 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week talks about the important work being done by members of Maryland Task Force 1, the search-and-rescue team that includes Montgomery employees and has been in Georgia and North Carolina helping communities recover from recent devastating storms. He also explains why the Growth and Infrastructure Policy as recommended by the Planning Board, if adopted, would be harmful to the County’s resources and future. He joins in welcoming Millipore Sigma to what is already one of the nation’s top biotech research hubs. And he addresses the importance that community grants will have for the Farm to Food Bank Collaboration that is helping feed County families in need.
Stories in this issue include:
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 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.
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is joining County health officials in urging all residents to protect themselves and their families by getting vaccinated against the flu. The County will offer free flu vaccination clinics for adults and children in October and November.
Marylanders 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.
 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the County’s regional services offices and community partners are hosting 11 "Community Conversations" throughout the fall to seek input on the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Operating Budget. Five of the 11 forums will be dedicated to addressing the needs of each region of the County. The next regional conversation will be for the Silver Spring area, from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Silver Spring Civic Building.
 The Montgomery County Sports Hall of Fame (MCSHF) has announced that it will induct six new members in its 2025. The new honorees are Olympic gold medal winner triple jumper Thea Lafond, soccer player Oguchi Onyewu, four-time all-America lacrosse player Paul Rabil, Olympic gold medal-winning hockey player Haley Skarupa, late high school football coach Al Thomas and former NFL star Bob Windsor.
 The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has launched its Food Scraps Recycling Drop-Offs program at three farmers markets throughout the County. Food Scraps Recycling Drop-Offs provide residents with the opportunity to recycle their food scraps through composting.
 The Farmers Banking and Trust Building that has long been a centerpiece in Downtown Rockville has been approved for a local historic designation by Rockville’s Mayor and Council.
 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).
The annual Rockville Antique and Classic Car Show will be held from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, on the grounds of Glenview Mansion in Rockville Civic Center Park. The event, which each year is one of the largest classic car shows in the Mid-Atlantic Region, is free to attend.
 The University of Maryland Extension Office will hold its next Wednesday Water Webinar, “Alternative and Innovative Septic Systems” at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 16. The webinar will address options for home sites that present challenges to the design and operation of a septic system, such as high-water table, poor soils and small lots.
 The Beacon newspaper will host its 25th Annual free in-person “50+ Expo” from noon-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The event will offer a wide range of valuable resources, informative speakers, health screenings, volunteer opportunities and entertaining activities.
A fall festival in Rockville on Saturday, Oct. 12, a great pumpkin carving event and a haunted house in Long Branch 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.
 A Fall Harvest Family Day at Woodlawn, Foodie Friday 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.
The Montgomery County Police Department’s Fifth District Germantown station and the County Fire and Rescue Service’s adjacent Germantown station will team up for a family friendly free open house from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19. Police and fire vehicles will be on display, there will be public safety demonstrations and the event will have music and activities for all ages.
 The Montgomery County Planning Department has released design concepts for the “Damascus Placemaking Festival,” a free, two-day community event that will be held on Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 19-20. The festival will take place along one block of Main Street in Damascus.
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 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.
 Artists of all abilities from every visual medium are invited to share their work inspired by the vibrant colors of autumn at the virtual “De Colores: A Virtual Community Art Show” from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23. The free show is presented by Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. and will be hosted by artist Marcie Wolf-Hubbard.
 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.
Reservations to use school and recreation athletic fields from Dec. 1 through March 14 will open on Friday, Nov. 1. That also will be the first day to reserve use of other outdoor school facilities for that period.
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