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MoCo Headlines: Serial Burglars Nabbed, Cancer Center Breaks Ground

The week’s top Montgomery County news.

Each week editors compile the top stories from Patch sites across Montgomery County — arrests in connection with six burglaries in Takoma Park, a state-of-the-art cancer center broke ground at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and a Germantown technologist building a hydroponic farm run by salvaged junk robots are a few of the headlines corralled this week. You can get the news delivered to your inbox daily by subscribing to your Patch’s newsletter.

The Aquilino Cancer Center, Montgomery County's first free-standing, comprehensive cancer center, is slated to open in 2013 on the campus of Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. The center will offer personalized, expert care to cancer patients with up-to-date technology and support services to treat various forms of cancer in a 50,000-square-foot, three story facility. . 

Current and former students are invited to say good-bye to the 43-year-old building of Paint Branch High in Burtonsville this weekend. Montgomery County invested $81 million in a 340,000 square-foot replacement that will open to students and faculty in August. . 

Carlos Vargas has resigned as the City of Rockville’s human resources director, city officials confirmed Tuesday. Vargas was criticized by former city employees who alleged harassment and discrimination by supervisors while employed by the city. A City Council member praised his work. 

Eight designer playhouses have been on display in Friendship Heights for the past month. After they were auctioned off last week, Rebuilding Together Montgomery County's funds had grown substantially. .

At its Thursday meeting, the Montgomery County Planning Board struggled to come to a decision about a contentious zoning text amendment that would place more restrictions on "mega" gas stations--and block the proposed construction of a 16-pump Costco gas station in Wheaton. The final vote rests with the county council.  

A Germantown technologist is building a hydroponic farm run by robots made of salvaged junk. First Fruits Farm Founder Peter James gave Patch a tour of his robo farm. Under the shelter of a greenhouse, the agribots would tend to and harvest an array of greens planted inside water-filled PVC pipes. James said once he’s got a working prototype, he plans to post DIY robo-farm instructions online, open-source style. .



After two arrests this week in connection with six burglaries in
Takoma Park's Ward 1, Takoma Park Police arrested a third man Friday,
Takoma Park Police Chief Ron Ricucci said. . 

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Brigitta Mullican June 2, 2013 at 11:58 pm
Twinbrook Swimming Pool (TSP) can hold three public open house days to introduce the pool toRead More perspective members. This year the dates are June 8, July 13 and August 10. The cost is $5 per person. The TSP has a big insurance policy to cover swimmers. Not sure free is appropriate. As a private membership pool, there are regulations that must be followed.
damian starr June 7, 2013 at 11:46 pm
Does either county or city pool offer free trial periods? I don't think so.
Brigitta Mullican June 7, 2013 at 11:51 pm
If you swim on the 3 open public swim days at the Twinbrook Swimming Pool, you can consider it aRead More trial. Liability insurance does cost money. Entrance of $5 is a real bargain. Members pay to maintain the pool.
Deborah Durham May 14, 2013 at 01:11 pm
I am so sorry this happened to your girls! There is no excuse for the theater personnel notRead More helping. I hope you get an apology from management. Perhaps the city police should have an officer in the area after the last movie.
Joe Shono May 14, 2013 at 08:09 pm
Yaaaay! Lets put it on the police again. Good thinking the Deb. How about Kate gets her daughter aRead More chaperone. Ask 2 people and then a movie theatre employee and then walk home? That story sounds really fishy. I don't believe the world is in as bad a shape as Kate purports.
Theresa Defino May 14, 2013 at 08:55 pm
I think more facts are necessary here. When you didn't hear from them you didn't go to theater toRead More find them? It is hard to know where blame lies here, not knowing how old these girls are. It sounds like your daughter and god daughter don't have their own phones? No matter my children's age, I make it a point to know the running times of the movies they're at, especially if I am the one who is going to be picking them up. We warn children--especially girls and young women--not to go to strangers for help. We know that of the three girls, the man kidnapped one who was his daughter's friend after giving her a lift.