Montgomery County Young Women Participate in White House Events

( L to R) Shantavia Craigg, First Lady Michelle Obama, Natasha Yakanda
Photo credit: Crittenton Services of Greater Washington 

Montgomery County young women participating with Crittenton Services of Greater Washington
recently participated in a series of national events presented by the White House Council on Women and Girls.

Shantavia Craigg of John F. Kennedy High School and Natasha Yakanda of Gaithersburg High School, had the opportunity to speak their minds on gender equality, racism, and the elimination of all forms of social injustice for girls of color at the United State of Women Summit. Crittenton Services of Greater Washington alumnae also participated in "Young Women Leading the Way: Breaking Barriers for Girls and by Girls," presented by the White House in November.

In December, John F. Kennedy High School graduate and Montgomery College graduate, Leteria Bailey, introduced keynote speaker Vanita Gupta - Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, head of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, at the Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color: Continuing Progress and Building Toward Change White House event.

Crittenton Services of Greater Washington girls participated in an event dedicated to women in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) - specifically, American space exploration where First Lady, Michelle Obama made remarks. The program included a question and answer component on the four eras of women in space, a screening of the new film Hidden Figures and a panel discussion with the film's starring actors.

Crittenton Services of Greater Washington empowers vulnerable teen girls to overcome obstacles, make positive choices, and achieve their goals through programs in schools throughout the Greater Washington area. For more information about the program go to website.

County Project SEARCH-Montgomery Begins a New Year of Unique Job Training

A group of 12 interns recently began a unique work experience to learn new job skills when they began the 2016-17 Montgomery County Project Search Internship Program in September. The Project Search–Montgomery program is dedicated to providing education and training to young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through an innovative workforce and career development model that benefits the individual, the workplace and community.

This is the fifth year for the program which began in 2012 when County Executive Ike Leggett brought Project SEARCH-Montgomery to County government. Project SEARCH is a one-year school-to-work transition program that targets jobseekers who will benefit from an immersion in a business setting.

Project SEARCH-Montgomery interns participate in daily classroom instruction and gain hands-on work experiences by rotating among three 10-week unique unpaid internships over the course of nine months. Interns can be found working at multiple County agencies performing a wide range of tasks that are of real importance to their co-workers and County residents.

Read more about Montgomery County’s Project Search Program.

Farewell to the Screaming Eagle Football Stadium

On Friday, October 21 Seneca Valley High School played its last football game in their football stadium known as the Screaming Eagle Football Stadium. A renovation and reconstruction is planned to begin in summer of 2017. Next school year, Seneca Valley will play their scheduled home games at a temporary location.

Although saying goodbye to the field may have been sad, the team won with a score of 42-14 which may have helped ease the sting.

Read more about the stadium in a recent article written by the Germantown Pulse: Final Football Game in Seneca Valley’s Storied ‘Death Valley’ Stadium

Local Athletes Going for the Gold at the Upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics

For many of us, getting cardio-fitness a couple of times a week is a stretch, literally and figuratively. Three County residents, far surpassing the goal of a quick jaunt to the gym, have achieved the greatest of athletic aspirations. These tremendously accomplished athletes are going for the gold at the upcoming Summer Olympics.

Montgomery County is home to three of the 11 athletes representing Maryland on the 2016 U.S. Olympic roster.

• Jack Conger from Rockville will be competing in the 4x200m freestyle swimming event. Conger graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in 2013. 
• Katie Ledecky, former gold medalist from the 2012 Olympics will compete in the 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle. Ledecky, from Bethesda, graduated from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in 2015. 
• Ashley Nee from Bethesda will compete in the Canoe Slalom. Nee graduated from Northwestern High School. 

You can stop by Rockville Town Center at the Rockville Town Square stage to wish our two local Olympic swimmers, Jack Conger and Katie Ledecky, good luck. Residents are invited to sign two giant flip flops that are on display at Rockville Town Center as part of the community effort to show how proud we are of our extraordinary athletes. Both Conger and Ledecky began swimming on local teams in the County.

When signing the flip flops, tweet ‪#‎MoCo2Rio to give the athletes an opportunity to follow our hometown support and excitement, from Rio, as they go for the gold!

Volunteer Celebrated 102nd Birthday

Ed Garbe and Gilchrist
 Center staff Paola Bichara

The Gilchrist Center for Cultural Diversity (Gilchrist Center) recently held a special celebration for volunteer Ed Garbe, who celebrated his 102-year-old birthday.

Garbe volunteers with the Gilchrist Center’s English Conversation Club, which supports residents who speak English as a second language to understand language essentials, pronunciation and social and cultural norms.

Garbe, a retired industrial engineer from New York, is one of the hundreds of volunteers who support the Gilchrist Center to reach its goal of serving the immigrant and minority populations in the County.

Perhaps, it makes sense to follow this centenarian’s direction and choose volunteering as a secret weapon toward life longevity.

Montgomery Parks is Seeking Input for Future Updates to Wheaton Regional Park

Park planners are looking for public input on future updates to the Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan.

The plan, dating back to 1987, is being updated to accommodate the changing needs of the area and communities. Find out how to share your ideas at Wheaton Regional Park Feedback.

Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Coverage Now Underway; Affordable Care Act Requires Coverage for Adults 18-64

Open enrollment for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) began Sunday, November 1 and is open until January 31, 2016. Under the ACA, adults age 18 to 64 years of age must have health coverage or will pay a tax penalty.

The Maryland Health Connection is the state’s online insurance marketplace and eligible Montgomery County residents who need health coverage have three easy ways to enroll.

Enrollment is simple and available 24/7 at:

• marylandhealthconnection.gov
• Telephone: 1-855-642-8572 (Toll Free) 
• TTY: 1-855-642-8573 (Toll Free) 

To find in-person assistance in Montgomery County, go to capitalhealthconnection.org/sign-up-locations.

General Services Receives Peerless Rockville Award

(From Left: Scott Waters, AECOM Design, Randy Hawkins, DGS, Hamid Omidvar, DGS,David Dise, Director DGS,City of Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton)

The Department of General Services was recognized at the Peerless Rockville Awards Ceremony held on November 20 at the Glenview Mansion in Rockville for the renovation of the Montgomery County Circuit Court South Tower (Annex) project.

The Annex is a six-story addition with one level of underground parking and a mechanical penthouse. The Annex provides 10 additional courtrooms, eight hearing rooms and administrative spaces. Renovation of the existing Circuit Court includes upgrading interior spaces and mechanical, electrical and plumbing renovations. The project has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. The project includes runoff water bio-retention areas, a vegetated roof and roof mounted photovoltaic panels. The existing plaza and green spaces have been redesigned to invite public use of the space. The green space includes a fountain, new trees, benches and a Memorial. Three of the four project phases have been completed. The final phase is scheduled to be completed in 2016.

Community Meeting to Discuss Montgomery County Airpark

Residents discussed views about the Montgomery County Airpark at a community forum held on November 4. The Airpark has received increased attention after an airplane crashed into a home near the airpark last December. Six people were killed in the crash including a mother and two children in the home and three people who were onboard the aircraft.

County officials are waiting for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to release their final report on the crash before making recommendations about the airpark.

• Watch highlights from the meeting. 
• Read the Preliminary Report NTSB report here.

Registration for the Recreation Department’s Winter Programming Is Open

Registration for winter programs and services is now open. The Recreation Department offers hundreds of activities and programs that fill quickly, so early registration is encouraged.
To view the guide online or to register for programs, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec.

Department of General Services Recognized for LEED Gold Certification For Recently Renovated Bette Carol Thompson Scotland Community Recreation Center

The Department of General Services recently achieved Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification for the Bette Carol Thompson Scotland Community Recreation Center. The Gold Certification identifies the County’s commitment to building facilities that promote renewable, clean energy.

County Executive Ike Leggett joined residents to re-open the renovated center at a ribbon cutting ceremony held on November 1, 2014.

Give a Hand Up, Not A Handout

Given the generosity of County residents, it is no surprise there is considerable effort to provide for others in need. Individuals standing in street median strips holding signs describing hard luck can pull at our heartstrings. However, giving money to panhandlers isn’t a way to help and it puts individuals at risk in busy intersections.

Service providers who work daily with the homeless report most of the money given to panhandlers is used to support their addictions – drugs, alcohol and tobacco rather than provide help.

For more information on how to help, visit the montgomerycountymd.gov/panhandling.

New Business to Expand Headquarters In Montgomery County

Teaching Strategies, an early childhood education company that creates early childhood curriculums and professional development techniques for teachers, will move its Bethesda offices from Wisconsin Avenue to a new location on East West Highway next month. The move is expected to bring 50 new jobs to the County. For more information, visit website.

Ride On Recognized for Innovative Transit Technology

Montgomery County's Ride On bus system was recently featured in a National Public Radio story about how transit systems use technology and data to improve service and information access for customers. Recently, Ride On installed new signs at nine bus shelters that let riders track their bus on a map and also shows when the next bus will arrive. Learn more about the real time signs online.

Upcoming Free Legal Series: How Does a Maryland Civil Trial Work?

Montgomery County Circuit Court Law Library and Montgomery County Bar Foundation will offer a free workshop to explore how the Maryland civil judicial system works. The session is offered December 2, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Montgomery County Circuit Court, 50 Maryland Ave, Room N-3420, Rockville.

The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 227 Needs Your Help

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) is looking to collect undergarments to be made available to homeless female veterans who attend the Winterhaven 2016 event at the VA Medical Center in Washington, DC on January 23, 2016.

For the past few years, VVA, Chapter 227, has been staffing the women's clothing service at the event. Through this experience the VVA has become aware that brassieres are one item that is difficult for these women to obtain. For many of these women, this is an expense they cannot afford.

Please send donations to:
VVA Chapter 227
P.O. Box 5653
Arlington, Virginia 2205-0653

Silver Spring Civic Building Wins Design of Excellence Award

The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, announced the Silver Spring Civic Building as the winner of The Design Excellence Award at the First Annual Design Excellence Award Ceremony held on October 22 at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

Montgomery County Council President George Leventhal and Councilmembers Nancy Floreen and Hans Riemer presented the top award and citations, along with Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson, presented the top award to the Department of General Services director David Dise and his team.

The Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza, located in Downtown Silver Spring, is an event facility that combines modern touches with natural design and provides space for corporate events, private parties, wedding ceremonies, receptions, and more.

For more about the ceremony go to Design Excellent Award Ceremony

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett's Library of the Future Summit

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and Montgomery County Public Libraries Director Parker Hamilton presented The Library of the Future Summit on Thursday, September 24.

• County Executive Isiah Leggett - Opening Remarks - Library Summit of the Future
• George Leventhal - Remarks - Library Summit of the Future 2015
• B. Parker Hamilton - Remarks - Library Summit of the Future
• Susan Benton - Keynote Speech - Library Summit of the Future
• Isiah Leggett - Response to Keynote - Library Summit of the Future

MC311 Customer Service Center to Staff Executive Office Building Lobby

In an effort to increase access to Montgomery County Government information and services, Montgomery County’s MC311 now staffs the Executive Office Building lobby desk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday beginning Monday, November 2.

MC311 was launched in June 2010. In August 2012, the hours of operation were extended to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Prior to that, the CSC operated from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The self-service website,www.MC311.com is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. MC311 remains open extra hours during weather emergencies or other significant incidents.

Since the CSC opened, call volume has averaged 40,000 calls per month. The 311 web portal allows residents to find answers and check on the status of service requests and has consistently averaged 25,000 views per month. MC311 recently created the three-millionth request for service since their launch in 2010. In addition, customers can tweet 311 using @311MC311 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

An Age- Friendly Community Survey

If you're age 55+, we want to hear from you!

This survey recently became available in Spanish, Chinese and Farsi. (The English version also is still available.) Offer your thoughts and ideas about Montgomery County as a place to live and retire. And, if you know others who might like to provide their thoughts, please forward the link to friends, family, and others in your community.

Surveys received by November 13 will be summarized and used in planning the upcoming County Executive’s Summit on Aging which will focus on ways to make Montgomery County an even better “community for a lifetime”.