Meters on Tuckerman Lane Bagged for Three Days for Student Concerts at Strathmore

From November 19 to 22, the parking meters along Tuckerman Lane near the Grosvenor/Strathmore Metrorail station will be bagged and reserved to park the school buses that will bring 10,000 County public school second-grade students to The Music Center at Strathmore for a series of free concerts. The concerts are presented by Strathmore in partnership with the Montgomery County Public School System.

For more information on the concerts, contact Bill Carey at Strathmore Music Center at 301-581-5135.

Registration for Winter Recreation, Parks Programs Now Open

The winter issue of the Montgomery County Guide for Recreation and Parks Programs is now available which means registration is open for winter programs and classes. Swim lesson registration will begin on Wednesday, December 11.

Registration is offered online, by mail, fax or in person at the Montgomery County Recreation Administrative Offices at 4010 Randolph Rd., Silver Spring.

Print copies of the guide are available at recreation centers, park facilities, government buildings and public libraries. Residents who prefer receiving the guide by mail can pay an annual subscription fee of $5 and receive a full year of five issues (Summer, Fall, Winter, Summer Camps and Spring).

To view the guide online, or to sign up for a subscription, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec.

Forum on Federal Employees Health Benefits Scheduled in Rocvkville

Experts on federal health insurance plans and representatives of health insurance carriers will discuss various health plan options, the impact of the Affordable Care Act, and answer questions during the 11th Annual Forum for Federal Employees Health Benefits that will be held on Wednesday, November 20 at the Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville,  from 7 to 9 p.m. Parking is available onstreet and in the County Council garage at the corner of Monroe and Jefferson streets.

Entitled “Open Season: Choosing the Right Federal Health Benefits Plan,” the forum is presented by Congressman Chris Van Hollen in cooperation with the Maryland Federation of Chapters of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

For more information, including directions, call 301-424-3501.

Resident Feedback Sought at Open Data Town Hall

Montgomery County is hosting its first Open Data Town Hall on Thursday, November 21, offering residents an opportunity to speak up about the kinds of data they would like to access online. The meeting will be held from 7 – 9 p.m. at the Bethesda/Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, located at 4805 Edgemoor La., Bethesda.

Following a presentation to introduce open data and familiarize the audience with datamontgomery, Town Hall participants will be able to move around the room to individual data theme tables to discuss their thoughts and suggestions in smaller groups with facilitators. The facilitators will compile information during the Town Hall and report back to the group at the end of the evening. The reports will also be posted on the Innovation Program website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/innovate.

The expanding datasets are part of Montgomery County’s digital government strategy (pdf) and its open government website, both launched last December.

Volunteering: Always in Season

On the heels of another successful Community Service Day in October, the County’s Volunteer Center is encouraging residents to keep alive the spirit of giving back by getting involved with the annual Holiday Giving Project.

Learn more about this and other volunteer opportunities in the Volunteer Center’s newsletter or visit their website.

Free Bike Registration for Riders Parking at Metro Facilities

Metro Transit Police offer a free online registration service for bike riders who park their bikes at Metro facilities. Providing the make, model, serial number, color and frame size of the bike will assist Transit Police in identifying and recovering a bicycle if it is stolen or lost.

Police urge riders to practice basic security measures, such as locking their bike to an authorized rack (not a sign post or fence), keeping a copy of the bike’s serial number on hand, and hiding a business or index card with the owner’s name and phone number inside the bike frame.

Public Forums on MCPS Proposal to Change Starting, Ending Times at Schools

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is offering the community multiple opportunities over the coming months to provide feedback on proposed changes to school starting and ending times, also known as bell times.

Upcoming public forums will give residents an opportunity to ask questions and share feedback on Superintendent Joshua P. Starr’s recommendation that MCPS consider moving high school start times 50 minutes later (from 7:25 to 8:15 a.m.); moving middle school start times 10 minutes earlier (from 7:55 to 7:45 a.m.); and keeping elementary school start times at the current 8:50 and 9:15 a.m.), but extending the school day by 30 minutes.

The following community forums will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

• Monday, December 16: Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Dr., Rockville;
• Monday, January 6: Seneca Valley High School, 19401 Crystal Rock Dr., Germantown; and
• Monday, February 10: Montgomery Blair High School, 51 University Blvd., East, Silver Spring.

Free child care (ages four and older) and interpretation services will be provided.

For more information, visit the Bell Times website.

Gaithersburg Library to Re-open January 4

The newly renovated Gaithersburg Library will celebrate its Grand Re-opening on Saturday, January 4, beginning at 9:30 a.m., with the ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. County Executive Ike Leggett and other elected officials will join Montgomery County Public Libraries and Department of General Services representatives, and local residents to mark the re-opening of the library located at 18330 Montgomery Village Ave.

Special programs, presented by the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, Inc. and the Friends of the Library, Gaithersburg Chapter will be held throughout the day. There also will be entertainment, refreshments and tours of the building.

Updated announcements about the re-opening activities will be posted on the Gaithersburg Library page  as the day draws closer.

Local Veterans Day Message Part of New York City Parade

A 60-second taped Veterans Day Greeting from Montgomery County’s Commission on Veterans Affairs and County Executive Ike Leggett was aired during the New York City Veterans Day Parade on November 11, along with greetings from other jurisdictions across the country. Commissioners participating were (left to right): Bill Gray, Mike Subin, Wayne Miller, Kris Kumaroo, Randy Stone and Jerry Godwin.

County-based Business Recognized by Inc. Magazine Among Top Job Creators in Private Sector

DMI, a leading provider of mobile enterprise and big data solutions and services headquartered in Bethesda, generated 1,009 new jobs from January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, placing it among the top nine private business job creators in the United States and the number one private job creator in Maryland.

This growth earned it Inc. Magazine's Hire Power Award, recognizing private businesses that have created the most jobs in the past 18 months. DMI was also ranked first nationally for job creation among IT services companies.

Read more about the recognition from the heraldonline.com piece.