 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week offers his thoughts on the County’s Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget that the County Council has tentatively agreed to adopt. Although the Council will adopt more than 99 percent of the recommended budget the County Executive proposed in March, he had some concerns about the process the Council used to make certain changes. County Executive Elrich also talks about how the County’s affordable housing and housing assistance programs, are moving forward—and are getting a boost from the Federal level. Reenforcing that governments are a reflection of their employees, County Executive Elrich salutes Director of County Libraries Anita Vassallo, who will be retiring after 50 years with the library system. She started working in the libraries as a high school student. And he encourages viewing of his video this week, which gives a glimpse into the County Executive’s garden.
Stories in this issue include:
The 15th annual Gaithersburg Book Festival from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg will once again feature an overwhelming lineup of authors talking about their most recent books and their lifetime adventures. The free festival, which has grown into one of the most prominent literary festivals on the East Coast, also will have workshops for emerging writers seeking to improve their skills or hoping to learn more about the business of getting works published.
 The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has postponed its free, family friendly “Truck Day” event scheduled for Saturday, May 18, until Saturday, June 1, due to weather concerns on the original date.
Registration for Montgomery County Recreation summer programs for toddlers, youth, teens, adults and older adults is now open.
The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration will is holding virtual Purple Line Community Advisory Team (CAT) meetings that 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. The next meetings are scheduled for the Greater Lyttonsville-Woodside community on Tuesday, May 21, and the Long Branch community on Thursday, May 23.
 Montgomery County officials will host a project update on the planned "Diversion Center" at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, in the auditorium of the Executive Office Building (EOB) in Rockville. The meeting will also be accessible virtually via Microsoft TEAMS at Diversion Center Project Update. The center, which will be located on Seven Locks Road in Rockville, will treat individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis.
 The Montgomery County Commission on Veterans Affairs is honoring “Fallen Hometown Heroes” with Montgomery County connections on a website created by the commission. The tribute is especially notable as the County prepares to commemorate Memorial Day on Monday, May 27.
Montgomery Parks and the Montgomery Parks Foundation will celebrate the opening of the SEED Classroom, an innovative learning space, from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. SEED is an acronym for “Sustainable Education Every Day." The new classroom at Black Hill Regional Park will increase the educational opportunities available at the park.
The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is paving, patching and sealing cracks on roadways on Veirs Mill Road and the work will impact traffic from Rockville to Wheaton through late June. Roadways in other parts of the County are also being resurfaced, which will cause traffic delays.
Joining the national recognition of May as “Older Americans Month,” Montgomery County’s Aging and Disability Services—part of the Department of Health and Human Services—and Montgomery County Recreation will celebrate older adults on Friday, May 24, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Long Branch Recreation Center in Silver Spring. The free event, designed for individuals ages 55 and over, will include fitness demonstrations, music, food tastings, caregiver resources, vendor tables and giveaways.
The Montgomery County Government, and programs that impact County residents, will have holiday schedule and program changes for the observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 27.
 Megan Lee of Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village and Kairo Maysonet Walker of Julius West Middle School in Rockville were the top winners in their respective categories in the 2023-24 “Keeping it Safe Coalition” student video contest sponsored by Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services and the Montgomery County Police Department. The annual contest encourages teams from County public and private schools to create 30-second public service announcements to educate young people about the risks of under-21 alcohol use.
 The Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center’s (MCASAC) in Derwood remains 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.
Diving into the fun at Waterfest, sprucing up your abode with native plant sales or enjoying a full moon on a Friday night in a festive atmosphere are among the special programs in May that will be featured at nature centers operated by Montgomery Parks.
 Montgomery County is seeking nominations for its African American Living Legends Awards that honor individuals who are 75 or older and have dedicated their lives to service, advocacy and selfless acts of kindness. The awards ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 14, at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich will host the awards presentation.
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 next seminar on May 21 focusing on Social Security and Medicare.
 The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and Manna Food Center are hosting the 31st Annual "Give and Ride Food Drive” from Sunday, May 26, to Saturday, June 1. MCDOT is asking for donations of non-perishable food items on any MCDOT Ride On bus or at designated drop off sites. County bus riders who make a donation will have their bus fare waived.
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.
Residents 18-and-older interested in electric scooter lessons will have the opportunity to attend free clinics being on Saturday, May 25, and Saturday, June 23, sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. A clinic scheduled for Saturday, May 18, was postponed due to weather concerns for Saturday.
 The “Adventure Starts Here” themed Summer Reading Challenge for children and teens will begin on Friday, June 14, and will run through Saturday, Aug. 31. Montgomery County Public Libraries will hold six celebratory kickoff events will in June at various library branches. Friends of the Library, Montgomery County, Inc. and the Washington Nationals baseball team are sponsors of the program.
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