Naturalist Kerry Wixted Will Discuss ‘Maryland’s Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species’ in Next Session of Montgomery Parks’ Virtual Speaker Series on Monday, Jan. 30

Naturalist Kerry Wixted will talk about “Maryland’s Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species” from 11 a.m.-noon on Monday, Jan. 30, in the next virtual session of the Montgomery Parks Speaker Series. The session is free to view.

The presentation will discuss the more than 1,200 species that have been listed as rare, threatened or endangered in Maryland and how the Maryland Natural Heritage Program ranks and manages rare species across the State. Ms. Wixted also will cover ways to help with the conservation of rare species and their habitats.

Ms. Wixted is a naturalist with more than 15 years of experience studying the flora and fauna of Maryland. She has previously worked for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and has taught classes for Nature Forward’s Natural History Field Studies Program. She is a graduate of the Wildlife and Fisheries Management program at Frostburg State University and has a masters degree in biology from West Virginia University.

To register for the session, go to Montgomery Parks Speaker Series - Montgomery Parks.

‘Land of Enchantment’ Will Be Next in Virtual Arts Salon Series on Monday, Jan. 30

"Guardians of the Andes" by artist Pepe Piedra Inkarasta. 

Artist Camila Bryce-LaPorte will host “Land of Enchantment,” the next in the Arts Salon free virtual series presented by Silver Spring Town Center, inc. (SSTCi). The program, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30, will explore “Is the land or a special place your muse?”

Artists, poets, writers, filmmakers, musicians and others are invited to share their work inspired by the land or a special place in the world.

SSTCi's quarterly Arts Salon strives to be an inspiring space highlighted by sharing and performance-oriented.

 
Ms. Bryce-LaPorte is a folklife specialist and community scholar who helps people rediscover the value of their history, their cultural traditions, their community and themselves through the art of cultural documentation. She trains people to capture and preserve the history of and traditions of their community and their culture bearers. Ms. Bryce-LaPorte has worked on folklife-related projects for the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and the Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance.

 
Land of Enchantment will be available via Zoom at Meeting Registration - Zoom.

For more information about the series or to RSVP participation, contact Lisa Martin at lisa@silverspringtowncenter.com.

Applicants Sought to Serve on New County Sports Advisory Committee

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is seeking applicants to fill 17 public and organizational vacancies on the newly established Montgomery County Sports Advisory Committee.

The committee, staffed by Montgomery County Recreation, will study sports participation and opportunities in the County, make recommendations to the County Executive and the County Council and recognize outstanding teams and athletes. Members will help conduct research, advocate for enhanced sports opportunities and identify and address discrepancies found in youth sports to raise the quality of life for residents.

The deadline to apply to serve on the committee is Wednesday, Feb. 1. For more information, or to apply, go to the website.

The committee will prepare and submit to the County Executive and the County Council an annual report regarding factors that affect sports participation in the County including the availability of and access to athletic fields, facilities and sports. It will offer recommendations to improve the quality, quantity and variety of sports opportunities and facilities. The committee also will recognize teams and athletes in the County who win State or national championships or represent the United States in international competition.

Members of the committee will serve three-year terms (initially staggered). Public members will serve without compensation, but are eligible for reimbursement for travel and dependent care for in-person meetings attended. Committee meeting dates and times will be determined. Committee meetings may be held virtually.

Applicants of diverse backgrounds, professions, genders, geography, abilities, ethnicities and ages are encouraged to apply. Members of County boards, committees and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time. Members must complete training on the Maryland Open Meetings Act, Montgomery County Ethics Law and basic parliamentary procedure.

Bill 6-22 establishing the committee can be found here.

Alcohol Beverage Services to Celebrate Conversion of Montrose Store to Upgraded ‘Oak Barrel & Vine’ Brand at Grand Re-Opening on Friday, Jan. 27

Montgomery County’s Department of Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) will re-open its Montrose store under its upgraded retail concept, “Oak Barrel & Vine,” at 9:45 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 27. The celebration and ribbon cutting will occur in front of the store, located at 12015-B Rockville Pike in the Montrose Crossing shopping center in Rockville. County Executive Marc Elrich, other elected officials and alcohol industry representatives plan to attend the opening.

The Oak Barrel & Vine branded stores feature handpicked items with a focus on spirits and local products. The upgraded store will have 25 percent more shelf space, a dedicated tasting area, queue lines for faster checkout and wayfinding signs for a more inviting shopping experience.

For the grand opening, and in the days that follow, some rare and allocated items will be available for purchase. Each specific highly allocated item will be limited to one bottle per customer. No more than two highly allocated bottles can be purchased per customer, per day. The items will be available for purchase when the doors open at 10 a.m.

The grand opening also will include tastings from two local manufacturers between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Customers will be able to sample unique, flavored spirits from Bethesda-based Butterfly Spirits, as well as craft beers from Silver Spring-based Silver Branch Brewing Co. These products will be available for purchase at the opening and throughout the weekend.

“ABS is an incredible County government service, having contributed more than $35 million of revenue last year alone to the taxpayers of Montgomery County and more than $306 million over the last 10 years, in addition to the health and safety benefits through safe alcohol distribution,” said County Executive Elrich. “Under the leadership of Director Kathie Durbin, our ABS employees have been working hard to update their facilities and systems in order to better serve their customers and increase efficiencies. I am impressed with the improvements made at the Montrose location and look forward to more ABS stores being updated in the near future.”

The Montrose store is one of the oldest and busiest ABS stores and is popular because of its central location and ample parking. It is the second ABS store to be upgraded to the Oak Barrel & Vine brand.

The first Oak Barrel & Vine store, located in the Cabin John Village Shopping Center, opened in 2021 and has become a customer favorite. A third Oak Barrel & Vine store is currently under construction in the Gaithersburg Square shopping center and is expected to open in spring 2023. ABS intends to upgrade its remaining retail stores to the Oak Barrel & Vine brand over the next several years.

“We are excited to introduce a second Oak Barrel & Vine store to Montgomery County,” said ABS Director Kathie Durbin. “This is our store of the future, and it is designed to reflect our community by showcasing local products, providing tastings and events and offering a dynamic shopping experience.”

Beginning on Jan. 27, the Montrose store will be open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon-5 p.m. on Sundays. For a full list of ABS store locations and hours, visit the ABS website.

ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine and spirits for Montgomery County and operates 26 retail stores throughout the County. In addition, ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Generating more than $35 million in net income annually, its profits are used to pay down County debt with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that would otherwise be funded by County tax dollars. Follow ABS on Facebook and Twitter.

Commission for Women to Host Its 43rd Women’s Legislative Briefing Virtually on Sunday, Jan. 29, with Theme of ‘Empowered Women Protect Democracy’

The Montgomery County Commission for Women (CFW) will host its 43rd Annual Women’s Legislative Briefing (WLB) virtually from 12:30-5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29. The theme of this year’s event is “Empowered Women Protect Democracy.” 

The annual event brings together advocates, allies, policymakers and emerging leaders to empower, engage and mobilize Marylanders around issues affecting women and girls. Attendees will hear from, and engage with, members of the Maryland General Assembly, community leaders and representatives of organizations that advance the status of women and girls.

The opening session, “Women Who Empower Through Advocacy,” will include Adrianna Hopkins, a news anchor from WJLA ABC 7. She will serve as the moderator of a panel that includes:

• Virginia Kase Solomón, CEO, League of Women Voters
• DeAnna Hoskins, CEO, JustLeadershipUSA
• Susan Jin Davis, Social Impact Officer, Al Roker Entertainment

Their national viewpoints will provide a unique perspective of how empowerment looks throughout the United States and how advocacy can lead to a career in many fields.

“This year’s Women’s Legislative Briefing theme is ‘Empowered Women Defend Democracy.’ This is an important message at a crucial time as we encourage civic action in order to elect leaders who represent solutions and protections for issues affecting women and girls,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The Montgomery County’s Women’s Commission Legislative Briefing reflects issues where empowerment is essential in our health, safety, education and economic justice. Last year, Montgomery County voters elected the first-ever female majority to our County Council and I look forward to serving the next four years with all of these new members. Together, along with the Women’s Commission, we are going to ensure that Montgomery County is a place where all women and girls can be supported and thrive.”

Following the opening panel discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions focused on how empowered women and girls can influence critical legislation and policies to protect, access and secure women’s right to health care, public safety, economic justice and education.

An important component of the WLB is its signature Emerging Leaders sessions for middle and high schoolers. The interactive workshops focus on civic engagement and pathways to leadership for young women and men. This year’s topics include “Feeling Safe Everywhere: Home, School, Community” and “How to Express My Mental Health.” Students may earn up to three Student Service Learning hours by participating in the program.

Major sponsors supporting the event include AARP Maryland, Kaiser Permanente, The Universities at Shady Grove and Montgomery College. Approximately 50 community organizations also are supporting the event.

To participate in the Women’s Legislative Briefing, register at the WLB website.

For more information, call 240-777-8300 or visit the CFW website. Follow the event using the hashtag #MoCoWLB via Twitter and Facebook.

Energy Assistance Programs and Energy Savings Information Tables Will Be Available at Montgomery County Public Libraries Through April

Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) will offer staffed information tables to learn about energy assistance programs and energy saving resources on seven select days through April. The resource tables will be staffed by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Pepco.

The displays will offer customers the opportunity to pick up applications for energy assistance and have questions answered about the program.

The resource tables will be implemented on from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at the following library locations:

• Monday, Jan. 30. Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville
• Wednesday, Feb. 22. White Oak Library, 11701 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring
• Monday, Feb. 27. Germantown Library, 19840 Century Blvd., Germantown
• Monday, March 20. Long Branch Library, 8800 Garland Ave., Silver Spring
• Monday, March 27. Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville
• Monday, April 17. White Oak Library, 11701 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring
• Monday, April 24. Germantown Library, 19840 Century Blvd., Germantown

For more information about the energy savings display tables, contact Clotilde Puértolas at Clotilde.puertolas@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Funding Opportunities to Build Community Capacity Available Through County’s Asian American Health Initiative’s New Asian American Center of Excellence

Montgomery County’s Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI), part of the County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), recently announced the launch of the Asian American Center of Excellence (AACE) and the release of a micro-grant funding opportunity. The goal of AACE is to support Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI)-serving community-organizations in developing and increasing their capacity to successfully provide health, wellness and social support programs and services.

AACE serves as a resource to AAPI community organizations to improve technical skills related to organizational sustainability, such as strategic planning, data collection and analysis, program planning and evaluation and partnership building among others.

AAPI community-based organizations, faith institutions, and other nonprofits play a vital role in responding to the health, wellness, and social support needs of AAPIs in Montgomery County. Such organizations provide essential and supportive services to the most vulnerable AAPI community members. By working with and supporting community organizations, AAHI has had significant success in reaching and serving the diverse AAPI community. To improve the health status of AAPIs, it is critical to invest in grassroots, community organizations.

To build community capacity, AACE offers a suite of services including micro-grant funding to build organizational capacity; a curated bi-weekly email digest that captures and shares opportunities for growth; networking opportunities to bring together local AAPI leaders; data roundtables to engage leaders in discussions around data challenges and community-led solutions; technical assistance workshops to strengthen skills related to nonprofit management, business operations, data collection and public health best practices. AACE also offers one-on-one strategy consultations to guide integration of best practices into existing operations.

To learn more about AACE and to stay updated on its services, visit the AAHI website.

AACE micro-grants are now available, and AAHI is soliciting applications from eligible organizations to improve capacity, sustainability and infrastructure of organizations that provide health and wellness programs and social support services to the County’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Micro-grants will be awarded in three funding categories: purchase of equipment, professional development and consultants. AAPI-serving organizations can apply for micro-grants of $5,000 across each of the three funding categories, with a maximum of a $15,000 award per organization. The total funding available is $70,000. Smaller AAPI-serving organizations are encouraged to apply.

The micro-grants are administered by the Primary Care Coalition (PCC). To learn more, read the request for proposals, and apply for the funding, visit the Asian American Health Initiative’s website. Applications for funding will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12.

For more information about AACE and the micro-grants, email AAHI@montgomerycountymd.gov.

‘Old Roads, New Histories’ Will Be Featured in Montgomery History Online Presentation Starting Monday, Jan. 30

Montgomery County’s Rustic Roads Program has protected the historic and scenic roadways that reflect the County’s agricultural character and rural origins or 25 years. An update to the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan is currently in progress. This free online presentation from Montgomery History can be viewed starting at 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 30.

“Old Roads, New Histories” will be led by historian Kacy Rohn. It will describe the work underway to bring new roads and new histories into the program that reflect the diversity of the County’s past with previously underrepresented stories of women, freedom seekers. It also will look at early African American communities that enrich the historic landscapes traversed by these roadways.

Pre-registration to view the presentation is not required. To view “Old Roads, New Histories,” go to » WATCH (montgomeryhistory.org). The presentation will be available through Sunday, Jan. 29.

Traffic Study Results for Little Falls Parkway Pilot Project Will Be Presented at Virtual Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15

 

 A virtual public meeting will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, to present data from traffic studies conducted on Little Falls Parkway between Arlington Road and Dorset Avenue.

The Montgomery Parks’ meeting will take place on Zoom. Participants have the option to register online for the meeting to receive project updates.

The traffic counts were conducted during May, July, September and December of 2022 as part of the Little Falls Parkway Pilot Project, The pilot project was initiated to address concerns with cut-through traffic in adjacent neighborhoods associated with the weekend closures of Little Falls Parkway, while retaining space for recreation on the parkway.

“We initiated the Little Falls Parkway pilot project to study whether two lanes between Dorset Avenue and Arlington Road could adequately accommodate vehicle traffic and potentially create more space for park users,” said Mike Riley, director of Montgomery Parks. “Now that the analysis is complete, we want to share this information with the public.”

After the public meeting, Montgomery Parks will present the findings of the traffic studies to the Montgomery Planning Board in a hearing during which members of the public will have the opportunity to testify. The Planning Board will then review the Parks Department’s recommendations and the public testimony and determine whether to proceed with the pilot project in a subsequent meeting.

The Planning Board public hearing and meeting dates are yet to be determined, but will likely be held in late March and early April. Once the dates are set, they will be publicly announced and posted on the Parks Department’s website on the project page.

Since the Phase 2 lane conversion in November, the Little Falls Parkway pilot project area has provided 24/7 open space for community use, while maintaining two lanes open for vehicular traffic. This section of Little Falls Parkway, between Arlington Road and Dorset Avenue, was previously part of Montgomery Parks’ Open Parkways program extending between River Road and Arlington Road (1.3 miles). If the lane reduction is made permanent, the next phase of the pilot project will include public outreach and implementation of a temporary linear park with amenities including seating, games, programmed activities. It also would have space for biking, skating, running, and walking.

The Open Parkways program launched at the beginning of the COVID-19 health crisis to provide more outdoor space for recreation and exercise by closing portions of three parkways to vehicles on weekends. Since its inception, hundreds of thousands of visitors have used the Open Parkways and the program. The other two open parkways, on Sligo Creek Parkway and Beach Drive, will not be affected by the Little Falls Parkway Pilot Project.

For more information on the Little Falls Parkway Pilot Project, go to Little Falls Parkway Linear Park Pilot Project - Montgomery Parks.

Ride On Bus Will Be Increasing Frequency on 31 Routes Starting Sunday, Jan. 29

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will increase service on 31 Ride On bus routes starting Sunday, Jan. 29. The increases are part of the adjustments to 44 routes overall to improve efficiency based on ridership.

Throughout the year, ridership data and on-time performance are monitored regularly to identify routes that could achieve increased efficiency with schedule updates.

“Public transit that is reliable and on time is critical to the people who count on it,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “It is a best practice to regularly evaluate and adjust bus service to ensure needs are being met. Dependable and reliable bus service leads to increased ridership which supports our sustainability efforts, reduces congestion and increases the quality of life for our residents.”

Montgomery County bus route changes starting Jan. 29 will include:

• 31 routes will have increased frequency due to ridership: 1, 2, 5, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 22, 25, 29, 31, 33, 34, 36, 39, 47, 48, 51, 57, 63, 70, 76, 83, 98, 100, 101 and Metro Bus routes L8, T2; Three of these routes also have slight time changes: 18, 48, 76
• Four routes have decreased frequency due to ridership levels: 45, 46, 75, 96
• Nine routes will have time changes for accuracy, but no changes in frequency: 9, 10, 30, 37, 38, 43, 44, 66, 67
• Additionally, 20 of the above-listed routes will have a change in overall hours of operation: 1, 5, 14, 18, 22, 25, 29, 31, 33, 51, 57, 63, 66, 67, 70, 75, 83, 98 and Metro Bus routes L8, T2
• One route has a slight route change with no bus stop, time or frequency changes: 51

Updates that will be made, listed by individual route:

• Route 1: Increased trips on weekdays and Sundays. Significant span changes on Sundays.
• Route 2: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Route 5: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on Saturdays and Sundays.
• Route 8: Increased trips on weekdays.
• Route 9: Schedule time was adjusted seven days a week.
• Route 10: Trip time changes were made on weekdays.
• Route 11: Increased trips on weekdays.
• Route 12: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Route 14: Increased trips on weekdays and Saturdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 15: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Route 17: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Route 18: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes were made on Saturdays, and running time was adjusted on Sundays.
• Route 22: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 25: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 26: Metro Station name change on the route - White Flint to North Bethesda.
• Route 29: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Modest span changes seven days a week.
• Route 30: Trip time changes were made on weekdays.
• Route 31: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 33: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 34: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Route 36: Increased trips on weekdays.
• Route 37: Trip time changes were made on weekdays.
• Route 38: Trip time changes were made on weekdays, and Metro station name change on the route - White Flint to North Bethesda.
• Route 39: Increased trips on weekdays.
• Route 42: Metro Station name change on the route - White Flint to North Bethesda.
• Route 43: Trip time changes were made seven days a week.
• Route 44: Trip time changes were made on weekdays.
• Route 45: Decreased trips on weekdays.
• Route 46: Decreased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Metro Station name change on the route - White Flint to North Bethesda.
• Route 47: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Route 48: Trip time changes were made on weekdays. Increased trips on Saturdays and Sundays
• Route 51: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays. Now extended to terminate at Georgia Ave ICC Park and Ride.
• Route 57: Increased trips on weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Modest span changes seven days a week.
• Route 63: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 66: Trip time changes were made on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 67: Trip time changes were made on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 70: Increased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 75: Decreased trips on weekdays. Modest span changes on weekdays.
• Route 76: Increased trips on weekdays. Trip time changes were made on Saturdays.
• Route 81: Metro Station name change on the route - White Flint to North Bethesda.
• Route 83: Increased trips on weekdays and Saturdays. Modest span changes on weekdays and Saturdays.
• Route 96: Decreased trips on weekdays.
• Route 98: Increased trips on weekdays and Saturdays. Modest span changes on weekdays and Saturdays.
• Route 100: Increased trips on weekdays.
• Route 101: Increased trips on weekdays. Metro Station name change on route - White Flint to North Bethesda.
• Route L8: Increased trips on Saturdays and Sundays. Modest span changes on Sundays.
• Route T2: Increased trips on Saturdays and Sundays. Modest span changes on Saturdays and Sundays.

Riders can get County bus schedule and trip planning information by visiting the Ride On Real Time webpage here.

“Being dependable is our priority,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “We are continually making data driven changes to improve consistency and reduce travel times.” 

All County buses have a fare of $1 to ride, reduced from the $2 pre-pandemic fare.