Police investigate assault at Rockville hotel

Rockville City police were called to a hotel after an individual reported having been the victim of an assault there yesterday morning, September 18, 2023. The assault was reported at a hotel in the 16000 block of Shady Grove Road at 10:09 AM Monday. That is the Red Roof Inn.

Rockville City Council candidate Izola Shaw announces endorsements

Izola Shaw, a 2023 candidate for the Rockville City Council, announced a long list of endorsements at a fundraising event. Elected officials endorsing Shaw so far are Montgomery County Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kate Stewart, Gaithersburg City Councilmembers Lisa Henderson and Robert Wu, and former Rockville City Council member Virginia Onley. “I am proud to support Izola Shaw for Rockville City Council,” Jawando said in a statement Monday. “She has a proven track record of community service and policy experience. Our County has benefited from her dedicated work to advance equity.”

Shaw has also received the endorsement of several community leaders, activists and organizations. These include Progressive Maryland and CASA in Action. Among the individuals supporting Shaw are Rockville resident and community faith leader Rabbi Rain Zohav, Rockville resident and activist for peace Dr. Jeni Stepanek, community organizer Alex Vazquez, and Rockville resident and community organizer Sandy Shan. Also endorsing Shaw is Dr. Tasnuva Khan. In addition to her position as a the pharmacy manager at Adventist Shady Grove Hospital, Dr. Khan is a co-founder of the Muslim Voices Coalition, an activist for social justice, and a community organizer. She is also the project director of the Faith and Vaccines project at Resolve, a nongovernmental organization focused on social, health and environmental issues and partnerships.

“Izola Shaw is someone who ‘walks the walk,’" Rabbi Zohav said in a statement. "She demonstrates what it really means to reach out, engage, and empower people from all walks of life in the decisions that directly affect them. She embodies the values of love and respect for all of our neighbors — goals our community strives to build. For these reasons, especially at this moment in time, Izola Shaw is uniquely qualified to serve on the Rockville City Council.” 

Shaw has a professional background in community and economic development, having worked at all levels of government, and as a leader of development projects in 12 African countries. Closer to home in Rockville, Shaw has served as a member of the Rockville Charter Review Commission, where she focused on initiatives that could broaden civic involvement and outreach. During the pandemic, she successfully advocated for a temporary freeze on rent increases in the city.

"[My] vision for Rockville is simple yet powerful," Shaw said in a statement. "I want to ensure that all residents receive the quality services they need and have the opportunity to engage in making policies that directly impact their lives. No one should be left on the sidelines, and I have a unique ability to break down barriers to civic participation."

"You will hear a lot of buzzwords in this race like ‘government equity,' ‘diversifying our workforce’ and ‘more representation.’ If candidates are not working to build support from different communities across our beautiful diverse City and addressing those communities’ needs, then they are just words."

Shaw is running for the City Council as a member of the Rockville United slate in the November election.

Photo courtesy Friends of Izola Shaw

Rockville Wegmans construction update (Photos)

Work continues to advance at the construction site of the future Rockville Wegmans grocery store at the Twinbrook Quarter development at the corner of Halpine Road and Rockville Pike. While the exterior continues to look closer to the finish line, nothing has been constructed on the grocery store's interior yet. Developer B.F. Saul says it will turn the shell of the grocery store space over to Wegmans' interior fit-out contractor in the early spring of 2024. As I reported previously, the supermarket will open in 2025.

Regrading of the road surface of Halpine at Chapman Avenue is now underway, and is expected to continue for a few weeks. Stacks of Belden pre-blended bricks can be seen at the site. The brick facade of the building is now about 85% complete, according to B. F. Saul. Storefront spaces should be enclosed by the end of 2022. Contractors have begun tarring the roof.

While no work has been done on the Wegmans interior, the same cannot be said for the apartment building interior. Drywall is now being installed in the residential units on the second floor. Installers will progress upward to higher floors as the fall season goes on.

Rockville police respond to 3rd assault in 5 weeks at same grocery store

Rockville City police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at a grocery store in the 600 block of Hungerford Drive Friday afternoon, September 15, 2023. The assault was reported at 12:00 PM. That's the same Giant supermarket where an employee was punched last month, less than 24 hours after another aggravated assault was reported there August 11. Friday's incident makes this the third time in five weeks that police have responded to an assault call at the store.

Assault in Rockville parking garage

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault in a parking garage in the Rockville Town Center on Thursday, September 14, 2023. The assault was reported in a garage in the 400 block of Hungerford Drive at 5:45 PM.

Apricot Lane Boutique opening soon at Cabin John Village in Potomac

The empty storefronts on the new retail street at Cabin John Village in Potomac are steadily starting to fill up. Apricot Lane Boutique is the latest to sign a lease, continuing a recent women's apparel boutique trend here, following the additions of Ron David Studio and Jurisdiction. It's a national brand, but each franchisee hand picks their own fashions, so we won't know what to expect style-wise until it opens. When it does, look for it across from ReWild.

Spirit Halloween to haunt former CVS in Rockville

After inhabiting the former Pier 1 store at Pike Center for several spooky seasons, Spirit Halloween will possess a different vacant storefront for 2023 in Rockville. The costume and prop chain has chosen the Twinbrook area this year. Spirit Halloween will be in the former CVS Pharmacy at 2210 Veirs Mill Road in the Twinbrook Center. This is the second Spirit Halloween location announced so far this year; the other will be at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg.