Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How Montgomery County’s plastic bag ban will change Rockville grocery trips

Spotted on the Rockville calendar: Tis The season to Shop Small. Holiday Shopping Made Easy.

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What's up Rockville! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How Montgomery County’s plastic bag ban will change Rockville grocery trips
  • How MCPS’s new $3.78B budget could change Rockville classrooms
  • How did Rockville land a top national livability ranking?

Also on today's calendar: Tis The season to Shop Small. Holiday Shopping Made Easy. and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Rockvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one astronaut stranded on the moon say to another? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Rockvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Friday: A little morning rain, with a high of 58 and low of 24 degrees.
  • Saturday: Intervals of clouds and sun, temps: high: 46, low: 33.
  • Sunday: Mostly sunny and windy, with a high of 48 and low of 21 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Plastic bag ban coming to Montgomery County (wtop.com) — Starting January 1, most Rockville shoppers will no longer receive single-use plastic carryout bags at checkout, as Montgomery County’s new ban takes effect and paper bags rise to 10 cents each. County leaders say the change, announced at a Rockville grocery store, will cut litter and unclog storm drains, while low-income residents using certain federal benefits are exempt from the paper bag fee.
   

2. ‘Vegetable salad budget:' Proposed $3.78B Montgomery County Public Schools spending plan reflects 5% increase (wtop.com) — Montgomery County Public Schools’ superintendent has unveiled a proposed $3.78 billion operating budget for FY 2027, a 5% increase, during a presentation at the school board headquarters in Rockville. The plan emphasizes staff pay raises and aims to shrink elementary class sizes by at least one student, which could directly affect Rockville families and classrooms.
   

3. These D.C. Suburbs Were Just Ranked The #1 & #2 Most Livable ‘Large Communities' In The Country By The AARP (secretdc.com) — Rockville just earned the #5 spot among all mid-size U.S. communities in AARP’s new national livability rankings, with a strong overall score of 66. The list, based on 61 quality-of-life indicators, also spotlights several other top-performing D.C.-area suburbs, but Rockville is the only mid-size community from the region to crack the top 10.
   

4. Fiscal Issues Lead to Pilot SAYT Program: Part Two (greenbeltnewsreview.com) — Rockville residents are used as a benchmark in this deep dive on Greenbelt’s new pay-as-you-throw trash pilot, which notes Rockville’s annual solid waste fee at $503. The article explains Greenbelt’s growing waste-collection deficit, how new fees and special bags aim to close the gap, and how its costs compare with Rockville, Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Anne Arundel counties.
   

📸 Around Rockville

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Spotted a brown/brindle dog, that looked like a hound mix with a green harness on Coldstream this evening around 430pm.
    Photo attached. I tried approaching and calling him/her over, but they were very uninterested. He/she ended up running behind a row of houses (away… (Nextdoor Highland Stone)
  • Cost Plus, Inc. - World Market posted a job opening for Seasonal Stock Associate in Rockville. Apply here.
  • Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. posted a job opening for Doughnut Maker in Rockville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Rockville here.

Ok Rockville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t think you know the gravity of this situation.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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