Montgomery Community Media

Twenty five times as many people applied to be on the newly-created Police Advisory Commission as will be chosen. 219 people applied to sit on the commission, according to Council Vice President Tom Hucker. Council members will choose nine people from the large pool of applicants. The goal of the commission is to improve the […]

The Montgomery County Council continues to allocate funds to help those affected by the global pandemic. On June 23, council members set aside $10.3 million for food insecurity and $565,706 for support services for youth in crisis. The $10.3 million will support local food banks, restaurants and farmers through a public-private partnership with the Greater Washington […]

Police officers in Montgomery spent about 4% of their time responding to calls for violent crime, according to recent data. The New York Times recently conducted a review of wide-ranging data from three police departments across the country. Montgomery County was one of the departments reviewed and the numbers indicate a surprising trend. About 50% […]

To alleviate pressures on Montgomery County police officers, members of the county council took the first steps to hire six behavioral health professionals who would assist police on calls that deal with substance abuse and homelessness. The council introduced legislation on June 23 to allocated $592,202 for the six new employees. A public hearing is […]

Today is Tuesday, June 23, and here are five things to know in Montgomery County. 1. Council in Session:  Montgomery County Council meets virtually at 9:30 a.m. On the agenda: a COVID-19 update from County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles. Watch the meeting streamed live on Facebook (@MontgomeryCountyMDCouncil) and YouTube (@moCoCouncilMD). 2. State Board of Education […]

The Montgomery County Council is asking the county to rename all county-owned streets and public facilities that are currently named after Confederates.  “When we name a street or a building, we are not merely reflecting history. We are using our public funding and assets to bestow a high honor. These public tributes should appropriately reflect […]

Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro discussed the new emergency child care relief fund during an interview with Montgomery Community Media. The fund, approved Tuesday by the county council, will distribute $10 million to child care programs impacted by COVID-19. Approximately $6.5 million will go to childcare centers, while $3.5 million will assist family childcare providers, […]

As thousands protest police brutality and racial injustice throughout the country, the calls to reform police unions — which can stand in the way of prosecuting officers who kill unarmed people of color — are getting louder. Montgomery County Police Department’s union is the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35 (FOP Lodge 35). In a […]

The Department of Justice (DOJ) sent a letter to Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the county council on Wednesday with concerns about the county neglecting religious freedoms under the First Amendment while allowing the freedom to protest.  In the letter, Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Civil Rights Division Eric Dreiband asks Elrich and […]

While child care businesses in Montgomery County continue to suffer financially from COVID-19, a newly introduced special appropriation could provide the industry with funds to reopen. Montgomery County councilmembers Nancy Navarro, Hans Riemer and Andrew Friedson introduced a special appropriation of $10 million in an effort to assist child care businesses suffering financial losses due […]