GoTo Mom

GoTo Mom: When to Let Kids Walk to School On Their Own

Our neighborhood seems safe, and my second grader is dying to walk to school on her own. But no one around me allows their kids to walk to school unattended. When should parents let go and allow children to walk around on their own?

I've been toying with the idea of letting my eight-year-old walk to school on her own. Given that we live just under a mile away from our local elementary school, she is defined as a walker, according to the Montgomery County school bus system. Not that I'm complaining, though since every other family on our street has a student going there as well and we can all walk together. Yet no one apart from me has suggested that we allow the kids simply to walk together on their own, without parental supervision. After all, when six or seven second- to fifth-graders get together, they hardly walk with their parents. Instead, they like to clump together by themselves, and chatter or run ahead without any adult intervention. In short, my daughter …

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County Council Backs School Bus Cameras

Drivers who pass stopped buses will face up to $250 in fines.

Drivers who don't stop for children getting off of school buses will soon face a fine of up to $250 under a law passed by the County Council on Tuesday. The council passed the measure unanimously at its Tuesday meeting, and Councilmember Valerie Ervin said it will send a clear message to drivers that Montgomery County is serious about children's safety. The bill, introduced by Ervin, does not specify a cost, fine amount or number of cameras. Instead, it authorizes Montgomery County Police to consult with the Board of Education on a plan to install cameras on certain buses. County Police Chief Thomas Manger, who joined Ervin and others at a news conference Tuesday, said there's no excuse for ignoring a school bus' stop sign and flashing …

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County Moves Toward Cameras on School Buses

The County Council's Public Safety Committee unanimously endorsed the idea.

Drivers who don't stop for children getting off of school buses could soon face a fine of up to $250 under a bill moving through the County Council.  The council's Public Safety Committee unanimously recommended the bill at its meeting Thursday, and the issue will go before the full council as early as Feb. 7. The bill, introduced by County Councilmember Valerie Ervin, does not specify a cost, fine amount or number of cameras. Instead, it authorizes Montgomery County Police to consult with the Board of Education on a plan to install cameras on certain buses. Councilmember Phil Andrews, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, said the county has issued more than 1,200 citations over the past three years for failure to stop at a bus crossing…

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Danny

8:40 pm on Monday, February 6, 2012

Yep! Communicating in the English language is an important skill.   more ›

On the Agenda: City Re-Ups Its Lobbyist Contract

Rail officials will also give a presentation on safety improvements being made at the Gaithersburg MARC station.

The Mayor and City Council tonight will consider renewing their lobbying retainer with former State Senator Larry Levitan in a no-bid contract. The year-by-year contract will cost the city $35,000, but Levitan promises to push for legislation that will benefit the city, he says in an Oct. 17 letter. In his letter to the city, Levitan promises to pursue the restoration of highway user revenues, support funding for the completion of the Watkins Mill Road interchange, support amending ethics laws to allow a tiered approach for municipal officials, support legislation allowing municipalities to advertise public meetings on their own websites, support amending the statute on who can participate in HDC matters, allowing certified non-sworn …

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Rail Crossing Safety Study, Proclamations and Appointments

What's on the agenda for tonight's Mayor and Council meeting.

This year has been a deadly one for the rail lines that cut through the center of Olde Towne, and tonight the Mayor and Council will hear about the State's recommended safety improvements. Three people have been killed by trains between the Fairgrounds and the Olde Towne MARC station since January, and a family barely escaped with their lives after a freight train struck their stranded car. The Maryland Transit Authority conducted a safety study earlier this year, and tonight they will present the findings to the Mayor and Council. The Mayor will also declare October to be Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the period between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15 to be National Hispanic Heritage Month. The Council will also reappoint Barbara Fahey to …

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Man Receives Chemical Burns at Haz-mat Safety Lab

The man was taken to Medstar for treatment.

One man was transported to an area hospital this afternoon after receiving chemical burns at a Gaithersburg lab facility, fire and rescue officials said. Beth Anne Nesselt, a spokeswoman for County Fire and Rescue Service, said rescue workers were called to the scene in the 8500 block of Atlas Drive at 1:21 p.m. for a possible chemical burn. Nesselt did not know the chemicals that were involved. The lab is owned by Geomet Technologies, which is based in Germantown, and specialized in making hazmat suits and ensuring chemical safety, according to their website. A slogan on the front page of Geomet's website says "GEOMET is focused on protecting people, property, and the environment." The victim was burned by a flash fire, Nesselt said, and …

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