Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Concerts, parades, family activities and more will honor the U.S. military.
Memorial Day Weekend 2013 runs from May 25-27 and is the unofficial first weekend of summer. County schools are closed and many offices close to mark this holiday. While swimming pools typically open up this weekend, there are a number of other local activities that may interest you and your family. Rockville Hometown Holidays - This year marks the 25th anniversary of this popular weekend-long event which features music, food and family fun, culminating with a ceremony and parade on Monday. This year, a diverse slate of bands are scheduled - from Baltimore’s Kelly Bell band and local favorites The Nighthawks to Jah Works and a Tom Petty tribute band. Bowie Memorial Day Parade - Wear your red, white and blue to honor the brave Americans who…
Monday, May 20, 2013
Delaney: 'Doug Duncan’s record speaks for itself and his values and expertise are well-known around our county.'
U.S. Rep. John Delaney on Saturday endorsed Douglas M. Duncan at the former Montgomery County Executive's first major campaign event in his bid to regain his old job. “Doug Duncan’s record speaks for itself and his values and expertise are well-known around our county,” Delaney (D-Dist. 6) of Potomac said in a statement released by Duncan’s campaign. “I know Doug has the long term vision to make our county a great place to work, live, start a business, raise a family, and he has a plan to make Montgomery work.” Duncan, a Democrat, served three terms as county executive from 1994 to 2006. In 2006, he sought the Democratic nomination for governor, before dropping out of the race, citing depression. After a hiatus, Duncan has decided to re-…
Gaithersburg, Ft. Meade, Bethesda, Columbia and College Park could lose some public transportation options.
The Intercounty Connector could lose three of its existing five commuter bus routes by Aug. 1, 2013, according to The Washington Post. Based on low ridership numbers, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is considering axing three commuter bus routes, including: The article notes that initial supporters of the toll highway, which stretches for 18 miles between I-270/I-370 and I-95/US 1, hyped the highway's ability to provide bus transportation. Now, 60 percent of those bus routes, which provided peak-hour weekday service, could end in the coming months. The MTA has scheduled a number of public hearings in the first week of June: If you are unable to attend one of the meetings in person, the MTA will accept comments with a name and …
Sunday, May 19, 2013
What advice did the first lady give graduates? Will electricity rates go up - again? Get all the Maryland news with one click on Patch.
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Sunday, May 19
By Patch Staff It was a big news week in Maryland last week, with a visit by the first lady, a commuter nightmare in Montgomery and a heads up for a sixth casino in the state. All the headlines from 48 Patch sites across Maryland: Berliner Calls for Better Electricity Service with 'Utility 2.0' Montgomery County Council Member Roger Berliner asked the Maryland Public Service Commission to require that substantial changes be made to electricity services in the state. Meanwhile, Pepco is asking for permission to raise rates. Michelle Obama to Bowie State Grads: It's Time to Feel Hungry Again In a speech rich with historical references, the first lady reminded the BSU class of 2013 why education is important. Report: Quince Orchard Students…
'People,' 'testified' and 'college' also were big in Nancy Navarro's budget statement.
When Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro summarized the fiscal 2014 county budget, the words "county," "budget" and "Montgomery" naturally featured prominently in her statement. Council members tentatively approved the spending plan in a unanimous straw vote Thursday. Other words that Navarro was fond of in describing the $4.8 billion plan: "percent," "funding," "college," "testified," "people" and "providing." See what else Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring thinks of the budget in the word cloud above. Read Navarro's statement here. SPEAK OUT: What words would you use to describe the Montgomery County budget? What would be the big words in your word cloud?
Friday, May 17, 2013
High-profile Maryland bills on firearms and funding state transportation projects became law.
Two of the most controversial bills Maryland state lawmakers grappled with this session became law Thursday. Gov. Martin O'Malley, flanked by Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, House Speaker Michael Busch and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, signed 268 bills into law. Among them were the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013 which increases the state's gas tax, and the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, a restrictive gun control bill. The gun control measure was an important part of O’Malley’s legislative priorities, but was widely contested by Republicans in the General Assembly. Under the law, more than 40 types of guns are banned in Maryland including most semi-automatic rifles. In addition, digital fingerprints of gun owners are …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
The plan includes tax increase, more cops in schools and more food resources for the poor.
No one went hungry in the $4.8 billion budget Montgomery County Council members tentatively approved Thursday. Key county agencies, including police, fire and rescue, schools and health and human services will receive more aid and new positions, according to an outline of the tentative spending plan released by the council. The council is scheduled to hold a final vote on the budget May 23, the last council session before a three-week recess. All nine council members voted to give tentative approval to the plan for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1. "Budgets are a reflection of our values. There are always more needs, and more wants, than there are resources available," Council President Nancy Navarro (D-Dist 4) of Silver Spring said in a …
Montgomery County Council Member Roger Berliner asked the Maryland Public Service Commission to require that substantial changes be made to electricity services in the state.
Is better electricity service in the future for Montgomery County? Montgomery County Councilmember Roger Berliner—chair of the council's Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee—is pushing to make that happen. On Tuesday, Berliner filed a formal pleading asking the Maryland Public Service Commission to implement the "Utility 2.0" pilot program developed by the Energy Future Coalition, which was tasked by Governor Martin O'Malley's Grid Resiliency Task Force to come up with recommendations for improving electricity service in Maryland. The Utility 2.0 pilot program is "a system truly worthy of the 21st century—cleaner, more reliable, efficient, technologically advanced and consumer-driven. Montgomery County residents…
Monday, May 13, 2013
Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro, whose district includes Wheaton, shifted her support to a plan that would tie the Park and Planning headquarters to the rest of Wheaton redevelopment.
County officials have the next six months to work with private developers on plans for Wheaton redevelopment that could include the new Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission headquarters, the Montgomery County Council decided at a budget worksession Monday. With the current Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission headquarters at 8787 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring added to the mix of properties available in Wheaton, county officials say they are seeing more interest from developers. The project description form (PDF) embraced by the Council sets forth a timeline for this process: The Executive has indicated his intent to issue an RFP by June 1 and select a developer by Nov. 1. Planning and engineering will…
Sunday, May 12, 2013
From crime - hear about the backhoe bandits? - to politics and new places for Mexican food, be well-informed with one click.
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Sunday, May 12
By Patch Staff Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown Kicks Off Gubernatorial Bid In a speech highlighting his military and government service, Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown announced in his home county of Prince George's Friday night that he is running for governor of Maryland in the November 2014 election. Dan Bongino’s Home Burglarized Wednesday Night While Family Slept A spokeswoman says computers, purses and a wallet were taken from the Severna Park home of Bongino, the former Secret Service agent who ran for U.S. Senate in 2012. Report: Anne Arundel County Top in State for Generating Tourism Money The county saw a more than 7 percent increase in money from tourism between 2010 and 2011, according to a new report. Businesses Look to Marketplace Fairness…
Richard Rice
2:19 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
It is sad and tragic to me that we in Kensington, never do anything to honor our veterans from this town who served!!! I will be at the memorial park to have my own private memorial service for these brave individuals!!! Will anyone join with me next Monday @ 10:00 AM? Let's not ever forget that the price of freedom is never FREE!!! more ›