POLICE SEARCHING FOR 2 MISSING SILVER SPRING TEENS (PHOTOS)

Two Silver Spring teenagers are missing tonight, and Montgomery County Police are asking the public's help in locating them. They are each separate missing persons cases.

First, we go to Aspen Hill:

Verenice Soledad Cruz, 16, a resident of the 13500 block of Georgia Avenue, was last seen February 1.  She is a Latina female,  5’02” tall, and weighs approximately 120 pounds. Cruz has brown eyes and long, black hair.  She was wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans the last time she was seen.  Police say Cruz "frequents" the Aspen Hill Apartments, which are in the same block where she lives, as far as I can tell from the information.

The second missing teen is from the Stonegate area, off of Bonifant Road, near the Intercounty Connector (MD 200):

Martin Curtis Reed disappeared from Carona Court "earlier today," police say. Reed is a white male, 5’9″ inches tall, and weighs about 210 pounds.  He has blue eyes and short blonde/brown hair.  He was last seen wearing blue sweatpants, a black sweatshirt, and a camouflage vest.  He was also carrying a backpack and a black, pool cue-type bag.  Reed is walking with one crutch due to a broken left leg that is in a cast. Police say he was involved in a family argument before leaving.

If you have seen, or have information about, either missing teen, police ask you to call their non-emergency number, at 301-279-8000.

WHICH STORE HAS THE BEST CATCHING FIRE BLU-RAY/DVD PACKAGE FOR HUNGER GAMES FANS? (PHOTOS)

Friday is the big day for Hunger Games fans, as the second film installment hits stores across the country. Catching Fire doesn't have quite the elaborate special edition packages the first movie did, but offers more than the average Hollywood blockbuster release in these days of dwindling bonus gifts. For collectors, it's all about the bonus pack-ins, and exclusive content and artwork.

So, which store has the best Catching Fire Blu-ray/DVD package?

In my opinion, it's Target.

The Target Catching Fire set includes 45 minutes of exclusive bonus content:

Target Exclusive (45 minutes of content): 

• “ONE VISION” (A FAITHFUL ADAPTATION)--translating Suzanne Collins' source material to the big screen 

• “THE ALLIANCE” (RETURNING CAST)—an inside look at the close-knit relationships of the returning actors 

• “FRIEND OR FOE” (NEW CAST)--finding the perfect embodiments of the new characters 

And a booklet.

But, wait, there's more!

Pre-order your copy from Target, and you also get this Target-exclusive fabric poster:

Not to mention that the Target edition appears to have the best cover design. And you get all of this for $22.99, more than you pay for many recent Blu-ray releases that had no collectible bonus items.

Walmart

Walmart is second best, if you live near one that is opening at midnight tonight - the first 50 Catching Fire purchases will come with a Walmart-exclusive poster. Find a Walmart midnight opening event near you.  The poster isn't new; it is said to be the IMAX theater poster from last November's opening.

But that's it for bonus items, and Walmart has no exclusive bonus-disc content. The only other Walmart exclusive is a 2-movie set for the completist. Walmart has an online price of $19.96 for the Blu-ray/DVD.

Best Buy

Best Buy's primary exclusive, is offering Catching Fire in the steelbook format. This is best for those who collect steelbooks in general, or, again, for the completist. If you're not near a midnight opening Walmart, bump up Best Buy to #2 on the list. The other 2 Best Buy bonuses that can bump it up to #2 are A) you can pick up the first Hunger Games Blu-ray steelbook version for only $5 when you buy Catching Fire, and B) you also get $8 in Fandango Cash, payable towards Divergent when it hits theaters on March 21. Best Buy's price is the same as Target.

Amazon.com

Zip, zilch, nada. Just the movie, that's it.

ROBBERY NEAR TAKOMA PARK, ASPEN HILL ASSAULT - SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

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

Assault. 8200 block 16th Street (Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. Georgia Avenue and White Oak Drive (Montgomery Hills).

Drug arrest. Cameron Street and 2nd Avenue (downtown Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. 2700 block University Boulevard W. (Wheaton).

Theft. Wheaton Plaza.

Vehicle theft. 12200 block Judson Road (Glenmont).

Vehicle theft. 4300 block Joplin Drive (Aspen Hill).

Assault. 13500 block Georgia Avenue (Aspen Hill).

Robbery. Garland and Clayborn Avenues (Takoma Park area).

Drug arrest. 7400 block New Hampshire Avenue (Takoma Park).

SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across eastern Montgomery County on March 2, according to crime data:

Drug arrest. Veirs Mill ES.

Theft. Wheaton Plaza.

Liquor arrest. 11200 block Grandview Avenue.

Assault/"other sexual offense." Holy Cross Hospital (please note: assaults and sexual assaults are often reported by victims at hospital emergency departments; a report of an assault there does not mean that the assault occurred at the hospital).

Drug arrest. 2400 block University Boulevard W. (Wheaton).

Assault. 12100 block Centerhill Street (Wheaton).

Assault. 2300 block Blueridge Avenue (Wheaton).

AVALON BAY SEEKS EXTENSION FOR AVA WHEATON APARTMENT BUILDING AT GEORGIA AND BLUERIDGE AVENUES (PHOTOS)

Developer Avalon Bay is requesting an extension of the sketch plan review period from the Montgomery County Planning Board, for its proposed AVA Wheaton apartment building. The project, which would replace an office building property at the northeast corner of Georgia and Blueridge Avenues, is located where downtown Wheaton transitions to the residential suburbs.

Planning staff are recommending the board grant the request, which would extend the review of the project's sketch plan to May 8, 2014, and reschedule the public hearing date for April 24, 2014. Avalon Bay says it would like the additional time to incorporate new feedback from the Development Review Committee. The AVA Wheaton is expected to deliver in 2016.

The project will change the dynamic of the northern gateway to downtown Wheaton to a degree. Overall, the AVA Wheaton building height averages 4 stories. Existing apartment buildings nearby are also 4 stories, (although in reality, their stories are shorter, and the new building will still be slightly taller). AVA Wheaton will be built right out to the sidewalk along Georgia and Blueridge, creating a more dominating presence on Georgia, in contrast to today's building setback. That setback (and surface parking) allowed for green and sky views to the northeast and east, for those heading north on Georgia. Those views will be blocked, as far as I can tell from the sketch plan. The current sketch landscape design does not show trees along Georgia Avenue. A former Metro construction site remains as green space, for now, between the AVA Wheaton site, and the townhomes on the former Good Counsel site. A building on the western side of Georgia on this block is 3 stories.

But having said that, the existing building on the site - while less dense than the new one will be - rises as high as 7-8 stories along the dramatic slope of Blueridge. So, on the one hand, the new building could actually be shorter than the old one. On the other hand, I don't know the exact height of the current building to compare it to the 117' highest point of the AVA Wheaton.

In any case, the developer has shown some restraint here. There are far taller proposals, for less dense areas in the county, than this one. Density is still high in the project, though, with 322 apartments proposed. I don't see any ground floor retail or restaurants in the designs, so it will likely be a quiet neighbor for existing nearby residents. If you are one of those residents, please feel free to leave a comment below, with your opinion about the AVA Wheaton proposal.

The big takeaway from this project, is the continuing weakness in Montgomery County's office space market. This was a pretty nice office complex, with plenty of parking, well connected by regional Ride On and Metrobus routes, not far from the Wheaton Metro station, and not far from the Beltway, either. To have a lack of tenants interested in the office space there, speaks volumes about the moribund office market in the county. Those conveniences will certainly be to the benefit of the future residents of the AVA Wheaton, however.

Images via Avalon Bay, Hord Coplan Macht, VIKA Maryland, and Studio 39; All Rights Reserved.

ASSAULT AT GLENMONT SHOPPERS FOOD WAREHOUSE + MORE - SILVER SPRING/WHEATON CRIME UPDATE

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

Assault. 8500 block Colesville Road (downtown Silver Spring).

Assault. Dewey Road and Randolph Road (Wheaton).

Theft. Wheaton Plaza.

Liquor arrest. 2500 block Ennalls Avenue (Wheaton).

Liquor arrest. Parking Lot 13 (Wheaton).

Assault. 8500 block Georgia Avenue (downtown Silver Spring).

Drug arrest. Thayer Avenue at Georgia Avenue.

Theft. Fenton Street at Colesville Road.

Drug arrest. Colesville Road at Spring Street.

Liquor arrest. 7700 block Blair Road (Silver Spring).

Liquor arrest. 8200 block Fenton Street.

Assault. Shoppers Food Warehouse (Glenmont).

FREE PANCAKES IN SILVER SPRING, TAKOMA PARK AND WHEATON TODAY!

Enjoy a FREE short stack of 3 pancakes at IHOP today, March 4! Today is IHOP National Pancake Day, from 7 AM to 10 PM at participating locations.

All IHOP asks in return, is that you consider making a donation of any amount to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. The money you donate will stay in the area, to help children in need at Children's National Medical Center (a.k.a. Children's Hospital) in Washington, D.C., a member of the CMN hospitals.

Get your free pancakes for a good cause today, at the IHOP nearest to you:

Wheaton:

2526 University Boulevard W.
(I know this one well!)

Silver Spring:

12251 Tech Road

Takoma Park:

7405 New Hampshire Avenue