DESIGN FOR LIFE PROPERTY TAX INCENTIVE
The county's Design for Life (DFL) Property Tax Incentive Program provides a trio of property tax incentives to make homes more universally accessible and affordable. One of the best ways to learn more about this program is to attend the Design for Life Showcase on May 5 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents who are buying a new home or renovating their current home can meet with building professionals, architects and product givers who are designing and renovating accessible homes for all ages and stages of life. You will need to register for the showcase.
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FREE LIVE-SAVING CLASSES
Montgomery County CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) offers free classes on the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and it teaches cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). AEDs are portable devices that send an electric shock to the heart to try to restore a normal rhythm and CPR is used to try to revive someone whose breathing or heartbeat has stopped.
The life-saving classes are taught by American Safety and Health Institute professional instructors as a service to the Montgomery County community. Classes are open to county residents 18 years of age and older and they follow a regular schedule. Montgomery County CERT is a volunteer organization and is part of and operates under the guidance of the Montgomery County’s Fire Rescue Service. More Info>

NEW FARM MARKET OPENING
Central Farm Markets is expanding again, this time with a May 5 grand opening at the Westfield Montgomery Mall. The new market at the corner of Westlake Drive and Westlake Terrace will have some of the same vendors that also provide fresh produce at CFM's markets at Pike & Rose (reopens April 28) and on Arlngton Road in Bethesda (reopened April 1). The Westfields and Pike & Rose locations operate on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., while the Arlington Road location is open on Sundays for the same hours. The new Westfields market will have more than 45 regional vendors selling poultry, produce, cheese, meats, coffee, fish, flowers, baked goods and more. The grand opening will feature chef demonstrations, activities for kids, artisans, distillery tastings, and live music.   More Info>

BOOK LOVERS UNITE
Montgomery County is home to two of the area's best celebrations of literature with upcoming festivals in Kensington and Gaithersburg. On April 22 in Kensington, the Day of the Book Festival is in its 13th year and celebrates the International Day of the Book with more than 120 authors and other participants, live music, literary readings, children’s programs, cookbook demos, community networking, and much more. dayofthebook.com. In Gaithersburg on May 19, the ninth annual festival has distinguished itself by attracting hundreds of award-winning and best-selling authors, poets and songwriters from across the country to the heart of Olde Towne Gaithersburg where the authors, workshops, crafts, games, and other activities will bring literature to life for all ages. More Info>

CANDIDATES' FORUM
Whether you have kids in school or not, how the county spends your tax dollars on education is important to everyone. The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County is hosting a forum for candidates running for the Montgomery County Board of Education on April 23 at 6:30 p.m. at Gaithersburg High School in Gaithersburg. Tracie Potts, who covers national and international issues for NBC 4 in Washington, D.C., will serve as the moderator. The event is free and the first 30 minutes will include informal conversations with the candidates before giving way to questions from Potts.   More Info>

WHAT'S YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER UP TO?
Former President Ronald Reagan always got some laughs with his joke about big government: "The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." At the local level, the Montgomery County Council is empowered to enact public laws for the "peace, good government, health, and welfare of the county." Of course, state laws take precedence over local laws, meaning that the council cannot pass laws that are contrary to state law. Montgomery County's nine council members introduce and co-sponsor a variety of bills every year. Some get enacted; some do not. The council's website allows interested parties to view what legislation each member has introduced and the status of each bill. More Info>

Need a birthday party idea, rainy day or everyday activity for the little tyke or teen in your family? Here are three great MoCo places and businesses that cater to kids and birthdays.

GREENFEST - The family-friendly Montgomery County GreenFest returns to Silver Spring's Jesup Blair Local Park on May 5. Adults and kids alike can learn what is being done to improve the environment by going green and the free event has a lot of entertainment for kids, from tree climbing to food trucks to exhibits. More Info >

MAGIC DUEL - In partnership with Thin Air Productions, Gaithersburg Arts on the Green presents "Catch Me: A Magic Duel" at the Arts Barn in Gaithersburg on May 11. The acclaimed magic show is recommended for ages 12 and older. More Info >

SCIENCE DAY - The 29th Rockville Science Day on April 22 at the Rockville campus of Montgomery College gives kids a chance to experience science hands-on, with science and technology-related exhibits, activities, games and demos from over 90 local Organizations and businesses. The event is free. rockvillemd.gov

DOG HAUS BIERGARTEN - The gourmet hot dog chain opened its first Maryland location in Bethesda on April 13. Dog Haus serves a variety of dogs, including the classic corn dog with root beer batter, sausages, burgers, chicken, sliders, and sides. True to its Biergarten name, Dog Haus offers two dozen craft beers, wine and craft cocktails. Dog Haus will also be giving away free dogs all day on April 21. bethesda.doghaus.com

DEPARTMENT OF LIQUOR CONTROL - County liquor stores aren't dining facilities, but they do have a vast selection of beer, wine and spirits. The DLC recently announced it will close two retail liquor stores at the end of May as part of the DLC's modernization plan. The two locations are the Rockville store at 832 Rockville Pike and the Germantown store at 20946 Frederick Road. montgomerycountymd.gov/dlc/

RANGE - The restaurant by Bryan Voltaggio just on the D.C. side of Chevy Chase has closed after five years. voltrange.com

REDWOOD - The restaurant and bar in Bethesda may not reopen after all. A burst pipe caused extensive flooding at the American-style restaurant around New Year's and a Google listing claims it is permanently closed. redwoodbethesda.com 

DEALS OF THE DAY

The Dentzel Carousel at Glen Echo Park, one of the area's true treasures, opens for its 98th season on April 28 at 11 a.m. with a day of free activities, including live music and other performances, face painting, a magic show, open arts and crafts galleries, and, of course, carousel rides. Rides, however, are $1.25 per person. glenechopark.org

The city of Gaithersburg is offering evenings of exercise classes through its Yoga, Tai Chi and Zumba in the Parks program. The classes are free and for all ages; classes start at 7 p.m. and last an hour, but locations vary by discipline. Yoga is held on Tuesday evenings at the City Hall Concert Pavilion, Tai Chi is held on Thursday evenings at Bohrer Park and Zumba is held Friday evenings at the City Hall Concert Pavilion. gaithersburgmd.gov

Win two tickets to the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival that runs April 20-22 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Because the festival starts this week, two winners will be selected at noon on April 17. To enter, email your name and address to: doug@montgomerymag.com. Put Sugar in the subject line. sugarloafcrafts.com

Win a $25 gift certificate to Senor Tequila's in Germantown which serves some of the best Mexican food in the county, according to readers of Montgomery Magazine. To enter, email your name and address to: doug@montgomerymag.com. Put Senor in the subject line. The winner will be notified by email on April 24. senortequilas.com

Online deal-based sites like LivingSocial and Groupon only clog your in-box with endless emails and alerts and, worse, they make you pay to get your discount. Try our sister publication Premier Values Magazine where consumers can easily redeem discounts at restaurants, frame shops, home improvement companies, and more. For example, Classic Bakery in Gaithersburg is offering 15% off classic cakes as well as other savings while computer specialists D & M Consulting is offering a $100 preventive maintenance check up to keep your home or office computer glitch-free. premiervaluesonline.com