Montgomery County Police Explain the Speed Cameras

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Montgomery County Police Explain the Speed Cameras

No Comments 19 June 2009

About 6 months ago we reported on the newly installed speed cameras that many of us are used to seeing all over the county. Captain John Damskey explains the policies and benefits of the speed cameras and states his case for why he thinks we really do need them. Followed by questions from Council members.

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Local Links: Local Love, DC Summer Fun, Chestnut Lodge Fire, Yesterday's Storm, GM Dealerships

No Comments 10 June 2009

Since we started local links a few months ago, we’ve only focused on other things happening around Gaithersburg. In addition to moving Local Links to the blog, we are also going to be covering things outside of Gaithersburg. We will continue to focus on the local area however. Montgomery County, Washington DC, and maybe even Prince George’s and  Northern Virginia will no be included in our Local Links feature.

Why Change the Format?

There are a ton of local bloggers in our area spanning from DC to Silver Spring to Bethesda, and more. And I’ve got to say, most of them don’t get the attention the deserve. I hope other local bloggers can join in on the fun, and share the local love. If you are a blogger and find an interesting story in the area, do your own Local Links feature and help spread the word about other bloggers in the area.

This installment of local links will only include blogs/sites focusing on areas outside of Gaithersburg, in ‘celebration’ of the new format. We may even do a themed Follow Friday on twitter (@GaithersburgMD) this week!

Destination DC has a super-detailed list of things you can do in Washington DC this summer. The list is targeted to tourists, but just glancing over the list, I see quite a few things I haven’t done. And even somethings that never would have crossed my mind, like visiting the FRESHFARM Market in Dupont. If you’re like me, you could always use new things to do in DC, this is a great place to start.

Rockville Central was one of the first sites to cover the Chestnut Lodge fire that occurred on Sunday. I had passed the old building many times on West Montgomery Ave. in Rockville, and was often reminded that it was an old mental institution. There were plans to convert the old building into luxury apartments, but construction never started.

While I was covering today’s storm in Gaithersburg on twitter (@GaithersburgMD), The Silver Spring Penguin was one-upping me with spectacular photos of the storm. Check them out, and follow The Silver Spring Penguin on twitter (@sspenguin) as well.

But even cooler is the time-lapse video of the storm sent in by a reader of DCist. News related to the storm also included.

There has been a lot of talk about the closing down of GM dealerships both locally, nationally, and internationally.

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Newsweek Says MCPS Has 4 of the Top 100 HighSchools, None of them are Gaithersburg Schools

No Comments 10 June 2009

Four high schools in Montgomery County made Newsweek’s list of Top 100 High Schools in the Nation, including Richard Montgomery, B-CC, Wootton, and Churchill. There were no Gaithersburg schools that made the list, but I guess it’s nice to be in good company.

ROCKVILLE, MD—Newsweek magazine has ranked four Montgomery County public high schools in the top 100 high schools in the nation. All of the county’s eligible schools are counted among the top 3.5 percent in the country, according to the Newsweek list released on the Internet today.

The four top high schools and their rankings are:

  • Richard Montgomery—38
  • Bethesda-Chevy Chase—55
  • Thomas S. Wootton—58
  • Winston Churchill—94

Rounding out the top 110 schools are Walt Whitman—104 and Walter Johnson—109.

Dang, we didn’t even make the top 110. Let’s hope we do better next time, although I wouldn’t be surprised if Gaithersburg schools are just a little lower on the list. Either way, you’ve really got to give it up for Montgomery County Schools. Getting 6 high schools in the top 110 goes to show just how good the schools are in our area.

Hopefully the increased MCPS budget of “$133 million (6.4 percent) over the current FY 2009 Operating Budget of $2.07 billion” will improve our rankings next year.

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Local Links – 5/31/2009

No Comments 31 May 2009

The Washington Examiner explores Montgomery County’s efforts to keep foreclosed homes looking presentable. A scary tidbit from the end of the article stated that January through March of 2009, almost 2000 homes have foreclosed in Montgomery County, more than 1/3 of 2008 totals.

The Gazette reports on Extra Space Managment who recently settled on a Equal Employment Opportunity case:  “Gaithersburg storage facility Extra Space Management will pay $95,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to an agency lawyer.

Also from the Gazette, a sophmore at Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village was pepper-sprated by the police offer on duty at the school, after shoving her.

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Gaithersburg Memorial Day Observance

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Gaithersburg Memorial Day Observance

No Comments 25 May 2009

flagHappy Memorial Day to everyone in Gaithersburg, and across the country, and to our men and women stationed overseas.  Not often enough do we take time to think about the sacrifices the people in the armed services make everyday. If you have the time, try to make it out to Christman Park to honor those that have died for us and our country.

The City of Gaithersburg joins with the nation in honoring all who have given their lives in military service at a very special Memorial Day Observance on Saturday, May 30, 2009 at 11 a.m. at Christman Park.  The public is invited to join the Mayor, members of the City Council, City staff, and honored guests in a tribute to Gaithersburg’s sons and daughters who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Special guest speaker will be Colonel Katherine N. Miller, Commander of the Army Corrections Command and United States Deputy Provost Marshal General.  The patriotic ceremony will include words and music to commemorate the occasion, as well as a solemn wreath-laying ceremony.  At the event guests will also be invited to fill out a card for our Book of Tribute, honoring friends and family who serve.

The City of Gaithersburg is once again supporting the efforts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), which adopts various units deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.  At the observance we will be collecting items to send overseas as part of the Adopt-A-Unit program.  Items most needed include:  Powdered drink mixes, Silly String (to detect lasers in a room), cherry flavored Chapstick, men’s undershirts, boxers and briefs, flypaper, cans of salted nuts, travel size toothbrushes, toothpaste, soaps, shampoos and lotions, Ziploc bags, trail mixes, disposable cameras, and AA and AAA batteries.

The VFW will also accept cash and check donations for postage & calling cards, which they purchase in bulk at a discounted price.  Please make checks payable to VFW Post #9862.  Donations can be dropped off at the City’s Memorial Day Service or between 4 and 9 p.m. at the VFW John M. Carter Post #9862, 211K N. Frederick Avenue (behind the 7-11 in the Duvall Center), Gaithersburg, MD  20877, 301-948-0781.

Christman Park, named for Lt. William J. Christman III, a Gaithersburg resident who was killed in Vietnam, is located at 304 West Deer Park Road in Gaithersburg.  Groups or individuals interested in attending or participating should contact Dorthy Winder at 301-258-6350 or email her at dwinder@gaithersburgmd.gov.

Thanks to ba1969 from sxc.hu for the image!

Metro's Strange Attempt at Safety Through Comdey

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Metro's Strange Attempt at Safety Through Comdey

No Comments 20 May 2009

Somebody over at Metro had the idea to leap ahead into the future to deliver important Metro safety and etiquette, but more importantly, comedy and laughs. On May 16th, Metro sent out a press release with the following video.

A polite young anarchist preparing to give up his seat for an elderly fellow.

A polite young anarchist gives up his seat for an elderly fellow.

“Welcome aboard Metrorail and thanks for riding with us,” says an animated flight attendant in the aisle of a Metrorail car in Metro’s latest video, If Trains were Planes.

The roughly three-minute, animated video is modeled after the “brief safety presentations” seen on many airplanes. After welcoming riders, the Metro “flight attendant” informs passengers about courteous behaviors that make for a more pleasant trip for everyone, including using headphones while listening to music, keeping conversations at a reasonable volume, and observing the no eating, drinking and smoking ban. She also points out the priority seats near the middle doors, which are intended for individuals with disabilities or senior citizens.

While humorous in tone, the video also delivers important safety messages. It reminds riders not to block train doors, and draws attention to the emergency exits and emergency evacuation instructions posted inside rail cars. In the event of an emergency, “remain calm and listen to crew member instructions,” the flight attendant says.

If you’ve played the Sims, used public transportation, or have an average sense of humor, this video was probably boring for you from the start. You can’t really hold it against them though. Because how entertaining can the Metro really be?

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Local Links – 5/15/2009

No Comments 14 May 2009

Sell new and used baby products, make some extra cash. – “The City is currently seeking vendors to sell gently-used or new baby and children’s merchandise for the Bazaar and gently used or new clothing, household items, collectibles and more for the Flea Market.”

Memorial Day Recycling Rescheduled. – Those that would regularly get their recycling picked up on Monday, May 25, 2009, will instead get their recycling picked up on Saturday, May 23, 2009, in honor of Memorial Day.

Gaithersburg Police Launch 2009 Click it or Ticket Campaign. – Be sure to wear you seat belt during the month of May (and always) as Gaithersburg Police are participating in a national effort to educate drivers on the importance of seat belt safety.

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Local Links – 3/5/2009

No Comments 05 March 2009

Unfortunately I don’t have as much time as I would like to keep this site updated with unique articles. In order to get my loyal readers the information you crave, I’ve decided to start a “Local Links” series. These posts will consist of links to other great local sites and sometimes a bit of opinion in there as well.

If you would like to contribute to the site in anyway we’d greatly appreciate it. Feel free to send us your opinion, story, or argument via the Contact/Tips page or you can contact us via email at contribute@gaithersburglocal.com

Stay up-to-date with development and planning in Montgomery County. MontgomeryPlanning.org recently released their new webtool, Design Montgomery. The tool allows you get an in depth look at development in the area, and gives you the opportunity to voice your opinion on just about everything.

Quince Orchard Knolls likely to get sidewalks. The Gazette reports that the Knolls neighborhood in North Potomac is likely to get the proposed sidewalks that have been in debate since 2006. Those opposed to the sidewalks, don’t want to lose the 8ft or so of parking space, but it looks like the sidewalks may finally happen.

Speed Camera Class-Action Suit. “A county Circuit Court judge has allowed attorneys to pursue a class-action lawsuit against the county and other local municipalities for allegedly violating state law by allowing the speed camera contractor to collect per-ticket fees.” – The Gazette

This is something we covered earlier in our post about speed cameras in Maryland.

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Watch Out For New Speed Cameras!

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Watch Out For New Speed Cameras!

9 Comments 24 January 2009

On Tuesday, due to the Inauguration, I was terrified of driving the Beltway, so I opted to take the back roads. Down Quince Orchard Rd, past the high school, through North Potomac, then Potomac. I took a more scenic route home. The areas surrounding Darnestown Rd, River Rd, Turkeyfoot Rd, etc.

Luckily I’m a fairly cautious driver and was hovering around the speed limit, because the number of speed cameras in this area must have doubled in the last couple months alone. I’m all for safety, but the speed cameras in the area are ridiculous.

It’s one thing to have them in high trafficked areas, like the one just North of Midcounty Highway and Route 124, for the safety of drivers and pedestrians. But I have to say OVERKILL when you put 5+ cameras within a 15 mile radius, where there are very few vehicles and even fewer pedestrians.

When I started seeing “SCAM” written in chalk just before the speed cameras, I knew I wasn’t the only one.

Why the speed cameras?

I think it is naive to believe that the state, county, or whoever is in charge is doing this out of concern for its citizens. This is an easy source of money for the government, and it is in their best interest to put up as many of these speed cameras as possible.

What’s worse is that the company that owns and operates these cameras is getting paid a commission for every ticket issued. This gives them a lot of motive to increase the ticket rate by making cameras hard to see, and other means of increasing the ticketing rate.

It is in the best interest of the state/county and the agency that owns the cameras to install as many cameras as possible, so they can make more money.

Upon Further Research…

I discovered that I’m far from the only person upset with these cameras. In fact there are numerous blogs dedicated to getting these speed cameras removed or to improve the legislation surrounding them.

Other sources:


What you can do (source):

Join the cause, write a representative, fight the ticket, or avoid getting a ticket all together. DC Camera Fraud can put it into words better than I can.

Update: 1/29/2009

The Washington Post reports that the camera on the 900 block of Quince Orchard Road has been activated.

However, I drove by this afternoon and saw no signs of the cameras. Either they aren’t up yet or they’ve gotten really good at hiding the cameras.

I’ll try to report in tomorrow to confirm.
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