SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN ASPEN HILL, WHEATON + MORE - SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on September 3, according to crime data:

Sexual assault. 11800 block Claridge Road.

Sexual assault. 14000 block Connecticut Avenue (Aspen Hill).

Theft from vehicle. 3200 block Whispering Pines Drive (Aspen Hill).

Burglary. 10800 block Georgia Avenue (Wheaton).

Assault. 11800 block Old Columbia Pike.

Assault. 8800 block Manchester Road.

GIANT LAUNCHES AMAZON PRIME-LIKE SERVICE FOR PICK-UP, PEAPOD DELIVERY ORDERS

The Peapod division of Giant Food has started charging a $2.95 fee, and now requires a $60 minimum order, for its formerly-free/no minimum Pick-up service. But just as Amazon.com made it tougher to qualify for free shipping while offering unlimited free shipping through Amazon Prime, Giant is balancing the change with a new Prime-like program called Pod Pass.

Pod Pass allows you to purchase a 3, 6 or 12 month pass that gives you unlimited, free Pick-up service and/or Peapod delivery service during that time. There is fine print, though. You only get completely free Pick-up/delivery with a minimum order of $100, taxes still apply, and your pass will automatically renew itself unless you sign into your Peapod account to stop it.

Much like Amazon Prime, the potential benefit of the new service likely relates to your shopping habits, and the amount you spend on groceries per week. Otherwise, the main news here is no more no-strings free Pick-up, which was a selling point when that service began.

Also, there is a free trial Pod Pass promotion currently underway. For more information, visit the Peapod by Giant website.

SEXUAL ASSAULT IN DT SILVER SPRING, ROBBERY IN WHITE OAK + MORE - SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on September 1, according to crime data:

Assault. 3700 block Gawayne Terrace (Aspen Hill/Bel Pre).

Assault. 14100 block Blazer Lane (Aspen Hill).

Theft. 13700 block Connecticut Avenue (Aspen Hill).

Theft. 3900 block Wendy Lane (Aspen Hill).

Theft. 2000 block Georgian Woods Place (Glenmont).

Robbery. 1000 block Milestone Drive (White Oak).

Stolen car. 11600 block Stewart Lane (White Oak).

Stolen car. 11400 block Stewart Lane (White Oak).

Assault. 13800 block Castle Boulevard (Fairland).

Assault. Grandview Avenue at Ennalls Avenue (Wheaton).

Assault. 11300 block Georgia Avenue.

Stolen car. 1800 block Brisbane Street.

Sexual assault. 8400 block Colesville Road at 10:57 AM (downtown Silver Spring).

Assault. 1200 block East-West Highway.

Stolen car. 7400 block New Hampshire Avenue.

HOOPER'S STEAMED CRABS COMING TO WHEATON GIANT SEPT. 6

Summer may seem to have ended, and beach travelers have returned home from Labor Day weekend in Ocean City. But now Giant is bringing the crabs to you here in Wheaton. The grocery chain has invited Hooper's Crab House in Ocean City to bring its "crab wagon" to the Wheaton Giant, at 2900 University Boulevard West, this Saturday, September 6.

Crabs will be steamed on-site at the Giant, and available for you to take home in dozens, or half or full bushels.

STORMS KNOCK DOWN WIRES, KNOCK OUT POWER IN ASPEN HILL, GLENMONT, SILVER SPRING

Wires were reported down and power out in the vicinity of Bel Pre Road and Big Bear Court in Aspen Hill this evening. Pepco estimates restoration by 9:00 PM tonight there.

Three small outages near Georgia Avenue and Randolph Road in Glenmont are forecast to take a bit longer to fix, with power not expected back near Glenallen Avenue and Randolph until noon tomorrow. Another small outage in Kemp Mill has a 6:00 AM restoration time.

Two other small outages are currently reported in southern Wheaton, and west of Four Corners.

The largest outages are north of Leisure World around Norbeck Road and the ICC. I've also received a report of storm/wind damage within Leisure World.

SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN WHEATON, FOREST GLEN; 2 CARS STOLEN IN DT SILVER SPRING - SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on August 30, according to crime data:

Assault. 15000 block Flower Valley Court at 8:08 PM (Aspen Hill).

Assault. 14400 block Taos Court at 12:42 PM (Bel Pre Road/Aspen Hill area).

Theft. 12000 block Edgemont Street (Connecticut Avenue Estates).

Assault. 3600 block Lowell Place.

Sexual assault. 2400 block Blueridge Avenue at 10:46 AM (Wheaton).

Assault. 11200 block Fern Street (Wheaton).

Assault. 11200 block New Hampshire Avenue (White Oak).

Assault. 1200 block Schindler Drive (White Oak).

Assault. 1900 block Treetop Lane.

Sexual assault. 1500 block Forest Glen Road.

Assault. 2000 block August Drive (Wheaton).

Stolen car. Fenton Street at Ellsworth Drive.

Stolen car. 7900 block Woodbury Drive.

STORMS CAUSE POWER OUTAGES IN SILVER SPRING, ASPEN HILL

A storm with particularly-violent lightning left many without power last night through this morning in eastern Montgomery County.

Affected areas include Woodside Park, Sligo Creek Parkway, White Oak, Fairland and the Bel Pre area of Aspen Hill. Pepco projects power being restored in all of these areas by later today, but some were still under evaluation as of 1:00 AM.