Education

Additional Staff Members Will Support Districtwide Communication Priorities

Per MCPS: In order to provide more robust system-wide media relations, proactive storytelling, news, crisis communications and marketing services, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has added several new positions to the Communications Department in the Office of the Chief of Staff.


MCPS

In the images below you will see the Montgomery County 4A Coaches All-County Selections (as chosen by the 4A coaches in Montgomery County). Honorable mention defense, honorable mention offense, second team all-county defense, second team all-county offense, coaches of the year, first team all-county defense, first team all-county offense, offensive player of the year, defensive player of the year, and player of the year awards can be seen:


Sponsored

Everything you need is at EDE: lifestyle, community, proximity, serenity, activity. What sets EDE apart is what’s inside, outside, and all around – an elevated suite of features and amenities that define living well.

Read on to explore the top 12 ways to experience a centrally astounding lifestyle at EDE apartments in Downtown Frederick.

1. CONTEMPORARY DESIGN: Finely crafted studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom floorplans showcase luxury finishes throughout, featuring stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, tile backsplash, soft-close cabinetry, sleek plank flooring, and a selection of two designer color palettes.

2. WFH PRODUCTIVITY: Accomplish your tasks efficiently in convenient co-working spaces within each residential building or at the co-working lounge in the Clubhouse. Select layouts include a den or built-in desk to create a dedicated home workspace.

3. HEALTH AND WELLNESS: Support your wellness goals in the 24-hour leading-edge fitness center including cardio, strength, and functional training. Take your workout outside at the outdoor fitness stations.

4. ABUNDANT AMENITIES: Discover enviable lifestyle amenity spaces anchored by a high-design clubhouse with a warm, minimalist aesthetic. Rack up the fun in the clubroom with billiards and a double-sided fireplace. Unwind in the chic lounge with seating areas and curated artwork. Entertain your little ones at the enclosed playground.

5. ACTIVE EVENTS CALENDAR: Experience a welcoming community atmosphere with opportunities to connect through an engaging line-up of events featuring a monthly book club, wine tastings, food trucks, and other social gatherings. (more…)


Bethesda

The entirety of Beach Drive in Montgomery County will remain open to vehicles on Fridays beginning Friday, December 16, 2022. Portions will continue to remain (closed to cars) and open to pedestrians and cyclists on Saturdays and Sundays. 

Montgomery Parks, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is modifying its open parkways schedule to reopen portions of Beach Drive to vehicles on Fridays. Beach Drive will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists (closed to vehicles) on Saturdays and Sundays. The change will go into effect on Friday, December 16, 2022. The modification is being made in response to analysis of traffic data showing a substantial increase in vehicle traffic on neighborhood streets on Fridays.


MoCo Government

Amendment to the FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program and Special Appropriation to the County Government’s FY23 Capital Budget for the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS), Business Continuity Phase II project, $7,469,000


Gaithersburg

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police- 6th District Investigative Section are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying two suspects who committed a theft and credit card fraud in Gaithersburg.  On Friday, November 18, 2022, the victim reported that her wallet was stolen while she was shopping at the Sam’s Club store located at 600 N Frederick Ave. The suspects then used the victim credit card at the DICKS’s Sporting Goods store located at 2 Grand Corner Ave. Detectives were able to obtain a surveillance photo of the suspects.

Anyone with information regarding these suspects or this crime is asked to call the 6th District Investigative Section at (240) 773-5770 or (240) 773-TIPS, or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspect. Callers may remain anonymous.


News

NBC Washington (WRC-TV) announced today that longtime reporter Pat Collins will retire at the end of 2022. Collins joined News4 in 1986 and has spent over fifty years covering news in the DC area.  Prior to News4, Collins worked for WJLA-TV (ABC 7) , WDVM-TV (now WUSA-TV), and WLS-TV in Chicago . In addition to covering breaking news, Collins is most well-known for his human interest stories, including a 2011 clip of Collins dressed as a bunch of grapes that went viral(video below), as well as his “Snow Stick.”    NBC4 Washington posted the following message on their social media accounts:


Maryland

“Project Restore has been an incredible success in advancing our mission to make Maryland Open For Business, and today’s awards extend that impact even further in downtowns and on Main Streets across the state,” said Governor Hogan. “We’re now able to extend the initiative’s impact even further across the state—with just over 80% of this round of grants going to minority-owned businesses—supporting jobs and economic recovery for years to come.”

Project Restore was launched by the governor last year, and is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Through Project Restore, the department offers property assistance and operational grants to support startup and expansion costs and incentivize private investment in vacant spaces. In total, more than 725 businesses have now been awarded grants through Project Restore.


Bethesda

The Arts and Social Justice Fellowship (ASJF), presented by Strathmore with Core Partner Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company,  is looking toward its second year of identifying a next generation of artists with activism. The application deadline for the 2023 program has been extended to Monday, Jan. 2. The program supports youth leadership and vision at the intersection of arts and social change.

The fellowship centers youth leadership, young people’s vision of the future and building community in the face of crisis. It was created in 2021 as part of Strathmore and Woolly’s co-presentation of Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon. It is seeking young artists whose activism reflects Butler’s dynamic lineage. More about the program, and the application form, can be found at 2022 Highlights (strathmore.org).


Beyond MoCo

TJ Maxx has announced it is closing its Mazza Gallerie location at 5300 Wisconsin Ave. in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. Signage on the store reads, “Friendship Heights T.J. Maxx closing Dec. 24th. Everything is 20% off this week!”, according to a report by PoPville.  Mazza Gallerie was purchased by Tishman Speyer at foreclosure auction for around $50 million back in August of 2020.  The Washington Business Journal reported in 2021 that Tishman Speyer was going to redevelop the center as apartments, and that the new owners planned to keep some retail space as well as the underground parking garage.


Education

MCPS Press Release: At its Dec. 6 business meeting, the Montgomery County Board of Education approved the school year calendar for 2023-2024. The calendar is responsive to community input by offering limited instructional disruptions and highlights the system’s continued investment in our employees by including six professional development learning days. Highlights for the 2023-2024 school calendar include:

The calendar maintains 182 days of instruction, including 6 built in contingency days within the school year. These dates are in addition to holiday closures required by state law, which are noted on the calendars linked below: