Learn More About Police Chief Manger In a Feature Interview with Bethesda Magazine

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN
from Bethesda Magazine

Police Chief J. Thomas Manger, a leader who brings honor to himself, the Police Department and the County, takes great pride in the dedicated work of the just under 2,000 sworn officers and civilians under his command.

Serving as the Chief of Police for the County since February 2004, Manger began as a Patrol Officer in Fairfax County and worked through the ranks to become the Chief of Police of Fairfax County before becoming the top cop in Montgomery County.

In an extensive interview with David Frey, writer for Bethesda Magazine, Manger gives readers an insight into his perspectives on the current pressing issues facing law enforcement professionals.

Read the article at Police Chief Manger Bethesda Magazine Interview.

Honor & Gratitude: Chronicles of 'Montgomery County Vietnam Veterans' to Premiere

Montgomery College Television in the Cultural Arts Center on the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus, will premiere the documentary “Honor & Gratitude: Chronicles of Montgomery County Vietnam Veterans” on March 23. The story features seven Montgomery County residents who share their stories of serving as veterans in the Vietnam War. It is a moving recount from a prisoner of war, nurse, marine, two infantrymen, an air cavalryman, and a boat operator.

The Cultural Arts Center is located at 7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring. A reception will be held in the lobby at 1 p.m. The screening will begin at 2 p.m. A question and answer session with a Vietnam veteran panel will follow the documentary

Register for this free event at https://honor-and-gratitude.eventbrite.com.

Closing Ceremony to Mark a New Beginning for the Wheaton Library

Montgomery County Public Libraries will officially close the Wheaton branch, 11701 Georgia Avenue, in a public ceremony on March 13 at 5 p.m. The public is invited to the event which will include light refreshments and brief remarks from officials before County Executive Ike Leggett formally closes the facility.

The library will close to begin construction for the new combined Wheaton Library and Community Recreation Center, which is expected to open in late 2018. The new facility will be built on the site of the existing library.

For more information, visit the MCPL website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/library.

It is the Law in Montgomery County to License Your Pet Dogs and Cats

With warmer weather finally here, pet dogs and cats will be anxious to be outdoors and for longer periods of time. That means your pet be up-to-date with its rabies vaccination and wear a Montgomery County Pet License tag. It is the County law that all pet dogs and cats four months of age or older must have both a valid rabies vaccination and a Montgomery County Pet License. That law applies even to dogs and cats whose owners try to keep them indoors, on their personal property or dogs and cats that live on a farm.

Licensing is the fastest way for Animal Services officers to reunite owners with lost pets and it ensures that pet’s rabies vaccination are current. For more information on obtaining a pet license go to montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices and click on “Licensing.”

Bethesda Film Fest to Showcase Five Diverse Documentary Shorts

The fourth annual Bethesda Film Fest will feature five short documentaries made by local filmmakers. The films will show at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda on Friday, March 18 at 7 and 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 19 at 8 p.m.

Films include a professional Lucha Libre wrestling star, an unlikely civil rights leader and the first ever women’s mosque. The evening will include a discussion with the filmmakers after the screening. Tickets are available at www.bethesda.org for $10. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door. The Bethesda Film Fest is produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District.

New Online County Map Commemorates African American Historic Sites

Councilmember George Leventhal and the Planning Board recently debuted an online map of County-designated African American Historic Sites. The map shows historic sites, parks, trails and buildings that commemorate African American heritage.

The planning staff mapped two dozen historic African American sites in the first phase of this project. The locations included are not an exhaustive compilation of all significant African American sites in the County. More locations will be added after community feedback is received and additional sites are identified and evaluated.

The online map can be found at http://tinyurl.com/zctxhct. 

Celebrate Earth Month with Montgomery Parks!

Looking for a way to give back during Earth Month? Check out Montgomery Parks’ special Earth Month volunteer events happening throughout the month of April. Earth Month volunteer opportunities will include Stream & Park Cleanups, Natural Surface Trail Work and Weed Warrior Projects among others. Most volunteer opportunities are approved for students to early student service learning hours.Visit www.MontgomeryParks.org/EarthMonth for more information.

Reenactors, Union and Confederate Soldier Encampments and Guided Tours Bring Poolesville History to Life

The history of Poolesville will come alive with the first Poolesville in History Day on Saturday, May 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will offer a journey through the history time line of Poolesville. The celebration will take place throughout town in the Whalen Commons.

Reenactors will include John Poole Jr., the founder of Poolseville, tribe members from the

Piscataway-Conoy native American Indian tribe which inhabited the area near the mouth of the Monocacy and Professor Thaddeus Lowe, the father of American Aeronautical Corp.

Throughout the day, Confederate and Union encampments will be located in the park with historical lectures, enactments and historical interpreters in period dress. Entertainment will include performances by Doug Jimerson and the Washington Revel's Jubilee Voices. Other displays will include presentations by Rangers from the Battle of Balls Bluff National Park Service, representatives from the Sugarload Ethnic Project, and the African American heritage in Poolesville.

Heralds of Hope Theatre Company to Present "The Dance On Window's Row"

The Heralds of Hope Theatre Company will present “The Dance on Window’s Row”, a romantic comedy written by African-American playwright from Burgaw, North Carolina, Samm-Art Williams.

The performance will be held in the Randolph Road Theater, 4010 Randolph Road, Silver Spring. The event will be held April 1 – 17, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. Ticket price is $20. Online ticket purchases and seat selection is encouraged. More information is available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2260347

Montgomery Parks’ Arbor Day Poster Contest!

Students in third- through fifth-grade are invited to participate in a Montgomery Parks poster contest for a chance to host an Arbor Day Celebration at their school in April. Entries must be received by March 25. The winning submission will be chosen on March 31 and the winning school will be notified by April 4. For official rules and submission guidelines go to www.montgomeryparks.org/trees.