After a temporary closure of the Woodley Gardens shopping center in Rockville that lasted for more than a week, Carmen’s Italian Ice announced via social media that the plumbing repair work just passed inspection. Carmen’s will open at 2pm today, Z&Z Manoushe Bakery will open tomorrow (Thursday), and we have not heard from Hard Times or Shanghai Taste about a reopening date, though we would assume Thursday or Friday. The parking lot is still “a mess” according to business owners.
The Montgomery College Foundation has launched its largest-ever fundraising campaign, aiming to raise $50 million to support scholarships, resources, and transformative opportunities for students and the Montgomery County community, with the campaign kickoff held at the newly dedicated Catherine and Isiah Leggett Math and Science Building.
Talent is one of the most important factors influencing where companies choose to invest, expand, and grow. As competition for skilled workers intensifies, employers are embracing a broader talent strategy: one that leverages partnerships. Last week, almost 120 business leaders, elected officials, and members of Montgomery County’s business community attended the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation’s (MCEDC) panel, “The Talent Advantage: A Growth Strategy for Companies in Montgomery County, Maryland,” to hear how local businesses are capitalizing on the County’s world-class academic institutions, innovation ecosystem, quality of life, and economic development resources to attract and retain top talent.
Moderated by Dr. Anne Khademian, Executive Director at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG), the panel included executives from businesses and institutions across industries, including Lockheed Martin, TrilliumBIO, Thales Defense & Security, Johns Hopkins, Montgomery College, and AstraZeneca, who discussed their companies’ strategies for developing their workforce.
Talent as a Business Strategy
For companies competing in highly specialized industries like the defense industry, access to talent directly influences where they choose to locate and grow. For Lockheed Martin, which employs nearly 1,000 people in Montgomery County, talent is one of the primary reasons the company chose to be headquartered here.
“Talent is in the top one or two reasons why we are in the County,” said Todd Cohen, Senior Lead of Strategic Workforce Development, Lockheed Martin.
According to Cohen, Lockheed Martin begins working with partners to develop their talent pipeline well before students enter the workforce, including partnering with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) on programs such as coding challenges. Lockheed Martin also maintains close relationships with local higher education institutions, including the Universities at Shady Grove (USG).
That local talent pipeline is also an important factor for AstraZeneca, which employs more than 5,000 employees and contractors in Montgomery County. According to Tiffany Lukis, Director of STEM and Community Engagement at AstraZeneca, the company often taps into its alumni base from Montgomery College (ranked #26 nationally among community colleges) and USG (which offers nine different public universities onto one campus), and other local institutions to fill highly technical roles.
Local Companies Are Developing Talent and Not Just Finding It
According to the panelists, investing in existing employees is just as important as recruiting new ones.
At Suburban Hospital, workforce development is closely tied to talent retention. The hospital partners with local educational institutions to provide employees with opportunities to gain new skills and advance their careers. Programs include a Certified Nursing Assistant program through Montgomery College and English as a Second Language classes.
“A huge part of our talent strategy is to prioritize holding on to our top tier talent,” said Corey Lewson, MSW, Program Manager, Workforce Development, John Hopkins Medicine.
For smaller companies, developing talent internally can be especially valuable. Lane Edwards, Vice President of Operations, TrilliumBIO, a biomarker discovery company with fewer than 20 employees based in Rockville, described the challenge of balancing the need for highly specialized expertise with the realities of building a team at an early-stage company.
“When it comes to hiring, we have to be very strategic,” Lane said. “Do we have someone who has the expertise or someone that we can build on?”
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich issued the following statement on Monday, November 4: (more…)
Maryland State Police Aviation Command rescued an injured hunter from a remote mountain area in Grant County, West Virginia, using an aerial hoist after he fell from a tree stand. (more…)
At The Head Spa by Bare, we believe that true beauty begins with a healthy scalp, its your unique wellness experience for the mind and body. Relax with aromatherapy and gentle massages while healing your scalp.
Head Spa Facial rituals are a unique and luxurious experience that focuses on relaxing and revitalizing the scalp and hair. These rituals combine traditional Japanese techniques with modern spa treatments to provide a holistic approach to wellness.
Music. Art. Food. Community. The Takoma Park Folk Festival brings it all together for one free, unforgettable day. Discover six stages of live music from around the world, shop an acclaimed juried craft show, enjoy international cuisine, connect with local community organizations, and let the kids explore crafts and activities in the Children's Nook. It's one of the region's most beloved traditions, and a celebration of the creativity, diversity, and welcoming spirit that has long defined Takoma Park.
New this year! Jam at the Crossroads is a place for musicians of all levels to come together and be part of the music.
The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights is accepting nominations for its Human Rights Hall of Fame, honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to civil rights and social justice within the County, with the nomination period closing on Nov. 25 and the induction ceremony set for Dec. 15 at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown. (more…)
Three seats on the Montgomery County Board of Education were up for grabs in yesterday’s general election. According to the latest unofficial results from the Maryland State Board of Elections, Apple ballot candidates Rita Montoya (At-Large), Natalie Zimmerman (District 2), and Laura Stewart (District 4) all appear to have won their races. The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) has released the following statement:
We’ve covered local and national “best fried chicken” lists and wanted to compile a list based on the various articles we’ve seen in the last year along with popular comments from readers and the opinions of our staff:
On November 5, at approximately 4:06 am, Takoma Park Police responded to the 700 block of Ethan Allen Avenue for the report of a strong-arm robbery that had just occurred involving five juvenile suspects assaulting the victim and taking his car keys before stealing his vehicle.
Montgomery County Police 4th District Commander David Smith announced on Twitter/X that the 4D Community Action Team conducted a traffic stop in Aspen Hill on Tuesday evening, resulting in the recovery of an unlawfully possessed firearm and an arrest.
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has charged Adelaida Consuelo Zacarias Chacon, of Germantown, and Reyna Gomez Lopez, of Philadelphia, with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder after an investigation revealed that Chacon allegedly paid Gomez Lopez to arrange a murder-for-hire plot against her ex-boyfriend.
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Isabella Christina Suarez, a missing 14-year-old from Rockville. (more…)