Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How Rockville tragedies are reshaping Montgomery County’s street safety plans

Also check out JCA Montgomery County Virtual 50+ Employment Expo on the Rockville Patch calendar

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Tuesday January 13th Patch AM
Tuesday January 13th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

What's up Rockville! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How Rockville tragedies are reshaping Montgomery County’s street safety plans
  • How Rockville’s courthouse turned wasteful energy bills into big annual savings
  • Cold-case Chevy Chase murder ends with guilty plea in Rockville court

Also on today's calendar: JCA Montgomery County Virtual 50+ Employment Expo and 8 more events.

Find out what's happening in Rockvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: My dog used to chase people on a bike a lot. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Rockvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Tuesday: Breezy in the afternoon, with a high of 52 and low of 39 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Rather cloudy, temps: high: 48, low: 28.
  • Thursday: Becoming windier and colder, with a high of 34 and low of 15 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!

📰 News we're reading

• In 2025, Montgomery County saw a slight increase in fatalities (thebanner.com) — Montgomery County saw homicides and traffic deaths rise in 2025, including a fatal crash in a Rockville parking lot and the bike death of an 11-year-old leaving Rockville’s Earle B. Wood Middle School. Officials debated Vision Zero and Safe Streets policies at a January 10 forum at the County Council Building in Rockville, highlighting tensions over “no turn on red” signs and road redesigns.
   

• Promoting Building Longevity and Cost Optimization Through Retro-commissioning (achrnews.com) — Rockville’s District Courthouse has slashed its heating and cooling energy use by about 50% after a detailed retro-commissioning of its building automation system, saving roughly $220,000 a year. Engineers fixed 34 control problems, updated software, and retrained staff, turning one of Maryland’s least efficient state buildings into an award-winning energy saver and a model for other facilities.
   

• After Her Mom Was Killed In The Shower, Her Dad Was Considered A Suspect: Two Decades Later, DNA Revealed Her Ex-Boyfriend Did It (chipchick.com) — A long-cold Chevy Chase murder case reached closure when Leslie Preer’s former boyfriend pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Rockville in August 2025, more than two decades after her killing. Detectives used advanced DNA and genealogy tools to link him to evidence under her fingernails, finally clearing her late husband and giving the family long-sought answers, though the motive remains unclear.
   

📸 Around Rockville

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Rockville

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★ Featured events ★

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Other local events

📣 Rockville Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

    Tuesday January 13
  • Garden Club of Chevy Chase Meeting
    Chevy Chase Village, MD Calendar , 5906 Connecticut Avenue , Chevy Chase
    8:30 am
  • Family Storytime at Noyes
    Noyes Library for Young Children (Kensington) , 10237 Carroll Pl , Kensington
    9:30 am
  • Bocce Rolls on!
    Schweinhaut Senior Center , 1000 Forest Glen Rd , Silver Spring
    1:00 pm
  • Coat and Shoes Giveaway
    Galway ES
    4:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Rockville PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • REUNITED—We found a dog in our yard this morning.
    No collar. Are you missing your dog? Call us at 504.376.7571 David. (Nextdoor Country Place)
  • Please share far and wide.
    Not close to home at moment. Could be anywhere Carderock and surrounding call owner 24/7 and if you can’t reach him text me 24/7 as Tailed Treasures… (Nextdoor Wootton Parkway)
  • Pizza Hut, Inc. posted a job opening for Team Member in Rockville. Apply here.
  • Apparent posted a job opening for Medical Billing Specialist in Rockville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Rockville here.

🗞 Nearby News

Gaithersburg

  • Two Montgomery County Elementary Schools Celebrate Being Named 2025-2026 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools (mocoshow.com)

Potomac

  • Maryland's First Jeep Badge of Honor Trail Opens at Wolf Den Run State Park (moderncampground.com)

Ok Rockville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I took its bike away.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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