 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week sat down with former County Executive Ike Leggett to talk about his journey to become the County’s first Black Councilmember and County Executive. He also focuses on legislative priorities including his support of the Fair Share for Maryland Act of 2024. He also looks at the growing need to address hunger in Montgomery County with a multi-pronged plan that is already underway. And he discusses how historical wrongs and environmental justice intersect.
Stories in this issue include:
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council President Andrew Friedson and Vice President Kate Stewart, Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Evan Glass, president of Holy Cross Health Network Annice Cody, representatives from the Housing Opportunities Commission and the County’s departments of General Services and Recreation, will join the grand opening of the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24. The pool will be open to the public for swimming on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m.
 The eighth annual Montgomery County Public Libraries free comic convention, MoComCon, postponed earlier this year, will be held from 10 a.m. – 5 pm. Saturday, March 2 in Germantown. One of the largest free comic conventions in the Mid-Atlantic area, it will take place at the Germantown Library and at the BlackRock Center for the Arts.
The Montgomery County Government launched a Community Access Program (WCAP) on Feb. 16 that offers a total of $75,000 of in-kind assistance to community groups seeking to host events at Wheaton facilities managed by Montgomery County’s Office of Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF).
|
 Attending prom is a big milestone for high school students and Montgomery County Recreation is working to make that dream a reality. The department is collecting gently used and new dresses, suits and accessories that students will be able to choose from during the third “Project Prom Dress” giveaway event.
 Montgomery County Public Libraries and Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, Inc. (FOLMC) are joining in February’s “Library Lovers Month” celebration by hosting special activities and virtual events this month. Programming will be held at library branches and FOLMC chapters across the County. The events and activities highlight the variety of resources and services MCPL provides year-round.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) “Heads Up, Phones Down” high school video contest gives County high school students 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 or walking. MCDOT will be accepting entries of 30-second Public Service Announcements (PSAs) through Feb. 29.
 “Montgomery Connects,” Montgomery County’s digital equity and inclusion program, has launched a new program to distribute 60,000 free laptop computers to low-income families. There is a limit of one computer per resident. Eligible recipients must be Maryland residents, do not need to be U.S. citizens and may not have already received a computer from the County before April 2023.
Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) is partnering with the Jewish Council for the Aging Heyman Interages Center (JCA), or Interages, to celebrate “Read Across America Week” with a reading program to take place at three MCPL branches. The celebration will take place Saturday, March 2, through Wednesday, March 6.
 Montgomery County’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is out with a new warning about impersonation scams after the Federal Trade Commission reported an increase in these crimes over the last year. Impersonation scams involve phone calls or messages from individuals posing as representatives of legitimate businesses or organizations with the intention of obtaining personal information or money through deceptive tactics.
 Registration is now open for the 11th Annual Montgomery County Energy Summit scheduled to take place on April 15-16 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. Hosted by the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, the summit will offer a platform for the commercial building community to engage with County staff, network with peers and actively prepare for compliance with energy benchmarking, building energy performance standards and emerging building codes.
Brimming with must-see museum exhibits, spectacular theater performances, guided tours and adventurous outings, Visit Montgomery is suggesting to County residents that there are all types of activities that can keep enthusiasts busy throughout the year. For 2024, Visit Montgomery has identified 24 County places to explore in the new year.
Montgomery County has many museums to explore and getting to those spots by bus is easier than you might think. When you take a Ride On bus to a local museum, you can beat the hassle of fighting traffic and finding a parking spot. With County bus fare of just $1, the bus is hassle free and saves money otherwise spent on parking fees and gas.
 As part of Black History Month, Montgomery County and Montgomery Parks will present newly created Augmented Reality (AR) experiences as a new way to experience African American history in Montgomery County. The new experiences will be debuted and featured at the Digital History Symposium from 10 a.m. to Noon on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at the Brookside Gardens Visitors Center and online via Zoom. The event is free but advanced registration is required. Light refreshments will be provided at Brookside Gardens Visitors Center. Space is limited but a few seats remain.
|
