Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich looks at the
statistical data in reminding residents that those who have not been
vaccinated for COVID-19 place themselves, and those around them, in
danger. He also addresses how the County continues to help residents
who have been negatively impacted financially by the health crisis.
County Executive Elrich makes a commitment to learning the facts in a
recent officer-involved shooting in the County and repeats his
determination to find ways to avoid future incidents of this kind.
Regarding a measure to create a Business Improvement District in
Downtown Silver Spring, he says all sides of the issue must be
considered.
COVID-19 Update:
Daily Virus Cases Increasing in County; MCPS Approves Plan for Wearing
Masks
Montgomery County is following trends across the nation in
seeing its number of COVID-19 cases increase in recent weeks. After
analyzing the national and local patterns the Montgomery County Board
of Education this week approved a plan that would require students and
employees to wear masks indoors at County public schools.
County Executive
Marc Elrich Helps Launch New $42 Million Public Safety Radio System
That Will Improve First Responder and Resident Safety
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week in
Potomac helped launch the County’s long-awaited $42 million new public
safety radio system, which will improve public safety communications
across the County and with neighboring jurisdictions. The system has
been operating since March of this year. The new system will
provide greater reliability, security and interoperability to best
serve the first responders and more than one million residents.
County Executive
Elrich and DPS Launch Expedited Residential Solar Permitting Process
That is One of the First in Nation
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Department
of Permitting Services (DPS) this week launched a newly expedited
residential solar permitting process that will make Montgomery County
one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to pilot Solar Automated
Permit Processing (SolarAPP+). That program was developed by the U.S.
Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
McKee-Beshers
Wildlife Area Located on River Road in Potomac Is Shining with
Sunflowers
The sunflower fields of the McKee-Beshers Wildlife
Management Area on River Road in Potomac are in full bloom. The
setting is one of Montgomery County’s greatest natural attractions and
is free to explore.
‘What’s
Happening MoCo’ Podcast Features an Overview of Upcoming Montgomery
County Agricultural Fair
The What’s
Happening MoCo podcast visited the Montgomery County
Agricultural Fairgrounds for a conversation with Marty Svrcek,
executive director of the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds,
about the upcoming County Agricultural Fair that will take place Aug.
13-21 in Gaithersburg. Mr. Svrcek was joined by Sara Olsen, the media
specialist for the Fairgrounds.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has appointed four
new Regional Services Center directors, replacing three directors who
retired and one who was promoted to a new position. The new directors
are Luisa Cardona de Vence (Mid-County), Peter
Fosselman (Bethesda-Chevy Chase), Jacob Newman (Silver
Spring) and Gregory Wims (UpCounty).
Several Senior
Centers Will Have Expanded Hours Beginning Monday, Aug. 2
Montgomery County Recreation will expand the opening
times of the North Potomac, Silver Spring Wheaton and White Oak
senior centers beginning Monday, Aug. 2. It also announced that
the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center in Silver Spring is projected
to fully open on Aug. 16.
County
Recreation to Extend Summer Programs at Six Recreation Centers to
Assist Families Prior to the Start of the School Year
Montgomery
County Recreation will extend summer camp programs at six
recreation centers to support families who need
additional childcare options. The programs will offer
core-day and extended-day options. The sessions will begin Aug. 9 and
16 and will be offered at the East County, Good Hope, Mid-County, Plum
Gar, Wheaton and White Oak recreation centers.
WMATA Extends
Operating Hours for Metrorail and Metro Bus Service
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority (WMATA) recently implemented expanded hours for its
Metrorail and Metro bus services. WMATA, a partner with the Montgomery
County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), is now operating Metrorail
until midnight seven days a week (an hour later than previous service)
and has increased late-night Metro bus service to 2 a.m. on 36 routes.
MCDOT Wins
Federal Funding to Develop a Real-Time Ride On Crowd Sourcing App to
Tell Transit Users ‘How Full Is My Bus?’
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT)
has been awarded a $450,000 grant by the Federal Transit Administration
to create a Ride On Crowd Sourcing System (ROCSS) application that
provides real-time bus status and passenger counts for Ride On routes
to the public and MCDOT’s central dispatch. The new technology is the
first to coordinate with strategically placed buses to assist routes
nearing capacity and offer “How Full Is My Bus?” trip planning
services.
National Capital
Trolley Museum in Colesville Now Open on Saturdays for Tours and
Streetcar Rides
The National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville is now
open Saturdays for hourly docent-guided tours followed by a ride around
the park on a historic streetcar.
Restaurants and
Food Service Businesses Are Reminded to ‘Skip the Straw’
Montgomery County restaurants and food service
businesses are seeing increased business as more residents are dining
out in the good summer weather. However, both food service providers
and residents are urged to make dining an environmentally friendly
experience by following the encouragement of the County Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) to “Skip the Straw.”
‘Businesses and
Licensure’ Will Be Theme as Montgomery County Hosts Revitalization and
Recovery Virtual Town Hall on Friday, Aug. 6
“Businesses and Licensure” will be the theme from noon-1
p.m. on Friday, Aug. 6, when Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Economic
Revitalization and Recovery program continues its series of virtual
town hall meetings to keep businesses informed on strategies for doing
business as the health crisis continues.
Montgomery Planning and Parks staff have officially
unveiled a mural that was selected through the Wheaton Headquarters
Mural project to go on the new Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission headquarters in Downtown Wheaton. The mural, called
“Tradition is a Part of Us, Humanity is All of Us,” was designed and
painted by local Wheaton Artist Nicole Bourgea over the past couple of
months. The mural, which is on the building’s north wall, depicts
different culturally celebrated dances (both traditional and casual).
Montgomery Parks
Updating Its Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan
Montgomery Parks is updating the 2017 Parks,
Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan to guide the future
development and management of the County park system. Parks,
recreation and open spaces provide active, social, and leisure
opportunities that are essential to the high quality of life for
residents. The focus of the 2022 PROS Plan is to provide equitably
activated, central community spaces that meet recreational needs and
protect and manage natural and cultural resources for future
generations.
Free Online
Workshops for Job Seekers and Entrepreneurs Offered in August
Free online workshops and one-on-one sessions geared
toward assisting job seekers and entrepreneurs are being offered
virtually throughout August. The program is sponsored by
Montgomery County Public Libraries.
