First Day of School Plagued by Late and Overcrowded Buses
Montgomery County Public School parents and guardians snapped a lot of photos of their children stepping onto the school bus to begin a new school year Monday. Some of them… Read More
Suzanne Pollak
Suzanne is a freelance reporter with Montgomery Community Media. She has over 35 years professional experience writing for newspapers, magazines, non-profit newsletters and the web.
County Fire and Rescue ‘Actively Engaged’ in Rescue Operations in Louisiana
43 area fire and rescue personnel are searching for Louisiana residents who were displaced due to the fierce Hurricane Ida. Most of the crew members are from Montgomery County Fire… Read More
New School Year Begins with First LGBTQ+ Studies Class
A social studies course on LGBTQ issues debuted Monday with the start of the new school year at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). 10 high schools, including Richard Montgomery, Winston… Read More
Walt Whitman Teacher, Crew Coach Charged with Child Sexual Abuse
Kirkland Shipley, a former social studies teacher and rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School, is charged with first and second degree child sexual abuse of a secondary school student,… Read More
Germantown Man Sentenced to Life in Killing of Mother of Four
Lawrence Edward Sakkestad of Germantown was sentenced to life in prison Friday after pleading guilty to murdering Jennifer Sparks, who was the mother of four children. Montgomery County Police went… Read More
Montgomery College Receives $160,000 for Program on Black Diaspora in America
Montgomery College was awarded a $159,406 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the college’s “Concepts of Black Diaspora in the United States: Identity and Connections… Read More
Silver Spring Man Dies Following Fatal Collision in Aspen Hill
A 24-year-old Silver Spring man was killed after ejecting from his motorcycle Aug. 26 in a two-vehicle collision. According to Montgomery County Police detectives from the Collision Reconstruction Unit, a… Read More
Police Continue Investigation of Contaminated Fertilizer in Damascus
Montgomery County Police continue to investigate vandalism to farm equipment that was contaminated with an herbicide April 21. On April 21 at 9:30 p.m., a suspect was seen driving into… Read More
County Pushes ‘Walking School Bus’ Program as Alternative to Cars and Buses
With Montgomery County’s push to eliminate serious and fatal collisions by 2030, and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) still in need of about 100 bus drivers, the Department of Transportation… Read More
Donations for Afghanis Pile Up Thanks to Caring Neighbors
Mounds of dishes, pots and pans, toys, blankets and cleaning products piled high on the driveway and parking area of Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington await sorting by volunteers… Read More
Two Men Carjack Vehicle in Takoma Park
According to Takoma Park police, two suspects approached a driver after he parked his car in Takoma Park. One pointed a black handgun at him. The suspects demanded property before… Read More
County’s Shared Streets Program, Including Alcohol Sales, Extended Through Thanksgiving
A Montgomery County program that prohibits vehicular traffic on designated streets so bikers, diners and pedestrians could find safe outdoor spaces during the pandemic will continue until at least Nov.… Read More