 Dear Friends,
This past month, my team and I have been working on building community, helping residents travel throughout our area safely and efficiently, and ensuring the reliability of our public transit, as more of our regional workforce heads back to the office.
Our recent Buckets & Beats Youth Block Party was a fantastic community event. It was uplifting to see our youth having fun and our community coming together to support them. I am looking forward to hosting similar events in the future.
October is pedestrian safety month and ensuring safety, particularly for our children, is a top priority for us year round. We still have a lot of work to do but we made some progress on safety concerns along the Purple Line route and enhancing pedestrian safety through the Safe Streets Act and the Pedestrian Master Plan. We also had a great time celebrating Walk to School Day at Farmland Elementary. As chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) board, I'm working with colleagues across the region to identify solutions to the financial challenges facing our Metro system.
As always, feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or need assistance.
Sincerely,
 Councilmember Kate Stewart
(she, her) why pronouns
We're excited to share the highlights from our recent Buckets & Beats Silver Spring Youth Block Party, which took place on September 22, 2023, at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring. It was a fantastic day of fun and unity, bringing together our youth, county resources, and our community partners, including the local business community. We were proud to be joined by Maryland Secretary of Service and Civic Innovation Paul Monteiro on behalf of the Moore - Miller administration.
The event featured a 3v3 basketball tournament, a pop-up skatepark, live mural art, and a DJ spinning tunes. We also had over 20 community organizations ranging from Community Bridges to Worksource Montgomery to Smyal. It was a day filled with talent and camaraderie, thanks to everyone who participated and made it a success.
A big thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, and community partners who contributed to the event's success, especially the Silver Spring Regional Services Center, the Department of Recreation, Montgomery Parks, Arts on the Block, the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, Miskiri Enterprises, and Radio One. We’d like to especially thank United Therapeutics and All Set Restaurant for their generous donations as well. We are all committed to continuing our mission of empowering and celebrating Montgomery County's youth.
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 This month, we received a briefing from Purple Line staff during the Transportation and Environment Committee meeting. Since taking office, ensuring the safety of residents near the construction of Purple Line has been a top priority. During the Committee meeting I asked tough questions with specific photos of areas of safety concern for pedestrians and students, and areas in need of clean up. I am pleased to report that, while we still have a lot of work to do and need to stay on top of these issues, specific pedestrian safety hazards near The Bonifant, near Silver Spring International Middle School, and on Piney Branch Rd near New Hampshire Estates are being addressed by Purple Line staff. We will continue to push on these issues. You can watch my questioning of Purple Line officials here.
Additionally, the Purple Line team raised the sidewalk on Wayne Ave where students walk to school above the roadway and has added automatic pedestrian walk signals to Wayne Ave and Dale Drive to supplement crossing guards there during school arrival and dismissal times. I appreciate the partnership of Del. Charkoudian, and community members, and responsiveness of Purple Line staff on remedying these conditions that our residents and students experience daily.
At a recent committee session, I also pressed MCPS on whether a bus stop at Piney Branch Rd and Arliss St can be relocated or light timings can be altered given Purple Line work in the area. The safety of our students is paramount. My office will continue to work on this area to improve this route to school, and we have received word that MCPS is moving the affected bus stop.
As utility relocations have progressed, much of the upcoming work along the alignment is to construct retaining walls and the overhead wires that will power Purple Line trains. We will continue to closely monitor the project and seek rapid responses to improve residents’ quality of life. If you have concerns about specific areas, please contact us.
My colleagues and I passed the Safe Streets Act, which takes action to improve pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist safety on roadways in our county by increasing pedestrian crossing times, expanding No Right on Red in downtowns and town centers, directing the County Executive to develop an automated traffic enforcement action plan, and requiring review and redesign of areas near schools and school bus stops where collisions have occurred. The safety of our most vulnerable road users including our children is paramount, and everyone deserves a safe route to school. I had a great time joining the National Walk and Roll to School Day event on October 4 at Farmland ES!
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As board chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), I have been convening colleagues from around the region to work out a deal to maintain mass transit service for an affordable, consistent route to work that is crucial to our climate goals and reduces commute times. I will be continuing to work on this to overcome this challenge for our region as we approach the end of the year with our local, state, and federal partners.
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Meeting with local town leaders and residents
In the coming weeks, I am visiting several local town councils to hear from municipal leaders about concerns affecting constituents. I joined the Village of North Chevy Chase town council to hear about priorities regarding transportation and share my priorities and will be joining the Town of Garrett Park Monday night 10/9 to recognize the town’s 125th anniversary and the Town of Kensington at their council meeting Wednesday 10/11. I also enjoyed hearing from residents of Parkside Condominiums in the Grosvenor area about their public safety, transportation, and environmental concerns. If your neighborhood association, community, or building has a meeting you would like myself or my staff to attend to hear from you, please email me Councilmember.Stewart@montgomerycountymd.gov with the details.
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Celebrating a Community Achievement: Improved Safety for Our Neighborhood
We're excited to share a recent success in our community. Thanks to your support and collaboration, we've secured an automatic pedestrian signal at Wayne and Dale, along with a raised sidewalk to benefit students commuting to SSI Middle School and Sligo Creek Elementary School. These improvements enhance safety and accessibility, making our neighborhood an even better place to live. Your involvement and support have made a real difference, and we look forward to continuing to work together for the betterment of our community.
Our staff have also expedited the permitting process for a residential construction project near the Rock Spring area of Bethesda, and for a preschool in Kensington.
Jesup Blair Park Renovation: Your Input Needed!
Montgomery Parks is inviting public input for the renovation of Jesup Blair Park in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, the largest park in the area. Currently, the 15-acre park features various amenities, including sports facilities and the historic Jesup Blair House. The goal is to create an inclusive, "park for all" that caters to a diverse group of users. Montgomery Parks is seeking community preferences through an online survey available from September 22 to October 31, 2023. This effort aligns with the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan (SSDAC), emphasizing open spaces for a healthy community. The historic Jesup Blair House within the park is also set for renovation. To participate in the Jesup Blair Park Survey and learn more, visit the Montgomery Parks website.
It’s #BannedBooksWeek! Maintaining the freedom to read is essential when it comes to upholding our democracy. Check out one of the most challenged books of 2022 here and take some time to read one this week.
Take action on October 7, 2023, to protect books from censorship and support those who make them available. Share your efforts on social media using #LetFreedomReadDay and #BannedBooksWeek. Remember, you can fight censorship any day of the year.
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Community Resources and Events
Pike District Partnership Board Application open until 10/31
The Pike District Partnership is seeking North Bethesda businesses and residents to join its board of directors, and applications are open through 10/31. You can find the application here.
Pike District Fall Clean Up - RSVP today!
Our office, in conjunction with the Pike District Partnership and the Bethesda Regional Services Center, is organizing a Pike District Fall Clean Up day in the community scheduled for Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m. to noon. You can sign up and find more information here or by scanning the QR code below.
MCPS is offering out-of-school programming for elementary and middle school students throughout the 2023-2024 school year. Families are invited to take advantage of a host of activities for students on four days: Oct. 9, Nov. 1, Jan. 29 and April 10 when schools are closed for students. Students can participate in person or virtually. For a list of activities, sign up with the following links for Kids Day Out and Teens Day Out. For additional opportunities, visit the MCPS out-of-school time webpage.
Protecting our Community Against COVID-19
 Last month, the FDA approved new COVID-19 boosters to target the recent subvariants of the virus. If you have health insurance, please schedule your shot at your local pharmacy or primary care doctor. If you don’t have health insurance, you can find free boosters by visiting https://www.vaccines.gov/.
Additionally, MCPL will continue to distribute COVID-19 antigen at-home test kit and masks at their branch locations. Click here for more info & to check if a location has temporarily run out of kits and masks https://ow.ly/t9f950PQa8k
Protect yourself, protect others-get your flu vaccine!
Stay protected during flu season by getting your annual flu vaccine! For more information of flu vaccination locations and for more recommendations visit: www.flu.gov and www.cdc.gov/flu for updates on flu activity.
Food Resources
Submit an online request for help with food resources or call 311 (or 240-777-0311) . You can ask about free food and food delivery, SNAP (food stamps), food providers near you, and other resources in Montgomery County.
You can also call the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center at 240-777-4940 for information on food and other important needs. Staff who speak many languages are available to answer the phones Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and they will return messages within 24 to 48 hours.
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Submit an online request for help with food resources or call 311 (or 240-777-0311) . You can ask about free food and food delivery, SNAP (food stamps), food providers near you, and other resources in Montgomery County.
You can also call the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center at 240-777-4940 for information on food and other important needs. Staff who speak many languages are available to answer the phones Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and they will return messages within 24 to 48 hours.
 MC311 Customer Service Center is Montgomery County’s source for nonemergency government information and services. You can reach MC311 by calling 311 in the County or 240-777-0311, 711 for MD Relay TTY, from anywhere, Monday - Friday 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Use the links on this page, or follow us on twitter @311MC311.
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For more community resources, check out Councilmember Kate Stewart's website.
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Office of Councilmember Kate Stewart
