News

Almost 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, but less than 1 percent is available for human use. Of all the earth’s water, 97% is salt water found in oceans and seas. Water plays a big role in supporting our communities. Without water, there would be no local business or industry. Firefighting, municipal parks, golf courses, and public swimming pools all need lots of water. An array of pipes, canals, and pumping stations managed by our public water systems […]

If you receive a package you didn’t order, that may indicate a “brushing” scam or a more nefarious ‘Trojan Horse” attempt to steal your private information. Never scan any bar or QR code on or in the package. You may be giving access to all the information on your phone.  Be very skeptical of any “gift” included in the package, especially anything that might contain electronics that could record sound or signals. You may […]

Food insecurity does not take vacations! Help WUMCO Keep Food on Shelves 

Help your neighbors who are experiencing food insecurity!  Our local food pantry at WUMCO Help continues to see an unprecedented high demand for food assistance.  

WUMCO needs help to keep food on their shelves for their clients who are mostly area seniors and working-parent families who are food insecure. Anything is appreciated, but there are some particular needs. 

• Items for families with children […]
  

Very often we see the name of a street, park, or facility and have no idea for whom they were named.  If you have ever been to, or driven by the Western County Swimming Pool, you may have wondered about the name and why the pool was named for Sarah Auer. 

Sarah E. Auer was a dedicated swim coach from Poolesville, Maryland, whose passion for mentoring young swimmers left a lasting impact on the Montgomery County swimming community. […]

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) and Maryland’s Best are proud to celebrate 2026: The International Year of the Woman Farmer. They are seeking to honor the resilience, innovation, and leadership of women who are the backbone of our state’s agricultural industry.  

Data from the Farm and Agriculture Organization shows that women make up about 40% of the global agrifood workforce, yet rural women face disproportionate barriers. Closing these gaps could raise global GDP […]

Maryland continues to remain under a drought condition as persistent rainfall deficits continue to affect groundwater supplies. The Montgomery Council of Governments has declared a regional drought watch. Mandatory restrictions have not been put in place, but residents, especially those on private wells, are encouraged to use water wisely. 

Unlike rivers and streams, groundwater recharges slowly. Even after heavy rain, it can take weeks or months for water to infiltrate the soil and replenish aquifers. […]

All year, nature enthusiasts across the state eagerly await the arrival of the Sunflowers! Have you seen them yet? It’s about that time again and the sunflowers are approaching full bloom. The 2,000-acre McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area off River Rd. south of Poolesville has over 34 acres of sunflowers in four fields which rotate yearly. Their purpose is to attract and feed over 245 species of birds, especially mourning doves, native bees and pollinators. 

If you are planning your yearly pilgrimage to see the fabulous sunflowers at the 1,971-acre McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area, you may want to thank English immigrant, Richard Brightwell, who purchased the original 1,086 acres along four miles of the Potomac River in 1695. 

At the age of 21, Brightwell came to Maryland from Suffolk, England as an indentured servant to Captain Thomas Trueman. The first colonists came to Maryland only 29 years before.

The weather this Summer is likely to get very hot. It is especially important for those of us 50 and better to monitor ourselves in the extreme heat. Be particularly careful if you are exercising outdoors or indoors without sufficient air conditioning.  

Adults over the age of 65 and young children also have a higher risk of heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses. This is because their bodies cannot cool down as easily […]

Did you celebrate National Ice Cream Month in July and get your fill of this cool treat on the third Sunday of July — National Ice Cream Day? In Poolesville, we are blessed with so many options. Whether your taste runs toward Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin & Robbins ice cream, McDonald’s shakes, or Locals’ milk shakes, ice cream sandwiches and Affogato (Rustic Route espresso over vanilla ice cream) made with South Mountain Creamery ice cream – they […]