Rockville City Attorney resigns

Rockville City Attorney Debra Yerg Daniel has resigned. City spokesperson Marylou Berg said Daniel is now on administrative leave until September 14.

Deputy City Attorney Cynthia Walters is Acting City Attorney, until a replacement is named. Berg said all communications related to Daniel's resignation, such as a resignation letter, are part of Daniel's personnel file and are considered confidential.

Democratic congressional candidate Maxwell Bero charged with sexual abuse of 14 y.o. MCPS student

A Democratic congressional candidate who currently works as a teacher at Watkins Mill High School was arrested by Montgomery County police yesterday, and charged with multiple sexual offenses involving a former student when he was employed at Col E. Brooke Lee Middle School in Silver Spring between 2014 and 2015. Maxwell Bero, 30, of Clarksburg ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for Congress in Maryland's 6th Congressional District earlier this year.

On Wednesday, Bero was charged with sexual abuse of a minor, and multiple counts of committing a third-degree sexual offense. His alleged victim was a 14-year-old girl at the time, and is now 19. The sexual interactions Bero is accused of took place on school property, police said. Bero also allegedly exchanged "inappropriate sexual materials and messages" with the girl.

Police are concerned Bero may have additional victims. Detectives of the Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking anyone who believes that he/she is a victim of Bero to call SVID detectives at 240-773-5400. Montgomery County Public Schools has placed Bero on administrative leave. Bero's bond information was not released by police yesterday.

Rockville City Hall lights up for Women's Equality Day (Photos)

Rockville City Hall was lit in purple last night to recognize Women's Equality Day. August 26 was declared such by Congress in 1971, as an annual commemoration of the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920. The amendment gave women the right to vote. Among the observers taking in the light show last night was a deer, seen in the photos above and directly below.

$10,000 Mega Millions winning ticket sold in Rockville, still unclaimed

Someone who bought a Mega Millions ticket on Rockville Pike has won $10,000, and hasn't claimed their cash yet. The winning ticket was sold at Rockville Service Center at 1900 Rockville Pike on August 20, 2020, according to the Maryland Lottery.

Spirit Halloween to return to Rockville for 2020 in new location

Spirit Halloween, the king of seasonal Halloween retailers, is returning to Rockville for the 2020 Halloween season. Last year, they used REI's old space on Rockville Pike. This year, they're relocating a few blocks south of there. The props and costumes store will pop up in the old Five Below space at Federal Plaza this time.

Gyuzo Japanese BBQ sign installed, lit at Rockville Town Square

The sign is up at Gyuzo Japanese BBQ at Rockville Town Square, and last night it was lit. Construction inside appears to be nearly complete, but the restaurant says it won't be opening until October. Gyuzo touts itself as the first Japanese BBQ restaurant in Maryland, where diners will cook their meals on a personal-size grill at their tables, making this a dine-in oriented establishment.

New BMW of Rockville dealership building opens (Photos)

German car brands continue to set the design standards for auto dealerships in Montgomery County. The latest dealership facility to complete construction is BMW of Rockville's at 1450 Rockville Pike. Customers will be greeted by one of the Ultimate Driving Machines out front, and many more inside the multi-level showroom and service building.