August Update

The summer is rapidly coming to an end.  Families are squeezing in final vacations, students are getting ready to go back to school, and baseball playoff races are heating up.  Below is an update on notable events in our community.

If you are interested in following my activities, you can follow @mkorman on Twitter or "Like" Marc Korman for Delegate on Facebook.

Legislative News

Each fall, the Montgomery County Delegation to Annapolis (24 Delegates and 8 Senators) host a number of important events in Rockville including a meeting regarding transportation programs with the state Department of Transportation, a hearing on local legislative priorities, and hearings on state legislation that affects only Montgomery County (local bills).  A calendar of those events is available here.

One of the major local bills that will likely be addressed this year involves alcohol regulation in Montgomery County. The County is a "control" County in which the local government acts as a middleman between distributors and retailers/restaurants for all alcohol sales.  The County Council has passed a resolution seeking liberalization of certain "special orders" so that some beer and wine sales may skip the County middleman.  More information is available here.

One of my top priorities in the legislature has been to increase attention to WMATA/Metro issues.  Recent events have certainly begun to focus stakeholders on the short-term and long-term challenges this vital system faces.  Delegate Erek Barron and I co-chair a WMATA/Metro Work Group and recently shared our ideas for reform in a Washington Post op-ed.

Agency News

It surprises many people to hear that the County Board of Elections partisan balance switches with the Governor's party (not the County Executive).  The newly reformulated County Board will hold public hearings on the selection of early voting sites in the 2016 election on August 31st and September 12th.  More information is available here.

Community News

• On Saturday, August 29th there will be a free college planning event for students (and their families) in grades 8-12.  The event will be from 11am to 12:30pm at the Davis Library (6400 Democracy Boulevard).  Registration is required by clicking here.
• The Westbard Sector Plan is currently under review at the Montgomery County Planning Board.  The public hearing will be held at the Planning Department Headquarters (8787 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring) on September 24 at 6:30pm.
• The Bethesda Fire Department will hold its annual open house on Saturday, September 26th from 12:00pm to 3:30pm at the Wisconsin Avenue and Bradley Boulevard fire station.
• NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland will hold its annual Evening of Chocolate on Saturday, September 19th.  Among the honorees at this year's event is my District 16 colleague, Delegate Ariana Kelly.
• The Bethesda Green Gala will be held on Thursday, October 8th at 6:30pm.  Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club

If you know of an upcoming community event, please email [email protected]

District 16 Notes

• Congratulations to the Bethesda All Stars on their success on the diamond.  The All Stars—managed by Ray Thomas—won the District 7 Championship and made it to the Maryland State Little League Tournament.
• Congratulations to Paula Bienenfeld, a District 16 resident, on her election as President of the Montgomery County Civic Federation.
• District 16 resident Kate Fisken has had some notable swimming accomplishments at the recent National Senior Olympics (NSO) in Minneapolis, Minnesota: Kate came in 6th in the 50 Freestyle Stroke; She came in  7th  in the 500 Freestyle Stroke; She came in 10th in the 50 Back Stroke; She came in 7th in the 200 Freestyle Stroke
• District 16 Precinct Official Seth Maiman is running the local Congressional campaign of Kumar Barve, my colleague in the House of Delegates.  Washington Jewish Week wrote a great article about Seth's work.
• Congratulations to District 16 residents Adam and Erin Luecking on the birth of their fourth child--and first daughter--Caitlin Luecking.

If you know of a District 16 resident who merits recognition or condolences, please email [email protected].

​Sincerely,
Marc Korman