The RainScapes Rebate Program application portal of Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection is open. The portal will have information on installing a RainScapes program and will offer guidance on selecting the right type of project to get started. However, the portal will only be open through March 31.
RainScape is a landscape or design technique that helps reduce stormwater runoff from individual properties. They include:
RainScapes can be installed on any kind of property, but those on private residential, institutional and/ or commercial properties may be eligible for financial assistance. More information is available at RainScapes Rewards Rebates. Rebates for projects on residential properties could be eligible for rebates up to $7,500.
County residents can complete a RainScapes application here.
Visit RainScapes.org for more information about the program and help in selecting and planning a project. The website includes examples of RainScapes projects.
Sheryl Brissett Chapman, left, and her daughter, Chana Brissett Shinegba.
“African American Culinary Traditions,” a free online presentation from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, led by the mother-daughter hosts Sheryl Brissett Chapman and Chana Brissett Chinegba, will feature a diverse array of community members sharing their food memories and family culinary traditions. The event, which is presented by Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., will be held via Zoom.
Sheryl Brissett Chapman (Seck) has served as executive director of the National Center for Children and Families since 1991. She was born during the Jim Crow Era in rural South Carolina to a family whose roots transcended slavery and was intertwined racially with White and indigenous folks. Although her parents migrated north when she was quite young, she said she was being raised "up South” in Boston. She has powerful memories of the southern food that embraced her large, expansive, extended family, even as it relocated. The passion for the food of her people has been incorporated in her professional career addressing food insecurity with the poor and food accessibility for those who are quarantined in high-risk Black communities due to COVID-19. She has established a NBA Foundation-sponsored culinary workforce training program for youth who are abandoned or homeless.
Chana Brissett Shinegba, Dr. Chapman's first-born daughter, has dedicated more than 20 years to the hospitality industry, currently serving as the director of client relations for RSVP Catering, one of the top premier catering companies in the Washington, D.C., area. Chana's love for culinary art is deeply ingrained—from her Southern grandmother's incomparable fried chicken and collard greens to her Afro-Caribbean grandfather's braised tongue with mustard, rice and peas.
According to Chana, her life is defined by her familial connections and the memories shared through communal feasts. The stories of her ancestors and living family accentuate her appreciation for the culinary arts and the importance of culture and custom.
Eighteen organizations and individuals were recently honored with Martin Luther King (MLK) Peacemaker Awards at a ceremony sponsored by Montgomery County’s Street Outreach Network (SON), which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services' Positive Youth Development (PYD) program. The awards organizations and individuals were honored for their peacemaking work to make Montgomery County a better place to live.
Those honored at the ceremonies on Jan. 13 were chosen by staff from the SON for their efforts to help prevent violence and bring peace to their neighborhoods. Among the honorees were community leaders, including those from business and education, as well as County Government and elected officials.
Those honored at the ceremonies:
Ana Castillo, community volunteer, Germantown
Donald Davis, intervention specialist, Street Outreach Network
Marcus Dixon, 5th District community policing officer
Joseph Hooks, Founder/Director of the 480 Club
Ashleigh Johnson, community volunteer and Clarksburg High School teacher
Tom Herrera, community volunteer, Montgomery Village La Villa Restaurant, Gaithersburg
Nyurka Morales, Assistant Principal, Northwood High School
Rev. Barry Moultrie, Pastor, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Rockville
Nancy Navarro, former County Councilmember and Board of Education member
Carlos Repreza, intervention specialist, Street Outreach Network)
Aracely Reyes, manager, Ledo’s Restaurant, Montgomery Village
Kenya Smith, community manager, Germantown Park Homeowner’s Association
Sulema Middleton Stewart, vice president, Community Life Programs, Montgomery Housing Partnerships
Greg Wims, Up County Regional Services Center Director
Yogii, intervention specialist, Street Outreach Network
“In a time where society is seeing so much violence around the nation, it requires all of us to lift up the importance of peace and continue fighting for peace in the spirit of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.,” said Luis Cardona, PYD administrator. “We are proud to acknowledge and recognize community leaders that have stepped up to bring peace to their neighborhoods in hopes of stopping unnecessary violence. Peacemaking like this lives up to the true teachings of Dr. King.”
SON works with County youth impacted by violence, with the goal of redirecting that trauma. This includes therapeutic recreation supports in schools and in the community.
In 2022, SON worked with more than 200 adolescents and young adults. During the summer, SON coordinated free Summer of Peace events with food, music, dancing and engaging games for residents with a chance to connect with County staff in a more culturally diverse and relaxed way. More than 1,000 residents attended the events.
To follow future activities of the Street Outreach Network, visit its Facebook page.
Montgomery County businesses conducting research in biotechnology, medicine or life sciences may be eligible to receive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) matching grants to assist with their research funding and commercialization activities. Applications for grants will open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Businesses that have received SBIR/STTR Phase 1 or Phase 2 awards recently for research taking place in Montgomery County may be eligible for additional non-dilutive funding through the program to help them with technical assistance, IP costs and other research-related activities. Businesses that never have received a SBIR/STTR award may apply for Phase 0 grants to cover the cost of SBIR/STTR application support. Montgomery County’s SBIR/STTR Matching Grant Program is the only County program of its kind in the nation.
Established in 2018, the County’s SBIR/STTR Matching Grant Program recently was reviewed by the County Council, the County’s Executive staff and the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC). This collaborative effort resulted in recommendations to enable more companies in Montgomery County to secure non-dilutive funding and advance their technologies toward commercialization.
“We know SBIR/STTR awards can be an important source of funding for our biotech startups as they move to get their technologies from the lab to patients,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “These changes will help more of our younger companies secure this funding so that they can grow and stay in the County.”
The updated program includes Phase 0 grants of up to $5,000 for technical assistance to companies seeking to win their first SBIR/STTR award. It also will offer matching grants of up to $25,000 (Phase 1) or $50,000 (Phase 2) to assist companies with technical assistance, fundraising and commercialization activities.
“This program has been well liked and pursued by startups in our pipeline,” said MCEDC President and CEO Bill Tompkins. “We’re excited to partner with the County to help promote the program and connect businesses with experts that can provide technology, funding, and commercialization opportunities.”
Sadly, more acts of antisemitism and hate continue to plague Montgomery County. This past weekend, we saw antisemitic flyers distributed in the Kensington area falsely linking ancestors of our Jewish community to slavery. Last week, students at three schools were punished for drawing swastikas on desks.
Last month, it was antisemitic graffiti spray painted outside a high school in Bethesda and some teachers were sent anonymous and disturbing letters. In the fall, we dealt with more antisemitic messages on bus stops and fences near the Bethesda Trolley Trail.
Police are still investigating those incidents and a new $5,000 reward was recently established by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information about these crimes can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 1-866-411-TIPS.
It is not just antisemitic incidents of hate. We also have seen vandalisms at historic black churches, hate crimes against our AAPI community and protests from the Proud Boys trying to intimidate or LGBTQ+ residents. This week, a Pride Flag was desecrated at the Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Wheaton.
There is no easy way to put an end to these acts of hatred. I wish there were, but we are actively working with police, the community and other partners to solve these incidents and prevent future similar acts.
Parent Forum on Fentanyl
At Clarksburg High School on Saturday, Jan. 28, the advocacy group Montgomery Goes Purple is hosting a fentanyl awareness forum for families to provide tools to prevent drug use and help protect our children. It is free and will take place from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the school cafeteria. This forum will also be live streamed on the MCPS homepage. The County also has made it easier for families to reach the school to attend the forum in person by making bus fare free on routes 10 and 75 Saturday morning and early afternoon.
For years, our community has been dealing with the scourge of opioids. We have taken some actions to help. Emergency, anti-overdose solutions are now easy to find on police officers, firefighters, other lifesavers and in all MCPS schools. Now we are seeing more young lives put in jeopardy because of fentanyl.
Earlier this month, a 15-year-old overdosed and died. It is one of eight recent overdose deaths in Montgomery County this winter. Data provided by the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service shows an additional 38 people would have likely been killed since December if not for the life-saving drug known as Narcan.
Fentanyl is a synthetic drug intended to mimic opioids. When it is pressed into pill form, it looks like many other drugs. Users taking the pills may not realize the danger they are putting themselves in. Nationally, 71 percent of adolescent overdose deaths in 2021 involved fentanyl.
The more kids experiment with drugs, the greater the risk posed by the presence of fentanyl in the drug market.
Make it a priority to talk to your kids about the dangers of drugs like fentanyl. You can find information on identifying drug use and symptoms of an overdose by visiting the Save A Life section of the County website courtesy of our Department of Health and Human Services.
$30 billion in Private Investment in Montgomery County During 2022
Combined assets from initial public offerings (IPO), mergers and acquisitions, private investments and venture capital deals totaled close to $30 billion dollars. That is up from more than $18 billion in 2021 and just over $4 billion in 2020.
This is a reminder that businesses have the opportunity for exponential growth here in Montgomery County. Venture capitalists accounted for $867.88 million of the money spent on local companies, including $242.98 million that went to Robotic Research, which is working on self-driving technology.
Some startup ventures that have been helped by our business incubator programs, like Arcellx, saw an IPO that topped all other Nasdaq-listed public companies introduced in 2022. The biomedical research facility, which is focused on cell therapy and immunotherapies, got two rounds of funding in 2022 totaling more than $235 million.
We have seen tremendous growth in our life sciences industries spark the need for more lab space in our area. That did not happen by accident. The County is making purposeful and deliberate choices to invest in our business environment, communication and customer service to continue to make Montgomery County an exciting place to do business.
Together, we are laser focused on targeting growth industries, encouraging growth whenever possible and making certain our permitting processes are updated so they are not a deterrent to expansion. We have made great progress and will continue to be focused daily on continued improvements.
Concerted efforts like these are critical in making it easier than ever to do business in Montgomery County and I am glad to see it is paying off for many of our local companies.
Kid Museum Honors Middle Schoolers Aiming to ‘Invent the Future’
This past weekend, I helped present awards to innovative students from Farquhar Middle School in Olney whose idea for “Factory Filters” won the Innovation Award as part of the Invent the Future Summit hosted by the Kid Museum. They were just some of the hundreds of students from across Montgomery County who channeled creative problem-solving, teamwork and STEM skills to answer the question: “What will you do to improve life on this planet?”
Work on this summit kept participants busy all last semester developing hands-on solutions for today’s and tomorrow’s problems. The program was developed in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools teachers to offer students a deep-dive into making and inventing. These workshops expose students to immersive lessons in engineering design, fabrication, electronics and coding.
Since September, hospitals in our area have been dealing with a triple threat of RSV, flu and COVID-19. It has put constant pressure on our hospitals for many weeks, straining capacity and prompting a warning from health experts to consider treating mild cases of COVID-19 through your doctor and avoiding the hospital.
This week, our hospitals remain nearly full, but our COVID-19 counts are showing signs of decreasing as RSV and flu cases did before them. That may make it seem like we are out of the woods, but we are not. The percentage of hospital beds devoted to COVID patients remains elevated and keeps our community level status at 'medium.'
Voluntary facemask use in indoor public places is strongly recommended. Facemasks must be worn in health care and congregate sites like shelters and nursing homes. Washing your hands frequently and staying home when sick are also ways to stop the spread of disease.
Emergency room activity is still high and health experts recommend only using the Emergency Room for life threatening issues until COVID-19 recedes even more.
MCDOT Expanding Public Transportation Incentives Program
Did you know that commuters using public transportation can save up to four times their costs and cut greenhouse gas emissions by half as compared to using a personal car?
The FareShare program allows employees to work with their employers to lower the cost of commuting by using public transportation. The Internal Revenue Service will allow contribution limits to increase from $280 to $300 per month. The money can be used to pay for transit passes, vanpool fares and other 2023 public transportation expenses.
To take advantage of the pre-tax savings, employees and employers must both get on board with the commuting benefits program. Employers pay for the first $25 of a participating commuter's expense then the County will cover—up to $300 in monthly travel expenses. The full subsidy could be as high as $3,600 per year, per employee. There is a maximum payout of $40,000 to each business per year.
The money can be used by commuters using a Ride On bus, Metrobus, Metrorail or MARC train. There are also ways for this program to help with Metro parking expenses.
The idea is to lower the cost of commuting while taking cars off the road and helping the environment. For questions about taking advantage of the program, go to MCDOT’s FareShare page.
This is an opportunity to update the public on Montgomery County's legislative proposals before local, State and national legislative bodies that address issues of specific concern to women. It will focus on how the importance of advocacy and the protection of democracy.
This year’s theme, “Empowered Women Defend Democracy,” is crucial as we encourage civic action in order to elect leaders who represent solutions for issues affecting women and girls.
Compared to other high-income countries, the U.S. has a much lower percentage of women elected to government office. However, evidence shows that women who are elected to public office have different priorities and see very different results than their male counterparts.
Women introduce many more bills on health care, education and childcare than men do. We know that empowered women can change laws, policies and even those who represent us in office. This year, the Montgomery County Council has its first female majority, and I am excited to work with these historic and trailblazing leaders.
The briefing is organized by the County Commission for Women. There will be panels featuring Board of Education Member Brenda Wolff, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Carmen Larsen, business owners and leaders in public safety, housing and public policy. You can look at detailed information about each panel by following this link.
Montrose ABS Store Reopens
I want to let everyone know there is a newly designed “Oak Barrel & Vine” store in Montrose that opened on Friday Jan. 27.
The Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) store on Rockville Pike has been shut down for months for this redesign. It reopens with more shelf space, a dedicated tasting area, and a better experience for customers.
Our County’s ABS generates about $30-35 million of revenue annually for taxpayers. Upgrading these stores is a great way to increase revenue and improve customer satisfaction. One “Oak Barrel & Vine” store is already open in Cabin John and a third is currently under construction in Gaithersburg.
Congratulations to ABS employees and customers on this good news that we can say “Cheers” to. Please check my social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter for updates from the grand opening event.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has added 16 electric vehicle charging ports in County garages over the last four months, increasing the total of electric vehicle (EV) charging ports to 56 for public use in County parking garages and parking lots.
Eight ports were added in the NOAA Garage (G58) in Silver Spring this month, four ports were added in the Cordell-St. Elmo Garage (G40) in Bethesda in December and four ports were installed in the Wheaton Market Place Garage (G13) in October.
MCDOT has eight more charging ports planned. Four will be installed in the Bethesda-Elm Garage (G57) later this winter and four ports have been ordered for the Cameron Street Garage (G7) in Silver Spring.
In 2022, Montgomery County reported 19,338 plug-in vehicles registered. Nearly one-third of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles registered in Maryland are located within Montgomery County.
“This is great news to start off the new year—our constituents having been requesting more charging ports and I am glad that we are starting to deliver,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Expanding access to charging stations will encourage more EV ownership. Besides increasing our public use ports, we are also allowing homeowners to apply for a right-of-way permit for their own curbside charging stations. We are moving in the right direction, but we need residents, businesses and policymakers to support these efforts. Combatting climate change requires actions by all of us.”
Since the County’s first public EV charging stations were installed in the Capital Crescent Garage in February 2015, MCDOT has continually worked to grow the number of charging stations in County owned public parking facilities.
“We are making progress, but we still have work to do to ensure EV charging is accessible,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Transportation is the largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions in the County and personal vehicles make up the majority of these emissions. We are working to increase personal vehicle charging capacity to encourage EV ownership. This is an essential step to reach our aggressive County goal of zero emissions by 2035.”
EV charging ports are now available in the following County parking facilities within each of the three County maintained Parking Lot Districts (PLD):
Bethesda: Woodmont Corner Garage (G11), Capital Crescent Garage (G31) Woodmont-Rugby Garage (G35), Auburn-Del Ray Garage (G36), Cordell-St.Elmo Garage (G40), Waverly Garage (G47) and Bethesda-Elm Garage (G57)
Silver Spring: Bonifant-Dixon Garage (G5), Cameron-Second Garage (G7), Kennett Street Garage (G9), NOAA Garage (G58) Wayne Avenue Garage (G60) and Town Square Garage (G61); Bonifant and Easley Lot (L29)
Wheaton: Wheaton Market Place Garage (G13) and Amherst Garage (G45)
Twelve of the new EV charging ports in the Silver Spring (G40) and Bethesda (G58) parking garages, and four ports coming to Silver Spring (G57), have been funded and provided by Pepco. The County has an easement agreement with Pepco to locate the stations within PLD facilities. The rest of the stations have been funded by the County.
In May 2020, MCDOT and the County’s Department of Permitting Services released residential area guidelines for installing electric vehicle charging stations. The guidelines regulate and provide for permitting the installation of privately owned car charging stations in garages, driveways and in the public right of way adjacent to County streets.
In addition to the charging ports in the County garages, nearly 600 EV ports are available for public use, as listed on the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuel Data Center website. This includes 30 ports managed by the County’s Department of General Services at County-owned buildings, such as libraries.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation “FareShare” Program will provide employees with additional incentives to use public transportation to get to work. The Internal Revenue Service has increased the pre-tax limit for employer-provided commuting benefits to $300 per month, from $280 last year, including transit passes and vanpool fares for 2023.
With the recent increase in the Internal Revenue Service’s tax-free limit, commuters working in Montgomery County can receive the reimbursement by asking their employers to set up a commuting benefits program.
MCDOT’s “FareShare” program will reimburse employers for all but $25 per month of their employees’ costs for commuting, up to $300 per month. The money is tax-free to both the employee and the employer.
The program covers expenses incurred by commuters using Ride On bus, Metrobus, Metrorail or MARC train. It also covers expenses for vanpools, as long as the employee commutes to and from a workplace within Montgomery County. A separate provision also allows for remote parking, such as Metro parking costs, as a separate covered benefit, up to an additional $300 a month.
"This is a great incentive that I hope all businesses in Montgomery County will take advantage of," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "This employee benefit lowers the cost of commuting to work and takes cars off the road, reducing pollution and greenhouse gas levels."
Businesses looking to implement or expand a transportation benefit program must commit to covering the first $25 per month of travel costs for participating employees. The County will cover commuting costs over the initial $25, up to $300 a month. The full subsidy could be as high as $3,600 per year, per employee. There is a maximum payout of $40,000 to each business per year.
The FareShare reimbursements offset the cost to employers who pay for their employees’ commutes. Employers can also offer a pre-tax payroll deduction benefit at no cost to the employer—or a combination of both.
MCDOT Commuter Services staff offers free assistance in setting up a commuter benefits program that is tailored to each business and their employees’ needs.
Participating employers also are eligible for a State tax credit of 50 percent of their $25 contribution per enrolled employee each month, reducing their State tax payment. This credit is available to for-profit and nonprofit organizations. For more information on tax credits, visit Commuter Choice Maryland here.
Depending on how many employees participate in the commuting benefits program, and the amount they incur for their commute, an employer participating in FareShare and the State tax credit program may be able to save thousands of dollars per year in combined payroll and State income tax payments.
“It is good to see more resources being put forward to encourage the use of public transit,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “This increase has the potential to assist a lot of people who have now returned to the office in some capacity. This is a good opportunity for employers to provide an impactful benefit to their employees.”
Transportation benefits help raise employee satisfaction, help businesses recruit and retain employees and help present the organization as an employer that cares about its workforce and the environment.
In addition, each year MCDOT’s Commuter Services Office partners with County businesses to help them apply for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Employer Recognition Awards. Now is the time to work with Commuter Services to bring recognition to a company for its commuter benefit programs through these awards.
Last year, Montgomery County Commuter Services partner Ellumen, Inc. received the 2022 Employer Recognition Award for the marketing of its commuter benefits program. The small, privately held healthcare IT company based in Silver Spring reduced employee vehicle miles traveled by 512,080 miles and saved an estimated annual 23,276 gallons of gas through marketing efforts geared toward employees.
For more information and to request free support to implement or increase a transportation reimbursement program, visit the MCDOT website here.
Montgomery County Recreation is hosting safe, fun and exciting camps that promote children's active and healthy lifestyles this summer. Camp registration is now open.
A digital guide to the available programs can be viewed online.
Montgomery County Recreation camps offer a broad range of summer programs located throughout the County. Campers will spend most their time outdoors with an emphasis on safety and fun.
Applications are currently being accepted for 2023 Rec Assist, which provides eligible County residents an opportunity to receive a scholarship to use toward Recreation programs.
Registration is available by mail or drop-off. For more information about registration, visit the website or call the customer service team at 240-777-6840.
Montgomery Parks is now accepting registrations for its 2023 Summer Camps season. There are more than 40 summer camps available this year for a variety of interests including sports, nature, adventure outings and archaeology. Camps will be held at multiple locations for ages 3-18.
Camps run from June through August. Those who register by Sunday, April 9, can save $25 off select camps by entering “EarlyBird” in the coupon field on ActiveMontgomery.
Meadowside, a “Sense-sational Summer” camp designed to accommodate children of different abilities, is being offered June 26-30. The camp will have a low staff-camper ratio of 1:2 with a small camp size. Campers will hike, learn about ecosystems and habitats, meet the nature center animals, explore Rock Creek and make crafts.
The Meadowside camp is designed to help differently abled children make friends and enjoy the great outdoors. Each camper’s needs will be identified at the outset of camp, so activities can be designed to support all abilities. Sense-sational Summer is a half-day camp, running 1-4:30 p.m. for ages 6-8.
Montgomery County Recreation Center membership passes will be free for County residents in 2023. A free pass will provide access to fully equipped fitness rooms, open gym (drop-in) activities and game rooms at any community recreation center during regularly scheduled hours.
“We are pleased to be offering this service free to our residents in 2023,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “As we head into the new year and many are renewing their fitness goals, I encourage our County residents to take advantage of these great spaces. Make sure to head to a community recreation center near you to check out all they have to offer. Thank you to the team at Montgomery County Recreation for helping make this happen.”
Membership makes it easy for residents to work out close to home, near their office or at any center location that is convenient for them. Passes include both the gym and weight room.
Non-County residents can purchase a pass for $20 for one month, $80 for six months and $150 for one year. Visit the website for more information.
