the briefing, COG staff will provide highlights of the draft report, the significant comments received from member jurisdictions, and the likely revisions that will appear in the final report.

Attached for your review are the Draft COG Climate Change Report and the PowerPoint slides. According to the report, the energy sector (electricity and fuel use) and the transportation sector account for 66 percent and 30 percent of the overall regional carbon emissions, respectively. The report provides recommendations for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from both of these sources. The City of Gaithersburg has already implemented many of the recommendations outlined in this report, including the following:

Energy

• Adopted policy requiring all new City occupied buildings to achieve LEED Silver certification.
• Adopted Residential and Commercial Green Building Ordinances.
• An expanded residential recycling program that includes single stream recycling with an increase in the number of materials that can be recycled.
• Mandatory multi-family and commercial recycling programs that are administered by Montgomery County.
• Pursuant to a joint procurement contract, the City purchases 10% of its energy from wind power. This is expected to increase to 20% by 2011.
• The 2009 budget includes funds for energy audits at City facilities with high energy consumption and to implement retrofits when appropriate.
• In partnership with the City of Rockville, the Maryland Municipal League Legislative Committee has endorsed our request for statewide legislation that would create a loan program to assist homeowners with the costs of implementing energy efficiency improvements. The City has also budgeted modest funds ($10,000) to support residential home energy audits that identify eligible energy efficiency projects.
• A solar demonstration project will be included at the new Olde Towne Youth Center.

Transportation and Land Use

• Land use plans promote mixed use transit oriented development along the stops proposed for the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT) and new development approvals include a shuttle bus service to the Metro or the creation of transportation management districts.
• The City’s green fleet program utilizes hybrid vehicles, police segway and bike patrols, and low sulfur B20 biodiesel.
• A GIS-based street tree inventory is being created to maintain and improve the City’s tree canopy coverage.
• Several bicycle and pedestrian improvements are in the planning phase to improve our alternative transportation network.

Given that the City’s existing climate protection approach generally follows COG’s recommendations, staff has no significant comments on the draft report at this time. The City will continue to evaluate our initiatives and will be establishing new goals and programs in the future.

Attachments

Draft COG Climate Change Report

PowerPoint slides

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Teen will be tried as adult:
  

  The case of a 16-year-old charged in connection to the April shooting death of a Gaithersburg woman will not move to juvenile court.

  Anthony Moore was 15 years old in June when Montgomery County Police charged him with first-degree murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The Gaithersburg teen and Aaron M. Shepherd, 19, also of Gaithersburg were key police witnesses in the death of Lindsay Marie Harvey, 25, who was found shot once in the head near a trash bin at the apartment complex where she lived. Police say that Shawn M. Henderson, 25, of Hyattsville, shot Harvey. He is charged with first-degree murder, use of a handgun to commit a violent crime and robbery with a dangerous weapon.

• Bradford Pearson writes, Bail denied for teen held on explosives charges:
  

  A former teacher defended a Bethesda teen currently held on explosives and fake identification charges at a bond hearing Friday, calling the 18-year-old “intellectually curious” and “an ideal student.”

  Collin McKenzie-Gude, of Bethesda, has been charged with possession of explosives and false identifications, attempted carjacking and assault, all stemming from a series of incidents in late July.

• Melissa J. Brachfeld writes, Auditors say money was used improperly at Richard Montgomery:
  

  School system auditors say thousands of dollars raised by students at Richard Montgomery High School were used on meals, clothing, a retreat and other perks to benefit staff instead of students.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, County police officer pleads guilty to DUI:
  

  A Montgomery County Police officer who crashed his take-home cruiser on Interstate 270 in May has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Oktoberfest brings in record crowds:
  

  Gaithersburg’s 17th Annual Oktoberfest topped last year’s attendance by about 2,000, for a total of about 9,500 visitors, said Michele McGleish Potter, Gaithersburg’s director of Parks, Recreation and Culture.

• Patricia M. Murret writes, Concept for Lakelands aquatic center resurfaces in discussions:
  

  Montgomery County and Gaithersburg staff are in serious discussions on a “promising concept” that would allow the Aquatics and Recreation Center planned for the Lakelands to move forward as part of the proposed acquisition of the GE Tech Park and Finmarc properties off Darnestown Road, city officials said Tuesday. Plans for the $25 million pool were tabled in January after city leaders said they could not absorb construction and operating costs.

• Sebastian Montes writes, Bold steps called for to fulfill Hopkins’ vision:
  

  Though the vision and support are there for a “Science City” in Shady Grove west of Interstate 270, county planners are finding that rewriting the zoning guidelines for the 700-acre area is coming up against tall hurdles.

• Sebastian Montes writes, Hopkins plan meets harsh criticism from activists:
  

  Johns Hopkins University’s vision for a “Science City” in Shady Grove is drawing sharp criticism from a coalition of mass transit advocates, environmentalists and residents, which questions the project’s viability and says that the process has lacked public input.

• Janel Davis writes, County taxpayers group opposes property-use plan:
  

  A county taxpayers league is questioning the costs associated with a land-use initiative proposed by County Executive Isiah Leggett.

• Sebastian Montes writes, Kearns’ battle vs. auto giants took decades:
  

  Out in theaters now, “Flash of Genius” tells the story of how Robert W. Kearns took on Ford Motor Co. for swiping his idea for a windshield wiper that paused between strokes.

  But what it does not depict is that this David-versus-Goliath epic was orchestrated and executed entirely out of a basement in a Montgomery Village home on Lookout Place with a sweeping vista of Lake Whetstone.

Update: While far less egregious than the apparent situation at Richard Montgomery, the audit of Gaithersburg High School (one of several available at the Parents Coalition website), also lists some opportunities for improvement. Quoting the “Findings and Recommendations” section of the report (note the following was OCR’d from the bitmapped PDF, so please consult the original for an authoritative version):

At our meeting on June 5, 2008, we discussed actions taken since our previous audit report, dated April 23, 2007, that have strengthened financial accountability for lAP resources. As discussed, those conditions have been resolved. Although these actions improve accountability and internal control, we found additional conditions which weaken controls over, or management of resources. These conditions are described below along with our recommendations.

MCPS Form 280-54, Request for a Purchase, is used to obtain principal approval to proceed with an intended purchase (see IAF manual, p. 8). The purpose of each disbursement must be fully explained on this form in order to properly record expenditures in appropriate accounts and to ensure that expenditures comply with IAF requirements. In our random sample of disbursements, we found prior approval was not obtained for 24 percent of purchases made. By requiring prior approval, the principal retains control over the expenditure of IAF funds. We recommend that Form 280-54 be prepared by staff and signed by the principal at the time verbal approval is sought so that purchase orders and invoices bear a date subsequent to the approval date.

The yearbook sponsor is required to keep detailed records of the number of books sold, the price charged as well as the number of books distributed free of charge (see IAF manual, p. 16). However, the records kept by the yearbook sponsor did not enable us to reconcile the number of books purchased with the number sold, given free, and the remaining inventory. We were therefore unable to determine that all funds generated from this activity had been remitted. We recommend the yearbook sponsor be advised about the record-keeping requirements for this activity and assisted as needed.

Vocational education business activities should be conducted in accordance with MCPS Regulation IGK-RB, Career and Technology Education Projects from Outside MCPS. During our audit we observed the daily operation of the Cosmetology shop. We found that there were no controls in place to verify that all monies received were submitted to the financial agent. It was also noted that daily receipts were being held by the sponsor and not being turned in on a timely basis. To improve internal controls over receipts we recommend that an appointment book or daily log of customers be kept along with a copy of all work orders. A copy of the prenumbered payment receipt should be attached to the work order and brought to the financial assistant with the daily receipts. At the end of each month, the financial agent should reconcile work orders, daily log, and other receipt documentation with the monthly deposits.

Other matters were discussed and satisfactorily resolved with Mrs. Annie Stone, business manager and Mrs. Debra Clouse, financial assistant. We appreciated their cooperation and assistance as well as others on your staff. Please provide a response to Mr. Adrian Talley, community superintendent, within 30 days of this report, with a copy to the Internal Audit office.

Many Gaithersblog readers will recall all the news from several weeks ago about MCPS school fees. One of the concerns raised by parents with regard to the school fees was that there was no public accounting of the use of those funds. Now, an audit of Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville has turned up evidence that, at least at that school, these funds were in fact being misused.

Channel 7 reports, Student Money Spent on Staff Perks at School:

They say thousands of dollars raised to help students is instead paying for special meals and new jackets for school leaders.

The internal audit reported thousands of dollars earmarked specifically for students at Richard Montgomery High School were in fact spent elsewhere.

From January 2007 through March of this year:

• $9,400 went for an administration leadership retreat.
• $5,100 was used for restaurant meals for the principal and other officials.
• $1,100 was spent to buy eight jackets for administrators and staff.

Melissa J. Brachfeld writes in the Gazette, Auditors say money was used improperly at Richard Montgomery:

School system auditors say thousands of dollars raised by students at Richard Montgomery High School were used on meals, clothing, a retreat and other perks to benefit staff instead of students.

The money came out of the school’s Independent Activity Funds, which are collected from classroom fees, event ticket sales and fundraisers. School system policy says that unless otherwise designated, the funds belong to the student body and may not be used to benefit staff or particular student groups.

Note that this information comes out of an audit specific to Richard Montgomery, and thus does not address the question of the use of this money at other schools.

Via Connected Communites, where reports for all six districts are available.

P1 Beat:

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 600 block of West Side Drive in Gaithersburg overnight between Monday, 9/22 and Tuesday, 9/23. Vehicle was left unlocked a purse was stolen.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 17000 block of King James Way in Gaithersburg overnight between Thursday, 9/25 and Friday, 9/26. Suspects broke windows and removed a GPS unit.

• An indecent exposure occurred at Christman Park located at 315 West Deer Park Road in Gaithersburg on Wednesday, 9/24 around 4:40 p.m. The suspect was exposed in his vehicle. A 21-year-old male from Gaithersburg was arrested on scene.

• A rape was reported on Saturday, 9/27 involving known parties on School Drive in Gaithersburg.

P2 Beat:

• A commercial armed robbery occurred at the Absolute Mac computer store located at 895 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, 9/23 at 4:00 p.m. Suspects entered the store demanded money and fled in a customer’s vehicle. The vehicle was later recovered. A 44-year-old male from Gaithersburg and a 46-year-old male from Hyattsville were arrested. nvestigation is continuing.

  Suspect: Unk/F

• A commercial burglary occurred at the Exxon Station located at 971 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg on Saturday, 9/27 at approximately 4:10 am. Forced entry, property taken.

• A residential burglary occurred in the 1100 block of Corning Lane in Gaithersburg between Thursday, 9/25 at 9:00 p.m. and Friday, 9/26 at 12:00 p.m. No signs of forced entry, property taken.

R1 Beat:

• A strong-arm robbery occurred at Lakeforest Mall located at 701 Russell Avenue in Gaithersburg on Monday, 9/22 at approximately 4:20 pm. The adult male victim was walking and approached by a suspect who demanded his property. Suspect fled after obtaining property.

  Suspect: B/M, 23 years old, 5’9” tall, 180 lbs, mustache

• A theft of vehicle parts occurred in the 18400 block of Lost Knife Circle in Montgomery Village overnight between Monday, 9/22 and Tuesday, 9/23. Suspects broke windows and removed two airbags from a 2002 Honda.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 18800 block of Walkers Choice Road in Montgomery Village overnight between Tuesday, 9/23 and Wednesday, 9/24. Suspects broke the window and removed a Sirius radio system.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the in the 18600 block of Sandpiper Lane in Montgomery Village at an unknown time between Monday, 9/22 and Thursday, 9/25. Suspects pried the window and removed the in-dash stereo.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the in the 9800 block of Hellingsley Place in Montgomery Village overnight between Thursday, 9/25 and Friday, 9/26. Suspects broke the window and removed a GPS unit.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 9800 block of Featherwood Street in Montgomery Village overnight between Thursday, 9/25 and Friday, 9/26. Suspects broke the window, nothing was reported missing.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 9800 block of Dockside Terrace in Montgomery Village on Wednesday, 9/24. No force, cell phone and camera taken.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 18400 block of Bishopstone Court in Montgomery Village overnight between Thursday, 9/25 and Friday, 9/26. Suspects broke window, nothing was reported missing.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 18700 block of Walkers Choice Road in Montgomery Village on Saturday, 9/27 between 12:10 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Suspects broke the window and removed a GPS unit, cell phone and electronic equipment.

• A theft of vehicle parts occurred in the 18500 block of Grackle Way in Montgomery Village overnight between Friday, 9/26 and Saturday, 9/27. Suspects broke the window and removed the airbags from a 2006 Toyota.

• A residential burglary occurred in the 9800 block of Leatherfern Terrace in Montgomery Village on Friday, 9/26 between 3:00 p.m. and 11:30 pm. No sign of forced entry, property taken.

• An aggravated assault occurred at Marshall’s located at 18236 Contour Road in Montgomery Village on Saturday, 9/27 around 2:00 p.m. A male shoplifter was confronted by loss prevention personnel. The suspect attacked them with a pair of wire cutters. A 46-year-old male of no-fixed address was arrested on scene.

• An attempted theft of a vehicle occurred in the 18000 block of Singing Pine Circle in Montgomery Village overnight between Friday, 9/26 and Saturday, 9/27. The ignition had been tampered with.

• An attempted theft of a vehicle occurred in the 18000 block of Royal Bonnet Circle in Montgomery
  Village overnight between Friday, 9/26 and Saturday, 9/27. The ignition had been tampered with.

• A vehicle was stolen in the 18000 block of Royal Bonnet Circle in Montgomery Village overnight between Friday, 9/26 and Saturday, 9/27. A 2003 Chrysler Voyager was stolen.

R2 Beat:

• A residential burglary occurred in the 19000 block of Mills Choice Road in Montgomery Village between Thursday, 9/25 and Saturday, 9/27. Forced entry, property taken.

S1 Beat:

• A robbery occurred in the intersection of East Diamond Avenue and North Summit Avenue in Gaithersburg on Sunday, 9/28 at approximately 6:00 p.m. The victim advised he was approached by two suspects (H/Ms, NFD) who asked if they could assist in drinking his beer. The victim declined, prompting one suspect to strike him with a baseball bat and steal the victim’s beverages.

• A robbery occurred in the 400 block of Girard Street in Gaithersburg on Monday, 9/29 at approximately 7:00 a.m. The victim passed the suspects in the hall when they grabbed her and stole her purse. Both fled on foot after stealing the victim’s purse.

  Suspect: B/M, 20 to 25 years old, 6’0” to 6’2” tall, 200 lbs, crew cut, red shirt, blue jeans
  Suspect: B/F, 18 to 20 years old, 5’0” to 5’1” tall, thin, brown shirt, blue jeans

• A residential burglary occurred on North Summit Avenue in Gaithersburg on Wednesday, 9/24 around 10:15 am. No force, nothing taken.

  Suspect: H/M, 30 to 35 years old, 5’7” tall, 200 lbs, crew cut, blue soccer shirt

• A residential burglary occurred in the 400 block of Girard Street in Gaithersburg on Wednesday, 9/24 between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Forced entry, property taken.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred on North Summit Avenue in Gaithersburg between Monday, 9/22 at 9:30 p.m. and Tuesday, 9/23 at 11:00 a.m. Suspects broke the window and removed the car stereo.

• A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 8400 block of Towne Crest Drive in Gaithersburg between Wednesday, 9/24 and Thursday, 9/25. No force, a GPS unit, tools, CDs, and a satellite radio were stolen.

S2 Beat:

• A robbery occurred in the 8500 block of Snouffer School Road in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, 9/30 at approximately 10:20 p.m. The adult male victim was approached by the suspect who brandished a knife and demanded his money. The suspect obtained cash and fled.

  Suspect: B/M, 25 years old, 5’6” tall, green t-shirt, blue jeans, knife

As a side note, this is my 1000th post since starting Gaithersblog just over two years ago…

Via Connected Communites, where reports for all six districts are available.

P1 Beat:

• A street robbery occurred in a parking lot on West Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg on Thursday, 9/18 around 4:15 p.m. A suspect approached the male victim and stated that he was going to take his money. He then punched the victim. His property was stolen.

  Suspect: B/M 20-30 years, 6’5” to 6’7”, 160-180, black hat, black shirt, blue jeans

• A residential burglary occurred in the 100 block of Bralan Lane in Gaithersburg on Thursday, 9/18 around 8:10 a.m. while the resident was home. No forced entry, property taken. A resident saw the suspects leaving.

  Suspect: B/M 6’0”, 160-190, black jacket, multicolored gloves
  Suspect: B/M 5’6” to 5’8”, 150-160, blue jean jacket, black tee shirt, blue jeans

• A residential apartment burglary occurred in the 400 block of West Side Drive in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, 9/16 between 10:30 a.m. and 11:25 p.m. There was no sign of forced entry, but property was reported missing.

• A residential burglary occurred in the 200 block of Summit Hall Road in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, 9/16 between 7:20 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. There was no forced entry to the home, but property was taken.

• Two thefts from vehicles occurred in the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel, 9751 Washingtonian Boulevard in Gaithersburg between Wednesday, 9/17 and Thursday, 9/18. A window was broken in each to gain entry and GPS units were removed.

• Three thefts from vehicles occurred in the Rio parking garage located at 9821 Washingtonian Boulevard in Gaithersburg on Sunday, 9/21 between 4:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. A window was broken in each and GPS units were removed.

P2 Beat:

• A commercial burglary occurred at “At the Beach Tanning” located at 12121 Darnestown Road in Gaithersburg between Friday, 9/19 at 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, 9/20 at 9:00 a.m. Forced entry but no property was obtained.

• A commercial armed robbery occurred at the Absolute Mac computer store, 895 Quince Orchard Road in Gaithersburg, on Tuesday 9/23 at 4:00 pm. Suspects entered the store armed with a handgun and forced the victims to the floor. A customer’s vehicle was stolen from the scene and used to aid their escape. An alert citizen saw the activity and wrote down the tag leading to the discovery of the vehicle in the Park and Ride lot on Quince Orchard Road. The investigation culminated with three arrests; two lived in D.C. and one from Gaithersburg.

• An aggravated assault occurred in the parking lot of 300 North Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg near the Vitamin store on Saturday, 9/20 around 11:15 p.m. All the parties involved were at a party at another location and later a dispute of some kind emerged at this location. At least two victims were attacked with baseball bats. The suspects are described only as three unknown H/Ms.

R1 Beat:

• An aggravated assault involved a clothing shoplifter from JC Penney in the 700 block of Lakeforest Blvd. in Gaithersburg on Friday, 9/19 around 5:50 p.m. The suspect was being chased by store security over to the 18200 block of Lost Knife Circle in Montgomery Village when he turned and brandished a knife. The security officer discontinued his pursuit.

  Suspect: B/M 35-40 years, 6’0”, 180, blue shirt, blue jeans, knife

• An aggravated assault occurred on Centerway Road in Montgomery Village on Wednesday, 9/17 involving a juvenile suspect and adult victim, who are neighbors. The juvenile was arrested for making threats with a knife.

R2 Beat:

• No significant activity.

S1 Beat:

• A residential burglary occurred on Brighton Drive in Gaithersburg sometime between Thursday, 9/11 and Thursday, 9/18. Forced entry but nothing was removed.

• Two thefts from vehicles occurred in the 200 block of Rolling Road in Gaithersburg on Monday, 9/22. In both cases, a window was smashed and a GPS, CD’s, and cash were taken.

S2 Beat:

• A commercial burglary occurred at the Airpark Beer & Wine, 7601 Airpark Road in Gaithersburg on Saturday, 9/20 just before 11:00 p.m. Forced entry and property was taken. An alert citizen saw the suspect fleeing the area on foot.

  Suspect: B/M 20-25 years, 5’7” to 6’0”, black baseball cap, grey tee shirt

From the City’s website:

Oktoberfest at the Kentlands - Sunday
Phone 301-258-6350
Email parksrec@gaithersburgmd.gov

Oktoberfest 2008

The City of Gaithersburg and the Kentlands Citizens Assembly present the 17th Annual Oktoberfest at the Kentlands, Sunday, October 12, 2008, from noon to 4 p.m. at Kentlands Village Green. Admission and parking are free. Free wheelchair accessible shuttle service will be available from the Global Exchange Services (GXS) Building at the corner of Main Street and Route 28, and will run regularly during festival hours. Free bike valet parking will be located on Golden Ash Mews beside the Firehouse and Greenhouse.

Amidst horse-drawn hayrides and pumpkin painting, festival goers can enjoy authentic Bavarian food and beer and lively performances by the Alte Kameraden German Band and Alt-Washingtonia Bavarian dancers. Lederhosen and dirndls are optional as Alt-Washingtonia instructs and encourages participation in some of their dances. Throughout the festival you’ll find booths representing local merchants, organizations, artists and craftspeople. The City Art Shop, housed in the Arts Barn adjacent to the Village Green, will showcase one-of-a-kind pieces by more than 100 local artists.

The outdoor Family Stage will feature the contagious energy of FLUMPA, Live!, while the dynamic dancers of Studio C will be performing on the Arts Barn Theater stage. Performing on both stages will be the talents of Upbeat Unlimited, The Day Dream Dance Performance Company, The Kentland’s Community Children’s Chorus, and The Damascus Theater Group. Kids will also enjoy a full day of pony rides, moon bounce, face painting, recycling art projects, and many other activities. A used book exchange will be taking place inside the Arts Barn, so be sure to bring a used book to swap for a “new” used book! Note that a small fee will be charged for some activities.

Oktoberfest at the Kentlands is sponsored in part by:

Also, I received the following note from the Gaithersburg-Germantown Jaycees:

*Jaycees Celebrate Oktoberfest*

GERMANTOWN, Maryland, September 29 — The Gaithersburg Germantown Jaycees (”G&G Jaycees”) will be bringing their popular Paint-A-Pumpkin booth to the Oktoberfest celebration at the Kentlands Mansion in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood on October 12th from noon — 4:00pm.

Upon visiting the Paint-a-Pumpkin booth, artists of all ages will have the opportunity to decorate a pumpkin in their own unique style. And because the pumpkins are painted instead of carved, the likelihood of the artwork lasting until Halloween is greatly improved.

Running fund raising projects such as these provides individual Jaycees the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills and gain the experience of running a small business for a day. Additionally, the money raised from the event is returned to the community, supporting the chapter’s participation in such events as “Read Across America” and the “Bark in the Park” dog carnival as well as supplying free hot chocolate and cider at Gaithersburg’s Olde Towne Trick-or-Treat and Holiday Tree-Lighting ceremony at City Hall.

Established in the 1950s, the Gaithersburg/Germantown Jaycees offer people between the ages of 21 and 40 unique opportunities to develop leadership skills they can use elsewhere in life. In 2004, the Gaithersburg/Germantown Jaycees were recognized as the City of Gaithersburg’s Organization of the Year. Additional information about the G&G Jaycees is available at www.ggjaycees.org or by calling 301-230-4930.

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