Update: MCPS has reversed course after initially stating that there would be a 2-hour delay on Thursday, January 23rd. Schools will now open on time.
MCPS has announced that the school systems will operate under a Code Yellow – Two Hour Delay on Wednesday, Jan. 22 and Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025
In Montgomery County Circuit Court, 19-year-old Zhenyong Weng of Brooklyn, New York pleaded guilty to attempted theft and conspiracy to commit theft, facing a maximum sentence of 20 years, with prosecutors seeking a penalty exceeding guidelines due to the case’s complexity and the victim’s vulnerability. (more…)
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?”
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and 18 other states are suing to block an executive order ending birthright citizenship, arguing it violates the Constitution, harms American children, and imposes significant costs on states. (more…)
With a Cold Weather Advisory in effect on Wednesday from 12am (midnight) until 11am with “very cold wind chills around zero to five below zero expected.”
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.
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Bring your family and friends to our free , all-day outdoor Oktoberfest celebration. These will be an outdoor craft fair featuring local artisans and professional woodworkers, a chainsaw carving, woodworking and tool demonstrations by Festool, Montgomery Wood Turners and Carvers. There will also be lots of delicious food provided by El Parente Tacos, El Jeffe Wood-fired pizzas, Bruster's Ice cream and seasonal craft brews from Saints Row Brwsing Company.
Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and known for his popular “One Bite” pizza reviews, recently reviewed Wawa’s pizza at a Glen Burnie, MD location. (more…)
A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect for Montgomery County from 12:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 22, due to anticipated high winds and freezing temperatures, with wind chills potentially dropping as low as -5°F. (more…)
The City of Rockville’s annual Lunar New Year celebration will be held from 3-5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at Rockville High School, 2100 Baltimore Road.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded at a fire at Sam’s Club (610 N. Frederick Ave) in Gaithersburg on Tuesday morning. (more…)
Two juveniles were arrested on Monday afternoon after attempting to rob a victim in a Silver Spring parking garage, with officers apprehending them following a foot pursuit and charging them before releasing them to their parents. (more…)
With traffic congestion costing the average U.S. driver nearly $800 per year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2025’s Best & Worst States to Drive In, with Maryland coming in ranked as the 11th worst state to drive in.
Severe Traffic Update: All travel lanes have been re-opened from the earlier traffic incident on I-270 northbound at Ext 4A (Montrose Road). Expect residual delays.
A multi-vehicle collision with injury involving an overturned tractor-trailer and diesel fuel spill on I-270 NB near Montrose Rd have led to significant delays on Tuesday morning. (more…)