 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich offers insight to the economic development mission he led this week to Taiwan, hoping it inspires more international companies to locate in the County. He provides details on a grant program for businesses along the future Purple Line route that have already been impacted by the early stages of construction. County Executive Elrich enthusiastically talks about how the County will celebrate April as “Earth Month.” And as Women’s History Month comes to a close, he encourages viewing of a video on leadership featuring former Montgomery County First Lady Catherine Leggett, former Maryland State Treasurer Nancy Kopp and former Maryland State Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez.
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week is leading an economic development mission to Taiwan to promote the advantages for Taiwanese organizations to establish or expand their U.S. operations in Montgomery County. The trip is an outgrowth of an invitation he received from the Taipei Computer Association (TCA) to speak at its 2023 Smart Cities Summit and Expo the County’s Climate Action Plan and Net Zero activities. Montgomery County now is a featured delegation at this Summit, which has more than 1,300 attendees from 47 countries around the world.
Montgomery County Recreation is offering a variety of special programs during the Montgomery County Public Schools spring break week of April 3-7. The programs will include fun activities, sports and games for youth and teens at various community recreation centers. Inclusion and Therapeutic Recreation options are available for individuals with disabilities.
 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.
The Montgomery County Council this week enacted legislation to establish an Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission. The legislation is supported by the full Council, County Executive Marc Elrich and the County’s Commission on People with Disabilities. The purpose of this bill is to better coordinate services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families.
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich will hold six “community conversations” at sites around the County in April and May to talk about long-term priorities and how he will address the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget. The first event will be from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12, at the White Oak Community Recreation Center in Silver Spring.
For most of the 1960s and ’70s, Gaithersburg was an entertainment mecca for the greater Washington area. Shady Grove Music Fair—first under a big-top tent and then in a theater-in-the-round venue complete with a revolving stage—hosted Broadway hits and a wide variety of pop, rock and soul singers. That era will be the subject of Montgomery History online presentation at 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 6.
 A six-session, 12-hour Basic Physical Defense self-defense course taught by R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense system) certified instructors will be offered by the Montgomery County Commission for Women at the Nancy H. Dacek North Potomac Community Recreation Center in Rockville. The first of the six two-hour sessions will be Thursday, April 13.
 Kate Beaton, the best-selling cartoonist of Hark! A Vagrant! and Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands will be the next featured speaker at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, in the continuing free Virtual Author Series presented by Montgomery County Public Libraries. The series hosts best-selling, award-winning and highly acclaimed authors from around the world.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation on Monday, April 10, will begin its semi-annual interior washdown to degrease and clean 21 County-owned parking garages in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Wheaton. The spring cleanings will start with the Bethesda garages and are scheduled to conclude with the Silver Spring garages on Saturday, June 3. Cleanings will be done on nights and weekends.
 For many people, attending an Indian wedding is quite an experience in almost every way. Just trying to keep up with the dancing is something special—and so much fun. For those who want to know more about “How to Dance at an Indian Wedding,” the SAPAN Institute will lead a festive class of Bhangra Bollywood-style dance as part of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. Around the World Bazaar from 7-8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 31, at the Silver Spring Civic Building.
 Montgomery Parks will be blooming with a full lineup of special events and programs in April. There will be events for residents 55-and-older, hikes with (and without) dogs, the annual Petal and Paws event, outdoor Sunday brunches and a roller disco.
 Residents 18-and-older who are interested in electric scooter lessons will have the opportunity to attend free clinics in April, May and June sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. Participants will be able to take a test ride, learn safety tips and get details on basic scooter laws.
Montgomery Parks is seeking ideas for a new park in Downtown Bethesda and is encouraging residents to share suggestions by taking a brief online survey. Comments from the survey will be used in developing concept plans for the park, which will be presented to the public in May.
Montgomery County will commemorate National Public Health Week (NPHW) April 3-9 by highlighting daily themes through a series of social media posts based on this year’s theme “Centering and Celebrating Cultures in Health.” Montgomery County is home to many diverse cultures, all of which have different health impacts based on unique backgrounds and circumstances. It is important to honor these cultures through meeting people where they are to positively impact their health.
 A ceramics exhibit featuring works by members of Montgomery Potters is on display through June 4 at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. A meet the artists event will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, at the Arts Barn and Kentlands Mansion, where the Gaithersburg Fine Arts Association’s exhibition will be on display.
 National Bike to Work Day will be held on Friday, May 19, and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will sponsor seven pit stops throughout the County as part of the Washington Region’s participation in the event. Registration for the free event is now open. The first 15,000 bicyclists to register and participate will get a free t-shirt and will be automatically entered into a raffle for a chance to win a new bike.
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