Montgomery County Public Libraries Celebrates Library Lovers Month

Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) will kick off Library Lovers Month on January 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with an enjoyable family-friendly event. The event will take place at the Twinbrook branch located at 202 Meadow Hall Drive in Rockville. Library Lovers Month is held annually to celebrate and showcase the importance of libraries in Montgomery County.

County Executive Ike Leggett and Council President Roger Berliner will join the celebration to officially proclaim February as Library Lovers Month. MCPL Director Parker Hamilton and Friends of the Library Montgomery County Executive Director Ari Z. Brooks will make brief welcoming remarks.

Family entertainer, Groovy Nate, will perform a lively concert emphasizing how music promotes peace, love and understanding. Door prizes and family activities will be featured throughout the day.

For more information on Libraries Loves programs offered throughout the month of February.

Montgomery County Recognizes Bell Nursery’s Veriflora Sustainably Grown Certification and Innovative Efforts to Become a Leader in Environmental and Social Responsibility

Montgomery County's Green Business Certification Program recently added Bell Nursery to the Green Business Directory for their business practices which reduce harmful impacts on the environment. Bell Nursery is the largest wholesale nursery grower in the mid-Atlantic, producing and shipping tens of millions of plants annually.

Montgomery County, Maryland’s Green Business Certification Program is a voluntary recognition program designed to encourage businesses and other organizations to take steps that reduce their ecological footprint. Earning Green Business Certification demonstrates that businesses are part of an innovative leadership movement to green their business operations and help transition to a sustainable future.

Watch this video which gives more information about the program.  More information is available on Montgomery County’s Green Business Certification Program at www.mcgreenbiz.org.

Peerless Rockville to Kick-off Spring Educational Series

County Executive Ike Leggett will participate in the Peerless Rockville event to kick-off off their spring education series. This year’s theme is "Emancipation to Integration: 150 Years of Advancement in Educational Equality."

This exhibit and series celebrates the fight for educational equality in Rockville with monthly programs that will highlight the efforts of the local African-American community to secure quality educational opportunities for their children after emancipation, through the

challenges of separate and unequal segregated schools, and the experiences of desegregation following Brown vs. Board of Education.

Peerless Rockville by Public Information Office on Scribd

For more information on the dates and times of the event go to flyer and www.peerlessrockville.org.

Author David O. Stewart to Speak on Lincoln's Legacy

Author David O. Stewart will speak to the Montgomery County Civil War Roundtable on Thursday, February 9 at 8 pm on his book “Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy.”

The presentation will be at the Gaithersburg Hilton, 620 Perry Parkway in Gaithersburg. A $5 donation is requested. Call 301-253-3485 for more information.

Holiday Schedule for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Montgomery County government will observe the following holiday schedule for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

• County Offices – closed 
• Libraries – closed 
• County Liquor stores – 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 community centers closed 
• Montgomery Parks - for operating schedule, including Brookside Gardens, ice rinks, tennis centers, trains and carousels, visit www.MontgomeryParks.org
• Ride On – will run a special Holiday Schedule. Click on route number in this link to see the timetable for each route: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-Transit/SpecialHoliday.html
• Metrorail – Information available at www.wmata.com
• Metrobus – Information available at www.wmata.com
• TRiPS Commuter Stores (Silver Spring and Friendship Heights) – closed
• Refuse/recycling pickup – no collection on Monday. Trash will be collected on a sliding schedule for the week, which means all collections will be made one day later that week, last collection day is Saturday. Trash should be curbside by 7 a.m. on scheduled pick-up day 
• The Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station - closed 
• Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – free
• MCPS Schools and Administrative Offices – closed
• State offices and courts – closed

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Committee will host a community celebration to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” is the theme for this year’s public celebration.

The free event, scheduled for Monday, Jan. 16 at 3:30 p.m. will be held at the Music Center at Strathmore located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda.

The Celebration will open with a poem titled “From Montgomery Alabama to Montgomery County,” performed by local actors, students and volunteers. Other performances will include dance ensembles, vocalists, choirs and a special presentation of “Justice In America” by Joy of Motion Dance Center performers.

The event is free, however, each guest is required to have a ticket. Early reservation for tickets are recommended as the event is likely to fill to capacity. Tickets are available through the ticket office at website or by calling 301-581-5100.

The Music Center at Strathmore is located immediately adjacent to the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro station, on the Red Line. Free parking is available.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a Day ON not a Day OFF!

Join thousands of other local residents in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and teachings by taking part in Montgomery County’s MLK Day of Service 2017, Monday, January 16. This annual event, organized by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center and our many partner agencies, will feature a wide variety of coordinated family-friendly service projects at locations across the County, providing residents of all ages with ways to help our community. More information is available on website.

County Executive Requests Residents’ Feedback to Determine Priorities for the FY18 Budget

County Executive Ike Leggett will host his final three budget forums in the upcoming weeks. The purpose of the meetings is to gather resident input on their priorities for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) budget. Join discussion at #MontCoFY18budgetforum. (Presentation Slide | Press Release)

• January 18, Mid-County Community Recreation Center
• January 25, Silver Spring Civic Building
• January 30, BlackRock Center for the Arts

All resident suggestions and ideas submitted during the forums will assist the County Executive to prepare for his FY 18 Budget. The budget will be submitted to the County Council on March 15.

Montgomery County’s 2016 Economic Development Success Stories

Under the leadership of County Executive Ike Leggett, 2016 was a successful year for Montgomery County's Economic Development initiatives. From the Marriott Corporation's decision to build a new headquarters in the county to the privatization of economic development and workforce development, Montgomery County consistently demonstrated its dedication to make Montgomery County a great place for businesses to start, grow and thrive. Learn more about the economic development success stories of 2016.

Good Neighbors Clear Their Sidewalks of Ice and Snow

When winter storms hit, residents are reminded to clear sidewalks in front of and along their property lines within 24 hours of the snowfall. Clearing sidewalks is not only the law but it is the right thing to do to make sure everyone has a safe path to walk. For more information, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/safesidewalks or watch video from YouTube.