Maryland's diverse economy, highly educated work force and financial stability are key factors behind the state posting the nation's largest job gain in March, Christian Johansson, secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development, said Monday. The state added 35,800 jobs last month, according to federal figures. It was the largest one-month gain in Maryland since 1970 and the second greatest since 1939, Johansson said. The upswing reversed a 19-month negative trend.
"While one record-setting month does not constitute a trend, we remain optimistic that Maryland is beginning to rebound from the recession," Johansson said.
Industries across the board showed gains last month, even in sectors that have declined significantly over the past year, such as construction and manufacturing. The only sector that declined was real estate. Among the state's wins this month is French energy company EDF International's selection of Chevy Chase for its new North American headquarters. EDF signed a 10-year lease for 16,000 square feet at 5404 Wisconsin Ave. and will have about 25 employees there. The company is moving from Washington, D.C. SOURCE: Gazette
April 20, 2010
Maryland Sexting Case Calls for Police, and Societal, Examination
Police investigators in Bethesda, Maryland are currently looking into a widespread sexting scandal at a local middle school, and, as the Washington Post reports, say they've traced it back to one entrepreneurial student. According to the Montgomery County Police, a student at Pyle Middle School was recently caught passing around his iPod touch to all his friends, and charging them for the chance to look at provocative photos of female classmates stored on the device.
Although it's unclear exactly how much money was exchanged in the operation, it is clear that the student had somehow managed to collect a pretty massive collection of salacious photos. The anonymous photographer apparently convinced a lot of girls to voluntarily pose for the photos off school grounds, and outside of school hours. He then passed them around to all his friends for at least a few months, investigators say.
Melinda Henneberger, whose children attend Pyle Middle School, wrote a circumspect article in Politics Daily, in which she both defends the school's record and its student body. ("I'm not sure this is as much about exhibitionism as about access to technology our kids are just not ready for.") At the same time, she made sure to commend Principal Michael Zarchin's decision to involve the police in the investigation. Perhaps the most chillingly insightful part of her analysis, though, is her discussion of the long-term effects of sexting, and the potential victims that are so often left out of our dialogue. She asks: "Will the sexting generation be too worried about what might or might not be out there on the Internet to run for office? No matter how common this sort of self-inflicted humiliation becomes, this is young women we're talking about, and I'm sorry to say I have a hard time envisioning the day that voters won't care."
It seems too often that any dialogue about sexting reverts to the same ideological or moralistic discussions, without so much as a mention of who might actually bear the brunt of the behavior. Instead of talking about the people in the photos, we focus primarily on how or why it was taken. It may simply be a case of hormonal teens colliding with new technology; but that doesn't mean that it's benign. [From: The Washington Post, via: PoliticsDaily] SOURCE: Switched
Although it's unclear exactly how much money was exchanged in the operation, it is clear that the student had somehow managed to collect a pretty massive collection of salacious photos. The anonymous photographer apparently convinced a lot of girls to voluntarily pose for the photos off school grounds, and outside of school hours. He then passed them around to all his friends for at least a few months, investigators say.
Melinda Henneberger, whose children attend Pyle Middle School, wrote a circumspect article in Politics Daily, in which she both defends the school's record and its student body. ("I'm not sure this is as much about exhibitionism as about access to technology our kids are just not ready for.") At the same time, she made sure to commend Principal Michael Zarchin's decision to involve the police in the investigation. Perhaps the most chillingly insightful part of her analysis, though, is her discussion of the long-term effects of sexting, and the potential victims that are so often left out of our dialogue. She asks: "Will the sexting generation be too worried about what might or might not be out there on the Internet to run for office? No matter how common this sort of self-inflicted humiliation becomes, this is young women we're talking about, and I'm sorry to say I have a hard time envisioning the day that voters won't care."
It seems too often that any dialogue about sexting reverts to the same ideological or moralistic discussions, without so much as a mention of who might actually bear the brunt of the behavior. Instead of talking about the people in the photos, we focus primarily on how or why it was taken. It may simply be a case of hormonal teens colliding with new technology; but that doesn't mean that it's benign. [From: The Washington Post, via: PoliticsDaily] SOURCE: Switched
Former Md. trooper found not guilty of 3 sex offense charges
A Montgomery County jury Monday acquitted former Maryland State Trooper Marlon Iglesias of three sex offense charges related to a woman handcuffed after a DUI stop but found the trooper guilty of a charge of misconduct in office. Charges against the trooper hinged primarily on the word of the alleged victim, who nearly a year after the traffic stop told authorities Iglesias has inappropriately touched and fondled her after she'd been pulled over on Interstate 270, handcuffed and taken to a nearby station. But during testimony, the alleged victim's record for honesty was cast in doubt.
At the trial, the alleged victim testified that Iglesias handcuffed her and placed her in the front seat of his police car. She said that on the way to the station, he touched her thigh. She alleged that after she'd gotten to the station, he touched or fondled her at least two more times. And as he was letting her go from the station, she said, he also kissed her. The jury deliberated for about four hours Friday. Jurors came back Monday morning and deliberated for nearly an hour. The split verdict may have reflected jurors' thinking that something untoward happened after the stop but not enough to deliver a more serious finding. SOURCE: Washington Post
At the trial, the alleged victim testified that Iglesias handcuffed her and placed her in the front seat of his police car. She said that on the way to the station, he touched her thigh. She alleged that after she'd gotten to the station, he touched or fondled her at least two more times. And as he was letting her go from the station, she said, he also kissed her. The jury deliberated for about four hours Friday. Jurors came back Monday morning and deliberated for nearly an hour. The split verdict may have reflected jurors' thinking that something untoward happened after the stop but not enough to deliver a more serious finding. SOURCE: Washington Post
east county's fast-food boom
Sure, all those Downtown Silver Spring folks get to brag about their speakeasies and honey-lavender roasted chicken, but we've got our own culinary renaissance happening Up The Pike. If you've been down Randolph Road in Colesville lately, you know we're getting another Wendy's.
That's right, y'all: it's the same spicy chicken fillet and frozen dairy dessert you've come to enjoy in Wheaton, Briggs Chaney, Aspen Hill and Calverton, now just ten minutes away from all of those places. With those kind of eating options, it's only a little disappointing that despite a change in liquor laws, an ongoing lack of investment in our local economy (other than things that can bring profits back to corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ohio), continue to render East County a fine-dining wasteland.
While the urban planner in me is cautiously excited about the provision of on-street parking, sidewalks, and outdoor dining at the Colesville Wendy's, it's frustrating that this new branch will look much like the other four within spitting distance of my house. Of course, this means that a restaurant that broke ground last month could have the fry-o-lators up and running by May Day, if not sooner. SOURCE: Just Up the Pike
That's right, y'all: it's the same spicy chicken fillet and frozen dairy dessert you've come to enjoy in Wheaton, Briggs Chaney, Aspen Hill and Calverton, now just ten minutes away from all of those places. With those kind of eating options, it's only a little disappointing that despite a change in liquor laws, an ongoing lack of investment in our local economy (other than things that can bring profits back to corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ohio), continue to render East County a fine-dining wasteland.
While the urban planner in me is cautiously excited about the provision of on-street parking, sidewalks, and outdoor dining at the Colesville Wendy's, it's frustrating that this new branch will look much like the other four within spitting distance of my house. Of course, this means that a restaurant that broke ground last month could have the fry-o-lators up and running by May Day, if not sooner. SOURCE: Just Up the Pike
Venture capitalist investment falls off in first quarter
Venture capitalists in the first quarter were less enthusiastic, both nationally and in Maryland, as total investments fell from the fourth quarter. In Maryland, 14 VC investment deals totaled $61.0 million in the first quarter, down from 21 deals totaling $105.3 million in the fourth quarter, according to new data from the latest MoneyTree Survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers, National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Reuters. Nationally, VC investment fell 8.9 percent to $4.73 billion from $5.18 billion. Still, total investment for the quarter was up both nationally and in Maryland from the first quarter of 2009. In the U.S., first-quarter investments last year totaled $3.4 billion; in Maryland, they totaled $43.3 million.
"Despite a great deal of economic uncertainty in the first quarter, the venture capital industry moved forward with a more active start than it did in 2009, which bodes well for the remainder of the year," Mark Heesen, president of the VC association, said in a statement. SOURCE: Gazette
"Despite a great deal of economic uncertainty in the first quarter, the venture capital industry moved forward with a more active start than it did in 2009, which bodes well for the remainder of the year," Mark Heesen, president of the VC association, said in a statement. SOURCE: Gazette
O'Malley defends police in questionable police beating, with video
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley seemed caught off guard in a radio interview on Monday when asked to comment on the apparent police beating of an unarmed University of Maryland student that has drawn international attention and led to a civil rights probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In his monthly appearance on WTOP's "Ask the Governor" program, O'Malley stopped short of condemning the beating in similarly tough terms used by Prince George's Police Chief Roberto Hylton or State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey. After a video of the March 3 altercation surfaced last week, Hylton said he was "outraged and disappointed." Ivey vowed to take officers before a grand jury, saying "excessive force will not be tolerated." When asked by WTOP host Mark Segraves, O'Malley repeated Segraves' description of the beating as "a very serious matter" and said that although he has not discussed the matter with Prince George's officials, he thought county leaders were responding appropriately.
O'Malley, however, then went on to say that "very few of us were actually there, on the scene" and because of that and other improvements made to Prince George's long troubled police department "we owe it to that good work to conduct this investigation [into officers' conduct] fairly and properly and following due process." A tape released last week shows three Prince George's County police officers in riot gear using their batons to beat John J. McKenna, 21, following a University of Maryland-Duke basketball game on March. 3.
The video shows McKenna skipping along a sidewalk before he stops in front of a phalanx of officers on horseback. As he stood there, two Prince George's officers ran and attacked him. A third officer later joined the beating. McKenna required eight staples to close a gash on his scalp. An initial police report appeared to be falsified, saying McKenna was injured by horses. The FBI is investigating and four Prince George's officers have been relieved of police powers while they remain under investigation.
When asked about the incident at the beginning of the program, O'Malley initially tried to steer the interview to recent positive news for the state.
"You don't want to start with the fact that Maryland led all states in job creation for the month of March? You don't want to talk about the rebound of the blue crab?" O'Malley said.
Later, O'Malley said, "So long as we have human beings who do these difficult jobs, and indeed human beings in any profession, there will always be times that call upon us to investigate, and where necessary, act, in order to address behavior that is outside of what is expected." O'Malley, who will likely face former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. in a November rematch for a second term as Maryland's governor, won four years ago in part on a reputation as a tough on crime Baltimore mayor. In 2006, the state's largest law enforcement union backed Ehrlich.
Asked in an e-mail following the radio interview if O'Malley shares Hylton's reaction of "outraged and disappointed" to the beating video, O'Malley press secretary Shaun Adamec said, "It's obviously very disturbing, and the governor has said as much. I think it's appropriate to stick with the words the governor has used to describe his feelings on the matter." In that spirit, here's the transcript of the governor's full response:
Mark Segraves: "...Let's talk about this video, you must have seen it by now. It's a very serious matter. And to make sure our listeners are up to speed, it shows several Prince George's County officers beating an unarmed University of Maryland student. The initial police report that was filed said the student was injured by horses. We now know from seeing that video that's not the case, several officers have been suspended. There's an investigation, in fact a federal investigation. Your thoughts now?" O'Malley: "My thoughts are that this is a very serious matter and it's one that's being taken seriously by not only the chief of police for Prince George's County but also by the county executive. So long as we have human beings who do these difficult jobs, and indeed human beings in any profession, there will always be times that call upon us to investigate, and where necessary, act, in order to address behavior that is outside of what is expected.
And so, this is a very serious matter. Everybody, I mean, lots of people have seen the video. Very few of us were actually there, on the scene. But I'm sure this matter will receive the attention that it deserves from the chief of police of Prince George's County. And I think that, um, you know, part of the responsibility that we have in any police force is to not only police the streets, but to police our own force when necessary.
I'm very proud of the strides Prince Georges' County has made in violent crime reduction and their reduction of auto thefts. And we owe it to that good work to conduct this investigation fairly and properly and following due process, because the most important thing that protects officers on the street is the trust the public has in their integrity." SOURCE: Washington Post and Associated Press
O'Malley, however, then went on to say that "very few of us were actually there, on the scene" and because of that and other improvements made to Prince George's long troubled police department "we owe it to that good work to conduct this investigation [into officers' conduct] fairly and properly and following due process." A tape released last week shows three Prince George's County police officers in riot gear using their batons to beat John J. McKenna, 21, following a University of Maryland-Duke basketball game on March. 3.
The video shows McKenna skipping along a sidewalk before he stops in front of a phalanx of officers on horseback. As he stood there, two Prince George's officers ran and attacked him. A third officer later joined the beating. McKenna required eight staples to close a gash on his scalp. An initial police report appeared to be falsified, saying McKenna was injured by horses. The FBI is investigating and four Prince George's officers have been relieved of police powers while they remain under investigation.
When asked about the incident at the beginning of the program, O'Malley initially tried to steer the interview to recent positive news for the state.
"You don't want to start with the fact that Maryland led all states in job creation for the month of March? You don't want to talk about the rebound of the blue crab?" O'Malley said.
Later, O'Malley said, "So long as we have human beings who do these difficult jobs, and indeed human beings in any profession, there will always be times that call upon us to investigate, and where necessary, act, in order to address behavior that is outside of what is expected." O'Malley, who will likely face former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. in a November rematch for a second term as Maryland's governor, won four years ago in part on a reputation as a tough on crime Baltimore mayor. In 2006, the state's largest law enforcement union backed Ehrlich.
Asked in an e-mail following the radio interview if O'Malley shares Hylton's reaction of "outraged and disappointed" to the beating video, O'Malley press secretary Shaun Adamec said, "It's obviously very disturbing, and the governor has said as much. I think it's appropriate to stick with the words the governor has used to describe his feelings on the matter." In that spirit, here's the transcript of the governor's full response:
Mark Segraves: "...Let's talk about this video, you must have seen it by now. It's a very serious matter. And to make sure our listeners are up to speed, it shows several Prince George's County officers beating an unarmed University of Maryland student. The initial police report that was filed said the student was injured by horses. We now know from seeing that video that's not the case, several officers have been suspended. There's an investigation, in fact a federal investigation. Your thoughts now?" O'Malley: "My thoughts are that this is a very serious matter and it's one that's being taken seriously by not only the chief of police for Prince George's County but also by the county executive. So long as we have human beings who do these difficult jobs, and indeed human beings in any profession, there will always be times that call upon us to investigate, and where necessary, act, in order to address behavior that is outside of what is expected.
And so, this is a very serious matter. Everybody, I mean, lots of people have seen the video. Very few of us were actually there, on the scene. But I'm sure this matter will receive the attention that it deserves from the chief of police of Prince George's County. And I think that, um, you know, part of the responsibility that we have in any police force is to not only police the streets, but to police our own force when necessary.
I'm very proud of the strides Prince Georges' County has made in violent crime reduction and their reduction of auto thefts. And we owe it to that good work to conduct this investigation fairly and properly and following due process, because the most important thing that protects officers on the street is the trust the public has in their integrity." SOURCE: Washington Post and Associated Press
April 19, 2010
Veteran banking pair heads to Monument Bank
April 19, 2010 (Bethesda, Md.) – A seasoned banking duo is leading the charge as Monument Bank plans to branch out into another market in Montgomery County. Monument Bank, a Maryland-chartered community bank based in Bethesda, announces today that longtime banking partners Lawrence J. Bolton and Deborah J. Keller have joined Monument as development officers in preparation for the bank opening its second location. Pending regulatory approval, the business-focused bank plans to open a branch in Silver Spring at 8602 Georgia Ave., situated at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Colesville
Road, in mid-May. The bank currently has one branch, in Bethesda, near its administrative office.
Bolton is now a Senior Vice President and Area Business Development Officer for Monument in the Silver Spring market, while Keller serves as a Vice President, Branch Manager and Business Development Officer in that same market.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Larry and Debbie to Monument’s development team,” says H.L. Ward, the bank’s President and CEO. “The banking landscape in Silver Spring is quite competitive, and for our new location to succeed in that market, we need veteran professionals running this office. We have found those people in Larry and Debbie. They have decades of experience in Silver Spring and consistently set the standard in customer service.”
Bolton’s more than 40 years in banking includes 25 years in the Silver Spring market; all of Keller’s more than 30 years in the industry have come in that geographic area. For the past 24 years, the two have worked together at various banks, most recently at Bethesda-based EagleBank, where Bolton was a Senior Vice President and Regional Sales Manager for the Silver Spring market and Keller was a Vice President, Branch Manager and Business Development Officer, also in Silver Spring. The pair also previously worked together at Allegiance Bank of Maryland, Suburban Bank of Maryland, First Union Bank and First American Bank.
In their new roles at Monument, Bolton and Keller will serve high net worth individuals and small and medium-sized businesses in a wide variety of industries, including accountants, attorneys, doctors and other professional-service firms.
“We’re very excited to call Monument Bank our new home,” Keller says. “Growing a branch in Silver Spring is a challenge that we eagerly accept, and we know that this office can flourish, because the personal service that we provide to customers is second to none.”
As the Silver Spring office gets up and running, Bolton and Keller will hire an assistant branch manager and teller, with other hires likely to come further down the road. Monument Bank is in an expansion mode this year. The bank recently doubled the amount of administrative space it occupies in Bethesda and looks to add at least 10 people, and possibly between 16 and 18, to its current staff of 32 employees.
“Monument is a growing community bank that is all about providing excellent service to its customers,” Bolton says. “Debbie and I look forward to opening this new branch in the near term. Our customers will always have two people to go to when doing business with us. That really sets us apart.”
About Monument Bank:
Monument Bank, founded in 2005, is a privately held, Maryland-chartered community bank based in Bethesda. Relying on quality service and state-of-the-art technology, the bank currently has one branch, also in Bethesda, and a work force of 32 people. Monument’s board of directors consists of business owners and senior executives from companies in the Washington, D.C., area across various industries, such as banking, finance, professional services, and real estate. For more information, please visit: MonumentBank.comMedia Contact: Neil Adler of D*MNGOOD®. 202-683-8975 office. 410-499-5004 cell. neil.adler@dmngood.com
UPDATE #3: Detectives search for more clues in principal's slaying
Montgomery County homicide detectives spent more than four hours Sunday inside the home of slain school principal Brian Betts as the probe into his shooting death entered its third day. Detectives are trying to learn who was with Betts in his final hours. At one point, an officer retrieved a black toolbox and other items from the evidence van and brought them into the house. Detectives could be seen carrying at least one brown paper bag, the kind typically used to store evidence, from the home. Forensics experts also showed up at the house in Silver Spring, just south of the Capital Beltway.
"They're revisiting the scene, seeing if there is anything they missed," said Capt. Paul Starks, a police spokesman.
Detectives who went in and out of the house Sunday declined to comment. Well-wishers came by Betts's house as well, leaving flowers just off the curb in his front yard. Shelagh Smith, who knew Betts through her daughter, drove 30 minutes from Rockville to leave green roses. "He really believed he could turn kids lives around, and I think he did," Smith said. "He showed a special kindness."
Neighbors said they saw Betts in his back yard Wednesday evening. The next day, he didn't show up at Shaw Middle School at Garnet-Patterson, in the District. That evening, a co-worker went to his house to check on him, was able to go inside, saw a light on upstairs, left the house and called police. Officers found Betts's clothed body in one of his bedrooms. Police remained tight-lipped about the case Sunday, refusing to divulge new information.
On Saturday, Betts's SUV turned up 14 miles away in Southeast Washington. Investigators have made no arrests in the death of Betts, who was remembered for his dedication to students. SOURCE: Washington Post
"They're revisiting the scene, seeing if there is anything they missed," said Capt. Paul Starks, a police spokesman.
Detectives who went in and out of the house Sunday declined to comment. Well-wishers came by Betts's house as well, leaving flowers just off the curb in his front yard. Shelagh Smith, who knew Betts through her daughter, drove 30 minutes from Rockville to leave green roses. "He really believed he could turn kids lives around, and I think he did," Smith said. "He showed a special kindness."
Neighbors said they saw Betts in his back yard Wednesday evening. The next day, he didn't show up at Shaw Middle School at Garnet-Patterson, in the District. That evening, a co-worker went to his house to check on him, was able to go inside, saw a light on upstairs, left the house and called police. Officers found Betts's clothed body in one of his bedrooms. Police remained tight-lipped about the case Sunday, refusing to divulge new information.
On Saturday, Betts's SUV turned up 14 miles away in Southeast Washington. Investigators have made no arrests in the death of Betts, who was remembered for his dedication to students. SOURCE: Washington Post
Rockville City Council Now Accepts Comments Online
Long overdue but much appreciated is the City of Rockville’s recent introduction of eComment, an online comment system in which the public can support, question, or object to items on the Mayor and Council agenda prior to a meeting. According to the City, “the pilot program began with the Monday, April 12, Mayor and Council meeting. Agendas are typically published on the Thursday prior to the Monday meeting. The comment page can be found on the City’s Web site, www.rockvillemd.gov, and will close at 4 p.m. each Monday that there is a Mayor and Council meeting. Comments will be delivered directly to the Mayor and Council through the City Clerk’s Office. All comments are considered public information.”
The City launched eComment as “an opportunity for citizens to make their voices heard; help focus citizen comments to items already on the agenda; let citizens give input when they are unable to attend meetings; and provide the Mayor and Council with an organized report of comments prior to meetings.” I applaud their efforts to increase the ways that citizens can speak to the City (usually it’s the other way round), especially in the Internet Age when online communications are so common and pervasive. It’s an ideal complement to watching the Mayor and Council meetings on the Web and I hope this tool will also be made available with the two dozen Boards and Commissions, and there eventually will be some way that the comments will be posted publicly and promptly so that everyone can “hear” the discussion (just like at a public hearing).
BTW, at the last Historic District Commission, we had a public hearing on the Victory Housing project that included comments from staff but it didn’t require their attendance. I often wonder how we can be more efficient and respectful of staff time when they have to stay into evening to speak for just 5-10 minutes on an agenda item. It usually seems like a waste of time and money. In this instance, the city forester was watching our meeting at home and as we had questions, sent responses via email to the staff person at the meeting, who relayed them to everyone in the room at the appropriate time. By using email, we have an immediate response and a document for the record–and the staff member didn’t have to come in just for our meeting. SOURCE: Max for Rockville
The City launched eComment as “an opportunity for citizens to make their voices heard; help focus citizen comments to items already on the agenda; let citizens give input when they are unable to attend meetings; and provide the Mayor and Council with an organized report of comments prior to meetings.” I applaud their efforts to increase the ways that citizens can speak to the City (usually it’s the other way round), especially in the Internet Age when online communications are so common and pervasive. It’s an ideal complement to watching the Mayor and Council meetings on the Web and I hope this tool will also be made available with the two dozen Boards and Commissions, and there eventually will be some way that the comments will be posted publicly and promptly so that everyone can “hear” the discussion (just like at a public hearing).
BTW, at the last Historic District Commission, we had a public hearing on the Victory Housing project that included comments from staff but it didn’t require their attendance. I often wonder how we can be more efficient and respectful of staff time when they have to stay into evening to speak for just 5-10 minutes on an agenda item. It usually seems like a waste of time and money. In this instance, the city forester was watching our meeting at home and as we had questions, sent responses via email to the staff person at the meeting, who relayed them to everyone in the room at the appropriate time. By using email, we have an immediate response and a document for the record–and the staff member didn’t have to come in just for our meeting. SOURCE: Max for Rockville
Quince Orchard High School evacuated for suspected gas leak
ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Montgomery County school officials say students have been let back into a Rockville high school after the building was evacuated for suspected gas leak. School system officials say Quince Orchard High School was evacuated after people smelled gas in the building. The leak was reported to the central office around 7:30 a.m. Monday. Students were let back into the building around 9 a.m. The cause of the suspected leak is under investigation. SOURCE: FOX Baltimore
Actor Danny Glover, 11 others arrested in Md.
GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Actor Danny Glover and 11 others have been arrested during a labor union protest at the Maryland headquarters of a food service company. Montgomery County police spokesman Capt. Paul Starks says Glover and others stepped past yellow police tape and were asked to step back three times at Sodexo headquarters. When they refused, Starks says officers arrested them. The dozen were issued citations for trespassing and let go. Starks says they face a $1,000 fine or 90 days in jail.
Starks says organizers told police beforehand that some would risk arrest. The Service Employees International Union was protesting what it calls Sodexo's unfair and illegal treatment of workers. Sodexo says the union was spreading misinformation. A publicist for the "Lethal Weapon" actor declined to comment.
SOURCE: Associated Press
April 18, 2010
UPDATE #2: Police recover SUV of slain D.C. Principal Brian Betts
A dark blue sport-utility vehicle that belonged to beloved D.C. schools Principal Brian Betts turned up Saturday, parked next to a church van and tucked behind a children's ministry in Southeast Washington. The clean, apparently undamaged Nissan Xterra was 14 miles from the Silver Spring home where Betts, 42, was found dead Thursday of at least one gunshot wound. Montgomery County detectives retrieved the car and searched it for evidence.
"Somebody was in it," said Capt. Paul Starks, a Montgomery police spokesman. "We want to find out about the person who was in it."
Betts was a rising star in D.C. public schools as principal of Shaw Middle School at Garnet-Patterson, where he had gone to work in 2008 with a handpicked staff of young teachers as part of Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's citywide school overhaul movement. Colleagues alerted police Thursday after Betts did not report for work. Police say they think he was killed by someone he let into his home. Betts's clothed body was found inside a bedroom, police said Saturday. Detectives quickly learned that the Nissan was missing, as were items from Betts's home. Since discovering the body, the police department has released few details, concerned that doing so might tip off any suspects to what they know.
Police are trying to piece together a timeline of where Betts was and who he was with in his final hours. Neighbors have said they saw him in his back yard Wednesday evening. It wasn't uncommon for him to have friends over. In his back yard Saturday was evidence of those gatherings: two grills, and a hot tub perched on a deck. From the start of the case, detectives wanted to find the Nissan, which residents said appeared in the 3900 block of Fourth Street SE between noon and 1:30 p.m. Friday.
"We just figured it was a stolen vehicle, because it was hidden behind our vehicle," said Sherrita Mullen, who lives and works at the Metro D.C. Kids' Konnection, housed in the building next to where the car was found. SOURCE: Washington Post
April 17, 2010
UPDATE: D.C. principal found dead in his Silver Spring home
Montgomery County police have determined that D.C. public schools Principal Brian Keith Betts was shot and killed inside his Silver Spring home, schools spokesman Sgt. C. Tom Jordan said. Police have ruled the death a homicide, saying it was not a random killing, but they do not yet have a suspect, Jordan said. They are also looking for his blue Nissan Xterra vehicle, which was missing from his home Thursday night when co-workers found his body. The sudden death has shocked the D.C. and Montgomery County school community. On Friday morning, the 300-plus students and staff at Shaw Garnet-Patterson Middle School in Washington, D.C., were reeling from the sudden death of their leader.
"I still can't even begin to realize that he's gone," said teary-eyed ninth-grader Dominique Watson as she clutched a copy of a photo of a smiling Betts in front of a library.
When 42-year-old Betts wasn't standing on his usual corner greeting students at V and 10th St N.W. in Washington, D.C., early Thursday morning, his staff at Shaw Garnet-Patterson Middle School began to worry. When the principal did not show up to the afternoon staff meeting or answer phone calls, the atmosphere in the school became tense.
"That kind of flew up the red flag," said Shaw's baseball and football coach, Jeffrey McCauley.
Betts' Silver Spring home has a bloody past. On Aug. 6, 2002, 47-year-old George Russell and of 9-year-old Erika Smith were found shot and killed in the same home. County police convicted Anthony Quintin Kelly in the murders in 2008. He is now serving life in prison. Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the Nissan Xterra to call 301-279-8000 (the police non-emergency number). Anyone with other information pertaining to this death is asked to call Homicide detectives at 240-773-5070. Callers may remain anonymous. SOURCE: Gazette
"I still can't even begin to realize that he's gone," said teary-eyed ninth-grader Dominique Watson as she clutched a copy of a photo of a smiling Betts in front of a library.
When 42-year-old Betts wasn't standing on his usual corner greeting students at V and 10th St N.W. in Washington, D.C., early Thursday morning, his staff at Shaw Garnet-Patterson Middle School began to worry. When the principal did not show up to the afternoon staff meeting or answer phone calls, the atmosphere in the school became tense.
"That kind of flew up the red flag," said Shaw's baseball and football coach, Jeffrey McCauley.
Betts' Silver Spring home has a bloody past. On Aug. 6, 2002, 47-year-old George Russell and of 9-year-old Erika Smith were found shot and killed in the same home. County police convicted Anthony Quintin Kelly in the murders in 2008. He is now serving life in prison. Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the Nissan Xterra to call 301-279-8000 (the police non-emergency number). Anyone with other information pertaining to this death is asked to call Homicide detectives at 240-773-5070. Callers may remain anonymous. SOURCE: Gazette
What recession? Leggett approves pay increase for helicopter staff
Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett has approved a raise for police officers who serve on a proposed helicopter unit, a move that signals Leggett's continued interest in a program the County Council says is too expensive. Leggett approved paying pilots an additional $3,500 a year, and observers $1,500 per year as part of a labor agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police union. The extra pay, which would total about $10,000 a year, would be paid only if the proposed helicopter unit gets off the ground, county staff said. Leggett's spokesman, Patrick Lacefield, said a lack of support for the program from the County Council and current budget problems -- the county is facing a budget gap of nearly $1 billion -- have stalled the program, but only temporarily. SOURCE: Washington Examiner
Alleged drunk driver hits judge he faced in 1998
ROCKVILLE, Md. — A man has been charged with driving drunk and hitting the car of a retired Maryland judge who once spared him jail time in previous drunk driving case. The suspect, 45, was scheduled to be in court Wednesday to face trial on eight charges related to the August crash where he hit a car being driven by retired Montgomery County District Judge Edwin Collier. Collier, 86, and his wife Ellen Collier, 82, were both injured in the crash. Collier presided over a case in 1998 in which police charged the man with drunk driving after an officer saw his car idling in a parking lot and gave him a sobriety test. He pleaded guilty in that case, and Collier spared him jail time, even though the man had been arrested on drunk driving charges twice in three months. SOURCE: Associated Press
Qiagen gets Montgomery County, Maryland help in expansion plans
Qiagen NV is getting at least $1 million in Maryland and Montgomery County incentives to aid in its latest $52 million Germantown campus expansion, which includes plans to add 90 new jobs in the state. The molecular diagnostics company, which is based in the Netherlands, plans to add 117,000 square feet of new manufacturing and office space to its decade-old U.S. headquarters at the corner of Dawson Farms and Germantown roads.
It hopes to break ground this fall and complete the new buildings in 2012, increasing its local footprint to 347,000 square feet. The expansion plans are a scaled-up version from December, when the company had been considering additions ranging from 90,000 to 118,000 square feet. The move, which is the second time Qiagen has expanded in recent years, follows the foreign company’s acquisitions of Gaithersburg-based Digene Corp. in 2007 for $1.6 billion and Frederick-based SABiosciences Corp. last year for $90 million.
Company officials had said in December that they would be looking for incentives to help with construction bills. Indeed, to assist with project costs, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development is ponying up a $700,000 conditional loan through its Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund — as long as Qiagen adds 90 new jobs in the state in the next five years. SOURCE: Washington Business Journal
After diving into almost $1 billion of debt, Leggett makes some cuts
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett today announced his recommended $4.3 billion operating budget that closes a $779 million gap for fiscal year (FY) 2011 that begins July 1. Leggett’s budget focuses on protecting essential services and his priorities of education, public safety and the safety net for the most vulnerable, but includes significant reductions in services and staffing levels. Leggett’s hard choices resulted from the continued severity of the economic recession; doubling in the local rate of unemployment; declining residential and commercial development; ongoing, sharp declines in tax revenues and state aid; and emergencies such as the H1N1 flu outbreak and snow removal from this winter’s historic blizzards.
“Our region is not immune from the tough economic times in which we live,” said Leggett. “Neither are our families. And, neither is County government. Leadership means making the hard choices now that address our current problems, without resorting to quick fixes. Leadership also means fighting to meet the challenge of putting the County on a future path that is fiscally responsible and sustainable. We need to make the right decisions now if we are to lay the groundwork for our County to come out of this downturn in the best possible position. But let there be no mistake, there is pain in this budget – for our community and for County employees.”
Leggett’s budget brings the County government’s tax-supported growth rate down from a 14.1 percent increase in FY07, the year before he took office, to an historic minus 6.1 percent in the FY11 Recommended Budget compared with the current year. The overall 3.8 percent decrease for all County agencies from all sources represents the only reduction in the annual County budget in modern County history -- since the adoption of the current charter in 1968. In the four budgets Leggett has prepared, he has closed budget gaps of nearly $2 billion to address shortfalls every year – which is unprecedented. The magnitude of the problem is reflected in the County’s income tax revenue annual rate of growth. In FY07, income tax revenue increased by 21 percent. In FY10, it decreased by more than 15 percent.
Leggett’s previous cost reduction efforts preserved direct services as much as possible, but even these services will now be affected with this year’s looming deficit. This budget proposes cutting costs by eliminating 452 government positions, providing no pay increases of any kind for County government workers, furloughing non-public safety County employees for 10-days, realizing cost savings from all County departments, and reducing current revenue funded expenditures in the capital budget. All told, between position abolishments, leaving positions vacant, and reductions in overtime, Leggett’s budget would reduce the County government budget by 750 work-years.
“When I first took office, Montgomery County’s spending was out of control and unsustainable,” said Leggett. “And that was before the economic downturn. It was clear that we had been living beyond our means. Over the last four years, I have worked aggressively to restore fiscal prudence to our County government by dramatically slowing the rate of growth of both the operating and capital budgets. As the economic news has worsened, I have continued to press ahead on long-term cost savings that minimize the future burden on taxpayers.”
The recommended budget keeps faith with Leggett’s commitment to continue to hold the line on property taxes at the Charter limit, including a credit of $693 to lower the burden on homeowners and maintain a more progressive property tax. Under the recommended budget, the property tax rate remains unchanged.
“Past cost reduction efforts have focused on preserving my priorities of public safety, education and the safety net for the most vulnerable,” said Leggett. “Although I reduced the budget by $1.2 billion over the last three years, the size of this year’s budget deficit leaves no alternative now but to include more reductions in County services across all programs. To address our long-term budget challenges, I have reached out to our partners in Montgomery County Public Schools, the Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery College and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. Through 20 focus groups, a cross-agency committee collaboratively created resource-sharing and cost-cutting ideas to structurally improve the County’s budget.”
Among County government departments, the largest reductions from FY10 levels are in the Regional Service Centers and the Office of Human Resources (both 33 percent reductions), the Commission for Women (27 percent), the County Executive’s Office (26 percent), Housing and Community Affairs (24 percent), Transportation (23 percent), and Libraries (22 percent). Among the lowest reductions were Fire and Rescue (2.6 percent less than in FY10), Police (4 percent), Correction and Rehabilitation (4.5 percent), Department of Transportation/Transit Services (6.8 percent), and Health and Human Services (10.6 percent). Under the Recommended Budget, funding for affordable housing through the Housing Initiative Fund, a priority of the County Executive, would be reduced by $10 million as compared to FY10 levels. Noyes Library would be closed, library materials reduced, and overall library hours cut by 8.7 percent.
County recreational facilities, except for pools, would be closed one day each week. Senior mini-trips and outdoor adventure programs would be eliminated. After-school Sports Academies and Recreation Extra programs would be reduced. Eighteen Ride On routes (three weekday, 10 Saturday and five Sunday) would be eliminated and another 16 restructured, saving $2.7 million, and the Call-N-Ride program would be reduced to one coupon book a month. The County Volunteer Center would be reduced and restructured.
In public safety, one Fire and Rescue truck and one ambulance would be taken out of service and the new recruit class will be delayed. Forty Police positions, including 24 sworn officers, would be eliminated, and 16 of the 33 officers stationed in Montgomery County public schools will be cut. Nine of the 40 police positions, all non-sworn, would transfer to the MC311 Call Center. Four satellite police sub-stations would be closed. Thirty-three Corrections positions would be eliminated. The budget includes reductions in the Montgomery Cares program that provides health care to the uninsured, as well as reductions in home care, school health aide hours and payment to disability development providers. Funding for the County’s tuition assistance program would be eliminated. Non-emergency tree maintenance would be curtailed and, except for buses, the County would purchase almost no new vehicles or computers during the coming years. Maintenance in County facilities will be reduced. Pedestrian safety education monies would be drastically curtailed.
“To those who object to these reductions, I have a simple message: I do not like these any more than you do,” said Leggett. “Hard choices must be made, and not just talked about, in this difficult economic and fiscal environment.”
Closing the Gap
“In my first budget as County Executive in FY08, we faced a $200 million budget shortfall, so I reduced the tax-supported rate of increase in spending by the County government from 14.1 percent to 6.9 percent,” said Leggett. “In FY09, the projected shortfall increased to $401 million, so we imposed a hiring freeze, produced mid-year savings of more than $30 million, abolished over 225 positions, implemented a retirement incentive program, and slowed the rate of growth to 1.6 percent. Last year, we faced a daunting gap of $590 million that was closed without a tax increase by reducing costs, abolishing nearly 400 positions and eliminating general wage adjustments for most employees. This year, we face an even more staggering deficit of $779 million that my recommended FY11 budget successfully closes.”Overall, the recommended budget includes:
• Decreases for Montgomery County government of $76.5 million, a 6.1 percent decrease;
• Reductions of $79.5 million, a 3.9 percent decrease, for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), funding 96 percent of the Board of Education’s request;
• Funding decreases for Montgomery College of $8.3 million, a 3.8 percent decrease; and
• Funding reductions for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission of $15.1 million, a 13.5 percent decrease.
As a last resort to avoid further reductions in County services or additional layoffs, Leggett also recommended an increase in the County’s energy tax to raise an additional $50 million. The energy tax is paid by all utility users, including federal facilities in the County that pay no other major County taxes. For the average homeowner, this means an increase of about $3 a month. However, as the tax is based on consumption, the amount of the tax can be lessened through reduced energy use. To minimize the impact of this increase on low-income households, Leggett included additional funding in the County’s Energy Assistance Program
As part of closing the shortfall, Leggett recommended once again reducing tax-supported reserves from six percent of resources to five percent, freeing up approximately $37 million to help balance the FY11 budget and sustain critical services.
“I have found it necessary to recommend budgetary strategies that I have strongly resisted in the past, including temporarily reducing reserves,” said Leggett. “I take this action with the expectation that we will replace the reserves as quickly as possible and return them to the six percent policy level. The choices I have had to make aren’t easy – and some of them aren’t popular. But, we also have an opportunity to strengthen our financial position and take advantage of future opportunities for renewed economic growth and recovery.
“We have to keep in mind that the economy has not yet bottomed out. More state budget cuts may be on the horizon. And, even if the Council approves my recommended budget just as it is, we are already projecting a fifth straight year of budget shortfalls next year of over $200 million.”
Wages and Benefits
“Wages and benefits for County employees represent 80 percent of our budget,” said Leggett. “I am very proud of our workforce – its professionalism, dedication, and work ethic. However, fiscal prudence dictates hard choices in reducing compensation costs. That’s why this budget includes no cost-of-living or service increment increases for any County government employee. I regret that I have to take this action because I know how hard county employees work, how seriously they take their service to the public, and the difficult conditions under which they must provide public services.“I am also recommending abolishing 452 positions, bringing the total of positions I have abolished to nearly 1,000 over the past three years. Of the 452 positions, 232 of them are currently filled. We will continue the hiring freeze instituted over two years ago. We will implement a 10-day furlough for non-public safety government employees and recommend that the other County funded agencies also adopt this cost reduction strategy. We will introduce a new retirement incentive program targeted at those positions abolished to lessen the impact on affected employees.”
Leggett’s budget also saves $64 million by deferring the scheduled increase in contributions by the County to a multi-year plan to fully fund retiree health benefits.
Setting Priorities
Faced with tough choices for public safety, this budget averts more serious reductions in first response Fire and Rescue Emergency Medical Services (EMS), because it includes instituting an Emergency Medical Services Transport Fee that will provide an estimated $62.2 million over the next four years.“Without the EMS Fee, there is simply not enough money to meet the demands for fire equipment, additional staff for new stations, volunteer enhancement, recruitment and retention, additional staff for four-person staffing of equipment and compensation, and benefits for firefighters and emergency medical technicians. The EMS Fee will be billed directly to an individual’s health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare. Because County residents already pay taxes to support EMS service, no County resident will pay a dime, or even receive a bill. No County resident who is unable to pay will have any out-of-pocket expense for transport to the hospital. The program also will be structured to have no impact on the development and growth capabilities of local volunteer fire and rescue departments.
“Nearly all our surrounding jurisdictions have a similar fee and are using those resources to improve service and save lives – with no adverse effects. Montgomery County should do the same instead of leaving tens of millions of dollars in insurance reimbursements uncollected.”
The facts about the EMS Transport Fee are available at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee. On education, Leggett’s budget meets 96 percent of the Board of Education’s request. The County will again this year apply for a waiver from the State “maintenance of effort” requirement that will lower the County’s contribution by $58.2 million and still qualify for increased state K-12 education aid.
“Superintendent Dr. Jerry Weast, the Board of Education, and the MCPS employee organizations have contributed significantly in helping to close the shortfall we all face,” said Leggett. “I appreciate their close collaboration.”
Leggett continues to invest in programs that are building more effective government, saving millions of dollars, boosting customer service, and restructuring government through reorganizations and modernization of core business systems.
“Our approach to balancing the budget should not strictly be a matter of cost reduction, but we should make every effort to make our operations more efficient, productive, and cost effective. To accomplish these objectives, I have instituted several measures to make Montgomery County government even better and more efficient in how we operate and provide services to the community.”
For example, the CountyStat initiative has successfully cut overtime hours by 19 percent, saving the County $7.8 million. A paper reduction initiative saved more than $1 million over the last year. Implementation of the 311 Call Center later this year will significantly enhance community services and provide the County with important information that will guide future decisions about the use of scarce resources.
“Despite the extraordinary challenges we are currently facing, I remain very optimistic about the future of our County. We will continue to take advantage of every opportunity to produce savings and preserve and enhance services for the residents of this County.”
To view the budget highlights and the full budget, go to the Office of Management and Budget homepage on the County’s website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/omb. SOURCE: Leggett's Office
April 16, 2010
Montgomery County crime fell 7 percent in 2009, police say
Crime in Montgomery County fell nearly 7 percent last year, driven by a sharp drop in burglaries and car thefts, according to police statistics released Thursday. The county recorded 13 homicides and 124 rapes -- both of which are near 25-year lows and follow similar trends throughout the region.
"We're doing a better job putting cops where they need to be," Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said.
He said technology -- inside and outside the department -- continues to help police solve crimes and get criminals off the street. Inside the department, police are using computerized crime data analysis to better target hot spots and more DNA testing to solve crimes. Outside the department, detectives are able use an increasing number of surveillance cameras to solve crimes -- even images captured by businesses across the street from those targeted by criminals.
"There are cameras everywhere," Manger said. SOURCE: Washington Post
"We're doing a better job putting cops where they need to be," Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said.
He said technology -- inside and outside the department -- continues to help police solve crimes and get criminals off the street. Inside the department, police are using computerized crime data analysis to better target hot spots and more DNA testing to solve crimes. Outside the department, detectives are able use an increasing number of surveillance cameras to solve crimes -- even images captured by businesses across the street from those targeted by criminals.
"There are cameras everywhere," Manger said. SOURCE: Washington Post
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