Mid-County Sparkles, one of Montgomery County’s Independence Day celebrations, will take place on Saturday, July 1st. Live music begins at 6 pm and fireworks begin at 9:15 pm. No alcohol or pets are permitted. Time is approximate and may change due to weather and additional information will be available closer to the event date. This event will be held at Newport Mill Local Park (11201 Newport Mill Road Wheaton, MD 20895).

So far, other Montgomery County Independence Day celebrations have been announced in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Poolesville, and Rockville:


The Town of Poolesville will be replacing several water main valves throughout the distribution system. The work is scheduled to begin May 22 and last at least two weeks. The water system will be shut down intermittingly during the replacement process.

Not all residents will be impacted. Once the water service is restored, residents should bleed any air in the lines by running a bathtub for a few minutes. Per the Town of Poolesville, “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”


Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a house fire in the 22000 block of Dickerson Rd, near Dickerson Church Rd and Big Woods Rd in Dickerson on Wednesday, April 26 around 2am. According to Chief Spokesperson for MCFRS Pete Piringer, the fire was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials on the front porch. A smoke alarm alerted residents and they evacuated safely.

Damage is estimated to be $15K and there were no injuries reported.


On Monday, April 17, 2023, The Commissioners of Poolesville adopted Resolution 001-23, which establishes a One Hundred Percent (100%) renewable energy goal for municipal electricity use by 2030 including at least 80% renewable energy by 2027.

Over the past several years, the Town has actively pursued opportunities to respond to the climate change emergency and demonstrated how even a small town like Poolesville can tackle climate change head on. Through the 1.1 mega-watt solar array and LED streetlight program, we are already exceeding the 80% renewable energy goal.


Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) were called to the scene of a brush fire in the area of Beallsville Rd and Hillside Ln, along the the CSX railroad tracks, in Dickerson shortly before 6am on Wednesday morning.

According to a 7:26am update by MCFRS Chief Spokesperson Pete Piringer, the fire was contained and extinguished with crews getting ready to clear out. There were no injuries and likely “some deer have to be re-located & a few woodchucks are displaced & maybe a raccoon or two, as well…”, but the tracks are still shut down as of 7:30am.


The Water Department will be flushing hydrants this month in Poolesville to reduce and remove the accumulation of rust and iron in the water mains. The flushing may cause discolored water from the loose sediment, and we advise residents not to wash white clothes for 24 hours following the flushing. The schedule can be seen below:

April   11   Elizabeth’s Delight, Tama, Woods at Tama, Brightwell


The Town of Poolesville will be holding its annual youth fishing tournament next month. The Richard S. McKernon Youth Fishing Tournament will take place at Stevens Park Pond on May 13 from 9am until 11am. All youths between the ages of 6 and 16 are invited to come on out and “catch some fun”.  Cost is $1.00 and the event is held rain or shine. Prizes awarded for each age category. Tournament Rules (and registration) below:

Register here.


Earlier today, White’s Ferry owner Chuck Kuhn released a statement saying that Rockland Farm, the Virginia landing site for the ferry, had rejected a $1.1 million dollar offer to purchase the Virginia site. In the statement, Kuhn also announced his intentions to sell the ferry to Montgomery County; “We have run out of options and will now seek to sell the ferry land and operations to Montgomery County so it can work to invoke eminent domain and acquire the Virginia landing site.”

Rockland Farm tells us, “the reason that Rockland Farm turned down the $1.1 M combined offer from Loudoun County, Montgomery County, and Mr. Kuhn is that we will not accept a flat fee for our Virginia landing.” Rockland Farm has stated on several occasions that it was requesting $.50 per vehicle. “All that it would have taken to get the ferry open would be to increase the fee by 50 cents per ride for the use of our landing, but Mr. Kuhn said no.”


The owners of White’s Ferry have announced that Rockland Farm, the Virginia landing site for the ferry, have rejected a $1.1 million dollar offer to purchase the site. According to a press release, the offer included funds from White’s Ferry’s owners, both Montgomery and Loudoun Counties, and additional funds from Herb Brown, the original ferry owner. White’s Ferry ceased operations back in December 2020 over a legal dispute with Rockland Farms. 

Chuck and Stacy Kuhn, owners of JK Moving Services, purchased the Ferry in February 2021. “We have run out of options and will now seek to sell the ferry land and operations to Montgomery County so it can work to invoke eminent domain and acquire the Virginia landing site,” Chuck Kuhn said. Full statement below:


The Commissioners of Poolesville have presented the FY2024 Budget and Tax Rate. The FY 2024 proposed budget maintains the constant tax rate .1781¢ per $100.00 of assessment and water rates remain the same. 

Per The Commissioners of Poolesville: The Town’s Proposed FY 2024 Budget is balanced, funds all debt service obligations, and funds critical operation and maintenance items. As has been the case for the last several years, the Town continues to grapple with rising costs for construction projects, equipment replacement and overall increased costs for goods and services. A Public Hearing will be held on April 3, 2023, 7:00 PM @ Town Hall. FY2024 Proposed Budget & Tax Rate


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