 Dear Friends:
This week I want to talk with you about the importance of voting—and why you should vote early, if possible; my thoughts on Ballot Questions A and B; why I am disappointed that the County Council voted this week to override my veto of Bill 29-20; my concern about the number of rising positive tests for COVID-19 nationally and in Montgomery County; what we are doing to help the businesses and low-income residents that have been hard-hit by the health crisis; and about a remarkable tribute—created by a County resident—to honor the more than 200,000 Americans who have died nationally due to this horrible virus.
 The fall and winter months bring less daylight and darker commuting hours, which includes the end of Daylight Saving Time overnight this Saturday as clocks need to be turned back one hour. The adjustments that must be made at twilight during Eastern Standard Time can lead to more crashes between car drivers and pedestrians, with past records showing that two-thirds of all fatal pedestrian injuries over the past four years occurred between dusk and dawn.
To address the changing conditions, Montgomery County’s Vision Zero Initiative continues to make upgrades to streetlighting and crosswalks to protect pedestrians and urges residents to lookout for each other and obey the rules of the road.
 Many of the traditional ways of celebrating Halloween and Dia de los Muertos will not be appropriate this year, so it is important to identify safer alternatives to avoid the risk of spreading COVID-19.
 Election day—Tuesday, Nov. 3—is days away. For those who want to avoid possible long lines on Election Day, a better option will be to vote early at one of the 11 Early Voting Centers in the County. Early voting is underway and will continue through Monday, Nov. 2.
Montgomery County residents who choose to cast their votes at ballot drop boxes or in person during the early voting period and on Election Day are encouraged to make use of multiple free transportation options to support voting activity.
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 Montgomery County will significantly expand its COVID-19 testing program over the next nine days as it will hold 52 County-operated clinics. Those clinics will be in addition to more than 45 private providers who are continuing to operate testing clinics.
 Montgomery County health officials are urging all residents to get a flu vaccination, with two upcoming County-operated clinics providing shots specifically for children ages 6 months to 18. Those clinics will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Dennis Avenue Health Center in Silver Spring.
 A local street in Montgomery County has been transformed into more friendly roadway for pedestrians, bicyclists and other non-vehicular users as the County’s Department of Transportation (MCDOT) unveiled the newest “Shared Street” in a program that encourages roads to be shared by vehicles and other users.
The holiday season is when consumers are most active, buying many gifts and household items online. Most of those transactions involve creating accounts that require passwords. The holidays are also times when criminals are most active, stealing identities and personal information. Easily identifying a password makes their work even easier. That is why the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection is urging consumers to review their passwords before the holidays and make sure they have ones that are not easy for criminals to guess.
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 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich joined developers and community leaders on Oct. 23 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at an affordable housing residence in Silver Spring for tenants age 62 and older. Willow Manor at Fairland is a new, $24 million, three-story, 121-unit apartment building located adjacent to East County Regional Services Center, the East County Community Recreation Center and FLASH, a transit service running along US 29 between downtown Silver Spring and Burtonsville.
 Overnight this Saturday, everyone must turn back their clocks and watches one hour as most of the country goes to Eastern Standard Time and Daylight Saving Time ends for the year. The twice-annual time changes are good reminders to change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to make sure they are always working in case of an emergency.
Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS), in partnership with the Montgomery County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO—UFCW Local 1994) and County Executive Marc Elrich, are supporting the Labor Against Cancer initiative, benefiting the local chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). The “Labor Against Cancer” retail store campaign will run in all 26 County ABS store locations through Nov. 14.
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 The Montgomery County Commission for Women and the Family Law Section of the Montgomery County Bar Association, starting Wednesday, Nov. 4, will be presenting a series of free monthly seminars on “Separation and Divorce: What I Need to Know.” The sessions will be offered from 7-8:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month through June 2021.
 The Montgomery County Government will have schedule changes for various facilities and programs as it observes Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11.
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