Holiday Schedule for Presidents Day

Montgomery County government will observe the following holiday schedule for the Presidents Day holiday on February 19:

• County Offices – Closed
• Libraries – Closed
• County Liquor stores – open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Recreation – aquatics programs and facilities open; all other classes and programs, administrative offices, senior centers and community centers are closed
• Montgomery Parks - for operating schedule, including Brookside Gardens, ice rinks, and tennis centers, go to www.MontgomeryParks.org
• Ride On – Modified Holiday Schedule. Route information
• Metrorail – Information available at www.wmata.com
• Metrobus – Information available at www.wmata.com
• TRiPS Commuter Store at Silver Spring Transit Center – Open
• TRiPS Mobile Commuter Store – Closed 
• County refuse/recycling pickup – no collection, all collections scheduled on or after the holiday will be made one day later in the week. Monday collections on Tuesday; Tuesday collections on Wednesday; Wednesday collections on Thursday; Thursday collections on Friday; and Friday collections on Saturday 
• Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station – recycling and trash drop-off open with normal hours. Recycling Center and administrative offices closed 
• Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – Free
• State offices and courts – Closed

County Executive Ike Leggett Announces County Suit Against 14 Opioid Companies

County Executive Ike Leggett announced at a press conference held on February 7 that Montgomery County has filed a suit against companies that produce and distribute opioids. The County seeks reimbursement for County expenses in responding to the crisis and is aiming to stop future deceptive and misleading marketing practices that have contributed to the growing epidemic.

The companies named in the suit filed in federal district court, include: Purdue Pharma L.P. of Stamford, CT; Cephalon, Inc. of Frazer, PA; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. of Israel; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. of North Wales, PA; Endo International PLC of Ireland; Endo Health Solutions Inc. of Malvern, PA; Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Malvern, PA; Jansen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Raritan, NJ; Insys Therapeutics, Inc. of Chandler, AZ: Mallinckrodt PLC of the United Kingdom; Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals of St. Louis, MO; AmerisourceBergen Corporation of Chesterbrook, PA; Cardinal Health, Inc. of Dublin, OH; and McKesson Corporation of San Francisco, CA.

Leggett Announces County Suit Against 14 Opioid Companies by Public Information Office on Scribd

Read more about the lawsuit here.

Montgomery County Department of Recreation Department Spring Registration is Now Open

Registration for the Department of Recreation spring programs is now open. Programming options include a wide variety of classes and programs intended to help participants stay active and have fun. Offerings include creative arts, aquatics, sports, therapeutic recreation services and active adult senior programming. For online registration or to view the programming guide online, go to ActiveMONTGOMERY.

Montgomery County Department of Recreation to Hold a Summer Camp and Job Fair

Montgomery County Department of Recreation will host a summer camp and job recruitment fair on Saturday, February 17 from noon to 3 p.m. The free event will be held at the East County Community Recreation Center located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way in Silver Spring.

Kids will love the fun games and activities, contests, prizes, and snacks. T-Rec, the Recreation Department mascot will also make an appearance. Parents will learn more about the full line-up of exciting quality summer camp programs, eligibility requirements for financial assistance, payment plans and more. On-site registration will be available.

Montgomery County Recreation offers a wide variety of exciting summer programs throughout the County with an emphasis on safety, convenience, affordability, and most of all...FUN! With more than 150 summer programs designed to appeal to a variety of campers, there is something for everyone!

The Recreation Department hires nearly one thousand employees for the summer season. Anyone seeking summer employment can apply for Recreation Department jobs.

Protecting Your Consumer Rights: What You Need to Know

A Consumer Protection Forum with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh and the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection will be held on March 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event will be held at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School located 4301 East West Highway in Bethesda.

The forum will focus on consumer rights and will include an update from Capitol Hill and the State of Maryland and a question/answer period. Various consumer organizations will be represented to provide important consumer information.

Protecting Your Consumer Rights: What You Need to Know by Public Information Office on Scribd

Registration is Now Open for the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights' Maryland Civil Rights Educational Freedom Experience

Registration is now open for the Maryland Civil Rights Educational Freedom Experience. This annual historic civil-rights bus tour retraces the Freedom Trail, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Greensboro sit-ins, voting rights, and other significant events of the Civil Rights Movement.

The nine-day bus tour will leave Rockville on April 7 and return on April 15. The tour will travel to Greensboro, NC; Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, Montgomery, and Selma, AL; Memphis and Nashville, TN; Little Rock, AR, and Jackson, MS to retrace the steps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and many other civil-rights heroes.

The trip is sponsored by the National Fair Housing Alliance in association with the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, an FHAct50 Campaign Event.

Early registration is recommended to ensure you have a space on this popular tour, which is expected to fill to capacity. For registration and more information go to 2018 Civil Rights Tour Registration and Trip Information.

Election Workers Needed for 2018 Primary Election

The Montgomery County Board of Elections seeks registered voters to serve as election workers at polling places for the Primary Election to be held on June 26.

Individuals are needed to serve throughout the County; particularly in the areas of Bethesda, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Darnestown, Potomac and Rockville.

Voters who speak multiple languages are also needed. Voters who are fluent in both English and Spanish are especially needed in each polling place to meet the requirements of Section 203 of the 1975 Voting Rights Act, which stipulates that bilingual Spanish speakers be available at the polling places.

Students 16 years old or older are eligible to register to vote and serve as election workers. Minors must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Maryland State Board of Elections, that they meet all qualifications for registration in the State. Students serving as election workers may choose to earn 25 Student Service Learning (SSL) credits in lieu of the stipend.

To apply online, or for more information, go to County's board of election website.

Reservations for Athletic Fields Open on February 15

Reservation requests for County athletic fields located at the following sites opens on February 15 for the spring/summer seasons (March 15 - Aug 15) on www.ActiveMONTGOMERY.org

These sites include:

• MCPS Elementary and Middle Schools Fields
• Montgomery Parks Local Parks Fields
• Montgomery County Recreation Department Fields

Montgomery Parks Regional and Recreational fields as well as MCPS synthetic turf fields may be requested for the spring/summer seasons by contacting CUPF@montgomerycountymd.gov

Registration Open for the Montgomery County Energy Summit

The fifth annual Montgomery County Energy Summit is set for Wednesday, April 4, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building located at One Veterans Plaza. Co-hosted by Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection and the US Green Building Council - National Capital Region, the Montgomery County Energy Summit is focused on commercial energy efficiency and clean energy in the County.

The 2018 Energy Summit theme is, “The Slight Edge: Incremental Steps towards Sustainability,” and focuses on how organizations can make green impacts with gradual, phased approaches in commercial buildings.

Tickets start at $35 and include a full day of educational sessions, an exhibitor hall, as well as breakfast, lunch, and access to a post-Summit reception and networking event. Early-bird pricing for tickets ends March 7.

For registration and additional information, visit the event website at www.MCEnergySummit.org. Please email any questions to energy@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Department of Environmental Protection Call for Artists

The Department of Environmental Protection calls for creative County residents of all ages to enter the 2018 Storm Drain Art Contest. The goal is to increase awareness about the connection between local storm drains, streams and the Chesapeake Bay.

Entries must be submitted by 4 p.m. on February 16. The six winning designs will be painted on storm drains in the Wheaton area in April in honor of Earth Month. For more information, go to mygreenmontgomery.org/art