This Week in Potomac 2-21-07
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This Week in Potomac 2-21-07

Bank of America Robbed

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division Robbery Section are investigating a bank robbery that occurred at the Bank of America at 10000 Falls Road in Potomac on the afternoon of Friday, Feb. 16.

According to a press release issued by police, 1st District officers responded to the report of a bank robbery that had just occurred, and learned through the investigation that an unknown male suspect entered the bank, verbally announced the robbery and implied that he had a gun. Police say the suspect received an undisclosed amount of cash and fled in an unknown direction.

As of Tuesday, Feb. 21, no arrests had been made in connection with this robbery, according to Lucille Bauer of Montgomery County police.

Anyone who has information about the identity of the suspect and/or this bank robbery is asked to call the Robbery Section at 240-773-5100. Those who wish to remain anonymous should call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest and/or indictment for this felony crime.

Frost Teacher Arrested on Drug Charges

A teacher at Robert Frost Middle School has been arrested by Montgomery County Police and charged with distribution of cocaine. Erin Jennifer Marks, 26, is currently on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing.

According to police, an investigation by Montgomery County Police Special Investigations Divisions Conspiracy Unit that began Nov. 26, 2006 led to two Germantown men being arrested on Feb. 8, 2007 and charged with several counts of marijuana and cocaine distribution. Ronald Thomas Dwyer II and Franklin Lee Windsor, both of Germantown, were released on bond, but Dwyer was re-arrested with Marks and charged with two further counts of distribution and is currently being held on $200,000 bond, according to police.

An undercover purchase of cocaine took place on Nov. 27 with Dwyer and a woman later identified as Marks. Dwyer supplied the cocaine and Marks accepted money from the undercover detectives, said Melanie Hadley of the Montgomery County Police.

At this stage of the investigation there is no evidence that Marks was involved in drug distribution to students at Frost, according to police.

Potomac Library Celebrates Chinese New Year

Celebrate the Year of the Pig at Potomac Library, 10101 Glenolden Drive, Potomac on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. The celebration features Chinese folk dance, music, painting, calligraphy, Chinese New Year customs, hands on activities, demonstrations by the Washington Kuang Chi Chinese School and the fabulous lion dance by East Rising Lion Dance Troupe. For ages 6 and up. Call 240-777-0690.

Shakespeare Monologue Competition Moved

The Shakespeare Monologue Competition for grades 6-9 originally scheduled for Feb. 15 has been moved to March 12 due to last week's widespread school closings. As with the original competition, participants should arrive at Imagination Stage at 1 p.m. The competition begins at 1:30 p.m. Each participant is allowed to bring a maximum of four audience members. The event is sponsored by the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies. For more information about the event, call 301-405-6830, or visit: www.crbs.umd.edu/programs/monologue/index.html

Jewish Federation Holds Super Sunday Dial-a-Thon

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington will hold its annual Super Sunday dial-a-thon on Feb. 25, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at three area locations, including the JCC of Greater Washington in Rockville, to help raise funds for Federation’s campaign to care for those in need locally, in Israel and around the world. Community service projects will be ongoing at all three sites, as well as free babysitting, snacks and more. To register or for more details, contact Adrienne Matthews at 301-230-7281 or e-mail Adrienne.Matthews@ShalomDC.org, go to www.SuperSunday2007.org.

Get a ‘Clue’ at Churchill

Due to the weather closures, the performances of “Clue: The Play” at Winston Churchill High School have been rescheduled to March 1 and March 2 at 7:30 p.m., and March 3 at 2 p.m. (Originally the show was set to go this coming weekend.) You may want to come more than one night, as there is a different ending for this family-friendly murder mystery each night. Purchase tickets at the box office which will open one hour before showtime each night.  Tickets are $8 with a $2 discount for children 10 and under. Seats are not reserved. For more information or special requests, e-mail wchstix@yahoo.com or call 301-469-1246.

Churchill’s Sports Night Approaches

The Winston Churchill High School Booster Club will host Churchill Sports Night 2007 at Bethesda Country Club on Friday, March 16, from 6:30 p.m.-midnight. Tickets are $125. Funds raised from previous Churchill Sports Nights helped cover costs of a new stadium field, The event includes a cocktail reception, silent auction, special video presentation, live auction, coffee and dessert and music and dancing. For more information, e-mail Churchill’s booster club at bulldogbooster@bulldogbooster.com.

Heritage Theatre Company Seeks Volunteers

The Heritage Theatre Company, a professional year-round theater company dedicated to producing the classics, seeks volunteers ages 15 and up for Stage Crew, Light and Sound Operators, Gate/Ticket sales, Assistant Stage Managers, House Manager, assistants, etc. for a production of “The Killer Angels” at Cabin John Regional Park in May and June. “The Killer Angels” is the stage adaptation based on the Pulitzer Prize winning Civil War novel of the same title, chronicling the momentous 3 days of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. County students may earn Student Service Learning hours for volunteering. Call 301-770-9080 (leave a message if you reach voice mail), or visit www.theheritagetheatre.org.

Recreation Department Offers Courses at Potomac Community Center

Art classes for toddlers, karate, dance and magic-trick lessons for children, fencing lessons for teens and yoga for adults are but a few of the courses offered by the Montgomery County Recreation Department at Potomac Community Center. Elsewhere in the county, the Rec Department offers courses from skateboarding to yoga to cooking to youth art. Registration deadlines for some of the courses are coming soon. Pick up the Montgomery County Recreation Department Guide a Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac, call 240-777-6840 or visit http://montgomerycountymd.gov/content/rec/RECord/articles/february2007/earlybird.html for course information.

Leggett Seeks Applicants for Recreation Advisory Boards

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is seeking applicants to fill vacancies on the following county boards, committees and commissions:

* Commission on Children and Youth

* Commission on Children and Youth (youth members)

* Board of Directors for Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture, Inc.

* Strathmore Hall Foundation Board of Directors

* Technology Investment Fund Loan/Grant Committee

* Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board

* Water Quality Advisory Group

* Long Branch Advisory Committee

Applicants should write a letter of interest by March 9 to County Executive Isiah Leggett at the Executive Office Building, l0l Monroe Street, Rockville, MD 20850 or send an e-mail to CountyExecutive.Boards@montgomerycountymd.gov. A brief resume, with work and home phone numbers and e-mail address, should be included. Members of County boards, committees and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time.

Leggett's appointments are subject to confirmation by the County Council. Applications of those selected for appointment are made public as part of the confirmation process.

For more information about the committees, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/exec/Boards/index.cfm.

Public Libraries Add New Music Online Collection

Thanks to a new online service offered by Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL), customers with MCPL cards can now access a variety of music — including African American, classical and folk — from their own homes.

Entitled Music Online, the database is part of the Montgomery Online Resources (MOR) collection and may be accessed from the MCPL home page, www.montgomerycountymd.gov/library. Music Online requires Macromedia Flash Player version 7 and higher or Microsoft Windows Media Player version 10 and higher.

Critical Blood Shortage

The National Institute of Health Blood Bank has announced an urgent need for type O blood donors. Both local and regional inventories of this blood type are dangerously low. If you are a donor with blood type O, please donate today by visiting the NIH Blood Bank located on the first floor of the Clinical Center on the NIH campus in Bethesda. Hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Please call for an appointment or directions at 301-496-1048. Convenient, free parking is available for blood donors.

If you have not donated blood before and are not sure if you are eligible, please visit www.cc.nih.gov/dtm/html/donrinfo.htm to learn more about being a donor at NIH.