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Oct. 19, 2023
My heart is heavy as I think of all the lives tragically lost and those wounded in the horrifying siege in Israel. I stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and send my condolences to those who have lost family members, friends and loved ones.
Last year I visited Israel. I was in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz on the border with Gaza, and drove through Sderot, a town that was terrorized during the attack. As I passed through the town, I saw bomb shelters next to bus stops – a stark reminder of the region’s instability.
We must do all we can to support humanitarian efforts abroad, to help those who have been innocently caught in the crossfire, and are struggling to survive amidst this crisis – in both Israel and Gaza. I remain unwavering in my hope for a two state solution.
My office has been in touch with our members of Congress and they have provided the following information for U.S. citizens in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank:
The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State and they have a 24/7 coordinating group communicating with U.S. citizens and providing them assistance through phone calls and an online form. U.S. citizens seeking to be in touch with the U.S. Embassy in Israel can fill out the form (https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake) or call 1-833-890-9595 or 1-606-641-0131.
For U.S. citizens in Gaza: The military conflict between Israel and Hamas is ongoing, making identifying departure options for U.S. citizens complex. We are working on potential options for departure from Gaza for U.S. citizens. We have U.S. government officials working 24/7 to try to assist. If you have not already done so, please complete the crisis intake form at https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake to provide contact information should we need to reach out to you on short notice.
For the latest updates, please monitor the messages to U.S. citizens from the U.S. Embassy in Israel: https://il.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/security-and-travel-information/.
If your synagogue, mosque, church, temple, gurdwara or place of worship feels at risk of a hate crime, support is available. Montgomery County is offering up to $20,000 for nonprofit organizations and houses of worship that have experienced or are at high risk of experiencing hate crimes. Learn more.
The CDC reports that death by suicide continues being a leading cause of death in the United States. In Maryland, 42% of all suicides involve a firearm.
In an effort to bring awareness to this tragic situation, I introduced the Suicide Awareness and Firearm Education (S.A.F.E.) Act. This legislation will require gun and ammunition retailers in Montgomery County to display and distribute information on suicide prevention and how to access help.
The intention of this bill is to reduce harm by providing potentially lifesaving information when someone is purchasing a firearm or ammunition. This approach is one of many at our disposal to raise awareness about suicide prevention and to reduce and prevent the tragic effects of gun violence.
My deep appreciation to all the gun safety and mental health advocates who are joining me in support of this common sense legislation.
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to travel to Daejeon, South Korea, one of Montgomery County’s sister cities, for the Global Innopolis Forum.
Often considered Asia’s Silicon Valley, the Daejeon metropolitan area boasts a high volume of high-tech research universities and companies, including the Institute for Basic Science, the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology.
The two-day summit provided a platform for sharing ideas about how local governments can partner with public research institutions and private investment to help tackle the biggest issues of our time like fighting climate change, improving health outcomes and fostering sustainable transportation solutions. No taxpayer dollars were used for this summit.
It was insightful learning about the innovations happening elsewhere from other invited guests, including the cities of Seattle, Calgary (Canada), Malaga (Spain) and Dortmund (Germany).
I look forward to continuing our dialogue and learning from each other.
The Council unanimously voted to approve the Pedestrian Master Plan, which is Montgomery Planning’s first comprehensive vision to improve accessibility and create safer experiences for people walking and rolling around the county. As chair of the Transportation and Environment Committee, meeting our Vision Zero goals and creating safer, more walkable, bikeable and accessible streets are top priorities for me.
The passage of the Pedestrian Master Plan and the recent enactment of the Safe Streets Act bring us closer to our goals of making our streets safer for everyone. I’m proud of the steps we are taking to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety and I look forward to the implementation of the various recommendations laid out in this plan.
Last year I attended Beltway Barks, a dog adoption event sponsored by DC Actors for Animals, where I met sweet Poppy…and the rest was history.
A year later, Poppy and I stopped by the same event to say hello to lots of two and four legged friends. The annual adoption event features performances from some of our region’s finest theater performers, plus local vendors, nonprofits and animal lovers coming together to support animals in need of loving homes.
The Potomac Community Recreation Center is home to the newest outdoor fitness park! The newly opened fitness park is the result of collaboration between Montgomery County Recreation and Friends of the Potomac Community Center. Residents of all ages and abilities will be able to exercise together to enhance mental and physical wellbeing, plus the site is handicap accessible. If you’re looking for a free and easy way to stay active this fall, check out the new fitness park.
A resident contacted my office to report that there was a dead deer on the sidewalk on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, near where residents were walking to a synagogue. My team contacted the Montgomery County Office of Animal Services and they quickly and safely disposed of the remains. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact my office if you need assistance with obtaining government services.
There’s no better place to celebrate fall festivities than right here in Montgomery County. From harvest festivals to floating pumpkin patches and haunted houses, Montgomery Recreation offers a wide array of family-friendly activities all season long. Plus, check out Visit Montgomery’s guides to find out where to go to pick the perfect pumpkin and where to hike for the best fall foliage this season.
Please do not reply to this email. To contact my office, email me at Councilmember.Glass@montgomerycountymd.gov.
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