 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week released his recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget of $6.8 billion, which he said reflects significant investments in Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, affordable housing, economic development, public safety and efforts to combat climate change. Over the next two months, the County Council will review the recommendations as it works toward adopting the budget that will go into effect on July 1.
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week released his recommended Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Operating Budget of $6.8 billion, which is an increase of 7.7 percent from the FY23 approved all funds budget (County Government plus outside agencies). The recommended FY24 budget reflects record level and significant investments for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College, affordable housing, economic development, public safety and efforts to combat climate change.
Downtown Wheaton will be a “Shamrockin’ Good Time’ as it stretches St. Patrick’s Day to a two-day celebration on Friday-Saturday, March 17-18.
Olney Writer’s Group authors and members Kaitlyn Jain and Amy Chan Zhou will present a free program open to all residents on “Writing and Publishing a Memoir” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, at the Olney branch of Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL). Each recently published their memoirs and will have advice and tips for anyone who has been considering writing a memoir of their own.
 Spring and summer are some of the busiest months of the year at Montgomery County’s Department of Permitting Services (DPS) as many homeowners apply for permits and schedule inspections for their home renovations and other projects. The department generally issues and processes about 40,000 permits each year, and DPS is eager to help ensure that your project is a success.
The Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women this week honored 32 women who were selected for the 2023 “Women Making History Awards.” The winners were recognized at ceremonies at the Silver Spring Civic Building.
Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is asking residents to participate in a survey on how the County could expand and improve charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs). As part of the initiative, DEP will hold webinars on Thursday, April 13, and Friday, April 14, to share details about the planning process and collect more input.
 Holly Jamesen Carr, director of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, DOE Building Technologies Office, and journalist Aman Azhar of Inside Climate News and will be among the speakers at the 10th Annual Montgomery County Energy Summit on Tuesday, March 28, and Wednesday, March 29 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The summit will focus on preparing the commercial building community for compliance with energy benchmarking, building energy performance standards and emerging building codes.
 Montgomery Parks is hosting a busy lineup of special events and programs in March, including a variety of hikes and birdwatching.
 Montgomery County teens have an opportunity to win some great prizes by producing peer videos promoting the importance of focusing on their surroundings, instead of their phones, while driving and walking. The County Department of Transportation’s “Heads Up, Phones Down” high school video contest will be accepting entries of 30-second Public Service Announcements (PSAs) through March 31.
A community meeting to discuss the new neighborhood park coming to Lyttonsville in Silver Spring will be held by Montgomery Parks at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, at the Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center in Silver Spring. The park design is the result of dialogue between planners and the Lyttonsville community during two previous meetings.
 A week of fun camps and activities for the first week of April, coinciding with Montgomery County Public Schools spring break, will be held by Montgomery Parks.
WSSC Water’s Patuxent Watershed recreation areas are now open from sunrise to sundown for all permitted activities, including boating, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and picnicking. The recreational areas span more than 4,000 acres along its two reservoirs, Triadelphia and T. Howard Duckett, in Montgomery, Prince George’s and Howard counties.
 Four in-person seminars on “Introduction to Women's Self-Defense” will be offered this spring by the Montgomery County Commission for Women. Each S.A.F.E. (Self-defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange) seminar is a two-hour "sampler" session for women of all ages and abilities taught by Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.)-certified instructors.
 Montgomery County Recreation is hiring part-time seasonal employees to work during the 2023 summer season. Available positions include lifeguards, camp counselors, camp directors and more.
 The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), in collaboration with the Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA), will offer adult bike classes in April, May and June. The classes include a learn to ride and a basic skills class. MCDOT also will offer four free scooter classes in spring.
 The 25th Annual Montgomery County Gas and Steam Engine Show will return to the Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood on Saturday-Sunday, April 29-30. Admission and parking are free at the event hosted by The Friends of The Agricultural History Farm Park, Inc. and supported by Montgomery Parks.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is promoting this year’s Transit Driver Appreciation Day on March 18 with a month-long social media contest.
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