Top Headlines: Costco Confirms Opening, ICC Speed Limit Under Scrutiny

With more than a dozen websites across Montgomery County, Patch brings you news from every corner of our community. Catch up on headlines you might have missed this week, including a celebrity sighting at Walter Reed, a possible speed limit increase on the ICC and a confirmed opening date for a new Costco.

Rockville Company Says White House Party Crasher Owes $34K
ROCKVILLE—“George Washington slept here” signs appear as historical markers across the eastern United States. Another would-be elected official from Virginia could be leaving a similar trail of signs, including one in Rockville: “Tareq Salahi owed here.” Read more on Rockville Patch.

Wet Weather Confounds Upcounty Motorists
GERMANTOWN—Wild weather stymied morning commutes throughout northern Montgomery County on Thursday, as a slew of rainstorms abruptly ended Wednesday’s spring tease. Read more on Germantown Patch.

Bradley Cooper Screens 'Silver Linings Playbook' for U.S. Military Personnel at Walter Reed Bethesda
BETHESDA—Actor Bradley Cooper attended a screening of the Oscar-nominated Silver Linings Playbook for U.S. servicemen and women at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Thursday evening. In the movie, Cooper plays a man suffering from bipolar disorder. The screening was organized by Bethesda nonprofit Give an Hour, which provides free mental health services to U.S. military personnel. Read more on Bethesda Patch.

Report: ICC Could See Speed Limit Raised to 70 MPH
GAITHERSBURG—A House bill co-sponsored by Del. Aruna Miller (D-Dist. 15) of Darnestown and Del. Neil Parrott (R-Dist. 2B) of Hagerstown could force a change in the speed limit on the Intercounty Connector. Read more on Gaithersburg Patch.

Costco Confirms Wheaton Opening Date
WHEATON—Costco has announced the opening date for its store in Wheaton, after keeping Montgomery County residents in suspense for months. The Costco in Wheaton originally was scheduled to open in October 2012, but construction issues caused delays. Read more on Wheaton Patch.

Contractor Blames Montgomery County for Silver Spring Transit Center Delays
SILVER SPRING—The general contractor of Silver Spring's $108 million transit center, which has yet to open after years of construction, filed a claim against Montgomery County government officials alleging a lack of cooperation and communication on their part. Read more at Silver Spring Patch. 

Facade Makeovers Continue on Burtonsville's Commercial Strip
BURTONSVILLE—A government program is helping small business owners on Burtonsville's commercial strip refresh the facades and retail signage of their properties. Read more on Colesville Patch. 

Making Buildings (Look) Smaller in Chevy Chase Lake
CHEVY CHASE—Many Chevy Chase residents are unhappy with the building heights proposed to be allowed in the Chevy Chase Lake Sector. Some say the county planners' recommended heights are too tall. In response, county planners are releasing design guidelines suggesting ways to make new buildings in the sector appear smaller than they really are, through design tweaks, the use of traditional materials and other design methods. Read more on Chevy Chase Patch.

SPEAK OUT: What Stores Would You Like to See at Lakeforest Mall?
GAITHERSBURG—The mall recently asked its nearly 5,600 Facebook followers what stores they would like to see new owners Five Mile Capital Partners bring to the facility. Read more on Gaithersburg Patch.