 County Executive Marc Elrich this week recounts some of the topics in his State of the County speech he gave Thursday night. He also talks about the joint initiative between the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA, or Metro) and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) to find a plan that would solve the region’s transit needs. He also offers details on Montgomery County’s Zero Emissions Bus Transition Plan that would convert the County’s entire fleet of 400 buses to emission-free vehicles by 2035. And he talks about the many contributions to programs for older adults, children and volunteers made by Austin Heyman, who passed away recently.
Stories in this issue include:
 Registration for Montgomery County Recreation summer programs for toddlers, youth, teens, adults and older adults will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, May 13, for most programs and activities. Registration for Bone Builders, Day Trippers and Senior Outdoor Adventures in Recreation (SOAR) will begin at 9 a.m.
 The Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center’s (MCASAC) in Derwood is closed due to a case of Canine Influenza Virus (CIV). Canine influenza is a respiratory disease of dogs caused by a specific strain of type A influenza virus. The adoption center will be closed until further notice.
 Dive into the fun at Waterfest, spruce up your abode with native plant sales or paddle your way to excitement at the special programs that will be featured in May at nature centers operated by Montgomery Parks.
The Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery County Public Libraries will offer a series of free financial seminars in May on the ins and outs of "all things money." They will take place via Zoom from 7-8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, with the first seminar on May 7 focusing on financial planning.
Renowned Vietnamese-American children’s author and poet Bao Phi will be the featured speaker at the Montgomery County Public Libraries’ (MCPL) “Contemporary Conversations” series celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The free event, titled “Footprints on Different Ponds: An Evening with Bao Phi,” will take place at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 20, at the Gaithersburg Library.
 The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) welcomes elementary schools from across the County to participate in “Bike and Roll to School Day” on Wednesday, May 8.
 People 50-and-over who want to explore new career opportunities may find just what they are looking for at a virtual job fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. The job expo will be sponsored by the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington and Montgomery County.
The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration will hold seven Purple Line Community Advisory Team meetings in May. The virtual meetings will be targeted for specific neighborhoods and will include member-driven teams of representatives appointed by neighborhoods, community residents, civic and business associations and local governments.
Visit Montgomery is encouraging visitors and residents alike to start spring by discovering many adventures that are close to home throughout the County. May will be “Go MoCo Month” and each week local shops, restaurants, hotels and attractions will offer special deals and events. Among the May special deals will be Montgomery Alcohol Beverage Services stores offering 10 percent discounts throughout the month on locally produced products.
The Montgomery County Board of Elections has established 58 ballot drop boxes for voters to submit completed mail-in ballots for the 2024 Presidential primary election. The ballot drop boxes will remain open until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, May 14.
Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services inspectors will provide free residential deck maintenance inspections for homeowners during the month of May as part of the County’s annual “Building Safety Month” campaign. The DPS free deck inspection program is limited to 250 appointments.
The rich soil of Montgomery County has supported a wide variety of agricultural enterprises, ranging from millennia of crop cultivation by indigenous communities to tobacco plantations of the first colonial settlers of European descent. This evolved to market farming serving growing populations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The transformation of County farming is the subject of a free online presentation, “Montgomery Agriculture: From Tobacco to Today” from Montgomery History.
The restrictive covenants that enforced segregation in communities throughout Montgomery County in 1900s will be the topic of a presented by SPARKLE at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, at the Silver Spring Civic Building.
Montgomery Parks is gearing up to revitalize and strengthen safety along key park trails, courtesy of the United States Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program. Residents can learn more about the proposed improvements at an open house from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will hold a hybrid (online and in-person) public information meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, to discuss the proposed Forest Glen Passageway project in Silver Spring. The project will provide a new grade-separated connection under Georgia Avenue to improve access to the Forest Glen Metro Station from neighborhoods and institutions located on the east side of Georgia Avenue.
 In honor of May as “Older Americans Month,” the Montgomery County Commission on Aging will host its annual free forum from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, in the Executive Office Building in Rockville. This year’s theme is "Reimagining Housing for Older Adults: Ideas and Actions to Make Housing Available, Affordable and Accessible.”
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will kick off “Public Works Week” with a free, family friendly “Truck Day” event from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. The event will be held at the MCDOT Truck Depot and Salt Barn at 17000 Crabbs Branch Way in Rockville. Truck Day invites members of the community to touch, climb and explore the many first-response, construction and transportation vehicles that keep the County running.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation will host a free family-friendly, student-led “Community Safety Day” event from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, at the Carver Educational Services Center in Rockville. The fair will highlight driver, bike and pedestrian safety with interactive and educational experiences including safety demonstrations, workshops, games and hands-on activities for all ages.
 The impact of climate change is already being felt in our community, with more frequent heat emergencies, severe storms, flash floods and droughts posing the greatest threats. Those threats can disproportionately impact some of our highest risk communities, those with a reduced capacity to adapt because of historical disinvestment and the marginalization of people of color, immigrants, refugees and low-income residents. These communities can experience more exposure and risk from climate hazards with limited resources to mitigate the impacts. Resilience hubs can help.
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