Stories for October 2020

Early Voting This Week in Montgomery County

On Election Day, only 39 of the usual 240 polling places will be open; better vote early this week

George Fenster arrived at Potomac Community Recreation Center at 5:20 a.m. Monday morning to get ready for the first day of Early Voting.

Bullis School Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Students and faculty of Bullis School celebrated Founders Festival Week Oct. 19-23 in honor of the 90th birthday of the school’s founder.

Skipping the No-Build Option on Maryland Beltway Toll Lanes?

Montgomery County Council committee seems poised to endorse adding toll lanes to American Legion Bridge and Potomac/Bethesda part of Beltway

County Council appears prepared to go along with adding four toll lanes, plus more, to the American Legion Bridge, and all the way to the I-270 spur and for miles north.

Solar Shines Spotlight on Montgomery County Ag Reserve

Ag Reserve and Solar Update: Town Hall scheduled Nov. 5, 2020; workgroup anticipated; decision expected in January 2021.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Council sent a zoning text amendment that would permit industrial solar in the Agricultural Reserve, land the 1980 Council set aside permanently for agricultural use, back to committee worksessions for more discussion.

House Fire in Potomac Under Investigation

Around 10:30 p.m. Monday, first arriving firefighters on Korman Drive in Potomac encountered a car on fire in the driveway and smoke coming from the house.

Preventing Falls

Physical exercise and home safety reduce risk

One of the leading causes of fatal injuries in older adults is falling.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Don’t Waste Your Vote

Maybe Joe Biden was not your preferred Democratic candidate and you would rather have supported Warren, Klobuchar, Sanders or Buttigieg.

Pausing for Farmland in Montgomery County?

Council rejects task force, but sends solar proposal back to committee; vote by end of this year could allow solar in the Agricultural Reserve

Advocates on two sides of important long-term environmental goals: solar power for sustainable clean energy, and the preservation of farmland for food, have three council work sessions to get in sync.

Vote Early; Election Day Will Bring Challenges in Montgomery County

County to begin early voting Monday, Oct. 26; your regular polling place will likely not be open on Election Day 2020

Early voting in Montgomery County for the 2020 Presidential General Election begins Monday, Oct. 26 and continues through Monday, Nov. 2.

C&O Canal Superintendent speaks at WMCCA meeting

The October meeting of the West Montgomery County Citizens Association (WMCCA) was held via Zoom Wednesday, Oct 14.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: We Are Not Better Off Now

Regarding this 2020 election… never mind that President Trump took children away from their parents at our southern border.

Opinion: Letter to the Editor: Voters: Heroes of the Day

I am just short of 88 years of age and have voted in sixteen elections for president.

National Book Month

Month-long celebration focuses on engaging families in reading, writing and literature

It’s a line from the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, that is at the heart of the literary philosophy of Anne Briggs, web services and communications librarian at Montgomery College Library.

The Buck Stops Here? Or Never Got Going in Montgomery County?

Millions in grant and relief funding to help residents and businesses in need have yet to be distributed by the county.

Montgomery County received $183,336,953 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to help county residents and businesses survive the pandemic.

Potomac Home Sales: September, 2020

In September, 2020, 84 Potomac homes sold between $3,600,000-$555,000.

Potomac Home Sales: September, 2020

U.S. Park Police Charged in Killing of McLean Resident

Family has waited for justice since November 2017 when Bijan Ghaisar was shot.

Latest: Police Officers Turn Themselves In

Opinion: Column: “I’ll Think About That Tomorrow”

What I'm thinking about – and being thankful for, today, is the disappearance of all the side effects I've been experiencing during the last four weeks or so since I began my pill regimen for my papillary thyroid cancer treatment.

Opinion: Column: “And Awaaay We Go!”

As Jackie Gleason would say as he segued from his monologue into the sketch comedy that followed on his Saturday night entertainment hour on CBS.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Montgomery County

Montgomery County began recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day annually on the second Monday of October, historically associated with Columbus Day.

Disparities in Arrests Lead to Questions about Police in Montgomery County Public Schools

Black and Hispanic students twice as likely to be disciplined with suspension all the way back to elementary school.

Black and Latino students are disproportionately affected by routine school discipline, suspensions, and by arrests in Montgomery County Public Schools.

Halloween Is Not Canceled in Montgomery County

But large groups are; county offers guidelines for safe Halloween while residents make plans to celebrate

Halloween, a witch’s brew of fun and fantasy, will need a new recipe for this year.

Home Library Design

Designers offer ideas for spaces with style and comfort.

Once thought of as space for academics to smoke cigars and sip whiskey, the era of covid-19 has transformed home libraries into now cozy places of refuge.

Exercising Inside as Weather Cools and Light Wanes

Fall brings with it the promise of change, falling leaves, shorter days, and cooler weather.

Opinion: Column: An Update About Some Down Time

Not that I want to give you a blow-by-blow concerning my treatment switch over to thyroid cancer from lung cancer, but the last two columns were written four weeks ago in the same week in expectation of a weekend away, so these observations will be new-ish in that they will be hot off the press, so to speak.

Creating a Spooky and Safe Halloween in the Age of COVID-19

Ideas for frightful revelry abound even amid coronavirus concerns.

Cartoon character Marshall from Paw Patrol will be searching for chocolate while a tiny pop star tracks down toys as Arlington mother and teacher Becky Beach and her family celebrate the spookiest day of the year.

West Montgomery County Citizens Association

Last Weekend was a Time to Trot with the Tigers in Potomac

Change is the way of life for 2020, and the Holy Child annual Tiger Trot changed with the times.

Fire Prevention Week: Time to Prepare

Focus on fire safety and general safety at home and in the community.

Oct. 4-10 is National Fire Protection week, and Pete Piringer, Chief Spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service (MCFRS) is encouraging all County residents to be prepared for an emergency.

Landscapes Are Vivid, and Get Haikus, in Steve Moen’s Across the Gorge and Other Spaces Between

Painter Steve Moen ponders time and the human experience through his solo exhibit Across the Gorge and Other Spaces Between.

Potomac: Where Newcomers Become Neighbors

Newcomers to Potomac hoping to learn about the area and make new friends have no further to look than the Potomac Area Neighbors Club, a long-standing women’s organization, a group that truly has something for everyone.

Potomac Almanac Guide to The Potomac River

Potomac is bordered by more than 12 miles of the C&O Canal National Historical Park, including the towpath and the Potomac River.

Where to Give Locally in the Potomac Area

Nonprofits with local missions need your help in this dire crisis

We list many kinds of nonprofits in and around Potomac: food banks, animal adoption, arts, environment, housing; find what appeals to you, and pitch in.

Potomac Day Cancelled This Year

There will be no scouts leading the parade down River Road, no bands, no fancy convertibles, and no candy thrown out for children to scramble for.

Update on COVID in Montgomery County and Potomac

As of Saturday, Sept. 26, the Maryland Department of Health reported that 22,275 Montgomery County residents have tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 804 people have died.

Nature in Potomac

Potomac was not intentionally planned for large houses but it is how many people define us.

Opinion: Commentary: Why I Love Potomac

I love Potomac because it’s a community of people who care about one another.

Houses Selling Fast as Inventory Drops in Potomac

Community, larger homes and yards, nearby parks, great schools drive demand.

Residents love Potomac for many reasons: good schools, convenient to all of Montgomery County and D.C., peaceful neighborhoods, and the sense of community.