Residents Urged to STOP
Recycling Contamination

Plastic Bags Should NEVER
be Placed in Recycling

The Village’s recycling contractor reports that many households continue to contaminate their recycling by placing non-recyclable materials and trash in the recycling toters. A particular problem is plastic bags placed in the recycling toters—these bags are not recyclable (they damage the recycling equipment). Never place plastic bags in the recycling toter. Many residents are also placing trash in the recycling toters.

Contamination such as plastic bags, toys, gardening tools, and other non-recyclable items renders the entire toter as “trash” for the purposes of collection. Our contractor’s crews will not separate out these errors and the entire toter’s contents may be rendered trash.

For more information on recycling, please visit the Village website at https://www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/156/Household-Recycling-Collection and review the Environment & Energy committee’s guidance for proper recycling. Residents are responsible for ensuring everyone in or assisting their household knows what can and cannot be placed in the recycling toter.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Resident Directory Update Forms

During the last week, all households should have received a Resident Directory Update Request form by mail, which includes the current household information contained in our Resident Directory database. This update form is due back to the Village office by June 10.

Please take a moment to review and confirm your listing, and return the update form, even if there is no change, either by mail, email (ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov), fax (301-907-9721), or by drop-off at the Village Hall (open 24 hours a day). Doing so ensures final updates can be incorporated before the Resident Directory goes to print.

We do our best to keep household contact information current, but we need your help to do this. Thank you for taking time to update your Resident Directory listing.

Chevy Chase Village Little Library

Read any good books lately?

Your neighbors may want to read them, too! Please consider donating your recently read books to the Little Libraries at the Village Hall. The libraries—one on the porch of the Village Hall, and the other just inside the main entrance—have shelves for books geared toward adult, teen, and young readers.

There is a particular need for children’s books. Please consider donating books that your kids have outgrown or simply donate some favorites for neighbors to enjoy! And remember, if you take a book, please return it when you are done so the libraries can continue to benefit the community.

Construction in Chevy Chase Circle

Residents may have noticed the temporary construction fencing and equipment that have been setup in Chevy Chase Circle. This equipment is in preparation for a refurbishment of the circle’s fountain including needed repairs and new lighting. Please read the below message from the Friends of Chevy Chase Circle regarding the project:

Finally! The rehabilitation of the Circle’s fountain has begun!

Sadly, it means that the fountain will not be working this summer but it also means that by next spring, thanks to both Federal dollars and community donations, we will have a refurbished fountain replete with a new pumping and filtration system, a re-lined basin, new landscaping and LIGHTS!

Working with the National Park Service that owns the circle and the dollars generated through community donations, Friends of Chevy Chase Circle engineered the first-ever lighting plan for the fountain and brought that plan to the Commission of Fine Arts. Permission to install lights both in the fountain itself and around the basin was granted soon after. Happily, lights for both their aesthetic and safety effects are now part and parcel of the National Park Service’s plan for the rehabilitation of the fountain and next spring, lights will be part of the fountain and the circle’s new face.

Fencing has gone up to enclose the area and soon there will dumpsters and heavy equipment added to the mix. It is estimated that the project will continue through November. Please be more cautious than ever when navigating the circle!

Finally, our neighborhood landmark will continue to look better and better due to community stewardship and our partnership with the National Park Service but only if individuals within this community step forward to make a difference. Friends of Chevy Chase Circle is seeking leadership on into the future and if serving in a leadership position or on the community board made up of both DC and Maryland residents is of interest, please let us know!

Ruth Robbins, President
FriendsofChevyChaseCircle.org

Chevy Chase Zip Code a Target for Thefts
from Blue USPS Mailboxes

Hand mail to your carrier, take it to the post office, or pay by computer

For as long as we’ve been alive, we’ve trusted that, when we drop outgoing mail into a large, blue steel mailbox owned by the United States Postal Service, the item will be safe in the box, and it will arrive at its destination. That is not the case anymore.

In recent months, a national trend has emerged where postal carriers are robbed of the special keys that open these blue mailboxes. The thieves will either use the keys to steal mail from the blue boxes to commit financial fraud through forged checks or identity theft, or they will sell the mailbox keys on the Internet for other criminals to use. These special keys, called ‘arrow keys’, open all mailboxes within an entire zip code. This type of crime can be very profitable for the thieves, and very harmful for the innocent victims.

A recent Washington Post article (link below) details how the thieves operate and that they are targeting areas where the property values are high, such as Chevy Chase. The Postal Inspection Service is working with area police agencies to identify those responsible for this crime. The Postal Inspection Service also advises customers to follow the below advice to avoid being a victim of mail theft and the related financial consequences:

Do not place outgoing mail in USPS mailboxes or in your private mailbox or
mail slot;
Hand outgoing mail to your mail carrier or mail it at the post office;
Make electronic payments rather than mailing checks;
Ask your bank for ‘secure’ checks that are more difficult to alter; and
Report stolen mail by calling 877-876-2455.

Washington Post article:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/05/01/chevy-chase-mailbox-stolen-checks/

Save the Date!
Red Cross Blood Drive

(Pre-Registration Required)

Tuesday, June 21 from 1:00-6:00pm

The American Red Cross has declared a "National Blood Crisis" and is facing its worst blood shortage in over a decade. Many centers have only one day's worth of blood stocks to offer hospitals.

The American Red Cross will be at the Chevy Chase Village Hall to accept your life saving blood donation on Tuesday, June 21 from 1:00-6:00pm. Visit the Red Cross website to pre-register for this event with the Sponsor ID: CHEVYCHASEVILLAGE or call 1-800-733-2767 to schedule your appointment. The Red Cross is offering an additional incentive of a $5 e-gift card to donors during the month of June. The goal for this blood drive is 35 pints, which can potentially save 105 lives. Please click here for additional details.

Brought to you by the Community Relations Committee

Stormwater Management Resources for Residents

Information Compiled by
the Town of Somerset’s Stormwater Committee

The Town of Somerset’s Stormwater Study Committee has created a Green Infrastructure Guide to assist their residents with identifying approaches to stormwater management that protects, restores, or mimics the natural water cycle by filtering and absorbing stormwater where it falls. Somerset has graciously offered for Chevy Chase Village residents to access this guide.

The guide identifies the different types of green infrastructure—such as conservation landscaping, bioretention practices, French drains, permeable pavers, drywells, rain barrels and gardens, and water-loving landscaping—and provides resources for their installation and maintenance.

Pepco Finishing Line Clearance Work

Pepco’s tree contractor, Asplundh, is completing its current pruning from power lines in the Village. The following blocks are included in this round of pruning:

Brookville Road (between Bradley La. and Oxford St.)
Quincy Street
Primrose Street (between Brookville Rd. and Western Ave.)
Oxford Street (between Broad Branch Rd. and Quincy Street)
Summerfield Road
Broad Branch Road
Newlands Street (between Brookville and Broad Branch Rds.)
East Melrose Street (east of Brookville Rd.)
Nevada Avenue
East Lenox Street (between Brookville Rd. and Nevada Ave.)
East Kirke Street (east of Brookville Rd.)

Pepco has indicated that they have mailed notices to all customers along the feeder lines where trees are scheduled for pruning and Village arborist Dr. Tolbert Feather has reviewed the proposed work.

Questions/concerns should be directed to Matt Young, Pepco’s Vegetation Management Senior Program Manager at 667-313-2169 or myoung@pepcoholdings.com.

Gas leaf blower graphic inside circle with slash

Alert Your Landscapers:
Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers are
Banned in the Village

A ban on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers went into effect January 1, 2022.

Residents and landscapers are reminded that ALL blowers operated within the Village remain subject to Montgomery County’s Noise Ordinance. The county’s Noise Ordinance states that “a person must not...use a leaf blower at any time that has an average sound level exceeding 70 dBA at a distance of 50 feet.” Additionally, the simultaneous use of multiple leaf blowers that are compliant with the 70 bDA limit can create noise of a sufficient level to qualify as a violation and/or noise disturbance.

Residents are responsible for discussing these restrictions with their yard maintenance crews. Click here for more information.

Section 3 Farmers Market

Bring cash or a check for the
“$5 for Food” Donation Drive
Benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank

Located at Taylor Street and Brookville Road with ample parking at La Ferme restaurant, the market features locally sourced organic products.

The market is open on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (rain or shine). The Market has designated 8:00-8:30am for vulnerable customers, then 8:30am-1:00pm for everyone.

NOTE: If you are driving to the Farmers Market, please park in the rear of the La Ferme parking lot and NOT by the Brookville Market to leave sufficient parking for the retail shops along Brookville Rd. Click here for more information.

The Best Native Plants for
Bees, Butterflies, and Birds

Spring is now in full bloom and it's time to get your garden in shape for pollinators and other native species that sustain food webs and keep your garden looking healthy and beautiful. Native plants are adapted to Maryland's climate, so they can handle our seasonal droughts with little watering and don't need fertilizer to grow in Maryland soils. Less fertilizer also means less nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Click here to see what to plant to benefit birds, butterflies and bees from early spring through late fall.

Submitted by the Environment & Energy Committee

Farmers Market in Friendship Heights

Open Year-Round;
Within Walking Distance to the Village

Twin Springs Fruit Farm holds a fruit market in Friendship Heights year-round on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 4433 South Park Avenue (adjacent to the Friendship Heights Village Center). The market offers a variety of fruits, berries, and vegetables based on their seasonal peak availability.

Rapid Test Kit
Expiration Dates Extended

The Village has been distributing free at-home rapid Covid test kits manufactured by iHealth. If you have at-home rapid test kits from iHealth, the FDA has extended the expiration date printed on the box by three months. EX: If your kit has an expiration date in June, they are now good until September.

For more information, visit https://ihealthlabs.com/pages/news.

Rapid test kits remain available at the Hall along with N95 masks (see the below article for more information).

COVID-19 Rapid Test Kits
and N95 Face Masks

Available at the Village Office,
while supplies last.

Montgomery County’s Departments of Health and Emergency Management have provided the Village with a supply of rapid (antigen) test kits and N95 masks for distribution to the community.

Village residents may stop by the Village office to pick-up up masks and test kits. Read more about the mask and test distribution at the Village Hall or other means of accessing COVID-19 tests.

Chevy Chase At Home

An Aging-in-Place Village

Do you know that there’s an organization in your neighborhood that helps seniors remain in their own homes safely when they need help doing so? Chevy Chase At Home is a group of neighbors helping neighbors. Volunteers bring needed support to members with a smile.

CC@H offers a rich program of affinity groups, continuing education, socialization, and exercise – many via Zoom, which actually makes it easier for many to participate.

Please consider whether you, a family member, a friend or neighbor might benefit from the help and sense of community that Chevy Chase At Home can provide. We welcome members and volunteers. Visit https://www.chevychaseathome.org/ for more information and applications.

Join The Compost Crew Today!

The food-waste collection program in Chevy Chase Village continues to grow as the community looks for more ways to be conscientious consumers. Currently, over 80 Village households are recycling their food-waste with Compost Crew. As a result of increased participation, the price per household for Compost Crew’s convenient food-waste collection is $16 per month for the standard size bin--a 20% savings from the previous cost. The monthly cost for the larger 12-gallon bins is $20/month.

To sign up for collection services, or if you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact info@compostcrew.com or visit their website via the link below.

Local Goods Donation Organizations

Looking to donate used items for general reuse or for use by those in need?
Looking to safely discard old papers?

Click here to access a list of organizations accepting used items along with an organization that provides free paper shredding, year-round.

Please refer to the listed organizations’ websites for changes in collection days/times and operations.

Updated: 5/17/2022

COVID-19
Vaccine and Booster Information

FDA Expands Eligibility for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose
to Children 5 through 11 Years

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, authorizing the use of a single booster dose for administration to individuals 5 through 11 years of age at least five months after completion of a primary series with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. To learn more, click here to visit the FDA website.

COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals age 5 and up remain available across the state and county. Montgomery County offers free COVID-19 testing and urges those doing at-home tests to report their results.

Join the Village Listserv on Groups.io

CCVillage (CCVillage@Groups.io), is the neighborhood mailing list (listserv) for residents of Chevy Chase Village. CCVillage is a resource to allow neighbors to stay connected with one another other. Click for more information and to join the listserv.

Are You Emergency Prepared?

It is important to be prepared for local weather emergencies. In order the assist residents in their preparedness, the Village, in partnership with the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) offer a number of helpful tools, plans and free alerts to assist and keep you informed. Click to view emergency preparedness information.

Emergency Contact Sheet

EMERGENCY - 911

Chevy Chase Village Police
Non Emergency/24hrs - 301-654-7300

Montgomery County Police
Non Emergency/24hrs - 301-279-8000

Bethesda - Chevy Chase Rescue Squad - 301-652-0077

Chevy Chase Fire Dept.
(Opposite Columbia Country Club) - 240-773-4707

Bethesda Fire Dept.
(Wisconsin Ave and Bradley Blvd) - 240-773-4706

National Capital Poison Center
(George Washington University Hospital) - 800-222-1222

Utilities

Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO)

Emergency-Live wires down, power failure - 877-737-2662

or visit the website at Pepco.com/Outages/ReportanOutage
to report their outage and receive restoration information.

Customer Service - 202-833-7500

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Emergency - 301-206-4002

Complaints, Leaks, Information - 301-206-4001

Washington Gas

Emergency - 703-750-1400

Information & Customer Service - 703-750-1000

Comcast - 800-934-6489

Verizon - 800-837-4966

**A cut out sheet is also located on page two of the January 2019 Crier.

You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to receive general news updates from Chevy Chase Village. Did you know the Village sends out urgent news updates as well, click here to sign-up.

Residents Urged to STOPRecycling Contamination

Plastic Bags Should NEVERbe Placed in Recycling