WSSC Skipped Required Drug-and-Alcohol Checks on About 300 Drivers From 2020 to 2026, Audit Found
WSSC Water did not run federally required drug-and-alcohol database checks on about 300 of its drivers who hold commercial driver’s licenses from January 2020 through March 2026, according to an audit by the utility’s Office of the Inspector General. The audit is dated June 11, 2026, and WSSC posted itContinue Reading
Rockville Shrinks Shady Grove Metro Annexation to 66.4 Acres Ahead of County, City Hearings
The City of Rockville has cut its proposed annexation of the Shady Grove Metro station from 107.9 acres to about 66.4 acres. It keeps the station, rail yard and surface lot on the west side of Metro’s property, plus the CSX railroad right-of-way, and drops the east side with itsContinue Reading
Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical Comes to Imagination Stage in Bethesda, November 21-January 3.
Imagination Stage in Bethesda rings in the holiday season with Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, running November 21, 2026–January 3, 2027. This family favorite features whimsical sets, toe-tapping songs, and the timeless story of a Grinch who discovers the true meaning of Christmas. Tickets start at $16.Continue Reading
Montgomery County Isn’t Processing Care for Kids or Senior Dental Applications, Council Staff Say
Montgomery County is not currently processing applications for two county-funded health programs for low-income, uninsured residents, Care for Kids and Senior Dental, because there are no staff to process them, according to a Montgomery County Council staff report prepared for the council’s Oct. 20 meeting. “Applications are not currently beingContinue Reading
HOC Halts New Section 8 Vouchers Until Spring 2027, Citing HUD Reserve Recapture
The Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County (HOC) has stopped issuing new Housing Choice Vouchers, the federal rent subsidy widely known as Section 8, and does not expect to resume until spring 2027. HOC’s program update page says it is “currently unable to issue any new vouchers under the HCVContinue Reading
MCPS Reports a Preliminary $31.7 Million FY2026 Fund Balance, Far Above Spring Projections
Montgomery County Public Schools finished the 2026 fiscal year on June 30 with $27,939,337 of its operating budget unspent and a fund balance of $31,720,955, according to a year-end report on the Board of Education’s Sept. 24 consent agenda. MCPS calls the figures preliminary until the books close. The $27.9Continue Reading
Trump Administration Drops Appeal Over Public Service Loan Forgiveness Rule, Brown Says
The Trump administration has dropped its appeal of a June 2026 federal court decision that vacated a U.S. Department of Education rule on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced October 23. The rule would have let the administration strip PSLF eligibility from employees ofContinue Reading
MCPS Cut Its Warehouse Lease to Two Years in August; Board Approves Up to $575,750 for Fit-Out Work
The Montgomery County Board of Education amended its lease for a Gaithersburg warehouse on Aug. 12, 2026, cutting the initial term from 10 years to two, through June 30, 2028, according to a superintendent’s memo posted for the Board’s Oct. 22 business meeting. On Thursday, the Board approved a secondContinue Reading
Maryland Attorney General Joins Coalition Opposing Federal Suit to Stop Count of 20,000 California Ballots
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general opposing the Trump administration’s lawsuit against California, which seeks to stop California election officials from counting the ballots of more than 20,000 people the administration has labeled “likely” noncitizens, according to a release from Brown’s office.Continue Reading
MCPS Board Approves Halving the GPA Boost for Honors Courses, Starting Fall 2027
The Montgomery County Board of Education on Thursday unanimously approved a plan that cuts the extra grade-point weight for honors courses in half, from 1.0 to 0.5, beginning in fall 2027. Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and dual enrollment courses keep their full 1.0 weight. Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor’sContinue Reading