MoCo Council to take another stab at criminalizing the homeless

The Montgomery County Council building is just overflowing with Christmas spirit, as the Council is taking the initial steps before the holiday break to criminalize the homeless. This isn't the first time, as the Council tried this previously in their last term, but ran into controversy, including a report from a national organization that condemned the effort.

With Council Bill 39-17, they will again attempt to ban panhandling in the County. The Council memorably claimed last time that the majority of those who panhandle are not actually homeless, but "professional panhandlers" who drive into the County each morning from out-of-state. That's probably news to the folks in downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring whose main wheels are shopping carts filled with everything they own.

What's driving the Council's mania to criminalize the homeless? Well, it may just have something to do with politics and the election year ahead. Councilmember George Leventhal has given himself loud credit for supposedly finding homes for every single homeless veteran in Montgomery County. The local media hasn't bothered to fact check Leventhal on that claim, and simply print it as fact. In reality, it's almost impossible to verify such a boast, which is probably why Leventhal is making it.

Now Leventhal has promised to house every single homeless person in the County by December 2018. Conveniently, that will be a month after the election, in which Leventhal is running for County Executive. Wouldn't it also be convenient to use a panhandling ban to clear the homeless from their most-visible perches on County roads, to make it appear as if they aren't there?

They've just banned circus animals, now the homeless...think they'll get around to dealing with that $120,000,000 budget shortfall anytime soon?

Rockville fatal collision under investigation by police

Montgomery County police are investigating a fatal collision that occurred Saturday night in Rockville, around 11:15 PM. Rockville resident Ross Stanley Redler, 56, was traveling southbound on Rockville Pike, nearing Congressional Lane. A 2008 BMW 335xi was making a left turn from northbound Rockville Pike onto westbound Congressional Lane, and struck Redler's 2014 Tao Tao Scooter.

The BMW driver, Mark Steven Andrade, 24, fled the scene, but was located by police and arrested for DUI. Redler passed away at an unidentified local hospital. Andrade was not injured.

Anyone who witnessed, or has information about, this collision is asked to call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.

Nationwide Insurance opens new Rockville office (Photos)

Nationwide Insurance has relocated from Cordell Avenue in Bethesda to 751 Rockville Pike in Rockville. They are in Suite 6-B. The new office is next to the Marlo Furniture showroom.

The vacant Bethesda office
is now for lease

Rockville construction update: The Halal Guys (Photos)

The future home of The Halal Guys at Wintergreen Plaza has some Coming Soon signage up in the windows. There's still a ways to go inside, however. As you can see in the photo below, they are also hiring staff right now.

SunTrust posts Coming Soon signage at Rockville Town Square

SunTrust Bank has posted Coming Soon signage at its future home in Rockville Town Square. Their space at 100-A Gibbs Street was a bank in the past as well.

Gyroland opens in Rockville (Photos)

Gyroland has opened at 1701-B3 Rockville Pike, in the Shops at Congressional Village. They have a good selection of Greek appetizers, gyros, souvlaki, and loukoumades, which you might describe as Greek beignets. Gyroland is open from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily (I believe they opened the morning after these photos were taken, because they were taken long before 10:00 PM).

Mr. Banh Mi closes temporarily, Miso Cafe dark at Rockville Town Square (Photos)

Mr. Banh Mi's dining room has been cleared out at the Ritchie Center on Rockville Pike. A sign in the window promises the closure is temporary, but offers no explanation.

On Sunday, Miso Fusion Cafe was dark during its regular hours. Paper was tacked up over the windows at the Korean fusion restaurant, which opened last year at 33-E Maryland Avenue, at Rockville Town Square. No sign was posted to explain the closure.