The County Council will add two members in the 2022 election with the passage of Question C, according to unofficial election results posted shortly before 1 a.m. this morning (Nov. 4). The ballot question garnered more than 62% of the vote for the change, while about 37.5% voted against the question.
The County Council is looking for applicants to fill the 11 seats on the Commission on Redistricting, a group that will recommend a plan for drawing council districts following the 2020 census. Voters today face two ballot questions that could change the number of districts from the current five. One would add two districts, keeping the four at-large positions. The other would eliminate at-large members in favor of creating nine districts, each represented by one councilmember.
The county has launched an online survey to get residents’ opinions about the county police department, County Executive Marc Elrich announced yesterday. The survey is intended to gather information for use by the administration and its recently formed Reimagining Public Safety Task Force.
Parking rates in downtown Silver Spring and the rest of the Silver Spring Parking Lot District will increase beginning Monday, Nov. 2, the county’s Department of Transportation has announced. The rates will change at the county-operated garages, surface lots and street parking meters, including the Montgomery Hills area, part of the PLD.
County detectives from the 3rd District have released surveillance video of suspects in a robbery in downtown Silver Spring and are asking for the public’s help to identify them. The incident occurred on Sept. 30 at about 4:40 p.m. in the 1200 block of Fidler Lane. The victim was a 31-year-old woman who was walking her dog at the time.
With the increase in COVID-19 cases detected locally and around the country, county officials are evaluating whether there’s a need to roll back recent reopening provisions. Dr. Travis Gayles, the county’s health officer, has updated the indicators used to guide local decision-making regarding the restrictions intended to curb the spread of the virus.
Silver Branch Brewing Co. has been awarded a gold medal for one of its entries into the Great American Beer Festival, held last week by the Brewers Association, which bills it as the premier festival and competition for small and craft brewers. The brewery’s entry, Beyond the Gnome World, won in the Classic Saison category, besting 79 other entries. The festival, held online this year, attracted brewers who entered about 7,000 products in 90 different categories.
An unidentified male suspect smashed a plate glass window and broke into Denizens Brewing Co. Sunday morning (Oct. 18), according to Julie Verratti, co-founder and chief brand officer. “We got a call from our alarm company at about 9:25 a.m.,” she said. “We went over to the building immediately. On the camera, you could see that the guy broke in right as the alarm company called on Sunday morning.”
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 3rd District Investigative Section are seeking public help to identify three suspects in an armed robbery in downtown Silver Spring. The incident occurred shortly before 10 p.m. on Aug. 27 in the 8800 block of Colesville Road. The victim, a 61-year-old man, reported that he was entering his apartment building when the suspects, one of whom had a handgun, approached him.