To view all Fall 2023 activities, visit the Montgomery Parks Program Guide. Go to Montgomery Parks event calendar for a complete list of special events and programming and to learn how to sign up using ActiveMontgomery.
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Per Montgomery County: The Glenmont Forest Neighbors Civic Association (GFNCA) Fall Art and Harvest Block Party will be held from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8. In addition to family fun, games, exhibits and art activities, the annual event this year will also celebrate the activation of two new park amenities: the Serenity Community Gardens and the Gathering Tree public art projects.
The new park and pavilion is located at the corner of Randolph Road and Georgia Avenue adjacent to Fire Station No. 18 in Wheaton-Glenmont. There is no charge to attend the block party. There is limited parking on Grandview Avenue. The event will take place rain or shine.
Per Montgomery College: Residents 18-and-older who are interested in electric scooter lessons will have the opportunity to attend free clinics sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation on Sunday, Oct. 22, and Saturday, Oct. 28. Participants will be able to take a test ride, learn safety tips and get details on basic scooter laws.
From the Office of Councilmember Will Jawando: Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando released the following statement related to the Maryland Attorney General’s Opinion on the Safety and Traffic Equity in Policing (“STEP”) Act.
“I introduced the Safety and Traffic Equity in Policing (“STEP”) Act to address racial disparities in traffic enforcement and to free up our police department to focus on enforcement of traffic violations that are the key drivers of serious injuries and fatalities, for example, speeding, reckless driving, DUI and driving without seatbelts.
Per Montgomery County: On Thursday, Oct. 12 from 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m., Delegate David Fraser-Hidalgo and Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe will be hosting a town hall at the BlackRock Center for the Arts to discuss the transportation challenges and opportunities facing the Upper Montgomery County area. Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo represents District 15 in the Maryland General Assembly, and Councilmember Balcombe represents District 2 in the Montgomery County Council. Together, both members represent Upper Montgomery County, including Germantown, Clarksburg, Poolesville, Darnestown, North Potomac, Dickerson, and the surrounding areas.
“Upper and Western Montgomery County continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in the region, with new jobs, housing and opportunity coming to our communities every year,” Delegate Fraser-Hidalgo stated. “Despite this steady and sustained growth, state and County transportation services continue to leave Upcounty residents out of the loop. This town hall is both an opportunity for residents to hear directly from state and local leaders on the progress being made, and for these officials to engage with the residents who will be impacted by their policy decisions.”
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to oust Kevin McCarthy from the speaker’s chair. Shortly after, Congressman Jamie Raskin tweeted, “Kevin McCarthy’s sycophantic appeasement of Trump’s MAGA enablers brought to our body chaos, extremism and his own toppling. Today, unified behind our exceptional leadership, Democrats are clearly the only party capable of ending the dysfunction and governing for the common good.”
Earlier Tuesday, Raskin released the following statement: “Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) today released the following statement on the current crisis of GOP chaos and dysfunction in the House of Representatives.
Per Montgomery County: The County is discussing building a new recreation center in Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village. Tomorrow night, Oct. 3, from 7-9 p.m. at Montgomery Village Middle School, Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Laurie-Anne Sayles will be joined by community leaders, residents, and organizations to discuss the vision for a recreation center. There will be food and beverages provided. Students who attend will be eligible for SSL hours.
“The County is committed to providing an enriching amenity for the Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village communities, where there is a high need for investment in our residents, with a particular focus on our youth,” said Councilmember Sayles. “During the ‘Stop the Violence’ town hall held in July at Germantown Library, a consistent need that came up was for there to be more space where residents could live, learn, work, and play. Communities with convenient access to recreation space and opportunities have proven economic success and well-being.”
Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Council will hold its tenth annual Hispanic Heritage Month commemoration on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at approximately noon. The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Nosotros: The Rise of Latino Influence in the United States,” and will include a musical dance performance by the Albert Einstein High School competitive dance group “Titanes Salseros,” a special video program, and a Council proclamation.
The video program will feature interviews with Hispanic leaders who, through their work, positively impact their communities through their public service, industry expertise, and their roles as liaisons with community members of all ages and backgrounds.
The Montgomery County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (DVCC) reminds us that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The Montgomery County Council will present a proclamation tomorrow morning, October 3rd, 2023, recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month and throughout the month of October, visitors to the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza will notice a display of several dozen yard signs containing real warning signs for those experiencing domestic violence and information about available resources. We hope these warning signs shine a light on the prevalence of domestic violence, how to help a loved one, and free resources at the Montgomery County Family Justice Center, and Trauma Services. For digital images of the signs, please visit: www.tinyurl.com/mocodvam
Need help? If you are in need of assistance or have concerns for a friend or family member, call the Montgomery County Family Justice Center at 240-773-0444, the Montgomery County Crisis Center at 240-777-4000 or email [email protected]. The project is an initiative of the DVCC, whose members include the Montgomery County Office of the Sheriff, Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, District Court of Maryland for Montgomery County, Montgomery County Circuit Court, Board of Education, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County Council, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Montgomery County Commission for Women, and the Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.
Per Montgomery County: The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet on Monday, Oct. 2 at 9:30 a.m. to receive a briefing on Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) staffing changes for the cities of Rockville and Gaithersburg. In addition, the committee will review Bill 32-23, Police – Policing Advisory Commission – Amendments. The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to receive a briefing from representatives of the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) on code enforcement and troubled properties. The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson and Councilmembers Natali Fani-González and Will Jawando.
Below is a statement by Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson on the investigation into Montgomery County Public Schools employee misconduct and promotion processes following the Thursday morning hearing involving the Montgomery County Council and Education & Culture Committee (the full hearing can be seen here):
“This morning, the entire Montgomery County Council joined the Education & Culture Committee for a hearing to review the deeply alarming workplace harassment and employee misconduct allegations in MCPS and their processes for promoting principals and administrators.