 County Executive Marc Elrich reflects on the many events and activities that were part of Montgomery County’s celebration of April as Earth Month, while also issuing some caution that COVID-19 infections continue to rise again. He talks about two major events that signal the County is moving economically forward as “MoCo Eats Week” continues and a groundbreaking was held for the future “Crossvines” in Poolesville. He asks everyone to join in next week’s celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week and offers his thoughts on the next steps in keeping schools safer.
 “MoCo Eats Week,” which has already been an opportunity to visit favorite restaurants throughout Montgomery County and incentive to try new ones, will continue through Saturday, April 30. The special week of food, which is hosted by Visit Montgomery, includes a chance to win the “Ultimate Foodie Giveaway” valued at $1,000.
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Council President Gabe Albornoz were among those joining the “Crossvines” development team, consisting of the Montgomery County Revenue Authority and lead developer Weller Development Company, on Thursday, April 28, to celebrate the start of construction of the new multi-purpose facility in Poolesville that will feature a custom grape-crushing facility, a casual bistro, a special events venue and a winery.
Montgomery County residents are invited to attend a virtual community forum from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, on a “Common Triage and Dispatch Protocol” that provides criteria for mobile crisis and outreach teams at the County’s Crisis Center. At the forum, residents can provide comments on the protocol that will guide how staff responds to mental health crises with and without police presence.
 Registration is now open for Montgomery County Public Schools middle school students interested in attending the fourth year of the unique and innovative “Montgomery Can Code Camp” this summer. The free virtual program is a public-private partnership formed by Montgomery College, Montgomery County Public Schools and the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation with Apple. It will offer an enriching and educational summer camp experience to learn computer coding.
 Residents 18-and-older who are interested in electric scooter lessons will have the opportunity to attend four free clinics in April, May and June sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. Participants can take a test ride, learn safety tips and get details on basic scooter laws.
 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have approved giving a second booster dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for certain groups. Montgomery County-operated clinics are now providing the second booster dose to eligible residents.
 Montgomery County residents can pick up free at-home polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 test kits at locations throughout the community. The "20/20 GeneSystems" tests are available to County residents while supplies last. Residents can receive a maximum of two test kits per person (each kit contains one test) per visit.
 The new Marriott International Headquarters and Hotel in Downtown Bethesda was named “2022 Project of the Year” at the Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) Awards, a state-wide recognition of significant projects and programs that bring economic prosperity to Maryland. The Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), with collaboration from the Maryland Department of Commerce, sponsored the Marriott HQ and Hotel nomination.
 Montgomery County will celebrate Arbor Day by commemorating the black tupelo as the new County tree. The County’s departments of Environmental Protection, Transportation and Parks will participate in an event at 4 p.m. on Arbor Day, Friday, April 29. The event will be at the East County Community Recreation Center, which is located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way in Silver Spring.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is promoting this year’s Bike To Work Day with the return of the ‘Bicycle Swag Bag’ contest during the month of May. From Sunday, May 1, through Saturday, May 28, bike riders are encouraged to post a picture of themselves enjoying their bike ride along any bike trail, path or bike lane in the County.
The Montgomery County Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation on Saturday, May 14, will present a virtual symposium in remembrance of the three lynchings found in Montgomery County in the 19th Century. “Preserving Legacies: Resources for Reconciliation” seeks to contribute toward reconciliation for African American communities for the deaths of George W. Peck and John Diggs-Dorsey in 1880 and Sidney Randolph in 1896.
 “Magic and Fantasy” will be celebrated as part of a special weekend of events hosted by Gaithersburg’s Arts on the Green May 13-15 at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. A magician will challenge perceptions of reality, attendees can join the quest for the One Ring and should beware of Fluffy guarding the Philosopher’s Stone. The event will feature magician Adam Stone, kid-friendly music by Milkshake and showings of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Harry Potter and the Sorcerers’ Stone with costume and trivia contests.
 Children of all ages can explore their creativity through creating comics and graphic novels, writing haiku poetry and building their college essays at the 2022 Gaithersburg Book Festival. A full day of free workshops—designed for elementary, middle and high school students—will be led by top authors and illustrators in the Children’s Workshop Tent. The festival takes place on Saturday, May 21, at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm.
 The Potomac Library will close at 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, to undergo interior improvements under the Montgomery County Public Libraries’ award-winning Library Refurbishment initiative. The Potomac Library, which is located at 10101 Glenolden Dr. in Potomac, will be closed for approximately eight to 10 months.
 Montgomery County’s first adaptive kayaking pier will be dedicated at Riley’s Lock in Poolesville with a celebration from 12:30-5 p m. on Sunday, May 1, that will include music, food and free adaptive kayaking lessons. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held from 12:30-2 p.m. to dedicate the accessible pier for individuals with disabilities and the overall achievement for the disability community.
 The Montgomery County Board of Elections is seeking registered voters to serve as election poll workers at polling places for the Gubernatorial Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, July 19. Due to the diversity within the County, voters who speak multiple languages also are needed.
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