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.

Go to Message from the MCPS Medical Officer Regarding COVID-19 Read more
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.

Go to Collision Reconstruction Unit Investigating New Hampshire Ave Pedestrian Fatality; Victim’s Identity Released Read more
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. 

Go to County Leaders Unveil Plan to End Childhood Hunger Read more
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.

Go to Travilah Elementary School Briefly in Lockdown After Domestic Incident Between Two People Not Involved in School Community Read more
MCPS

MoCoShow High School Football Week 1 Top 10 (MCPS)

By MCS Staff

1. (LW 1) Quince Orchard: The Cougars shutout South County from Virginia 33-0.  Running Back Iverson Howard ran for 2 Touchdowns in the victory.  Quince Orchard will host Gaithersburg this Friday.

2. (LW 2) Damascus: The Swarmin’ Hornets defeated Einstein 44-12. As a team Damascus rushed for 191 yards and 4 Touchdowns. Damascus will travel to the Black Hole in Germantown to take on Northwest in the MoCoShow Game of the Week!

Go to MoCoShow High School Football Week 1 Top 10 (MCPS) Read more
Crime

MCPS Transportation Employee Sentenced for Theft Scheme and Misconduct in Office

By MCS Staff

Per the Office of the Montgomery County State’s Attorney: “Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the Honorable Michael McAuliffe sentenced defendant, Charles Ewald, 37, of Knoxville, MD, to 15 years in prison suspend all but five years to serve and five years of supervised probation upon release.

Ewald pleaded guilty on May 18th, 2023 to charges of felony theft scheme having a value of over $100,000 and misdemeanor misconduct in office. He stole approximately $324,500 from the Montgomery County Public Schools Department of Transportation between at least 2016 and 2021 while he was working there in the role of Assistant Director.

Go to MCPS Transportation Employee Sentenced for Theft Scheme and Misconduct in Office Read more
Boyds

Professional Rugby Team, Old Glory DC, Will Play its Home Games in Montgomery County This Season

By MCS Staff

Old Glory DC is the first professional rugby team based in the Washington metropolitan area and this year it’ll be playing its home games right here in Montgomery County. Old Glory DC competes in Major League Rugby (MLR), a professional rugby union league competing in its sixth season in 2023, representing North America’s highest level of rugby competition. Since its inaugural season in 2018, MLR has grown from seven to 13 teams, featuring 12 from the United States and one from Canada.

Per the team: Old Glory DC is excited to announce that all 2024 home regular season and playoff matches will be played at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, MD. Entering its sixth season and following an exceptional Championship Series playoff berth and a first-ever Eastern Conference Championship appearance, Old Glory aims to continue its success with rugby fans, supporters, and sponsors throughout the DMV region.

Go to Professional Rugby Team, Old Glory DC, Will Play its Home Games in Montgomery County This Season Read more
Crime

Free Steering Wheel Locks Offered by Police, Open to All Montgomery County Residents While Supplies Last

By MCS Staff

Update: The FREE wheel locks have all been given away.  We are happy we were able to assist our community with this FREE service.  If we get any more, we will make an announcement. Thank you.

The FREE wheel locks are open to ALL Montgomery County Residents – criteria: Takoma Park Police have FREE anti-theft steering wheel locks to help prevent vehicle thefts.  Montgomery County residents can receive one free steering wheel lock per vehicle, while supplies last.

Go to Free Steering Wheel Locks Offered by Police, Open to All Montgomery County Residents While Supplies Last Read more
Gaithersburg

Walnut Hill Annexation Update and Preview of What’s to Come for the Shopping Center

By MCS Staff

Gaithersburg City staff is supportive of the annexation petition that would annex the Walnut Hill Shopping Center into the City of Gaithersburg. Granite Partners submitted Annexation Petition X-9510-2023, proposing to annex three parcels that currently abut the City boundary, along with a portion of the North Westland Drive right of way.  The Annexation Plan proposes several changes to the existing Walnut Hill Shopping Center, including constructing a new freestanding convenience store with accessory gasoline pumps, demolishing an existing small freestanding building on the south side of the property, renovating the exterior of the main shopping center building, and making improvements to the parking lot and landscaping.

Gaithersburg Staff recommends that the Mayor and City Council hold their record open until 5:00 p.m., September 29, 2023, with anticipated Policy Discussion and Final Action on October 16th. This action was confirmed at last night’s meeting. Below you’ll see a few photos of what Granite Partners has planned for the shopping center, including a new Aldi grocery store and Sheetz gas station/convenience store.

Go to Walnut Hill Annexation Update and Preview of What’s to Come for the Shopping Center Read more
Darnestown

Montgomery County ABS Schedules One-Day Store Closures to Install New Point-of-Sale System, First Closure on Sunday, Sept. 10, in Darnestown

By Patrick Herron

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) will deploy a new point-of-sale system at all its Liquor Wine and Oak Barrel & Vine retail stores over the next several weeks. Each store will be closed for one full day and will reopen at noon the following day to accommodate installation of the new hardware. The first store closure will occur at the Darnestown Liquor Wine location on Sunday, Sept. 10 with the store reopening at noon on Monday, Sept. 11.

During the project schedule, up to three stores will be closed at a time on a rolling basis until installations are complete at all stores. All retail stores will remain open on Saturdays. ABS expects to finish the upgrades by Oct. 10.

Go to Montgomery County ABS Schedules One-Day Store Closures to Install New Point-of-Sale System, First Closure on Sunday, Sept. 10, in Darnestown Read more
View More Stories