As we approach Halloween, the Montgomery County Police Department wants trick-or-treaters and their parents to take extra precautions and encourages everyone to remain vigilant. Officer Carlos Cortes will share important safety tips to help ensure children have a healthy and safe celebration. While on the trick-or-treat trail, it is important to always accompany children on their neighborhood rounds. Officer Cortes reiterates to never enter a home or a car for a treat and, to reduce the risk of pedestrian injuries, suggests staying in groups when walking outside and only crossing the street in an established crosswalk.  

The legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants is at risk. As soon as Dec. 31, approximately 330,000 TPS holders could lose their ability to work and live legally in the U.S. DACA holders are also in limbo after a court declared the program illegal. In the second half of the show, Liana Montecinos, an immigration attorney, will discuss the legal paths that may be available to some TPS and DACA holders.  

The show will conclude with a discussion of Linkages to Learning, which is a community school partnership with an integrated focus on health, social services and community engagement. Belen Bhatti will discuss the resources available, locations and how to request bilingual support. The services are available to at-risk children and their families with the goal to improve their academic performance in school, home and the 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.