Kits and masks are available on a table or cart near the library service desk. Residents can get two test kits and four adult N95 masks per person per day. Each kit contains two tests. If you are unable to access COVID test kits or masks due to a disability, you can request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act by contacting 240-777-2982. Request rapid test kits for your organization.
Rapid tests produce results 15 minutes after you complete all steps.
The Gaithersburg Book Festival is an annual all-day celebration of books, writers and literary excellence. One of the premier literary events in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the 2022 Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm (506 S. Frederick Ave.) in Gaithersburg, Md. Activities will include author appearances, discussions and book signings; writing workshops; a Children’s Village; onsite sales of new and used books; literary exhibitors and food, drink, ice cream and more. Admission is FREE, and free accessible shuttle service will be available from Shady Grove Metro and Lakeforest Mall.
The Gaithersburg Book Festival is sponsored in part by the David and Mikel Blair Family Foundation, The Universities at Shady Grove, Asbury Methodist Village, Web Mobile Image, C-SPAN Book TV and Washington Parent, and is put on in partnership with Politics & Prose Bookstore, Montgomery County Public Schools, Washington Independent Review of Books, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn and Suites by Hilton, rio, and Dawson’s Market. The Gaithersburg Book Festival also hosts author events in Montgomery County throughout the year as a way to encourage continued appreciation for all things literary.
A collision involving three vehicles occurred at approximately 8:45 this morning at SB New Hampshire Avenue and Route 108 in Ashton, according to MCFRS Public Information Officer Pete Piringer.
The collision has resulted in the closure of “some lanes”, but it is not clear how many at this moment. Three vehicles were involved and two patients were sent transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Summer fun starts at Good Counsel! Our Summer Camps are packed with exciting activities, sports, creativity, adventure, and unforgettable memories for campers of all ages. From the field to the classroom and everywhere in between, there’s something for everyone at Good Counsel’s Summer Camps!
Spend your summer learning, laughing, and making new friends with the Good Counsel community. Spots are filling fast so be sure to register today!
Register at: www.olgchs.org/camps
Marni Olesker, third grade teacher and team leader at Burning Tree Elementary School, has won this year’s Shirley J. Lowrie “Thank You for Teaching” Award. A 31-year veteran of MCPS, 21 of them at Burning Tree, Olesker is a game changer for students.
Per MCPS: Each year, she requests the students with the greatest needs and the most difficult IEPs or tough behavioral issues. And each year, she wins them over so skillfully that they make tremendous academic and emotional progress. She has a natural ability to connect with and push each student to reach excellence. She also gets results—during the pandemic, 100 percent of her students met proficiency on two or three Evidence of Learning goals in math, and 85 percent met all three Evidence of Learning goals in reading.
Historic Indigenous Recognition Event to Take Place in Montgomery County, Maryland
The Taino American Indigenous National Organization (T.A.I.N.O.) proudly announces its upcoming signature public event,
The annual Pride Town Hall will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 21 at Walter Johnson High School. Students and their families, staff, youth service providers and community members are welcome to attend. The event will feature workshops and a resource fair.
The keynote speaker is Gavin Grimm, a nationally known advocate for transgender rights. In 2014, he testified to his Virginia school district, explaining that as a transgender teen, being forced to use bathrooms at school besides the one that matched his gender was “alienating” and “humiliating.” In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court released an order rejecting a petition from the Virginia school board to hear the case after Grimm prevailed in the lower courts. The order leaves in place a federal appeals court decision finding the school board violated his constitutional rights.
On Monday night, Metro GM Paul Wiedefeld’s made the decision to make his retirement effective immediately, rather than June 30th as originally planned. The decision comes on the heels of the news that about 250 Metro operators need recertification, including 72 who were pulled after certification lapsed a year ago. His replacement, Randy Clarke, will start on July 1st. Andy Off will be the interim GM/CEO in this transitional period, and yesterday he released the following statement:
SkinSpirit, a medical spa, is now open at 215 Market St. W in the Kentlands. It has taken over the location that was formerly home to My Big Finds, which is now located in the paseo area of Kentlands. The medical spa is planning a grand opening celebration on Wednesday, June 15th from 5pm-8pm, where they’ll be offering “sips and bites”, love demos, and 20% off any treatment new-to-you booked at the event, a deluxe goodie bag loaded with medical-grade skincare products* ($300 value), and more.
SkinSpirit provides guests with skin care, body contouring and Botox, among other spa treatments and is supervised by Stanford-trained, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Dean Vistnes. SkinSpirit, which was founded in 2003, promises that it will bring cutting-edge technology and a luxurious spa-like setting to the Kentlands neighborhood of Gaithersburg.
New summer series bringing live performances to parks kicks off May 19.
Montgomery Parks is bringing performing arts outdoors to parks across the county with a new Parks Playhouse(opens in a new tab)and Parks Playhouse Jr. series. (opens in a new tab)Performances take place throughout the summer and will feature live music, comedy, spoken word poetry, theater, and puppet shows. Many of the events feature local artists.
Montgomery Planning is celebrating Bike Month in May by participating in Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 20. Montgomery Planning staff will be stationed at bicycling pit stops in Pike and Rose, Rockville-Fallsgrove Village Center, and Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring.
The regional Bike to Work Day events are organized by Commuter Connections, a division of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and the Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA). Bicyclists are invited to join convoys led by experienced cyclists and commute to their workplaces. Montgomery Planning will be promoting the latest on the implementation of the approved Bicycle Master Plan for Montgomery County, Vision Zero efforts and ongoing master plan efforts.
Per the City of Takoma Park: Sculptures chiseled and carved in stone by artist Michelle Frazier are on display at the Takoma Park Community Center.
Frazier brings faces, bodies and abstract shapes to life through her sculpture of soapstone and alabaster across a range of natural colors. The exhibition, which is part of the City’s Takoma Park Arts cultural series, is on display in glass cases near the library in the Community Center.
County Executive Marc Elrich released this statement upon learning of Kramer’s death:
County Flags will fly at half-staff in honor of Kramer until after his funeral services which have yet to be announced.