Indecent exposure at Rockville laundromat

Patrons at a Rockville laundromat saw something they shouldn't have while trying to complete their laundry chores late Tuesday morning, May 21, 2024. Rockville City police responded to an indecent exposure report at the laundromat, which is located in the 2100 block of Veirs Mill Road. The incident was reported at 11:28 AM Tuesday.

Dino Safari coming to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda in July

It won't be confused with Jurassic Park, but Lumino City is bringing its interactive Dino Safari attraction to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda for a full month this summer, from July 4 to August 4, 2024. The show has a new theme this year, "Volcanic and Ice Age." Attendees will walk through a world dominated by animatronic life-size dinosaurs as high as 46 feet tall. Other attractions will include an Oviraptor Ride, a Jurassic Fossil Hunt, Dino Spin-a-Saurus, Safari Kids Oasis, T-Rex Thrill Chair, Dino Speedway Ride, Dino Paradise Bounce, and Sandy Creek Mining. 

Tickets are available for purchase online. Here's a video that shows the most extensive footage of what's featured in this season's show, to give you an idea if this is worth the money for you or your family. It appears that the light show aspect may enhance the experience for those attending after dark. Lumino City says the lights are activated at 7:00 PM nightly. Food will be available from vendors on-site, and Lumino City is promising it will be "gourmet." Life finds a way!

"Westlife Montgomery Mall?"

Red Lobster closes in Rockville as chain files for bankruptcy (Photos)

Red Lobster has closed at 15700 Shady Grove Road. The seafood restaurant chain announced late Sunday night that it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. "This restructuring is the best path forward for Red Lobster," CEO Jonathan Tibus said in a statement. "It allows us to address several financial and operational challenges and emerge stronger and re-focused on our growth. The support we've received from our lenders and vendors will help ensure that we can complete the sale process quickly and efficiently while remaining focused on our employees and guests." As part of its bankruptcy filings, Red Lobster will close some locations, sell some - or potentially all - of its assets, and sell its business to a new entity "formed and controlled by its existing term lenders."

This is especially sad news for residents of the Upper Rock neighborhood. The closure removes one of the main dining options within walking distance of the apartments there. Can we get an Olive Garden or Texas Roadhouse into this empty building? Montgomery County may be the only jurisdiction of its size in America to have neither. The machinations of the Montgomery County Council against those brands, Walmart, Cracker Barrel, and modernity in general are truly bizarre! Believe it or not, your constituents want unlimited bread sticks, and to be able to buy beer and wine at Giant and CVS!

Rockville police searching for suspect in stabbing

Rockville City police are seeking the public's help in identifying and locating a suspect in the May 10, 2024 stabbing of a customer at a business in the Rockville Town Center area. The male suspect "suddenly stabbed a visitor to a business" in the 300 block of N. Washington Street at 5:13 PM, police allege. Police describe the suspect as a thin Black male, somewhere between 20 and 35 years of age, with "a dark complexion." He was wearing a dark brown or camouflage puffy jacket, dark pants, and a black hat. If you have any information on this suspect or incident, you are asked to call police at 240-314-8900.

Montgomery County has 2nd-biggest increase in homeless in Washington, D.C. region

Montgomery County is finally near the top of a list again - but it's not one you want to be high on. The County experienced the second-biggest increase in homeless population in the entire Washington, D.C. region since 2023, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Washington, D.C. itself was number one on the list. COG reported that Montgomery County's arch rival, Fairfax County, was the only jurisdiction in the area to enjoy a decrease in unhoused residents.

Of course, Fairfax County has many more high-wage jobs than Montgomery County, which helps one to afford housing. Politicians often tout MoCo's low unemployment numbers, without mentioning that most of the jobs our residents are employed at are not located within Montgomery County. Fairfax also has a lower total tax burden and cost-of-living than Montgomery County. Property taxes are set to rise again in the FY-2025 budget nearing approval by the Montgomery County Council, in a jurisdiction where property taxes are becoming a second mortgage for many residents as it is. And that's just one part of the total tax and fee burden for MoCo residents.

Rents and home prices, despite relentless construction and delivery of new housing units, only continue to skyrocket in Montgomery County. And thousands of existing affordable housing units are being demolished to clear the way for more overpriced "luxury" housing. A ridiculously-high cost-of-living combined with some of the lowest job creation and job growth numbers in the region are a recipe for increasing poverty and homelessness. Montgomery County has failed to attract a single major corporate headquarters in a quarter century, as company after company has chosen to locate or flee to Northern Virginia over that long, dry period of moribundity. As a result, more jobs, and more high-wage jobs, are created every year in Fairfax County than in Montgomery County - in fact, the numbers aren't even close.

Montgomery County has dropped off of so many top ten lists - Forbes' Top Ten Richest Counties in America, Top School Systems in America, etc. - that it's almost a positive feeling to be on any top ten list. Almost. Perhaps the Montgomery County cartel can create some new slogans: "Montgomery County: We're Number Two in Unhoused Population - We Try Harder (To Make It More Expensive to Live Here)." Or, "The Number of Montgomery County's Unhoused - Rising Almost as Fast as County Councilmembers' Salaries!"

Police called after aggravated assault at Rockville school

Rockville City police were called to a school after an aggravated assault was reported there early Friday afternoon, May 17, 2024. The assault was reported at a school in the 600 block of Great Falls Road at 1:45 PM Friday. Julius West Middle School is located at 651 Great Falls Road.

Robbery, assault at Marshalls in Rockville

Montgomery County police were called to the Marshalls department store at 12051 Rockville Pike at Montrose Crossing at 5:05 PM on May 8, 2024. A male suspect entered the store, assaulted a Marshalls employee, and fled with an undisclosed amount of merchandise. Police describe the suspect only as a Black male of unknown age. Anyone with information regarding this suspect or incident is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org, and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page, or call 1-866-411-8477.