Dear Friends,
This weekend marks the official start of summer, and for me, this time of year has always meant music—listening to it, watching it live or picking up my guitar and playing a little myself.
Music has always played an important role in my life, especially during times like these, when stress, anxiety, and uncertainty seem to be part of daily life. Music has a way of helping us breathe, reflect, and reconnect with ourselves and each other. It doesn’t fix everything, but it helps. And that matters.
This week, I’m sharing a special video from a conversation I had with my longtime friend Mark Wenner, the founder of The Nighthawks. I want to thank Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., for organizing the interview as part of Blues Week and the Silver Spring Blues Festival, which was held this past Saturday. Mark and I talked about musical influences, favorite venues, and how music has shaped our lives.
We have a thriving music scene here. We’re lucky to have so many talented musicians across every genre—jazz, blues, classical, Latin, go-go, folk, rock, and more—and there are plenty of opportunities to hear them live. Please check out the Visit Montgomery summer concert blog for where to see some free live music throughout the County.
I’d also like to hear from you. Who’s your favorite musician or band? What’s your favorite concert venue or summer music festival in the County—or anywhere, really? Do you have an all-time favorite concert? Send me an email at marc.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov and share it with me. We’ll randomly select two entries and give them free tickets to an upcoming show at Strathmore.
I hope you enjoy the conversation with Mark, and I’ll be back next week with my usual video update.
Juneteenth Ceremonies
I want to thank and commend the Scotland community for putting their heart and soul into another wonderful Juneteenth celebration.
We gathered for more than the holiday. We honored the enduring spirit of a community that has weathered injustice, disinvestment, and even disaster, and still stands strong today.
A little over a month ago, we celebrated the reopening of the Scotland AME Zion Church — a 100-year-old institution that was nearly lost in a devastating flood back in 2019. You can watch a livestream of that historic reopening here.
Thanks to the relentless work of the Scotland community, the support of private partners and a strong commitment from the County government, that church has been beautifully restored and elevated, literally, to prevent future flooding.
This church is not just a building. It is the heart of this historic community, a place of strength and tradition, and it stands today as a symbol of what we can accomplish together when we are determined to preserve what matters.
Scotland was one of the first Black communities in Montgomery County, founded by newly freed African Americans after the Civil War. It was populated by people who, for the first time, could own land and start to build a future. Last year, Lesli Foster from Channel 9 did in-depth reporting about the Scotland community and its history; here’s a 30-minute video that tells its story. You can watch it here.
But over the years, policies like redlining and restrictive covenants stripped Black families of wealth and land.
The story of Scotland is a story of perseverance in the face of injustice. Rebuilding this church is one small part of righting that history.
We must keep telling these stories, not to dwell in the past but to learn from it, to ensure it informs the future we build together.
The Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival is now the largest Juneteenth celebration in the region. But more than its size, what makes it powerful is its meaning.
This festival is a celebration of freedom, yes, but also of culture, of resilience and the long and unfinished road to racial justice.
Juneteenth is a time to elevate Black voices and stories, especially those that have been ignored or pushed aside for too long. It is also a time to come together across communities and differences to celebrate what unites us.
I want to remind everyone that there are more opportunities to learn and celebrate. On Friday night, we honor African American Living Legends in our community, and then on Saturday, June 21, BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown will host the County’s Juneteenth celebration, Pushing Back: The Fight for Freedom is Not Over, from noon to 10 p.m. The celebration will include concerts and performances, cultural conversations, a vinyl record fair and more from local vendors. Parking near BlackRock is limited, so shuttles will be set up at the Montgomery College Germantown campus and Seneca Valley High School.
Juneteenth is not just a history lesson. It is a reminder that the work of building equity and justice continues, and it belongs to all of us. Every chance we get to honor Juneteenth reflects our commitment to lifting communities that have been left out for too long. This helps us all understand that when one community thrives, we all do.
BIO International Convention in Boston
I attended the BIO International Convention in Boston this week. It is the largest biotech industry gathering in the world, bringing together more than 37,000 people from over 20,000 organizations and 67 countries. I represented Montgomery County and promoted it as one of the best locations for biotech investment and expansion in the U.S. It is not on enough radars because most people understand that Boston and San Francisco are industry hot spots, but not necessarily Montgomery County.
In just a few days, I held more than 40 scheduled meetings with biotech companies and international delegations, meeting with company leaders from Japan, India, Taiwan, Korea, China, Ireland and Australia. Many of these companies are exploring new U.S. locations, and Montgomery County is high on their list because of our talent, infrastructure and commitment to innovation.
I also participated in regional meetings with leaders from Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, and signed multiple memoranda of understanding to build long-term partnerships. These include new agreements with the Mayor of Daejeon, South Korea—one of our Sister Cities—and with the Biomedical Translational Research Center in Taipei (photo above).
These meetings open real doors for future growth. They help bring jobs, research facilities and business partnerships to the County. I want to thank Maryland’s Lt. Governor Aruna Miller and Secretary of Commerce Harry Coker for leading Maryland’s presence here and helping to coordinate this effort to bring investment back home. Governor Moore and his administration have been valuable partners and leaders in this effort in a way we had not seen previously. After several international trips to Korea, India, Taiwan and China, and with the support of State leaders who get what we’re trying to do, our efforts go a lot further.
We know how to support life sciences companies through targeted tax credits, grants and the right partnerships. Montgomery County is more affordable than several other top-ranked bio health hubs and is home to one of the most diverse and educated populations in the country. We are also developing cutting-edge solutions to medical challenges through the new University of Maryland – Institute for Health Computing, based in North Bethesda.
We’re not trying to be Boston; we are doing something different. We’re building a future that is sustainable, inclusive and driven by real partnerships. I’m not the only one excited by all this. I found many company leaders very interested in joining us here to help build on their own success.
There’s No Place for Political Violence
Last weekend’s political violence in Minnesota was chilling. The killing of a state lawmaker and her husband reflects a growing level of political hostility in this country. The suspected shooter also injured another lawmaker and his wife the same morning and targeted at least two other elected leaders. These tragedies have undoubtedly added fear and anxiety to those just trying to participate in public life.
Yet, when asked about the attack and if he intended to reach out to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, President Trump, who was shot during a political rally leading up to the 2024 election, said, “Well, it's a terrible thing. I think he's a terrible governor. I think he's a grossly incompetent person. But I may, I may call him."
This is a typical Trump response. It is not morally grounded, and it fails to offer comfort or leadership, just insults. At a time of crisis, people look for empathy and support, not Don Rickles.
But this isn’t new; it’s the same disgusting vitriol that empowers individuals who think they can take violent actions into their own hands. We saw this type of response to Charlottesville, Jan. 6, the California wildfires and the air disaster at Reagan National Airport, and sadly, I think we will get a similar response the next time a tragedy happens.
That style of leadership, focused on personal attacks and political grudges, runs counter to the values that define a healthy democracy.
‘No Kings’ Protests
Millions of people across the country took to the streets last weekend as part of the “No Kings Day” protests. I was at the protest on New Hampshire Ave. in the Takoma/Langley Park area last Saturday, and the turnout was encouraging. People are organizing, and the movement for accountability and decency is growing.
In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote, “In America, the law is king.” His Common Sense pamphlet helped sway the public to the need to break away from British rule and form the country’s independence. Today, Americans still reject dictators, autocrats and monarchs.
The national mood is shifting, and it’s starting to show in polling numbers, including on issues like immigration. The reason why so many people are rejecting these policies isn’t political; it’s existential.
This country has a long history of treating immigrants horribly, sticking them in ghettos and forcing them into menial labor. I remember visiting relatives in New York as a child, and you could see the segregation and the danger it created.
The president does our nation a disservice when he calls all immigrants criminals. We know better than most that they seek opportunities. Last week, it almost seemed like he understood the impact his policies were having when he said the farming and hospitality industries would not be included in ICE raids moving forward. That was a short-lived reprieve: going from saying maybe he had made a mistake to doubling down on previous efforts.
Things can get worse. There is no reserve workforce to fill in for the work immigrants do. If meat-packing plants lose enough employees to force an industry shutdown, that would lead to major economic loss, impacting our grocery stores and restaurants.
This would be a crisis of our own making, but something that can still be avoided. I hope the will of the people prevails and that we see a more reasonable solution to what everyone agrees is a flawed immigration system.
Retirement Announcement of CASA’s Gustavo Torres
Gustavo Torres, the executive director of CASA, announced that he will retire later this year. Gustavo has played a major role in shaping immigrant advocacy in this region and social justice causes.
He helped build CASA from a small operation in Takoma Park into an influential organization throughout our region. I’ve worked with him since my days on the Takoma Park City Council, and I’ve seen the results of his passion and determination.
He’s been a real champion of the community, and his retirement marks the end of a significant chapter in our County’s history. CASA and others have been the voice of a growing minority in our County. They fight for workers, tenants, those facing injustice and those in need of a voice at all levels of government. I look forward to the opportunities we’ll have to honor him properly over the upcoming months and wish him well in retirement.
Return of Summer, Return of Severe Weather
This week’s severe thunderstorms knocked out power to more than 27,000 homes across the County. I want to thank our emergency responders, utility workers and County crews who worked quickly to restore power and respond to downed trees and other hazards. As we head into next week, we’re expecting extreme heat, with temperatures forecasted to reach the upper 90s.
This kind of weather can be dangerous, especially for older residents, young children and people with health conditions. Please make sure to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day and check in on your neighbors—especially seniors or anyone who lives alone. Remember that it is never okay to leave pets or kids in the car alone, even with the window open. For more safety tips, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/heat.
Now is also a good time to sign up for County text and email alerts at montgomerycountymd.gov/oemhs/alertmontgomery so you can stay updated on weather and emergency info.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
