The featured guests on this week’s En Sintonía con el Concejo del Condado de Montgomery (In Tune with the Montgomery County Council) will include Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, who chairs the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee; Luis Maya, spokesperson for WSSC Water; and Edith Lozada, Spanish communications specialist and Spanish language public information officer at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The show will air on Friday, July 11 at 2 p.m. on Radio America (WILC 900AM) and is streamed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. 

The radio program will begin with an interview featuring Councilmember Albornoz, who will discuss Expedited Bill 19-25, related to noise control and leaf removal equipment. The bill, which he is spearheading, proposes a seasonal exemption that would allow landscape professionals to use gas-powered leaf blowers during specific months of the year. If enacted, the exemption would apply from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and would expire three years after the bill takes effect. Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke, Marilyn Balcombe, and Sidney Katz are cosponsoring the bill. A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for July 15. 

The second segment will highlight WSSC Water and its programs designed to support residents facing financial challenges. The popular Get Current temporary water bill assistance program has been extended and enhanced. Get Current 2.0 will run from July 1 through Oct. 31. This enhanced program assists eligible customers with delinquent balances as of June 1, 2025. It offers partial forgiveness of past-due amounts and waives 100 percent of late payment charges and turn-on fees. Mr. Maya will provide all the details during the segment. 

The show will conclude with an interview featuring MCPS and its Summer Meals Program, which is designed to provide free, nutritious meals to children 18 years old and younger. Operated by the MCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services, the program helps bridge the nutrition gap during the summer months when school is out. Each day, approximately 9,500 children are served meals at around 120 locations across Montgomery County. No registration or appointment is needed, children can simply visit a site Monday through Friday to receive a healthy meal, which must be eaten on-site. Ms. Lozada will share more details about how families can take advantage of this vital program. 

The Montgomery County Council and Radio America have entered a partnership that provides the Latino community with key information on issues and programs. The partnership also provides a forum for residents to express their views and ask questions. The partnership includes the weekly one-hour show each Friday on the Washington metropolitan area’s most popular Spanish language station. 

Each week, the show features host Marcela Rodriguez, Council program manager and public information officer, and guests talking about important issues before the Council and provides information about programs offered by the County to help residents.

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