Community Corner

MoCo Headlines: Abrupt Resignation, Unsolved Death

The week's top Montgomery County news headlines.

Catch up on news you might have missed this week, including the county planning director's resignation, a rapper's unsolved shooting death and an armed robbery in North Potomac. 


 Montgomery County Planning Director Rollin Stanley announced his resignation Thursday. He will be leaving his post in mid-May for a planning position in another jurisdiction.

Find out what's happening in Wheatonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A popular White Oak-based rapper's December shooting death remains unsolved. Police blame lack of cooperation from neighbors and announced an increased reward for tips—from $1,000 to $10,000—in hopes of attracting witnesses. Franklin Amobi, 24, was shot just before 7 a.m. on Dec. 27, 2011. 

Find out what's happening in Wheatonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Board of Education Approves Rock Creek Hills for New Middle School Site

The Montgomery County Board of Education approved Rock Creek Hills Local Park in Kensington this week as the site for a new middle school in the cramped Bethesda-Chevy Chase cluster. But, the school site has run into opposition from both the community and the county planning department. Read more on Bethesda Patch.

The parcel of land at Brickyard Road that currently holds Nick’s Organic Farm is to be developed into soccer fields. Montgomery County signed a sublease with Montgomery Soccer, Inc., Monday night, according to county spokesman Patrick Lacefield. The county received 550 responses during the sublease public comment period, resulting in one clarification to the lease, according to county officials. 

Montgomery County police are investigating an armed robbery in North Potomac, as well as a second incident in the area that they believe is related to the robbery. A man was abducted at both gunpoint and knifepoint on Jones Lane near Carry Back Road on April 14, and was forced to withdraw money from various ATMs before being returned. 

Montgomery County councilmembers have come under fire for voting to support a plan that would start Wheaton redevelopment with a government office building and town square. At Tuesday's council session, the councilmembers defended their decision. 

Human Genome Sciences rejected a $2.59-billion takeover bid by British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline on Thursday, but the board of directors of the Rockville-based biotechnology firm still is considering selling.

Patch readers in Montgomery County chose as their favorite public golf course in the county. The Rockville course won with 77 percent of the vote, or 129 votes. Little Bennett Golf Course came in second, with 23 votes, and Northwest Golf Course came in third, with 15 votes.

H&M, one of the world's largest clothing retailers, will open a store in theChevy Chase Pavilion this fall, after the  at the shopping center are complete, according to a store press release. 

 


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