 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich looks at the statistical data in reminding residents that those who have not been vaccinated for COVID-19 place themselves, and those around them, in danger. He also addresses how the County continues to help residents who have been negatively impacted financially by the health crisis. County Executive Elrich makes a commitment to learning the facts in a recent officer-involved shooting in the County and repeats his determination to find ways to avoid future incidents of this kind. Regarding a measure to create a Business Improvement District in Downtown Silver Spring, he says all sides of the issue must be considered.
 Montgomery County is following trends across the nation in seeing its number of COVID-19 cases increase in recent weeks. After analyzing the national and local patterns the Montgomery County Board of Education this week approved a plan that would require students and employees to wear masks indoors at County public schools.
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week in Potomac helped launch the County’s long-awaited $42 million new public safety radio system, which will improve public safety communications across the County and with neighboring jurisdictions. The system has been operating since March of this year. The new system will provide greater reliability, security and interoperability to best serve the first responders and more than one million residents.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Department of Permitting Services (DPS) this week launched a newly expedited residential solar permitting process that will make Montgomery County one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to pilot Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP+). That program was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
 The sunflower fields of the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area on River Road in Potomac are in full bloom. The setting is one of Montgomery County’s greatest natural attractions and is free to explore.
The What’s Happening MoCo podcast visited the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds for a conversation with Marty Svrcek, executive director of the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds, about the upcoming County Agricultural Fair that will take place Aug. 13-21 in Gaithersburg. Mr. Svrcek was joined by Sara Olsen, the media specialist for the Fairgrounds.
|
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has appointed four new Regional Services Center directors, replacing three directors who retired and one who was promoted to a new position. The new directors are Luisa Cardona de Vence (Mid-County), Peter Fosselman (Bethesda-Chevy Chase), Jacob Newman (Silver Spring) and Gregory Wims (UpCounty).
Montgomery County Recreation will expand the opening times of the North Potomac, Silver Spring Wheaton and White Oak senior centers beginning Monday, Aug. 2. It also announced that the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center in Silver Spring is projected to fully open on Aug. 16.
|
 Montgomery County Recreation will extend summer camp programs at six recreation centers to support families who need additional childcare options. The programs will offer core-day and extended-day options. The sessions will begin Aug. 9 and 16 and will be offered at the East County, Good Hope, Mid-County, Plum Gar, Wheaton and White Oak recreation centers.
 The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) recently implemented expanded hours for its Metrorail and Metro bus services. WMATA, a partner with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), is now operating Metrorail until midnight seven days a week (an hour later than previous service) and has increased late-night Metro bus service to 2 a.m. on 36 routes.
 The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has been awarded a $450,000 grant by the Federal Transit Administration to create a Ride On Crowd Sourcing System (ROCSS) application that provides real-time bus status and passenger counts for Ride On routes to the public and MCDOT’s central dispatch. The new technology is the first to coordinate with strategically placed buses to assist routes nearing capacity and offer “How Full Is My Bus?” trip planning services.
 The National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville is now open Saturdays for hourly docent-guided tours followed by a ride around the park on a historic streetcar.
Montgomery County restaurants and food service businesses are seeing increased business as more residents are dining out in the good summer weather. However, both food service providers and residents are urged to make dining an environmentally friendly experience by following the encouragement of the County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to “Skip the Straw.”
|
 “Businesses and Licensure” will be the theme from noon-1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 6, when Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Economic Revitalization and Recovery program continues its series of virtual town hall meetings to keep businesses informed on strategies for doing business as the health crisis continues.
 Montgomery Planning and Parks staff have officially unveiled a mural that was selected through the Wheaton Headquarters Mural project to go on the new Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission headquarters in Downtown Wheaton. The mural, called “Tradition is a Part of Us, Humanity is All of Us,” was designed and painted by local Wheaton Artist Nicole Bourgea over the past couple of months. The mural, which is on the building’s north wall, depicts different culturally celebrated dances (both traditional and casual).
Montgomery Parks is updating the 2017 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan to guide the future development and management of the County park system. Parks, recreation and open spaces provide active, social, and leisure opportunities that are essential to the high quality of life for residents. The focus of the 2022 PROS Plan is to provide equitably activated, central community spaces that meet recreational needs and protect and manage natural and cultural resources for future generations.
|
 Free online workshops and one-on-one sessions geared toward assisting job seekers and entrepreneurs are being offered virtually throughout August. The program is sponsored by Montgomery County Public Libraries.
|
