Masks now optional inside Rockville government facilities

Rockville City Hall is preparing to welcome the general public back on March 28, 2022. But, effective immediately, masks are no longer required for employees or visitors inside City of Rockville facilities. City Manager Rob DiSpirito rescinded the indoor mask mandate this week, based upon the latest Covid-19 statistics in Montgomery County. 

“The City will continue to monitor changes in public health requirements and recommendations and may need to adjust our face-covering requirements as recommendations change from the CDC, Maryland Department of Health, and for certain programs licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education,” DiSpirito said in a statement. Along with the change in mask policy, visitors will now be able to use all publicly accessible entrances and exits at City Hall when it reopens on March 28; the city had previously planned to open only one entry/exit point in the building. Mayor and Council meetings will continue to be hybrid/virtual meetings until further notice.

Lowest gas prices in Montgomery County at this hour

Here is a list of some of the lowest gas prices around Montgomery County at this hour. The prices were listed on Gas Buddy within the last two hours, and, of course, are subject to change by the minute or hour. Some of the lowest are in Rockville, and the highest in downtown Bethesda, Brookmont and Chevy Chase Lake.

Citgo on New Hampshire Avenue, Colesville: $4.03

Liberty on Randolph Road, Rockville: $4.09

Sunoco on Rockville Pike: $4.09

Valero in Kensington: $4.15

Safeway in Damascus: $4.15

Liberty in Gaithersburg: $4.17

Royal Farms on Watkins Mill Road in Gaithersburg: $4.19

Rockville pharmacy burglarized

Rockville police responded to a forced-entry burglary at a pharmacy early Tuesday morning, March 8, 2022. The burglary was reported at a pharmacy in the 15200 block of Shady Grove Road at 1:19 AM, according to crime data. Property damage to the business was also caused by the forced entry.

Assault reported at Rockville hotel

Rockville police were called to the Red Roof Inn to investigate a 2nd-degree assault at the hotel at 16001 Shady Grove Road yesterday morning, March 8, 2022. The assault was reported at 7:05 AM, according to crime data. 

Ebisu Life Store opens in Rockville (Photos)

Ebisu Life Store has opened at 836 Rockville Pike. This is the third location in the United States for this Japanese grocery chain, following New York City and Aurora, Colorado. Large anime figures watch over the store, which also carries kitchen, home, health and beauty products from Japan. A very welcome addition to retail on the Pike!

Strong-arm rape and robbery reported in Derwood

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a strong-arm rape and robbery at a home in Derwood on Sunday afternoon, March 6, 2022. The incident was reported at a home in the 16200 block of Carnegie Avenue at 4:05 PM, according to crime data. No further information is available at this time.

Flagship proposes demolition of self-service carwash bays at Rollins Avenue location in Rockville

Flagship Car Wash is proposing to demolish the self-service carwash bays at its 975 Rollins Avenue location in Rockville. The proposal is part of a plan to update the existing mechanical carwash, and improve vehicular circulation through the property. Under the latest Rockville zoning, a carwash is a non-conforming use now at this location. Flagship can continue operations here, as its last approvals from the late 1990s are grandfathered in, as the property was under a different zoning then.

Existing site configuration with the
self-service carwash bays

If approved by the City of Rockville, Flagship will demolish the self-service bays, and replace them with 25 vacuum spaces and an unspecified number of full-service carwash finishing spaces. The vacuum space area will also contain seating for Flagship customers. 

Proposed configuration with new
vacuum lanes and updated traffic pattern

A new traffic circulation pattern would also be established for the property. Customers would continue to enter with their vehicles from the Rollins Avenue driveway. They would initially be in a single line, but then be funneled into one of three stacking lanes. At the direction of an employee, the customer would exit their stacking lane, and enter a roundabout. From the roundabout, the customer would drive into one of the lanes for the mechanical car wash tunnel. After exiting the wash tunnel, the customer would have the choice of turning into the new full-service finishing lanes and vacuum space area, or exiting the property altogether onto Rollins Avenue.

Close-up of proposed queue and roundabout
for vehicles entering mechanical car wash tunnel

No changes are planned for the mechanical car wash, which will continue to operate. Flagship says it will coordinate the demolition process with its contractor, so that the disconnection of water and electrical utilities from the self-service bays will not affect service to other utilty customers in the area. If approved, the changes are expected to reduce traffic to the site, as Flagship will lose all self-service customers who do not switch to the mechanical carwash.

Close-up of proposed vacuum lanes area
and full-service finishing lanes