Week in Review: Death of Osama bin Laden, Bag Tax and Fake ID Indictment

This week, news about the capture of Osama bin Laden, a new bag tax and the indictment of a Potomac resident dominated Potomac Patch’s coverage.

Late on Sunday night, President Barack Obama confirmed that U.S. Forces had killed bin Laden, leader of terrorist group al-Qaida. On Monday, with their feelings about his death and what it meant for the nation. In support of his capture, many homes displayed American flags.

Local moms tackled the tough topic of and explaining 9/11 to those kids who may not be old enough to remember it. In this week’s Moms Talk we got a variety of opinions from our Moms Council as well as readers about how to best communicate the killing of the leader of a terrorist organization and the tragedy that shook the nation on 9/11.

The Montgomery County Council at all retail establishments on Tuesday. County Executive Ike Leggett proposed the legislation in early March to encourage residents to use reusable bags and to keep plastic bags from littering the environment. The county is expected to earn up to $1.5 million from this tax in the first year. This money will go to the Water Quality Protection Fund (WQPF), which covers that stormwater management, watershed restoration and litter clean-up. The law will take effect Jan. 1, 2012.

A 20-year-old Potomac resident could face a maximum sentence of more than 200 years in prison and face a forfeiture of $12,500 for accusations that he while he was a student at University of Maryland, College Park. Theodore Steven Michaels, also known as Teddy Michaels, was indicted for his work with a co-conspirator from October to December 2009 where they are said to have produced and sold fraudulent Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania driver’s licenses to individuals under the age of 21, claiming they were older than 21. 

On Wednesday, Leggett issued public notice of his in North Bethesda in honor of the late R. Sargent Shriver and his wife, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who lived in Potomac for more than two decades. Leggett said naming the aquatic center after the couple is a fitting tribute because the Shrivers were avid swimmers and were renowned for opening their home and pool to disabled and disadvantaged children for fun and exercise and for Eunice Shriver’s beloved Special Olympics activities.