Well, we can't write about the news week in Bethesda without mentioning the elections. Tuesday, Patch was at the polls listening to what voters had to say, and it was a long evening as we watched the numbers roll in.  While it was a bad night for Democrats on the national political scene, here in Maryland the Dist. 16 Dems hung on to their seats in Annapolis, incumbent Roger Berliner (D-Dist. 1) won for Dist. 1 county council, and Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) defeated challenger Bob Ehrlich.

The results weren't much of a surprise in traditionally blue Maryland, but this election cycle, all eyes were on the ambulance fee ballot question.  The ambulance fee, which would have allowed the county to charge insurance companies for ambulance rides, was defeated 53.83 percent to 46.17 percent.

Here in Bethesda, the defeat of ambulance fees was a victory for the Bethesda Chevy-Chase Rescue Squad. The squad has been one of the most vocal opponents of the fees, worrying that the fee would deter residents from calling 9-11 and affect fundraising. It marked a defeat for County Executive Isiah Leggett, who argued that the fees would be a revenue source for fire/rescue operations in the county without cost to county residents.

At the polls, voters told Patch it was a tough choice.

This week, Patch brought you news of a volunteer group that's finding a good use for all that leftover Halloween candy and production of a staged version of children's classic "Ramona Quimby" at B-CC. We also chatted with a local historian about the development of a museum at the Josiah Henson Historic Site.

In sadder news, Patch attended a candlelight vigil Tuesday organized by friends and neighbors in honor of Sue Marcum. The Bethesda community is still grappling with the tragic murder of the American University accounting professor in her Massachusetts Avenue home last week. Local law enforcement officials and politicians also attended the vigil. Patch spoke this week to Montgomery County Police's second district commander Russ Hamill, who told us, "We went up there for a number of reasons, primarily to pay our respects to her and members of her family, and also so the community sees and understands that we too feel this. This is a horrible, horrible incident, and we understand the fear in the community, the concern in the community."

A memorial service for Marcum at American University is planned for Tuesday. Patch will be in attendance.

As always, if you have any news tips you'd like to share, if there's events we should be covering, or if you think there's more to a story we've already reported, let us know. Give us your feedback on stories using the comments function or email us at erin@patch.com.

Happy Sunday from Patch!