Police respond to another assault at Rockville Giant store

The Giant grocery store at 625 Hungerford Drive in Rockville is making news again, and not for the hyperinflated food prices. Rockville City police were called to the supermarket yet again early Thursday afternoon, December 7, 2023, after a 2nd-degree assault was reported there. The assault was reported at 1:00 PM Thursday. 

Three assaults were reported at the store in five weeks late this past summer, including an incident where a store employee was punched. Even Christmas Day hasn't been off-limits for assailants at this store in recent years. At least one person was accused of shoplifting in Thursday's incident.

JD Sports opening at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

JD Sports is coming soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, according to signage posted across its future storefront. It will fill the space vacated by PacSun. JD Sports is a British sporting goods retailer, but carries brands and styles from around the world. Among the labels sold by the chain are Adidas, Nike, New Balance, UnderArmour, Vans, Crocs and Champion.

Montgomery County-run liquor store burglarized in Rockville

Even Montgomery County government isn't immune to the ongoing crime wave in its jurisdiction. The Montgomery County government liquor store in the Rockville Town Center area was broken into early yesterday morning, December 7, 2023. A burglar alarm alerted Rockville City police to a break-in at Montgomery County Liquor & Wine at 300 N. Washington Street at 2:00 AM Thursday. Officers arriving at the scene found evidence of forced entry, and associated property damage to the building.

2nd assault in 10 days reported at Target in Rockville

For the second time in ten days, Montgomery County police were called to the Target store at 5700 Bou Avenue in Rockville, after a 2nd-degree assault was reported there. The assault was reported at 10:25 AM yesterday, December 7, 2023. A similar assault occurred at the store on November 26. 

Armed carjacking in Rockville parking garage

Rockville City police responded to a report of an armed carjacking in a parking garage early Tuesday morning, December 5, 2023. The carjacking was reported in a commercial parking garage in the 15100 block of Frederick Road at 2:19 AM Tuesday. That's along MD 355, between College Parkway and Gude Drive.

Wendy's boosts visibility on Rockville Pike (Photos)

The Wendy's at 808 Rockville Pike is suddenly a lot more visible from the busy state highway. It appears that a chainsaw was taken to one tree, five bushes and a couple of hedges on the Pike side of the property. You can now see more of the recently-renovated fast food restaurant building from the road, which should help draw in more impulse diners driving past. See the bottom photo for a "before" comparison.

After

Before

Maryland Supreme Court to hear case on sale of Moses African Cemetery on January 8, 2024

Maryland's Supreme Court is now scheduled to hear the case regarding the attempted sale of a Bethesda property containing Moses African Cemetery on January 8, 2024. The case of Dr. Olusegun Adebayo and the Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition (BACC) vs. the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County (HOC) centers on the HOC's alleged violation of a state law that requires descendants of those buried in a cemetery to be notified of the potential sale of that land. 

A Montgomery County judge granted an injunction against the sale of the Westwood Tower property to Charger Ventures, but was overruled by an appeals court decision. Charger Ventures then withdrew its purchase offer. Adebayo and BACC have appealed to the state's highest court now, which will have the final say, unless the plaintiffs seek a further appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court following this ruling.

"This is the first time that a state supreme court is being asked to limit the power of developers and state agencies regarding the selling and desecration of African burial grounds and our ancestors," BACC said in a statement Monday. "The decision by the Maryland Supreme Court will have national and perhaps, international ramifications. The court will decide whether Black bodies can be sold to private or public agecies and the land laundered for non-burial purposes without oversight by the court or descendant families. BACC is on the front lines of fighting for both the living and our ancestors. Please plan to join BACC on January 8th and by your presence declare: Black Bodies are Not for Sale! People over Profit!"

BACC is organizing bus transportation to the Supreme Court in Annapolis for the January 8 hearing. To get a sense of how many people are interesting in riding the bus, BACC has created an online form at bit.ly/baccbus. If you cannot attend, but want to help fund the bus trip and other efforts by BACC, an online donation portal has also been created.