NOTEWORTHY NOTES

Ride On Moving from Paper Passes to Electronic SmarTrip Card

Ride On passengers are now able to load monthly passes onto their SmarTrip� cards. The $45 monthly pass provides customers unlimited rides on Ride On buses for an entire calendar month.  Monthly passes can be loaded onto SmarTrip� cards either in person or online.  When adding value online, customers have the option to purchase monthly passes automatically.  The monthly pass value is then added automatically to a purchaser�s card seven days before the end of each month.

Customers who prefer to add the monthly pass value to a SmarTrip� card in person, may do so at transit stores in Silver Spring and Friendship Heights, at County offices in downtown Rockville, or at various retail stores.

Paper passes, including the YouthCruiserPass, are being phased out.  Passengers can still pay fares with cash, but the Ride On monthly pass saves more than 40% over paying cash fares on regular Ride On routes.

For information, go to the Division of Transit Services' website or call 311 (TTY, call 301-251-4850) Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

New Policy Changes at Public Libraries = More Access to More Materials

To help ensure that Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) customers have increased access to the materials/items they need from the system�s collection, four policy changes take effect on Sunday, February 17.

The changes will enable customers to:

1. increase the number of checkouts on their account from 50 items to 100 items;
2. place 30 holds, rather than 15; 
3. check out 20 DVDs (increased from 10); and
4. renew items three times (rather than twice), as long as there is not another customer waiting for the item.

Help Others Learn to Read � Be an Adult Literacy Volunteer 

The Literacy Council of Montgomery County will hold an information session for volunteers interested in helping adults learn to read, write, or speak English on Wednesday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rockville Memorial Library.

Once volunteers have completed the information session, they can select a two-part training session that fits their schedules.

Call 301-610-0030, email info@literacycouncilmcmd.org or visit www.literacycouncilmcmd.org.

Polar Bear Swim for Individuals with Disabilties 



Individuals with disabilities and their families and friends can have fun together on Saturday, March 2 at the Polar Bear Family Swimming Pool Party at the Germantown Indoor Swim Center n the South Germantown Recreational Park, 18000 Central Park Circle, Boyds, beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Pick up time is 9:30 p.m.

Swim a few laps, streak down the water slides, shoot baskets or relax in the leisure pool/hot tub. $4 per person; $6 for non-residents, bring swimsuit, towel and backpack to store your belongings while swimming.

Anyone attending must register � under course #344096 -- and come in swim attire.

For more information, call 240-777-6870.

�Virtual Tours� of Montgomery County Sites from Heritage Montgomery  

It may be cold and blustery outside � so fire up your computer and enjoy a little trip around the County from the comfort of your own home, courtesy of  Heritage Montgomery.

Short �travelogues� -- video clips running from two to six minutes -- were originally part of the Paths to the Present series, which ran on County Cable Montgomery.  The first five installments feature:

The C&O Canal and Monocacy
Aqueduct in Dickerson 

The C&O Canal and Monocacy Aqueduct in Dickerson � view scenes along the canal; hear about construction of the magnificent aqueduct completed in 1833.

White�s Ferry in Poolesville

White�s Ferry in Poolesville � learn about the cable ferry that has transported vehicles and walk-on passengers across the Potomac since 1828.

Madison House in Brookeville

Madison House in Brookeville � discover the now beautifully restored 1790 home that provided refuge for President James Madison when he fled the British attack on the White House during the War of 1812.

Clara Barton House in Glen Echo

Clara Barton House in Glen Echo � take a look at the life of the founder of the American Red Cross and her home which served as the organization�s first headquarters.

Jeb Stuart Visits Rockville

Jeb Stuart Visits Rockville � re-live General Jeb Stuart�s four-hour stop in Rockville on his way to meet General Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg in 1863.

For more information about Heritage Montgomery, visit  http://heritagemontgomery.org.

Apply for Projects that Reduce Stormwater Runoff; Higher RainScapes Rewards Rebates Available

The Department of Environmental Protection�s RainScapes Rewards program has increased its rebate limits to $2,500 for residential properties and $10,000 for institutional, homeowner association common areas and commercial properties.

Residents currently working on a project will be eligible for the higher level rebate.  Residents who have already completed a project may be eligible for the higher rebates for new projects.

Most rainfall on urban surfaces -- such as roofs, driveways, roads, parking lots and patios -- ends up as stormwater runoff, which can carry pollutants into streams and damage stream banks and habitats. RainScapes techniques include rain gardens, conservation landscapes, canopy trees, green roofs, permeable pavements, rain barrels, cisterns and dry wells that allow rainfall to soak into the ground where it can replenish groundwater and recharge streams.


Honor Roll Students Skate Free



Not only do good grades count, they can save you money, as well. Now through March 8, Honor Roll students in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) can skate free at the Silver Spring Skating Rink at Veterans Plaza (corner of Fenton St. and Ellsworth Dr.)

Bring your MCPS report card and student ID and receive one free skating pass, with skates.

Questions? Call 301-588-1221.

Public-Private Partnership Helps Build Hope for Animals

Thanks to a public-private partnership between the County and private-sector non-profit mcpaw (Montgomery County Partners for Animal Well-Being), the new state-of-the art Animal Shelter and Adoption Center is taking shape at the intersection of Muncaster Mill and Airpark roads in Derwood.

Mcpaw, is an independent non-profit created to provide financial support for the center. Funds raised by mcpaw will provide enhanced facilities and meet future equipment needs of the Animal Services and Adoption Center.

The 49,160 square-foot Animal Services and Adoption Center is expected to open in the summer of 2013.

Learn more about the animal shelter project and the mcpaw partnership.

MAKING NEWS

County�s Innovation-Related Economy Helps Maryland to a Top Five Ranking in Nation

�Locally led innovation is the key to meeting the challenge of restructuring the American economy,� according to the Next Economy Partnership Project, of NDN, a leading think tank and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, and the New Policy Institute.

Highlighting the importance of the relationship between local innovation and economic recovery for the country, the 2012 State New Economy Index ranks the 50 states according to their adoption of an innovation fueled economy.

In the index released by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Maryland ranks fifth in the country. Massachusetts holds the top spot, followed by Delaware, Washington and California.
The report states, �Maryland occupies fifth place and Virginia sixth. Their high rankings are due primarily to high concentrations of knowledge workers, many employed with the federal government or related contractors in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.�

The report builds on prior State New Economy Indexes published in 1999, 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2010. Overall, the report uses 26 indicators, divided into five key areas that best capture what is new about the New Economy:  knowledge jobs, globalization, economic dynamism, the digital economy and innovation capacity.

See the 2012 State New Economy Index.

Montgomery County is Only U.S. Representative at International Conference in Taiwan; Environmental Protection Director Gives Recycling Presentation 

Photo caption: CountyDEP Director Bob Hoyt (far left) joins representatives from the other countries that participated in the 2012 International Conference on Resource Recycling in Taipei City, Taiwan.  While many local residents were making plans for Thanksgiving travels, dinner or entertaining, Department of Environmental Protection Director Bob Hoyt was half way around the world talking to an international audience about the County�s recycling program.

Other than host Taipei City, Montgomery County was the only local government invited to participate in the �International Conference on Resource Recycling 2012� and the sole representative from the United States. The focus of the four-day conference was zero waste generation. The County was invited to participate based on a recommendation from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and all expenses were paid by the Taiwan EPA.

Hoyt�s presentation described how the County�s recycling program operates, including our newly established recycling goal of 70%, one of the highest in the country. He provided information on our waste reduction efforts, including the bag law, how our collections are handled, and how outreach and education are major parts of our overall program.

The attendees visited recycling centers in Taipei and learned about the system that rewards residents for dropping off recyclables. (There are no curbside collections.)  When residents bring in their materials and based on the weight of their recyclables, customers receive �gift� credits. With the credits, residents can purchase basic food and household items.

Hoyt said that, for him, one of the most vivid impressions of the conference was that �once the other countries heard about our recycling program, it became clear that we could hold our own with any of them.�   Although he picked up on some ways we might be able to improve, the DEP director said, �As a whole system, there is no one better [than ours].�

Presentations were also given by representatives from Brazil, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Sweden.

Local Diver�s Story Featured on NBC-News 4

The Recreation Department recently worked with NBC 4 to share the story of Melissa Novak a 14-year old National Dive Team member who has overcome significant challenges to dive competitively at the national level and will likely be a top competitor in the 2016 Olympic trials.

The interview was taped in December at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver Aquatic Center in North Bethesda where Melissa trains.

Melissa lives in Frederick and is driven by her mother each weekday to the center in Bethesda.  This speaks volumes not only about the teen�s dedication to diving but to the quality of the programs, staff and facilities � such as the Shriver and Germantown centers  -- that are available through the County�s Recreation Department and are attracting out-of-county swimmers and divers.

See and hear Melissa�s story.

Various Media Find a Good Story in the Inmate/Library Book Repair Program

The story of the inmate library book repair program at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility (MCCF) in Clarksburg has spread even farther afield thanks to coverage from various media outlets over the past few months.

Back in October, Germantown Patch featured a piece by editor Tiffany Arnold entitled �Inmates in Boyds Fix Broken Books for �Good Time Credit.�

The University of Maryland�s Capital News Service also picked up on the story in October with reporter Lyndsey Wallen�s �Inmate Bindings � Inmates Work to Give Old Book New Life.�
The program at MCCF appeared on the Post Local �Rosenwald, Md.� blog in November.

That same month, Voice of America writer/producer Julia Taboh visited the MCCF for more than two hours getting footage and interviewing both the inmates repairing books and Warden Rob Green. Read the VOA piece that was published in December.

Good works getting good coverage.

Office of Consumer Protection Part of ABC News Report on Towing

The Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) was included in a recent ABC News feature on the towing industry entitled: �On the Hook: Confessions from the Tow Yard.�

OCP Director Eric Friedman is interviewed about the activity used by some towers of luring unsuspecting drivers to park in no-parking areas, then towing them. There is also a scene shot at a local site detailing that a car can be hooked up and towed within 20 seconds.

openMontgomery Web Portal featured in �Government Technology�

The County�s new openMontgomery site is featured in this month�s �Government Technology�s,� govtech.com online news service.

Chief Information Officer, Sonny Segal said the open government platform has been well received since it was launched in December 2012.

Two Vietnam Veterans to Share Experiences in Programs at Public Libraries

Two Vietnam veterans will share their experiences in programs to be held at Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) branches in November.

Entitled �Back to Vietnam� and �Reflections of an Army Nurse on Serving in Vietnam,� the programs are hosted by MCPL in partnership with the County�s Commission on Veterans Affairs.

�Back to Vietnam� 

Presented by Mike Marceau, a Purple Heart recipient and vice president of the local chapter of Veterans for Peace. In April 2012, a group of U.S. military veterans returned to Vietnam for a "Peace and Reconciliation" tour to see the country and meet with groups who support victims of Agent Orange spraying.

Marceau will show and discuss a 45-minute film he made during that trip at the following libraries:

• November 13, 7:30 p.m. Bethesda,  7400 Arlington Rd. Call 240-777-0970, TTY 301-657-0840;
• November 26, 7:30 p.m. Rockville Memorial, 21 Maryland Ave. Call 240-777-0140, TTY 240-777-0902; and
• November 29, 7:30 p.m. Twinbrook, 202 Meadow Hall Dr., Rockville. Call 240-777-0240, TTY 240-777-0904.

�Reflections of an Army Nurse on Serving in Vietnam�

Presented by Jane McCarthy who served in the Army Nurse Corps at the 95th Evacuation Hospital in Da Nang, South Vietnam, in 1971 and in the Gulf War in 1991. A founding commissioner on the Montgomery County Veterans Commission, McCarthy is interested in helping returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) issues.

Her program, including commentary and a slide show, will include her experiences with PTSD. She will present programs at the following libraries:

• November 15, 4 p.m. Twinbrook, 202 Meadow Hall Dr., Rockville. Call 240-777-0240, TTY 240-777-0904; and
• November 16, 4 p.m. Rockville Memorial,, 21 Maryland Ave. Call 240-777-0140, TTY 240-777-0902.

Second Chance for Well-Worn Books and New Skills for Inmates; Innovative Library Book Repair Project a Win-Win All Around

Photo captions: Broken or detached spines are one of the most common problems of books delivered for repair. Trained hands give new life to the worn books. Repaired books, now like new, wait to be returned to the shelves of Montgomery County Public Libraries.

Older, well-worn library books are finding new lives back on the shelves at Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) branches thanks to the helping hands of inmates working with the Library Book Repair Project at the County�s Correctional Facility (MCCF) in Clarksburg.

Under the Workforce Re-Entry project, inmates are trained by MCCF to professionally repair damaged books that can then be returned to circulation instead of being discarded from the system. MCCF is also funding the materials necessary for the pilot. Start-up supplies cost $3,300, and no additional costs have been incurred since the project began.

Inmates selected to participate in the program can earn �good time credit� toward reducing their sentence while acquiring new work skills.
The most common problems encountered in book repairs are: broken or detached spines; pencil marks on pages; and ripped, loose or torn pages.

The program was the brainchild of Warden Rob Green who said he came up with the idea last year �in an attempt to reestablish our job shop and workforce development programs inside the jail.� He had heard of a similar corrections-based program some years ago, but a recent check found no other currently in operation.
Read more about the project.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Month of October � Hispanic Heritage Month events. Held at various times and locations through October 21. Check out the complete list.

Thursday, October 18 � Friends of the Library, Montgomery County 25th Literary Luncheon Lecture Series Kickoff. Strathmore Mansion, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda.   Donna Britt, �Washington Post� columnist and Pulitzer Prize-nominated author, will discuss her most recent work, Brothers (& Me): A Memoir of Loving and Giving. In the book, the author uses her experiences with the men in her life to explore universal issues of gender and race. Lecture at 11:30 a.m., followed by book signing and luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Books available for purchase. Tickets from $10 to $21 depending on membership status in FOLMC.  Proceeds benefit FOLMC whose mission is to support and enhance Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL). Call 240-777-0020 or visit www.folmc.org.

Hours to be Restored for Several Public Libraries

Beginning September 16, several Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) branches will be open longer hours.

On that date, all libraries with Sunday hours will open one hour earlier -- at noon -- and remain open until 5 p.m. The libraries are Bethesda, Gaithersburg Interim (Lakeforest Mall), Germantown, Marilyn J. Praisner, Rockville Memorial, Silver Spring and Wheaton.

Also under the new hours, the following branches will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.:  Bethesda, Germantown, Quince Orchard, Rockville Memorial and Wheaton. Friday and Saturday hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at these branches remain unchanged.

Emphasizing the importance of the added hours of operations, County Executive Ike Leggett said, �I am very pleased that this fiscal year, we were finally able to provide funding in the budget to restore hours for at least several branches.  Our libraries are one of the most important services we, as a County, provide and their impact on residents of all ages is tremendous."

�It is thanks to the fact that County Executive Leggett recommended and the County Council approved funding in the budget that we can return hours to some of the branches within the Montgomery County Public Libraries system,� said MCPL Director Parker Hamilton.  �The additional 47 hours per week will mean more opportunities for our customers to access all the resources of these libraries such as books and materials, programs, teen events, study areas, trained library staff and wireless and public computers.�