Police respond to assault at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a 2nd-degree assault at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on the evening of October 24, 2024. The assault was reported at the mall at 7:22 PM. Two police cruisers pulled up to Entrance 5 by The Cheesecake Factory in response to the incident. 

This was the tenth assault reported at the mall this year, which has already doubled the five assaults reported in all of 2023 at the popular retail center. The last assault took place on August 8. Montgomery County police opened a "resource room" at the mall in 2022, in an attempt to address elevated crime at the property - part of a general crime wave that has persisted countywide since 2020, after the County Council defunded the police - after 12 assaults were reported there that year. The police department is down 194 officers since 2020, and 179 police officer positions are now vacant, according to a County Council staff memo released earlier this year.

Shots fired at Rockville park in broad daylight

Rockville City police responded to a report of shots fired at a park in broad daylight early yesterday afternoon, October 26, 2024. At 12:33 PM Saturday, a 911 call reported gunfire at Welsh Park at 101 Welsh Park Drive. When officers arrived at the scene to investigate, they found evidence of multiple rounds having been discharged in the parking lot of the park. No injuries were reported.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident. Police are now looking for a black Honda Civic, of unspecified model year, that was seen fleeing the scene after the shots were fired. Anyone with any information or video of the incident is asked to contact RCPD detectives at Detectives@RockvilleMD.Gov. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Sneak peek: Teso Life Japanese Super Store in Rockville

Construction is well-advanced inside Teso Life Japanese Super Store at 1701 Rockville Pike at the Shops at Congressional Village. About half of the interior has wall decoration. Merchandise is being placed on the shelves. They are now hiring sales associates, cashiers, and merchandise stackers. Interestingly, for a Japanese Super Store, the help wanted notice states that bilingual fluency in English and Mandarin is preferred.

PayMore opening soon in Rockville

PayMore will open its first Montgomery County location soon in Rockville. The cash-for-electronics store will be located at 800 Rockville Pike at the Golden Arcade shopping center. PayMore may sound like a Montgomery County or State of Maryland tax office, but it's actually a retail business that buys your old electronics - even if they are damaged - for cash, and will professionally wipe your data from the device to protect your security. 

PayMore entered the Maryland market last year, with its first store in Ellicott City. The Long Island, New York chain has been expansion plans for 75 new locations nationwide, including this one in Rockville. It will be located next to Cyprus Air.

Ba Le bánh mì sandwich shop opening in Rockville

Ba Le, a bánh mì sandwich shop, is coming soon to Rockville. It will be located at 765-FG Rockville Pike, at the Ritchie Center. You'll often see an Eiffel Tower or other French imagery in the branding of bánh mì restaurants, which emphasizes that the world-famous sandwiches start with a French baguette sliced lengthwise, and filled with ingredients of your choice. Ba Le will replace another Vietnamese restaurant,  Ốc & Crab Seafood Restaurant, which vacated this space almost one year ago.

Toy store closes at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The closing sale has ended at Alex Baby & Toys at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. It has now permanently closed. Surprisingly, they depart about a month ahead of the peak holiday toy shopping season. There is once again a toy store vacuum to be filled at Montgomery Mall, although Toys R Us will be bringing its pop-up shop back to Macy's again this year.

Police called after assault at Rockville supermarket

Rockville City police were called to a grocery store in the Twinbrook area early Monday evening, October 21, 2024, after an individual was allegedly assaulted there. A 2nd-degree assault was reported at a supermarket in the 1900 block of Veirs Mill Road at 6:36 PM. An individual was also accused of theft in the same incident. The business in question was not identified by name, but Lotte Plaza Market is located on that block.