Montgomery County Executive vetoes County Council appointment of James Hedrick to Planning Board

James Hedrick

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) has vetoed the appointment of Rockville resident James Hedrick to the County Planning Board. Elrich has not made the reasons for his disapproval of Hedrick public yet. The only public statement regarding the matter came in response to Elrich's move, a press release from County Council President Evan Glass (D).

“I am disappointed that County Executive Elrich disapproved James Hedrick’s appointment to the Montgomery County Planning Board," Glass wrote in his statement. "Mr. Hedrick received affirmative votes from a supermajority of councilmembers to become a Planning Board member on Feb. 28."

While Hedrick received a supermajority of eight votes from the eleven member Council that day, he will need at least one more if the Council is to override Elrich's veto and be appointed to the Board. Glass wrote that the Council will "discuss" the veto at its next meeting this coming Tuesday, March 28, 2023. 

Hedrick was a candidate for the Rockville City Council in 2019. He currently serves as the chair of Rockville Housing Enterprises (his term expires June 1), and as the vice-president of Action Committee for Transit.

Sexual assault at Rockville Metro station

Rockville City police were called to the Rockville Metro station at 251 Hungerford Drive Wednesday night, after a sexual assault was reported there. The incident was reported at 8:09 PM on March 22, 2023. This was the second sexual assault Rockville police responded to in as many days; the first took place in King Farm the day before.

Sexual assault in King Farm area of Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of a sexual assault in the King Farm neighborhood on Tuesday morning, March 21, 2023. The incident was reported on the street in the 700 block of Redland Boulevard at 11:45 AM Tuesday.

Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet "coming soon" to Rockville

Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet is "coming soon" to 1471 Rockville Pike, according to a banner posted at the building. The large space was previously home to Miller's Ale House over the last decade. Umi promises "the largest and most elegant Chinese, Japanese and American cuisine restaurant." It appears to be a chain with locations in Brooklyn, Queens, and Brandon, Florida.

Melashops moving to Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Melashops is moving from Gaithersburg to Bethesda. The fashion market has closed its Lakeforest Mall store, as the mall itself is closing March 31, 2023 and is in its final days. On April 1, Melashops will open at its new home, Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Melashops carries apparel, jewelry, and accessories from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Afghanistan, and more. Look for Melashops on Level 1 across from Urban Outfitters.

Assault at Rockville gas station

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault at a gas station in the King Farm area of the city Sunday afternoon. The assault was reported at a gas station in the 700 block of Gaither Road at 1:10 PM. That is the Shell station next to Dunkin' Donuts.

Arhaus to open at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Arhaus will soon open a Bethesda location at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Construction of the furniture store is already underway inside their generously-sized showroom space on Level 1, as you can see below. Arhaus was founded in 1986, and specializes in heirloom-quality furnishings made from materials like wicker, aluminum, and teak. The company supports an exhaustive range of causes and organizations, from environmental sustainability to LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. In 2021, it opened a manufacturing and distribution facility in North Carolina to demonstrate its commitment to another goal, bringing back currently-offshored jobs to the United States.