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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
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Police lab puts crime under a microscope Scientists, analysts break down cases for investigations
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Sure enough, in just a few seconds, the solution fizzes deep purple, showing that the sample is likely strong, highquality marijuana. “If you were looking to smoke, this would be the stuff,” joked King, the technical leader of the Forensic Chemistry Unit in Montgomery County Police’s Crime Laboratory. The lab processes evidence connected to the thousands of arrests police officers make and the hundreds of cases
ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH STAFF WRITER
With tweezers, Leah King takes a pinch out of a small, leafy bud. She drops it in a vial and adds a few drops of chemicals. “It’s going to turn a nice, dark purple,” she predicts, giving the vial a couple of swirls.
See LAB, Page A-9
GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE
Leah King performs a test for the presence of marijuana Friday in the Forensic Chemistry Unit of Montgomery County Crime Lab in Gaithersburg.
Acting principal at Rock Terrace LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
See SCHOOLS, Page A-9
NEWS
LEGGETT: FILLMORE SHOULD CANCEL SHOW Executive ‘personally offended’ by anti-gay lyrics in controversial band’s song ‘Puto.’
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ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER
Investigation continues into work-study program
An acting principal has been named for Rock Terrace School in Rockville as investigations continue to look into how the school’s staff handled money that students earned in a workstudy program. Katherine Lertora, currently the coordinator/administrator at the Stephen Knolls School in Kensington, will temporarily take the spot left open by Dianne G. Thornton, who will retire effective Aug. 1, said Dana Tofig, a spokesman for Montgomery County Public Schools. The search process for a permanent principal will start during the winter, he said. Tofig said earlier this month that he could not comment on whether Thornton’s retirement was related to the investigation, saying it was a personnel matter. In a letter to school staff, students, parents and guardians on July 18, Associate Superintendent for High Schools Christopher Garran said interviews for the permanent principal are planned for the spring of 2014. “At that time, I will work with the community in order to review the process for principal selection and to bring together an interview team consisting of staff, parents and central office representatives,” Garran said in the letter. The school system and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office are investigating the school after parents raised allegations that staff misappropriated
Two appointed to fill Planning Commission slots n
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Officials clash over process for appointments
PHOTOS BY TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
Gotta dance
Above, from left, Michael Winings of Boyds, Camille Phillip of Germantown and Kleber Loor of Rockville learn a dance from DC Casineros Dance Company members during the Latin Music and Dance Festival on Friday evening at the Gaithersburg City Hall concert pavilion. The Afro-Bop Alliance provided live music. At right, Rosslyn Omala of Gaithersburg (left) is paired with Laura Morales, also of Gaithersburg, as they rotate partners during a dance lesson.
Rockville’s mayor and councilmembers approved two new planning commissioners Monday, but not without dredging up disagreements over who should take the blame for the delay in filling the two open slots. Although the council unanimously approved appointing both Anne Goodman and Charles Littlefield to five-year terms, some councilmembers said the mayor had not handled the appointments process well. Councilmember Tom Moore criticized Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio for not appointing someone sooner to fill the seat held by Kate Ostell, whose term expired in July of last year. Ostell and Jerry Callistein, whose term expired in June of this year, continued to serve until their replacements were named. “I do want to take a moment to register my disappointment with the way this has been handled,” Moore said. “Ms. Ostell did great service for 10 years on the Planning Commission. She has been left to hang in the wind for a year, not knowing whether she was going to be reappointed or not. You did not reach out to us on this appointment; you did not reach out to her.” Marcuccio responded that she had talked with Ostell as soon as her term was up and told her she did not intend to reappoint her. A phone number for Ostell could not be immediately located. “Ten years is sufficient,” Marcuccio said. “We need to rotate some people on our boards and commissions. ... You’ve got to get new blood and new thinking into what is going on in the city.” The mayor blamed some of the councilmembers for not giving her the votes she needed to appoint someone quickly. “I was ready to appoint somebody that week, and I could not get the support of the council,” she said. Marcuccio said she did not want another situation like a meeting in February when she nominated Drew Powell to the Board of Supervisors of Elections. Councilmember Bridget Donnell Newton made a motion to approve the nomination, but it failed for lack of a second.
See APPOINTMENTS, Page A-9
County merging data with maps, starting with food Project seen as way to detect where resources are available and where they’re needed n
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KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
A new online mapping system could help pinpoint Montgomery County’s grocery stores, food trucks, community
gardens, farmers’ markets and food banks. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is creating a website that will use data to create a variety of one-stop maps, the first of which is for food. The project was recommended by Montgomery County’s Interagency Technology Policy and Coordination Committee — which includes representatives of each county
agency, the executive and the legislative branch — to complement the county’s initiative of posting raw data in a variety of areas online. The project will use a geographical information system, or GIS, and information from sources such as Data Montgomery. Using the data, the planning staff will create maps that will be housed in one central location online, project manager and planning GIS
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manager Christopher McGovern said. Data Montgomery is the county’s public portal that has raw county data on salaries, restaurant inspections and permits, making it easy for the public to get. The Montgomery County Council provided park and planning with $70,000 to start the system. Many maps are expected; the first will feature food.
The innovative program looks to use mapping tools to give better insight on food resources and demand, Dan Hoffman, the county’s chief innovation officer and member of the Montgomery County Food Council, said. McGovern said a map could show a number of food sources, including community gardens and farmers’ markets. Places
See FOOD, Page A-9
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