Living on $3.7 million a year in Rockville, Maryland

Can you live on $3.7 million a year in Rockville? Brian Jung is doing it now. The successful YouTuber has a channel dedicated to videos on personal finance and cryptocurrency. His family came here from South Korea in the 1990s, one of many who have settled in a Rockville where the Asian community is now one of the economic engines of the city. CNBC took notice of Jung's acccomplishments, including his financial stake in Rockville Town Square's Gyuzo Japanese BBQ restaurant, in a new episode of its Make It: Millenial Money series.

Tobacco King opens in Rockville

Tobacco King has opened at 844-A Rockville Pike. The smoke shop offers tobacco, CBD, kratom, cigar, vaping and hookah products, supplies and accessories. There is a 20%-off grand opening promotion in effect. Tobacco King has locations throughout the region, but this is their first shop in Montgomery County.

Rockville Mayor & Council to consider new city branding contract - and the price has gone up

Rockville's 2012-2022 branding

Rockville's Mayor and Council will consider approving a contract with an out-of-state marketing firm to update the city's promotional branding at its meeting this coming Monday, June 6, 2022, at 7:00 PM. Last year, a city staff analysis determined that the city's decade-old stylized "R" logo and "Get into it" motto had "run its course." After a formal procurement process, Dallas-based media and marketing firm Medium Giant has emerged as the finalist. A contract for $147,925 will be presented to the Mayor and Council Monday night for their approval.

A staff report states that Medium Giant's proposal was found to provide the most value, and that the firm "shares the City’s diversity, equity, and inclusion values." It has demonstrated prior experience in developing branding for municipalities. Medium Giant understands that the public will be fully-engaged in the development of the rebranding, and it will "memorialize" the rebranding process on video. The company has been selected over Rockville-based Clark Concepts and Gaithersburg's GKA and TMAC Communications, among other firms from across the country.

Inflation has not left the rebranding process unscathed. Last year's staff report estimated that a citywide rebranding effort would cost city taxpayers $125,000, and $80,000 per year to implement. Monday's staff report acknowledges that Medium Giant's proposal price was not the lowest submitted to the city. But after an evaluation committee that included city staff, residents and two representatives of Rockville Economic Development, Inc. reviewed the proposal, it determined the $147,925 pricetag "to be reasonable based on the firm’s progressive approach and cutting-edge model of branding." 

Car stolen from Rockville parking garage

Montgomery County police officers were called to a parking garage in Rockville after a vehicle was reported stolen there early Tuesday morning, May 31, 2022. The vehicle was reported stolen from a residential parking garage in the 9300 block of Corporate Boulevard at 7:15 AM, according to crime data. It is believed the car was stolen sometime after 11:00 PM the night before.

Indecent exposure in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of indecent exposure early Tuesday evening, May 31, 2022. The incident was reported in the 600 block of Edmonston Drive at 6:14 PM, according to crime data.

Maryland governor candidate Kelly Schulz launches Law Enforcement for Kelly coalition

Republican Maryland governor candidate Kelly Schulz launched a Law Enforcement for Kelly campaign coalition yesterday. "No other candidate in the race has received such strong and explicit backing from law enforcement leaders like Kelly Schulz has," a statement issued by the campaign said. "With the backing of seven current sheriffs, law enforcement across the state know that Kelly Schulz is the only candidate who will take action to address violent crime and who will undoubtedly stand up for and support them."

Schulz's plan to address rising violent crime includes increased funding for hiring and training of additional police officers, and for their equipment. She would seek legislation to keep violent criminals behind bars, and create new penalties for those convicted of illegal gun crimes. 

The coalition will be steered by a committee made up of seven sheriffs from across Maryland:  Sheriffs Craig Robertson of Allegany County, Jim Fredericks of Anne Arundel County, Mike Evans of Calvert County, Jim DeWees of Carroll County, Jeffrey Gahler of Harford County, Gary Hoffman of Queen Anne’s County, and Tim Cameron of St. Mary’s County. "Kelly Schulz is just the lady who can get the job done," Gahler declared in a video released by the campaign. Additional law enforcement professionals are invited to join the coalition via an online form.

“For me it is simple: as governor I will treat members of law enforcement like heroes and criminals like criminals,” Schulz said in a statement. “I always have and always will stand firmly with the brave men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line to protect us. It is humbling to have earned the trust and support of so many of these heroes from across the state – they deserve a governor who has their back, and that’s what they’ll have when I’m elected.”

Maryland governor candidate Doug Gansler releases Safe Maryland plan to tackle rising crime

Former Maryland Attorney General and current Democratic candidate for governor Doug Gansler released a detailed plan to address surging crime in the state at a news conference in Baltimore yesterday. Called "Safe Maryland," the 21-point plan provides a framework for Gansler's stated goal of "bringing crime down and justice up." The City of Baltimore is the state's most crime-afflicted jurisdiction, but the plan would also bring policies and resources to bear in the suburban counties around D.C. "Carjackings and other crimes are on the rise in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties," the plan's introduction notes.

The introduction also points to the lower homicide rate in Montgomery County when Gansler, a County resident, was State's Attorney there. It mentions some of his prominent and successful prosecutions of notorious criminals like the D.C. sniper, who terrorized the D.C. Metro area in 2002. Gansler cites the troubling statistic that "you have a better chance of getting away with murder in Baltimore than you do of going to jail," referring to the 41% closure rate of homicide cases in the city.

In contrast, Gansler's plan would set a goal of solving every murder. He would provide resources to hire 1000 police officers statewide, and establish better training, including tactics of de-escalation of violent confrontations between police and civilians or suspects. Gansler would prioritize gun crimes and pursuit of gun traffickers. His plan would put more armed police into schools across the state, a "first line of defense" in the event of a school shooting.

Carjackings would be another area of focus. The Safe Maryland plan calls for 10,000 new streetlights in Baltimore, and surveillance cameras across the state, both of which Gansler argues would help to catch carjackers and other offenders. He would also employ technology not only in cutting edge forensic tools, but to reduce traffic stops by having ticket-issuing dash cams in police cruisers.

Gansler would target hate crimes, and hold social media companies accountable for their role in criminal and violent activity. He referred to his past experience in applying pressure to websites like Myspace and Craigslist on issues like sex trafficking and cyberbullying as examples.

In addition to a focus on criminality, the plan would also address some of what Gansler sees as the root causes of crime and recidivism in Maryland. Safe Maryland calls for fast-track funding for infrastructure, social services and recreation programs in high-crime areas. It would prioritize employment opportunities for those released from prison, and establish drug courts in every jurisdiction. Community prosecutors would be assigned to work with community police to handle all crimes in a particular neighborhood. A "papering" policy would subject all charging documents to immediate prosecutorial review.

Gansler would also fund community programs that have shown statistical success in lowering crime rates elsewhere. His plan refers to a study of the impact of non-profits on crime rates. That study concluded that for every 10 organizations that focus on crime and community life in an area of 100,000 people, the murder rate dropped by 9% there. Greening vacant lots into park space has been shown to reduce crime rates in the surrounding neighborhood, the plan states. 

Safe Maryland would also set a goal of zero police shootings, and reduce "overpolicing" of African-Americans. It would provide more mental health resources for law enforcement personnel statewide.

"Crime is what is on everyone's mind," Gansler told reporters assembled in front of Baltimore City Hall. "People sit at the red light wondering whether they're going to be the next victim of a carjacking or not, and there is no other person in either party that is running for governor right now who has a scintilla of a background in criminal justice." In addition to highlighting his own extensive resume as a prosecutor, State's Attorney and Attorney General, Gansler was joined by Baltimore City State’s Attorney candidate Thiru Vignarajah and the Rev. Al Gwynn of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance at the news conference, in support of the ideas Gansler is putting forth.

Gansler's running mate, former Hyattsville Mayor Candace Hollingsworth, also spoke. She referred to the now-discredited crime policies of the 1990s, and how the Safe Maryland plan would go in a different direction. "The two of us are focused on building safe communities with an attention to justice," Hollingsworth said.