Two Home Break-Ins Reported this Week

The two below incidents are the first home break-ins that have occurred so far this year.  Village and County police are working in cooperation to identify the culprit(s) and arrest him/them.
 
Kirkside Drive:
On Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 7:25 p.m., Village and County police officers responded to a home on Kirkside Drive between Center Street and Oliver Street for a forcible burglary that was just discovered.  Investigation revealed that the homeowners had gone away for the weekend on Friday morning, and upon returning to their home on Sunday evening, they discovered that a rear door had been forcibly kicked in, and that the home had been ransacked.  Several items of jewelry and electronics were taken by the burglar(s).  The homeowners had not requested a house check.  The home also had an alarm system, but it had not been turned on.
 
A Montgomery County police crime scene technician responded and processed the scene for latent evidence.  Montgomery County detectives will be conducting the follow-up investigation.
 
 
Hesketh Street:
Monday, September 19, 2016 at 10:52 a.m., Village officers responded to an alarm call on Hesketh Street between Magnolia Parkway and Cedar Parkway.  Upon arrival one minute later, an officer spotted someone through a basement window.  The suspect disappeared deeper into the basement and a moment later, he emerged from a door on the opposite side of the house.  From the front of the house, the arriving backup officer caught a glimpse of the suspect as he ran toward the rear corner of the back yard.  The suspect jumped over a fence in the back yard and quickly disappeared.
 
As the initial two Village officers secured the house (it was unknown if additional suspects might still be inside the home), additional Village and County officers arrived quickly and established a perimeter in an attempt to locate the suspect.  DC police were also notified to assist on their side of the border. Two K-9 teams—one from the Sheriff’s Office and the other from the County Police—and multiple patrol officers searched for the suspect unsuccessfully. 
 
Investigation revealed that electronics were stolen.  County detectives and crime scene techs responded to this event, as well.  County detectives will conduct the follow-up.
 
Residents are urged to:

• Request a house check upon leaving for longer than 24 hours;
• Activate alarm systems (and consider upgrading your system to include cameras);
• Request the Village Police to conduct a security survey to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your home’s security;
• Record serial numbers of your valuable electronics and other items;
• Photograph your jewelry and any other non-serialized valuables;
• Call the Village police immediately if you see anyone or anything that makes you suspicious—we will respond right away and investigate.

The Week Ahead: September 25-Oct 1

“The Week Ahead” will outline upcoming dates, times and locations of various Village and Community Meetings and Events. Remember to check the Village website calendar by clicking on the below link for a look at the week ahead and beyond.

Click here to view the full Chevy Chase Village Calendar of Meetings and Community Events
 
Tuesday, September 27, 2016:

• 2:00-4:00 p.m.: Chevy Chase @ Home will be hosting a Meet and Mingle regarding balance improvement at the Village Hall. To help improve balance and prevent falls, Karis Cavender, DPT, a Geriatric Clinical Specialist at Sibley Hospital will give the lecture. All residents are welcome to attend.

 
Tuesday, September 17, 2016:

• 7:00 p.m.: The Financial Review Committee will be hosting a meeting in the Village Hall. All residents are welcome to attend.

 
For additional information on any of the meetings and events listed above, please contact Village Community Liaison/Administrative Assistant Ms. Melissa Wiak via e-mail at ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov.

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month: Are you Prepared?

The Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) reminds residents that September is National Preparedness Month. The theme is “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.”

In recognition of the importance of advance planning for emergencies, the County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), the Montgomery County Police Department and the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service have collaborated to offer a free Community Emergency Preparedness class on September 24 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Public Safety Headquarters in Gaithersburg. For further information and required pre-registration see: https://www.scribd.com/document/322743453/Community-Emergency-Preparedness-Classes.

Throughout the month of September, our community members are urged to take action now to be prepared for eventual emergencies. Planning strategies should be in place for family and pets, as well as the workplace and the greater community.

The following is an easy-to-follow planning guideline:

1. Stay Informed: Know what kind of hazards you’re susceptible to, and how to get information about emergencies that are occurring in your area. Montgomery County offers Alert Montgomery emergency messaging, which sends emails and texts to your cell phone so that you can be informed about severe weather, traffic disruptions, power outages, and floods, among other events.
2. Make a plan: Take some time to figure out how you are going to reach your family in times of disaster. Do you have an in-town contact, as well as an out-of-town contact? This is important because it may be easier to reach someone out of town during an emergency because of overloaded phone lines in the affected area. Also have two places to meet your family and loved ones in case you need to evacuate. One outside your home in a safe location, and one outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home. Be sure your plan has considerations for children, older adults, pets, and those with access and functional needs, if needed.
3. Make a Kit: Think about what you’ll need for basic survival, and make an emergency supply kit to have readily available in case you need to evacuate or shelter in place. Items that should be in your kit include: water, batteries, flashlight, food, clothes and shoes, can opener, hygiene products, medication, and others.
4. Get Involved: Finally, help others to be prepared, once you have your items and plan ready. Contact older relatives, neighbors, and friends to assist them in getting prepared, and also check on them after an event. Support neighborhood associations that are involved in emergency response, or better yet, join an emergency volunteer association, or get training on CPR and first aid.

Every year, emergencies affect millions of people globally causing injuries, fatalities, economic losses and emotional stress. However, simple emergency planning and preparedness can greatly decrease all of those losses. The information above and more can be found on the OEMHS website: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/oemhs/.

Little Lending Library Needs Children's Books

The Little Lending Libraries at the Village Hall have seen a successful first year, and we are so pleased to have this great program here in our community. The concept behind these libraries is a book-sharing honor system in which neighbors take and leave books of interest for one another.

Unfortunately, the large supply of children’s books that once graced our libraries have been depleted. If you have taken a children’s book from the libraries, we remind you to return them once your little readers have finished enjoying them or leave others in their place. We want all children in the community to be able to walk or bike up to the Hall to check out a new book to enjoy, but our lending libraries will only work if we all agree to take AND leave a book for the next family to enjoy.

We are always looking for donations, so please feel free to donate a book or two today!

Voter Registration Deadline for November Election is October 18, 2016

Montgomery County citizens who wish to vote in the 2016 Presidential General Election need to complete and submit their voter registration application no later than Tuesday, October 18, 2016, by 9 PM.

Are you registered to vote? Is your voter registration up to date?  Is your current address reflected in your voter registration or make any other changes to your voter registration?  Make sure you update your registration prior to October 18, 2016, so you are ready to vote.

Registering to vote requires that you are a US citizen, live in Montgomery County, Maryland, and be at least 18 years of age on or before November 8, 2016.

Visit: www.https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/OnlineVoterRegistration/InstructionsStep1  to confirm that your registration is up to date.

Download a voter registration application at www.777vote.org to mail to the Board of Elections. 

You may also call 240-777-VOTE to verify your voter registration using the automated phone system or visit the office at 18753 N. Frederick Avenue, Suite 210, in Gaithersburg.  The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Voter registration applications are also available at county libraries, regional service centers, all offices of the Montgomery County Health and Human Services, the State of Maryland Department of Motor Vehicles, and US Post Offices.

Mailed voter registration applications must be postmarked October 18, 2016.  Please note, first class mail takes about 5 days to be delivered but it will be processed in time for the November 8, 2016 Election Day.

For more information on voter registration, call 240-777-VOTE, visit www.777vote.org, the Maryland State Board of Elections’ website at http://elections.maryland.gov, or follow the Montgomery County Board of Elections on Facebook or Twitter.

The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot must be received by 11:59 PM on November 1, 2016.
 
To get an absentee voting application, go to:
https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/OnlineVoterRegistration/InstructionsStep1
 
Early voting begins October 27, 2016 through November 3, 2016 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  Visit website www.777vote.org for locations and wait times.

MDOT/SHA to Start MD 355/Cedar Paving in Early October

The final phase of roadwork for the MD 355 (Rockville Pike)/ Cedar Lane/West Cedar Lane intersection widening project in Montgomery County starts early next month.  Beginning in early October (weather/schedule permitting), the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) will pave all turn lanes and through lanes at the intersection.   Weather permitting, the work should be complete by late fall. 

The final resurfacing work includes:

• Removing the top layer of asphalt;
• Resurfacing all traffic lanes
• Applying temporary lane markings 

Crews are permitted to close lanes on MD 355 Sundays through Thursdays between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. additionally, and weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Equipment used for construction may be disruptive. More than 55,000 vehicles drive through this intersection daily.

“We ask that all drivers and pedestrians be alert and look for the orange - the color of construction signs, cones, barrels and fencing,” said SHA District 3 Engineer Brian Young. “Sidewalk, bicycle and pedestrian path users will be able to safely pass through the work zone by following signage that directs them around closed paths or sections of sidewalk.  SHA appreciates the cooperation of the public as we work to complete this project.”  

This improvement is part of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) intersection projects in Bethesda.  For the latest real-time travel information, log onto www.md511.org or call 1-855-466-3511 using a hands-free device while driving. Those with questions may contact Mr. Robert Shoemake, SHA Project Engineer, at 301-362-1580.