 This weekend, the largest snowstorm in a decade is likely to significantly affect the County, and the County Executive offers preparation tips and resources. Long Branch was designated by the State of Maryland as the newest Main Street Maryland Community, only the second community in Montgomery County to earn this honor. The County Executive discusses new unemployment numbers and the impact of President Trump's first year in office. He also announces a public meeting on data centers and offers advice for those worried about the DC Water sewer line clean-up. He stresses unity in response to hateful vandalism in our community, asks volunteers to help with the annual homeless count, and looks back at an inspiring Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday tribute.
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The National Weather Service is forecasting a possible winter storm Jan. 24-25 and it’s the perfect time to subscribe to Alert Montgomery to keep updated. The free notification system delivers accurate, timely emergency information directly from Montgomery County to residents by text message, email, or voice call to mobile, work, or home phones.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich invites residents, community organizations, climate and environmental activists, and residents to attend a community forum on data centers from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the Leggett Executive Office Building (LEOB) auditorium. The LEOB is located at 101 Monroe Street in Rockville. Residents and stakeholders can attend the forum in person or participate virtually.
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The Montgomery County Board of Elections (BOE) is calling on residents to serve as election workers for the upcoming primary election and will participate in Help America Vote Day on Tuesday, Jan. 27. The nationwide initiative, established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, encourages citizens to support the democratic process by registering as election workers. The effort focuses on recruiting poll workers, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring equal access to voting. Election workers are paid volunteers and must be registered voters in the State of Maryland, proficient in English, and not employed by or involved in a political campaign.
 The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is recruiting volunteers to assist in the UpCounty with this year’s annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count, which will take place during the overnight hours of Wednesday, Jan. 28. The PIT count is conducted to identify unsheltered individuals and families and to help direct resources and services to those in need.
The effort is organized by the Montgomery County Continuum of Care, the County’s local planning body that coordinates housing, services, and funding for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, in partnership with DHHS and local community service providers.
Volunteers will receive training, be organized in teams, and be deployed to designated locations where unsheltered individuals may be found. Training will fully prepare volunteers to engage respectfully with people experiencing homelessness and to accurately administer the survey.
The UpCounty training and deployment will begin at 8:30 p.m. at the Gaithersburg Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 S. Frederick Ave., Conference Room A.
With flu activity reaching peak levels, County health officials urge residents to protect themselves and their families by getting the seasonal flu vaccine. While the flu shot does not protect against COVID-19, it has been proven to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and complications—particularly among older adults and those with underlying health conditions.
Flu vaccines are widely available through private health providers and retail pharmacies (check Vaccines.gov to find a location). The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services is offering free flu vaccine to eligible residents 6 months and older who do not have insurance or have insurance that does not cover the vaccine. Vaccinations are available by appointment only at the Dennis Avenue Health Center. To make an appointment, call 240-777-1050 or visit the County’s vaccination website.
The Montgomery County Commission for Women will host the 2026 Women’s Legislative Briefing (WLB) on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Universities at Shady Grove, located at 9630 Gudelsky Drive in Rockville. This year’s keynote panel, Visionary Women: Shaping Tomorrow Together, features U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, and Maryland House Speaker Joseline A. Peña-Melnyk. The panel will be moderated by FOX 5 DC Anchor Marissa Mitchell.
The WLB is Maryland’s longest-standing women’s legislative event and brings together hundreds of advocates, policymakers, community leaders, and emerging leaders from across the state to inform, engage, and mobilize communities around issues impacting women and girls statewide.
The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that registration is open for the 13th annual Montgomery County Energy Summit. The 2026 summit will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, April 28-29, at the Silver Spring Civic Building. Early-bird registration rates are available through Tuesday, Jan. 27.
The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Place in Silver Spring.
The summit’s theme, “Elevating Building Performance,” highlights tools, strategies, and real-world guidance to boost building efficiency and navigate building energy performance standards.
Montgomery County will host an Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) kick-off event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, at the Universities at Shady Grove, located at 9631 Gudelsky Drive in Rockville. The free, public event will feature a resource fair and a special program with remarks from County leaders at noon.
Residents can also learn about free tax preparation assistance available to income-eligible households through the County’s Community Action Agency VITA program. Tax season appointments will be offered through April 9, 2026, for Montgomery County residents with a combined household income of up to $69,000.
Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is expanding Ride On Flex, the County’s on-demand shared shuttle service, with the addition of Flex zone 918, launching Monday, Feb. 2. The new zone will provide peak-period, book-and-go transit service for the Ednor, Sandy Spring, Norwood, and Cloverly communities, as well as along New Hampshire Avenue between Maryland Route 108 and the White Oak Transit Center. The service will connect riders to the broader transit network, including Ride On bus routes, the US 29 (Colesville Road) Flash Bus Rapid Transit line, Metrobus, and Metrorail.
All Montgomery County bus services, including Ride On Flex, are fare-free for all riders.
Ride On Flex does not operate on a fixed schedule. Riders can reserve trips through the Ride On Flex mobile app or by calling the customer service center at 240-301-3842 to schedule a pickup time and location. The app, available for free in the Apple and Google app stores, allows riders to track vehicles in real time and receive estimated arrival times.
Flex zone 918 will operate Monday through Friday from 6 to 10 a.m. and from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Montgomery County is looking for some fresh voices for its Commission on Human Rights. The group promotes equal rights and opportunities for all persons. Members work to eliminate discrimination, prejudice, intolerance, and bigotry in housing, recreation, education, health, employment, public accommodations, and justice across our community. Commissioners are expected to serve on special or standing committees and participate in community activities.
Applicants of diverse backgrounds, professions, genders, geography, abilities, ethnicities, and ages are encouraged to apply.
The application deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 11.
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Month is a time to raise awareness of the importance of treatment, recovery, and community support for individuals struggling with substance misuse. The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) invites residents to help promote resources and strategies that strengthen sobriety and save lives.
Substance use continues to impact families and communities across Montgomery County. In 2024, the County recorded 83 fatal overdoses, a 40% decrease from 2023, thanks to expanded access to naloxone and community outreach. However, fentanyl remains the leading cause, involved in 48 of those deaths.
Katie Smith hosts 50+ in Montgomery County, a program focused on issues and resources for older adults. This month’s episode highlights transportation options available to older adults across the county. Smith is joined by Rachel Goldberg of the Jewish Council on Aging and Denise Israel, the County’s transportation program specialist, for a discussion on services that help residents stay connected and independent. More information about senior services in Montgomery County is available at montgomerycountymd.gov/senior.
 County Executive Marc Elrich seeks applicants to fill five public member vacancies on the Board of Social Services, which oversees the County’s social welfare programs. They include food assistance, medical aid for those without insurance, and child protective services. Social services are essential to connecting County residents to housing, energy, and economic stability through our community outreach and partnerships. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, Feb. 11.
 Montgomery County Recreation is excited to kick off another summer of fun! Registration for summer camps is now open. Families can sign up their child from a diverse selection of half- and full-day camps that include arts, dance, music, sports, STEAM, teen leadership (with SSL opportunities), therapeutic recreation, and more. Explore all camp program options in the digital Summer Camps GUIDE and register online at ActiveMONTGOMERY.org starting registration day. Camps will fill up quickly, so plan ahead!
 Montgomery County Recreation invites students in grades K–12 to showcase their artistic talent by creating a poster that highlights the importance of water safety. Posters must be an original design (no copyrighted, stock or AI-generated content or images). Prizes being awarded include an annual pool pass, a Youth 12 Admission Punch Pass or two free family admissions to any Montgomery County Recreation aquatic center. Poster size should be no smaller than 8.5” x 11” and cannot exceed 11" x 17" in size. The deadline to submit poster designs is Sunday, March 15.
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The Montgomery County African American Advisory Group invites the community to its first Black History Month Kick-Off and Good Trouble Awards Presentation from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Organizers are hosting this inaugural event to launch Black History Month with purpose, honoring a century of Black history while creating space to reflect, connect, and prepare together as a community. The event will be held at the Isiah "Ike" Leggett Office Building, located at 101 Monroe St. in Rockville.
Flash Bus Rapid Transit will upgrade Veirs Mill Road with faster transit and safer, walkable and bikeable connections. Utility construction has already begun. The utility work is taking place within the publicly owned right-of-way and supports pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements that are part of the Flash BRT project.
The Veirs Mill Flash project is projected to be in service in 2028. Learn more about what we’re building on Veirs Mill Road by watching this video in English or Spanish.
 Combine your love of art and fandom by entering MoComCon’s 2026 Art contest. Celebrating 10-years this March, MoComCon is Montgomery County Public Libraries' FREE celebration of comics, graphic novels, and fandoms. This year’s theme is to draw your own original character. Contestants are challenged to invent their own original character from any fandom, book, television show, movie, or game (board, video, arcade, or other). The contest closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9.
Entries in the contest will be judged on creativity and originality, technical skill and execution, visual impact, emotional impact and engagement, and overall impression. Prizes will be awarded to 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-place winners, and to Honorable Mentions in each age group.
Montgomery Parks summer camps are back this year offering weeks filled with outdoor exploration, adventure-based learning, and sports. Online registration is now open. Families are encouraged to register early to secure spots in these popular programs. New camp options this year include Trail Mix: An Adult Summer Camp, and Performance Pathway, an advanced tennis camp. Returning favorites include Archaeology Camp, Nature Girls On-the Go, and Turtle Shell, an introductory camp for adults and their toddlers. The complete list of camps is available on ActiveMontgomery.
The 2026 Montgomery County National History Day Competition will be held at Sligo Middle School in Silver Spring on March 7. Student registration for the competition starts on Monday, Feb. 9 and ends on Friday, Feb. 13.
For middle and high school students who participate, History Day sparks critical thinking, and helps develop skills in research and analysis, writing, and public speaking. Working solo or in small groups, students create original documentaries, exhibits, performances, research papers or websites exploring a breadth of historical topics within an annual theme.
The County's National History Day Competition is also looking for 230 student, community, and/or parent volunteers for the event. Volunteers who are 18 and older, at least a senior in high school, not competing in the competition, and enjoy history are encouraged to volunteer. Students are encouraged to register and spread the word.
 Can you read a total of 26.2 hours this winter? If so, you can be part of Montgomery County Public Libraries’ Winter Reading Marathon, underway now through Feb. 28. Register to track your reading on ReadSquared and encourage other members of your family to read as well. Everyone who signs up will receive a lanyard. For every four hours read, earn a brag tag or button to celebrate your winter reading journey.
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