BN Cafe completed, Nook readers arrive at Barnes & Noble at Congressional Plaza

The Starbucks BN Cafe at the future Barnes & Noble bookstore at Congressional Plaza is complete, minus potential wall artwork. It's sure to stir cafe-envy in Bethesda residents stuck with the small and cafe-less Amazon Books as replacement for the shuttered Barnes & Noble at Bethesda Row.

First to hit the shelves at this relocating Rockville location? Nook e-readers. I'll take a hard copy book over one of those any day of the week, though.

Crumbl Cookies opening in Rockville

A cookie shop? This brings back memories of an age when Mrs. Field's was a ubiquitous mall tenant like Auntie Anne's and Cinnabon. Let's pretend to return to a golden age of warm cookies when Crumbl Cookies opens later this year at Federal Plaza.

This will be the first northeast location of Crumbl Cookies, which also sells ice cream. They've chosen a good location on busy Rockville Pike, and which is also walking distance from Pike & Rose, another Federal Realty property.

They've started construction inside. But the signs are already up outside. I'm a little bit triggered by the name of the Utah-based company, though - fresh, soft cookies shouldn't crumble!

ICE arrests alleged sex offender Montgomery County released

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has located and arrested an alleged child sex offender whom Montgomery County released from custody. Rene Atilio Ramos-Hernandez, 56, has been accused of repeated sexual abuse of a child. ICE had lodged a detainer with Montgomery County, asking that Ramos-Hernandez be held upon his release from jail so that ICE agents could take him into custody for deportation. County officials did not hold him, and he was released into the community, where he remained at-large for several weeks.

ICE agents located Ramos-Hernandez at his workplace in the District, and took him into custody, the agency said in a statement Tuesday. “Our fugitive operations team safely carried out this arrest in the community, but this required additional time and resources when he could have safely been transferred to ICE custody within the secure confines of the Montgomery County Detention Center,” acting Baltimore Field Office Director Francisco Madrigal said.

In their statement, ICE notes that Ramos-Hernandez also has convictions for driving while intoxicated and driving on a suspended license in Fairfax County, and for driving while intoxicated in Montgomery County, Maryland. The agency says he will remain in ICE custody until an immigration judge issues a final order of deportation for him.

TGI Fridays creates outdoor seating in Rockville

The TGI Fridays at 12147 Rockville Pike in the Pike Center didn't have the benefit of their own dedicated patio for outdoor dining. But they have improvised to create room by using space in the parking lot outside the restaurant. Tables with umbrellas have been set up inside of fenced-off areas.

Strong arm rape reported at Rockville bus stop

A strong-arm rape was reported to Rockville police Saturday evening. The assault was reported at a bus stop in the 1700 block of Rockville Pike around 8:00 PM, according to crime data.

Montgomery County GOP chairman resigns

Alexander Bush

The chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Party has resigned. In a resignation letter to members of the County Republican Central Committee, Alexander Bush, a trial attorney, said that the impact of the pandemic on his practice has placed new limitations on the time he can dedicate to running the party.

Bush will remain a member of the central committee, however. Vice-Chair Dennis Melby will serve as the interim chairman, until a new chair can be elected. Melby has worked at the American Enterprise Institute and Congressional Budget Office, and was elected four times to the Village of Friendship Heights' Village Council.

Photo via Montgomery County GOP

Signage installed at Main Street Apartments in Rockville

Permanent signage has been installed on the facade of the new Main Street Apartments at 50 Monroe Place in Rockville Town Center. The colorful logo reflects the welcoming nature of the housing development, where 25% of the apartments have been set aside for adults with disabilities, and 75% of the overall units are reserved for low-income residents at below-market rates. There are 70 units in the complex, which replaces the historic IBM office building.