Press Releases - County Council

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 Council President Natali Fani-González, who chairs the Council's Economic Development (ECON) Committee; Councilmember Kate Stewart, who serves as the chair of the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy and Audit Committees; Ingrid Lizama, communications manager at the Latino Health Initiative; Karen Bernal, program manager for the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Maternal-Infant Program; and Jodi Rose, Watershed Restoration Division, Stewardship Section Chief at the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. The show will air on Friday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. on Radio America (WILC 900AM) and is streamed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music.  

This edition of En Sintonía features Councilmember Stewart, who will share insights from her year serving as Council president. Stewart will reflect on her key legislative achievements, highlight the initiatives she championed, and discuss the impact of the Council’s work on the community. She will also look ahead to upcoming priorities and the goals she hopes to advance in the year to come. 

The second segment will spotlight the newly elected Council President Fani-González, who represents District 6. She will outline her legislative priorities for the year ahead and discuss the introduction of the Trust Act—her first piece of legislation as Council president. Fani-González will explain how this proposed measure aims to strengthen protections for the immigrant community, promote trust between residents and local government, and reinforce the County’s commitment to equity and inclusion. She will also share her broader vision for fostering safer, more welcoming neighborhoods throughout Montgomery County.  

The show will also highlight the Maternal-Infant Program offered by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. In partnership with the Latino Health Initiative, the program will host a Facebook Live event conducted entirely in Spanish to promote the wide range of services available to women who are planning to become pregnant or who are already expecting. The Facebook Live session will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. 

The show will conclude by highlighting the Bring Your Own Bag Law in Montgomery County. Beginning Jan. 1, the law will go into effect with new requirements designed to reduce plastic waste, encourage sustainable shopping habits, and promote environmental stewardship across the County. Listeners will learn what the changes mean for residents, how local businesses will implement the new rules, and why bringing reusable bags is an important step toward building a cleaner, greener community. 

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.