Thursday, September 28, 2006

Silver Spring Business District Briefing

The Montgomery County Planning Board will host a briefing on the redevelopment of the Silver Spring Central Business District at about 11 a.m. today. The board will review public and private projects that are under construction or have been completed, and discuss future planning. For information visit http://www.mcparkandplanning.org/silverspring/sscbd/sscbdoverview.shtm . The meeting is at 8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. For more information, call 301-495-4600.

Montgomery County Department of Parks will host a community meeting to discuss plans for Little Bennett Regional Park at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cedarbrook Community Church.

The staff draft of the park's master plan incorporates comments and suggestions from two previous community meetings, including a proposal to create a trail network with links to Clarksburg greenway and Damascus and a proposed location for a visitors center and recreation facility along Maryland Route 355. For information, visit http://www.mc-mncppc.org/littlebennett or call 301-650-4391.

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services plans a community forum about the department's 2008 operating budget from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Children's Resource Center.

The meeting will be a review of the department's priorities and a briefing about needed services. Representatives of commissions and boards will have three minutes to speak; all others will have two minutes to speak. The center is at 332 W. Edmonston Dr., Rockville. To sign up, call 240-777-1058 or 240-777-1295 (TTY).

Charitable organizations are invited to apply to receive a free, reconditioned seven-passenger van donated by the Montgomery County Students Automotive Trades Foundation through its vehicle gifting program.

The program allows students to practice their automotive skills and to earn service learning hours. To apply to receive the van, call 301-929-2197 or visit http://www.autocareer.org . The application deadline is Nov. 9.

The Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center, in conjunction with the African Immigrant and Refugee Foundation, is offering 20 weeks of ESOL classes from 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting Oct. 10. Free child care will be provided. The center is at 3300 Briggs Chaney Rd., Silver Spring. A $10 refundable deposit and $16 book fee are required. Registration and placement testing will take place on the first day of class.

To sign up, or for more information, call 240-777-8400.

-- Compiled by ARUNA JAIN