To have an item listed mail to 10220 River Road, Suite 303, Potomac, MD 20854, e-mail to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com, or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. Unless otherwise noted, all events are in Potomac. If you have any questions, call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6476.
Li-Ming Toastmasters Club welcomes guests in developing communications and leadership skills on Aug. 6 and Aug. 20 from 10:15-11:30 a.m. at 16039 Comprint Circle, 2nd floor, Gaithersburg. Free to newcomers. Call 301-762-7978 or visit www.li-ming.org/toastmaster.
The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail Study Report is now available for public review and comment through Aug. 16. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasability and desirability of designating Captain John Smith's 1607-1609 voyages of exploration around the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries as a National Historic Trail. Contact Bill Sharp 215-597-1655 or william_sharp@nps.gov. A copy of the study is available at www.nps.gov/nero/josm. Comments can be provided online or by regular mail: Bill Sharp, Northeast Regional Office, National Park Service, 200 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Coffee club for all members meets on the third Tuesday of the month. The next meeting is Aug. 15 at 11 a.m. at White Flint Mall Eatery, 11301 Rockville Pike North, Bethesda. Meet in front along the side. Come out, have a drink, chat and walk. 301-309-2444.
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is seeking input from organizations and groups conducting nutrition and physical activity programs for county residents. The groups are encouraged to fill out a survey online by Friday, Aug. 11 by visiting www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/hhs/obesityprevprog/index.asp. For more information contact Lenora Sherard lenora.sherard@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Tally Ho Toastmasters Club is having a special meeting on Sept. 18 from 8-9 p.m. to kick off their 25th year in Potomac. This is a special meeting designed for guests and new members. Meetings are every first and third Mondays of each month from 8-9 p.m. at the Potomac Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac. Contact Sue Schick for more information at sueschick@comcast.net or 301-838-4703.
Speakers of languages other than English can now find information about Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in one click from the MCPS Web site's home page.
Web sites have been created in Chinese, French, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese to enable non-English-speaking families to more easily find news, documents, and information about services. Links to the sites can be found just below the featured story on the MCPS home page. Each site also can be accessed via the following Web address (simply replace the language name after the slash to go to another language site): www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/chinese.
Each language site links to the Navigating the System guide for parents, Parent Connection newsletter, and Aim High booklets. Each site also features links to streaming video of the Our Schools Today TV program and to the QuickNotes e-mail newsletter. Visitors also will find links to Web sites for English as a Second Language/Bilingual Programs, the Downcounty Consortium, and the Middle School Magnet Consortium. This is the first phase of a project to improve access to information in other languages on the MCPS Web. Information and links on these sites will grow in future months. Suggestions and comments can be e-mailed to the Web Services Team at webmaster@mcpsmd.org
The Maryland Humanities Council (MHC) is pleased to announce that it is the new home of the Maryland Center for the Book (MCFB), one of 50 state affiliates of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. Since 1996 the MCFB has operated under the auspices of Howard County Library. The new statewide Center at the Maryland Humanities Council will include satellite branches at Howard County Library and the Talbot County Free Library, extending the reach of the Center to the Eastern Shore. Visit the Web site at www.mdhc.org.
A community-wide campaign to raise money to replicate the C & O Canal boat at Great Falls, has gotten a boost from the Potomac Area Newcomers Club. The social and philanthropic organization has donated all proceeds from the sale of their 40th anniversary cookbook, "Recipes to Remember," totaling $5,000. With dollar for dollar matching funds from DRS Technologies of Gaithersburg, the total cash contribution of $10,000 is supplemented by $2,000 in cook book inventory, the proceeds of which go to friends of Historic Great Falls Tavern.
After the Tuesday, Jan. 24 shooting at a Germantown daycare center, Montgomery County Police want to remind community members that there is a free gun lock distribution program available to Montgomery County residents. Firearm owners should keep guns and ammunition in separate locked containers, but using a gun lock provides an additional important safeguard. Anyone wishing to receive a gun lock should come to any of the Montgomery County Police District Stations or Police Headquarters with personal photo identification and proof of Montgomery County residency. The cable-style gun locks come with safety information, and the lock is designed to fit on most types of handguns, rifles and shotguns. These gun locks are provided at no charge to Montgomery County residents on a first-come, first-served basis; with a maximum of two gunlocks to a resident. www.montgomerycountymd.gov/police.
The Montgomery County Police Department would like to remind the community of the importance of not leaving cars unattended while running/warming up.
The colder temperatures make it tempting for drivers to want to warm up their cars in the morning, and then leave them running when they are making short stops. That practice is an open invitation to car thieves.
Leaving a car running and unattended on a public street is a violation of the State of Maryland Vehicle Law, Article 21 Section 1101 (a). The penalty is a $60 fine and one point on a driving record.
The Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services (DSWS) invites residents to subscribe to its E-mail notification service which sends reminders approximately one week before a holiday to explain whether or not that holiday will cause collection days to shift. When weather-related changes are announced, E-mail alerts are sent out immediately. The announcements apply to county-provided collection service. Residents who contract for trash collection from a private hauler should check with their community manager or hauler to find out how holidays and winter weather are handled. DSWS staff report that feedback from subscribers has been positive. To subscribe to the email notices, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/solidwaste. Subscriptions for Household Hazardous Waste Collection and solid waste facility announcements and a monthly article service for newsletter editors are also available.