The Montgomery County Council will return to session Tuesday after a month-long recess and is scheduled to tackle reproductive health, growth and infrastructure,.

The council will meet at 9 a.m. in the Stella Werner Council Office Building in Rockville for its regular weekly business meeting. Here’s what to expect:

Commitment to reproductive rights

The council will vote on a proposed resolution that would affirm its commitment to reproductive rights by recommending that county agencies pursue opportunities and coordinate with each other to protect people and entities that are providing, assisting, seeking, or obtaining reproductive health services in Montgomery County. The proposed resolution would also support a proposed Maryland constitutional amendment to protect the right to reproductive freedom and encourage residents to vote in favor of the constitutional amendment when it appears on the election ballot this November.

The vote will be followed by a press conference led by council Vice President Kate Stewart (D-Dist. 4) that’s expected to provide more details on actions the council wants the county government to take on the issue.

Growth and Infrastructure Policies

The council will be briefed by planning officials on proposed county Growth and Infrastructure Policies for the years 2024-2028. The policies are adopted by the council periodically to enforce the county’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, which has a goal of “synchronizing development with the availability of public facilities needed to support that development,” according to the council agenda packet.

The policies are updated every four years to ensure that the tools used for evaluating the impacts of development reflect the latest growth patterns and trends in the county. The policies are also written to help determine if the county’s public infrastructure is adequate to meet the demands of certain development. The Montgomery County Planning Board produces the policies proposal for council approval.

The 55-page proposal focuses heavily on the goals of the Thrive Montgomery 2050 plan, an update to the county’s general master plan that was adopted in 2022 and is expected to guide development for the next 30 years.

The plan focuses on topics such as where growth should occur in the county, what type of housing is needed, what new communities should look like, how to grow arts and culture countywide, transportation networks, and the future of county parks.

“A growing, diverse community requires a mix of housing that is attainable for different income levels and household sizes. This housing must be accessible to jobs and other amenities through timely public infrastructure that also helps attract economic development and enhances environmental health and sustainability,” the proposal abstract from the Planning Board says.

Following the presentation by planning officials, the council will host a public hearing for residents to share their views on the proposal.

Because of the proposed policies, the council will also introduce a bill at the request of the Planning Board that would update the county’s transportation impact tax districts. It would also modify when development impact tax exemptions are applicable for development in certain locations the policies focus on, including areas such as the Great Seneca communities, White Oak and North Bethesda that the county is working to develop.

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For the 6% of Marylanders who do not have health care coverage, getting a COVID-19 vaccine could be more expensive than in previous years — costing upwards of $200 for one shot.

That’s because a federal program that provided free vaccinations for those uninsured and underinsured ended in late August, even as federal health officials are urging people to get the newest version of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Bridge Access Program was created at the height of the global health crisis. But as the severity of the pandemic waned over the years, so has federal funding to keep those programs active.

“If you are someone who is uninsured or underinsured … the Bridge Program was designed to cover those kinds of folks. And those folks right now have limited options for getting vaccinated,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

That has left state and local health departments scrambling to find resources to help vaccinate the uninsured population for COVID-19 ahead of the holidays.

“The timing is unfortunate, to say the least,” Nina Ashford, chief of public health services at the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services.

The Maryland Department of Health is working to buy vaccines that it can make available uninsured residents, but first needs to find funding. After that, other details will have to be worked out, said state officials, such as determining how best to distribute vaccines. A state official said the department is optimistic it can work it out.

Some county health departments are also weighing their options while they wait to hear more from the state.

A communications officer with the Anne Arundel County Department of Health said in an email that it is trying to determine if it can buy COVID-19 vaccines to help uninsured residents, but those details are not yet finalized either.

Other counties may struggle to secure additional vaccines for uninsured residents, Ashford said.

“We’re going to be relying on our community-based partners, our federally qualified health centers that serve our residents to fill in the gap, because we don’t have the vaccine supply or the budgetary dollars to be able to do that,” she said.

Meanwhile, Benjamin believes that the end of the federal program is troubling.

“We want to get everybody vaccinated, but now we have a system that doesn’t have everybody in it,” Benjamin said.

There is still coverage for some of the most vulnerable populations. The federal Vaccines for Children program just passed its 30th year of providing free vaccinations for children of low-income families, which includes the COVID-19 vaccine. Those aged 65 and older can have COVID-19 vaccinations covered by Medicare, the federal health care plan for retirees. Medicaid also covers the vaccine for low-income residents.

But for everyone else, Benjamin worries that the additional cost could lead to fewer adults getting vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that as of May, the most recent date for which it has numbers, only 22.5% of adults nationally had reported getting a dose of last year’s COVID-19 vaccine.

As of now, options are slim for uninsured residents.

Benjamin recommends calling local health departments to see if there are free clinics or other options to get a free COVID-19 shot before paying out of pocket. He also noted that adults without underlying conditions are less likely to suffer from severe disease.

“If you’re young and healthy and don’t have any chronic diseases – I always encourage you to get vaccinated – but you’re not the first-line priority population,” he said. “If you’re somebody who has underlying chronic disease and you’re uninsured, I encourage you to call your state or local health department and talk with them to see what your options are.”

While it is not as severe as surges in previous pandemic years, Maryland and the rest of the nation are currently experiencing higher COVID-19 hospitalizations due to a summer spike, and a winter spike is expect just around the corner. According to the most recent data from the Maryland Department of Health, more than 250 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 in the first few days of September. More than a dozen Marylanders still die every week from the disease, the department reports.

Ashford noted that the recent uptick in cases and infections will provide some immunity and defense for those who have recently caught and recovered from the virus. But she thinks the end of the Bridge Access Program will make it harder for the uninsured to use one of the main tools to defend against COVID-19 infections — a vaccination.

“We have a tool that works. We know that immunizations are key to preventing adverse outcomes. And were going into the holiday season, we’re going into the back-to-school season,” she said. “We don’t have this resource at our disposal, and it almost feels like we didn’t learn very much from the pandemic.”

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: editor@marylandmatters.org. Follow Maryland Matters on Facebook and X.

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Editor’s note: This story, published at 3:10 p.m. on Sept. 9, 2024, was updated at 3:40 p.m. on Sept. 9, 2024, to add information from police that the driver has not been charged. It was updated at 5:40 p.m. to include a statement from WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Kishia L. Powell.

A WSSC Water employee has been identified as the victim of the fatal pedestrian collision that occurred early Sunday in Silver Spring, according to Montgomery County police.

Ernest Joseph Dyson, 39, of Clinton was working when he was struck by a driver of a black 2011 Volkswagen CC at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Rodney Road, police said Monday in a statement. WSSC Water provides water and wastewater services to customers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, according to its website.

WSSC Water General Manager and CEO Kishia L. Powell said in a statement Monday afternoon that the WSSC Water organization was “heartbroken and honestly still in shock” following news of Dyson’s death.

According to Powell, Dyson, who worked at WSSC Water for 18 years, was responding to a water main break in Silver Spring when he was fatally struck early Sunday.

“This is a sad reminder of the risks our front-line water heroes face in service to our 1.9 million customers,” Powell said. “…Ernest was the embodiment of professionalism and public service … [and] a dedicated and highly respected member of the Utility Services Department.”

Powell said that the WSSC Water would continue to support Dyson’s family and team following the “senseless tragedy.”

At approximately 4:40 a.m. officers and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service crews responded to the scene of the collision for a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle, police said. The collision occurred in the Hillandale neighborhood of Silver Spring near Hillandale Local Park.

An investigation revealed the driver of the vehicle was allegedly “intoxicated” and traveling southbound on New Hampshire Avenue when the collision occurred, according to police.

Dyson was pronounced dead at the scene. The adult driver was uninjured, according to a police statement issued Sunday.

The driver of the vehicle has not been charged, police spokesperson Casandra Tresler said in an email Monday.

Tresler said that the department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit “thoroughly investigates” fatal collision cases and investigations can take up to eight weeks to complete. When the investigation is complete, the case is presented to the State’s Attorney’s Office for review and the potential determination of charges.

Detectives are asking those who may have witnessed the collision to call 240-773-6620. The investigation is active and ongoing.

WSSC Water did not immediately respond to MoCo360’s email and phone call requests for comment Monday afternoon.

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When it comes to things to do each week, there’s no place quite like Montgomery County. The region is a hub for activities of all sorts, from art exhibits and theater to craft fairs, food festivals and inventive workshops. Yet with all the happenings across the area, it can be a challenge to figure out exactly what to do. To get started, here are our top picks for the week.

Haga clic aquí para leer este artículo en español.

Friday and Saturday: The Long Branch Festival

8746 Flower Ave., Silver Spring
Sept. 13, 5-9 p.m.; Sept.14, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

This neighborhood festival brings the community together to celebrate its diversity through a zumba class, live music, a science show and more. Attendance is free with food, drink and goods for purchase.

Saturday: Colores art exhibit opening reception

Blackrock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown
Sept. 14, 4-7 p.m.

The viewing of this art exhibit of local Latino artists is from Sept. 7 through Nov. 3, but the opening reception is on Sept. 14. Enjoy appetizers, a cash bar and networking opportunities with a free ticket.

Saturday: Armenian Cultural Night

F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville
Sept. 14, 6 p.m.

The Armenian Youth Center of Greater Washington Inc. will celebrate Armenian heritage through folk dance and song. Tickets start at $75 for non-members.

Sunday: Ride for the Reserve

Sugarloaf Citizens Association, 20900 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson
Sept. 15, 8 a.m.

The Montgomery County Farm Tour is a bike ride around Montgomery County and/or a picnic at Linden Farm. Bike ride lengths span up to 62 miles. Tickets start at $17.96 and help support Montgomery County’s rural economy. 

The whole weekend: The Washington Ukrainian Festival

St. Andrews Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, 15100 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring
Sept. 13, 5-8 p.m.; Sept. 14, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Sept. 15, 11 a.m. – dusk

This three-day festival features Ukrainian food, performances, children’s activities and a Kozak beer garden. Friday is free admission, Saturday and Sunday together costs $20 and Sunday alone costs $15. Those under the age of 21 receive free admission, and a portion of proceeds provides humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

And one event worth the trip: In the Streets in Frederick, MD

Downtown Frederick, MD
Sept. 14, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Take a trip up to the historic downtown of Frederick, MD, for its In the Streets Festival. The streets shut down and the businesses open up for a day of food, music, vendors and fun. Before businesses hit the streets, you can partake in the Market Street Mile race. Afterward, check out the Up The Creek Party for ages 21 and up or the family-friendly Great Frederick Fair.

For more events this fall, check out our September and October calendar of events.

Aquí está qué hacer en el Condado de Montgomery esta semana

Muy pronto.

Looking for more things to do around Montgomery County this week? Our arts and culture section spotlights the latest and greatest things to do in the region. Plus, take a peek at our family and education content for happenings impacting you and your family.

For foodies, our food and drink vertical has everything you need to know about openings, closing and the hottest spots to eat throughout the community. You won’t want to miss any of it!

Please call ahead or check online to confirm events for potential cancelations and updates.

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The Gaithersburg High School marching band roared and a crowd cheered as a RideOn bus dotted with lime green stars and filled with public officials pulled into Traville Gateway Transit Center next to The Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville on Monday morning, winning by minutes a race between two buses traveling the new Lime and Pink bus routes in Montgomery County.

The Pink and Lime RideOn bus routes, which opened Sunday, are part of the county’s Great Seneca Transit Network bus service initiative and have endpoints at the Shady Grove Metrorail Station and the Traville Gateway Transit Center/Universities at Shady Grove. The Pink line travels along Shady Grove Road while the Lime line is an express route that goes along I-370 and Medical Center Drive.

The Great Seneca Transit Network is being developed by the county to increase transit options for residents in the Gaithersburg and Rockville areas who are located farther from Metro stations and other public transportation options, according to county officials. At a cost of $26 million, the Pink and Lime lines are considered the first phase of the project. The second phase will include two additional bus routes, Cobalt and Gray.

The new routes provide a high-frequency service with buses arriving every 10 to 15 minutes on weekdays and 30 minutes on weekends. As part of the expansion, MCDOT made pedestrian and bicycle enhancements along the bus route corridors and installed new weather-protected bus stations with real-time route monitoring. Chris Conklin, director of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, said at Monday’s press conference with public officials that the project cost $26 million.

“It’s a part of the regional transportation system investment that we’re making. We cannot be successful if we cannot build out our transit network. We continue to lag,” County Executive Marc Elrich said at the press conference. “But this is important for us, and I’m really glad that we were able to get this done.”

According to Conklin, the new routes significantly cut down on the travel and wait times experienced with previous routes.

The new routes cut the travel time on buses between the Rio and Crown shopping centers in Gaithersburg and the Shady Grove Metro station by half, according to county officials. They also reduce the travel time between The Universities of Shady Grove and the Shady Grove Metro station by 80%.

“It used to take nearly an hour to get to Crown from here, now it takes 10 minutes. It used to take 41 minutes to get to Shady Grove Adventist Hospital from the Metro station. It now takes 21 minutes on this new service,” Conklin said at Monday’s press conference at Traville Gateway Transit Center at Traville Gateway Drive and Gudelsky Drive following the bus race. 

Conklin said that RideOn bus ridership has returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels and noted the system has made a number of improvements over the past nine months to try to improve the rider experience.

Councilmember Evan Glass (D-At-large), who attended the conference and chairs the council’s Transportation and Environment Committee, said he appreciates the “holistic approach” that was taken with the Pink and Lime routes expansion. Montgomery County was one of the first county governments in the United States to initiate a Vision Zero plan, with the goal of eliminating all traffic-related deaths by 2030.

“We have created 15 new crosswalks. We have brought 10 bus stops closer to those crosswalks. We’ve upgraded five intersections and restriped two roadways to make sure that our buses and bicyclists and pedestrians and cars are safer throughout our community,” Glass said. “So this might seem like it is a bus network, but it is a safe public transportation, pedestrian-friendly transit network.”

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Montgomery County police and firefighters responded to a fire in a furniture store on Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring on Saturday night and officers found an injured woman nearby. [DC News Now]

Marriott taps retired Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce as ‘Fanbassador’

Bethesda-based Marriott International Inc. has hired retired Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jason Kelce to serve as its “Fanbassador,” helping to pitch its Courtyard brand and customer loyalty program. [Washington Business Journal]

Runners take off in Parks Half Marathon

A Pennsylvania man and a woman from Washington, D.C., were the winners of Sunday’s annual Parks Half Marathon in Montgomery County, which started at the Redland Metro stop and wound through parts of Rock Creek Park. [WTOP]

Today’s weather: Sunny, with a high near 77

In case you missed it:

Touchdown: Girls flag football debuts in Montgomery County

Pedestrian killed in Silver Spring collision

Man to serve 30 years in prison for Rockville shootout

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A Silver Spring man is facing a murder charge in connection with the fatal shooting on Labor Day of another man in downtown Silver Spring, according to Montgomery County police.

Jeriel Demitri Martin, 33, was arrested Friday and charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony/violent crime in the Sept. 2 death of Jamar Emmanuel Jenifer, 34, of Washington, D.C., police said Saturday in a statement.   

On Sept. 2, officers and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service crews responded at about 9:42 a.m. to the 8000 block of 13th Street, which is about a block from the county line with Washington, D.C., and found Jenifer suffering from gunshot wounds, according to police.

Despite lifesaving efforts, Jenifer was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. 

Martin was identified as a suspect during an investigation, according to Saturday’s statement. He was arrested after detectives executed a search and seizure warrant at his home and recovered “items of evidentiary value connecting him” to the shooting.

Martin was transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit in Rockville where he is being held without bond, the statement said.

Online court records for Martin were unavailable Sunday.

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A man was killed when he was struck by a vehicle early Sunday in Silver Spring, according to Montgomery County police.

Officers and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service crews responded shortly after 4:30 a.m. to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in the area of New Hampshire Avenue and Rodney Road, police said Sunday morning in a statement. 

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said. The adult driver of the vehicle was uninjured.  

No information about how the collision occurred was provided.

Police are investigating the collision and will provide the name of the pedestrian following the proper notification of next of kin, the statement said.

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A 21-year-old man is expected to serve 30 years in prison for his involvement in a shooting in a Rockville neighborhood in March 2023, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Callen Baker of Jefferson, Maryland, was sentenced Friday to 400 years in prison with all but 30 years suspended plus five years of supervised probation upon release by Montgomery County  Circuit Court Judge Marielsa Bernard, who also recommended Baker be admitted to the Patuxent Youthful Offenders Program while incarcerated, the state’s attorney’s office said Friday in a statement.

In May, a Circuit Court jury convicted Baker of 18 counts of first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, use of a firearm in commission of a crime of violence and reckless endangerment. Baker’s co-conspirator, Zachary Ciccantelli, 24, of Rockville was convicted of the same charges. Ciccantelli faces sentencing Sept. 13.

According to authorities, Baker and Ciccantelli arrived at the Fireside Park apartment complex in the 700 block of Monroe Street around 3:45 p.m. on March 1, 2023, and Ciccantelli opened fire on a group of people recording a music video. Baker provided Ciccantelli with the handgun and drove the getaway vehicle. Several of the males involved in the music video fired back and multiple bullets struck occupied apartment buildings in the neighborhood.

During an investigation, county police recovered more than 20 shell casings and one privately manufactured firearm from the scene.

Video collected by police from a nearby doorbell camera and a Montgomery County Public Schools bus captured the altercation as one person fled the shooting and Baker and Ciccantelli escaped in a getaway car, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

“If you’re willing to engage in this type of activity you belong in jail, and for a long time. There was zero regard for the innocent lives in close proximity to the reckless gunfire. We thank the judge for this sentence, which should send a clear message that this terrifying behavior will not be tolerated,” State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in the statement.

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In the Richard Montgomery High School football stadium Wednesday night, a sideline packed with teenage girls jumped and cheered as their Springbrook High School teammate ran with a football down the field.  

Eventually, an opposing player from Albert Einstein High School brought the runner to a halt by capturing one of the detachable flags hanging from her uniform. But that didn’t take away from the students’ excitement of almost scoring getting a touchdown in one of the first-ever Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) girls flag football games.  

Wednesday night was the kickoff for the school system’s high school girls flag football season, making MCPS one of four Maryland districts to add the sport to their roster of high school athletic teams while also providing county students an opportunity to participate in a typically male-dominated sport.  

“I’ve been watching football all my life,” said senior Kesare Bakare, a co-captain of the Gaithersburg High School flag football team. “I wanted to be able to play it in an actual [team] setting.” 

Flag football has been gaining popularity over the years, according to CBS, because the fast-paced sport poses less risk of injury when compared to tackle football. The biggest difference between flag and tackle football is the lack of tackling, but there are also other rule differences. The size of the playing field also is smaller and there are fewer players on the field than in traditional football, according to NFL flag football. Organized flag football leagues for all genders have increased over the years, and the sport also will be debuting at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to USA Football. 

For Montgomery County, the idea of bringing girls flag football to schools came from student surveys identifying interest in the sport, MCPS Director of Systemwide Athletics Jeffrey Sullivan told MoCo360. After discussions with the Baltimore Ravens and athletic wear company Under Armour brought in grant funding for equipment and uniforms, the sport became a reality for MCPS. Grant funding also paid for other expenses, including coach stipends, transportation and awards, according to MCPS.  

More than 600 students are playing flag football this fall, according to Sullivan. “With every checkpoint, it has more than exceeded the excitement level and the experience for our student athletes and coaches,” he said. 

MCPS joined Baltimore City and Washington County public schools to pilot the girls flag football program this fall, while Frederick County Public Schools entered its second season after piloting the sport last year.  

Wednesday’s opening night took place at four county high schools: Richard Montgomery and Thomas S. Wootton in Rockville, Paint Branch in Burtonsville and Seneca Valley in Germantown. All 25 teams took part in opening ceremonies held at all four high schools and 24 got their first taste of competing in flag football during games played that night.  

“I was at Wootton and Seneca Valley, and the energy was just–it’s hard to put into words,” Sullivan said. “My job ultimately is to create opportunities and spaces for student-athletes to thrive. … It’s really surreal when you’re watching it unfold in front of your eyes.”  

In the lead up to the sport’s debut, Sullivan said the district tried to “build momentum.” It held skills clinics for players interested in joining, opportunities that Tina Fitzpatrick, athletic director at Einstein High School in Kensington, said helped get more students involved.  

“We’re not just like dropping it out of nowhere,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s not up to just our schools to get it off the ground, but we’ve done it kind of together as a collective county effort, which I think shows in the amount of girls that are participating.”  

For Bakare, along with her co-captains Yvette Larios and Edita Kentale, both juniors, joining the Gaithersburg High team came down to wanting to try something new and get involved in a sport they loved. 

“I used to watch YouTube videos of people [playing] flag football,” Kentale said. “I was like, ‘I want to do this. … I want to be part of a team sport where we’re all working together.’ ”  

The three also play other sports, with Bakare and Kentale participating in track and field and Larios swimming and playing soccer. None of the trio had played flag football before, though, an aspect of the new sport that Fitzpatrick said makes it more approachable.  

Larios said the members of the Gaithersburg team have grown close in part because they are learning flag football strategies and rules together. After clinics in June, tryouts and practices for teams began in mid-August in preparation for the September opening.  

“These girls, they’re all brand new,” Larios said. “We’re all starting at the same level and we’re growing together. So, it makes us even closer.”   

However, learning the new sport wasn’t easy, the players said. 

“When you’re not used to people coming at you, a natural instinct is to block or push them away right? So, with flag football, you can’t do that,” Larios said. “So learning how to not push people away when they’re running at you … is really hard.” 

And there are aspects of the game and plenty of new vocabulary that the girls said they had to get used to. It took a lot of repetition to remember lingo such as “blitzer” or “line of scrimmage,” and even more repetition to memorize strategic plays. 

Despite the challenges, they said they learned about the value of teamwork–especially Kentale and Bakare, who typically compete in non-team sports.  

“One of my coaches said, ‘How you do anything is how you do everything,’ ” Kentale said. “We need to all work together because if one person is down and we don’t try everything to pick them up, it’s going to affect us as a team and how we play.” 

Plus playing flag football has been a lot of fun, both for the players and Jeremy Brown, coach of the Gaithersburg High team. 

“I’m just having a lot of fun working with them and seeing them compete,” Brown said. “I’m coming up with a scheme and what not to win games, but I’m also teaching a lot about the sport and strategy.” 

Brown said providing students with more opportunities to play sports gives them the chance to learn how to be a team member as well as how to lose and to deal with adversity. 

“If an opportunity comes up and you feel like you’re down to do it, having options like this is really, really good,” Larios said. “You learn more about yourself as an individual, and you also learn more about opportunities that you can get.”  

Those new opportunities are reflected in the division names for the 25 flag football teams: Dreamers, Pioneers, Innovators and Trailblazers. Sullivan said the divisions were intentionally named “for what our students are doing with this initiative.”  

“This really allows girls … an opportunity to play football for some of us [who] actually enjoy the sport,” Kentale said. “It shows that women can also do anything.”  

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