December 2016 Crier Now Available On-Line

The December 2016 edition of the Crier is now available on-line. Please click below to access the full edition of the December 2016 Crier.

December 2016 Crier

Home break-in on Primrose Street
between Connecticut and Brookville

Next-door neighbor noticed an open side door

Three unlocked cars entered on the east side

All 3 occurred overnight Friday, 11/25 - Saturday, 11/26

• Unit block of Quincy Street: credit cards and a $20 bill taken.
• 100 block of Oxford Street: unknown if anything taken.
• 3800 block of Bradley Lane: car parked in driveway; nothing taken.

Residents Reminded to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle During the Holidays and Everyday Throughout the Year

Every day, Montgomery County residents can help protect the environment by reducing waste, reusing items, and recycling everything that can be recycled. This is especially true during the upcoming holiday season which traditionally generates additional amounts of waste. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides the following tips this holiday season. By doing so, everyone helps to ensure cleaner land, air and water.
 
Unwanted Mail:

• In the weeks leading up to the holidays, most households receive larger quantities of advertisements, sale flyers and catalogs. Before placing unwanted mail into the mixed paper recycling bin or cart, residents should take a moment to remove their names from any mailing lists of companies they no longer wish to receive information from. Often, all that is needed is a call to a toll-free number provided in the mailing.
• Another way to help reduce the amount of unwanted mail received at any time of the year is to register on a “Do Not Mail” list with any of a number of organizations offering this type of service. One service, Catalog Choice, can be accessed at https://www.catalogchoice.org. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is another organization which provides a similar service. To register with DMA, visit www.DMAchoice.org. Or, download the form from that site, complete and mail it to: DMA Choice, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512. 

Shopping:

• Plan your shopping to accomplish as many purchases as you need while limiting the number of trips you make. Shop with a friend and carpool, or take public transportation.
• Take along reusable bags when shopping. This eliminates the need to pay for and use either paper or plastic shopping bags.
• Buy and give reusable bags as useful gifts; there are many unique types, sizes, materials and designs of reusable bags available. Recipients can use them throughout the year.
• When buying gifts that will be mailed, select items that are easy to ship and don’t require much packaging.
• Shop for gifts at vintage shops, antique stores or estate sales – one person’s unwanted item is another person’s treasure.
• Look for gifts that are environmentally friendly and support our local economy, including items made with recycled content materials, or locally produced items.
• If you have either paper bags or plastic bags that can no longer be used, recycle them. Recycle paper bags and place them into your recycling toter. Take plastic bags back to local grocery or other retail stores on a return trip, and place them into the store’s plastic bag recycling bins. 

Wrapping:

• Consider giving gifts that require minimal or no wrapping: tickets to shows, concerts, and/or sporting events, gift certificates or gift cards.
• For oversized or bulky gift items such as bicycles, sports equipment, or artwork, simply tie a reusable ribbon or bow around them.
• Make the gift wrap a part of the gift, for example, put a plant in a wicker basket, cookies on a ceramic plate, gardening tools in a planter, or jewelry in decorative case.  
• Wrap gifts in useful and durable wrapping, such as fabrics, scarves, or towels.
• Many gift boxes are attractive and don’t need wrapping. Add a reusable ribbon or bow.
• Gift bags are a great idea. They save time and effort when wrapping gifts, and can also be used again and again.
• Wrap only the top of boxes, rather than the entire box.
• Sunday comics, magazines, older maps or brown paper decorated with stencils, glitter, and twine can be unique gift wraps.
• If you must purchase wrapping paper, look for ones made from recycled paper.
• Reuse wrapping paper – have scissors or letter openers handy when opening gifts so paper doesn’t get damaged when removing tape.
• Items that must be shipped or mailed can be wrapped in reused brown or decorative paper bags.
• Reuse packing cartons, cardboard boxes, and shipping materials such as plastic air pillows, shredded paper or newspaper and bubble wrap. Donate excess packaging materials to local mailing centers.
• If you have wrapping paper or cardboard boxes that can no longer be used, recycle them. Be sure to put them in your recycling toter. 

Entertaining:

• Send electronic event invitations, rather than paper ones.
• Make creative centerpieces and decorations out of natural items from your yard, such as flowers, sprigs, pinecones, leaves, branches, etc.
• Use durable, reusable dishes, glassware, flatware, table cloths and cloth napkins rather than disposable items. Consider renting these items if needed.
• Avoid buying individually packaged beverages, and purchase food items in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging.
• Don’t throw out leftovers. Put them in reusable containers for guests to take home with them to enjoy later.  
• Holiday cooking can generate many types of items such as bottles, jars, cans and containers that can be recycled in the Village’s recycling program. Before recycling them, consider whether any of them can be reused for storing leftovers. Be sure to recycle all the rest in your recycling toter.  

Christmas Tree Recycling:

• When the holidays are over, recycle cut Christmas trees and wreaths. Christmas trees are given another use if they are composted or chipped for mulch.
• Remove the stand and all decorations – including lights, ornaments, and tinsel, and leave no metal attached to the tree.
• Village residents can recycle Christmas trees and wreaths at the curb and they will be collected as part of your normal brush collection.
• Live Christmas tree branches and pine needles can also be recycled at home by placing them under trees and shrubs or adding them to a compost bin. 

Holiday Light Recycling:

• Holiday string lights are being replaced by more energy efficient and longer-lasting LED lights. If you are replacing older holiday lights with newer LED lights this holiday season, consider recycling the old lights.
• Do not place holiday lights into your blue recycling bin. These lights are not recyclable.
• Instead, there are several retail locations and mail-in options available for residents to send their old or unwanted holiday lights for recycling.
• Recycle old or unwanted holiday lights by taking them to all Home Depot store locations in the County or Lowe’s in Gaithersburg.
• Visit our Visit our website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling for a list of mail-in opportunities that accept holiday lights for recycling.

A Greener Way to Deal with Autumn Leaves

As autumn brings its leaves, the Environment and Energy Committee reminds us that leaf blowers—particularly gas-powered blowers--produce high levels of noise and pollution.  Here are some lawn-care practices that can reduce or eliminate those effects.

Good practices:

1. Use a lower speed on your blower to reduce noise, polluting emissions and dust in the air. This should not affect the efficiency of most blowers in clearing leaves and debris from medium-sized properties.
2. Instruct your lawn care providers to use only one leaf blower at a time on the property. This would help bring noise levels in compliance with Montgomery County Noise regulations and be respectful of neighbors.
3. Apply only organic fertilizers like compost from natural sources—no synthetics, and no synthetic pesticides.
4. Switch to an electric leaf blower—several new models are available. These are less polluting in that they do not emit black carbon or Carbon Monoxide. [Note: If you currently offset your electricity with renewable energy, the overall operation becomes carbon neutral.]
5. Eliminate use of leaf blowers altogether. Hand rake the leaves and dispose of at curbside for collection. Or, use a mulch blade on your mower to mow and mulch leaves in place, providing an organic layer which fertilizers your lawn through the fall and winter months, eliminating the need to collect and dispose of leaves, thereby also reducing cost and the  carbon footprint involved in leaf collection and disposal. This is by far the best option from a sustainability standpoint; it should result in time and cost savings to households, as well.

Landscape companies are beginning to see demand for greener practices in landscaping as a new business opportunity.  Landscape companies offering “green” options can inform the Village and be included in a list of green providers on our website.

Informational Public Meeting - Proposed Connecticut Avenue Salt Barn

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and Public Safety Officials Provide Information to Help Community Stay Safe This Holiday Season

The Holiday Season is one of the most dangerous times of the year for drivers and pedestrians. Leggett and Public Safety Officials have come together and provided information to help community members "Stay Safe this Holiday Season." 

Click here for helpful tips to stay safe this holiday season

Did You Know?

• The Village Police Department is a drop-off location for old cell phones, with or without accessories and chargers. The Village Police donate the phones to an organization that provides them--free of charge--to victims of domestic violence.
• Residents can request that officers check their home while they are away. The House Check service provides free daily visits by Village police officers to ensure your home remains safe while you are away (at least 24 hours). Contact the Communications Center BEFORE you leave town to request a check.

The Week Ahead: December 4 - December 10

• 10:00 a.m: Parks & Greenspaces Committee Meeting, Tuohey Conference Room. All residents are welcome to attend.
• 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.: Chevy Chase @ Home Jewelry Making Class, Tuohey Conference room.
• 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.: The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) has developed plans for a new salt barn within the existing right-of-way in the northeastern quadrant of the I-495/MD 185 (Connecticut Avenue) interchange in Montgomery County. This project would improve response time and coverage during winter snow emergencies in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Olney, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, and the top side of I-495. The meeting will be held at Grace Episcopal Day School located at 9411 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895.

For additional information on any of the meetings and events listed above, please contact Village Community Liaison/Administrative Assistant, Ms. Tamu Tucker via e-mail at ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov.

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