Potomac Almanac

12-15

After the Food and Drug Administration expanded the Pfizer vaccine for youth 12-15 years old, Montgomery County has permitted pre-registration for appointments. See https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine for preliminary information and instructions. Montgomery County is already vaccinating all Marylanders 16-and-older. Vaccination sites are also permitting walk-in appointments for adults at many locations.

250

Montgomery County officials approved the Bethesda Community Base Ball Club’s plan to permit 250 fans safely at Big Train games at Shirley Povich Field in June and July. “After all the sacrifices our residents have made these last 14 months, we all deserve the enjoyment of a summer’s night at a ballgame,” said Bruce Adams, Big Train’s Founder.” The Bethesda Big Train, the best summer college baseball team in the nation in 2011, is a team of top level college players playing in the summer wooden bat Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League. Sixteen Big Train alumni have made it to the major leagues. With the support of The Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation, the Big Train will honor a different group of 25 Community Heroes with free tickets at every game this season.The Big Train plays home games at 10600 Westlake Drive. See http://www.bigtrain.org/

635

Days since the last Bethesda Big Train opening pitch. The Big Train’s season starts Saturday, June 5 at 7 p.m., the first time the Big Train has played since winning the Ripken League championship on July 31, 2019. “It’s been 635 days, but who’s counting?” according to Bruce Adams, Big Train’s founder.

64

Cicadas will emerge, likely this week, when soil temperature one feet below ground reaches 64 degrees. Most cicadas will wait for a humid but not stormy evening to pop out of the tunnels they’ve been building for weeks, if not in the process of for 17 years.

1,419

Between 2015 to 2019, police reported 1,419 collisions in Montgomery County that resulted in 1,461 serious injuries and 163 fatalities to drivers, passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists. The county averaged 30 fatal collisions a year from 2015 to 2019. The County’s Vision Zero Plan seeks to eliminate all traffic, pedestrian and bicycling fatalities by 2030. The next 90-minute virtual “listening session” will be held on May 13 at 7 p.m. See https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/visionzero/2030plan.html

29

A 29-organization workgroup through Montgomery County Public Schools has been created to determine the best ways to support students while also ensuring their safety. The workgroup will begin meeting Thursday, May 13. The workgroup is chaired by Kyson Taylor, MoCo Against Brutality; Regina Morales, Deputy Chief for Behavioral Health at Department of Health and Human Services; Elijah Wheeler, Executive Director of Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families; and Ruschelle Reuben, Associate Superintendent. “For too long we have met normal adolescent behavior with punitive responses that trap and traumatize our young people and have under-invested in the social, emotional and mental health supports they need to be uplifted and healed. This student-centered group will help us turn the page on that past in Montgomery County and serve as a model for the nation,” said at-large councilmember Will Jawando.

453,800

Confirmed covid cases in Maryland, according to Maryland Department of Health and Human Services. This number as well as the following is as of Tuesday, May 11.

70,298

Confirmed covid cases in Montgomery County.

8,678

Deaths in Maryland due to covid, including 1,483 deaths in Montgomery County.

56.4

Percent of Montgomery County population that has received at least one dose of vaccine; 592,970 people in Montgomery County have received at least one dose of the covid vaccination.

43.3

Percent of Montgomery County population that has been fully vaccinated; 454,839 people have now been fully vaccinated.

2,395,628

People fully vaccinated in Maryland.