 Numerous residents expressed serious concerns about the “Attainable Housing Strategies” at listening sessions co-hosted by the Montgomery Planning director and the County Council. The County Executive shares many of their concerns and outlines four major reasons why he is concerned. Additionally, he urges the County Council to ‘do no harm’ to County revenues during their review of the Planning Board’s recommended Growth and Infrastructure Policy (GIP) and explains why the GIP is not drawing much attention but is quite important. The County Executive joined County Councilmembers and others to receive the COVID-19 vaccination produced by Montgomery County-based Novavax and he encourages everyone to get the latest vaccination to better protect themselves and the broader community. He also highlights the Washington Business Journal recognition of two County projects in the annual “Top 10 List of Regional Development Projects to Watch.” And October is Walktober and this week was “Active Aging Week,” County Executive Marc Elrich recommends that everyone get outdoors and enjoy the many beautiful trails and locations in our community to walk.”
Stories in this issue include:
Join the County’s first Hispanic Heritage Festival and Health Fair from 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Marian Fryer Plaza in Wheaton. The free festival will celebrate Montgomery County’s growing diversity, honor Hispanic heritage and promote a greater understanding of diverse traditions.
 The 30th annual Harvest Festival sponsored by Montgomery Parks will return to the Agricultural History Farm Park from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 11 a.m.– 4 p.m. The event will feature traditional crafts, games, living history demonstrations, music, food and a chance to participate in farm-type activities. There also will be hayrides around the park.
Residents can now order another round of free COVID-19 nasal swab tests that will be delivered directly to their homes. Each household can get four tests through COVIDtests.gov.
 A temporary traffic shift on Georgia Avenue (MD 97) between Silver Spring Avenue and Wayne Avenue (MD 594) will be in place until January 2025 due to construction related to the Purple Line. Work will typically occur from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. but may continue nights and weekends, as necessary.
"Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for You" is the theme as the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service joins in the national recognition of October as “Fire Prevention Month.” Fire Chief Corey Smedley is reminding residents that having working smoke alarms installed throughout a house is the first line of defense for fire prevention.
Adventure seekers 55-and-over can hang out with the birds and get a treetop view of Gaithersburg at the Montgomery Parks’ Canopy Connection from 9 a.m.-noon on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at Washington Square Neighborhood Park in Gaithersburg. The hands-on course, taught by tree climbing professionals, offers a unique opportunity to learn the basics of ropes, how to tie basic knots, proper rope climbing techniques and safety equipment used for tree climbing.
 The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will hold a series of in-person meetings to present the findings of six school “walkability studies” to address study findings and discuss the sidewalk and safety needs of students walking and biking to the studied schools. The studies involve Kensington Parkwood Elementary (Kensington); Martin Luther King Jr. Middle, Lake Seneca Elementary and Waters Landing Elementary (Germantown); and Rosemary Hills Elementary and Rock Creek Forest Elementary (Silver Spring).
Floating pumpkin patches and a wild west dance for seniors are among the wide variety of special events Montgomery County Recreation will be hosting this fall at locations across the County. Events are scheduled for community recreation centers, senior centers and aquatic facilities.
Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) has released the fourth episode of its podcast series Spirited Discussions: A Podcast by Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services. The series helps residents and businesses understand alcohol products, trends and policies in Montgomery County. The fourth episode, “Underage Compliance Checks,” examines how and why the County and other jurisdictions employ young people to conduct random checks to make sure businesses are not selling or serving alcohol to anyone under age 21.
 Sunday Serenades, Fall Harvest Family Day and a “Not-So-Spooky Skate” are among the Montgomery Parks special events that will be held in October.
Weekends in October will get spookier at Montgomery Parks with the return of Halloween Eye Spy Trains at Cabin John and Wheaton regional parks. Tickets for the eerie annual event are on sale now. A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase onsite, but ride times will not be guaranteed.
 Registration for Montgomery County Recreation’s youth basketball programs is now open. The program fosters the development of basketball fundamentals while also advancing skills in discipline, friendship, sportsmanship and teamwork.
Silver Spring Town Center, Inc.will present its free “Autumn Arts Salon: Bring the Noisemakers” from 5:30-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Koiner Farm in Downtown Silver Spring. Poet Brenda Bunting will be the host.
Unused bicycles can become a valuable transportation resource for Montgomery County residents in need. The County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) annual Bicycle Donation Drive from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11, in Rockville will make it easy to donate previously owned bikes and ensure they will have a positive impact.
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Biomechanics and physics have a long history in the scientific discovery and investigation of human movement. The Rockville Science Café at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15, will present the lecture “From Hollywood to Hospitals: How 3D Motion Capture is Transforming Pediatric Orthopedic Care” exploring the technology and study of human biomechanics: past, present and future.
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 Registration is now open for the 2024 Montgomery County History Conference that will be held from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Montgomery College's Rockville campus in the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center. The conference will offer myriad opportunities to engage with local history, including a keynote address, nine breakout sessions and a documentary screening. The keynote session will detail the life of Thomas Smallwood, a local man born into slavery who eventually purchased his own freedom.
The opening day to request use of Montgomery County Public Libraries meeting rooms for dates of use Jan. 1 through June 30 will be Tuesday, Oct. 15. Registration will begin online at 6:30 a.m.
The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Trust, is offering $750,000 in grant funding for local, community-driven initiatives aimed at improving water quality. Through the Clean Water Montgomery Grant Program, Montgomery County nonprofit organizations— including local watershed groups, homeowner and community associations, faith-based organizations and service and civic groups—may be eligible for grants ranging from $40,000 to $100,000 to support projects to improve water quality and stream health.
While battery powered leaf blowers are easy to use, there is a lot to learn in order to maximize their efficiency, from charging and storing them properly to safe use and battery management. At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection will host a free online presentation regarding the use of battery-powered leaf blowers.
 The Pike District Partnership will host its third annual “Barks, Brews, and BBQ Beer Garden” free, dog-friendly event from noon-4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Pike District Pop-up Park in North Bethesda.
 The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will offer adult bike classes in November at various sites around the County. The classes are taught by experienced Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) instructors and include Learn to Ride and Basic Skills classes. MCDOT will also offer two free, walk-up e-scooter classes.
 The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) African American Health Program (AAHP) will host its inaugural “The Park Goes Pink for Breast Cancer,” a free event from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, at Wheaton Regional Park.
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