There's nothing like a traditional Fourth of July celebration with family and friends to commemorate our independence and think about the blessings of living in a free society. For those who have chosen to stay in town this Fourth of July weekend, we invite you to come out on Friday, July 4 and enjoy the holiday at one of the two County-sponsored celebrations. Germantown Glory will kick off at 7 p.m. in the South Germantown Recreational Park 18041 Central Park Circle in Boyds (off Schaeffer Rd.) with a concert by Bobby and the Believers. This 11-piece band has performed in the local area for more than 20 years. The fireworks will get underway at about 9:30 p.m. Blankets, chairs and picnics are welcome, but no alcohol is permitted. There will be food vendors on site. For more information, call the Recreation Department at 240-777-6820. The rain date for fireworks only is July 5. Mid-County Sparkles will be held at Albert Einstein High School, 11135 Newport Mill Rd. in Kensington. The viewing areas will be at the front of the high school on the ball field and at Newport Mill Middle School, 11311 Newport Mill Rd. Pre-fireworks activities, including children's games and a musical concert by Superfly Disco, will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Just a reminder, there will be no parking on site at either school or on adjacent properties, except for handicapped parking. Shuttle buses will transport passengers, beginning at 6:15 p.m. from Westfield Wheaton and the Wheaton Metro Station. The rain date for the fireworks only is July 5; no shuttle service provided on the 5th. - top The new recycling "in" word is "plastics" As a County Council member back in the 1980s, I was proud to co-sponsor the bill that created our state-of-the-art Recycling Center. Now, more than two decades later, as County Executive, I am proud to announce that Montgomery County residents can now recycle more types and sizes of plastics than ever before. Under the expanded program that became effective July 1, residents of single-family homes can recycle all empty plastic bottles, containers and lids, jars, pails/buckets and food grade plastic tubs. Among the specific plastic items that can be recycled are: yogurt containers; peanut butter and mayonnaise jars; butter, margarine and ice cream tubs; beverage containers and plastic beverage cups; laundry detergent and kitty litter containers with plastic or metal handles; deli containers; flower pots; and plastic lids. The plastic materials should be rinsed and then placed in the blue recycling bin with the commingled materials, such as aluminum cans and foil products, steel/tin cans and glass bottles and jars. This expanded program is an example of what I spoke about in my inaugural address when I said that we will not stand still and rest on our past successes. While our recycling program has been among the tops in the country, we've found a way to make it even better. I commend the County's Division of Solid Waste Services (DEP) and their contractor/partner, Maryland Environmental Services, for the role they played in bringing about the expansion. Thanks to their continual monitoring of the recycling markets, we're able to significantly expand the services we offer our residents. For more details on the expanded plastics recycling program, call 240-777-6400 or visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling. - top For area golf enthusiasts, THE place to be this weekend is Congressional County Club in Bethesda as the Tiger Woods Foundation and the PGA Tour present the second annual AT&T National. What's not to like about this event? It's a chance not only to see 120 of the best golfers in the world, but help support local youth programs through the Tiger Woods Foundation. I'm also proud to announce that for the first time, recycling will be offered for the fans. "Montgomery County Recycles" is more than a slogan for us, and I encourage the local fans who attend to look for the green cardboard boxes marked "Recycle" and take time to recycle not only your cans and bottles but any clean paper, such as newspapers, programs, flyers and cardboard containers. For information about tickets and the AT&T National tournament, visit www.attnational.org. - top An EMS Transport Fee will Strengthen the Fire & Rescue Service at No Cost to Residents Our emergency medical services (EMS) are world class. These services are a crucial part of the overall responsibility we have to protect the health and welfare of our residents. There are rising demands on our Fire and Rescue Service, and we need more dedicated resources to meet these demands. Meeting these challenges is harder than usual because of the difficult financial times the County is facing. That's why I have proposed an EMS fee to be paid by the insurance companies that will be dedicated to ensuring the continuing strength of our emergency services. According to projections, the fee would net at least $12.7 million in the first years. One hundred per cent of the net proceeds will go to meet the rising costs and increasing resource demands being placed upon our emergency medical services. The fees would also help pay for new fire apparatus, additional staff, new stations in the upcounty area and go to support volunteer efforts. Under the new fee, County residents will pay nothing. For County residents with insurance, the fee will be billed directly to your insurance company. For those County residents without insurance, there will be no fee. Montgomery County is one of the few jurisdictions in the metropolitan area that does not charge insurance companies for this service. Based on reports from neighboring jurisdictions that already have an EMS fee in effect -- such as Fairfax, Frederick, Prince George's, Carroll, Arlington, and Alexandria, plus the District of Columbia -- the number of calls for 911 service has not decreased, and there is no evidence of adverse effects. Obviously, it's a system that has a proven track record elsewhere. It's time for Montgomery County to move in the same direction and strengthen our services without further burdening taxpayers. For more information about the proposed fee, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee - top Silver Spring Library Preliminary Planning Meetings The time to move on this new library is now – sooner rather than later – and I need your input. That's why I encourage you to attend any one of the three public meetings (listed below) that have been scheduled to solicit input from Silver Spring residents about the type of library you envision for your community.
Comments will be solicited on the types of services and programs you would like to have at their new library. The meetings will be hosted by Montgomery County Public Libraries, the Silver Spring Regional Services Center and the Design Section of the County's Department of General Services. To request ADA program accommodations, at least five work days in advance of any of the meetings, call the Silver Spring Library at 240-773-9420. For more information about the meetings, call 240-773-9416. - top Reminder to Parents: New Child Safety Seat Law in Effect A reminder to parents in Montgomery County: the State's new child safety seat law requiring that children up to eight years of age use a federally approved child safety seat or booster seat when riding in a motor vehicle is now in effect. This means that some children who have been secured with adult seat belts must now use a safety or booster seat. The only exceptions are if the child is 4'9" or taller or weighs more than 65 pounds. The new law applies to all vehicles on the road in Maryland, even those registered in another state. Fore more information about car seat inspections, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/firerescue then click on Car Seat Inspections under Safety in Our Neighborhood. - top Governor Praises our Biosciences Task Force I thank Governor O'Malley for his recent commendation of our creation of a BioSciences Task Force. Simply put, I see this Task Force as an important part of our talking stock -- not only of how far we have come but where we are headed -- with respect to the continued and future growth and success of our life sciences industry here in Montgomery County. The group also is a great complement to the governor's new BIO 2020 Initiative and Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board. During an interview at the 2008 Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) Annual C0nference in San Diego, the governor said, "Montgomery County is rich with unique institutional assets, and this task force will help bring together the best and brightest from the County's federal, private-sector and non-profit life sciences community to help sustain and grow this vital segment of the State's and County's economy. Working together, we can strengthen Maryland's position as a national and world leader in the research and development of groundbreaking new science with the potential to reshape the landscape of 21st century medicine." Montgomery County made a concerted effort some 25 years ago to establish itself as a world leader in the life sciences industry by developing the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center. This effort has certainly benefited both the County and State, as Maryland is today among the very top biotech clusters in the nation and now ranks second in the country for technology economy preparedness, according to the latest study just released by the Milken Institute. - top |