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Spirited debate over drinks in Montgomery Co. parks

You may soon be able to drink adult beverages without a permit in more parks across Montgomery County, Maryland.

In late September, after the county launched its “Picnic in the Park” program in August in nine parks to support nearby restaurants, the County’s planning board began allowing people 21 or older to responsibly drink beer, wine, mixed drinks and spirits in those parks.

Those parks are:

  • Jesup Blair Local Park
  • Acorn Urban Park
  • Germantown Town Center Urban Park
  • Norwood Local Park
  • Olney Manor Recreational Park
  • Takoma Urban Park
  • Wall Local Park
  • Wheaton Local Park
  • Wheaton Regional Park

On Thursday, the planning board is set to consider extending the suspension of the permit requirement — which is now scheduled to end on May 31 — and expand the program to four additional parks:

  • Elm Street Urban Park
  • Carroll Knolls Local Park
  • Ellsworth Urban Park
  • Flower Avenue Urban Park

Drinking can begin as early as 11 a.m., but must end at dusk.

Montgomery County’s first ‘ghost gun’ killing spurs calls for tougher laws

At a community gathering promoting peace on Friday, a makeshift memorial stood near the side of the basketball courts at the Plum Gar Community Recreation Center in Germantown, Maryland. The memorial marks the spot where 20-year-old Axel Trejos became the first person in Montgomery County to be killed with a so-called “ghost gun," according to police. Adding to the troubling aspect of the Aug. 18 shooting is that the person accused of firing that ghost gun, which also injured three minors, is only 14 years old.
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