Pepper spray sales soar along with crime in Montgomery County

Violent crime continues to rise in Montgomery County, with assaults, armed robberies and carjackings regularly making headlines. Now pepper spray sales are also rising. This pepper spray section at Target in downtown Bethesda was virtually cleaned out yesterday. 

Maryland's highly-restrictive gun laws leave residents few options for self-defense beyond staying alert to their surroundings. Others simply may not wish to carry or use a firearm. Whatever the reason, it's clear that pepper spray sales are hot at the moment, reflecting strong concern about the crime situation.

Montgomery County community leaders ask U.S. Department of Justice to place M-NCPPC under receivership

The struggle between Montgomery County residents who are demanding an investigation of scandals within the County Planning Board and Planning Department, and a County Council who want to sweep those scandals under the rug and quickly install five new cronies on the Board, took another turn today with a protest at the Montgomery County Council Building in Rockville. Multiple community and organizational leaders have signed a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice asking federal law enforcement to place the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (the umbrella entity that houses the board and Planning Department) under receivership. They've asked that it remain under receivership until a full, independent investigation of the scandals is completed, and that County Executive Marc Elrich and the County Council be included as targets of the investigation.

"What is essential in this moment is not deliberate speed, but deliberation—with vigorous public input and oversight to ensure that any actor involved in the racism, sexism, corruption, and illegal activities is removed from Montgomery County office and is held responsible to the fullest extent of the law," the letter states. "In conclusion, Parks and Planning is broken. Expecting the County Council and Office of the Executive to solve a problem they had a hand in creating is not an effective solution. M-NCPPC needs fundamental change to address the systemic racism that has been baked into the commission since its inception. Those who are clamoring to fill Planning Board vacancies  must not be allowed to do so within the framework of a demonstratively racist, hostile, and opaque system—that they themselves have supported, condoned, and maintained."

The letter is signed by the Montgomery County Poor People’s Campaign, the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees, the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County, the United Front for Justice, the Reverend Segun Adebayo of Macedonia Baptist Church in Bethesda, Empower DC, the Montgomery County Green Party, the Anti-Racist Bethesda Coalition, the Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition, Bethesda resident Mr. James McGee, and Nancy Wallace, the gubernatorial candidate for the Green Party in Maryland. It has also been sent to members of the U.S. Congress, and the County Council.

Rockville auto dealership broken into

Rockville City police responded to a burglar alarm at an auto dealership early yesterday morning, October 18, 2022.  The burglary took place at a dealership in the 1400 block of Rockville Pike at 3:41 AM. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry.

Items stolen from vehicles in Fallsgrove area of Rockville

One or more thieves struck several residential parking facilities in the Fallsgrove area of Rockville Sunday evening, October 16, 2022. Items were reported stolen from vehicles in the parking garage at the Axis at Shady Grove apartments, a residential parking lot in the 9400 block of Blackwell Road, and a residential parking lot in the 700 block of Fallsgrove Drive. If you have a vehicle parked in any of those locations, you may want to check if anything is missing, and report it to Montgomery County police to assist in solving this case.

Washington Post endorses Barry Glassman for Maryland comptroller

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman has picked up a major endorsement in his quest to be the next comptroller of Maryland. The Washington Post endorsed Glassman, the only Republican they have endorsed in a statewide Maryland race in the November election. 

The Post Editorial Board cited two major reasons they support Glassman: he would not block the proposed I-495/I-270 Express Lanes in the comptroller's role on the state's Board of Public Works; and he would be focused on maximizing returns for retired state workers through the pension fund the comptroller administers. They argued that Glassman's opponent, Democrat Brooke Lierman, would block the Express Lanes project, and has vowed to make pension fund decisions through a political and ideological lens, such as steering away from fossil fuels. Overall, they said Glassman would be more focused on fiscal responsibility and the other basic functions of the office of comptroller than his opponent, but acknowledged that both candidates are highly-qualified to serve in the office.

Glassman has been endorsed by the current Republican governor, Larry Hogan. Hogan appears in a new Glassman campaign ad touting both men's "middle-of-the-road" Republicanism, amidst a party now led by Donald Trump. His Glassman endorsement will test the Hogan coattails in Maryland again, following a Trump-fueled defeat of Hogan's hand-picked candidate for governor in the July primary.

Beginning his career on the Harford County Council, Glassman later served as a state delegate and senator in Annapolis. He is now in his second term as Harford County Executive. Lierman is a graduate of Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, and currently represents District 46 in the Maryland House of Delegates. She is a civil rights attorney and serves on the Maryland House Environment and Transportation Committee.

Shots fired on Monroe Street in Rockville for the second time in 5 days

Rockville City police responded to a report of gunfire in the 700 block of Monroe Street yesterday morning, October 16, 2022. The gunshots were reported to 911 at 9:59 AM Sunday. Police were called to the 600 block of Monroe just five days ago, for another shots-fired incident. Last spring, several apartment buildings in the 700 block of Monroe were hit by bullets, police responding to that incident found.

Rockville seeks permission to remove failed dam from historic property

The City of Rockville is seeking permission to remove a failed dam from the historic Glenview Farm property at 603 Edmonston Drive, which is home to Glenview Mansion and the Rockville Civic Center park. While the dam is no longer functioning properly, and cannot be replaced under today's federal and state environmental rules, it is considered a contributing resource to a historic site. For this reason, the Rockville Historic District Commission must determine if historic preservation of the dam structure is warranted.

Sitting across Croydon Creek, the dam was constructed in the 1920s when the site was a functioning farm. It created a reservoir that was used as a water source for cattle, and for the irrigation of crops. The original farmhouse is now part of Glenview Mansion. Rockville's Environmental Management Division would now like to execute a stream restoration project at the site, and it will require removal of the dam. Today, the dam is breached in two locations, and small chunks of it have been pushed by the currents of Croydon Creek downstream.

The design phase of the stream restoration project received funding from the Maryland State Highway Administration. That design process is now 90% complete. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has allocated $2,000,000 from its Chesapeake Bay Trust Fund for the actual construction of the project.

HDC commissioners will review the dam to determine if it can be removed or not at its October 20, 2022 meeting. City staff are recommending commissioners approve removal of the dam.

Photo/map courtesy City of Rockville