La Paz, located at 51 South Market Street in Downtown Frederick, has announced it will close its doors on Sunday, December 8, after 46 years in business. A Frederick staple since 1978, the restaurant is known for its margaritas and outside patio seating along the Carroll Creek. La Paz will be replaced by a new concept set to open in 2025.|
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is honoring Rosa Parks’ legacy throughout December by placing special interior bus cards across its nearly 400 Ride On buses and designating a seat on each bus to commemorate her historic act of courage. MCDOT is also highlighting its efforts to promote equity in transportation through initiatives such as reduced bus fares and free ride programs for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and youth. (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?”
The Montgomery County Council will hold committee meetings on Monday, December 2. Full agenda below courtesy Montgomery County: (more…)
Wheaton Arts Parade and Peijisan Art are partnering on a public art project to decorate traffic signal boxes in Wheaton with designs by local artists, and they are inviting residents to share their ideas through a survey open until November 29. (more…)
When I moved back to Northern Virginia after several years in New York, most of my old friends had moved away. I found myself rebuilding a social circle from scratch.
I had plenty of people I could connect with online, but that wasn’t translating into anyone to grab a beer with after work, play trivia with, or text when I wanted to get out of the house. Making new friends as an adult required far more deliberate effort than I remembered.
We ❤️ Teachers 5K celebrates educators through movement. On race day, runners and walkers across the country will participate in host city races, school celebrations, and virtual events — all in support of teachers and educator wellness. We'll be in beautiful Wheaton Regional Park, Join Us!
Walk it. Run it. Move for the teacher who moved you.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a collision with entrapment that occurred in the area of Gateway Center Dr and Stringtown Rd in Clarksburg at approximately 8:30pm Friday night.
Results of semifinal Maryland high school football playoff games (MCPS games) can be seen below. Scores will be updated as we receive them (an F will signify the score is final):
Giuseppi’s Kentlands has shared the sad news of the passing of co-owner Eugene “Gene” Lee. Lee passed away at the age of 76 earlier this month and is remembered by many in the community as a smiling and welcoming presence at Giuseppi’s Kentlands location (355 Kentlands Blvd.).
Hangry Joe’s has signed on to open a new location at 13811 Outlet Dr. in Briggs Chaney Marketplace. It will be taking over a space that has been vacant for a few years and previously occupied by Metro PCS, between Mimi’s Nails and H&R Block.
On Friday, November 22, 2024, after a nine-day trial, a federal jury found Stephen L. Snyder of Baltimore, Maryland guilty of one count of Attempted Extortion and seven counts of the Travel Act stemming from an attempt to extort $25 million from the University of Maryland Medical System.
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has announced plans to increase patrols, including visible and undercover officers, drones, and camera systems, across all six districts to enhance safety in retail areas during the holiday season.
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Jennifer Orellana, a missing 17-year-old. (more…)