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A description of the changes, draft changes, and public comment questionnaires are available on the Public Comment Page.
With 50% of Americans saying they are “very satisfied” with the way their personal life is going, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Happiest States in America, with Maryland coming in as the third happiest state in the country.
To determine where Americans have the highest satisfaction with life, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 30 key indicators of happiness. The data set ranges from the depression rate and the share of adults feeling productive to income growth and the unemployment rate.
Last March, Bill No. 1-22 Healthy Meals for Children, which requires restaurants in Montgomery County that offer a children’s meal to provide a healthy option (meal and drink) for their youngest customers, was passed. The first phase (healthy beverage option) went into effect in March, and the second phase (healthy meal option) goes into effect this Friday, September 15. This is the first bill of this nature to be fully implemented in the country. It should be noted that while a healthy option must be presented, customers are not limited in selecting any menu item of their choice.
“Childhood obesity remains a longstanding problem in our nation and the rate continues to climb impacting our children’s health and quality of life. Especially in a time when our busy lifestyles have more families eating out, it is imperative that as a County we encourage healthy options in our children’s meals,” said former Councilmember Rice after the bill was initially passed. “I applaud the many restaurants, large and small, in our community that are already providing healthier selections. This bill lays out a minimum threshold over an extended period to ensure that our children have a healthier beverage and meal option available to them, all in order to promote more healthful eating habits throughout their lives.”
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Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore, First Lady Dawn Moore, and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller today honored 9/11 Day of Remembrance in Maryland, participating in events throughout the day to honor those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, including 69 Marylanders.
“Twenty two years ago, our world changed forever. This isn’t just a day of mourning—it is a day of gratitude,” said Gov. Moore. “We feel gratitude for the first responders who rushed to the scene, we feel gratitude for the Americans who answered the call to serve and deployed to defend our freedom overseas. Today, as we climb these stairs, let’s recommit ourselves to living with courage, grace, grit, fearlessness, and with an abiding commitment to leaving no one behind.”
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Montgomery Parks is inviting the public to vote on a new art installation that will be featured at Gene Lynch Urban Park in downtown Silver Spring. The park was officially opened to the public this summer. In January 2023, a Call for Artists was issued inviting artists to submit their qualifications and examples of their work. A panel shortlisted four artists to prepare site-specific concepts for public art that would complement the park’s green space, trees, and pergola structure. The finalists were selected out of more than 100 submissions and the winner will be selected through public voting.
“Gene Lynch Urban Park is a very high-profile, high-foot traffic area in downtown Silver Spring,” said Montgomery Parks Project Manager Linda Komes. “We had so many great submissions, and it was tough to narrow down the finalists. We hope everyone will take the time to vote for their favorite.” Voting is open to the public. Only one vote per person may be submitted. The design that receives the most votes will be selected as the winner. In the event of a tie, Montgomery Parks’ art selection panel will determine the winning artwork.
Dollar Tree has signed on to take on the vacant space on the upper level of the Metro Pike Center at 11560 Rockville Pike in North Bethesda. Construction is expected to begin soon on the space next to Palm Beach Tan. An opening date is not yet available, but we anticipate a 2024 opening.
The national chain, which has MoCo locations in Damascus, Derwood, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Montgomery Village, Rockville, Silver Spring, and Wheaton has added “Dollar Tree Plus” sections to area stores. Items in the “Plus” section are priced $3 and $5. New higher priced items include cookware, headphones, chargers, and t-shirts (Baby Yoda, Lilo & Stich, etc.) similar to those found at FiveBelow.
Per MCDOT: Starting on Monday, Sept. 11, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will begin its semi-annual interior washdown to degrease and clean 21 County-owned parking garages in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton. The cleanings will occur on nights and weekends starting with Bethesda garages in September and concluding with Silver Spring garages on Saturday, Nov. 4. Some garages will experience partial closures during the cleanings, including select entrance/exit areas and ramps. The full schedule of garage cleanings can be viewed here.
MCDOT performs spring and fall washdowns to keep garages clean and help keep grease, oil and debris out of local waterways. Regular cleanings also prevent deterioration from prolonged exposure to salt, sand, oils, gas, dirt, pollen and leaves. MCDOT contractors will do their best to perform work around garage traffic and parked vehicles and to post signs notifying customers of anticipated impacts. For more information about parking in the County, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-parking/news/index.html. For information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.
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Nationally, suicide is the 12th leading cause of death. Since the pandemic, many communities have seen an increase in suicide.
Older adults (85+) have the highest rates of suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration will host a virtual public meeting from 6:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, to share information and answer questions about the MD 190 (River Road) Corridor Safety Study. The study is examining ways that pedestrian and bicyclist safety can be improved along approximately 4,000 feet of MD 190 in the Chevy Chase area from Springfield Drive to Little Falls Parkway.
MD 190 is a State-maintained road and not a road maintained by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation.
Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Council President Evan Glass today announced Montgomery County has continued earning the highest possible bond ratings from all three major Wall Street bond rating agencies. Having maintained its “Triple-A (AAA or Aaa)” bond ratings for 2023, the County retains its status as a top-rated issuer of municipal securities, with the highest credit ratings possible for a local government.
Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings all affirmed the AAA ratings—the highest achievable—for the County. Montgomery County has earned AAA ratings from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. every year since 1973 (51 consecutive years); from Standard & Poor’s every year since 1976 (48 consecutive years) and from Fitch every year since 1991 (33 consecutive years).
Today, the Maryland State Board of Education and Maryland State Department of Education announced the names of the seven finalists who will compete to be named the 2023-2024 Maryland Teacher of the Year.
“I congratulate these seven educators on their nominations and commend them on their extraordinary impact on the lives of our children – educating, encouraging, and inspiring Maryland’s future leaders,” said State Board President Clarence Crawford. “Maryland’s educators demonstrate an unwavering dedication to the children of our state every day and are a true inspiration to their colleagues and community. These seven educators embody that dedication.”