2015, 2016, 2017 MDDC News Organization of the Year! Celebrating more than 160 years of service! Vol. 164, No. 49 • 50¢ SINCE 1855 Thursday, May 16, 2019 INSIDE Black People Are Not Suspicious! Community protests HAWK Beacon Installed MCP interaction with Montgomery County is tak- ing a step toward meeting its Vi- sion Zero goals with the addition two African Americans of a high-intensity activated cross- walk (HAWK) beacon in Aspen ald’s did not notify police of a distur- By Suzanne Pollak Hill. bance. Instead, the police pulled into @SuzannePollak the parking lot for an unknown rea- SILVER SPRING – Local son and began questioning the young Page 7 politicians and activists called for the men. As seen in a 12-minute video of release of all police video from the the incident that has since gone viral May 9 incident in which a white, fe- since being released by MCP, an un- male Silver Spring police officer named officer asked one of the indi- used the n-word and disrespected two viduals if he had been hurt. young men at a McDonald’s parking “Are you hurt? Well, then, stop lot in White Oak. Montgomery crying, you’re acting like a little girl,” County Police (MCP) were sent to he said to the man who was facing a the scene for two people allegedly wall with his hand up. A search was trespassing. conducted by the officers in the The African-American men video. were waiting for their ride to work According to the racist language when “they were demeaned and came from an unnamed female offi- talked down to and searched,” Coun- cer, who can be heard throughout the cilman Will Jawando told a group of tape calling individuals “sweetheart” ‘Earnest’ 75 protestors, who carried signs and and explaining that they should not marched along New Hampshire Av- “run their mouths” so they can leave “The Importance of Being sooner. She also had a conversation enue from the White Oak Library to Earnest” runs May 17-June 8 at with one of the detained men, who the nearby District 3 Police Station. Silver Spring Stage. called the police “d**k eaters,” Jawando said he would ask the which she laughed at in a way that county police, who did not attend the Page 11 PHOTO BY SUZANNE POLLAK seemed good-natured. May 13 protest, to give the public a Her hands can be seen in the Melissa Clark holds up a sign saying “Black people are not suspicious!” say in choosing the next police chief. and participated in a protest on May 13 where local politicians and footage, searching through the back- He also asked for a copy of all tres- pack of one of the men, asking about activists called for the release of all police video from the May 9 incident pass orders that were written in the in which a white, female Silver Spring police officer used the n-word and past two years, to learn what percent- generally disrespected two young men at a McDonald’s parking lot in age were issued to people of color. White Oak. Story continues on Page 8. According to Jawando, McDon- See Racist, Page 8 MCPS fires Damascus JV football staff, Crouse resigns passed since four freshmen on the ju- dent. MCPS determined the junior addition, MCPS reviewed communi- Clarksburg Wins! By Kathleen Stubbs nior varsity football team were al- varsity football team was unsuper- cations between those employees that @kathleenstubbs3 The Quince Orchard High legedly sexually assaulted with a vised between about 2:50 p.m. and evening, including text messages. School baseball team traveled to DAMASCUS – Montgomery wooden broomstick by their team- 3:15 p.m., during which the alleged MCPS first found out about the al- No. 1 Clarksburg for a Maryland County Public Schools (MCPS) Su- mates. The incident occurred in a victims were apparently sodomized leged incident when a parent contact- Public Secondary Schools Athletic perintendent Jack Smith told reporters campus locker room after school on with a broomstick. The JV coaches ed the junior varsity head coach on Association second-round matchup on May 14 that members of the Dam- Oct. 31. who would have supervised the play- Oct. 31. in the 4A West Section II bracket on ascus High School staff have been Since then, Circuit Court Judge ers in the locker room were “delayed” Smith wrote “Our investigation May 11. disciplined to varying degrees in the Steven Salant transferred all four sus- in reaching the school but insuffi- concluded that there is insufficient ev- aftermath of a recent investigation of pects, who had been charged as ciently informed other coaches of that idence at this time to suggest undue Page 20 supervision. adults, to juvenile court. The Mont- fact. delay in reporting the incident,” Athletic Director (AD) Joe Doo- gomery County State’s Attorney’s Of- The investigation also consid- Smith wrote in a May 14 letter to par- dy, junior varsity head coach Vincent fice began an investigation as to ered reporting of the incident to the ents and guardians. Colbert and the entire JV coaching whether the rape was an isolated inci- police and to the central office staff. Smith wrote given that “several staff were removed from their posi- dent. Smith wrote that the investiga- of the victims’ parents” have filed no- tions within the school’s athletic de- For nearly two months, MCPS tion included an interview with the JV tices of civil litigation claims, MCPS partment as school officials finalize a investigated supervisory and report- head football coach and with staff at two-month investigation. ing practices at Damascus, specifical- the school, who were contacted on More than five months have ly on the afternoon of the alleged inci- Oct. 31 about the alleged incident. In See Damascus, Page 8 2 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL MAY 16, 2019 EFLECTIONS The Montgomery County Sentinel, R published weekly by Berlyn Inc. Publish- ing, is a community newspaper covering Montgomery County, Maryland. Our of- June 18, 1953: Wheaton Citizens Hear Recreation Center Plans fices are located at 22 W. Jefferson Street, Suite 309, Rockville, MD 20850. Each week the Sentinel vis- ers, and the house was used to wooden wall; new lighting; pine study the school crossing on Founded in 1855 by Matthew Fields. All its a memorable story from its some extent for meetings. One paneling to match that already Viers Mill Road at Galt Avenue. mail to: P.O. Box 1272, Rockville, MD 20849-1272. Subscription Rates for The archives. year kindergarten classes from in one small room; and removal Due to the road’s topography, Montgomery County Sentinel – Weekly Highland High School were of some of the shrubbery so that this is considered a very danger- by mail: $40.00 per year & $26.50 for Se- The Wheaton Citizens’ As- held there. the interior will be lighter. ous spot for Wheaton Hills chil- nior Citizens. (USPS) 361-100. sociation received welcome The barn has been of no In other business before the dren who attend Pleasant View Bernard Kapiloff news at its June meeting last practical use because of its cut association, Robert Anderson, School. PUBLISHER E MERITUS week, when John Bartley, the up interior and because there Highway and Public Safety J. Alvin Watts, association Lynn G. Kapiloff association’s chairman of the was no heating facility. committee chairman, an- president, announced the fol- CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/ Education and Recreation Com- According to Mr. Bartley, nounced that a six foot drainage lowing committee chairmen in PUBLISHER mittee, told the group of plans preliminary plans for the barn tile will be placed in the Broad- addition to Mr. Anderson and [email protected] for remodeling the barn at the show a community room of ap- view ditch from Parker Avenue, Mr. Bartley: Membership, Mrs. Mark Kapiloff Wheaton Recreation Center. proximately 44 by 35 feet; two north about 320 feet, in order to Helen Fister; Publicity, Mrs. ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER The Recreation Center, pur- toilet rooms; a heater room; curb erosion in that section. The Mary Haskins; Finance and [email protected] chase in 1950 by Park and Plan- light duty kitchen equipped County will do this work in the Legislation, Laurence Masoner; ning, was the former Warner E. with sink, refrigerator and near future. Laurence Masoner, and Public Utility, Philip Mar- EDITORIAL Pumphrey estate, and has on the stove; and concreting of the pre- of the Fire Area Committee, cus. Daniel Kucin Jr. EXECUTIVE EDITOR 23 acres a four-room and a low, sent roof over dirt track. gave a report on that commit- The association also voted [email protected] rather elaborate horse barn, Other improvements tee’s activities during the to hold an outing at the Wheaton with covered dirt track. Picnic planned include asphalt tile spring. Recreation Center on Labor Day José Umaña tables, benches, some play flooring; a drinking fountain; a Mr. Masoner, Mr. Ander- and also voted to hold its Sep- [email protected] equipment and a large open fire- low brick wall around the out- son, and Robert Burkhart were tember meeting on the second CITY EDITOR place could be used by picnick- side, replacing the present higher appointed as a committee to Thursday, September 10. Barbara Trainin Blank COPY EDITOR NEWS Neal Earley [email protected] Write us ASSIGNMENTS Economic impact statement required The Montgomery County Sentinel George Smith PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR ing sure we understand the impact” “To have that consistency By Suzanne Pollak in many areas so there will not be across all legislation that is intro- welcomes letters.