Holiday Schedule for Memorial Day, Monday, May 28

Montgomery County government will observe the following holiday schedule for Memorial Day, Monday, May 28.

• County Offices – Closed 
• Libraries – Closed 
• County Liquor stores (DLC) – all stores will be open 10 a.m. – 6 p.m
• Recreation – aquatics programs and facilities open; all other classes and programs canceled. Administrative offices, senior centers, and recreation centers are closed 
• Montgomery Parks - for special programs, events and operating schedule, including Brookside Gardens, ice rinks, and tennis centers, visit www.MontgomeryParks.org
• Ride On – Sunday Schedule 
• 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 – The Silver Spring TRiPS store will be open on Memorial Day, but the Mobile Store will be closed
• County refuse/recycling pickup – no collection, all collections for the week will be made one day later than normal with Friday pickup on Saturday.
• The Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station – closed
• Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – Free
• State offices and courts – Closed

Statement by County Executive Ike Leggett on the Council Announcement of a Tentative FY19 County Operating Budget

“I appreciate the hard work and leadership the Council demonstrated on the FY 19 Operating Budget. The Council approved virtually all of what was initially recommended, including full funding for Montgomery County Public Schools — our shared top priority.

“I am concerned, however, that the Council has increased ongoing expenditures by $14 million over and above my recommended budget.

“In addition, by a 5 to 4 majority, the Council opposed the reform of our stormwater management construction program – a decision that threatens our ability to meet important environmental goals and will certainly delay projects designed to meet our State-mandated MS4 permit -- I intend to veto this line item in the Capital Budget.

“We need to make this program more efficient and cost-effective. And we need to be responsive to County taxpayers who – without changes – will be paying more in stormwater management charges to get less. The status quo is unacceptable.”

Most County Outdoor Pools Open on May 26; Long Branch Outdoor Pool Postponed Due to Weather-Related Construction Delays

Most Montgomery County Recreation’s outdoor pools are scheduled to open for the summer season at noon Saturday, May 26. The pre-season (weekends and Memorial Day) runs from May 26 through June 15.

The Long Branch Outdoor Pool, located at 8700 Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring, has been delayed by recent rainfall that resulted in construction delays. Necessary repairs to the pool, which require warm and dry weather conditions, were delayed over the last two weeks due to rain.

The department is working to complete work at the pool and expects repairs to be completed by Saturday, June 9, weather permitting.

The wet weather has also delayed the opening of the “baby” (wading) pools at the Germantown Outdoor Pool, located at 18905 Kingsview Drive in Germantown and the Sergeant Hector I. Ayala Wheaton Glenmont Outdoor Pool, located at 12621 Dalewood Drive in Wheaton. All other pools at Germantown and Wheaton locations will be open to the public for Memorial Day weekend. Work on the baby pools is expected to be completed by Saturday, June 2.

Because safety is always the priority for the Recreation Department, the department will host a free Water Safety Day event on Saturday, June 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Sergeant Hector I. Ayala Wheaton/Glenmont Outdoor Pool located at 12621 Dalewood Drive in Wheaton.

The event will include swim skills assessments, mini swim lessons with County police officers, and scuba diving and life-guarding demonstrations. There will be a special session for swimmers with disabilities from 4 to 5 p.m.

Children are at high risk for water-related accidents and it is important that they are always closely supervised while in and around the pool.

County outdoor pools are located at: (see the map of all locations)

• Bethesda Pool, Little Falls Pkwy. and Hillandale Rd.; 
• Germantown Outdoor Pool 18905 Kingsview Rd.; 
• Long Branch Pool 8700 Piney Branch Rd., Silver Spring; 
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Outdoor Pool, 1201 Jackson Rd., Silver Spring; 
• Sarah E. Auer Western County Outdoor Pool, 20151 Fisher Ave., Poolesville; 
• Upper County Outdoor Pool, 8211 Emory Grove Rd., Gaithersburg; and 
• Sergeant Hector I. Ayala Wheaton/Glenmont Pool, 12621 Dalewood Dr.

For more information, call 240-777-6860.

Voter Registration and Party Affiliation Change Deadline Nears

Montgomery County citizens who wish to vote in the 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election must complete and submit their voter registration application no later than Tuesday, June 5 at 9 p.m.

To vote in a political party’s primary election, you must be registered with either the Democratic or Republican Party The only non-partisan offices which may be elected in the 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election are the School Board; any voter may vote for these offices.

Is your voter registration up to date? Is your political party affiliation correct? Do you wish to change your political party affiliation or make any othare er changes to your voter registration? Make sure you update your registration prior to June 5, 2018, so you are ready to vote.

Registering to vote requires that you are a U.S. citizen, live in Montgomery County, Maryland, and are at least 18 years of age on or before November 6, 2018.

For more information go to www.777vote.org, or register online.

Montgomery County Unveils Veterans Memorial Wall

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett unveiled the Montgomery County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall at Memorial Plaza in Rockville on Monday, May 21.

The Memorial includes the names of 130 service members from Montgomery County who lost their lives or were reported missing in action in Vietnam, during the Vietnam War. There are four Montgomery County residents who remain missing.

Dozens of Vietnam War veterans attended the dedication ceremony, including Everett Alvarez, one of the longest-held prisoners of war, who provided remarks.

During the dedication ceremony, Leggett unveiled a Vietnam Era Honor & Gratitude plaque to pay tribute to all the Montgomery County veterans who served our country during 1955-1975.

For more information about the 130 service members whose names are etched on the Memorial Wall, visit the Commission on Veterans Affairs website.

Read more about the ceremony here.

For more photos of the dedication ceremony, visit Montgomery County’s Flickr page.

To view a recording of the event, click here (ceremony starts at minute 17:40).

Montgomery County Public Libraries Extends Summer Weekend Hours at Five Branches

Montgomery County Public Libraries extends weekend evening hours for the summer at five branches: Connie Morella (Bethesda), Gaithersburg, Germantown, Rockville Memorial, and Silver Spring beginning June 1.

These branches will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during the summer. The extended weekend hours run through August 25.

Information about all MCPL branches is available at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/library.

Free Summer Outdoor Movies Return to Bethesda and Strathmore

Comcast Xfinity Outdoor Film Festival

The Bethesda Urban Partnership Bethesda Outdoor Movies: Stars on the Avenue returns for a week of free movies. Five evenings of major motion pictures in a variety of genres will be showcased, including new releases, classics, drama and comedy films.

The outdoor film series will take place at the corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Moviegoers are encouraged to arrive early and bring their own lawn chairs.

• Remember the Titans - Tuesday, July 24 
• Casablanca - Wednesday,July 25
• The Big Sick -Thursday, July 26 
• Mean Girls - Friday, July 27 
• The Post - Saturday, July 28 

The Comcast Xfinity Outdoor Film Festival returns to Strathmore in August. The event features four nights of free flicks benefitting the National Institutes of Health Children’s Charities. The gates open and activities begin at 7:30 p.m. The movies begin at dusk.

• Coco - Thursday, August 23
• Black Panther - Friday, August 24
• The Lion King - Saturday, August 25
• Wonder Woman - Sunday, August 26

For more information, go to Bethesda Outdoor Movies or Comcast Xfinity Outdoor Film Festival.

Hometown Holidays Returns to Rockville Over the Memorial Day Weekend

The City of Rockville presents the 30th annual Hometown Holidays over the Memorial Day weekend. The event includes a Music Festival, Taste of Rockville and 74th annual Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade. The event is located at Rockville Town Center.

The festival will feature performances by more than 30 local, regional and national performing artists, from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27. The festival spans six city blocks with four stages, kids amusements and the return of “the beach” sand pile.

Taste of Rockville, which opens at noon on Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27, offers a taste of diverse offerings from Amici Miei, Armand’s Pizzeria and Grill, Botanero, Brooklyn’s Deli & Catering, Dawson’s Market, Fresh Baguette, Golden Samovar, Mellow Mushroom, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pandora Seafood House & Bar, Pinstripes, Saffron Indian Cuisine, Spice Xing and Trapezaria.

More information on the schedule of activities is available at the new, mobile-friendly website at www.rockvillemd.gov/HTH.

Montgomery County Recreation to Host Youth Summit

Montgomery County middle and high school students are invited to participate in a free Youth Summit from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 31. The event is located at the Silver Spring Civic Building located at 1 Veterans Place.

This free event is sponsored by members of the County Executive’s Youth Advisory Council to give young people an opportunity to share their experiences, insights, and solutions with County Executive Ike Leggett, Montgomery County Recreation and other representatives from Montgomery County Government.

For more information, call 240-777-8080.

Department of General Services Leads the Region with Sold Out State of the Infrastructure Conference

The County’s Department of General Services, featuring Architectural Engineering Institute and Construction Institute, hosted a 2018 Regional Government Conference on Monday, May 21 at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

This sold-out event brought together professionals from government, private sector, and academic settings to collaborate on best practices in building and improving infrastructure. The sessions emphasized the importance of collaboration and management of projects with focus on cost effectiveness, quality control, risk management and sustainability.

The event included opening remarks by DGS Director David Dise. Dr. Joseph Martens served as the keynote speaker who spoke on innovative ways to manage projects and deliver actionable solutions and strategies to help program and project managers be more impactful and influential. 

Following the keynote speaker, industry professionals led group panel discussions and encouraged discussions and idea sharing.

In addition to Montgomery County six regional counties sponsored the event including Arlington, Fairfax, Frederick. Howard, Loudoun, Prince George’s and St. Mary counties. 

Registered sponsors for the event included MBP; O’Connell & Lawrence, Inc.; Pype; Arcadis U.S., Inc.; The Robert B Balter Company; Noresco; The Catholic University of America; Facility Dynamics; and Keller Brothers, Inc.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Dedication Ceremony Set for May 21

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett will unveil the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall at a dedication ceremony at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 21.

The Memorial Wall includes the names of 130 service members from Montgomery County who were killed or reported missing in action during the Vietnam War.

The dedication ceremony will take place at Memorial Plaza, adjacent to the Executive Office Building (101 Monroe Street) and the Courthouse Annex in Rockville.

Montgomery County invites the public to attend the dedication ceremony.

For a list of County residents who lost their lives or were declared missing in the Vietnam War, visit the Montgomery County Veterans Affairs website and click on the queue titled, “Fallen Heroes.”

Family and friends of the 130 fallen heroes are encouraged to RSVP to Community Outreach Manager Betsy Tolbert Luecking at the Commission on Veterans Affairs. Luecking can be reached by telephone at 240-777-1256 or by email at Betsy.Luecking@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Montgomery County’s Green Government Report Confirms Sustainable Operations are Strong Across County Departments

Montgomery County’s Department of General Services (DGS) has published the fiscal year 2017 Montgomery County Green Government Report, which reports the County’s progress with energy efficiency, green buildings, smart growth, water conservation, biodiversity, waste reduction, green transportation, renewable resources, and resiliency.

A highlight of the report is that the County is now a carbon-neutral government through energy efficiency, renewable energy investment, and energy purchases. This puts the County on track to save $70 million over the next 20 years through energy efficiency improvements, negotiations with energy suppliers and solar energy generation on County facilities.

All County departments and agencies play a significant role in greening County government, with the DGS Office of Energy and Sustainability (OES) as the hub for these efforts. OES is managed by Eric Coffman who was named to the Energy Manager Today 75 list on May 1. The list, selected by the Editorial and Management team at Business Sector Media, recognizes the nation’s top 75 executives in energy management.

For more details, or to review the report go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dgs-oes.

Registration for Recreation Summer Programs Now Open

Got summer plans? The 2018 Summer Guide is your source for activities, classes and programs. Registration for Montgomery County Recreation’s summer programs is available at activemontgomery.org.

County Releases Health Report; Compares County to State and National Outcomes

Health officials have released the first health status report for Montgomery County that includes information and data about a diverse set of health conditions such as life expectancy, chronic diseases and infectious diseases. The report, Health in Montgomery County 2008-2016, A Surveillance Report on Population Health, highlights where Montgomery County stands in comparison to state and national health outcomes.

The report completes a core function of public health: surveillance and data collection, analysis and interpretation for disease prevention and control. While there are different data sets available that highlight different statistics, there isn't a central source that reports the County health statistics across a broad set of health conditions and concerns. The goal is to present the data to the community so that it can serve as a source of knowledge, bring attention to areas of success and weakness, and potentially serve as a basis for further analysis by stakeholders to design appropriate programming and interventions to address gaps in outcomes.

Though health outcomes in Montgomery County performed better than state and national averages, there are several health conditions with increasing trends and disparities by race/ethnicity, age, sex and geographic areas that warrant special attention.

Findings of the report include: 

• The County's population is becoming more diverse over time; the non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic populations have increased while the non-Hispanic White population has decreased. 
• Births to adolescent mothers in the county have decreased over time and the county's rates are consistently lower than those in Maryland and the U.S. 
• The leading causes of death in the county were cancer, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, accidents and chronic lower respiratory disease. 
• Though heart disease mortality has decreased in the County; heart disease-related emergency room (ER) visit rates increased; however, the County had lower rates of mortality and ER visits than those in Maryland. Non-Hispanic Blacks had the highest mortality and ER visit rates. 
• Tuberculosis rates in the county were consistently higher than in Maryland and the U.S. Asian/Pacific Islanders had the highest rates. 
• Though substance-abuse related ER visit rates were consistently lower than in Maryland, the substance-abuse related ER visit rates and drug-induced mortality rates in the county increased over time. Non-Hispanic Whites and person ages 18 to 34 had the highest rates. 
• Motor vehicle-related mortality and hospitalization rates decreased in the County. County rates were consistently lower than in Maryland; non-Hispanic Blacks and person ages 18 to 34 had the highest ER visit rates. 

The report serves as a companion to the County's 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, which is available HERE.

Move More Montgomery Festival Set for May 12

Montgomery County Recreation, in partnership with the City of Gaithersburg and Montgomery Parks, will host the third annual Move More Montgomery Festival on Saturday, May 12 from noon to 4 p.m. The free event is located at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm 506 S. Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg. Leashed dogs are welcome!

The Move More Montgomery Festival, a field day type of festival, will feature a community walk, sport and fitness demonstrations, active performances and mini-classes, interactive wellness booths, children’s activities including a play area, and the Fido Fitness Arena. The event will be held rain or shine.

The Move More Montgomery Festival is also the culminating event for the Move More Montgomery 100 Mile Challenge. Residents who completed the challenge by walking or running 100 miles in 100 days will be recognized at the event.

More information is available at the Move More Montgomery Festival’s website.

Free Outdoor Summer Concerts

The popular Downtown Silver Spring Thursday night summer concerts return to Silver Spring June 21 through August 9. These family-friendly concerts take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building located at Veterans Plaza, located at 1 Veterans Place. The concerts are free and feature a variety of styles of music, dancing and face painting and games for the kids. In addition, there is a free raffle with prizes for the adults and toys and gifts for the younger crowd.

The concert lineup includes:

• Bobby & the Believers June 21
• Built for Comfort Band June 28 
• MoCo’s Got Talent July 5 
• Gary and the Groove July 12 
• Sweet Saludos July 19 
• Route 66 July 26 
• Josh Christina August 2
• Soul Crackers August 9 

Live from the Lawn, Strathmore's free outdoor concert series will be held on Wednesday evenings on July 11 through August 29.

• Making Moves July 11
• Lena Seikaly July 18
• The Rad Trads July 25
• The Chuck Brown Band August 1
• Erin & The Wildfire August 8
• Ukefest August 15
• The Mark G. Meadows Sextet August 22
• The Sweetback Sisters August 29

More information on the Downtown Silver Spring concert series is available HERE.
More information on the Strathmore concert series is available HERE.

Results from the April 2018 Prescription Drug-Take Back Day

On Saturday, April 28, Montgomery County participated in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 15th Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Across the country, 4,683 law enforcement agencies participated, providing 5,842 collection sites and receiving 949,046 pounds of turned-in prescription drugs. In Montgomery County, the law enforcement agencies participating included: Montgomery County Police, Maryland State Police, Rockville City Police, Gaithersburg Police, Takoma Park Police, Chevy Chase Village Police and the Sheriff’s Office.

From 15 collection sites within Montgomery County, 48 bags weighing 1,099 pounds were received. In addition, the City of Rockville held a more-than-one day turn-in event which collected 19 bags weighing 489 pounds.

The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days address a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. With the current prevalence of opioid overdoses, safely deposing of opioid drugs can play a major role in helping to curb their life-threatening abuse.

Participating in Drug Take-Back days provides an opportunity to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. Until the next Prescription Drug Take-Back Day scheduled for Saturday, October 27 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., follow these important drug-disposal tips. Drugs should not be thrown in the trash unless specific safety precautions for safe disposal are followed. The County’s Division of Solid Waste Services offers these suggestions:

1. Place unwanted or expired medication into a plastic bag (with a seal) or other empty containers with a lid to prevent liquid medications from leaking out. 
2. Mix with kitty litter, coffee grounds or sawdust. (Liquid medications can be solidified using kitty litter or sawdust.) 
3. Seal the bag and/or container. 
4. Crush pills or tablets. 
5. Put the container and/or bag containing the medication into your regular household trash. 
6. Remove the label with the patient’s name from the original medicine vial or bottle. 
7. Place the empty plastic vial or bottle into your blue County recycling bin. Empty aerosol inhalers can also be recycled in recycling bins.

Schedule Your Free Deck Inspection in May

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and the Montgomery County Council have proclaimed the month of May as Building Safety Month. The theme for this year’s public awareness campaign is “Building Codes Save Lives.”

As part of Building Safety Month, the Department of Permitting Services is offering free, deck maintenance inspections. Residents can schedule a free deck inspection by calling 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 during the month of May.

For more information about the Department of Permitting Services, visit the website.

Montgomery County Government Earns 2018 Alliance for Workplace Excellence Awards

Montgomery County Government has earned the 2018 Alliance for Workplace Excellence Workplace (AWE) Excellence Seal of Approval; the 2018 AWE Health & Wellness Seal of Approval; the 2018 AWE Eco-Leadership Award; the 2018 AWE Diversity Champion Award; the 2018 AWE Certificate of Recognition: Best Practices Supporting Workers of All Abilities; and the 2018 AWE Certificate of Recognition: Best Practices Supporting Workers 50+.

Montgomery County will receive the awards at the Alliance of Workplace Excellence Annual Awards Celebration on Friday, June 8. The ceremony will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center. The award-winning companies represent organizations of all sizes and all industry types from across the United States. See the full release HERE.

Taste of Wheaton to Take Place in a New Location This Year

The 23rd Annual Taste of Wheaton returns on Sunday, June 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free event will take place on County Parking Lot 17 at 2320 Price Avenue (the corner of Price Avenue and Fern Street). This year’s venue has changed due to ongoing construction on the Wheaton Revitalization Project. The location is one block east of the Wheaton Metro station.

The festival features samples from the diverse restaurants in downtown Wheaton. There will be a full day of family and children’s activities, exhibitors, a beer and wine garden and entertainment including four bands.

Detailed information about the event is available at www.wheatonmd.org/events/item/taste-of-wheaton4.

Taste the World in Fenton Village Returns to Silver Spring

Dozens of restaurants featuring cuisine from around the globe will be showcased at the Taste the World in Fenton Village. The event is scheduled for Sunday, May 20, from 1 to 5 p.m. Fenton Village is located just south of Downtown Silver Spring between Wayne, Georgia and Burlington Aves. and Fenton St.

Taste the World in Fenton Village is the largest restaurant crawl in the D.C. area. The event provides an opportunity for attendees to try delicious food from across the globe while supporting locally-owned, small businesses and exploring Fenton Village.

For more information, including a map of participating restaurants and other event details, go to https://fentonvillage.org/taste-the-world-in-fenton-village/.

Author Edward Alexander to Speak at the May Montgomery County Civil War Roundtable Meeting

Edward Alexander will discuss his book “Dawn of Victory: The Breakthrough at Petersburg” at the monthly meeting of the Montgomery County Civil War Roundtable on Thursday, May 10 at 8 p.m. The event will be held at the Gaithersburg Hilton located at 620 Perry Parkway. A $5 donation is requested.

United Way’s Do More 24 Day Encourages Donations to Nonprofits

Join over 600 Maryland, Virginia and D.C. nonprofits for Do More 24, the region’s largest online day of giving, powered by United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA).

Do More 24 will take place during a 24-hour period from 12 noon on May 17 to 12 noon on May 18 and is expected to raise more than $2 million. This year’s Do More 24 campaign asks the community to think locally and #reclaimkindness by donating to one of the hundreds of participating nonprofits ranging from animal welfare to workforce readiness, environmental causes, financial stability, education, homelessness and housing, plus many more. More information is available at www.domore24.org.