The Daily Penguin

Visit the Penguin at its new URL

2006-12-31T00:44:00.000-05:00

www.SilverSpringPenguin.com

Hope to see you there!

Van Hollen to raise dough for Dems

2006-12-19T15:11:00.000-05:00

US Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD-8) can add a new title to his resume: chairperson of the Democratic Congressional campaign committee. The 47-year-old was hand picked by Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to recruit Democratic candidates and . . . .

Read the rest of this article at The Silver Spring Penguin.

O'Malley: No new taxes (yet)

2006-12-19T11:06:00.000-05:00

Governor-elect Martin O’Malley says he won’t raise taxes during his first year in office, but he is open to suggestions. That’s a good thing, because pols around the state are sweating the budgetary details. O’Malley inherits a $400 million shortfall on day one of his term. That shortfall is . . . .

Read the full story at The Silver Spring Penguin.

Ervin, Elrich break balls in council chambers

2006-12-18T10:59:00.000-05:00

County councilmembers Valerie Ervin (District 5) and Marc Elrich (At large) are kicking ass and taking names in Rockville, the Washington Post says. No one is safe from the ball breaking. No one.

While Ervin and Elrich are newbies to the job, neither is a virgin. Ervin was a school board member and council aide before getting this gig. Elrich spent 20 years as an activist and is a veteran of Silver Spring's redevelopment battles, the Post writes.

Their backgrounds--along with the political enema that was the 2006 midterm election--have buffed their brass balls and erased any deference to senior councilmembers.

At a council meeting on Tuesday, what would have been a straight up-or-down vote on the grant application process dragged into verbal tongue lashings between newbies and vets, the Post says.

Senior councilmember George Leventhal (At large) and council president Marilyn Praisner (District 4) proposed to give grant applications to an independent review panel. Under Leventhal and Praisner's plan, the ultimate decision of who gets how much would be reserved for the council.

Ervin, on the other hand, would like to see the independent panel have the final say. Two more freshmen--councilmembers Roger Berliner (District 1) and Duchy Trachtenburg (At large)--say the same, writes the Post.

During the meeting, Leventhal reminded his "new colleagues and friends" that any five of the nine councilmembers can dole out money as they see fit, the Post reports.

"Thank you for the lecture on counting," Ervin snapped back. "I think all four of us that were elected count really well, and we understand that it takes five votes to do anything on this council."

"I also know that five votes taken in private did not exactly make the grants process transparent," Ervin added.

"Council freshmen quick to speak up" (Washington Post)

New URL. Same bad taste.

2006-12-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

The Daily Penguin is migrating! Check out The Daily Penguin, version 2.0, at its new URL:

www.SilverSpringPenguin.com

There are still some kinks to be worked out, so feel free to drop me an email at penguinstate@gmail.com if something needs improvement. Think of it as Penguin Beta.

I will post stories on both the Blogger site and SilverSpringPenguin.com until January 1, 2007. After that, I will post exclusively on SilverSpringPenguin.com.

Thanks for visiting The Daily Penguin blog. Hope to see you at my new digs!

Jennifer Deseo
(writing as A. forsteri)

Now Serving

2006-12-15T08:51:00.000-05:00

It's official: Moby Dick House of Kabob is open for business.

The Middle Eastern eatery occupies the Ellsworth Drive storefront left vacant by Phillips Famous Seafood. A fresh coat of olive paint and auburn wood tables give the joint a warm feeling.

Its L-shaped, stainless steel countertop and hovering menu are cold leftovers from the location's Phillips Seafood days. However, the low room divider that once separated the serving line from the rest of the dining room is gone, thankfully.

No word yet on whether the food's any good. Daily Penguin reporters are en route to the scene.

Today's lunch special is Ghormeh Sabzi, described as chunks of braised beef served with basmati rice. For more info, check out their online menu.

Charter House Still Not a Home

2006-12-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

Residents of the Charter House are still locked out of their homes because of a Nov. 30 basement flood. "It will be after Christmas before people get back into their apartments," Gary Stith, director of the Silver Spring Regional Center, tells The Gazette.

About 230 people--most of them elderly--got the boot when a leaky pipe filled the building's basement with up to five feet of water, NBC 4 News reports. The flood destroyed electrical equipment, making the senior residence at 1316 Fenwick Lane uninhabitable, The Gazette writes.

Displaced residents spent a weekend at the Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center in Lyttonsville. Those who couldn't find accommodations with family were later placed in local hotels, says NBC 4 News.

Last Wednesday, management of the Charter House said it would stop paying for residents' hotel tabs, NBC 4 News reports. Instead, the company would waive December's rent and offer a $1,200 one-shot deal.

The county has since placed some residents in nursing homes, The Gazette writes.

Photo courtesy of Harkins Builders.

"Charter House residents still displaced" (The Gazette)
"Charter House stops paying for displaced residents' hotels" (NBC 4 News)

Council Backs Purple Line Construction

2006-12-14T08:10:00.000-05:00

The county council voted unanimously to support the 14-mile Purple Line linking Bethesda with New Carrollton. Now it's up to Congress and the state to cough up billions to fund the light-rail project.

The council resolution, sponsored in part by councilmembers Valerie Ervin (District 5) and George Leventhal (At large), backed a Purple Line running mostly at street level in dedicated lanes (above). The street-level design makes the project more affordable, though the route may be tunnelled through east Silver Spring, the council said.

The county and area transit authority now wait for the US Congress to cough up $1.5 billion over the next ten years. That piece of legislation, co-sponsored by US Rep. Chris Van Hollen (MD-8), is currently in subcommittee limbo.

The bill also calls for Maryland, Virginia and the District to come up with $1.5 million each over the next ten years. Earlier this week, county exec Ike Leggett proposed an increase to the state's gas tax to raise money for transportation projects.

Thanks to the state's MTA for the image.

Planning Board to Haul Ass on Policy Review

2006-12-13T09:42:00.000-05:00

The planning board got marching orders yesterday to hightail its review of the county's growth policy, The Gazette reports.

Results of the review will be due in late May, three months earlier than usual. The accelerated schedule allows the county council to vote on the policy before their August vacation, The Gazette says.

"The objective is to produce comprehensive tools for managing growth," Royce Hanson, chairman of the planning board, tells The Gazette.

County council prez Marilyn Praisner (District 4) proposed last week to put a six-month lid on approving new development projects. The full council votes on that idea in January.

"Council Backs Resolution for Higher Gas Tax ... Growth Review on Fast Track" (The Gazette)
"MoCo Council Prez Wants Kibosh on Growth" (Daily Penguin)

Council Backs Leggett on Gas Tax Increase

2006-12-13T09:05:00.000-05:00

The county council is sending a message to Annapolis: Raise the gas tax.

Yesterday, the crew voted unanimously to back county executive Ike Leggett's proposal to jack up the tax, The Gazette reports. Leggett said on Monday that increases in the tax and vehicle registration fees could go towards improving roads and mass transit, says the Washington Post.

"The goal was ... to show the governor that all the top elected officials of the state's most populous county are speaking with one voice," District 1 Councilmember Roger Berliner tells The Gazette.

Passing a gas-tax hike needs a soft sell, says state Senate Prez Thomas "Mike" Miller. Residents need assurance that statewide tax revenues won't go entirely to MoCo and DC's other burbs, he tells the Post.

"I'm not certain the political will is there," Miller says.

"Council Backs Resolution for a Higher Gas Tax" (The Gazette)
"Leggett Repeats Call for Gas Tax Increase" (Washington Post)

New Spin on "Drive-Thru" Window

2006-12-12T12:18:00.000-05:00

Why did the chicken cross the road? Probably to get away from the car barrelling down the sidewalk.

A driver parking in front of a fried chicken shack accidentally hit the gas, shooting the car through the restaurant's storefront and into its dining room, says NBC 4 News.

The accident went down at Popeye's on 16th Street near Lyttonsville Road in Silver Spring during Saturday's lunch hour, NBC 4 News reports. The unidentified female driver was positioning her car in the lot when her foot hit the accelerator instead of the brakes.

The car jumped the sidewalk, smashed through the restaurant's window and stopped in the dining room, says NBC 4 News. No injuries were reported.

"Driver Hits Accelerator by Mistake, Slams Into Popeye's" (NBC 4 News)

Gas Tax, Metro Fares May Increase

2006-12-12T11:34:00.000-05:00

MoCo exec Ike Leggett says Maryland should jack up the gas tax to pay for road and transit projects, the Washington Post reports. Ike's proposal pops up as Metro considers increased fares and reduced bus and rail service, the Post writes.

The state's gas tax currently sits at 23.5 cents per gallon, higher than taxes in the District and Virginia, according to the Post. In the past month, area gas prices have risen by 12 cents per gallon, the Washington Times says.

At the same time, Metro ridership has flattened out, contrary to previous predictions of a 2 to 3 percent increase. Metro is required to hold public meetings before jacking up fares, the Post writes.

Governor-elect Martin O'Malley, however, still supports development of the Purple Line and completion of the $2.4 billion Intercounty Connector, says the Post.

"Leggett Repeats Call for Gas Tax Increase" (Washington Post)
"Metro Considers Increasing Rail Fares" (Washington Post)
"Gas Prices Fail to Siphon Holiday Spending" (Washington Times)

The Early Bird

2006-12-11T07:58:00.000-05:00

Correction: The county council votes on Tuesday whether to approve an accelerated review of the county's growth policy. It will vote in January on whether to impose a moratorium on new development. My bad. (Dec. 13, 2006)

If anyone's got a 250-unit condo complex they'd like to put up, do it now. Here's what's cooking this week:

Tuesday: The county council decides whether to put a temporary freeze on approving new development projects. If the resolution passes, the planning board gets six months to figure out the direction of development in Montgomery County.

Tuesday: The Kitchen hosts a reading of the new musical "Tussaud!" at the Round House Theatre (8641 Colesville Rd). Playwright Joan Cushing ("Mrs. Foggybottom and Friends") serves up song and dance about the wax-museum madame. The free performance starts at 7:00 p.m.

Props to AlbinoFlea for the photo.

This Weekend

2006-12-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Nothing's better on a frosty night than warm folk tunes and hot coffee. Tonight, folk singer Steven Gellman sets the mood at Mayorga Coffee Factory (8040 Georgia Ave). His two-hour set starts at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday afternoon, your pooch can get his pic with Santa at Downtown Silver Spring's holiday celebration. Your $15 donation benefits the Washington Humane Society. Santa strikes a pose between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Don't have a dog? Then go for the music performed by Montgomery Blair High School's chorus and jazz band.

Score some affordable art at Sunday's Under $300 ArtWalk in south Silver Spring. The guided tour starts at 2:00 p.m. from the Heliport Gallery (8001 Kennett St) and wends through local studios and galleries.

Thanks to the House of de Don for the photo. Awww!

NEW! Local Licks

2006-12-08T08:10:00.000-05:00

Fridays at The Daily Penguin can be a painful drag, so I've decided to start the weekend early. Enjoy the vibes from these local artists:

Mystr Treefrog. His self-described "swampadelic thump" is like Lynard Skynard on oxycontin. Folksy and bluesy, Silver Spring resident Jon Brayton (aka Treefrog, above) released his album "Bats Will Scatter" earlier this year. His song "Chikin Milk" is a taste of Ronnie Van Zant and Bob Dylan, while "The Ark" is a nod to Jimi Hendrix. Check out more of Mystr Treefrog at his website.

Benjy Ferree. Sometimes campy, sometimes startlingly dramatic, the enigmatic Ferree is definitely worth a try. His tune "Private Honeymoon" is an ode to Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. He's got more songs in his pocket at his ironically minimalist website.

More Follow-up: Water, Water Everywhere

2006-12-07T16:35:00.000-05:00

Update: The company that manages Charter House told residents displaced by last Thursday's flood that it will no longer pay to put them up in local hotels, according to NBC 4 News. Instead, the building's management offered to waive December's rent and threw in a one-time shot at $1,200 to find new digs.

Apartments at the Charter House are still unhabitable, says NBC 4 News. Building inspectors say it may take a few weeks to repair the busted 4-inch water pipe that caused 5 feet of water to fill the basement. (Dec. 7, 2006)

Residents of a downtown Silver Spring apartment building are being evacuated because of flooding in the building's basement, NBC 4 News reports.

The Charter House, an independent-living facility for seniors, has up to six feet of water in its basement. How the water got into the Fenwick Lane building is unknown.

Because the basement also contains the building's electrical systems, MoCo's fire and rescue services are asking Charter House's 230 residents to pack at least a day's worth of clothes and meds and to bug out.

"Of course, it's distressing," one resident told NBC 4 News. "I have a cat I left behind."

Officials on the scene are putting residents on Ride-On buses, which will take them to the Gwendolyn Coffield Recreation Center in Lyttonsville.

Roads around Fenwick Lane have been closed so that utility workers can address the problem. So far, NBC 4 News reports no traffic backups on Georgia Avenue as a result of the evacuation.

Photo courtesy of Harkins Builders.

"Officials Evacuate Silver Spring Apartment Building" (NBC 4 News)
"Senior Citizens Displaced After Flood" (Washington Post)

High School Wants Crest Returned

2006-12-07T15:49:00.000-05:00

Parents of Montgomery Blair High School students want the school's coat of arms returned, The Gazette writes.

The red and white crest has been stuck to the side of the Silver Spring International Middle School since 1986, when the high school occupied the building. Montgomery Blair pulled up stakes in 1998 for bigger digs in Four Corners, but the crest stayed behind.

"It just needs to come home," PTA co-prez Dave Ottalini tells The Gazette. "It's a link to the past."

But moving the coat of arms won't be easy. According to The Gazette, the ceramic-tile design is set in the concrete that holds the middle school's brickwork together. Also, the tiles are in bad shape and could use help.

"I suggested they get some kind of art restoration specialist to take a look at it," says Richard Hawes, who runs facilities management for the school system.

Removing and restoring the crest also could carry a hefty price tag. Ottalini tells The Gazette that the PTA and other Montgomery Blair organizations would pick up the tab, though no dollar amounts have been estimated.

Thanks to The Gazette for the photo.

"Looking to Bring Blair's Coat Home" (The Gazette)

Q+A: Happy Feet, Open Doors?

2006-12-07T10:29:00.000-05:00

Last month, The Daily Penguin announced that The Maryland Youth Ballet would be opening a studio in downtown Silver Spring. The studio--a second-floor space above furniture retailer Bombay Company--is scheduled to open in January.

One reader known as The Courtyard asked:

Are there going to be public performances there?
I feel like space on Ellsworth Drive should be as open to the public as possible, keeping in line with other uses (restaurants and shops) on that block.

The Daily Penguin emailed Deidre Byrne, spokesperson for The Maryland Youth Ballet, who gave this response:

Our space will NOT be used for performances. We are a professional ballet school.

There you have it. Thanks for your question, Courtyard!

Any other questions? Send them to The Daily Penguin at penguinstate@gmail.com.

Butts Out at The Blairs

2006-12-06T14:02:00.000-05:00

Smoke 'em if you got 'em, at least until January 1, 2007, if you live at The Blairs apartment complex.

A November memo sent to residents says that smoking will be prohibited inside all apartments and outside The Blairs' buildings, except in designated areas. The 1,400-unit complex along East-West Highway and Colesville Road will be the county's first residential development to go smoke-free, writes The Gazette.

"It would be safer and healthier," Elizabeth Lisboa, the landlord's spokesperson, told The Gazette. Last year, two people at The Blairs died in an apartment fire attributed to a smoldering cigarette.

The memo also says that no lease will be renewed unless the tenant agrees to sign a "smoke-free lease addendum."

"I had to sign it and I don't agree with it," one resident told The Gazette. "There are a lot of other things that should be managed instead of policing the smoking ban."

D.C. Hughs, a ten-year resident, says that he contacted County Councilmember George Leventhal (at large) about the matter. According to Hughs, the councilmember said that smokers were not a "protected class" under the law, The Gazette writes.

County law forbids discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability or sexual orientation.

"We're trying to do the right thing," Lisboa says. "Obviously, you can't please everyone."

Mmmm ... Peeps!

"Apartment Complex to Snuff Out Smoking" (The Gazette)

Council Prez Wants Kibosh on Growth

2006-12-06T09:58:00.000-05:00

The county council's new president wants to put a temporary lid on development, writes the Washington Post.

On Monday, Council Prez Marilyn Praisner called for a seven-month freeze on commercial and residential project applications so that the county planning board could review MoCo's annual growth policy, the Post reports. Praisner represents District 4, the eastern stretch of the county.

"I want to assure our residents that we have heard the call to moderate growth," said Praisner in the Washington Business Journal.

Councilmember Phil Andrews, who cosponsored Praisner's proposal at the televised council meeting, said that stronger growth-control measures were needed "to assure that whatever growth occurs doesn't make our transportation problems worse." Andrews represents Rockville, Gaithersburg and North Potomac in District 3.

Some members questioned the council's ability to steer consumer demands. "Growth comes from where the market is," said Councilmember Valerie Ervin, who represents Silver Spring in District 5. Ervin added that she had other concerns about Praisner's proposal but did not disclose them immediately.

"Residential growth follows where people want to buy homes," said Councilmember George Leventhal (at large and in charge). He added that a freeze on development may not treat what he called a perceived "growth emergency."

"If we build a wall around Montgomery County, we will still have traffic," Leventhal said.

The council will decide on Tuesday whether to move forward with the moratorium.

"New Council President Seeks Freeze on Projects" (Washington Post)
"Montgomery Calls 'Time Out' for New Development" (Washington Biz Journal)

County Leaders Laud Duncan, Lull Audience

2006-12-05T06:18:00.000-05:00

Monday's inauguration of the new county government went down like this: Oaths were taken. Speeches were read. A high-school band played patriotic tunes. Probably the biggest surprise of the day was the county council's on-stage group hug after taking their oaths.

Of course, it wouldn't be an inauguration without giving outgoing exec Doug Duncan a proper sendoff.

"The county's top elected official deserves his fair share of the credit for this county's success," council president George Leventhal told the audience at Bethesda's Strathmore Music Center.

"Thank you, Doug Duncan!" Leventhal blared into the microphone (twice).

But the real man of the hour was new county exec Ike Leggett (above), whose speech touched on a variety of subjects: slavery, JFK, the American Revolution, biblical scripture, Zen politics.

"Many--if not all--of our problems actually are the result of some of our successes," he told the audience. "How we respond will help determine whether this county's future is one that will bear fruit for all."

Oh yeah, and he said the county needed improved infrastructure to support existing and future development.

Photo courtesy of The Gazette.

"Remarks by Council President George Leventhal ... " (MoCo)
"Inaugural Speech by County Executive Isiah Leggett" (MoCo)

Two Die in Georgia Ave Crash

2006-12-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

Two people were killed late Sunday night in a high-speed car crash in south Silver Spring, NBC 4 News and the Washington Post report.

Around 11:45 p.m., a Chevy Impala speeding north on Georgia Avenue smashed into a Honda Accord and a Ford Crown Vic near Sligo Avenue, and then smacked into the the base of the railroad overpass, according to the Post and the MoCo police.

Two people in the Honda--Shawn Ryan Terrill, the 24-year-old driver, and Ahmed Glenn, a 23-year-old passenger in the back seat--died at the scene. Both men were from Woodbridge, Va., says the MoCo police.

Two more passengers in the Honda, both female, were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, NBC 4 News writes. The driver of the Crown Vic was treated at the scene, says the police.

One person in the Impala also went to the hospital with serious injuries, NBC 4 News writes. The police believe that two other people were riding in the Impala and left the scene.

"We believe they have serious injuries," Eric Burnett, a police spokesperson, told the Post. "They're going to need medical attention."

Georgia Avenue was closed for a few hours while medics and cops worked the scene. The road reopened just before 7:00 a.m., the Post reports.

Image courtesy of NBC 4 News.

"2 Dead in Montgomery County Crash" (NBC 4 News)
"Two Woodbridge Men Die in Late-Night Crash" (Washington Post)
"Fatal Collision--Silver Spring" (MoCo Police)

Welcome to Annapolis!

2006-12-04T08:50:00.000-05:00

Maryland's newly minted legislators got their first lick of Annapolis life last week at an orientation meeting for the General Assembly, The Gazette writes. No partisan scraps were reported.

The newbies--45 in all--learned about ethics regulations, budgets and how to draft a bill, says The Gazette. But even the state's new boss quipped about information overload.

"You emerge more dizzy than you did when you went in," governor-elect Martin O' Malley said.

Silver Spring's elected crew is an even split of experienced legislators and virgins. Sheila Hixson has been in the House of Delegates since 1976, and delegate-elect Heather Mizeur served on Takoma Park's city council, say their websites. Delegate-elect Tom Hucker and senator-elect Jamie Raskin, however, have never held publicly elected office, according to their websites.

No problem, House Speaker Michael E. Busch told The Gazette. Senior legislators are standing by with paddles in hand to dole out some tough love.

"If you think you have the answer to everything, your colleagues are going to be the first to bring you back in line," Busch said.

Thanks to Nostalgia Central for the photo.

"Newcomers to Annapolis Get Oriented" (The Gazette)

The Early Bird

2006-12-04T06:50:00.000-05:00

Still haven’t scored that PlayStation 3? Well, get over it. Time to move on. Here’s what’s happening this week:

Monday: The county’s newly elected officials take their oaths before God and everybody at the Strathmore Music Center, Bethesda. The inauguration ceremony goes down at 11:00 a.m. Later, outgoing county exec Doug Duncan throws a sold-out party to benefit arts and humanities programs.

Monday: The Maryland Court of Appeals--the state’s highest court--hears arguments on whether same-sex couples can marry (left). The case revolves around whether a 1973 state law defining marriage strictly as a heterosexual union is constitutional.

Wednesday: Montgomery College, Silver Spring/Takoma Park, hosts a salon-style discussion on the separation of church and state. The deal goes down at 2:30 p.m. Call (301) 650-1385 to register.

Wednesday: Photojournalist Mohammed Omer talks about the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip at Taste of Jerusalem (8123 Georgia Ave). The pro-Palestinian talk is free. The shwarma on your plate isn’t.

Thursday: The county planning board meets behind closed doors to discuss a pending contract for the development of Silver Place. Proposed designs for the mixed-use project on Georgia Avenue and Spring Street were revealed in October. The winning design hasn't been announced.

Thanks to CNN for the image.

This Weekend

2006-12-01T08:11:00.000-05:00

Today is World AIDS Day, and there's supposed to be a candlelight vigil (above) at 5:00 p.m. on The Turf. But given the candle-averse conditions--heavy rain and high winds through Saturday morning--it's unclear whether anything will go down. Wearing a red ribbon might be the drier choice.

For indoor entertainment, there's the county's 21st annual holiday concert on Saturday at the AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd). The musical duo Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer kick out kid-friendly tunes at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 each.

Hopefully, that'll help the kiddies get over Yellow Wiggle.

Hurricanes Out, Blizzards In

2006-11-30T11:57:00.000-05:00

Stick a fork in this year's hurricane season. It's done.

Weather gurus at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration officially called it off this week, after only nine named storms. Their original predictions called for at least 13 named storms this season.

"The development of El Nino conditions by September helps explain why this Atlantic hurricane season was less active than predicted," Gerry Bell, NOAA's weather guy in charge of hurricanes, tells NOAA News Online. Bell works at NOAA's headquarters on East-West Highway in Silver Spring.

NOAA explains the relatively quiet season like this:

El Nino, combined with the large-scale weather patterns over the southeastern U.S., produced sinking air in the middle and upper atmosphere, along with higher than anticipated wind shear (the change in winds through the atmosphere) over the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. These conditions minimized thunderstorm activity, which inhibited tropical storm and hurricane formation.

Whatever.

"We dodged a bullet this year," Dennis Feltgen, another NOAA meteorologist, tells the Haddiesburg (Miss.) American. "People should use the off season to prepare for next year."

In the meantime, NOAA is monitoring that freakin' mess that unloaded tons of snow in the Pacific Northwest, Rockies and the Midwest. The beast hits Silver Spring on Friday with heavy rain and high wind, NOAA predicts.

Props to NOAA for the satellite photo of Hurricane Ernesto.

"Return of El Nino Yields Near Normal 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season" (NOAA News Online)
"Hurricane Season Ends With Sigh of Relief" (Haddiesburg American)
"New Storm Brings Snow and Rain to Western States" (ABC 7 News)

Like Karaoke, With Civics

2006-11-29T09:06:00.000-05:00

Ike Leggett wants to feel your pain. Or at least hear about it.

At Tuesday's open-mic night in Chevy Chase, the county exec-elect listened to gripes ranging from undocumented aliens to traffic to education. For Silver Spring residents attending the town-hall meeting, the big issues were the Purple Line, pedestrian safety and rent control.

"When they talk about affordable housing, I hope that includes rentals," said one Silver Springer who did not give her name. According to the woman, rents had increased by at least 10% despite the county's recommended increase of 4%.

"We pay taxes. We feel betrayal," she added.

MoCo has no rent-control regulations, though the housing department does issue annual voluntary guidelines for rent increases. The recommended increase for 2006 was 4.4%. Actual increases averaged 4.9% in Silver Spring and Takoma Park, according to a county report.

Leggett acknowledged the loss of affordable rentals, which he attributed to condo conversions. "You increase [availability] by maintaining what you already have," he said.

Pedestrian safety was an issue, particularly for those living around the Forest Glen Metro station. A pedestrian bridge over Beltway access ramps opened earlier this year, linking the Forest Glen Metro station with the Montgomery Hills business district along Georgia Avenue. A pedestrian tunnel beneath Georgia Avenue also is in the works.

Walking can be hazardous even along Ellsworth Drive, said Silver Spring mom Sandra Markhardt. She worried that any accident along that privately owned road might create a negative image for all of downtown Silver Spring.

The biggest item--for residents of Silver Spring and beyond--was the Purple Line. Denise Cohen, a Silver Springer who "lives above the CSX [railroad] tracks," voiced her support for development of the light-rail line.

Nancy Nickell disagreed. "In East Silver Spring, homes are threatened by the Purple Line," she told Leggett. Instead, Nickell recommended improvements in Ride-On bus service and taxi service.

Leggett reminded the audience that the Purple Line is in the county's master plan. However, he offered to "exhaust every means necessary" to build it as a subterranean line. Leggett also warned that the line was not a panacea for the area's traffic problems.

"If you believe that the Purple Line standing by itself will do this, then we're not fully addressing the problem," he said. "We can't build our way out of this."

Thanks to MoCo's planning board for the graphic and this dude for the penguin pic.

Leggett: Development Needs an Enema

2006-11-28T08:46:00.000-05:00

MoCo's exec-elect hopes to rework the county's growth policy and break up that warm, fuzzy relationship between developers and the planning commission, the Washington Post writes.

Ike Leggett (right), who won the exec job on a platform of slower growth, says new-home construction may need to chill while infrastructure catches up. He and other incoming pols also say the development-approval process must be more transparent.

"Confidence and respect for the system need to be restored," Leggett tells the Post.

The county's new approach responds to critics who accuse fat-cat developers of getting around regulations. In one instance, a developer of 23 townhomes in Woodside got the planning board to waive requirements for moderately priced units, reducing the number from four to one, the Post writes.

"There really is a network of players in this county who know how to gain advantages and have access and results that are not available to the average citizen," says eastern MoCo activist Stuart Rochester.

Royce Hanson, chairman of the planning board, is hosing down the board's ethics policy, the Post reports. Hanson also may ask the county council for more time to review proposed development and less time blown on the council's pet projects.

Photo courtesy of the Washington Post.

"Developers Face a Chillier Montgomery" (Washington Post)

Next Stop, Sarbanes Center

2006-11-27T07:21:00.000-05:00

Correction: The Washington Post credits US Sen. Paul Sarbanes with scoring $24 million in fed funds for the transit center project. However, a MoCo press release gives props to Sarbanes, US Sen. Barbara Mikulski, US Reps. Albert Wynn and Chris Van Hollen for bagging a total $54 million in fed funds. Either way, it's a lot of cash. (Nov. 28, 2006)

Local pols break ground today on Silver Spring's new transit hub (above), which they'll name after the dude who scored mad federal money for the project.

County exec Doug Duncan will officially tag the Silver Spring Transit Center for retiring US Sen. Paul Sarbanes (below), the Washington Post reports. Sarbanes is credited with bagging $24 million from the feds for the transit center.

"It is fitting to acknowledge his devotion and dedication to the residents of Montgomery County," write Duncan and county council prez George Leventhal in a letter to Metro bigwigs.

The $75 million hub puts Metro's red line, MARC trains and buses galore under one roof on Colesville Road. The joint also has wiggle room for whatever form the purple line takes, the state transit authority said recently.

On top of the transit center, developer Foulger-Pratt plans to construct two apartment buildings and a 200-room hotel, The Gazette reports. Whether the 420 residential units are condos or rentals will depend on the housing market, says Bryant Foulger, the developer's first half.

The transit center is slated for completion in 2009. The hotel and apartment project goes before the county planning board in January.

Thanks to the Washington Post and Sen. Sarbanes for the pics.

"In Transit, a Name for Silver Spring Hub" (Washington Post)
"Foulger-Pratt to Develop Portion of Transit Center" (The Gazette)
"Color Me Purple: Roller Coaster of Love" (The Daily Penguin)

The Early Bird

2006-11-27T06:04:00.000-05:00

Time to move beyond the turkey leftovers and Terp loss. Here's this week in Silver Spring:

Tuesday: County exec-elect Ike Leggett (above) yucks it up at the first of three town-hall meetings. The gig starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Leland Community Center (4301 Willow Ln, Chevy Chase). Two more gigs go down later this week in Olney and Germantown.

Wednesday: MoCo's board of ed holds a forum on how to improve academic achievement in middle schoolers, particularly among black and Hispanic students. The forum starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Silver Spring International School (313 Wayne Ave).

Props to MoCo for the photo.

This Weekend

2006-11-24T13:00:00.000-05:00

Burn off those Thanksgiving calories with a walking tour of the National Park Seminary. Members of the nonprofit Save Our Seminary guide visitors through the area, past the rehabbed pagoda (above) and other historic buildings. It's an active construction site, so wear sturdy shoes. The tour starts at 1:00 p.m. at the Linden Lane entrance. A $5 donation per person is appreciated.

Photo courtesy of Save Our Seminary.

Forget Something?

2006-11-23T10:14:00.000-05:00

Don't sweat it. A couple of local supermarkets are open today for your last-minute shopping needs.

Giant Foods (1280 East-West Hwy) closes at 6:00 p.m.

Safeway (909 Thayer Ave) quits at 4:00 p.m.

Whole Foods Market (833 Wayne Ave) calls it a day at 3:00 p.m.

Snider's Super Foods (1936 Seminary Rd) is closed all day, so don't bother.

Now go out there and score some pie!

Image courtesy of the Australian Broadcasting Company.

Alleys in the Works for South Silver Spring

2006-11-22T09:40:00.000-05:00

Pedestrian paths that slice through south Silver Spring should be ready for use by next summer, The Gazette reports.

The paths are designed to break up large industrial blocks in that neighborhood (above), the weekly paper writes.

The 400-foot-long Arts Alley at Blair Mill Road, completed in 2005, already provides pedestrian access to Georgia Avenue from East-West Highway. It is the first of eight proposed walkways through south Silver Spring, The Gazette writes.

A walkway between Kennett Street and East-West Highway is under construction, and another pathway would link Kennett and Eastern Avenue, Pat Shepherd, project manager for the county's department of housing and community affairs, tells The Gazette.

"There are more pedestrians, and though it was once an industrial neighborhood, it is now an urban neighborhood," Shepherd says.

The county also plans to post signs that would direct pedestrians through the walkways. Some private developers have already posted some signs, The Gazette says.

Image courtesy of MoCo's department of housing and community affairs.

"County Moves Ahead With Walkways to Connect South Silver Spring" (The Gazette)
"South Silver Spring Pedestrian Linkages" (Montgomery County)

Grade Schools May Be Restructured

2006-11-21T11:53:00.000-05:00

The county's board of education is expected to approve a plan to shuffle the deck at Silver Spring elementary schools, The Gazette writes.

The proposal is meant to relieve overcrowding at Sligo Creek Elementary School, the board says. That school has 647 kids, according to the website Great Schools.

In the proposed plan, East Silver Spring Elementary School would be restructured to accommodate students from pre-kindergarten to the fifth grade. Currently, East Silver Spring holds classes for 358 kids in pre-K through the second grade, says Great Schools.

Some of the 510 kids who go to Takoma Park's Piney Branch Elementary School then would be reassigned to East Silver Spring, which would make room for some Sligo Creek kids to attend Piney Branch.

The changes, if approved, would take effect in the 2009 school year. The plan would also tack on $12 million to the board of ed's capital improvement budget, the board says.

Photo courtesy of DCPages.com.

"School Board Votes on Construction Plan" (The Gazette)

Ballet Co. Brings in Da Noise, Da Funk

2006-11-21T10:07:00.000-05:00

Happy feet of the human kind will be shuffling over Ellsworth Drive early next year.

The Maryland Youth Ballet (right), known for its holiday performances of "The Nutcracker," is opening a studio in downtown Silver Spring, the dance company announced recently. The studio--a second-floor space above furniture retailer Bombay Company--is scheduled to open in January.

"The renaissance of downtown Silver Spring ... is well underway," proclaimed Mel Tull, administrator of Silver Spring's arts and entertainment district.

The custom-built studio will overlook the Ellsworth Drive fountain and will be the dance company's fifth studio in the Washington area. The space is designed to hold classes for children and adults, and can accommodate students with disabilities, the dance company said in a press release.

Thanks to the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts for the photo.

The Early Bird

2006-11-20T05:12:00.000-05:00

Here's what's cooking in Silver Spring this week:

Monday: The Silver Spring Neighborhood Committee meets to discuss housing, development, education and other quality-of-life issues. The party starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Silver Spring Regional Center (8435 Georgia Ave).

Thursday: The county observes Thanksgiving. County offices--courts, libraries, even liquor stores--are closed. Metro buses and rail, as well as Ride-On buses, run on Sunday schedules. At least metered parking is free.

Friday: Sunrise shoppers can score deep discounts and a fierce case of mall buzz on the busiest shopping day of the year (above). It's like the PlayStation 3 carnival all over again, this time with less dejection.

Photo courtesy of Meister Planet.

This Weekend

2006-11-17T07:58:00.000-05:00

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!

Tomorrow, penguins take to the streets in the county's ninth annual Thanksgiving Day parade (right). The party rolls north on Georgia Avenue from Sligo Avenue, hangs a right on Ellsworth Drive, blows through Downtown Silver Spring and past the Turf, and then calls it quits at Cedar Lane. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m.

Beware of related road closures on Saturday, starting at 7:00 a.m. and running to 1:00 p.m.

Not into clowns or balloons? Hit the ninth biennial Pyramid Atlantic Book Arts Fair instead. The event starts today with an art project that invites public participation. The project drops at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (8230 Georgia Ave) from noon to 4:00 p.m.

The rest of the book fair, which includes exhibits and lectures, goes down at the NOAA Auditorium and Science Center (1301 East-West Hwy) on Saturday and Sunday. Admission to all events will run you $65 ($35 if you're packing student or senior ID). Or skip the lectures and check out just the exhibits for $15 ($10 for students/seniors).

Thanks to The Gazette for the photo.

Middle School Kid Missing

2006-11-16T20:30:00.000-05:00

Unconfirmed: Aaron Michael Horton was reunited with his family on Friday after being found at the Tropical Lagoon Aquarium on Georgia Avenue. (Nov. 18, 2006)

Police are looking for an 11-year-old Silver Spring boy who has been missing since Wednesday afternoon, NBC 4 News reports.

Aaron Michael Horton (above) was last seen getting off the school bus on the east side of 16th Street between Colesville Road and East-West Highway, near the Falkland Chase apartments. Horton never made it home to his apartment at The Blairs.

Horton is black, about 4 feet tall and weighs 70 pounds. He was wearing a red knit hat, red turtleneck, red jacket and khaki pants. His family said that he likes to visit the Tropical Lagoon Aquarium on Georgia Avenue near Seminary Place.

The police said that Horton misbehaved at school on Wednesday and might not have wanted to face his family with the news. His family, however, said it was weird that Horton hadn't called anyone yet, because he didn't usually go places on his own.

Fliers featuring Horton's photo and description were posted throughout The Blairs on Thursday night. Anyone with information about this case should call the cops at (301) 279-8000 or (240) 773-5400.

New House Majority Leader Gets Nod From Van Hollen

2006-11-16T16:56:00.000-05:00

US Rep. Steny Hoyer (above, right) was elected House majority leader today, with props from downtown Silver Spring's guy on the Hill, Rep. Chris Van Hollen.

Hoyer, a 25-year rep from southern Prince George's County, won the vote among House Dems by a margin of 149 to 86, the Washington Post reports. Van Hollen, who covers the 8th district, had Hoyer's back the whole time.

"I'm fully supporting Hoyer," Van Hollen (left) told The Gazette.

Hoyer's ascension upset Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi's choice, Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania. Several media outlets are calling Murtha's defeat Pelosi's loss.

The Post speculates that Pelosi (above, left), who represents the San Francisco area, pushed aggressively for Murtha because of bad blood between her and Hoyer. Pelosi, a Maryland native, and Hoyer both rose through the ranks of the Hill while working for then-Sen. Daniel Brewster.

Pics courtesy of the Washington Post and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

"Hoyer Challenged in Bid for Majority Leader" (The Gazette)
"Democrats Elect Hoyer as New Majority Leader" (Washington Post)

Power Outage Stalls Red Line

2006-11-16T10:25:00.000-05:00

Metro's Red Line was a mess early this morning after a power outage wiped out service near Dupont Circle.

The transit authority says that the juice cut out between the Dupont Circle and Woodley Park stations at 5:53 a.m. Passengers on a six-car train stuck between the two stations were evacuated.

Meanwhile, commuters in the District were forced to squeeze into buses to avoid the mess. Riders at the Silver Spring station also experienced delays in train service.

Power was restored to the stations around 7:30 a.m., but delays lingered. The cause of the outage has not been determined.

Photo courtesy of Ambivalent Images.

"Power Restored on Red Line" (WMATA)

Bridge Calls for Backup

2006-11-16T07:57:00.000-05:00

The Forest Glen pedestrian bridge (left) along Georgia Avenue is getting beefed-up security after two recent robberies there, The Gazette reports.

Improved lighting and video surveillance might do the trick, as well as a deterrence "through environmental design," Silver Spring's top cop said at a citizens advisory board meeting on Monday.

"I want people to be able to use the bridge," said Betsy Davis, commander of the county PD's third district. Davis added that women in particular might not dig the new $7.7 million bridge, which connects Montgomery Hills with the Forest Glen Metro station.

"It's cause for some concern," she said.

Busted lights on the bridge could use some fixing, and security cameras could be installed, Davis suggested. The camera feed wouldn't be monitored 24-7, but the video could be reviewed if needed, she said.

Marilyn Seitz, an advisory board member, also suggested using email to let area residents know when a crime has gone down, The Gazette writes.

Last week, two people were robbed on the quarter-mile bridge in broad daylight. In both cases, the suspect hightailed it toward the Forest Glen Metro station. No one has been charged with the crimes.

Mad props go out to the photojournalists at Montgomery Blair High School.

"Police to Target Forest Glen Bridge for Added Patrols" (The Gazette)

Color Me Purple: Rollercoaster of Love

2006-11-15T14:19:00.000-05:00

Proposed Purple Line routes could take the project up, down and sideways through Silver Spring, according to a project update presented Thursday.

The line could run at street level (above), burrow through a tunnel or even coast up a 23-foot-high ramp. Its exact altitude would depend on the amount of money thrown at the project, said Mike Madden, a spokesperson for the state transit administration.

At the cheap end, the line would run at street level from Bethesda to New Carrollton. Bus rapid transit would cruise on either shared or dedicated lanes through Lyttonsville, Woodside, the proposed Silver Spring Transit Center and East Silver Spring.

One downer to this option would be the elimination of traffic lanes, particularly in East Silver Spring. Routes that use Sligo Avenue or Fenton Street would reduce the flow of auto traffic down to as little as one lane, Madden told the planning board. No definitive route through East Silver Spring was named.

At its priciest, the Purple Line would cruise through a tunnel under part of Lyttonsville and resurface just west of 16th Street in Woodside. Approaching the Silver Spring Transit Center, the light rail would ride an aerial structure built above the existing Metro line. It would tunnel again through East Silver Spring until it reaches University Boulevard in Takoma Park.

However, the high sticker price may be a turnoff for the new administration in Annapolis, said Allison Bryant, commissioner with the planning board.

"We will be briefing the new administration as soon as they come in. [Governor-elect Martin O'Malley] said he is committed to building the Purple Line," Madden responded.

Once again, major props go out to RailPictures.net for the photo.

Bonifant Street Gets the Boot

2006-11-15T08:08:00.000-05:00

The west end of Bonifant Street has been abandoned, writes The Gazette.

Like an extra toe or vestigial tail, the dead-end road was snipped last week, discarded by the planning board so that developers can build the Silver Spring Transit Center (above) on top of it next year.

The 5.7-acre transit center hooks up Metro and MARC rails to bus service, pedestrian and bike trails, and the proposed Purple Line, writes the Gazette. Bonifant Street will be used to build part of a bus circulation area.

The $75 million development will have three tiers: buses get the first and second tiers, Kiss and Ride gets the top bunk.

Thanks to the Silver Spring Scene for the image.

"Plans for $75M Transit Center Claim Part of Bonifant Street" (The Gazette)

Color Me Purple: All About the Green

2006-11-14T15:53:00.000-05:00

County planning commissioners would like to build the Purple Line in stages, but the project may not be eligible for the installment plan, said one guy from the state transit administration.

Requests for federal funding would require approval of all 14 miles of the bi-county light-rail line, said Mike Madden, spokesperson for the transit administration. Madden spoke at Thursday's planning board meeting in Silver Spring.

The Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program cuts checks for various projects, doling out $1.7 billion annually. However, Madden warned, "This project would have to compete with other projects around the country."

To make the Purple Line more competitive, the state must demonstrate its ability to cover initial costs as well as maintenance, Madden said. The best way to do that, he suggested, is to shoulder 50% of the project's total cost.

Underground rail service, similar to existing Metro lines, could cost $1.6 billion for the route between Bethesda and Silver Spring alone, Madden estimated.

Royce Hanson, chairperson of the planning commission, worried that an all-or-nothing request to fund the entire Purple Line route may not pass federal muster. "Either segments would be delayed, or not even built," he said.

State funds for Purple Line development total $30.8 million through 2008, the Washington Post reported recently. Contrary to previous statements from the transit administration, Madden acknowledged that state funds have not been allotted for the Purple Line after 2008.

Thanks again to RailPictures.net for the photo.

Not the Same Dive Bar

2006-11-14T10:22:00.000-05:00

The chef who rewrote the Quarry House's menu is ditching town, leaving the pub's Bonifant Street kitchen in anarchy, the Washington City Paper reports.

Toure Stoney, who introduced barflies to organic, hormone-free hamburgers, has returned home to California for "personal reasons," Quarry House management says. Cooks from Jackie's, the tavern's sister restaurant on Georgia Avenue, are pulling double duty to keep both kitchens going.

So far, the chef swap isn't exactly working, says the City Paper's Tim Carman. The bacon-cheddar burgers are overcooked, he writes, and the chipotle burrito is "a tortilla log of black beans, cheese and zipless chicken."

Even the side orders aren't immune from disaster.

"The Old Bay tater tots came with the seasoning served in a little plastic cup on the side, not incorporated into the cylinders," Carman writes. "Most puzzling."

Thanks to Silver Spring Singular for the lead, and to Hunt Emerson for the art.

"News Bites" (Washington City Paper)

Old Dog Learns New Tricks

2006-11-14T07:25:00.000-05:00

Greyhound is pimping its rides and tricking out its bus stations, including one in Silver Spring, the company announced.

The favored fleet of spring breakers now rolls with movable armrests, automatic footrests and magazine straps. Greyhound also says the buses are cleaner, inside and out. Nearly 75% of the pimped-out fleet is already on the road.

Stations, like the one on Fenton Street, will have plasma screen televisions, renovated bathrooms and new food service. Personnel in fine new threads will greet passengers at the station door to answer any questions, the company said.

Greyhound buses have made headlines recently in two unrelated incidents. Last week in Utah, one passenger jacked an Arizona-bound bus as it tore down a highway at 65 m.p.h. The bus crashed into a cable barrier, but no one was injured. The bus jacker was later busted by the cops.

Also last week, an Ohio family filed a lawsuit against Greyhound for a high-speed stink bomb detonated two years ago. The suit claims that a Greyhound bus dumped its sewage tank as the family drove its SUV--with the sunroof wide open--behind it.

Thanks to Greyhound Pets, Inc. for the image.

"Greyhound Improves Customer Travel Experience in the Northeast and California/Southwest" (Press Release)
"Greyhound Bus Passenger Forces Dangerous Detour" (Salt Lake Tribune)
"Family Suing Greyhound After Flying Fecal Matter Covers SUV on I-75" (WSFA-TV Montgomery, Ala.)

Color Me Purple: The Palette

2006-11-13T15:13:00.000-05:00

Designs for the Purple Line are a toss-up, and the final decision may be based on cost.

On Thursday, Mike Madden, a spokesperson for the state transit administration, told the county planning board that several options exist for the light-rail line. The proposed line would connect Bethesda and New Carrollton, with stations in Lyttonsville, Woodside and at the Silver Spring transit center.

The most expensive option is a high-investment transit mode that would put light-rail trains (like those in Baltimore, above) on either elevated tracks or in tunnels. A cheaper alternative would build the route at street level in either dedicated or shared traffic lanes. The least expensive option abandons light rail and invests in existing bus service, Madden said.

Underground rail service, similar to existing Metro lines, could cost $1.6 billion for the route between Bethesda and Silver Spring alone, Madden predicted. The federal government offers a maximum $1.7 billion in grants for eligible transit projects.

"That's too costly," Madden told the planning board. "We're looking at more affordable options."

Thanks to RailPictures.net for the photo.

Controversy at Local School ... Again

2006-11-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

Mongtomery Blair High School is catching heat for distributing fliers from a group that works "to raise awareness of alternatives to living a homosexual life."

The fliers--printed by the group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays--were handed out to students last week during homeroom, NBC 4 News reports. Details of the flier's content are not given.

"If you have unwanted same-sex attraction, . . . then there are alternatives," Regina Griggs, the group's spokesperson, tells NBC 4 News. "Homosexual feelings can be overcome."

Avi Edelman, president of the school's Gay-Straight Student Alliance, tells NBC 4 News the fliers are a crock. "The message that they show on that flier is very different (from) what the organization actually stands for," Edelman says.

Last year, a US District Court ruled that Montgomery County could not stop the group from distributing literature in public schools. The group says it will continue to hand out fliers at area schools, NBC 4 News writes.

In October, Montgomery Blair High School students raised a ruckus when they were forced to wear color-coded ID badges.

Image courtesy of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays.

"Flier About 'Ex-Gays' Ignites Firestorm at School" (NBC 4 News)
"School Colors" (Washington Post)

The Early Bird

2006-11-13T08:37:00.000-05:00

It's just another emo Monday. Here comes this week in Silver Spring:

Starting today: Montgomery College's Silver Spring/Takoma Park campus hosts a variety of programs for International Student Week. Events run through Wednesday.

Tonight: Silver Spring's Citizens Advisory Board meets to yak about commercial development, transportation, pedestrian safety and neighborhood concerns. The party goes down at the AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd) starting at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday: Aspiring pundits can discuss the election's impact on women at a forum sponsored by Montgomery Women. The expert panel includes Bruce DePuyt, that poor bastard who moderated a raucous debate between then-Senate candidates Ben Cardin, Michael Steele and Kevin Zeese. Citizen punditry is free and starts at 7:30 p.m. at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (8230 Georgia Ave).

Wednesday: The National Institutes of Health sponsor a free screening of "Jumping Off Bridges" (above) at the AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd). After the show, mental health experts discuss the film's themes and take questions. The joint drops at 7:00 p.m.

Friday: The county's department of environmental protection hosts two one-hour workshops on how to save money and energy when heating their homes. Workshops begin at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center (2450 Lyttonsville Rd). Each attendee scores an energy-efficient light bulb.

Thanks to Mike Slack for the photo.

This Weekend

2006-11-10T12:50:00.000-05:00

Nothing says "weekend" like politics and tap dancing.

On Saturday, Mayorga Coffee Roasters (8040 Georgia Ave) hosts a community forum with Councilwoman-elect Valerie Ervin (left). The shin dig runs from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and costs $40 per person ($20 if you're packing college ID).

Also on Saturday, the dance troupe Tappers With Attitude tears it up at Los Arrieros (7926 Georgia Ave) on Saturday from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The performance is free, but the dinner on your plate will cost you.

Photo courtesy of ValerieErvin.org.

A Mall By Any Other Name

2006-11-09T15:02:00.000-05:00

Ever shop at the Silver Plaza mall on Colesville and Fenton? You just might get the chance, if web surfers have their way.

According to an unofficial poll conducted by Silver Spring Singular, 37% of participants want to change the name of City Place mall to Silver Plaza. A new identity might invigorate foot traffic through the mall, the blog's moderator suggests.

"City Place rhymes with 'shitty place.' Enough said," writes the moderator, who uses the pseudonym Sligo.

One hundred and five visitors chose among ten names, including The Shoppes at the Turf, MoCrap for MoCo and Hecht's Center. The second most popular name was Bling in the Spring, which caught a distant 13% of the vote.

The name Silver Plaza is already used by downtown Silver Spring's fountain plaza on Ellsworth Drive, though Sligo is undeterred.

"They should surrender the name to the mall for the good of the neighborhood," Sligo writes. "It's not like anyone calls that area by that name, anyway."

Congrats to Silver Spring Singular on a fun survey. And thanks for the pic.

"The Results Are In!" (Silver Spring Singular)

H is for Hookey, B is for Busted

2006-11-09T12:57:00.000-05:00

The public library is home to bookworms, librarians and now juvenile delinquents, The Gazette writes. And one school principal ain't having it.

The Gazette says one student from Oak View Elementary School ducked classes with a middle schooler and spent the day at the Long Branch library on Garland Avenue. Principal Peggy Salazar claims that librarians knew the kids were there but did not phone the school. It's not clear when the incident occurred.

Children are allowed to stay in the library as long as they behave, Parker Hamilton, director of the county's libraries, tells The Gazette. The policy has since been reviewed and may change, Hamilton says.

Salazar figures that the current policy is geared towards home-schooled kids, who may be dropped off at the library during the day. Hamilton says that it does happen occassionally.

Freakin' cool image from Good Girl Art.

"Truancy Sparks Library System to Review School-Hour Policy" (The Gazette)

New Boss Gets Down to Business

2006-11-09T11:57:00.000-05:00

Ike Leggett, who won Tuesday's race for county executive, said he will hold three town-hall meetings before he takes office this December.

"I want to hear--straight from the people who pay the bills--what county government is doing right, and what we ought to change," the 61-year-old Democrat (right) told reporters from his transition offices in the old Rockville library.

The meetings will be held at the Leland Community Center, Chevy Chase, on November 28; Olney Elementary School, Olney, on November 29; and the Black Rock Center for the Arts, Germantown, on November 30. All of the meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m.

"We are going to keep what's working, fix what's not and make sure everybody gets a seat at the table when decisions are made," Leggett said.

Leggett served 16 years on the county council and is the first black American elected to county executive. His term officially begins on December 4.

Photo courtesy of ValerieErvin.org.

"County Exec-Elect Ike Leggett Thanks Supporters, Lays Extensive Plans for November Transition" (Montgomery County News Release)

The Final Score (Finally)

2006-11-08T13:42:00.000-05:00

Stick a fork in this year's midterm election--it's done. According to several sources, the winners are:

US Congress

Senate: Ben Cardin (above) (54%), Michael Steele (44%), Kevin Zeese (2%)--Steele conceded to Cardin at a press conference this afternoon.

House of Representatives (District 8): Chris Van Hollen (77%), Jeffrey Stein (21%), Gerard Giblin (1%)

Maryland

Governor: Martin O'Malley (above) (53%), Robert Ehrlich (46%)--Ehrlich waved the white flag earlier today, saying that the absentee vote would not carry him over the finish line.

Comptroller: Peter Franchot (59%), Anne McCarthy (41%), Bob Auerbach (0%)

Attorney General: Doug Gansler (61%), Scott Rolle (39%)

State House of Delegates (District 20): Sheila Hixson (32%), Heather Mizeur (31%), Tom Hucker (30%), John Wrightson (6%)

State Senate (District 20): Jamie Raskin (ran unopposed)

Montgomery County

County Executive: Ike Leggett (above) (68%), Chuck Floyd (22%), Robin Ficker (10%)

County Council (District 5): Valerie Ervin (82%), Dennis Walsh (18%)

County Council (At Large): Nancy Floreen (18%), George Leventhal (18%), Mark Elrich (18%), Duchy Trachtenburg (17%), Steve Abrams (9%), Other (20%)

Photos courtesy of the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post.

"Cardin Wins Maryland's Open US Senate Seat" (News Channel 8)
"Local Elections 2006" (Washington Post)
"Ehrlich Concedes Governor's Race" (Baltimore Sun)

Results of That Other Stuff on the Ballot

2006-11-08T10:41:00.000-05:00

In addition to deciding the fate of the county, state and nation, voters in Silver Spring put their two cents in on a handful of ballot initiatives. The Washington Post score card says voters gave a thumbs up to the following:

An amendment to the county charter that specifies council membership as a full-time gig with full-time salaries.

Another charter amendment that clarifies when the council must pass along legislation to the executive, and when the boss must act on it.

An amendment to the state constitution that prohibits the transfer of state-owned parkland without approval from the general assembly.

A state constitutional amendment allowing decisions from an in banc circuit court to go to the court of special appeals. Whatever.

Another amendment that limits juried civil trials to cases involving at least $10,000.

A statewide referendum requiring election boards to get their shit together.

These were landslide decisions, so don't expect any recounts.

Photo courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.

"Local Elections 2006" (Washington Post)
"Statewide Ballot Questions" (Maryland State Board of Elections)

Tiny Planet Promoted to "King of Pain"

2006-11-07T14:08:00.000-05:00

The planet Mercury pulls a mini-eclipse tomorrow afternoon, appearing as a little black spot on the sun.

The event, known to astronomers and "Battlestar Galactica" fans as a transit, begins at 2:12 p.m. and ends for Silver Spring's star gazers at sunset. The transit should not be viewed without a specially filtered telescope, warns the Washington Post.

The Silver Spring/Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College has filtered scopes galore and will host a transit tailgate on the roof of the King Street parking garage. Cloudy skies will bring the show to the garage's first floor, where images from the Left Coast will be projected on a screen. Cubicle dwellers can also watch the transit safely through San Francisco's Exploratorium science museum website.

Transits of Mercury occur at erratic intervals--every 7, 13 or 33 years, depending on its mood--and take place in either November or May. Mercury passes between Earth and the sun every 116 days, though it's usually not in view, explains the Baltimore Sun.

Queue The Police . . . There's a little black spot on the sun today.

Image courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.

"Mercury in the Spotlight" (Washington Post)
"Seek Transit Glory With View of Mercury and Sun" (Baltimore Sun)
"Transit of Mercury" (Montgomery College)

Soviet-Style Shopping in Silver Spring

2006-11-07T08:08:00.000-05:00

The Dutch company that owns Giant supermarkets has decided to focus on more store-brand merchandise, less variety and fewer discounts, the Baltimore Sun reports.

The strategy may allow Royal Ahold, Giant's parent company, to retain its supermarket business in the United States. It has already decided to sell its wholesale food business, says the Sun.

Giant's market share in the Washington-Baltimore area has been spanked into submission by big-box stores like Wal-Mart and Costco, and by high rollers like Whole Foods Market. Giant runs one market in The Blairs along East-West Highway (above).

Jeff Metzger, editor of a food industry mag, tells the Sun that Giant also must deal with complaints of poor customer service and limited product selection.

"If they can improve the quality and offer better prices, that's all going to help," Metzger says. "But there are other pieces they need to address and execute better."

Other analysts remain hopeful of Giant's prospects, the Sun writes, citing prime locations and 70 years of name recognition.

"Giant's Parent Selling Unit" (Baltimore Sun)

Voter's Guide: The Ballot

2006-11-06T09:19:00.000-05:00

Most of this year's candidates have posted their views on the web for the benefit of hands unshaken, babies not kissed and front lawns not peppered with campaign signs. Even better, local publications have culled together all of this information and created voter guides of their own. Slacking off at work is a civic duty when you visit these sites:

A couple of ballot questions also show up this election season. For more information, check out this website from the state's League of Women Voters.

Image courtesy of NBC4.com.

Voter's Guide: The Debates

2006-11-06T09:18:00.000-05:00

This election season, the candidates bypassed mud slinging and went straight to bare-knuckle brawling. Check out this multimedia highlight reel of cheap shots, low blows and knees to the political groin.

For US Senate: US Rep. Ben Cardin (D), Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) and Green party candidate Kevin Zeese scrapped like rabid dogs in October 25's three way on public television. Steele and Cardin later ditched Zeese on October 29 for a debate on "Meet the Press."

For Governor: Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R) and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley (D) went toe to toe on October 14 in a WBAL simulcast. They went at it again just two days later in a debate televised on WJZ Baltimore.

For Maryland Attorney General: The big fight for attorney general actually revolved around state's attorney Doug Gansler (D-Montgomery) and whether he was eligible to run at all. Gansler got the green light on Wednesday, making this October 24 debate with state's attorney Scott Rolle (R-Frederick) public television's sleeper hit.

Voters can watch interviews of other candidates on Access Montgomery's Candidate's Forum and Maryland Public Television's State Circle.

Image courtesy of Fox Movies.

Voter's Guide: The Machines

2006-11-06T09:17:00.000-05:00

Election officials have their fingers crossed for tomorrow's election, hoping to avoid a repeat of September's primary debacle, writes the Washington Post. With a little luck and a whole lot of absentee ballots, the county board of elections believes that things will run smoother.

So before hitting the polls, give the new Diebold Accu-Vote machines a test drive on the Maryland Votes website. Or at least learn to rig your vote.

Image courtesy of the Washington Post.

"Fingers Crossed for Polls on Tuesday" (Washington Post)
"Everything You Need to Know to Cast Your Ballot" (Washington Post)
"How to Fix an Election" (Daily Penguin)

The Early Bird

2006-11-06T05:35:00.000-05:00

Correction: The planning board did not hear a progress report on the Silver Spring Transit Center on Thursday. It voted to approve the abandonment of Bonifant Street's west end, which sits within the transit center's footprint. The Daily Penguin regrets the error. (Nov. 15, 2006)

It's going to be a busy week in Silver Spring:

Tuesday: The negative ads and campaign speeches finally end when voters hit the polls for the midterm election. Every seat in the state is up for grabs, from the governorship to the guy who certifies wills. Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday: County health officials administer flu shots (above) at the Dennis Avenue Health Center (at Georgia Avenue) from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Shots are reserved for people at high risk--kids up to age 2 years, pregnant women, people over age 65 or with chronic illnesses, and healthcare workers. Each shot costs $20. Low-risk people can get the nasal vaccine for free.

Thursday: The county planning board gets an update on the Purple Line light-rail project, as well as a progress report on the Silver Spring Transit Center. The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. at the board's digs on Georgia Avenue at Spring Street.

Friday: The nation observes Veterans Day. People who work for banks, libraries, the postal service and the government get the day off. Buses run on a Saturday schedule and Metro train service ends at midnight. For everyone else--including public school students--it's business as usual.

Thanks to MSNBC for the photo.

This Weekend

2006-11-03T08:30:00.000-05:00

Cut back on the caffeine, and keep the kiddies away from their leftover mini-Snickers bars. On Saturday, Class Acts Arts presents visual comedian Pete Geist (left). His kid-friendly show is described as "a unique blend of new vaudevillian skills and energetic audience participation." The joint drops twice--at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.--at Montgomery College's Black Box Theater (Philadelphia at Chicago Avenues on the Silver Spring/Takoma Park campus). Admission is $15 per person.

Oh yeah, and the fall foliage is at its peak. Get out there and hug a tree!

Image courtesy of Celebrate Silver Spring.

Ehrlich: Keep Purple Line Off the Green

2006-11-02T14:32:00.000-05:00

Gov. Robert Ehrlich pounded the flesh along the Red Line yesterday and later wagged his finger at the Purple Line, the Washington Post reports.

As part of his re-election campaign, Ehrlich (right) joined his running mate, fellow Republican Sec. Kristen Cox, at the Silver Spring Metro station to shake hands and kiss babies. It was not clear whether Ehrlich or Cox took questions from commuters.

The governor did catch some flack, however. The Baltimore Sun records one commuter telling Ehrlich, "You're going to lose, big time."

He also made a pit stop at Chevy Chase's Columbia Country Club, site of a proposed path for the Purple Line light rail. Ehrlich opposes a Purple Line route through the club's golf course because it would not be "cost effective" and would destroy "thousands and thousands of trees" along the adjacent Capital Crescent Trail, the Post writes.

According to Ehrlich's campaign website, his top transportation priority is the Intercounty Connector, which would link Interstates 370 and 95. He also takes credit for launching studies into the Purple Line's development.

Image courtesy of the Washington Post. Props to Silver Spring Singular for the lead.

"Md. Governor's Race Running at 2 Speeds" (Washington Post)
"O'Malley Upbeat as Bus Tour Begins" (Baltimore Sun)

Drug Deal of the Year

2006-11-02T11:56:00.000-05:00

CVS Pharmacies have agreed to merge with pharmacy-benefit manager Caremark Rx, creating a drug-dispensing juggernaut that can lean on pharmaceutical companies for lower prices, the Washington Post writes.

CVS has two locations below the Beltway in Silver Spring--in Montgomery Hills and at The Blairs, with another outside the Beltway at Four Corners. Caremark manages the county's drug discount program for residents who lack complete pharmaceutical coverage.

The merger gives CVS and Caremark more leverage over pharmaceutical companies, one bean counter tells the Post. "It's likely to lead to more transparent pricing and keeping prices down," says Mitchell Corwin, an equity analyst with Morningstar.

However, Helen Darling, of the nonprofit National Business Group on Health, worries that CVS and Caremark may not pass along the savings to consumers. She tells the Post that the newly merged companies may choose to pocket the spare change instead.

This merger comes one month after Wal-Mart announced its $4 generic drug giveaway. Target says it will also reduce prices for generics at its pharmacies.

Photo courtesy of Reuters.

"CVS, Drug Benefit Manager to Merge" (Washington Post)

Proletariat 1, Bourgeoisie 0

2006-11-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

One Silver Spring resident scores a castle while another can't even give one away, says this week's Gazette.

Phyllis Johnson, of Michigan Avenue, gets a new "Katrina" prefab cottage (model, left) to replace her current digs, which The Gazette describes as trashed beyond repair. Johnson, who is disabled and unemployed, receives the 1,200-square foot house through a county program in cahoots with USA Weekend magazine and the Congress for the New Urbanism.

The cottage, named after that 2005 hell raiser, is on display at the Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center in Lyttonsville. It will be relocated to Johnson's property once her existing home is demolished.

Just up the block--way up, at Martello Drive off Old Columbia Pike--Brian Colella is trying to unload his 15,000-square foot mansion (right). The 52-year-old entrepreneur modelled the place after English castles and included a moat, The Gazette writes. Asking price: $3.4 million.

"He overbuilt for the neighborhood," Santiago Testa, a Chevy Chase realtor, tells The Gazette. "I think he's going to be sitting on it for a while."

The home has been on the market for nearly a year and a half. It's also available through an EBay auction.

Thanks to Slate.com and EBay for the photos.

" 'Katrina Cottage' To Be Resident's New Home" (The Gazette)
"For Sale: Castle With Moat" (The Gazette)

The Purple Line Limps Along

2006-10-31T08:28:00.000-05:00

The state transportation department is telling everyone to chill after rumors of delayed Purple Line plans tore through the county, the Washington Post writes.

The DOT says someone in accounting juggled figures on its annual budget, making it look like funding for Purple Line studies had been tapped. However, the DOT tells the Post that the $30.8 million is still there, only stretched out over an additional two years to 2010.

The Coalition to Build the Inner Purple Line isn't buying it. "The planning study should be expedited--not delayed--so as to break ground on this project within the next four years," the coalition states on its website.

At least the chairman of the county planning board isn't sweating it.

"Thank you!" Royce Hanson cheered when the Post told him that studies would not be delayed. "You saved me from writing an impassioned letter."

Thanks to InnerPurpleLine.com for the map.

"False Alarm Over Project Delays" (Washington Post)

Margaritas Across America

2006-10-31T06:20:00.000-05:00

The Austin Grill may take its Tex-Mex menu nationwide.

The local restaurant chain will be acquired by Thompson Hospitality, which hopes to plant Austin Grill franchises in cities like the ATL, Chi Town and L.A., the Washington Business Journal reported Friday.

Expansion plans also include smaller versions of the Austin Grill on college campuses and in airports, Thompson announced on its website. The Virginia-based food service company already has contracts with a dozen colleges, including Prince George's Community College in Largo.

The seven existing restaurants, including one on Ellsworth Drive in downtown Silver Spring, will continue as company-owned joints.

Photo courtesy of The Blairs.

"Austin Grill Being Acquired by Thompson Hospitality" (Washington Business Journal)

The Early Bird

2006-10-30T06:17:00.000-05:00

That extra hour of sleep has me amped! Get ready to take on this week in Silver Spring:

Monday: The Roundhouse Theatre (8641 Colesville Rd near Georgia Avenue) hosts Extreme Exchange III, a series of short political plays followed by moderated discussion. Each play examines why Americans vote the way they do and the consequences of their decisions. This free event starts at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday: People who ride off-road or all-terrain vehicles (above) will be required to wear helmets and goggles, according to a new law that goes into effect countywide. The law also forbids riding in a public park, around malls and through apartment complexes. Popping wheelies on private property? Pack some safety gear, written consent and daylight (no riding before 7:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.). State law already prohibits riding on streets, sidewalks and public parking lots.

Image courtesy of GameSpy.com. Rock on, dudes.

"Off-Road Vehicle Law Starting Up" (Washington Post)

This Weekend

2006-10-27T12:53:00.000-05:00

Trick-or-treaters get a head start on all that sugary schwag tomorrow at downtown Silver Spring's Halloween Spooktacular. It's more fun, food and high-fructose corn syrup than you can wag a bloody finger at. The festivities along Ellsworth Drive run from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

For high-brow entertainment, check out the libretto performance (that's opera minus theatrics) of "Dido and Aeneas" tomorrow night (above). It's the Bach Sinfonia's first performance at its new space, the Woodside United Methodist Church (8900 Georgia Ave at Ballard Street). The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and costs $25 per seat.

Don't forget to reclaim that 60 minutes of sleep The Man ripped from your eyes this spring. Daylight saving time ends early Sunday morning.

Thanks to the Bach Sinfonia for the photo.

The Next Big Thing: Overview

2006-10-27T07:19:00.000-05:00

Three designs for the county planning board's new digs were revealed Thursday, with each design calling for the extension of Fenton Street beyond its current northern border.

At the board's weekly meeting in Silver Spring, competing developers agreed that Fenton Street should pierce the "superblock" that sits on the southeast corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. The superblock is the proposed site of Silver Place, a mixed-use development that includes housing, retail and the planning board's new headquarters.

Extending Fenton Street past its intersection with Cameron Street, either as a walkway or an actual road, would improve access to shops and public spaces, the developers contended.

Each design also set the planning board's proposed digs away from the corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. This move, the developers said, would allow the board to keep on keepin' on at its existing office space while the new digs are built.

The Next Big Thing: Part One

2006-10-27T07:18:00.000-05:00

One real-estate developer is proposing brick buildings and an outdoor "ecological laboratory" for Silver Place, a mixed-use development near Fairview Road Park.

The proposal--designed by the Silver Place Joint Venture LLC--was one of three revealed at Thursday's planning board meeting in Silver Spring.

The design would place five-story residential buildings (above, right) on the southeast corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. The residential buildings would then follow the curvature of Spring Street as it wends southward to Cameron Street (check out a map).

Along Georgia Avenue, the residential buildings would contain ground-level retail space with 20-foot-high glass storefronts, the developer's representatives said.

A six-story glass-and-mortar building at 1250 Spring St would serve as the county planning board's new headquarters (above, left). The building, along with plant-draped trellises, would obscure an adjacent parking structure, the reps explained.

Access to the parking structure would be either from Georgia Avenue via Planning Place (an existing roadway) or from Spring Street via the proposed Woodland Place (below).

The new headquarters would sport a green roof, but the residential buildings would not. Aesthetics and economics made that prospect unappealing, the reps explained.

Between the buildings, segmented gardens with a variety of plants would serve as an "ecological laboratory and classroom," the reps said. A stainless steel bridge would lead pedestrians past (but not through) these gardens.

The reps also described a possible footpath that would extend north from Fenton Street's terminus at Cameron Street.

Images courtesy of the Silver Spring Joint Venture LLC.

Commentary: Planning for the Board

2006-10-27T07:17:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday, developers rolled out their plans for replacing the county planning board's headquarters on Georgia Avenue at Spring Street. And there was a running theme: none of the three designs placed the new building on the block's corner, that all-important "gateway" separating city from suburb.

Instead, two developers dropped the board's HQ onto Spring Street. (One developer claimed that a Spring Street address would remind residents of the town's history. As if the name "Silver Spring" wasn't doing it.) A third developer moved the board down Georgia Avenue towards Cameron Street.

Why not set up shop on the corner? One developer at Thursday's meeting put it this way: It would cost the board millions to rent temporary office space while a new HQ is built over the footprint of the old HQ (below, or check out a satellite image of the existing building's footprint.)

So what's a planning board to do? Well, it should plan.

If the board can't (or won't) cough up the cash for temporary digs during construction, then it should plan on loving its new Spring Street address. If the board decides to stay on the corner, then it should plan for an awkward architectural transition from the two-story Woodside suburbs to a much taller gateway into Silver Spring.

Whatever the planning board decides, it should plan for the consequences.

Put your hands together. Show your love for Google Maps!

"The Next Big Thing" (The Daily Penguin)

The Next Big Thing: Part Deux

2006-10-27T07:16:00.000-05:00

A prospective developer is picturing "city life in the park" at Silver Place, the proposed mixed-use development at Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. The proposal--designed by SilverPlace LLC--was the second of three proposals presented at Thursday's planning board meeting in Silver Spring.

The planning commission would occupy a nine-story glass and masonry building (above) on Spring Street, directly across the street from Fairview Road Park. The building's green features would include an east-west orientation that takes advantage of natural light, a "garden" for collecting rain water, and a green roof.

The design (below) would place an eight-story residential building at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. It would also set four- and five-story apartment buildings along new and existing roadways dissecting the block. The designers estimate that 358 apartments could be built.

Access could come from three proposed points along Spring Street's curvature, the existing Planning Place, and a proposed northward extension of Fenton Street. The roadways would permit reduced-speed vehicular traffic through a landscaped, European-inspired plaza, the designers explain.

The plaza would incorporate ground-level retail space, a cascading water feature and a two-story supermarket near Georgia Avenue. The design also includes an archway with residential space that would stretch over Planning Place.

The overall plan leaves room for a prospective office building at the corner of the Fenton Street extension and Cameron Street.

Thanks to SilverPlace LLC for the images.

Commentary: Driving in Circles

2006-10-27T07:15:00.000-05:00

When SilverPlace LLC presented its European-modelled plaza at Thursday's planning board meeting, it gave the board some idea of what an urban area should be: accessible.

Specifically, the design included sidewalks and two-way vehicular access from Spring Street and Planning Place, plus the extension of Fenton Street into the proposed plaza. If it weren't for a speed-reducing "textured" road surface, the passages could be considered thru streets.

So it was surprising when Commissioner John Robinson tensed over the idea of cars rolling through the proposed mixed-use development. Ostensibly, his concern was the conceptual and literal collision of cars with pedestrians.

Unfortunately, Commissioner Robinson, other board members and even other developers are looking at urban planning through rosy, suburban glasses. Urban development should be at the inclusion of the surrounding neighborhood. Access to roadways, retailers and other amenities should be unencumbered, not enclosed within a citadel gone condo.

Without two-way auto traffic through the proposed development, the roadways become nothing more than glorified circular driveways. And it's the road to nowhere that intensifies gridlock and shrinks pedestrian traffic.

The board should look upon the Silver Place project as an opportunity to invigorate this small city, not to reduce it into another suburban subdivision.

Thank you, Lego, for making urban planning fun.

The Next Big Thing: The Fat Lady Sings

2006-10-27T07:14:00.000-05:00

A tag team of developers would like to move the planning board a few doors down from Silver Place, a proposed mix-use development at Georgia Avenue and Spring Street.

Residential developer P.N. Hoffman and commercial developer Stonebridge Associates suggested the relocation to 8711 Georgia Ave near Cameron Street at Thursday's planning board meeting in Silver Spring.

The move, the developers said, would allow the planning board to settle into its new digs by 2009. The construction of a 13-story office building (above) has already been approved for that privately owned site.

While the board gets cozy, residential development would begin on the county-owned Silver Place site (below). Four-story apartment buildings would be constructed, including porch-lined townhouses along the Spring Street curvature. Most of the homes would be condominiums.

A private lawn set in the middle of the block would serve as a green roof for underground residential parking. Public space would consist of a paved plaza. Its development would require the partial deconstruction of an existing parking structure.

Vehicular access to the block's interior would be through the existing Planning Place and a proposed northward extension of Fenton Street. Pedestrians could reach Silver Place through a proposed path adjacent to the planning board's headquarters, as well as through sidewalks along vehicular access points.

A 90-foot office building with ground-level retail space would sit on the corner of Georgia Avenue and Spring Street. Developers said there would be enough retail space to contain a supermarket.

Thanks to P.N. Hoffman and Stonebridge Associates for the images.

Commentary: Just For Laughs

2006-10-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a good joke:

A developer walks into a planning board meeting. He tells the board members that he can put them up in a new building with a tawny address and pretty landscaping. But there's a catch. The board has to give this developer a big plot of land that it owns down the block. On top of that, it has to pay rent at the developer's new building.

The board members scratch their heads. Redeveloping that plot of land would mean temporary displacement. They'd have to pay for interim office space and movers until redevelopment is completed. It could cost the board a lot of money!

On the other hand, the board could give up its land, move into the developer's new building and still have enough money for a new cappuccino machine. They could save a ton of dough!

The joke doesn't have a punchline yet. If the board chooses to stay on its land, then the joke is on the developer. How audaciously zany it is to believe that a public institution would surrender what it owns, only to move into a rental.

But if the board chooses to make the move because it's cheaper in the immediate future, then the joke is on the tax-paying public. Not only would the board--that is, the public--pay rent endlessly, but it would lose property to the development of townhouses and condos. In this case, the only one laughing is the developer.

The people deserve the last laugh.

Image courtesy of MusicDesktop.com.

Schwag Alert

2006-10-26T13:05:00.000-05:00

The transit authority will distribute free bottles of hand sanitizer tomorrow at the Silver Spring Metro station. The first 1,000 riders out of the gate during the afternoon rush hour will receive one bottle plus information on how hand washing can prevent the spread of colds and the flu. Bus drivers will hand out another 2,000 bottles to riders who roll out of that station.

"Metro to Distribute Free Hand Sanitizer to Help Fight Flu" (Metro Transit Authority)
"Clean Hands Save Lives!" (Centers for Disease Control)

Welcome to Thunderdome

2006-10-26T06:01:00.000-05:00

In case anyone missed the televised debate between Senate wannabes Ben Cardin (D), Michael Steele (R) and that other guy (?), here's how it all went down:

Cardin called Steele a lapdog drinking out of the White House toilet. Steele accused Cardin of jacking off in Congress for the last 20 years. Green party candidate Kevin Zeese whined, "Nobody loves me!" and tagged both Cardin and Steele as bitches to big business.

Neither the Washington Post nor the Washington Times could make enough sense out of the carnage to provide cohesive media coverage. Thank God for the Associated Press.

According to the AP, Cardin said he favors embryonic stem-cell research. Steele, not so much. Cardin voted down the war in Iraq. Steele would have lead the charge, though he admitted that the war now needs a different approach. Zeese tagged both of his opponents as bitches to big business.

Blood lust not satisfied? Catch NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday morning, when Steele and Cardin lose the third wheel and go mano-a-mano. Two men enter. One man leaves.

Image courtesy of MSNBC.

"Iraq, Stem Cell Research Topics at Second Md. Senate Debate" (Associated Press)
"Cardin, Steele Face Off in Contentious Debate" (Washington Post)
"Cardin, Steele Trade Barbs" (Washington Times)

Lessons in the Painfully Obvious

2006-10-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

A retired school principal has gone back to teaching the basics, this time on the Internet, the Wall Street Journal writes.

Robert Jackson, of Silver Spring, teaches virtual students how to shower, care for one's teeth and clean a kitchen floor in a series of 5-minute joints posted on VideoJug.com, a site dedicated to instructional video. In his film, "How to Use the Shower," the 79-year-old offers these four nuggets of wisdom:

Shampoo the hair and especially around the ears to avoid itchiness.
Scrub between the buttocks to prevent hemorrhoids.
Soap the rest of the body.
Use a brush to clean beneath the fingernails.

Jackson provides more insight on his personal website, "You Should Have Told Me." There, the Harvard graduate describes the proper technique for hand washing, trimming nose hair and taking a shit.

"When you get to be 79, you've learned some things that other people don't know," Jackson tells the Wall Street Journal. Most of his tips are drawn from personal experience, with some web research to back him up, he says.

Image courtesy of VideoJug.com.

"Not Sure How to Tie a Tie?" (Wall Street Journal)
"How to Use the Shower" (VideoJug.com)
"You Should Have Told Me" (Robert Jackson)

Commentary: Saving Soylent Green

2006-10-24T09:55:00.000-05:00

That synthetic, seizure-inducing green "lawn" on Fenton and Ellsworth streets had its detractors when it suddenly sprouted more than a year ago. But as the Washington Post's Marc Fisher points out, it's become a magnet for--well, everyone in the area. It's a backyard for thousands of apartment dwellers, an AstroTurf oasis (above).

Yet development marches on. Construction on the long-awaited civic center begins next spring, and there are no plans of retaining the green or replacing it with actual grass. Instead, the designs show a paved plaza and an ice rink. Gary Stith, director of the county's Silver Spring Regional Center, tells the Post that kids will love the new scene, and that it will have a "variety of activities, with a lot of landscaping" (below).

While an ice rink is a plus, the county should reconsider its complete elimination of Soylent Green. The community would be better served by an open lawn (either natural or artificial) than by a paved plaza. Try to picnic or make out on that kind of surface. Not comfortable.

Nothing can be gained by building one civic center at the expense of another.

Major props to Chiwiri for the pugs on Soylent Green. And thanks to Machado and Silvetti for the sketch of the new civic center.

"Silver Spring's 'Turf' Hangout a Dream Cut Too Short" (Washington Post)
"Silver Spring Town Center" (Machado and Silvetti)

Partly Cloudy, With a Chance of Protests

2006-10-24T06:43:00.000-05:00

Two men were arrested Monday morning after parking themselves on a ledge at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration building, the Washington Post reports.

Just after 8:00 a.m., the dudes used a ladder to climb a 25-foot-high ledge at NOAA's headquarters on East-West Highway near Colesville Road. Paul Burman, 23, and Ted Glick, 56, were protesting what they said was the Bush administration's efforts to downplay global warming.

Police officers used a cherry picker from a nearby construction site to pluck the guys from their perch. Burman and Glick were charged with disorderly conduct, reckless endangerment and trespassing.

Thanks to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network for the photo!

"Environmentalists Arrested on NOAA Ledge" (Washington Post)

The Early Bird

2006-10-23T06:40:00.000-05:00

The Daily Penguin reports the news before it's news. Here's what's cooking in Silver Spring this week:

Tuesday: The county council decides whether Montgomery College can spend a $2 million grant on new furniture and tech gear for the King Street Art Center (above). The grant comes from the nonprofit Montgomery College Foundation, which will collect on the tab once the college sells its School of Art and Design property near Wheaton. The King Street center, under construction on Georgia Avenue at East-West Highway, will house the college's fine arts program and studio space.

Thursday: The county planning board gets a peek at its new digs when developers present their designs for Silver Place. The mixed-use development replaces the planning board's current home on Georgia Avenue at Spring Street and gives board members 120,000 square feet of leg room. The plan also contains housing, with at least 30 percent of the units categorized as "affordable."

No One Spits in the Freedom Fries!

2006-10-23T06:22:00.000-05:00

A 28-year-old waiter and resident of The Blairs was arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing credit card numbers, says the Montgomery County police department.

Investigators with the five-O and the US Secret Service claim that Dickson Mgeta Mkama, of the 1400 block of Blair Mill Road, shopped on credit card numbers he lifted while waiting tables at The Daily Grill in Bethesda. The cops also say that Mkama's Tanzanian-issued travel visa had expired, and that he used the identity of some guy in Massachusetts to get his restaurant gig.

Mkama has been charged with identity theft and using a bogus ID to obtain goods and services. More charges may be pending. He is currently kickin' it at the county detention center on $25,000 bond.

Thanks to Silver Spring Singular and Conversations With Mud for the lead!

"Police Make Arrest for Identity Theft" (Montgomery County Police)
"When the Secret Service Busts Your Neighbor..." (Conversations With Mud)
"Operation: Enduring Hangover" (The Daily Penguin)

Operation: Enduring Hangover

2006-10-20T11:12:00.000-05:00

The US Secret Service raided one apartment at The Blairs complex early Wednesday morning, to the dismay of one inebriated neighbor, reports Silver Spring Singular.

The neighbor, who describes the raid on Conversations With Mud, was sleeping off a hangover after a Joan Jett concert when she says rancor erupted outside her apartment. When her friend opened the apartment door to investigate, law enforcement officers ordered her back inside. Shouts of "Police! Search warrant!" ensued.

Later that morning, the neighbor says she witnessed Secret Service agents removing document bins from an aparment down the hall occupied by "the creepy guy."

While The Daily Penguin cannot confirm the validity of this story, it is a good one. Feel free to speculate on the alleged crime involved.

"Silver Spring News 'n' Notes" (Silver Spring Singular)
"When the Secret Service Busts Your Neighbor..." (Conversations With Mud)

This Weekend

2006-10-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

Halloween is less than two weeks away, so roll out the freaks and pumpkins.

This evening, the Washington Science Fiction Association opens its sixth annual Capclave literary science fiction convention at the Hilton Silver Spring (8727 Colesville Rd near Spring Street). Lectures include how-to's in terrascaping the universe, creating non-human characters and building a spacefaring civilization. The weirdness runs through Sunday afternoon.

For a touch of the tacky, AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd at Georgia Avenue) presents "Flesh for Frankenstein," Andy Warhol's dreadful yet deliciously campy take on reanimating the dead. The 1973 trash classic (trashic?) screens tonight and tomorrow night.

After the freakfest, stagger over to Boy Scout Troop 209's pumpkin patch at the Woodside United Methodist Church (8900 Georgia Ave at Ballard Street). The pumpkin patch operates this weekend and next, so score some gourd while you can.

Hazing Made Simple

2006-10-18T08:34:00.000-05:00

Students at Montgomery Blair High School must now wear color-coded ID cards, and not everyone is happy, the Washington Post writes. Most of the gripes relate to penalties for not wearing the ID cards. Some also argue on the school's online newspaper that the IDs are a futile attempt to thwart armed, Columbine-like incursions. Others worry that color coding allows seniors to easily identify math geeks (maroon), science nerds (virgin white) and freshmen (red).

I can almost feel the wedgie.

"School Colors" (Washington Post)
"ID Policy Finalized" (Silver Chips Online)

Without a Home, But Not Without a Suspect

2006-10-17T09:36:00.000-05:00

An early-morning fire caused heavy damage to the Rosemary Village apartments at 1901 East-West Hwy. near 16th Street, ABC 7 News and NBC 4 report.

The blaze started around 3:30 a.m. in the kitchen of a ground-floor apartment, though no one was home at the time. At least three families are receiving assistance from the Red Cross after being displaced from their apartments. No injuries were reported

The fire department's arson squad is investigating the cause. One man was arrested at the scene on an unrelated charge and is considered a person of interest, NBC 4 writes.

Thanks to NBC4.com for the photo.

"Fire Displaces Families in Silver Spring" (NBC 4)
"Fire in Silver Spring Leaves Several Families Homeless" (ABC 7 News)

Breaking Speed Limits for the Greater Good

2006-10-12T07:45:00.000-05:00

Drivers who haul ass through Montgomery County may be caught on camera and ticketed before the end of the year, the Washington Post reports. Capt. Thomas Didone told the Post that the P.D. has enough funding for six stationary cameras at undetermined locations and six van-mounted mobile peepers. Drivers who blow the limit by 10 m.p.h. or more can expect a $40 ticket.

Cameras in and around downtown Silver Spring already provide photo ops for drivers who blow red lights, according to the county. Be sure to smile as you tear through these intersections:

Northbound Colesville Road at Dale Drive
Colesville Road at Fenton Street
Southbound Georgia Avenue at Colesville Road
Southbound Georgia Avenue at 16th Street

At $75 per snap shot, my tab with the cops could pay for the Purple Line. Add to that my anticipated appearances on speed-enforcement cameras, and I probably could pay for the Intercounty Connector, too.

"County Soon Will Issue Automated Speed Tickets" (Washington Post)

Priced to Move Out

2006-10-09T07:06:00.000-05:00

Storehouse, the posh furniture shop on Georgia Avenue at Ellsworth Street, is calling it quits, the Washington Post reports. Its parent company filed for bankrupcy last month and couldn't find another company to take over the business. Everything is marked at a 30% discount and must be sold before the lights go out for good in December. There's no mention of what will occupy the soon-to-be-vacant retail space.

Can you say Krispy Kreme?

"Rowe Plans to Close Storehouse Outlets" (Washington Post)

If You Build It, They Will Come

2006-10-05T13:26:00.000-05:00

The proposed development of 1200 East-West Hwy. cleared another hurdle this morning at a meeting of the county planning board. Members voted to approve Centex Homes ' land-use plans for a 14-story, 247-unit apartment building on East-West Highway at Blair Mill Road. The approval nudges the project one step closer to receiving its construction permit. No word yet on when the requisite house-warming party or barbeque will be held.

Image courtesy of the planning board. Thanks, dudes!

Put Your Hands Together for ... Who?

2006-10-04T12:54:00.000-05:00

Chuck Floyd and Robin Ficker are ready to roll all over Democrat Ike Leggett in the race for county executive. But who are these guys?

Floyd, the Republican candidate for county exec, writes on his website that "one of the most important things we can do to improve our air quality is to build more roads like the ICC." Ficker, running as an independent, demands on his website "fiscal responsibility for every dollar of taxpayer money spent."

Whatever. As the Washington Post points out, county Dems outnumber Republicans 2 to 1, and neither candidate has the cash or clout to beat those odds. Nonetheless, I'll give Floyd and Ficker their props. Running for public office is a tough gig, made tougher when there's absolutely no chance of winning.

Kudos to Floyd and Ficker, whoever they are.

"Executive Underdogs Crowd Into Spotlight" (Washington Post)

Disco Is Not Dead

2006-10-03T08:20:00.000-05:00

Four turtle sculptures that have been hanging around downtown Silver Spring are heading back to the University of Maryland, the Silver Spring Scene reports. The four-and-a-half foot terrapins will reunite on campus with 46 other turtle sculptures one last time before being sold at auction, the university announces on Newswise.

However, the mirror-encrusted Disco Turtle on Colesville Road at Georgia Avenue isn't for sale. According to the university, Disco has been spared the auction block because its sponsor, the developer of the Downtown Silver Spring shopping area, has already dropped serious cash to keep it. Bidding on other sculptures starts at $500 to $1,000.

For those who are too cheap or too broke to bid, the university is giving away limited-edition turtle posters. There's also a free drawing for an iPod Nano. Give it up for the Terps!

"Fear The Turtle Sculpture Auction" (University of Maryland)
"Fear The Turtle Sculpture Poster Series" (University of Maryland)
"Win a 150th Anniversary iPod Nano" (University of Maryland)

Plenty of Closet Space for All That Dry Cleaning

2006-09-28T07:36:00.000-05:00

Two Silver Spring sites have been approved for redevelopment by the county planning board, the Washington Post reports. Say goodbye to the 5-story St. Charles apartment complex on Cameron and Spring Streets. Say hello to Cameron House, a 15-story building that will hold 325 apartments and ground-floor retailers. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Dry Cleaning--a Spanish mission-inspired brick building on Georgia Avenue at East-West Highway--will be incorporated into a new 210-unit apartment building.

The news is incredible: There was a National Institute of Dry Cleaning?!?

Founded in 1907 by Milwaukee fabric dyer Julius Frederick Ermisch, this obscure institute moved in the 1920's to its Georgia Avenue home. There, it trained generations of aspiring dry cleaners in the art of stain removal and finishing. In 1972, it merged with the American Institute of Laundering to form the International Fabricare Institute, which keeps a training facility on Tech Road off Columbia Pike. It's unclear when the Georgia Avenue facility closed its doors for good.

Now you know.

"Projects Approved" (Washington Post)

Donuts Out, Spinach In

2006-09-27T08:20:00.000-05:00

Bagged spinach returns today to Giant Foods, reports the Washington Post. The supermarket chain, which has a market at The Blairs, got the green light to sell Canadian and Colorado-grown spinach after US health officials pinned the E. coli outbreak on stash from California. Whole Foods Market, which has a store in downtown Silver Spring, will resume sales of bunched spinach sometime next week. Safeway markets, like the one in Fenton Villiage, are also working to get spinach back on the shelves.

And I was just getting used to eating Krispy Kremes in lieu of salad. Damn you, spinach!

"Bagged Spinach Back on Shelves at Giant Today" (Washington Post)

Consider It a Civic Duty

2006-09-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

The Silver Spring citizens advisory board says a nonprofit group should run the downtown civic center. Supporters argue in The Gazette that a nonprofit would be best at addressing the community's needs and would have access to private funding. Construction on the civic center is scheduled to begin next spring.

That gives me all winter to figure out what one does with a civic center. I'm thinking 24-hour Girl Scout cookie sale.

"Non-Profit Could Manage Civic Building" (The Gazette)

And The Winner Is ...

2006-09-20T11:51:00.000-05:00

The tally for District 20's primary looks like a done deal. According to The Gazette, voters can expect Democrats Heather Mizeur and Tom Hucker, Republican John Wrightson and the incumbent, Democrat Sheila Hixson, to vie for seats in the House of Delegates. Making a guest appearance is Jamie Raskin as the uncontested Democratic candidate for State Senate.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. Bring your own ballots, or take Princeton University's 10-minute course to ensure that every vote is (mis)counted.

"New Names Emerge in District 20 Races" (The Gazette)
"Security Analysis of the Diebold AccuVote-TS Voting Machine" (Princeton University)

Your Name Here For $3 Million

2006-09-19T08:58:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Montgomery College's Silver Spring/Takoma Park campus for landing a $3 million donation, its biggest score to date. The money goes to cover some of its new visual arts center's $33 million tab. In return, the benefactors get to hang their names over the Georgia Avenue building when it's finished in 2007, says the Washington Post.

Thankfully, there are still opportunities available to slap Aunt Sally's name somewhere on campus. A 500-seat theater is up for grabs at $2 million, while an art gallery and lobby are a steal at $500,000 each. I'm waiting for their preseason sale on commemorative urinals.

"U-Md., Montgomery Land Major Donations" (Washington Post)
"Naming Opportunities in the Arts Center" (Montgomery College)

Can Happy Hour Wait?

2006-09-18T09:02:00.000-05:00

The Silver Spring Volunteer Fire Department says it's in no rush to sell its 92-year-old former firehouse on Georgia Avenue. According to the Washington Post, the department will decide in late October who gets to cough up $2.5 million to develop the 6,000-square-foot property. Ideas for the firehouse include a restaurant, brewery, art gallery and office space.

Given the lack of serious nightlife in downtown Silver Spring, I'm praying for a bar. Preferably leather. With a stage. And please, God, let them keep the fire pole!

"Fire Department Waits For the Right Buyer" (Washington Post)

How To Fix an Election

2006-09-15T11:26:00.000-05:00

Princeton University scientists have spawned a computer virus that can change votes cast on Maryland's electronic voting machines, reports the Washington Post. To make up for that disenfranchised feeling, the university's website features a 10-minute instructional video on how to rig a voting machine. (It's the closest I've ever been to receiving an Ivy League education.) Study it closely and take notes. There will be a quiz in November.

"Worse to Come in Fall Elections, Officials Fear" (Washington Post)
"Security Analysis of the Diebold AccuVote-TS Voting Machine" (Princeton University)

The Penguin Has Landed

2006-09-14T21:19:00.000-05:00

Good news, friends. I'm finally diving into the 21st century with my very own blog. Whoopee!

My goal is to deliver all the news on Silver Spring that's fit to print. I'll be honest, I haven't been in town long enough to appreciate its political intricacies. But I do recognize the area's potential to become Montgomery County's economic and cultural center. For better or for worse, Silver Spring has sprung.

For now, I'll dish the straight dope: basic news from regional sources, condensed into one convenient package. As time goes on, I hope the Daily Penguin will evolve into an entertaining, informative and--most of all--reliable news source.

Happy Surfing!