Rockville Week in Preview: MLK Youth Awards Nominations Needed, No Council Meeting This Week, Town Square Tree Lighting to Come, More

No Rockville City Council meeting tonight
The city council is scheduled to convene Monday, Dec. 9. The council meets 7 p.m. at City Hall; the meetings are televised and streamed live by Rockville 11. Agendas are posted at the city’s website.

Town Square Tree lighting is Thursday
NBC4 anchor Aaron Gilchrist will lead this year’s ceremony, which includes live performances from Dawn Crafton Dance Connection and Adventure Theatre Musical Center Student Ensembles, ice skating performances, horse and carriage rides, and plenty of chances to take photos with Santa. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Rockville Town Square. More details are available at www.rockvilletownsquare.com. Event is weather permitting; for live updates check Facebook and Twitter.

‘The Nutcracker’ opens this weekend
Rockville Civic Ballet's production will be staged at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre starting this Saturday. Show times: Saturdays, Dec. 7 and 14, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $17, $13 for children (12 and younger) and seniors (60 and older). For more information, call 240-314-8690. Find out about other city holiday events at www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre.

Nominations Sought for Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Award
City officials recently announced:

Two awards will be given out at Rockville's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration on Jan. 20 to honor the work of individuals, groups and youth in the community.

Nominations are now being accepted by the City's Human Rights Commission through Dec. 12. The Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Award will honor a Rockville high school student who has demonstrated that he or she has helped to advance the goals and dreams of Dr. King. The student may have broken down barriers, promoted acceptance of their peers or developed diversity awareness programs, among other work, to advance Dr. King's goals and dreams.

The F. Michael Taff Award honors an individual, business or organization that has made a contribution to improving the lives of people with disabilities. This contribution may include efforts to improve accessibility, raise public awareness, or in any way further the cause of people with disabilities.

Federal, state, and local government agencies are not eligible for the award, but they are encouraged to nominate businesses, organizations and individuals. The award bears the name of F. Michael Taff, a former chairperson of the Rockville Human Rights Commission who demonstrated a particular commitment to people with disabilities throughout his lifetime.

Applications are available on the City's website. Applications must be submitted by Dec. 12, to the Rockville Human Rights Commission via mail to 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville MD 20850 or via fax to 240-314-8130. Applications can also be sent via email tojkelly@rockvillemd.gov.

Any individual with a disability who would like to receive this information in another form should contact the City's ADA Coordinator at 240-314-8108.

For more information about the awards or the annual celebration, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/MLK or call 240-314-8316.