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Council Passes Bill to Create Policing Advisory Commission
The Montgomery County Council yesterday unanimously adopted Bill 14-19 to create a Policing Advisory Commission. The commission’s goal is to improve council oversight of the county’s police department. In addition, it’s intended to increase the community’s trust in police by advising the council on certain police matters, including best practices, policies and programs.
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Hucker Elected Council Vice President
Councilmember Tom Hucker (D-District 5) was elected vice president of the County Council for a one-year term. Traditionally, election as vice president is a precursor to being chosen as council president the following year.
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Anti-vaping PSA contest announced; council committee advances related bills
County students in grades six through 12 can win up to $750 in a contest seeking video public service announcements about the dangers of vaping. Healthy Montgomery, the county’s community health improvement program, and Montgomery County Public Schools are cosponsoring the contest as part of an anti-vaping tobacco prevention campaign in collaboration with the Department…
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Planners Launch Pedestrian Level of Comfort Map, Seek Public Input
The county’s Planning Department has launched a Pedestrian Level of Comfort Map to help evaluate the public’s comfort level when walking along sidewalks, pathways and trails, and through street crossings. The online, interactive map includes the department’s scoring of local pedestrian networks, which are rated from “unacceptable” up to “very comfortable.”
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County Announces Thanksgiving Day Closures
The county has announced its schedule of closures for Thanksgiving Day Thursday, Nov. 28. All county offices, libraries and liquor stores will be closed, as will state offices and courts.
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County Seeks Volunteers to Participate in Thanksgiving Parade
The county is looking for volunteers to assist with various aspects of the annual Thanksgiving parade this Saturday, Nov. 23. Volunteers must be at least 13 or older and plan to meet at the civic building, then expect to remain at the parade site from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Opportunities include dressing up in costumes as…
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“Accidental Candidate” Reveals His Planning Priorities
The newest commissioner on the Montgomery County Planning Board refers to himself as “the accidental candidate” when talking about his appointment. Partap Verma, who joined the board in July, looks at this as a natural transformation from work he began after moving to the Forest Glen area in 2013. His priorities include pedestrian safety, affordable…
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Council to Hold Hearing Tonight on Forest Glen/Montgomery Hills Plan
The County Council will hold a public hearing on the draft Forest Glen/Montgomery Hills Sector Plan tonight, according to the schedule released this week. The plan covers the Georgia Avenue corridor from the edge of downtown Silver Spring at Spring Street to Dennis Avenue. It is intended to consider land use and transportation strategies, including…
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Council Votes to Prohibit Discrimination of Natural Hairstyles
Montgomery County became the first local jurisdiction to prohibit discrimination on the basis of natural hairstyles with the passage this week of the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. The bill, which the County Council passed unanimously, would add a definition of race to the underlying anti-discrimination law to specify…