 Join us for the second annual Buckets and Beats: Silver Spring Youth Block Party this Friday, September 27th from 2 - 6 PM in Veterans Plaza for middle and high schoolers! We will be hosting another 3 v 3 basketball tournament, have a soccer skills station, and have several arts activities. To tie it all together, we will have a live DJ and free food for youth participants from Trippy Tacos and Money Muscle, along with a variety of prizes to win from Nike, Uniqlo, and more! There will also be a number of youth programming stakeholders in attendance, sharing opportunities for youth to get involved. If you are interested in participating in the basketball tournament, please sign up on Active Montgomery. We hope to see you there!
 Last week, I led a proclamation at the Council recognizing National Voter Registration Day. Thank you to all who came to share resources and how people can make sure to get their ballots and have a plan for voting! Thank you to everyone who joined us from the Montgomery County Board of Elections, the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County, Montgomery College, and Vote16USA.
To register to vote, visit the State of Maryland Board of Elections Online Voter Registration System. If you are already registered to vote in Maryland, you can check your voter registration by texting CHECK to 77788 and you can update your name, address and/or party affiliation by texting UPDATE to 77788. Tuesday October 15, 2024 is the deadline to register to vote or update your information.
You can watch last week’s presentation on YouTube.
 In September I was selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of The Hunt Institute’s Early Learning Nation Fellowship (ELN). The ELN Fellowship is an invitation-only program designed to support locally elected officials who are committed to establishing their communities as national leaders in early childhood education. I was so grateful to participate in the ELN with colleagues from across the country.
There is an upcoming shift in the traffic pattern on Georgia Ave in both directions at Georgia Ave and Bonifant St. To place tracks in the ground across Georgia Ave and on Bonifant St, Georgia will narrow from 3 to 2 lanes and shift around a work zone on Bonifant on the northbound side of Georgia. Please navigate the area carefully while this part of the construction progresses.
In the coming weeks, crews will institute a temporary traffic shift on Georgia Ave (MD 97) between Silver Spring Ave and Wayne Ave (MD 594) until January 2025. Travel will be reduced to two lanes in either direction and shift to the west around the work zone at Bonifant St. This traffic shift will facilitate utility and track installation across Georgia Ave. Pedestrian detours will be in place around the work zone. Access to businesses will be maintained and some parking will remain on Georgia Ave. Please follow all posted signage. Work typically occurs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. but may continue nights and weekends, as necessary.
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The Planning Board, after a number of years of study and public engagement, has made recommendations to the Council to facilitate the building of more different types of homes in residential zones across the County. Council President Friedson and Planning Director Jason Sartori are hosting a series of listening sessions to hear from you on Planning’s recommendations.
Currently, there is no legislation under consideration at the Council on this topic. I will be joining a number of the sessions to continue to listen to residents. Please continue to be in touch with our office with questions, thoughts, or concerns you have as this discussion about the County’s future continues.
In addition to our discussion here in Montgomery County, I am also closely following discussion of housing affordability at the federal level by the Biden-Harris Administration and the passage this year of Governor Moore’s housing package at the state level, and how these changes at the state and federal level will impact and provide opportunities to our County.
Montgomery Planning has made a great deal of information available about their recommendations on their site, including the answers to some frequently asked questions. Our team looks forward to hearing what residents have to say about these recommendations.
Ribbon Cutting for the Leggett Math and Science Building - It was a momentous day at Montgomery College’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus for the ribbon cutting of the Catherine and Isiah Leggett Math and Science Building! As a project that I worked on while Mayor of Takoma Park, I’m thrilled for this world class facility that students will be able to enjoy for many years to come.
CentroNia@MGCDC Open House - A huge congratulations to CentroNía on the opening of the Martha Gudelsky Child Development Center at the former Silver Spring Library! It was an honor to celebrate this momentous day with you and the affordable childcare spots this will bring to the downtown Silver Spring community.
CHEER Long Branch Housing Community Event - Thank you to CHEER, the Long Branch Housing Action Team, and Enterprise for hosting the Tenant’s Rights Panel and Resource Fair! It’s so important to bring county resources like the Department of Housing and Community Affairs directly to our residents to address various concerns.
Innovation Incubator Tour - Thank you to Councilmember Natali Fani-González for organizing tours of a range of innovator and starter hubs. Thank you to our hosts: FITCI, UM BioPark, Johns Hopkins and LaunchPort.
Great Seneca Transit Network - Thank you to the Universities at Shady Grove for hosting colleagues and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation as we opened the lime and pink routes of the Great Seneca Transit Network. This bus rapid transit system connects residents with jobs, education, and opportunity and helps meet our climate goals.
Ethiopian Day Festival - I always have a great time celebrating our Ethiopian community here in Montgomery County and the Ethiopian Day Festival was wonderful with great music, food, and people.
Kensington Labor Day Parade - Labor Day was celebrated as always this year at the Kensington Labor Day Parade! Our team had a great spot right in front of the iHOP group.
Silver Spring Jazz Festival - I had the pleasure of introducing Paul Carr at the Silver Spring Jazz Festival and thoroughly enjoyed the great music filling downtown Silver Spring.
10th Friendship Picnic - Thank you to the Committee Against Hate Violence for hosting the 10th Friendship Picnic – it’s so important to recognize and celebrate the diversity in our community.
The Children’s Opportunity Alliance has upcoming Community Conversations. They are aiming to have parents, child care providers and educators as the primary target audience for these conversations. The COA will have synchronous translation available in multiple languages, childcare available and dinner. The locations and dates are:
The Montgomery Hills Street Fest is coming up! See you on Saturday, September 28th from 3-7pm on Columbia Blvd between Seminary Road and 16th Street! Join your neighbors! There will be local bands, businesses, and organizations. Elected officials will be present to talk about the plan and their support to Fix Georgia Avenue.
Come hungry and ready to try out more than 10 Silver Spring restaurants. Commas Food Hall is the premier sponsor for the Montgomery Hills Street Fest! Experience the diverse, international food from Commas Food Hall at the Fest! Opening this fall and located on Level 3 in Ellsworth Place. Commas goes beyond the average food hall to bring Silver Spring a unique culinary experience reflective of its diverse, international community. Hungry diners can savor a new experience with 12 dining stalls offering an emporium of flavors from around the world. Say hello to your new favorite.
Grab a beer or seltzer from Denizens Brewing Company or a glass of wine from Urban Winery! And, sample some neighborhood favorites like Nothing Bundt Cakes, Lime and Cilantro, Talia’s Cuzina, Sabor Express Grill, and Silver Spring Wings.
Check out our website or follow us on Facebook to stay connected!
Montgomery County's inaugural Hispanic Heritage Month Festival and Health Fair will be taking place on Sunday, October 6th from 12 - 5 PM. This free family event will have musical performances on two stages, a kid's craft area, photo booths, and health resources including health screenings, and will conclude with a festive carnival-style parade.
The Long Branch Community Center was selected by Silver Spring Regional Director, Jacob Newman, as one of the free shuttle pick-up spots. The shuttle will start picking up at 11:45 AM and run on a continuous loop until 5:30 PM. Hope to see you there!
On Friday, October 11, 2024, Montgomery County's Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will once again sponsor a bike collection drive during this year's Community Service Month.
Donated child / adult bikes and bike parts will be accepted from 7:00am to 2:00pm on Friday, October 11, 2024. (No bike helmets, please)
Donations will go to the Rockville Bike Hub, a non-profit organization whose volunteers refurbish the bikes and give them to low-income residents throughout the County, through Rockville's Terrific Kids, Bikes For The World and MCDOT's Bike Match MoCo programs.
Residents may also donate by check to the Rockville Bike Hub during the bicycle collection event. All donated funds will be used to purchase bike helmets and parts to repair the bikes.
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Office of Councilmember Kate Stewart
