County Gets Report On Garage Collapse — A 43,000-pound concrete slab that killed a 57-year-old construction worker at Westfield Montgomery Mall in May may have fell because of faulty equipment or scaffolding, according to a report. Westfield hired KCE Structural Engineers to look into what went wrong during the lifting of the 60-foot concrete slab from the second level to the third level of a garage. The county and state haven’t decided if Whiting-Turner, the contractor, will be cited for construction permit violations. The county lifted a stop work order on the garage on Monday morning. [Washington Post]
Council Supports State Minimum Wage Increase — The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution supporting an increase in Maryland’s minimum wage law to $10.10 per hour. A proposal from councilmember Marc Elrich (D-At large) to institute a $12 per hour minimum wage in the county doesn’t seem to have any support. Elrich announced the bill before Labor Day and has yet to introduce it. [Montgomery County Council]
Gansler Announces For Governor Nomination — Attorney General Doug Gansler on Tuesday officially announced his campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, though it’s been known Gansler will run for months. At an event in Rockville, the Bethesda native and former Montgomery County State’s Attorney said he will shake up the status quo. One of Gansler’s Democratic opponents is Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. Gov. Martin O’Malley is term-limited. Takoma Park Delegate Heather Mizeur is also in the Democratic race. [The Gazette]
Flickr photo by Appeal to Emulsion
