Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg City Council to Vote on Ordinance That Would Apply Restrictions of Marijuana to Same Restrictions That Now Apply to Smoking

By MCS Staff

The Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council will hold its record open until 5 p.m. on Friday, September 15, 2023 (10 days) for a proposed ordinance to amend Chapter 15A of the City Code to apply restrictions to the use of marijuana, including but not limited to the same restrictions that now apply to smoking. Policy Discussion, and possible adoption, will take place on October 2, 2023.  Per the proposed ordinance, “this has become necessary since Maryland State voters in the 2022 elections approved the use of cannabis, including marijuana, in small amounts for more than medical purposes.” More from the proposed ordinance below:

In 2022, The General Assembly approved proposing to the voters of Maryland a constitutional amendment authorizing the public and recreational use of marijuana without a medical need, and the voters approved this amendment in the November 2022 elections. The amendment required the General Assembly to enact legislation authorizing distribution, and in Senate Bill 516, the General Assembly passed the Cannabis Reform Act, which enabled and authorized the use and sale of cannabis, including marijuana, in small amounts for general and recreational use. The legislation also imposed a 9% tax to be shared with municipalities and counties. While the legislation did not impose restrictions on the use of cannabis, it established local authority to restrict public use and establish some distribution zoning requirements. If the City does not impose restrictions on the use of cannabis, such as for the use of tobacco, no such restrictions will be in place at least for uses of small amounts now authorized by state law.

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Rockville

Concern for Missing Rockville Man

By Patrick Herron

According to Rockville City Police, Redin Javier Herrera Ortiz, 24, of the 14000 blk of Cove Ln in Rockville, was last seen Sept 2, 23 at 5:00 pm. Has not reported to work since Sept 1. Police concerned for his welfare. Anyone w/info call RCPD at 240-314-8900 (24-hour line) or e-mail [email protected].

Missing Rkville Man – Redin Javier Herrera Ortiz, 24, of 14000 blk of Cove Ln – last seen Sept 2, 23 at 5:00 pm. Has not reported to work since Sept 1. Police concerned for his welfare. Anyone w/info call RCPD at 240-314-8900 (24-hour line) or e-mail [email protected]. pic.twitter.com/YINVn7AIgF

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MoCo

Agnes Saenz, Executive Director of Community Reach of Montgomery County, Steps Down After 30 Years of Service

By MCS Staff

After more than 30 years of dedicated service to what was Community Ministries of Rockville, and is now Community Reach of Montgomery County, and 15 years as the Executive Director, Agnes Saenz is stepping down in early September 2023. Originally from Costa Rica, Agnes joined CMR (now Community Reach of Montgomery County) in 1991 as a volunteer accountant and soon became a full-time employee charged with updating CMR’s accounting system. She proposed and founded CMR’s Language Outreach Program (originally Latino Outreach), directing that program until 1998 when she was promoted to Managing Director. In that position, she was responsible for oversight of all direct service programs and administration, as well as the day-to-day operations of the organization. In 2008, Agnes was named Executive Director of CMR. Since 2013, Agnes has also served as the Executive Director of Reach’s subsidiary, Mansfield Kaseman Health Clinic.

Agnes is fluent in both Spanish and English, knowledgeable in Latino/Hispanic culture issues and serves on several boards and commissions. She has been a member of the Latin American Advisory Committee for Montgomery County Executive, Montgomery Cares Advisory Board, Health Centers Leadership Council for Montgomery County Clinics, and the Human Services Advisory Commission for the City of Rockville. She is a graduate of the 1998 class of Leadership Montgomery. Agnes holds a BS Degree in Business Administration with a major in Management and Accounting from the University of Lima, Peru. She received her Master’s Degree in Human Resources from the University of Maryland University College. She was honored by the Maryland Hispanic Business Conference (MDHBC) as the 2014 Latina Powerhouse Award winner. Agnes is close to her extended family, who also live in Rockville and strongly support Reach and the Clinic.

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Sponsored

Montgomery County showcases its unique ecosystem at World Vaccine Congress 2026

By Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation
AstraZeneca's Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility in Rockville, Montgomery County. Photo courtesy of the Montgomery County Government.
AstraZeneca's Cell Therapy Manufacturing Facility in Rockville, Montgomery County. Photo courtesy of the Montgomery County Government.

Montgomery County, MD is commonly known as being a suburb of the nation’s capital, but what might surprise some is that it is also home to a thriving biotech ecosystem. With over 350 life sciences companies, including global brands like AstraZeneca, United Therapeutics, and Novavax, Montgomery County anchors the third largest biophama hub in the U.S., behind only Boston and San Francisco.

Running annually in Washington D.C. for over 25 years, World Vaccine Congress attracts an international audience from over 80 countries and convenes more than 3,000 people to learn about the latest trends, research, and technologies in the vaccine industry. This year, Montgomery County took center stage, with a featured session on the extensive Biologics Value Chain in the County, as well as a session during which County Executive Marc Elrich spoke about the extensive resources available to companies here, and an exhibit space showcasing these resources.

A Complete Biologics Value Chain in One Region

One of the defining strengths of Montgomery County is its ability to support the full lifecycle of biologics, all the way from early research to large-scale manufacturing. During the panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Stefanie Trop, Director of Life Sciences at the Maryland Department of Commerce, local leaders emphasized that the region’s strength lies in its network of partners who work collaboratively across discovery, development, testing, and production. Panelists from companies in all stages of the value chain spectrum included Dr. Andrew Lees, Founder of Fina Biosolutions, Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca, Dr. Helen Sabzevari President & CEO of Precigen, and Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer of Integrated BioTherapeutics.

This end-to-end capability in close geographical proximity gives companies a unique advantage and is rare to find in other markets, even established ones like San Francisco and Boston. In fact, only a handful of places worldwide offer the combination of infrastructure, expertise, and collaboration found in Montgomery County and if diversity, education and population density are taken into consideration – then Montgomery County standouts even more.

“Gaithersburg is one of the six places in the world where we can do what we’re doing,” explained Benjamin Moutier, Senior Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies, AstraZeneca. “We have the right partners at every step of the value chain [in Montgomery County].”

A Strong Partnership Network

Biotech breakthroughs rarely happen in isolation. They depend on strong partnerships between private companies, local and state governments, academic institutions, and workforce training organizations. Montgomery County has intentionally cultivated these connections, making collaboration and coordination defining characteristics of its life sciences ecosystem.

Dr. Frederick Holtsberg, Chief Scientific Officer at IBT Bioservices, a full service CRO offering clinical & preclinical contract research services, says the company’s close partnerships between them and local stakeholders have been crucial to its success. “As a Rockville-based company, we’re grateful for the partnership and support from city, County, and state leaders,” explained Dr. Holtsberg. “These programs have helped fuel our growth, and we’re excited about the continued momentum of our community.” (more…)

Education

Rockville’s ‘Woodley Robotics’ Team To Be Honored by The City of Rockville

By MCS Staff

The City of Rockville will be providing Certificates of Recognition to the 2022 Woodley Robotics Team. The 2022 Woodley Robotics team was the one team selected to represent Maryland at the First Lego League Competition at the World Festival in Houston, Texas in April of 2022. The team has been competing in the First Lego League Challenge throughout the 2022 season. There were 108 teams (from 51 countries) competing from all over the world. The team had some issues with their robot; however, they kept going and correcting and trying new things. The team received a score of 520 on their last run, that ranked them at #21 overall in the robot games portion of the competition. The competition also included presentations to a panel of 4 judges on their Innovation Project, Robot Design and Core Values, as well as answering questions asked by the judges in the 40 minutes interview round.

26 trophies were awarded, and many great teams did not go home with one; however, the Woodley Robotics team received the “Breakthrough Award,” which is a special judges’ award based on how the team performed overall in all of the categories (Innovation Project, Robot Design, and Core Values). The Woodley Robotics team put in a lot of hard work, long hours and dedication to their Robotics project. The team consists of Head Coach Phil Johnson, Assistant Coach Karen Folkart, Team Members Charlotte Cornman, Jordyn Folkart, Brynn Johnson, Caroline Murphy, and  Stella Newhouse.

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MCDOT

Students Can Ride County Buses for Free with Youth Cruiser Card

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is encouraging youth to take advantage of the free Youth Cruiser cards being made available at area schools and libraries. Youth Cruiser cards offer free bus fare for all MCDOT Ride On buses and most Metro buses operating in the County. The Youth Cruiser SmarTrip® card is for County residents ages 5-18 (older if still in high school). It can be used for free rides on all County Ride On buses, including Ride On extRa, Ride On Flex and Flash. The card will waive fares on most Metro buses operating in the County. Value can be added to the card for service on Metrorail and Metrobuses operating outside of the County.

“MCDOT has been operating the Kids Ride Free Program since 2019,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Students with the Youth Cruiser card can tap their card on the farebox, and they will not be charged the current $1 fare. Buses are a safe and environmentally friendly travel alternative for anyone that needs to get around Montgomery County. This year, we launched a new app, Ride On Trip Planner, which is a free and intuitive, regional trip planner that makes finding the fastest public transit route easy.”

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Poolesville

Electric Vehicle Show, 5K Charity Run and Parade Will Highlight Annual Poolesville Day Festival on Saturday, Sept. 23

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: One of the region’s largest electric vehicle displays, a classic car show, a 5-kilometer charity run and a morning parade will be among the many highlights of the annual Poolessville Day festival on Saturday, Sept. 23. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich will be among those joining the celebration. Poolesville Day has been a tradition for more than 25 years. It is produced by the Poolesville Day Committee, Inc., which is comprised of local volunteer residents. The event annually attracts more than 12,000 attendees to the small Montgomery town.

The day will begin with the 5K charity run at 8 a.m. The event runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with the parade beginning at 11 a.m. Kenny Mallow, at Poolesville resident who passed away at age 59 in July, will be honored at the parade. The event will spread down Fisher Avenue in Downtown Poolesville.

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Burtonsville

32nd Annual Burtonsville Day Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 23, Will Celebrate ‘Discovering East County’

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: The 32nd Annual Burtonsville Day Parade and Festival on Saturday, Sept. 23, will celebrate the theme of “Discovering East County.” The festivities will include three musical performances in association with the Music Center at Strathmore. The one-mile parade will begin at Paint Branch High School and conclude at the Marilyn J. Praisner Library and Community Recreation Center, which is located at 14906 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. The festival will follow from 11 a,m.-3 p.m. on the grounds of the community center.

The festival will include performances of music, dance and martial arts. Among the performers will be the Dupont Brass, Ayo and Deborah Bond. Food trucks and vendors featuring a variety of hometown favorites, international cuisines, crafts and exhibitors will be part of the festival. There will be activities for children and information about services offered by Montgomery County including regarding public safety. Local nonprofit organizations will be represented and organizations offering health screenings will be present.

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Health

Message from the MCPS Medical Officer Regarding COVID-19

By Patrick Herron

It is important that everyone continue to practice healthy habits, such as good handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick. These vital health strategies and vaccination are key prevention measures we use every day to prevent the spread of illness in our schools. For COVID-19, other measures may be temporarily introduced during outbreaks, including screening testing, distancing, and masking to control spread in a specific space where transmission is high. Multiple strategies are used, and students who cannot safely and consistently mask due to young age, a medical condition, or developmental disability are not required to do so.

In school, identifying and responding to outbreaks early is a key step to ensure staff and students are ready to teach and learn.

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Colesville

Collision Reconstruction Unit Investigating New Hampshire Ave Pedestrian Fatality; Victim’s Identity Released

By Patrick Herron

Per MCPD: A 61-year-old Silver Spring man died when he was hit by a vehicle on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.  At approximately 9:26 p.m., 4th District officers and Montgomery County Fire Rescue personnel responded to New Hampshire Ave. and Bonifant Rd. for the report of a collision involving a pedestrian.

Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) responded to the scene. The preliminary investigation determined that the driver of a grey 2012 Toyota Prius was traveling south on New Hampshire Ave., south of Bonifant Rd., when she struck Sidney Cardoso Sr., who was in the roadway, for reasons still under investigation. The driver remained on scene.  Cardoso was transported to an area hospital, with serious injuries, and later pronounced dead at the hospital.

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Health

County Leaders Unveil Plan to End Childhood Hunger

By Patrick Herron

From the Office of Councilmember Gabe Albornoz: Montgomery County Councilmember Gabe Albornoz and Montgomery County Food Council leaders were joined by County Executive Marc Elrich, Dr. Monifa McKnight, the Office of Food Systems Resilience, the Montgomery County Food Council, and community partners today to unveil the recommendations developed from the Montgomery County Strategic Plan to End Childhood Hunger. 

The Montgomery County Strategic Plan to End Childhood Hunger was spearheaded by Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services in 2022 to combat rising rates of childhood food insecurity in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 14 percent of children in Montgomery County are food insecure, and far more live in households without sufficient income to meet basic needs. 

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Darnestown

Travilah Elementary School Briefly in Lockdown After Domestic Incident Between Two People Not Involved in School Community

By MCS Staff

Updated to include letter sent home to the Travila ES community

Travilah Elementary School, located at 13801 Dufief Mill Rd. in North Potomac, was in a brief lockdown this afternoon following a domestic incident between two people that are not associated with the school community.

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