Intruder trashes Rockville apartment

An intruder broke into a Rockville apartment on the morning of August 20, 2023, trashed the place, and then fled. Rockville City police report that the intruder forced entry to an apartment in the 300 block of N. Van Buren Street near Rockville Town Center sometime between 7:00 AM and 9:25 AM that morning. The suspect "strew items about," police say, and damaged property. But police did not indicate that any items were actually stolen from the apartment. If you have any information about this incident or suspect, call Rockville police at 240-314-8900.

Montgomery County's first Sheetz opens in Gaithersburg (Photos)

Montgomery County was years overdue to have a Sheetz convenience store, and it has finally happened at 751 Progress Way, off of MD 355 in Gaithersburg. Now that Montgomery County's first Sheetz is open, the first thing I noticed is that this store is about half the size of the ones I stop at on road trips. However, the outdoor dining area is spacious.

Not surprisingly, given Montgomery County's archaic liquor sales monopoly and rules, there is no Beer Cave at this Sheetz. There isn't even any beer! Again, Montgomery County Prohibition-era liquor rules still in effect. The store does have a drive-thru, and self-checkout.

Given the smaller size, the store doesn't have the amount of merchandise I'm used to seeing at Sheetz. But, no complaints! The made-to-order food and beverages are among the major reasons people stop at Sheetz, and they are finally available in Montgomery County!

Rockville Wendy's renovation update (Photos)

The Rockville Wendy's at 808 Rockville Pike has had a distinctive look for so long, it's surprising it's getting a makeover now. Gone are the yellow-and-red "awning," and unique curved glass atop the roofline above the rounded portion of the facade at the front end of the restaurant. The dining room entrance door is gone, too, replaced by a wood board. Customers are being directed to the Derwood Wendy's during the "refresh," which does not have an estimated completion date.

Sunglass snatcher strikes in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of designer sunglasses being stolen in the Maryvale neighborhood on August 21, 2023. The sunglasses were taken from a Kia SUV parked in the 600 block of Pinewood Road. It is believed the sunglasses were stolen sometime between 11:30 PM on August 20 and 9:00 AM on August 21. If you have any information about this incident or suspect, call Rockville police at 240-314-8900.

Rockville thief with marijuana tattoo flees scene on Trek mountain bike

Rockville City police are seeking to identify and find a mountain-biking thief who stole merchandise from a store on Rockville Pike. The suspect entered an employees-only area of a store in the 1600 block of Rockville Pike around 10:00 AM on August 17, 2023. Based on the block number, that sounds like a business at Congressional Plaza, but police did not identify the store.

After allegedly stealing an Apple Air Pods case and a pair of shorts, the suspect fled the scene on a blue Trek mountain bike. Police describe the suspect as a Hispanic male 5' 8" inches in height, with tattoos of a marijuana leaf and stars on the back of his hand. He was wearing a black Baltimore Ravens hoodie, black "ripple-type" jeans, and a pair of black Nike Air Force shoes. If you have any information about this incident or suspect, call Rockville police at 240-314-8900.

Police called after assault at Rockville restaurant

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at a restaurant in Rockville on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. The assault was reported at a restaurant in the 15200 block of Frederick Road at 5:55 PM, just south of Gude Drive. An individual was also accused of theft in the same incident.

The heart of Olde Towne Gaithersburg is up for sale

The potential sale of a sprawling set of classic retail properties in the heart of Olde Towne Gaithersburg could have a transformative impact on one of the few remaining historic downtown cores in Montgomery County. Five contiguous retail properties with frontage along E. Diamond Avenue and N. Summit Avenue are now on the market. Of course, any sense of continuity of character in Gaithersburg went out the window some time ago, with the development of the soulless, cheap-looking, stack-and-pack Gaithersburg Station apartments further down at 370 E. Diamond. It's a travesty. Will the heart of Olde Towne now meet the same fate?

What's up for sale? 206-208 E. Diamond Avenue, 210-216 E. Diamond Avenue, 220 E. Diamond Avenue and 226 E. Diamond Avenue. It's a total of 32,819-square-feet of land on 1.65 acres. Current zoning allows a maximum building height of four stories on this site. The sale listing notes that the City of Gaithersburg is likely to demand first floor retail in any redevelopment. Parking waivers will be available due to nearby public parking. The listing says there are no historical preservation requirements, another travesty.

This will be a "historic" redevelopment opportunity in a historic downtown. Is there a developer who can do this responsibly, and maintain the Olde Towne character on a site visible from the historic B&O Railroad train station? A site that is one of the first things seen upon entering the heart of Olde Towne on Summit Avenue? I'll concede that the site is certainly easy walking distance to MARC commuter rail, but haven't we learned anything from the wholesale destruction of the historic downtowns of Rockville and Bethesda in the past? This is a saga worth watching closely.

Photos courtesy Transwestern/LoopNet