Tuesday, April 2, 2013
County government disseminates information via social media. Patch brings it to you.
The Montgomery County government has gotten with the times. Elected officials and county offices are using Twitter and Facebook to communicate. That's a smart strategy, since that's where residents spend much of their time online. Patch will look to find interesting information posted via social media and share it with you. Today, we'll start with the county's page, which lists the Twitter accounts for County Council members, county government departments and other agencies. You can choose whom you'd like to follow on Twitter, or you can monitor the whole list with a list at this link.
Monday, April 1, 2013
In the market for a new house? Just curious? Check out these recently listed homes for sale in Montgomery County.
These videos of Montgomery County homes for sale were recently uploaded to YouTube. Each listing links to the YouTube video (also attached to this article). Each home is also shown on the map attached to this article: Homes for sale this week: Check back next week for more virtual tours.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
For the fourth year in a row, Montgomery County has come in second to Howard in a study of health outcomes.
If you live in Montgomery County, the odds of you being a smoker, a couch potato or without access to doctors and dentists are lower than the average Marylander. All of those factors give Montgomery County residents better health outcomes and longer lives than the state overall, by leaps and bounds in some cases, but there's one place in Maryland that consistently bests the state's most populous jurisdiction—Howard County. Since 2010, Howard County and Montgomery County have had the same position on Maryland's list of healthiest counties—No. 1 and No. 2—a ranking created by University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute. Members of the Healthy Montgomery Steering Committee, a community health improvement project that brings …
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Find out ways you can comment on the budget proposals.
The Montgomery County Council will hold five public hearings in April on the county's operating budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1. County Executive Isiah Leggett's $4.8 billion budget proposal, which he unveiled on March 15, would add more than 100 new jobs in public safety and libraries. Leggett also proposed a slight increase in aid for Montgomery County Public Schools to meet Maryland's maintenance of effort law, which requires that counties fund schools at the same level or greater from year-to-year or face a fine. The County Council will analyze these recommendations and adopt the budget in late May. Read more about the budget: The public hearings will be held in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office …
A bipartisan group of congressional members sends a letter to transportation secretary urging him to find ways to reduce fatalities.
Approximately 5,000 pedestrians and bicyclists are fatally struck by cars in the United States each year, representing a decrease of about 20 percent since the early '90s, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fatalities involving bicyclists and pedestrians represent a higher percentage of all roadway deaths now than in previous years, though, argued members of Congress in a letter urging federal transportation officials to enact safety measures they passed last year in the Moving Ahead in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen Jr. (D-Dist 8), a long time Kensington resident, was one of 68 House members who sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood calling for more action …
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Weather permitting, officials will change posted limits on Friday and Saturday.
State transportation officials are set to change signs on the Intercounty Connector (MD-200) this weekend to officially increase the speed limit from 55 mph to 60 mph. Weather permitting, westbound signs will be changed Friday and eastbound signs Saturday, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority. Officials said new warning signs for curves have also been added to the highway, which runs between I-270 and I-95 through Montgomery and Prince George's counties. The MDTA elected to raise the speed limit this past winter following engineering studies and crash analysis based the ICC’s first year of operations. “We needed one year of ICC operations and full consideration of the design speed and geometry of the roadway to ensure that a …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Montgomery County could see an additional inch accumulate in addition to the snow already on the ground.
The National Weather Service has extended the winter weather advisory for Montgomery County through 6 p.m. Monday. A total of 3 to 5 inches of snow is expected to accumulate. Initial predictions called for 1 to 3 inches, with snow tapering off mid-day. Now, forecasters say an additional inch could accumulate on top of the snow that's already blanketed the region, with snowfall continuing through the afternoon. Montgomery County could see a total of 3 to 5 inches. The weather could make for a slippery evening commute on Monday. State Highway Administration officials this morning urged motorists to slow down or delay travel.
Inspection data for Feb. 21-March 21
The following restaurants had critical violations between Feb. 21-March 21. The violations have since been corrected. No critical violations were reported for Darnestown, North Potomac, Boyds, Clarksburg or Damascus between Feb. 21-March 21. Restaurant inspection data is posted at Montgomery County’s website, at data.montgomerycountymd.gov. March 13 Bob Evans Farms #316, 21044 Frederick Rd., Germantown Violation: Hot holding temperature March 4 AFC Sushi at Harris Teeter #325, 14101 Darnestown Rd., Germantown Violation: Hot holding temperature Feb. 26 Darnestown 6-Twelve Convenient Mart, 14100 C Darnestown Rd., Germantown Violation: Cooking time and temperature Dunkin Donuts, 12915 Wisteria Dr., Germantown Violation: Hot holding …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The following crime data was supplied by Montgomery County Police. Arrests do not indicate conviction.
An armed robbery was reported at Brandermill Drive and Aldburg Way in Germantown on Sunday, March 10 around 5:30 p.m. A robbery was reported in the 11500 block of Fenchurch Court in Germantown on Sunday, March 10, around 9:10 p.m. A residential burglary was reported in the 19500 block of Scenery Drive in Germantown on Tuesday, March 5, between 2 and 4:15 p.m. No forced entry. Unknown if anything was taken. A detailed description of the burglars—four males—was unavailable. An attempted burglary was reported in the 20000 block of Belle Chase Drive in Gaithersburg between 8 p.m. Friday, March 8 and 3 a.m. Saturday, March 9. Attempted forced entry into a shed. Nothing taken. A residential burglary was reported in the 12800 block of Pinnacle …
Monday, March 18, 2013
Montgomery County will reportedly throw its support behind Prince George's bid.
In late February, Patch reported that Montgomery County was one of a number of suitors seeking to host the new FBI headquarters, alongside Prince George’s County, Fairfax County, Loudon County and the District of Columbia. Montgomery County has apparently chosen not to pursue the project any longer, according to a recent piece in the Washington Business Journal. The General Services Administration told the Journal that it has received three dozen responses to its Request for Information (RFI) which is a method for gauging interest in a project, but Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker told the Journal that Montgomery County was not one of the groups that submitted a response. “Montgomery County has thrown its support to us,” …
charly charles
9:27 pm on Friday, March 29, 2013
Hey Mr. Van Hollen, while you're at it, how about requiring cyclists to use clickers/buzzers/bells or ringers to alert walkers they are coming up behind them, instead of allowing them to zip by at 20 mph without slowing down while I'm trying to walk on Wootton Parkway? It's become so dangerous, they've driven walkers off the paths. more ›