Bethesdagaz 012214 by The Gazette

RETURN of the PIXIES

Popular band stops by Strathmore with retooled lineup B-5

The Gazette BETHESDA | CHEVY CHASE | KENSINGTON

DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

25 cents

Women charged with murder in exorcism held without bond n

Hearing for Monifa Sanford postponed until Friday

ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH STAFF WRITER

She saw the devil possessing her four children, turning their eyes black, leaping from child to child, prosecutors said. So to try to exorcise the demon, Zakieya L. Avery, along with another woman who lived with her, attacked the little children. Avery stabbed them, killing her 1-year-old son

and 2-year-old daughter. Thinking the devil inhabited the bodies of her older children, she attacked the other two — one, 5, the other, 8 — prosecutors said. Avery, 28, and her roommate Monifa Sanford, 21, call themselves the “Demon Assassins” and each faces two counts of ﬁrst-degree murder and attempted ﬁrst-degree murder. They appeared in court via closed-circuit television Tuesday at a bail review hearing, where Montgomery County District Judge Gary G. Everngam ordered the two women remain in custody without bail. Avery must undergo a psychiatric evaluation by health

ofﬁcials. Sanford’s hearing was postponed to Friday. Ofﬁcials say once the psychiatric evaluations are completed, both women will likely be transferred to a maximum security psychiatric hospital to receive further evaluation and care. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison. At the hearing, prosecutors revealed the unimaginable details of Friday morning. Police had received a call from a woman who told them she

See EXORCISM, Page A-10

Sanford

Avery

Pond where boy drowned was lacking safety fence DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

The former Glen Echo Baptist Church at 2 Vassar Circle in Glen Echo, where a proposal to build four single-family homes is sparking controversy in the small community.

Proposal on Vassar Circle creates stir Residents hope project in Glen Echo can be scaled back n

PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER

It is a small circle in a small town, but the idea of new development has started a large discussion. In Glen Echo — population 255, according to the 2010 U.S. Census — the mayor, the town council and residents have spent many months discussing the impending development in the center of Vassar Circle. Still, they are no closer to knowing what will really happen and what inﬂuence they will have over

it, Mayor Debbie Beers said at a town meeting Monday night. “We just don’t have enough information,” Beers said. “The town is doing a survey [of the property].” The property to be developed is between 25,000 and 27,000 square feet. It is zoned R-60, meaning there needs to be at least 6,000 square feet to build a house. Potentially, a developer could build four houses on the land, Beers said. It is in the center of Vassar Circle, where a church now stands — the former home of Glen Echo Baptist Church. As church membership waned to only 15 members — who, according to church bylaws, jointly owned the property — they voted to transfer the

property to National Community Church in Washington, D.C., in early 2012, according to Mark Batterson, senior pastor of that church. Elder Tom Meeks from Glen Echo Baptist Church told members of the town council at a September 2011 meeting that church members considered other alternatives, but decided the national church’s “mission would be most compatible with the town of Glen Echo,” Jim McGunnigle wrote in the town’s monthly newsletter. “We had every intention of renovating the church,” Batterson said. “But when the bids came in, it was just too much.” Batterson also said the church realized there

See VASSAR, Page A-10

If talks collapse, county or state might claim Apex building for Purple Line Owners willing to talk, but eminent domain an option

BY AGNES BLUM STAFF WRITER

If negotiations to raze the Apex building — so the “optimal” station for the western terminus of the $2.2 billion Purple Line can be built — fail, the downtown Bethesda building might be taken by eminent domain, according to a county ofﬁcial. But at a public hearing on the Bethesda Purple Line Station Minor Master Plan Amendment on Jan. 14, the owners of the building said they were still willing to nego-

tiate. The Purple Line is a planned 16-mile light rail that would link Bethesda and New Carrollton. David Witmer, the senior vice president and COO of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which owns the Apex building, said his organization appreciates the additional height the county has offered, but it was not enough to attract a developer to buy and raze the property. He called the incentives “modest.” The Planning Board approved a Minor Master Plan Amendment in December that would allow the building to be rebuilt up to 250 feet. That was an increase from an earlier proposal for 200 feet. “This is no small decision and

SPORTS

500 TO 1,000 SHOTS Sandy Spring Friends basketball player ﬁnds perfection in repetition.

B-1

clearly requires adequate time and consult to complete the due diligence that is necessary,” Witmer said. Witmer said his group remains willing to work out a deal with the county, but would need more than just the extra zoning. The extra zoning alone does not make moving out, evicting tenants and razing the building doable, he said. Planners want to tear down the Apex building, which also houses the Bethesda Regal 10 movie theater, to build the “optimal” Bethesda transit station. Doing so wouldallowaccesstoboththePurple Line and Metro’s Red Line, according

See APEX, Page A-10

Automotive Business Calendar Celebrations Classiﬁed Entertainment Opinion School News Sports Please

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RECYCLE

2013 FILE PHOTO

The Apex building in downtown Bethesda is eyed for a Purple Line station.

Westbrook Acquisitions cited for failing to install fence around sediment pond BY

STAFF WRITERS

The iced-over Gaithersburg sediment pond where a 10-year-old boy slipped through on Jan. 13 and later died lacked fencing required by city ofﬁcials. On Jan. 13, D’Angelo Jayvon McMullen of Rockville had been playing with his brother and another boy on the pond when the ice gave way. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel rescued two of the boys quickly, but had to search for D’Angelo for much longer. Rescue ofﬁcials surmised that he could have been submerged for up to half an hour. He died at a local hospital later that night. The pond was only partially fenced. On Jan. 14, the city issued a Notice of Violation to Fran Speed, a representative of Warner Construction, the site managers for Westbrook Acquisitions LLC, the developer. The notice required a 42-inch high safety fence to be reinstalled on all open sides of the pond pursuant to the sediment and erosion control plan, according to Wes Burnette, division chief for the city’s Permits and Inspections Division. While there is not a city or state code requiring safety fencing on sediment ponds, a fence was required here as part of the planning approval process during construction. John Schlichting, Gaithersburg’s director of Planning and Code Administration, said in an email that the fence must be at least 42 inches high, have posts spaced no farther apart than 8 feet, have mesh openings no greater than two inches in width and four inches in height, with a minimum of 14-gauge wire. Once construction is complete on the property and the pond is converted to a stormwater management pond, the fence can be permanently removed,

SPECIAL SECTION

GAZETTE SENIORS You’re never too old to shoot some hoops; recording your personal history; about the new rules for reverse mortgages; grappling with credit card debt; locals over 90 share their secrets to a long, happy life

INSIDE TODAY

ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH AND KRISTA BRICK

See POND, Page A-10

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SUMMER ACTIVITIES GUIDE Featuring detailed information about summer camps for children

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THE GAZETTE

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

PEOPLE& PLACES More online at www.gazette.net

With move to Rockville, Nourish Now expands its reach Got 1,000 pounds of chocolate milk? Brett Meyers knows a guy who can take it off your hands. Meyers is the founder and director of Nourish Now, a food recovery organization in Rockville that is growing its reach and leading the charge for rescuing neglected leftovers in Montgomery County. The nonproﬁt, which moved from Gaithersburg to Rockville in October, started in 2011. Nourish Now accepts donations of leftover food from restaurants and gives it to people in need and the organizations that serve them. Nourish Now has added more donors and more organizations to receive food donations, Meyers said. In one instance, because of a mistake somewhere along the line, Nestle had too much chocolate milk on a shipment for Costco and ended up with an extra 1,000 pounds on its hands. Nestle donated the milk to Nourish Now, and Meyers and his team were able to distribute it to children in Montgomery County Public Schools and to an organization called So What Else, which runs free after-school programs. Meyers said the new Nourish Now facility just got a walk-in refrigerator and a refrigerated van, which helps the organization recover more food. “We are able to help a lot more people in need throughout Mont-

AGNES BLUM

gomery County,” he said. Together with Jackie DeCarlo, executive director of Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg, Meyers also co-chairs Montgomery’s Food Recovery Work Group, which raised the profile of rescuing food in the county. He hopes one day to have a database to help people find organizations that provide food throughout the county. “We’re all trying to figure out the best ways to work together,” he said. The organization also has expanded its On the House program, which treats families to a nice meal in a restaurant, free of charge. The program started with Quench in Rockville and has since expanded to include Cava Mezze in Rockville, Not Your Average Joe’s in Gaithersburg and Ricciuti’s Restaurant in Olney. Nourish Now is at 1111 Taft St. in Rockville and online at nourishnow.org. — ELIZABETH WAIBEL

Crews repairing leak at Metro escalators Workers are ﬁxing a problem that has water leaking onto the Bethesda Metro escalators — and the passengers who ride them.

EVENTS

Scaffolding has been installed at the top of the entrance escalators at the station. The scaffolding will allow crews working for the owner of the property above the station to make necessary repairs, including resolving the issue of water leaking onto the escalators, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority website. The scaffolding will remain in place for several weeks and is not expected to affect station access at any time. All work will take place at night when Metro service is shut down. Those with questions or concerns may call Metro Customer Service at 202-637-7000.

Hockey for heroes As hockey teams from

Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Win-

FRIDAY, JAN. 24

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22 Small Space Garden Design, 10:30 a.m., St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 10701 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda. Free. 301-530-9594.

Wheaton and Kensington Chamber of Commerce Lunch Mixer: Perspectives on Risk Management, noon-1:30

p.m., China Gourmet Restaurant, 3739 University Blvd. West, Kensington. $12. 301-949-0080.

THURSDAY, JAN. 23

Gene Toasters Toastmasters, noon-1 p.m., Center for Tobacco Products, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 9200 Corporate Blvd., Rockville, every second and fourth Friday of the month. Free for ﬁrst-time guests. 240671-7141.

Minor Third Jazz Trio Beneﬁt Concert, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Garrett Park Town

Hall, 10814 Kenilworth Ave., Garrett Park. Donations accepted. 301-7938688.

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

ville Economic Development, 95 Monroe St., Rockville. $15. 301-315-8096. Evening Grief Support Group, 6:30-8 p.m., Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Rockville. Free, registration required. 301-921-4400. Open Mic, 7-10 p.m., Tami’s Table, 12944 Travilah Road, Potomac. Free. 301-977-0204.

The Basics of Alzheimer’s: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, 10-11:30 a.m., Arden Courts of

Kensington, 4301 Knowles Ave., Kensington. Free. 703-359-4440.

Business Basics for Childcare Providers, 10 a.m.-noon, Rockville Eco-

nomic Development, 95 Monroe St., Rockville. Free. 301-315-8096.

SAT

TJ-JL Foundation for Diabetes Kick-Off Party, 7

p.m.-midnight, Rock Creek Mansion, 5417 Cedar Lane, Bethesda. $45 per person, $80 per couple. www.tjjlfoundation.com.

MORE INTERACTIVE CALENDAR ITEMS AT WWW.GAZETTE.NET

ston Churchill high schools battle it out on the ice Jan. 31, they will be raising money for military members wounded in combat. The Churchill Ice Hockey Club in Potomac is honoring service members by holding a beneﬁt during the game against BethesdaChevy Chase High scheduled for 6:20 p.m. at the Rockville Ice Arena. Donations can be made during the game and go toward the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program. The USA Ice Hockey program gives military veterans injured in military action the opportunity to play ice hockey in an environment suited to their needs. The Churchill team will be wearing special camouﬂage jerseys in honor of the wounded military personnel. Several members of the USA Warriors team are expected to be in attendance.

Episcopal Church, 6030 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda. Free; no dogs allowed at event. 301-983-5913. The Wizard of Oz, 8 p.m., Congregation Har Shalom, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac, also 4:30 p.m. Jan. 26. $20 for adults, $25 ages 13 and under. 301299-7087.

ConsumerWatch What’s the difference between condensed milk and evaporated milk? Let’s turn to Liz for the dairy details.

LIZ CRENSHAW

WeekendWeather FRIDAY

SATURDAY

NBCWashington.com

GAZETTE CONTACTS The Gazette – 9030 Comprint Court

BioArt: Research as Art, 6-7 p.m.,

Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Main phone: 301-948-3120 Circulation: 301-670-7350

Silver Spring Civic Building, Fenton Room, 1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring. Free. 301-319-3303.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29 Rockville Economic Development, 95 Monroe St., Rockville. $25. 301-3158096.

SUNDAY

Get complete, current weather information at

TUESDAY, JAN. 28

Funding Your Business, 1-3 p.m.,

A&E Gypsy jazz and vintage films meet at BlackRock.

For more on your community, visit www.gazette.net

Regional Library, 11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton. Free. 301-984-9585.

“Don’t Make Me Bite You” Dog Seminar, 1:30-3:30 p.m., St. Luke’s

a.m.-6 p.m., Hilton Hotel Meeting

SPORTS Check online this weekend for high school winter sports coverage.

Human Trafﬁcking in Montgomery County, 12:15-2 p.m., Wheaton

Brookmont Church, 4000 Virginia Place, Bethesda. Free. 703-489-0669 .

Camp and Summer Fun Expo, 10

Springbrook’s Quy Tran (top) controls Northwest’s Jamil Garrison during the “Grapple at the Brook” tournament on Saturday. Go to clicked.Gazette.net.

MONDAY, JAN. 27

Cabin John Brookmont Children’s Program Open House, 10 a.m.-noon,

SUNDAY, JAN. 26

GALLERY

Center, 1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville. Free. 240-401-8706. Bridal Expo, noon-4 p.m., Glenview Mansion, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. Free. 240-314-8620. Author talk, 2-3:30 p.m., Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Free. 301-984-3187. The Milkshake Trio concert, 3:30-5 p.m., Congregation B’nai Tzedek, 10621 South Glen Road, Potomac. $5 for adults, free for children. 301-2990225.

BestBet

Send items at least two weeks in advance of the paper in which you would like them to appear. Go to calendar.gazette.net and click on the submit button. Questions? Call 301-670-2070.

Using Social Media and Email to Grow Your Business, 1-3 p.m., Rock-

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

David Joffe (left), program coordinator at Nourish Now, and Brett Meyers, founder and executive director of the Rockville nonproﬁt, on Monday move some of the 450 bags of healthful snacks prepared by Washington Hebrew Congregation into their new facility. Meyers is on the phone with a prospective donor.

CORRECTION A Jan. 15 caption with a page A-2 photo of a Springbrook vs. Sherwood basketball game misspelled Isaiah Eisendorf’s name.

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THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Page A-3

LOCAL

After two years, county to lose only charter school Some parents looking to keep Montessori option n

LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER

Montgomery County’s only charter school will become a private school following fundraising difﬁculties that left the school short on private donations to complement public funds. The Crossway Community Inc. board of directors, which runs the school, voted Jan. 14 to terminate the charter after this academic year. Currently in its second year, Community Montessori Charter School in Kensington teaches students between the ages of 3 and 5. Some parents are hoping to keep the charter open. Aaron Cummings, who has two children attending the school, said he and a few other

parents had scheduled to meet with Kathleen Guinan, Crossway Community’s CEO, on Wednesday to discuss what can be done to save the charter. Part of that discussion, Cummings said, will include the arrangment between the charter and the county school system and the charter’s control over the funds it receives. The school’s budget includes public funding from the county school system for about 40 percent of the school’s students. The school does not receive any school system funds for its 3-year-old students and receives funds only for some of its 4-yearolds who are income eligible. “We did a fantastic job of fundraising but we couldn’t fundraise at the level that we needed to fundraise,” Guinan said. Echoing other parents, Cummings said the decision to close came as a surprise.

“We had no idea the situation was so dire,” he said. Cummings said he and other middle-income parents — who are not eligible for subsidies — want their children to get a Montessori education and would be uable to pay for a private school. Parents are sympathetic to the school’s struggles, Cummings said. “At the same time there are a lot of people willing to do quite a lot to make sure the opportunity doesn’t go away,” he said. The board of director’s decision to close was made after “informal discussions” with Montgomery County Public Schools representatives, according to a letter to parents from Guinan. Guinan said in an interview that Crossway was responsible for covering about 63 percent of its expenses but the organization’s best efforts and the “generous response” from some

were not enough. “We anticipated a greater level of ﬁnancial support from the (Crossway) family,” Guinan said. Crossway Community will negotiate with the county school system how to repay what the organization owes, Guinan’s letter to parents said. County and school system ofﬁcials previously raised concerns about Crossway’s ability to raise enough funds. Guinan said at a July 22 meeting with the County Council’s Education Committee that the school has the support of “highly reliable sources” in the county to help it raise the funds it needs. Larry Bowers, chief operating officer for Montgomery County Public Schools, said during the meeting that the school system knew when it approved the school’s application that securing the private funds would be a challenge but that the non-

proﬁt had committed to getting the money. County Council President Craig Rice, who is also chairman of the education committee, said the closure is “unfortunate” and demonstrates the challenges a charter school can face when trying to raise more capital. Rice said the charter faced competition with the county’s “tremendous” public schools and other, established Montessori programs in the area. Rice said he thinks charters can become a necessity when public schools lack creativity and innovation and are unable to meet the needs of their students, which he said is not the case in Montgomery County. “Everything about [the public schools] is right on track,” he said. Students at the charter school this year will have the option of going to Crossway’s non-charter school for the same

tuition cost, Guinan said. Crossway will also help those students and families who decide to move to a neighborhood school, she said. Lucy Hick, whose daughter attends the charter, said the decision doesn’t come as a surprise because she and other parents have been aware the school has struggled with funding issues. Hick said she doesn’t think the school did an adequate job to raise the funds it needed. “I don’t think they had any plan in place,” she said. Radha Nandagopal — who had one daughter in the charter school but whose family is moving out of the area soon — said the closure marks “a great loss” for area families and that she is bothered by the implication that families “didn’t come through.” “We never felt any pressure,” she said. “We were never asked directly.” lpowers@gazette.net

Students and teacher are honored in memory of King Strathmore event celebrates service with performances, artwork n

SARAH SCULLY STAFF WRITER

In honor of the civil rights leader’s birthday, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Committee of Montgomery County highlighted the service work of several students and one teacher on Monday. The committee presented Humanitarian Awards, Children of the Dream Awards and Literary Arts Awards in line with this year’s theme, “Honoring the Legacy: Celebrate, Serve, Remember,” in its 20th annual tribute held at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. The free event also featured 11 performances and more than 100 pieces of artwork by students. “This year we want to really push the concept of service,” said Jim Stowe, the county’s human rights director. Each year the committee chooses a theme to emphasize, he

said. The committee comprises volunteers, among whom five judged this year’s nominees. County Executive Isiah Leggett and Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz, among other officials, presented some of the awards. The Humanitarian Award went to one teacher, Michael Williams, a social studies teacher at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, and a student, Anhar Karim, a senior at Northwest High School in Germantown. Williams, a social studies teacher at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, is a volunteer coordinator for the Minority Scholars Program. The program works to help black and Latino students improve their academic performance and raise minority enrollment in honors and Advanced Placement courses. Williams spread the program to other schools throughout the county five years ago and has added a focus on leadership. Karim, president of the Montgomery County Muslim Student Association, has been a student advocacy leader for making the Muslim holiday Eid an official school holiday. He has worked to help build

a community of Muslim and nonMuslim students in the county. The Children of the Dream Awards aim to highlight students and a school group that shows character, community and school involvement. Ekiomoado Olumese, a senior at Poolesville High School, was selected for her conscientiousness and commitment to school and extracurricular studies in global ecology and science. She tutors with the G.B. Thomas Learning Academy, a county mentoring program, and works with the Distance Learning Program. Olumese also is involved in the Physician Scientist Training program and plans to pursue studies in biochemistry and medicine. Malachi Stoll, a senior at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, also was honored with this award, for his academic achievements despite having dyslexia. The committee noted his involvement in the Emerging Leaders Program and that Stoll started a nonproﬁt, Goals for Justice, which aims to engage teens in social justice by connecting them with local charities and encouraging them to get involved in social action projects. The Children of the Dream Award

for a group went to the Dance Marathon program at Clarksburg High School, which raised nearly $25,000 for the Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation. The group was inspired to help the foundation following the death of a friend and classmate, Sam Moore, in August 2012. Three students — Kyle Dalrymple, a fifth-grader at Rosemont School in Gaithersburg; Starr Howard, an eighth-grader at Bullis School in Potomac; and Lilah Katz, a sixth-grader at Pyle Middle School in Bethesda — were winners of the literary arts contest and read their written pieces at the event. The essays focused on this year’s theme: service. The essays were judged on their understanding and appreciation of King’s teachings. The three students received a monetary prize from The Gazette and a plaque from Leggett. Schools throughout the county submitted applications for consideration for the awards. The students’ artwork will be displayed through February in the lobby of the Executive Ofﬁce Building in Rockville. sscully@gazette.net

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Sixth-grader Lilah Katz of Pyle Middle School in Bethesda receives a Literary Arts Award on Monday during a birthday tribute to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-4

AROUND THE COUNTY

O’Malley budget would send $23M more to county Most of increase would go to education n

KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER

After years of slashed highway user revenues and a pension shift, Maryland’s local governments could see a bit more state aid headed their way in ﬁscal 2015. Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed $39.2 billion fiscal 2015 budget increases aid to local governments by $183 million, most of that heading to education. For Montgomery County, the governor has proposed $885.3 million, an increase of $23.38 million over the current ﬁscal year, which ends June 30. The bulk of that increase, or $20 million, will go to educating the county’s students. “I see this budget as a very good starting point for Montgomery County,” County Council President Craig L. Rice said.

O’Malley’s final budget as governor proposes to grow spending about 5 percent or $2.2 billion from the current fiscal year, but it leaves behind a continued deficit just shy $190 million for the next governor. O’Malley has proposed spending $6.1 billion on education. Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, who chairs the council’s education committee, said any more money Montgomery will get from the state for education mostly addresses growing enrollment. Montgomery County Public Schools enrollment grows by about 2,000 students each year, according to the county. As the largest jurisdiction in the state, Rice said the county always hopes to get closer to what it believes Montgomery County needs to fund education. But compared to past years that launched the county into aggressive campaigning against fiscal moves, such a shift of the teacher pension costs, the county’s biggest state funding battle this time will be

school construction dollars. School construction aid to Montgomery has lagged for a long time, Rice said. In O’Malley’s proposed $4.1 billion capital budget, $275 million will go to school construction. But of that, Montgomery will receive $23 million for four projects: Beverly Farm Elementary School, Glenallan Elementary School, Herbert Hoover Middle School and Paint Branch High School. County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) is pushing, along with the county executivesofPrinceGeorge’sandBaltimore counties, for a program that would provide a steady, predictable stream of funds to school construction. Such a program was not proposed by O’Malley in his budget. Where the General Assembly can ﬁnd money to support a school construction program for Montgomery, as well as funds to eliminate the structural deﬁcit, remain to be seen as the legislature as it takes up the governor’s proposed budget, said Sen. Nancy J.

King (D-Dist. 39) of Montgomery Village, member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. But O’Malley has proposed funds to several key transportation projects in the county including $158.9 million for the Purple Line, a 16-mile light rail line proposed to connect Bethesda to New Carrollton and $10 million for engineering the Corridor Cities Transitway, a 15mile bus rapid transit line between Shady Grove and Clarksburg. Also in the budget are $16.7 million for a new interchange at Georgia Avenue and Randolph Road, and $15.6 million for BRAC intersections around the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. O’Malley has also proposed increasing funding for tax incentives to businesses, including $2 million for the biotechnology investment credit, $1 million for the research and development credit and $1 million for the cybersecurity credit. kalexander@gazette.net

Burst pipes at Ratner Gallery cancels art show n

Artists hoping for alternate venue to show work BY

PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER

As the polar vortex spun into the area bringing single digit temperatures and sub-zero wind chills two weeks ago, artists from Cornerstone Montgomery, a nonprofit providing services to people with mental health disorders, enjoyed their newly hung art show at the Dennis and Phillip Ratner Museum in Bethesda. The show, “To Life!,” scheduled for Jan. 2 through Feb. 27, was short-lived as the cold took charge the evening of Jan. 8 and caused a pipe to burst, sending water down the walls of the museum at 10001 Old Georgetown Road, from the third floor to the first, ruining wall board and causing part of the ceiling to collapse. “My wife and I happened to be here when the water came gushing through the ceiling, setting off alarms and the sprinkler system,” Phillip Ratner said. The fire department came, alerted by the museum’s security system, and shut everything off, he said. “The miracle was, only three pieces of sculpture were hurt and those can be repaired,” Ratner said. “None of the Cornerstone art was damaged.” Cornerstone Montgomery client Lisa Lee of Rockville had work in the canceled show. “I was sad because we were in the middle of a show and also because Phillip Ratner has supported us so much,” Lee said. The Cornerstone Montgomery works from the flooded show are sitting in hallways of the group’s Bethesda facility until the artists take

them home or the organization can find another space to show them. “We’re looking at trying to get businesses to donate space for us,” Nicole Graner, Cornerstone Montgomery manager of communications, said. Ratner said he expects restoration of the museum to take three or four months. “This is [just a] blip,” he said. “We will get our museum back, Cornerstone will be open soon.” Ratner said he does not have an estimate of the damages to the museum, which is a family funded foundation. Cornerstone Montgomery and the Ratner museum have had a relationship for a number of years, Ratner said, with clients visiting the museum for field trips and, for the last few years, the museum allowing Cornerstone Montgomery clients to hold an annual show at the museum. In 2013, he said, the museum was looking to do something more important, something bigger, than just showing artists’ work. He offered Cornerstone Montgomery its own gallery, the whole first floor of the three-story museum, to use on a permanent basis. The second floor of the museum holds a permanent collection of some of Ratner’s work. He also has sculptures on Ellis Island and on the grounds outside the Statue of Liberty in addition to works in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court. “There are paintings, drawings and sculptures [on the second floor],” he said. “It is a chronological walk through the Old Testament.” The third floor is private space not open to the public he said. Now called Personal Visions Gallery, the first floor space allowed artists from Cornerstone Montgomery’s Studio In-Sight to hold its first

show in September. The burst pipe swamped the third show. Ratner said he feels the gallery fulﬁlls his desire for a deeper mission. “We think we are having something healing,” he said. “[Something beyond] an art exhibit. According to Cornerstone Montgomery client and artist Nicole Else Black of Germantown, having a place to show her work is important. “One advantage of the Ratner museum is that we all know we will be exhibited, its a consistent space,” she said. Black is an abstract painter who also does mixed media and collage work. She said she ﬁnds the studio time Cornerstone Montgomery offers through Studio In-Sight at its Bethesda facility each Friday helpful to her life as an artist and in managing her mental health symptoms. She is in the Life Skills program at Cornerstone Montgomery and was the designated artist-in-residence for the now-defunct show. “I have been a mental health consumer since I was 13,” she said. “And part of Cornerstone Montgomery since 2007. It is designed for you to really look at yourself and your symptoms and how to address them. What happens among artists in a studio is a very special thing. They help with problem solving and input.” When repairs are complete the Dennis and Phillip Ratner Museum will resume its regular hours. It is open Monday though Thursday from noon to 4 p.m., closed Friday and Saturday and open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for more information visit the website at www.ratnermuseum.org or call 301-897-1518. Meanwhile, businesses or organizations with space for an art show can contact Graner at nicole.graner@cornerstonemontgomery.org.

Residents want answers on proposed cellphone tower Months after initial tense meeting, locals say they still have questions about 180-foot tower n

BY AGNES BLUM STAFF WRITER

Some Carderock Springs residents are not getting the answers they want about a proposal to put a 180-foot cell tower near Carderock Springs Elementary School. “I’ve asked for information and either they don’t have it or don’t want to provide it,” said Christopher Roscetti, a resident who has a 4-year-old son. Roscetti said he has an email list of about 50 Carderock locals who are watching the issue closely and want some answers. “We’d like to see answers to the questions — Where are the other sites they looked at? Why did they reject those sites?” Roscetti said efforts to get state representatives involved in the hunt for more information have been fruitless.

Officials from the Maryland Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the project, could not be reached for comment. But according to Phil Lazarus, spokesman for the State Highway Administration, the agreement has not been finalized yet. “There are still some decisions to make,” Lazarus said. The state is looking to rent out space on the tower to AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Each new carrier would get its own antenna and pay about $50,000 annually, said Peter N. Arrey, chief of technology contracts at the Maryland Department of Transportation. Residents have been concerned that the tower, which would be built on state property, is too close to Carderock Springs Elementary School. In a September meeting, residents expressed fears of having a tower that emitted electromagnetic radiation or electromagnetic fields so close to the school, a concern that was dismissed out-of-hand by officials at the meeting. The tower is needed to provide emergency first responders with

better coverage, especially on the Potomac River, according to representatives from the State Highway Administration, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of Transportation. Secondary to that is to improve cell service in the area. When residents asked for a detailed analysis on any potential health impact on school children, ofﬁcials urged them to visit the Federal Communications Commission’s website to read up on safety issues. But that did not satisfy residents, such as Roscetti, who said the health ramiﬁcations of having a cellphone tower near an elementary school are inconclusive at best. Building communication towers on or near schools is not a new idea in Montgomery County. Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring, Albert Einstein High School in Kensington, Springbrook High School in Silver Spring and Tilden Middle School in Bethesda are among the 12 county schools that have cellphone towers on their property. The tower would be a single steel pole, about 8 feet in diameter

at the base and 180 feet tall. On top of that would be an 8-foot lightning rod. At the base of the tower would be a 50-foot compound, surrounded by an 8-foot-tall fence topped with barbed wire. The FCC requires any tower above 199 feet to have a strobe light and a red light, said G. Edward Ryan, II, director of wireless communications at the state’s Department of Natural Resources. The tower would be located on state property, just north of I-495 and south of Eggert Drive, and would loom above the existing trees in the area, which are about 60 to 90 feet tall. The school is about 1,000 feet away at 7401 Persimmon Tree Lane. It would take about 60 days to build and would cost approximately $300,000. The state’s department of transportation will hire a contractor for the work, said Peter N. Arrey, chief of technology contracts at the Maryland Department of Transportation. Ofﬁcials have said if everything goes as planned, construction would begin in summer 2015. ablum@gazette.net

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

InBrief Teens plan jazz fundraiser in Garrett Park to aid mentor Three teens are planning a jazz concert in Garrett Park to raise money for their director, who lost his house to a ﬁre in December. Minor Third Trio comprises Elijah Cole, 15, of Garrett Park, on guitar and piano; drummer Reuben Dubester, 15; and bassist Murphy Hagerty, 14, according to Cole’s father, Jim Cole. The trio is raising money for Ernest Coleman, a professional jazz drummer who leads the trio, Jim Cole said in an email. The house he shares with Clint Hyson, his friend and a jazz vocalist, burned to the ground in December, Cole said. To raise money for Coleman and Hyson, Minor Third Trio is planning a concert from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at Garrett Park Town Hall. Donations will be accepted, with all proceeds going to Coleman and Hyson, Cole said.

County seeks bilingual poll workers The Montgomery County Board of Elections is seeking bilingual voters to work at early voting sites and polling places for the primary election in June. Spanish-speaking voters are particularly needed because the law requires them at every polling place. Bilingual voters are needed for the primary on June 24 and during early voting daily from June 12 to June 19. They must be registered to vote in Maryland, 17 or older, a U.S. citizen, and able to speak, read and write in English. They will be paid for training and service during the election. Those interested may contact the elections board at 240-777-8532, download an election judge questionnaire at 777vote.org or e-mail Gilberto Zelaya at gilberto.zelaya@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Women’s legislative conference is Sunday The Montgomery County Commission for Women will host the 34th annual Women’s Legislative Brieﬁng from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Universities at Shady Grove, Building 2, 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville. The keynote speaker will be Joanne Bamberger, author of “Mothers of Intention: How Women & Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America.” The conference will open with remarks by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D), U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D) of Pikesville, and Reps. John Sarbanes (DDist. 3) of Towson, John Delaney (D-Dist. 6) of Potomac and Donna F. Edwards (D-Dist. 4) of Fort Washington. The program will include a panel discussion on women’s issues in elected ofﬁce, moderated by Bamberger, with panelists including current and former county councilwomen. Two workshops for teenage girls will focus on leadership, community engagement and social media. Other seminars with state lawmakers and representatives of women’s organizations will examine legislative advocacy; the Affordable Care Act; advocating for older women’s issues; work and women; women, families and poverty; and safety, justice and human rights. Admission, including refreshments, is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Registration: montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw. Information: 240-777-8333.

POLICE BLOTTER

Complete report at www.gazette.net The following is a summary of incidents in the Bethesda area to which Montgomery County police responded recently. The words “arrested” and “charged” do not imply guilt. This information was provided by the county.

Strong-arm robbery • On Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. in the 10400 block of Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. The subjects assaulted the victim and took property. Commercial burglary • On Jan. 2 at 6:45 p.m. at Luna Apparel, 7232 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda. Unknown entry, took property. • On Jan. 7 at 3:15 a.m. at the Bank of America, 6708 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. Forced entry, took nothing. Residential burglary • 5600 block of Kirkside Drive, Chevy Chase, at 4:30 a.m. Jan. 4. Attempted forced entry, took nothing. Vehicle larceny • Four incidents in Bethesda on Dec. 30 or 31. Took purses and loose cash. Affected streets include Albemarle Street, Blackstone Road and Duvall Drive. • Five incidents in the 1800 block of East West Highway, Silver Spring, between 12:30 and 6:30 a.m. Jan. 4. Forced entry, took cash.

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Page A-5

Olney man shifts gears, creates successful wall art business From soccer moms to Fortune 500 companies, entrepreneur ﬁnds his niche n

TERRI HOGAN STAFF WRITER

Jason M. Weisenthal was working in the children’s shoe business in New Jersey when he moved his family to Maryland five years ago. With the move, he was looking for a new business venture. At about that time, FatHeads removable wall decals became popular, featuring life-size, removable decals of professional athletes. “Those were cool, but I thought that custom designs would be even cooler — I wanted to see my kid on the wall playing baseball,” Weisenthal said. From there, WallMonkeys was launched — aimed at moms and dads and their kids who played sports. It was a slow start. Weisenthal said he made no money for the first two years. The business moved from his New Jersey basement to his Olney basement. It wasn’t until the company increased its content that things turned around. In addition to custom images of children playing baseball or a company logo, the company now offers over 20 million images from suppliers including National Geographic, Getty Images, Corbis and Fotolia. “From there, it just became a matter of marketing our product,” said Weisenthal. “It’s all e-commerce — we sell on our website, Amazon, Buy.com, and we get business from everywhere.” The company now operates out of a 2,500-square-foot office in Kensington, boasting four printers and seven employees. Weisenthal said big sellers include animals, fine art and designs such as a hamburger or a cup of coffee for a restaurant, Noah’s Ark for a nursery, and maps and periodic tables for schools. Customers can choose one of their im-

“It’s all e-commerce — we sell on our website, Amazon, Buy.com, and we get business from everywhere,” says Jason M. Weisenthal, owner of WallMonkeys in Kensington. ages, or upload their own, and they are usually shipped within 48 hours. “It’s a unique business model. We hold no inventory, so we don’t print anything until the order comes in,” he said. “If you want a dog to be 24 inches tall, that is exactly how we will print it.” The materials are all made in the U.S.A. and are recyclable, and the inks used are eco-friendly. The decals are lightweight and affordable, apply easily, and remove easily. In addition to walls, they stick to other surfaces, including cars, mirrors,

and bricks. “The material we use is not cheap vinyl. It has a fabric in it,” Weisenthal said. “It can wrap around columns or hard corners, and it can be moved again and again without leaving any marks.” The average size of the decals are from 18 inches to 6 feet, ranging in cost from about $25 to $50. He said many companies use the products for branding and tradeshow marketing, rather than traditional promotional materials. Weisenthal said he has printed

items for many Fortune 500 companies. Recent orders have been filled for Bank of America, Neiman Marcus and Ethan Allan. Weisenthal declined to provide sales figures, but said that the company doubled its business last year, and he sees no reason why it can’t double again this year. “I certainly thought it would be successful, but it just took a while to find the right angle,” he said. “It’s so much fun to see it getting bigger. We are just getting started at reaching our target

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

audience. People love our product, we just need to get it in front of more people.” He credits a big part of the company’s success to its customer service, helping each customer find exactly what they are looking for. “I live this and I love this,” he said. “I love the Internet, and seeing how well we can play this game.” For more information, go to www. wallmonkeys.com thogan@gazette.net

Bank robberies were up, homicides down in 2013 in county Other parts of the region also have seen a drop in certain major crimes BY ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH STAFF WRITER

There were four times as many bank robberies in Montgomery County last year as in 2012, but criminal homicides dropped to their lowest level in the last nine years, according to end-of-year polic statistics. There were eight criminal homicides in the county in 2013, down from 14 in 2012 and 19 in 2005, the earliest data available online from police. Capt. Marcus Jones, director of the department’s Major

Obituary Marie B. Dinsmore (Age 82) Died peacefully in her sleep on January 16, 2014 in Bethesda, MD. Loving mother to Edwin W. Dinsmore of Rockville, MD and Martin B. Dinsmore and his wife Lisa, of Damascus, MD. Devoted grandmother to Megan, Brady, Connor and Brinkley Dinsmore. Preceded in death by her dear husband, Edwin A. Dinsmore and devoted companion, Raymond Vorndran. A memorial mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Friday, January 24, 2014 at St Jane Frances de Chantal Catholic Church, 9525 Old Georgetown Rd. Bethesda, MD with a Remembrance Luncheon to follow at Maplewood Park Place. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to The American Diabetes Association or The American Heart Association in her name. 1906356

Crimes Division, called the drop in homicides “fabulous,” but said he did not know what caused it. “I wish I had [something] that said, ‘This is the winning formula,’” he said. Homicides in Montgomery County are more likely to be committed by an acquaintance than to be a random act by a stranger, he said. The drop in the number of criminal homicides in the county appears to mirror a similar trend in the region. In Prince George’s County, there were 56 criminal homicides last year, compared with 64 in 2012. Homicides there have dropped 38 percent in the last three years, according to Prince George’s County police. Data from Washington police were not available. Numbers from the FBI, which tracks criminal homicides

annually across the U.S., are not yet available for 2013. In fiscal 2012, there were 14,173 homicides — as voluntarily reported by enforcement agencies nationwide — in the U.S., up from 14,022 in 2011, according to FBI data. There were 15,282 such slayings in 2008.

Bank robberies up in 2013 In the first two weeks of 2014, there were two bank robberies in Montgomery County: A Capital One Bank in Bethesda was robbed on Jan.8; on Jan. 14, a robber struck a a BB&T bank branch in Rockville. There were 25 bank robberies in the county in 2013, more than four times as many as in 2012, when there were six. Police said that comparison is misleading, because the 2012

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number was an unusually steep drop. There were 17 in 2011, according to police spokeswoman Angela Cruz. Jones said 2012 was “a phenomenal year” to have only six bank robberies. He said the total of 25 bank robberies in Montgomery County was a “slight bump” above the more typical level of previous years. In 2011, for example, there were 17 bank robberies.

FBI spokeswoman Lindsay Godwin said that in fiscal 2013, there were 31 bank robberies in Northern Virginia and 31 in Washington. The agency collects data by fiscal year, not calendar year. The fiscal 2012 numbers were 34 in Northern Virginia and 15 in Washington, down from 57 and 23, respectively, in fiscal 2011. Data on bank robberies in 2013 in Prince George’s were not

immediately available. Jones said police aren’t sure what caused the spike in bank robberies in 2013. Bank robberies are “very desperate crimes,” he said. Robbers target banks because they think it’s easier to avoid being detected when they can just pass a note and know most tellers are going to be cooperative, he said. In 2013, police charged people in 10 of the 25 robberies.

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The property located at 7535 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, Maryland has been accepted into Maryland’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. A proposed response action plan (RAP) has been submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for approval. The property was historically occupied by a gasoline station from the 1950’s until 1980. Petroleum contamination at the property is attributed to the historic use of the property as a gasoline station. The property is proposed for redevelopment with a 15story residential building with four levels of subgrade parking. The proposed redevelopment will include a lot-line to lot-line excavation to a depth of approximately 40 feet. The proposed RAP specifies removal and proper disposal of all contaminated soil and groundwater encountered during development. This RAP is based upon future use of the property for residential purposes. Participant:

Bethesda Commerce LLC c/o Kettler Inc., 1751 Pinnacle Drive, Suite 700 McLean, Virginia 22102

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Bethesda Commerce 7535 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, Maryland 20814 Montgomery County Tax Map HN22, Parcel N293, Lot 10

Public Informational Meeting: January 29, 2014, at 6:00PM Bethesda Public Library, 7400 Arlington Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (240) 777-0970 Any person wishing to request further information or make comments regarding the proposed RAP must do so in writing. Comments or requests should be submitted to the attention of the Voluntary Cleanup Program project manager, Chris Hartman, at the Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 625, Baltimore, Maryland 21230; telephone 410-537-3493. All comments and requests must be received by the Department in writing no later than February 21, 2014. 1890979

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THE GAZETTE

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District 16 sees its ﬁrst GOP candidate Rose Li makes initial foray into politics hoping to increase ‘accountability’

if elected, will be to stop the exodus of companies from Montgomery County for more business-friendly places. “We’re losing businesses, we’re losing wealth and we’re shrinking the tax base,” Li said. “We need to be competitive BY AGNES BLUM with our neighbors.” STAFF WRITER Being a Republican in a traStop complaining and do ditionally Democratic stronghold can be a challenge, she something about it. That’s the advice that said, but one that she relishes. A one-party system doesn’t landed Rose Li in the middle of the District 16 delegate race. work; there needs to be acIt’s the advice Li gives her countability, she said. “I’m a Republican but not two children, and it’s the advice a polarizing Republia friend passed on to can,” Li said. herwhentheBethesda Other top legisbusiness owner found lative priorities are herself frustrated durbringing back more ing the government dollars for Montshutdown. gomery’s school sysAnd so Li is dotem from Annapolis ing something about and simplifying the it — she is running Li tax code to create for office for the first greater accountability and time, as a Republican. Filing for the District 16 transparency. Li said she is hoping to delegate race makes Li the only official Republican in a race inspire young people to get among more than a half dozen involved in politics and view Democrats. Republican Meyer public service as something Marks has announced his can- cool to do. Her own daughter, didacy at various public events a senior in high school, will be voting for the first time this year. but has not filed yet. Four other Bethesda District 16 includes Bethesda, Cabin John, Glen Democrats have thrown their Echo and parts of Chevy hats in the race for District 16 Chase, Potomac and Rockville. so far: Jordan P. Cooper and Li, 50, grew up in New York Hrant Jamgochian, both with and graduated from the Uni- backgrounds in health care versity of Chicago with a degree policy; Marc Korman, a lawin economics, where she also yer; and Karen Kuker-Kihl, a earned an MBA. She went on to lawyer. Gareth Murray of Poearn a Ph.D. from Princeton Uni- tomac has also announced his versity and did graduate work at candidacy. District 16 is now reprethe University of Michigan. Li runs a small science sented by Sen. Brian Frosh and management research com- Dels. Bill Frick, Ariana Kelly pany out of her house in and Susan Lee. All four are Bethesda, which works be- Democrats. Kelly is planning hind the scenes to help groups to run again, Frick will be fight“move their science forward,” ing it out for attorney general with Frosh, and Lee is running she said. Running her own small for Frosh’s Senate seat. The primary will be held company, and having to meet payroll, will provide invalu- June 24 and the general elecable experience in Annapolis, tion Nov. 4. she said. ablum@gazette.net One of her top priorities,

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

WSSC asking for 6 percent increase Higher charge in budget proposal would take effect July 1 n

MARGIE HYSLOP

SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE

Water and sewer rates in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties would increase by 6 percent under a budget proposal issued last week by the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. If approved, the rate hike would add about $4.47 per month, or $13.41 per quarter, to what the utility would charge a typical customer, beginning July 1, based on household usage of about 210 gallons of water daily. The rate hike follows a 7.25 percent increase last year, preceded by rate increases ranging from 9 percent to 7.5 percent between 2012 and 2008 and from 6.5 percent to 2.5 percent between 2007 and 2004. Before that, WSSC rates did not increase for six years, following a belt-tightening at the public utility after lawmakers pushed for moving more of the utility’s work to the private sector in the mid-1990s. The $1.33 billion budget plan presented to the WSSC commissioners last week is 7.5 percent lower than the $1.44

billion approved for this budget year, which ends June 30. The proposal for the budget that begins July 1 includes more than $625 million in capital spending and more than $707 million in operating costs. Most of the overall 15.7 percent decrease in the capital budget would come from the completion of major improvements in sewage treatment technologies. That includes enhanced nutrient removal at WSSC plants. It also includes, at the regional Blue Plains facility in Washington, D.C., anaerobic digestion processes that reduce sewage solids and generate electricity. A 1.2 percent increase in the operating budget would come from a more than $3 million increase in salaries and wages, a nearly $2 million increase in the utility’s share for the cost of operating Blue Plains and a $14.86 million increase in costs for “other” expenses. That would be offset by an almost $10.5 million decrease in debt service — loan repayment — costs and a projected more than $1 million decrease in costs for heat, light and power. “My question is: Is the increase enough to prevent major water pipes from exploding and enough to prevent sewers from backing up into people’s homes and pouring into streams?” said Larry Silverman, a lawyer and

environmental advocate. “My concern is: Is the County Council is going to try to cut that budget?” Silverman said. The proposed 6 percent combined increase in water and sewer rates is at the limit that Montgomery and Prince George’s counties agreed on in setting spending affordability guidelines late last year. Three commissioners from each of the two counties make up the utility’s governing board. They will review, and can change, their staff’s budget proposal before they vote on it and send it to the two counties’ executives, which they are required to do by March 1. “There’s a good chance it [the rate increase] will come in at 6 percent,” said WSSC Chairman Gene Counihan of Montgomery County on Jan. 15. Cutbacks and no rate increases for several years have led to “a lot of maintenance issues to be addressed [and] we have a bigger system to maintain,” Counihan said. After a spate of sub-zero temperatures in the ﬁrst week of January, the utility has suffered 394 water main and pipe leaks and breaks so far this year. As of Jan. 21, ﬁve of those ruptures still needed to be repaired, WSSC spokesman Jerry Irvine wrote in an email. The rehabilitation of 60

Military widow focuses on families of fallen troops Bunting organized races in memory of her husband, who was killed in Afghanistan n

BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER

When Nicki Bunting said goodbye to her husband at the end of a two-week break from his tour of duty in Afghanistan in January 2009, she didn’t know it was the last time she would ever see him.

On Feb. 24, 2009, Army Capt. Brian “Bubba” Bunting was killed when his Humvee drove over and detonated an improvised explosive device. The news came only weeks after the Darnestown couple decided to have a second child to join their 18-month-old son, Connor. They had tried to conceive a baby while he was on his military break. “I was especially devastated for all of our future hopes and dreams and the life we had planned for together,” she said. Four days after her husband’s death, Bunting discovered that she was pregnant with her second son, Cooper. “That was just the most incredibly uplifting news I could have possibly gotten at the time,” she said. “It meant that I could still carry on his dreams and part of the life we had planned.” At age 28, Bunting was a widow with one toddler and a new baby on the way. Even in the midst of her sadness, she was determined to help her hus-

band’s legacy live on. While pregnant with her second son, Bunting put together a 5K race in memory of her husband called “Bubba’s Belly Run” in 2009. Held at the Bullis School in Potomac, the run had 800 runners its ﬁrst year and raised more than $50,000. The run’s location at the school was special for Bunting because it was where she ﬁrst met her husband in sixth grade. Proceeds from the run were divided among several military organizations, including the American Widow Project, A Soldier’s Child Birthday Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Friends Never Forget and Fisher House in Bethesda. “So many organizations reached out to me and provided support and guidance,” she said. “I wanted to be able to give back to them and help their cause for other families like they did for ours.” Bunting went on to hold the race for the next two years, ultimately raising more than

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miles of water mains, house connections, meters and vaults is included in the budget, according to WSSC documents, as well as increased funding for reconstruction and monitoring. Counihan said the commissioners are concerned about the ability of low-income customers to pay the higher rates. That concern has led the utility to ask the legislature to allow it to create a program to provide cost relief to low-income customers, he said. A work group examining the utility’s rate structure is expected to issue ﬁndings and recommendations in late April or May. The report might generate a lot of community discussion, Counihan said. The WSSC will hold a public hearing on the budget proposal at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at the County Council building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The utility also will hold a public hearing on the budget Feb. 6 at 1400 McCormick Drive in Largo. By March 15, the budget proposal goes to the county councils. The Montgomery and Prince George’s county councils must come to an agreement and approve a budget for the WSSC by June 1 or the budget approved by the WSSC commissioners is adopted.

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DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Nicki Bunting with a portrait of her husband, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Bunting, who has two small children, ages 4 and 6, has since become an advocate for families of fallen troops.

$150,000. She stopped in 2012 to spend more time with her young boys. With “Bubba’s Belly Run” behind her, Bunting still works to help families of fallen troops. She put some of the proceeds from the runs into a bank account and offers financial help to families that are in immediate need. During the holidays, she also sends gift cards to families. In honor of her hard work, Bunting will be presented with the Senator Ted Stevens Leadership Award at the TAPS Honor Guard Gala on March 27 at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The award is presented annually to a surviving family member who lost a loved one serving in the military. The award is named after the late Ted Stevens, a Republican U.S. senator from Alaska, for his legacy of caring for the families of fallen military service members and his contributions to founding TAPS in 1994. “Even after she decided to stop organizing the race annually, Nicki has chosen to stay involved in helping support other surviving families grieving a loss,” said Ami NeibergerMiller, a public affairs officer for TAPS. “She has raised financial resources to help other families and has also been a helpful companion and friend to other young widows raising children on their own.” For now, Bunting is focused on raising her two sons, now ages 6 and 4. She said she worries about her sons and how they will grow up without a father, but she keeps her husband’s memory alive through pictures, songs and stories. “One day, my long-term goal is to really be able to start the run again,” she said. “I also want to help spread the word about the reality military families face.” jedavis@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Page A-7

Berliner introduces package of green energy bills One measure would increase energy efﬁciency for buildings

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

The chairman of the Montgomery County Council’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee has introduced a package of bills and zoning changes that he believes will help cement the county’s standing as one of the country’s leaders in clean and sustainable energy. The legislation would make the county a “community that embraces sustainability at our core,” Councilman Roger Berliner wrote in a Jan. 14 letter to his council colleagues. The 11 bills in the package are scheduled for public hearings at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11. The two zoning text amendments are scheduled for public hearings at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 25. Among the bills are ones that would seek to increase energy efﬁciency by requiring the county government to increase the chances for telecommuting, making it easier to approve alternativeenergy projects and creating preferences in the county’s procurement process for companies that are greencertiﬁed. Councilwoman Nancy Floreen

(D-At Large) of Garrett Park is cosponsoring all 11 bills. Council President Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, Vice President George Leventhal (D-At Large) of Takoma Park and Councilmen Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg, Hans Riemer (D-At Large) of Takoma Park and Marc Elrich (D-At Large) of Takoma Park each support various proposals. Riemer said the package was full of initiatives that will keep the county on the “cutting edge” of movements in local government. “That’s certainly where Montgomery County wants to be on energy issues,” he said. He said he thinks Montgomery is already among the leaders in that area, but it’s one that is constantly changing and evolving, and jurisdictions have to constantly consider new legislation and regulations to keep up with science and technology. “Everyone is leap-frogging everyone else all the time,” Riemer said. Berliner (D-Dist. 1) of Bethesda said the bills would reinforce Montgomery’s brand as a county that embraces sustainability and creates green jobs. It would also help the county honor its pledge, made several years ago along with counties from around the country, to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050.

One bill would require the county to purchase at least half of its energy from renewable resources by 2015 and 100 percent by 2020. The county currently buys about 30 percent of its energy from renewable resources. Berliner pointed out that Washington, D.C., Austin, Texas, and Portland, Ore., already use 100 percent renewable energy. Other legislation would require: • County buildings that are new or have been heavily remodeled to generate at least one kilowatt of renewable energy for each 1,000 square feet of floor space. • The county’s Department of Permitting Services to create a cheaper and easier way to approve permits for solar products. A proposed zoning amendment would allow solar panels to extend two feet into a property’s side and rear setbacks. • Building owners to track their buildings’ energy efficiency and make the information available to the public so tenants would be better able to predict the cost of utilities. • An Office of Sustainability within the county’s Department of Environmental Protection. • Regulations to create a preference in procurement for local companies that have been “green certified” by the county by adopting sustainable policies.

• A telecommuting policy for county workers and a telecommuting manager. • The county’s Department of Transportation to contract with a company to provide more efficient streetlights. • New buildings to install an electronic vehicle charging station for every 50 spaces in a parking lot. • A streamlined permitting process for installing charging stations for electric vehicles. • All new commercial buildings in Montgomery to meet the Silver standard for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. New commercial buildings currently have to be LEEDcertified, although county buildings must meet the more demanding Silver standard. Floreen said she sees that bill as one that could draw some opposition from the development community. But she said she also believes that builders understand that more efficient buildings are ultimately cheaper to operate. “I’m not sure how much push-back we’ll receive,” she said. Another bill would require the county to use the Environmental Protection Agency’s method, or a similar method, for calculating the hidden costs in pollution and other areas of fuels, particularly coal, when it’s evaluating the potential for energy-efficiency

improvements. “Carbon imposes a cost on society that is not reflected in the price of fuel,” Berliner said Tuesday. As for the ratio of charging stations to parking spaces, Floreen said she didn’t know if the county should be specific, but she predicted the council will discuss the issue further. Riemer said the telecommuting bill was one of the elements of the package that stood out to him. With increasing technology, the ability of workers to do their jobs from home is only going to advance, he said. And it could also be a way to help solve the traffic problems that plague the D.C. region, he said. “I think it’s the future, I really do,” he said. Berliner said he thinks the fact that all the bills attracted support from various council members illustrates the council’s desire that Montgomery be known as a community that embraces sustainability. Although the bills have a long way to go through the legislative process, Floreen said she believes they’ll help move the county toward its ultimate energy-efficiency goals. “If we don’t keep setting goals, we’ll never get there,” she said. rmarshall@gazette.net

Orthopedic doctors join practices in Bethesda-based center n

Physicians buck trend that shows more are joining hospitals

KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER

Hoping to compete better with large medical operations without losing personal control, some 128 orthopedic physicians in the Maryland-Washington, D.C., area have joined together to form a regional center based in Bethesda. The development goes against the grain of a trend showing the number of doctors on hospital payrolls nationwide increasing by about one-third since 2000, according to the American Hospital Association.

A surgeon practicing solo or in a small group ﬁnds it hard to compete with hospitals and large institutions that have the latest technological resources, said Dr. Daniel Tang, a surgeon with Potomac Valley Orthopaedic Associates, which has ofﬁces in Columbia, Gaithersburg, Olney and Silver Spring. “Becoming employed [by a hospital] is not attractive to those who want to control their own destiny,” said Tang, who earned his medical degree at Howard University Medical School and specializes in general surgery, sports medicine, total joint replacement and foot and ankle procedures. “We are trying to preserve the privatepractice aspect, to keep in control of the processes.” The Centers for Advanced

Orthopaedics is one of the largest groups of its kind in the country, with physicians in more than 45 ofﬁces in Maryland, Washington, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, said Denny Tritinger, executive director. “It’s the largest orthopedic center in the region. There are not many in the country this large,” he said. By not being directly under a hospital or large institution, physicians make decisions quicker to beneﬁt patients, Tritinger said. Costs can also be reduced for patients when small practices join together and eliminate consolidate functions such as marketing, and physicians can benefit from the greater bargaining power with insurers to secure better reimbursement rates, he said.

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agreements have been signed, he said. Physicians are considering new ways to treat patients, including opening orthopedic urgent care facilities that could treat someone for, say, a sprained ankle, Tritinger said. “Instead of going to the [emergency room], they could go to an urgent care facility,” he said. “That could save them some time and money.” Medical care practices have been under closer scrutiny in re-

cent years, as systems deal with changes from the federal Affordable Care Act. “If it moves us to improve quality and reduce costs, we all can beneﬁt,” Tritinger said. Tang said he has seen it take a little longer to get surgeries for patients pre-approved by insurers in the past year compared to previous years. “I hope that will become better in time,” he said. kshay@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Page A-8

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Starr: Standardized tests shouldn’t grade teachers ‘Our professional growth system is a hill to die on’

LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER

As a new state assessment for student performance approaches, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua P. Starr said he will be looking to see how federal education ofﬁcials expect the test results to affect teacher evaluations. “I think there’s a real question before us: to what extent will [the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers test] be used in teacher performance evaluations?” Starr said on Jan. 15. While he will follow the law, Starr said he will also guard the system’s current method for evaluating teachers. “Our professional growth system is a hill to die on,” he

said. “I will not compromise the integrity of it.” The professional growth system includes six standards for teacher performance, formal evaluations and a program that pairs more experienced teachers with teachers who are new or not performing well, according to an online school system handbook. Montgomery students will take the Maryland School Assessments for the last time this spring. Next school year, the new PARCC test — which aligns to the Common Core State Standards — will be fully implemented. Common Core is a controversial set of education standards for English and math that Maryland, along with other states, chose to adopt. Starr has been vocal on his views regarding standardized testing, including his criticism of how the federal Race to the Top program has pinned teacher

evaluations to how well students perform on standardized tests. Starr said standardized tests play a role Montgomery County regarding teacher support and accountability. However, he does not want to see the PARCC test results factor too much in teacher evaluations. Starr said he believes the use of standardized test scores in Race to the Top has blamed and hurt teachers. “I’ll be concerned if we just continue to go down this path of using standardized tests in inappropriate ways,” he said. “That would be really disappointing to me.” If the PARCC tests “live up to their promise,” he said, he will be happy to use the results for both accountability and support purposes. The county school system currently takes student achievement data — including standardized test results — into

consideration when looking at how teachers are serving students, he said. He described the data as a possible “entry point” by which to talk with teachers about their performance and what support they need. The county school system has argued to maintain its professional growth system in the past, Starr said. “Because we never signed on to Race to the Top, we made a strong argument to the state that we would not have to use the same model that the state is using,” he said. Starr said he doesn’t think standardized testing will leave the scene of American public education. “In a perfect world, would I love to see no standardized tests at all? Sure,” he said. “I don’t know that we’ll ever get there and it’s not necessarily what I’m striving for.” In an article published in the

Winter 2014 edition of Education Next, Starr echoed a similar call he made in 2012 for a temporary moratorium on standardized testing. Starr said he thinks the MSA test this spring will not measure what students need to know based on Common Core. He said he would want to see the MSA test canceled this year — as some legislators and others are advocating — though he thinks it is “highly unlikely” given the possible implications for federal funding to the state. While some have painted him as “anti-standardized testing,” Starr said, he is not. “We’ve got to have some consistent measures of performance throughout the country and we have to have accountability for adults who have not served their children well,” he said. According to a Dec. 31 story in The Washington Post, Starr’s opposition to Obama adminis-

tration school reform programs, particularly a plan to evaluate teachers through standardized tests, might have cost him a job offer. The Post reported that U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan lobbied newly elected New York Mayor Bill de Blasio not to hire Starr. The city school system has 1.1 million students and 1,700 schools. Starr said that unless a federal education ofﬁcial told him something personally, he’s “not going to worry about it too much.” “No federal ofﬁcial has had a direct conversation with me or given me any feedback whatsoever directly about any of my positions, statements or work,” he said. “I like to deal with things when I’m actually presented with them face to face and not on what other people have said other people have said,” he said. lpowers@gazette.net

Toys R Us closing in Rockville Property is part of White Flint redevelopment n

ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

“Whether it’s at Pike & Rose or those surrounding properties, there’s lots of choices for bigbox operators.” Pike & Rose is within the White Flint Sector Plan area, a planningdistrictaroundtheWhite Flint Metro station where much of the existing land is expected to become a high-density mix of apartments, stores, hotels, restaurants and entertainment. Pike & Rose is the ﬁrst project to be approved under the sector plan. “We think that this type of mixed-use environment brings a new type of urban center to what has been known as principally a big-box retail district,” McBride said. Most of the other stores in Mid-Pike Plaza will also close over the next month, McBride said. A few will stay through construction; those include Visionworks, a Bank of America branch, Starbucks and a drycleaners, she said.

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The Toys R Us store in Mid-Pike Plaza is slated to close to make way for the second phase of Pike & Rose.

The Toys R Us on Rockville Pike is holding a liquidation sale before it closes for good this month. Alyssa Peera, spokeswoman for Toys R Us, said in an email that the company’s lease for the store in the Mid-Pike Plaza shopping center expires at the end of January. An advertisement in the Jan. 9 edition of The Washington Post said the store was marking down prices and selling some of the store ﬁxtures in anticipation of the closing. Federal Realty Investment Trust of Rockville, which owns Mid-Pike Plaza, plans to rede-

velop the property into the second phase of its Pike & Rose mixed-use project. Robin McBride, a vice president and chief operating ofﬁcer for the company’s mid-Atlantic region, said construction on the second phase is slated to begin in early March or April. The ﬁrst phase of Pike & Rose is already under construction. Peera said in an email that Toys R Us is not planning to open another store in Rockville after the store on Rockville Pike closes, but the Toys R Us at 600 N. Frederick Road in Gaithersburg will remain open. The Rockville Toys R Us is expected to close Jan. 26, McBride said. Although Pike & Rose has not released a full list of tenants for the new development, McBride said it will have a mix of smaller and larger spaces. “The mix includes a diverse footprint of tenants as well as a diverse mix of tenants,” she said.

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-9

Woman to serve 18 months for her role in hitman case

Running through woods on a snowy morning

Judge says Paiz violated her oath as a soldier BY ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH STAFF WRITER

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

During the season’s ﬁrst major snowfall Tuesday morning, Richard Novak of Bethesda ﬁnishes a 40-minute run along the C&O Canal towpath at Old Anglers Inn in Potomac. Montgomery County was expected to receive anywhere from 4 to 10 inches, accompanied by temperatures falling through the 20s and teens. The unseasonably cold weather is forecast to linger into the weekend.

A Montgomery Village woman was ordered last week to spend 18 months in jail after she was acquitted of trying to hire a hitman to kill her son’s father, but convicted of a lesser charge. Luisa Paiz, 34, of Wedge Way, was initially charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit murder, and assault charges. Prosecutors alleged that Paiz, who was in the U.S. Army, tried to hire a fellow soldier with whom she served in Afghanistan to kill Santiago Perez. “You have paid mightily,” Montgomery County Circuit Judge Cheryl A. McCally said as she imposed the sentence — six years with all but 18 months suspended, as well as three years of probation. During a trial, prosecutors said Paiz paid a fellow serviceman to travel to Gaithersburg to kill the father of her child. In October, a Montgomery County jury acquitted her of the murder charges, instead convicting her of conspiracy to commit assault and assault charges. Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Anderson said Paiz paid Khiry Blue, her co-defendant, $5,000 to travel to Maryland while on leave and attack Perez, Paiz’s ex-boyfriend. Blue, 22, pleaded guilty in August to attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree assault and conspiracy to commit assault. He was sentenced in November to 10 years in prison, along with

three years of probation, according to online court records. During Paiz’s trial, lawyers painted a portrait of a woman who was deeply angry at Perez under the pressures of being deployed abroad with the Army in Afghanistan and dealing with a nasty dispute with Perez over their teenage son as motives for her actions. The dispute “festered” while she was abroad serving in Afghanistan, according to Anderson. “She truly was the mastermind of this crime and she deserves to be punished,” he said. Anderson said Blue traveled from Texas, waited for Perez outside his Gaithersburg home and forced him into a wooded area behind his house, where he tried to choke him to death in the predawn hours of June 25, 2012. Paiz’s lawyers disputed that she actually wanted Perez dead. “We never believed there was evidence to support that charge,” said Tom Degonia, one of her lawyers. In court, Paiz apologized for what she did, which she said cost her a great career and kept her away from her two children, one of whom was still an infant when she was incarcerated. McCally said Paiz’s actions meant her ex-boyfriend would always be fearful of being attacked when going to work and would always be “looking over his shoulder.” McCally said Paiz broke the oath she took when she enlisted. By taking the law into her own hands, Paiz “let go of the very promise she swore to uphold when she entered the military to defend our country,” McCally said. sjbsmith@gazette.net

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-10

APEX

Continued from Page A-1 to county documents. Without tearing down the Apex building, the station’s

platform would have to ﬁt into the existing tunnel, planners have said, and there would be no room for the Capital Crescent Trail. If the tunnel is rebuilt, it can be widened to make it safer and more accommodating for

VASSAR

Continued from Page A-1 would be problems with traffic and parking and decided to sell. “We were disappointed we couldn’t make it work,” he said. “In the end, we decided the property

POND

Continued from Page A-1 Burnette wrote in an email to The Gazette. Westbrook Acquisitions is one of the developers of the Crown project, a mix of residential and retail units built on the former Crown Farm at Fields Road and Great Seneca Highway. John Wolf, managing principal at Westbrook Partners, could not immediately be reached for comment. Charles Maier, a spokesman for the company that owns the land containing the pond, said in a statement after D’Angelo’s death, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a young boy’s life. Our hearts go out to the youngster’s family and friends. ... We all wish the outcome had been different.” Maier said the owners of the site had been in contact with city ofﬁcials, and were

passengers and the trail. But there may not be time to work out a deal that is satisfying to both sides since the Maryland Transit Administration has made it clear it wants a decision early this year.

would have a better use.” Aaron Hirsch of Kingman Development is buying the property from the church for an undisclosed amount of money. He said he expects to close on the purchase Feb. 7. Hirsch said he hopes to subdivide the property into four lots and build single-family homes.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

That’s where eminent domain comes in, said Robert Kronenberg, acting chief of the Montgomery County Planning Department’s Area 1. Kronenberg was speaking in a meeting at The Gazette.

Renny Springuel, who lives across from the church, said he speaks for many Vassar Circle residents who are concerned that the size of the new homes will dwarf those already there and worried about parking and the narrow street. He said he hopes the town can do something to scale back the development.

Kronenberg said it was “very possible” that the Apex building would be taken by eminent domain if negotiations with the landlord fail. Eminent domain is a process by which government can

Although Beers thinks the number of houses could be reduced from four to three, depending on the results of the survey, she said there is really nothing the town can do about Hirsch’s plan to build. “The town does not have zoning authority,” she said. “We [follow] the county.”

take private property, with compensation, for public use. That process could be initiated by either the county or the state, he said. ablum@gazette.net

She said the town will weigh in on widening the street around the circle and improving parking when the subdivision plans come before the county Planning Board. “It’s a little too early. We don’t have the facts,” she said. pmcewan@gazette.net

People gather on Friday night, to remember 10-year-old D’Angelo Jayvon McMullen, who drowned on Jan. 13 after falling through an ice-covered sediment pond near the corner of Ellington Boulevard and Diamondback Drive at the developing Crown Farm in Gaithersburg.

investigating how the fence had been removed. A new fence was installed this week and Burnette said it was reinspected by city workers. The city issued another Notice of Violation on Jan. 14 for a second sediment pond on the Crown site where the fence around it appeared to have been damaged by equipment, Burnette said. Both ponds have are now properly fenced, he said. As a result of the tragedy, the city reinspected all other sediment traps in the city, Burnette said. City ofﬁcials issued a notice to Classic Communities to install a safety fence around a new sediment pond that has been constructed at Parklands, which is off of West Watkins Mill Road. All the notices issued have been complied with, he said.

EXORCISM

Continued from Page A-1 had spotted a blue Toyota with its door open as well as a bloody knife lying nearby. Responding ofﬁcers grabbed a key from inside the car and let themselves into Avery’s home on Cherry Bend Drive, and discovered a hellish scene inside — Avery’s two toddlers who had been stabbed to death, and her two other young children suffering from stab wounds. Avery told investigators she had been once been involuntarily committed for psychiatric reasons. Sanford told police she had tried to kill herself two times before. Avery was the self-described commander of the Demon Assassins, which had performed other exorcisms before Friday, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said. Sanford was a “sergeant.” Police have identiﬁed the two other members of the group and

TOM FEDOR/ THE GAZETTE

sjbsmith@gazette.net

are trying to ﬁnd them to interview them about the slayings, according to Montgomery County Police Capt. Marcus Jones. In court, McCarthy, who is prosecuting the case, said the women believed in the devil. They had been planning an exorcism on another Demon Assassin named “Troy,” he said. The man had not arrived as scheduled for the exorcism that night, and the attacks began around 5 a.m. Friday morning. The women believed the devil had inhabited the body of the youngest child, 1-yearold Norell N. Harris, and then leaped from body to body of the different children, McCarthy said in district court, as Avery, dressed in a sleeveless prison gown, watched through a video monitor from jail. The two women told police that as the devil inhabited the bodies of the children, it turned their eyes black, McCarthy said. But the two women believed the demon leapt to Zyana, and they tried to exorcise it from her, he said.

The same process occurred with 5-year-old girl and 8-yearold boy. McCarthy said that during the exorcism, the demon had jumped into Avery’s body and caused her to attack Sanford. Before charging Sanford, police had to take her to a local hospital to receive treatment for stab wounds and a slice to her neck. After police entered the house, they found Avery walking down the stairs of the home. She walked past officers with the 8-year-old, then tried to flee out the back, along with Sanford. Officers tackled Avery outside, and soon discovered the boy’s stab wounds. Jones, head of the Major Crimes Unit, said investigators found two knives they believe were used in the attacks — one about the size of a paring knife, and a second a butcher’s knife. Upstairs, they found Norell and Zyana on their mother’s bed. Their bodies had been washed and wrapped in blankets. “They had washed them to prepare so that when they got to heaven, they would see God and not have blood on them,” McCarthy said.

Police also found the 5-yearold nearby, and realized that she had been seriously stabbed. “They initially thought she was not going to survive,” he said, explaining that she is in critical condition but she has improved. The 8-year-old had not only been stabbed, but also saw his mother kill his little brother, McCarthy said. The horriﬁc details elicited a sob from family members who had come to the hearing. In a brief hearing for Sanford, David Felsen, her defense attorney, asked that the woman’s bail hearing be postponed because her family members had hired private attorneys who had not been able to speak to her yet. Her bail review was postponed until Friday. After the hearing, Edward Leyden, one of Sanford’s private attorneys, said that he and cocounsel Dana Jones-Oliver were “still trying to get a handle on what happened.” “However you cut this, this was an enormous tragedy,” he said. If they can be deemed to be “competent,” or able to understand their present situation

and participate in their defense, court proceedings can continue towards trial, McCarthy said. In that case, a lawyer would still be able to argue the women were “not criminally responsible,” or insane, as a defense. The ﬁndings from that initial report will be presented to Everngam on Tuesday. A neighbor called 911 the night before the children were killed, saying one of the women “seems to be responding to internal stimuli,” and talking to herself. The caller told dispatchers that a woman in the house had left a baby in their blue Toyota outside for about an hour. The caller told police that the women had told him “something was going on, and they didn’t want the baby to be endangered in the house.” When police arrived, the women had taken the children inside and refused to answer the door. Police filed a report with Child Protective Services, who were planning to follow-up with the case on Friday morning, Jones said. “There were no warning signs this was going to happen,”

Jones said, at a press conference after the hearing, later explaining that ofﬁcers did not have enough cause to enter the house that night. On Friday morning, police received the call about the bloody knife, prompting the grisly discovery. How much the women understood of their alleged crimes is still unclear at this point. “They were hard to read,” Jones said, later adding “We didn’t get the typical type of response [you would get] when a child is harmed in that kind of way.” Investigators spoke to the pastor of the church Avery attended, Exousia Ministries, in Germantown, Jones said. “This is not being ordered, not part of their religion, not what is being preached,” Jones said. Police “want to see what else they can provide to show what this group was all about,” he said, in a press conference after the hearing. Police do not believe the other members of the group are a danger to the public, he said. sjbsmith@gazette.net

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BUSINESS

Next big unmanned thing n

Local companies expect market for unmanned aircraft to mushroom BY

KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER

These days have been a long time coming for William Harvey, CEO of Gaithersburg-based Brandebury Tool Co. With the federal government pushing to open the nation’s airspace to unmanned aircraft by 2015, businesses like Brandebury and Proxy Technologies are standing on a wave of the next big thing. “I think [unmanned craft] will radically change human transport in the future,” said Harvey, who has worked on unmanned systems for more than 30 years. His business, which operates out of the Montgomery County Airpark, has produced fixed-wing airframes for L-3’s TigerShark unmanned aerial vehicle, among other products in the ﬁeld. Worldwide annual sales of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are expected to grow from $5.2 billion in 2013 to $11.6 billion by 2023, according to research company Teal Group Corp. The economic impact of the industry in the U.S. alone is projected to rise from $2.3 billion in 2015 to $10.1 billion in 2025, according to the Arlington, Va.-based Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. That’s assuming the Federal Aviation Administration meets its congressional mandate to fully integrate UAVs into the national airspace by 2015. Maryland’s economic impact from the unmanned industry between 2015 and 2025 is expected to be about $2 billion, the 14th highest among states. California tops that list with $14.4 billion. The government’s work

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LOCKHEED MARTIN

An artist’s rendering of the 2011 test flight of the Lockheed Martin-built Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2. The unmanned, rocket-launched aircraft flew for about nine minutes and reached Mach 20 — about 13,000 mph — before crashing into the Pacific Ocean, officials said. in this area includes the FAA recently choosing a partnership between Virginia Tech and Rutgers as one of six nationally to test the integration of unmanned craft into the airspace. A proposal by the University of Maryland, which has researchers working on unmanned projects, was not chosen, but Maryland officials signed a collaborative agreement with the Virginia Tech-Rutgers partnership. That should give a boost to companies like Brandebury and Proxy, officials said. “It could provide additional avenues of research and development,” said Bob Davis, CEO and president of Proxy, which formed about a decade ago and initially worked on developing actual unmanned aircraft itself.

Proxy also has its operations center at the Montgomery County Airpark, where employees work on Proteus automation software and a hardware system called PACS that they say can convert manned aircraft into “optionally piloted vehicles.” “We have converted four aircraft so far, and are working to get into a larger volume production,” Davis said.

Lockheed long involved in unmanned craft Bethesda defense and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has long been involved in the unmanned craft industry. The company has developed unmanned cargo helicop-

ters and aerial systems like the Desert Hawk to allow soldiers to see what’s over the next hill. It is helping with the SR-72 unmanned hypersonic spy plane being developed by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and has worked on DARPA’s Falcon hypersonic craft, which reached Mach 20 — about 13,000 miles per hour — on a 2011 test ﬂight. The SR-72 is an “end-state concept” envisioned for ﬂight around 2030, said Heather Kelso, a spokeswoman for Lockheed’s advanced technology Skunk Works division. Lockheed also developed the Marlin underwater vehicle that has been used by oil companies like Chevron and others as a quicker and safer way to conduct undersea inspections of rigs and other equipment. The 10-foot long Marlin, which can dive up to 1,000 feet below the surface, gave Chevron immediate information, rather than having to sometimes wait days for data.

Other commercial applications In the near future, some envision unmanned craft ﬁghting fires, working to prevent crime and delivering packages and the mail. Even Bethesdabased Wydler Brothers, a realty company affiliated with Long & Foster, tested drones to help produce a sales video of a neighborhood, according to published reports. “There are a lot of civilian applications,” Harvey said. “It has to make sense to the majority of the population. People will need to get over the feeling of having their privacy invaded. It’s not just about surveillance, but there are a lot of applications. ... It will happen. The parts are in place.” kshay@gazette.net

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BizBriefs

Have a new business in Montgomery County? Let us know about it at www.gazette.net/newbusinessform

Physician opens weight-loss center in Rockville Dr. Asia McDonald has opened Dr. Fit Medical Weight Loss and Wellness Center at 6119 Executive Blvd., Rockville. The center’s goal is “to guide our patients [through] the achievement of their sustainable weight loss goals,” McDonald, a family physician, said in a statement. “Our medical weight loss services are provided by licensed and skilled practitioners in the fields of medicine, nutrition, counseling and fitness.” The center is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Its phone number is 301-6848366 and its website is drfitmd.com.

La Tagliatella opens An Italian restaurant, La Tagliatella, has opened at the new Shops at Seneca Meadows in Germantown. The restaurant, which specializes in northern Italian cuisine and gourmet pizza, serves dinner, plus lunches that feature smaller portions. Key ingredients come from a network of small growers and manufacturers throughout Italy, according to a news release. The week before its public opening, La Tagliatella held a fundraiser, raising more than $1,300 for the nonproﬁt Manna Food Center of Gaithersburg. The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Its address is 20630 Seneca Meadows Parkway, Suite E-1, at the corner of Observation Drive; its website is latagliatella.us; and its phone number is 240-449-8686. The general manager is Ashley Chloe. This is the restaurant chain’s sixth U.S. location.

Web design firm to graduate from incubator SW Creatives, a graphic and web design firm that works with area nonprofits and community organizations, will graduate in February from Montgomery County’s Wheaton Business Innovation Center incubator. SW Creatives has signed a five-year lease for about 1,700 square feet in the World Building at 8121 Georgia Ave., Suite 600, in downtown Silver Spring. The company plans to move in by March 1. The new location also houses the company’s Creative Colony, a co-working space for communications professionals. The company had one employee when it launched in 2008 and now has five. Being in the incubator “definitely improved my business, allowing me to develop relationships with strategic partners and exposing me to international business — all within a very supportive environment,” Shala W. Graham, principal and creative director, said in a statement from the county. “Having a real office changed the perception of my small business, bringing in more clients and allowing us to turn a profit each year.”

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

SCHOOL LIFE Silver Spring ninth-graders’ volunteer efforts reap praise from Obama n

President sends a letter to Silver Spring youths BY

PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER

In this era of texts and emails, it’s rare to write a letter— and even more rare when you get one back from the president of the United States. But on Dec. 23, President Barack Obama addressed a letter to the ninth-grade students at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, thanking them for “the thoughtful letters you sent about the difference each of you can make in the lives of others.” The ninth-grade English students, about 350 of them, wrote the letters for a mandatory assignment explaining why it is their responsibility to make a difference in their community, said Ashley DeLonga, one of Kennedy’s ninth-grade English teachers. The writing project was more than just thinking of something nice to do in the community and writing about it, DeLonga said. “They had to go out to the community and do something or create an ac-

tion plan for what they would do, ” she said. Obama’s letter helped the students realize the importance of their commitment to their community, the teachers said. “... I could see that you understand service does more than help the causes we gather around — it helps those of us who choose to serve recognize our own potential,” Obama wrote. “If you remain committed to helping others, and if you focus in school and believe in yourselves, I know there is no limit to what you can accomplish.” Classmate Dehuris Mateo said he was happy to hear from the president and learn that he was actually reading the letters. Dehuris said his plan was to welcome new people to his neighborhood by talking to them, even making brownies as a welcome gift. “Sometimes they don’t feel they belong in the neighborhood,” he said. “This would make you just feel welcome.” Dehuris also said his letter to Obama was the ﬁrst letter he ever wrote. When Jennifer Pineda, a ninthgrader at John F. Kennedy High School, Silver Spring, heard that Obama re-

PEGGY MCEWAN/THE GAZETTE

From left, Dehuris Mateo, Josias Worou, Jennifer Pineda, Marianny Calderon and Yaritza Padilla from John F. Kennedy High School in look at their letter from President Obama. sponded to the letters her class wrote him this fall she was “shocked.” “I was very shocked because usually the president doesn’t take time to write a letter back,” Jennifer said. “He’s so busy.”

Another student, Josias Worou, said that before Thanksgiving he helped pack boxes of food for the needy. He said that in his letter he added facts for the president about the increasing number of needy people in the United

States. “I was not expecting a response,” he said. “He thanked us for taking actions to help the population.” Yaritza Padilla’s project was to gather unused clothing from her family and donate them to the needy using a clothing drop box near her home. “It made me feel good about myself,” she said. “I wanted to share what I had.” She said it also felt good to know that the president knew what she had done. Marianny Calderon agreed that getting the letter felt good, knowing that someone appreciated what she had done. Her project was to take food and clothes to a local food kitchen and homeless shelter. The English teachers — DeLonga, Kelley Adams, Anne Reiner and Jessica Lidh — thought the writing assignment was a success and the response from the president a bonus. “We wanted to make these kids realize they actually are important to society,” Lidh said. “At this age they aren’t children and they aren’t adults, but they can still make a difference.” pmcewan@gazette.net

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK Clemente Middle School holds first Literacy Night Arrivals on Thursday were greeted by Clifford the Big Red Dog, star of a children’s book series. Inside there was a book fair, speakers and sessions on topics related to reading and writing. It was the first-ever Literacy Night at Roberto Clemente Middle School in Germantown. All Clemente students and their parents were invited, although the evening was planned by seventh-grade literacy coach Colleen Roux with her seventh-graders in mind. Its purpose, Roux wrote in an email, was to re-energize students and parents about reading and to increase awareness of the literacy resources within the Germantown community. Roux did that by inviting local speakers to share their literacy experiences. Patricia Buck, community outreach associate from the Germantown Library, linked her computer to the school’s computer lab’s whiteboard, ready to share the many resources the county’s public library system offers. She showed how to access programs for learning a new language, download free music, research a topic of interest and download e-books. Many middle schoolers use the Germantown Library, she said. “Germantown has a great teen section,” she said. “Teens go there just to hang out.” Down the hall, Marc Waldman, an English and journalism teacher at nearby Kingsview Middle School, shared his career as a published author of books for fifth- to ninth-graders: “Mighty Mac” and “Mac is Back.”

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PEGGY MCEWAN/THE GAZETTE

Josephine Crucillo, a seventh-grader at Roberto Clemente Middle School in Germantown, selects books from the book fair during the school’s ﬁrst Literacy Night on Thursday. “If you want to become a writer, write, write, write,” Waldman said. “Keep doing it even if it stinks, and read a lot of [different] people until you ﬁnd your voice.” Josephine Crucillo, a seventh-grader, said she would like to be a writer and asked Waldman plenty of questions. “I thought it was inspirational,” she said. “And [it] made me think about the writing process.” Chandan Murthy, an eighthgrader at Rocky Hill Middle School in Clarksburg, listened to Waldman with his sister Anjali, a sixth-grader at Clemente. He said he found Waldman interesting, especially when talking about the publishing process. He does not think he wants to be a writer, but his sister does. “I want to be an author,” Anjali said. “I thought it would be cool to meet an author and ask questions.” Though very few people attended, Roux said she was not

discouraged. “This is our ﬁrst year and I’m not going to give up,” she said.

Schools plans open houses Three schools plan open houses in the coming week. • Christ Episcopal School in Rockville will hold an admission open house at 10 a.m. Friday at 109 S. Washington St. Staff will discuss programs that Johns Hopkins University established with the school to enhance the students’ learning experience. Visitors can tour the campus and meet with teachers and others. Founded in 1966, the school serves students age 2 to grade 8. For more information or to register for the open house, visit cesrockville.org or call 301-4246550. • St. Jane de Chantal School, a Catholic school at 9525 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, will hold an open house for grades K-8 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Monday. A presenta-

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tion for parents will be held at 9:30 a.m., with tours offered throughout the morning. For more information, call 301-530-1221 or visit www. dechantal.org. • Thomas Edison High School of Technology will hold its annual open house from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at 12501 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring. The open house was postponed from Jan. 15. Students interested in enrolling will have the opportunity to learn about the school’s programs, meet teachers and current students, see live demonstrations and complete applications. Edison has students in grades 10, 11 and 12 who are in good standing at a Montgomery County public high school. Students may apply for enrollment in one of 18 career and technology education programs: an automotive cluster of four courses; principles of architecture and computer-aided design technology, also four classes; a six-course construction cluster; and the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, which covers cosmetology, medical careers, restaurant management, and manicures and pedicures. Applications are available at montgomeryschoolsmd.org/ schools/edison. Completed applications may either be mailed to the school or submitted to the Edison counselor liaison at the students’ home schools.

Scholarships available for student-athletes The CKA SAVE Project of Silver Spring, which is designed to help students and the people who work with them through educational and professional development, has started a stu-

dent-athletic academic scholarship program. The program will select two student-athletes — one boy and one girl — for a $250 higher education scholarship. The program is open to seniors who meet the the following criteria: • Has played or managed at least two years of high school athletics. • Has a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.5 and completed at least one Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate class. • Has at least 100 community service hours. Students must submit an application, available at www. ckasaveproject.com, along with a copy of the student’s unofﬁcial transcript, two letters of recommendation, a written essay on the topic of “How has being a student athlete helped you achieve your career goals?” and a copy of an admittance letter to a post-secondary institution by April 1, Winners will be notiﬁed by June 1. For more information, contact Keith Adams at ckasaveproject@gmail.com or visit www. ckasaveproject.com.

Registration open for summer camps, programs Registration for Montgomery County’s summer camps and programs opened Tuesday. Programs include sports, nature, robotics, magic, swimming and theater. They are available for young children to teenagers and at all skill levels at hundreds of locations. Space is limited and registration is on a ﬁrst-come, ﬁrstserved basis. Individuals can register online at recweb.montgomery-

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countymd.gov, by mail, by fax or in person at the recreation department, 4010 Randolph Road, Silver Spring. Copies of the Summer Camps Guide are available at county recreation facilities and online at montgomerycountymd.gov/rec. For more information, call 240-777-4980.

Free seminars offered on Common Core Discovery Education will hold a series of free professional development seminars for educators implementing the Common Core State Standards. The seminars will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 29-31 at Discovery Communications, 1 Discovery Place. Silver Spring. The sessions are as follows: • Jan. 29: “Literacy and the Common Core in a Digital World,” offering English language arts instruction and assessment strategies to help develop digitally literate students for college, careers and citizenship. • Jan. 30: “Teaching and Assessing Common Core Math in a Digital World” on standards for mathematical practice and their implementation with assessment strategies. • Jan. 31: “Leadership Strategies to Support Digital Literacy and the Common Core,” which offers leadership approaches for administrators to help teachers implement digital literacy instruction and assessment. Sessions will be led by Johnna Weller of Discovery Education. For more information or to register, contact Shawnee Cohn at 240-662-2661 or shawnee_ cohn@discovery.com.

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CELEBRATIONS

Ewing, Janis Kathryn Ewing and Evan Janis were married on Oct. 6, 2013. Their parents are Lee and Rene Ewing of Gaithersburg, Carol McDowell of Germantown, Michael McDowell of Gaithersburg and David and Lucy Janis of Boyds. The ceremony took place at the Ceresville Mansion in Frederick and was ofﬁciated by the Rev. Joyce Cochran. The bridesmaids were Amanda Bramble and Jenn Feldmann. The groomsmen were Corey Janis and Matt Koontz. Kathryn and Evan both graduated from Quince Orchard High School. Kathryn received her bachelor’s degree at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She works for Westat Inc. Evan works for the city of Gaithersburg and is completing his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, University College. The couple honeymooned in Bermuda.

Hemmingson, Rommel Gerry and Jane Hemmingson of Rockville announce the engagement of their daughter, Lynn Christine Hemmingson, to Kiel Kristopher Rommel, son of Kevin and Tonja Rommel of Jackson, Tenn. The bride-to-be is a graduate of Magruder High School and received her bachelor’s degree in history from Towson University. She is a historic preservationist with the National Park Service at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, and resides in Towson. The prospective groom graduated from Jackson CentralMerry High School in Jackson, Tenn., and received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He is the director of maintenance for Parking Management Inc. properties in Washington, D.C., and serves in the Naval Reserve as a petty ofﬁcer ﬁrst class. A late June wedding is planned in Columbia.

HEALTH CALENDAR WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22 Healthy Choices, 7-8 p.m. at Subur-

ban Hospital Lambert Building, 8710 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Tenweek structured program to help you learn a non-diet lifestyle approach to weight management. A Suburban Hospital registered dietitian will help you get started on the best way to achieve a healthy body through nutrition, exercise and behavioral skills. $145. www.suburbanhospital.org.

SATURDAY, JAN. 25 CPR and AED at MedStar Montgomery, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Montgomery

Medical Center, 1801 Prince Philip Drive, Olney. The Heartsaver class teaches basic CPR, rescue breathing, and relief of choking for adults, infants and children and Automated External Deﬁbrillator use. After successful completion, the student will receive a Heartsaver AED card from the American Heart Association. Class is for the lay community and is not adequate for individuals who have or will have patientcare responsibilities. This class is not designed for health care providers. If you are a health care provider, please register under BLS and CPR for Healthcare Professionals. $80. www.medstarhealth.org.

MONDAY, JAN. 27 Look Good … Feel Better, from 1-3 p.m. at Johns Hopkins Health Care and Surgery Center, 6420 Rockledge Drive, Suite 1200, Bethesda. Women cancer

patients in active treatment are invited to Look Good … Feel Better. This free program will show you how to combat the appearance-related side effects of treatment. Trained, volunteer cosmetologists will demonstrate how to cope with skin changes and hair loss. Offered in partnership with the American Cancer Society. Registration required. Free. www.suburbanhospital.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 28 Learn to Understand Your Anger, 7-9 p.m. at Suburban Hospital CR 1/2 (second ﬂoor), 8600 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Understand your anger style, its triggers and the impact on your health. Discover healthy and practical techniques for managing your anger in everyday situations. Not appropriate for court referrals. $20. www.suburbanhospital.org.

UPCOMING Qigong, 10:45-11:45 a.m. Thursdays, Jan. 23 to Feb. 27 at Bethesda Regional Service Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, second ﬂoor, Bethesda. Focus on maintaining good health and preventing chronic ailments through the cultivation of life energy. Unlike Tai Chi, Qigong uses minimal movement, concentrates on proper alignment and meditation. Exercises can be practiced from a standing or sitting position. $70. www.suburbanhospital.org. Healthy Weigh Series, 5:30-6:15 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 29 to March 19, at Suburban Hospital Lambert Building

(second floor), 8710 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Focusing on the building blocks of a healthy diet, explore the latest topics in nutrition, exercise and lifestyle issues that can affect weight management. Topics include portion size, making healthier menu options when dining out, and bulking upon fiber rich food. Facilitated by licensed/registered dietician. $85. www.suburbanhospital.org. Senior Shape: Stability Ball, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Thursdays to March 27 at the Gaithersburg Senior Center (Bohrer Park), 506 Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg. Taught by a certified instructor, program will tone and define core muscles and help build better balance. Dress comfortably. Bring an exercise ball, hand-held weights or speak with the instructor to determine the right kind of ball to use. $15. (Also 9-9:45 a.m. Mondays, to March 31 at the Holiday Park Community Center, 3950 Ferrara Drive, Wheaton, $30; 11-11:45 a.m. Tuesdays at the Margaret Schweinhaut Center, 1000 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, $30), www.suburbanhospital.org. Senior Shape: Advanced Weight Training, from 10-10:45 a.m. Fridays to

March 28, at Holiday Park Community Center, 3950 Ferrara Drive, Wheaton. Taught by a certiﬁed instructor, this exercise program, participants perform a variety of weight-training exercises at a faster pace to increase muscular strength and endurance while getting the heart rate up. Form is emphasized to insure maximal results while keeping the joints safe. Dress comfortably. Bring a mat. $30. www.suburbanhospital.org.

Silbert, Robinette The families of Stephen Robinette and Dara Silbert are happy to announce their engagement. The couple are high school/college sweethearts. The bride-to-be received her bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and master’s degree from Loyola University Maryland. The prospective groom graduated from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he is also pursuing his master’s. The couple are living and working in the Annapolis area. A Mount Airy wedding is planned for September 2014.

RELIGION CALENDAR ONGOING Damascus United Methodist Church,

9700 New Church St., Damascus, offers traditional Sunday morning worship services at 8:15 a.m., a youth contemporary worship service at 9:30 a.m. and a service of liturgy and the word at 11 a.m. with Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. for all ages during the school year. www.damascusumc. org. Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 7730 Bradley Boulevard, Bethesda, offers services at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. each Sunday, with Sunday School for all ages scheduled at 10 a.m. Child care is offered from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. A fellowship and coffee hour follows the 8:30 a.m. service. 301365-5733, www.elcbethesda.org.

Liberty Grove United Methodist Church, 15225 Old Columbia Pike, Bur-

tonsville, conducts Sunday morning worship services at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday school, nursery through adult, is at 9:30 a.m. 301-421-9166. For a schedule of events, visit www.libertygrovechurch.org. “MOPS,” a faith-based support group for mothers of children, birth through kindergarten, meets from 9-11:30 a.m. the ﬁrst and third Wednesdays of the month at the Frederick Church of the Brethren, 201 Fairview Drive, Frederick. Child care is provided. For more information call 301662-1819. Email mops@fcob.net. Neelsville Presbyterian Church, 20701 Frederick Road, Germantown, has returned to its fall worship schedule, with services at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays. Sunday School for all ages at 9:40 a.m. www.Neels-

ville.org.

Providence United Methodist Church, 3716 Kemptown Church Road, Monrovia, conducts a contemporary service at 8 a.m. followed by a traditional service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday mornings, with children’s Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and adult Sunday school at 11 a.m. For more information, call 301-253-1768. Visit www. kemptownumc.org. Trinity Lutheran Church, 11200 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, conducts services every Sunday, with child care from 8 a.m. to noon and fellowship and a coffee hour following each service. 301-881-7275. For a schedule of events, visit www.TrinityELCA.org.

Chancel choir auditions and rehearsals, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at Liberty Grove

Methodist Church, 15225 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville. Call 301-421-9166 or visit www.libertygrovechurch.org. “Healing for the Nations,” 7 p.m. every ﬁrst and third Saturday of the month at South Lake Elementary School, 18201 Contour Road, Gaithersburg. Sponsored by King of the Nations Christian Fellowship, the outreach church service is open to all who are looking for hope in this uncertain world. Prayer for healing available. Translation into Spanish and French. Call 301-251-3719. Visit www.kncf.org. Geneva Presbyterian Church, potluck lunches at 11:30 a.m. the second Sunday of each month at 11931 Seven Locks Road, Potomac. There is no fee to attend. All are welcome to bring a dish to share; those not bringing dishes are also welcome. Call 301-424-4346.

The Gazette OUROPINIONS

Forum

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

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Toilets from the Toolbox

Some called it a “cursed” space in the Kentlands, a twostory restaurant location that has seen a handful of businesses come and go. But, who knew the key to success at the spot is a potty? The city believes so much that the bathroom will break the spell, it is betting on it with city residents’ tax dollars — 10,000 of them, to be exact, out of a fund meant to bring jobs to the city. Even though the property at 654 Center Point Way is owned by the commercial real estate firm Beatty Cos., the city has agreed to help pay to build bathrooms on the first floor of a restaurant being leased by Matt Largent who is working to open up Largent’s Restaurant & Bar. The money is coming out of an TAXPAYERS PAY TO HELP economic development incentive called the Toolbox. PRIVATE FIRM program According to the city’s ApMARKET ITS plication and Instruction Guide, PROPERTY “Incentives are generally directed toward existing businesses (in operation for more than 2 years) that exhibit growth potential and provide stable, well-paying jobs. Additionally, certain incentives are related to longterm marketability of commercial space.” One of the qualifications listed is the assistance of longterm commercial vacancies through tenant “fit-up” grants. Was the original intent of the Toolbox grant program to help commercial real estate firms market their properties? Or was the Toolbox fund meant to help local companies alter spaces to fit their new company’s needs — like a biotech firm upgrading the HVAC system of a warehouse? The bathroom project at the soon-to-be Largent’s Restaurant & Bar is projected to cost about $60,000. That’s not chump change for a guy taking a chance on a location with an awful track record. Shouldn’t Beatty have invested in its own property to fix a design flaw and keep a tenant? The Toolbox applicant must be relocating to the city or expanding a business currently in the city, according to the fund’s guidelines. In addition, the Toolbox application lists restaurant and retail uses as eligible only if they involve the opening of a subsequent location of an existing business or the expansion (at least 1,000 square feet) of a business currently in the Olde Towne Enterprise Zone. Downtown Kentlands is not in the Olde Town Enterprise Zone and this is the first Largent’s in the city. No doubt this empty commercial property has been a black eye in the downtown Kentlands business district, and leasing the space has proven difficult. But, isn’t providing a desirable space the job of the property owner? Providing a successful platform for a client like Largent and thus a long-term lessee of your property, is the job of the property owner, not the job of the taxpayer. It’s much like a homeowner who paints the interior of his home or fixes a leaky faucet before putting it on the market to attract a buyer. Maybe homeowners looking to sell their property should ask the city to chip in.

Getting along on the playground The struggle in today’s electronic-device society usually is how to get children outside to play. Friendship Heights Village has the right idea by deciding to build a new neighborhood playground at Page Park. The debate there is the scope and look of the playground. We took notice when Cleonice Tavani Carleton spoke critically of the current plan, likening it to “the manyheaded Hydra, the monster of Greek antiquity slain by Hercules.” Carleton’s words were supported by an artist rendering showing large tentacle-like tubes jutting out of a base that appears to be as tall as a townhouse. We commend village officials whose instinct is to give youngsters something big, bright and adventurous. The firm working on the plans, G.E. Fielder & Associates, has an impressive portfolio of elaborate playground projects and a serious approach. But we can see the point of people who live nearby and think the current plan, with more than a dozen pieces of equipment, clashes with the character of the neighborhood. We hope village officials and the design firm take those reservations to heart and scale back the plan. The enclosed tubes in the plan look fun to slide down, but probably are meant for older children. Eliminating those would be a positive step toward creating a good fit. We suggest a session in which village officials, the design firm, parents and nearby residents look for common ground. But, first, they should play — a board game, charades, anything. As Plato said, “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”

The Gazette Karen Acton, President/Publisher

LETTERS TOT HE EDITOR

For deer, sharpshooters may be only option

In his letter to The Gazette [“We don’t need hunts to manage deer,” Jan. 15], Avi Goldscheider strenuously objects to the managed deer kill in Montgomery County. Evidently Mr. Goldscheider confuses “managed deer kills” with kill to extinction. There is no current program in Montgomery County calling for the elimination of deer or most other wildlife. Management of the current deer herd is the only wildlife control program underway and it does not call for deer elimination. The writer mentions better and more humane ways to keep the deer population under control such as birth control, fencing and trained dogs to herd the deer. Birth control has been tried in other states and has never proved effective. Fencing is not an option. The Department of Agriculture states that a white tail deer can easily jump 12 feet or as much as 15 feet if pursued by a predator. That would require a magniﬁcent fence. Trained dogs used for herding erroneously implies that once the deer are herded into a speciﬁc area they would like it well enough to stay. That will never happen. Also, if a herd of deer is threatened, the

Pay attention to the central committee Over the course of the past two decades, Montgomery County has become a bastion of the Democratic Party, with not a single Republican representing its residents at any level of government following the 2012 election cycle. This was no accident; Democrats have both a population advantage and a history of good governance in our county. But with great power comes great responsibility. In the coming months, a new generation of Democrats will be campaigning for election to the little known Democratic Central Committee, the local party’s official administration. Some of our county’s most important elected officials and civic activists have served on the central committee. Furthermore, in lieu of special elections, the central committee recommends candidates to the governor to fill General Assembly vacancies. Central committee members work tirelessly for the party, without pay and often at the sacrifice of family and friends, and many help to shape policy both at the county and state levels by influencing the party’s platform. I urge both readers and journalists alike to take a sincere interest in reporting happenings on the committee.

Hamza Khan, Potomac The writer is a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates, District 15.

usual reaction is that the herd scatters making herding virtually impossible. Mr. Goldscheider further states that the management practices will give hunters an excuse to invade our parks. Since the kill is to occur from dusk to dawn, Maryland deer hunting laws restrict hunting to one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. This virtually eliminates hunting by casual sportsmen and allows hunting only by the “trained sharpshooters” speciﬁed by the program. The writer provides statistics from other states that have had deer-management issues. He says that after 17 years of deer culling, Wisconsin’s deer population has remained unchanged. It sounds to me like Wisconsin’s deer-management program is working. In making a point that the deerculling program in New Jersey is ineffective, he says that the deer population has actually increased from 63.2 deer per square mile in 1996 to 65 deer per square mile in 2009. An increase of 1.8 deer per square mile in a 13-year span can hardly be described as a population explosion. The question remains as to what the deer population would have been if culling programs had not been

implemented. Mr. Goldscheider’s point that where deer management occurs, the deer population actually increases defies logic. He says that surviving deer have less competition over scarce food sources and nature fights back with multiple births the following season. If the deer population increases, I would assume that there would be more competition next season which would not result in multiple births. The writer’s points regarding culling’s effects on plants, salamanders, and other creatures cannot be substantiated. As Ohio State’s researcher, Katherine Greenwald, stated, “Officials need to know more about the forest ecosystem before making decisions about wildlife management.” Granted that management of the deer population is a constant recurring problem but using sharpshooters appears to be the only viable solution. Introduction of predators to keep the deer numbers low is not the way to go. Pennsylvania tried it in small areas where coyotes were imported but now these areas have a bigger problem.

Tom Bolavage, Derwood

Is Gansler who we want? For Doug Gansler to liken Obamacare’s implementation in Maryland to a “Saturday Night Live skit” shows a disturbing pattern. Maybe he should have considered attending a meeting of the Health Care Reform Council, which he is a member of, and been a part of a solution. Instead he elected not to show up for one meeting in the last two years. Mr. Gansler then said, “It’s very hard for anybody to point to anything that Anthony Brown has ever managed or ever run.” Anthony Brown was awarded the Policymaker/Elected Ofﬁcial Award in 2011 by the Associated Defense Communities for his work with the Base Realignment Closure in Maryland. Anthony Brown’s leadership has resulted in Maryland having the highest women-owned and African-American businesses per capita in the U.S. What about Mr. Brown’s work on the Purple Line?

Mr. Gansler was the only sitting county prosecutor ever reprimanded by the Maryland Court of Appeals in 2003 for comments on two high-proﬁle cases while he was the County Prosecutor in Montgomery County; he claimed the reprimand was political payback. Then in 2006 Mr. Gansler joking called Frederick County “Fredneck.” Mr. Gansler implied that Mr. Brown was using race to get elected in July of 2013, when asked to apologize his comment was, “I don’t know what I would apologize for.” Doug Gansler has not learned from his past mistakes and refuses to accept any responsibility for his past irresponsible comments. Is this leadership and what we want in our next governor?

Jim Martin, Bethesda

Article omits support from town center developer The article on Jan. 1 [“Clarksburg-Boyds development issues at forefront in 2014”] does a very good job of summarizing the numerous land use issues facing the upcounty as we begin 2014. However, the article omits one key fact regarding Clarksburg Premium Outlets at Cabin Branch. It fails to mention that, in addition to the community’s broad and deep support for the proposal, it is also supported by the owner of Clarksburg Town Center. In a letter sent to the Montgomery County Hearing Examiner regarding Clarks-

burg Premium Outlets, the Elm Street Development president wrote that specialty outlet retail “will generate additional economic activity and bring new people and shoppers to Clarksburg and the Town Center.” When you add that fact to the support Cabin Branch has won from the Montgomery County Planning Board, the County Hearing Examiner, and, most importantly, the Clarksburg community, it is clear that the time has come to approve Clarksburg Premium Outlets at Cabin Branch.

9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 | Phone: 301-948-3120 | Fax: 301-670-7183 | Email: opinions@gazette.net More letters appear online at www.gazette.net/opinion

Douglas Tallman, Editor Krista Brick, Managing Editor/News Glen C. Cullen, Senior Editor Copy/Design Meredith Hooker, Managing Editor/Internet Robert Rand, Managing Editor/Presentation

Andrew Schotz, Assistant Managing Editor Nathan Oravec, A&E Editor Ken Sain, Sports Editor Dan Gross, Photo Editor Jessica Loder, Web Editor

Dennis Wilston, Corporate Advertising Director Doug Baum, Corporate Classiﬁeds Director Mona Bass, Inside Classiﬁeds Director

Jean Casey, Director of Marketing and Circulation Anna Joyce, Creative Director, Special Pubs/Internet Ellen Pankake, Director of Creative Services

Sandy Barrier, Clarksburg

POST COMMUNITY MEDIA Karen Acton, Chief Executive Ofﬁcer Michael T. McIntyre, Controller Donna Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources Maxine Minar, President, Comprint Military Shane Butcher, Director of Technology/Internet

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

THE GAZETTE

Maryland’s Best/Worst 2013, Part I Quotes of the year

meaningful reform.” — Gubernatorial candidate Heather Mizeur. “We’ll never change the (Red“Unfortunately, your governor skins) name. It’s that simple. has made Maryland the Tax and NEVER — you can use all caps.” — Fee state, where businesses and NFL Washington Redskins owner families are paying some of the Dan Snyder. highest taxes in America. ... We “This is my jail. I’m dead se- pray for rain in Texas, you tax it.” rious. ... I make every final call in — Texas Gov. Rick Perry during his this jail ... and nothMaryland visit. ing go [sic] past me, “Quick open this beeverything come to fore the NSA does!” — me.” — Wire tap of ACLU mailer. Tavon Martin, Black “There’s no doubt Guerrilla family gang about it, we made a misleader in the statetake. But quite frankly run Baltimore jail. some women’s bod“This is a positive ies just don’t work for it development.” — [Lululemon see-through Gov. Martin O’Malley yoga pants]. It’s redescribing the FBI’s ally about the rubbing Baltimore Jail bust MY MARYLAND through the thighs, how and arrest of more much pressure is there.” BLAIR LEE than two dozen cor— Lululemon founder rupt guards and inChip Wilson explaining mates. the recall of yoga pants shortly be“We ask that you stop run- fore his comments forced his resning around the country, running ignation from the company. for president. Get back into your “There is some logic for the office and take responsibility for FBI [HQ] going to Prince George’s the office of which you have been because that’s where they’ll find elected.” — House Republican Nic the people they have to pack up.” Kipke criticizing O’Malley for the — Gerald Gordon, Fairfax County Baltimore jail scandal. Economic Development presi“I tried to copy Earl Weaver. I dent. think it was my first week of man“Commissioner Gray is a aging in New York and I came out nice fellow, but he’s a sneaky, to home plate, started arguing with snide little man. He always has the umpire, kicking dirt around. been. He will backstab you in a And they threw me out and said, New York second.” — Frederick ‘We ain’t taking Earl Weaver crap County Commissioner Blaine here.’” — Washington Nationals Young on fellow Commissioner manager Davey Johnson. David Gray. “Well none of my guys [play“This is our house. Let’s proers] could ‘cause they can’t score.” tect it. Let’s send a Prince Georgian — Davey Johnson when asked why down to Annapolis to be the goverhis players don’t date porn stars. nor. Let’s send a Prince Georgian “When a perpetrator comes down to put his name on the budinto my house I want my gun to get. Let’s send a Prince Georgian look scary” — Del. Kathy Afzali on down to put his name on the legwhy she opposed a ban on assault islative priorities.” — Lt. Gov. Anweapons. thony Brown’s Oct. 21 speech at a “I accept full responsibility be- P.G. Co. political breakfast. cause it happened on my watch. “Michael Beatty got an $88 Even though the consultants said million tax break and all I got was it was the responsibility of the this damn T-shirt.” — T-shirts on designers, the architects and the protesters against Baltimore city engineers. I’m the county execu- tax breaks for new Harbor Point tive, I accept responsibility.” — project. Montgomery County Executive “We’ve done everything we Ike Leggett on the defective Silver can. We’ve done a lot to minimize Spring Transit Center. risk, and we need to maintain flex“I’m not going in there to get ibility to respond to any unforere-elected in four years. I’m go- seen consequences. ...” — Lt. Gov. ing in there to blow the doors off Anthony Brown, six months before the place and bring about strong Maryland’s Obamacare website

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crashed. “The bottom line is the [health care] act is a monster. It tries to solve too many problems in one bill that’s thicker than the IRS code.” — Former state Sen. Frank Kelly on Obamacare. “So, it’s not a termination or a cancellation. What we’re really talking about are renewal notices.” — Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown describing health policy cancellation notices sent to 73,000 Marylanders in accordance with Obamacare. “It’s [Obamacare] worth the trouble. It’s going to be a glorious thing [for Democrats to run on].” — Rep. Nancy Pelosi reassuring nervous Democrats. “But there would be no reason to reform and extend health insurance if we did not have moral obligations to one another. ... It’s only ﬁtting that those with higher incomes bear some responsibility for maintaining the health of Americans who are less fortunate.” — Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich on Obamacare. “We’re hung up on this one case where this one fellow was in fact found not guilty by a jury. That’s the way the American law system works. Get over it.” — Maryland Rep. Andy Harris on the George Zimmerman verdict in the Trayvon Martin slaying trial. “I think we’ve hit our quota of bad legislation. This is probably the most left-wing session in the history of Maryland.” — Republican Del. Michael Hough describing the 2013 General Assembly session. “I did not like the [2012] redistricting. I think we could have done a better job.” — House Speaker Mike Busch on Maryland’s congressional gerrymandering that he helped write. “Gail will show up for an envelope opening.” — Democratic leader Jim Adams on Republican Del. Gail Bates’ high visibility in her Howard County district. Blair Lee is chairman of the board of Lee Development Group in Silver Spring and a regular commentator for WBAL radio. His column appears Fridays in the Business Gazette. His past columns are available at www. gazette.net/blairlee. His email address is blairleeiv@gmail.com.

Page A-15

LETTERS TOT HE EDITOR

Trash haulers pick up garbage as the snow begins to fall on Tuesday morning in Olney.

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Our unsung heroes: trash and recycling workers

Every week I’m amazed to watch how quickly the county’s trash and recycling workers run through our neighborhood picking up our leavings. They’re always on time, and they’re always hustling. In my opinion, we all owe them a big debt of thanks for being so dedicated. It’s hard work, and I’m sure they’re not getting rich from it. We also all owe a debt of gratitude to the county’s administrators who set up and oversee the trash and recycling program. Somehow they’ve arranged it such that it runs efficiently and well with motivated workers.

This year I had wanted to give a tip to our garbage men for Christmas like we do with our postal workers and newspaper delivery people, but I was unable to do so because they move so fast, I couldn’t ﬁgure out how to stop them in time. I know other towns and cities are working to make personal connections between sanitation workers and the residents they serve. I’d recommend that Montgomery County ﬁnd a way to do the same thing. Let us know who these folks are that serve us every week, so we can say thank you properly!

Peter Viechnicki, Silver Spring

Confused and disappointed Under-21 alcohol use is illegal, unhealthy and unacceptable. I have observed the controlled party dispersal protocol for underage drinking when probable cause has been established. It is a very safe way for interacting with youth. Why would adults put other children at risk by allowing underage alcohol use? Sexual assault, unwanted pregnancy, alcohol poisoning, ﬁghting, concealed weapons,

and crashes often cause life-altering injuries or death. Can you honestly support parental behavior that endangers lives? Why is there such a pervasive attitude of disrespect of youth and of the ofﬁcers who are sworn to protect and to serve? Color me confused and disappointed in the actions of parents.

Margaret Baker, Germantown

THE GAZETTE

Page A-16

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Film, TV productions bolster Maryland’s bottom line Industry brings jobs and money to state

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

Jack Gerbes and the Maryland Film Office have had a good week. On Jan. 12, Robin Wright captured a Best Actress Golden Globe for her role in “House of Cards,” which was shot largely in Maryland and the upcoming season includes the House of Delegates chamber in Annapolis standing in for the U.S. Senate. On Thursday, the film “Philomena,” shot partially in Montgomery County, received four Academy Award nominations including for Best Picture and Best Actress for Judi Dench. And on Saturday, the Susan Sarandon film “Ping Pong Summer,” shot in Ocean City, made its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Add in the fact that the American Film Institute recently named both “House of Cards” and the Maryland-based “Veep,” starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to its list of Top 10 shows of 2013, and the film office has had a productive year. Gerbes, the office’s director, said that in fiscal 2013, the film industry in Maryland generated $197 million through the production of both large and small films, commercials, industrial films and other works. The success of his office is evaluated by several factors, such as the number of Mary-

landers hired as actors, extras and crew for productions in the state, how much money productions spend in the state and how many Maryland businesses were utilized during the shoot. The first season of “House of Cards” hired 2,198 actors extras and crew, Gerbes said. The production also bought or rented goods or services from 1,814 Maryland businesses or vendors. Season One of “Veep” hired 978 Marylanders and patronized 1,141 Maryland businesses, Gerbes said. Cities such as Baltimore and Annapolis have long been standins for Washington, D.C., a tradition continued on “Veep” and “House of Cards.” The D.C. film office has a difficult job, Gerbes acknowledged, because the logistics of dealing with multiple local and federal jurisdictions and agencies in the nation’s capital means that productions often find it easier to be based in Maryland and only go to D.C. for shots you can’t get anywhere else, such as the monuments or other landmarks. Carol Flaisher, a Cabin John resident, served as the production supervisor and location manager for “Philomena.” She said Maryland offers a variety of settings, from cities to mountains and the Eastern Shore, as well as four distinct seasons. “We have a fabulous autumn here,” she said. In 35 years in the business, the Walter Johnson High School graduate said she tries to bring as many productions as possible

British ﬁlm crews shot part of “Philomena,” starring Judi Dench, outside of St. Paul’s Community Church in Poolesville in November 2012. to Maryland. “Whenever they want the rolling hills of Virginia, I bring them to Maryland,” she said. While most of “Philomena” was shot in England and Ireland, partswereﬁlmedinBethesda,Darnestown, Gaithersburg, Potomac and Cabin John, Flaisher said. The production definitely

brought money into the local economy, with the cast and crew patronizing a variety of shops and businesses, she said. Gerbes also addressed an item that has been making the rounds on the Internet and social media that featured a map of the U.S. with the best movie based in each state, as

determined by Reddit user “Jakubisko.” The map listed “Silence of the Lambs” as the best movie based in Maryland. Hannibal Lecter’s prison was supposedly in Baltimore in the ﬁlm, but, in real life, actor Anthony Hopkins never actually consumed any fava beans or a nice Chianti in Maryland. The website Internet Movie Database lists ﬁlming locations for “Silence of the Lambs” in the District, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee and the Bahamas, but none in the Free State. Gerbes likened choosing his favorite movie actually shot in Maryland to a parent trying to pick his favorite child. “It’s hard to choose, because we love them all,” he said. But he ultimately listed the 1995 Bruce Willis-Brad Pitt film “Twelve Monkeys,” Will

FILE PHOTO

Smith’s 1998 thriller “Enemy of the State” and 2004’s “Ladder 49” starring John Travolta and Joaquin Phoenix as some of the productions he looks back on most fondly. And also, “Just about any John Waters movie,” he said. He also singled out the classic Baltimore-based HBO series “The Wire,” which had a notoriously fraught relationship with Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) when he was the city’s mayor, as an outstanding Maryland-based production. But Gerbes said while he’s passionate about movies, the most important aspect of his job is bringing in productions that will create jobs and revenue in Maryland. “When it comes down to it, it’s jobs and stimulating our local economies,” he said. rmarshall@gazette.net

County offers free buses to regional senior centers About 300 residents have signed up for program n

SYLVIA CARIGNAN STAFF WRITER

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The county is providing a new transportation service to get more residents into its regional senior centers. On Friday, County Executive Isiah Leggett and several council members announced the Senior Center Transportation Initiative with a press conference at Wheaton’s Holiday Park Senior Center. Judy Stiles, a spokeswoman for the county’s recreation department, said the service is provided through a partnership between the Jewish Council on Aging and the county. The county’s contract with the Jewish Council on Aging is projected to be $687,000 in the county’s fiscal year 2015 budget. The service started on Jan. 13, according to Jewish Council on Aging Senior Director for Supportive Services Elinor Ginzler. On weekdays, seniors can request to be picked up by a bus provided by the Jewish Council on Aging and transported to and from their nearest county senior center. The free service is available for residents age 55 and over who are living up to five miles from a senior center. In denser areas, Stiles said, that radius may shrink to two miles. Residents may call one of the five senior centers to request the service to be picked up at their homes. The county’s five senior centers will participate: Long Branch in Silver Spring; Holiday Park in Wheaton; Margaret Schweinhaut in Forest Glen; White Oak in Silver Spring and Damascus. The initiative is targeting senior centers that are not currently served by Ride On bus routes. Each of the five centers will be served by a Jewish Council on Aging bus. Stiles said about 300 residents have already signed up for the service.

“We are expecting the number to increase to approximately 500 or more,” she said. As part of the initiative, the buses also will transport seniors to mini-trip destinations in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas, from the ﬁve senior centers and 11 “Active Adult Neighborhood Programs,” in smaller community centers. Stiles said the county is restoring the popular mini-trip program after budget cuts in past years reduced its resources. At the press conference, a handful of residents attended and got a tour of one of the Jewish Council on Aging’s buses. One bus has about 20 seats, with capacity for two wheelchairs, Ginzler said. Ginzler said the partnership between the Jewish Council and the county emerged from the county’s need to expand senior transportation services. Before the county’s contract with the Jewish Council, senior centers transported some seniors on certain days of the week to their facilities. Now, Jewish Council on Aging buses can transport seniors every weekday. Stiles said residents of multi-unit senior housing developments, like Riderwood and Leisure World, would be eligible for the county’s service. The county’s recreation department is making an effort to get more seniors into its regional centers, Stiles said. The centers provide education on fall prevention, health screenings, nutrition services and other programs, and are priced individually. Daily pickup for the senior centers starts at 8:30 a.m. and afternoon dropoff is between 2:30 and 4 p.m., Stiles said. Ginzler said the Jewish Council is looking forward to possible future expansions of the service through new county senior centers. “We are happy to provide this service,” she said. scarignan@gazette.net

CLARKSBURG BOYS’ BASKETBALL TURNS TO BASEBALL GADGET TO UPSET SPRINGBROOK, B-3

SPORTS BETHESDA | KENSINGTON

www.gazette.net | Wednesday, January 22, 2014 | Page B-1

Walter Johnson diver among county’s best

HOW THEY RANK BOYS The 10 best boys’ basketball teams in Montgomery County as ranked by The Gazette’s sports staff:

Rank 1.

School

Record Pts

Bullis

14-3 60

Montrose Christian 9-5 53

Gaithersburg

11-1 48

St. Andrew’s

12-2 41

Springbrook

9-2 35

Clarksburg

9-3 31

Montgomery Blair 9-2 23

Walt Whitman

10-3 16

Rockville

9-2 15

10.

Poolesville

9-2 8

UMBC recruit Katie Young ﬁnished third at 2013 Metros n

BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

Walter Johnson High School senior diver Katie Young said she enters every meet with two main goals: Don’t fail a dive and don’t get last. While even the best occasionally do the former, there is about a 100 per-

cent chance of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County recruit accomplishing the latter. “I think those standards are low enough for me to get by on,” Young said jokingly. In all seriousness, though, walking to the edge of a diving board during championship season in Maryland and Montgomery County in particular, can be quite daunting. With athletes the likes of two-time defending Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swim-

ming and Diving champion Kali Becker of Winston Churchill, teammate and defending state champion Mashal Hashem and recent Northwest graduate MacKenzie Cornell (Penn State), Washington, D.C. area high school championship meets might as well be national competitions. Fortunately for Young, who said she had been intimidated by national-level meets earlier in her diving tenure, she pays little attention to what her peers are doing.

in repetition

BEST BET

Gaithersburg at Clarksburg, 5:15 p.m., Friday: The ﬁrst time

they met, it wasn’t close. The Trojans won 83-59. The Coyotes are playing better of late.

TOP SCORERS

Record Pts

Damascus

11-2 60

Walt Whitman

11-2 54

Paint Branch

10-2 48

Poolesville

10-1 37

Holy Child

12-3 34

Good Counsel

10-6 26

Montgomery Blair 10-2 25

John F. Kennedy

8-1 21

Seneca Valley

9-3 19

10.

Gaithersburg

7-4 6

Others receiving votes: None.

BEST BET

Blair at Poolesville, 7 p.m. Friday: Whitney Carmack (16.7

points) and the Falcons look to continue their strong season against the Blazers.

TOP SCORERS

Name, school K. Prange, Damascus B. Beckwith, Quince Orchard S. Addison, Wootton J. Karim-Duvall, Churchill D. Walker, Watkins Mill K. Meredith, Northwest D. Harris, Paint Branch W. Carmack, Poolesville D. Lerner, Jewish Day J. Craig, Seneca Valley

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PPG 19.3 18.7 18.1 18.0 17.6 17.1 16.9 16.7 16.6 15.9

TRAVIS MEWHIRTER STAFF WRITER

The 10 best girls’ basketball teams in Montgomery County as ranked by The Gazette’s sports staff:

School

Friedman shoots 500 to 1,000 shots a day to develop his accuracy

PPG 26.9 23.8 22.2 21.4 20.5 20.4 19.2 19.0 18.5 18.2

GIRLS

Rank 1.

See DIVER, Page B-2

GEORGE P. SMITH/FOR THE GAZETTE

Walt Whitman High School diver Katie Young is one of the county’s best.

perfection

Others receiving votes: None.

Name, school A. Trier, Montrose Christian J. Friedman, Sandy Spring W. English, McLean I. Kallon, Wheaton M. Adkison, St. Andrew’s N. Segura, The Heights J. McKay, McLean K. Williams, Kennedy T. Stottlemyer, Poolesville J. Bradshaw, Einstein

“My main goal is more individual,” she said. After a 10th-place finish at Metros her freshman year, Young set her sights on another top 10 ﬁnish in 2012 and succeeded with a repeat 10thplace performance. Last year she upped the stakes to top ﬁve and took third, just four points behind Hashem in second place and ahead of Cornell. “I kind of surprised myself

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Sandy Spring Friends School senior Jason Friedman shoots against Grace Brethren Christian School in Thursday’s boys’ basketball game.

ere are the numbers: 80, the amount of shots Sandy S p r i n g Friends S c h o o l coach Carl Parker wants his team to hoist up every 32 minutes; 50, the percentage of those shots that should come off the hands of Jason Friedman; 20, the total number of 3-pointers Parker asks of Friedman every game; 11, the number of seconds each Sandy Spring possession should last before ﬁring up a shot. Some of those goals may seem unattainable. For the most part, they are. Ever since Parker implemented that system prior to a 91-55 loss to Georgetown Day, he hasn’t seen all of them reached in the same game. It’s unconventional in nearly every way, but Parker understands who he has in front of him — the 6-foot-2 Friedman — and how to maximize the senior’s, and therefore his team’s, potential: get him as many shots as possible. “It’s a lot of looks,” Parker

said. “It’s basically Grinnell style. That’s what it is.” Grinnell College became famous for its 3-point happy, offense-ﬁrst style of play that led to a record-breaking 138-point night from Jack Taylor in November of 2012. Friedman is Parker’s Taylor. “It’s more exciting,” the coach said. “It’s more fun to watch. It’s really based on the fact that we have an outside shooter. You don’t get that a lot. If I don’t run my offense through him then I wouldn’t be much of a coach because here’s the deal, if you put him on the line and you don’t contest him, he’ll make the three. That’s a given.” Friedman says he has always had a natural gift for basketball. His mother, a Kansas native, was All-County, maybe All-State, according to the son, and passed along her genetic knack for basketball to Jason. But 10 threes in a game — the amount he buried in a 46-point game against Georgetown Day — didn’t come from being the son of a decent high school basketball player. It came during lunches. It came during 50-minute free periods. It came from a disinterest in video games and a passion for

See PERFECTION, Page B-2

Coach ﬁnds something more valuable than money Seventeenth-year girls’ basketball gave up making it rich, wins 350 games instead n

BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

Longtime Damascus High School girls’ basketball coach Steve Pisarski had no plans to coach high school basketball when he graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1988, and certainly not girls, for that matter. Rather he, like so many other people

in this world, had grand hopes of making excessive amounts of money. “When I was 22, 23-years old, my goal was to become rich, so I became a stockbroker,” Pisarski said. “I worked at Merrill Lynch, I really couldn’t have asked for a better [opportunity]. But the idea of making all that money, and I could have if I’d stayed, didn’t override the fact that I couldn’t stand doing it.” Then one day, as he begrudgingly put on his perfectly pressed suit and tie, a thought crept in from the back of Pisarski’s mind:

See COACH, Page B-2

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Damascus High School girls’ basketball coach Steve Pisarski (right) demonstrates how to release the ball from the foul line for sophomore Claire Hanlon.

THE GAZETTE

Page B-2

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

DIVER

Continued from Page B-1 in how well I did and it made me realize I can do well,” Young said. “I know I’m not the best but it was nice.” Breaking into the top two will be tough but by no means out of reach and every extra point Young earns is crucial in resurgent Walter Johnson’s attempt to break into the county’s top three girls’ teams — the Wildcats have only lost to defending Metros and state champion Thomas S. Wootton (by only 11 points Saturday) and Churchill. “When I need someone to win diving [in a dual meet] I put her in, I can pretty much rely on her to win,” Walter Johnson coach Jamie Grimes said. “Diving counts as much as an individual event so it’s important to win everything we can.” Young is reliable because she is consistent. While she admittedly might not be as ﬂashy as someone like Becker, she also doesn’t really hit many lows, either. Her ascent into the upper echelon of area diving has been a gradual process in general, she said, but more drastic in the last year thanks to renewed commitment to the sport she only started in ﬁfth grade because her mother signed her up for it. A member of the Montgomery Dive Club’s national training group in middle school, Young’s aversion to big, national level championships led her to burn out and drop a level to the high school training group. By sophomore year she was back to national level training and it was evident in her jump from 10th to third at one of the country’s top high school competitions. What made her change her mind?

PERFECTION

Continued from Page B-1 basketball. Even during school days, Friedman estimates he hoists between 500 to 1,000 shots per day. He wolfs down lunch so he has a few leftover minutes to go shoot free throws. He uses his free period not for a study hall or to goof off with his buddies, but to go work on his release. Af-

Walt Whitman High School diver Katie Young is one of the county’s best as teams prepare for the ﬁnal meets of the season. “I was still doing summer league and there was something that made me want to get better,” Young said. “I was like, ‘I could probably get better if I dive more.’” Evident in her poise during last year’s third-place perfor-

mance at Metros, Young has learned to handle the pressure situations — she said she tries to think less and just go. She credits support from her friends in the county’s close knit diving community with easing her nerves at big meets, too.

Young came in at a time when Walter Johnson needed a top-level diver; former Metros champion Annie Kastler graduated in 2012. With a largely freshman and sophomore diving contingent behind her this year, Young has taken on a more

prominent leadership role, Grimes said. Young’s final high school championship season kicks off with the Division I meet Feb. 1. Chances are she’ll ﬁnish a lot closer to first this postseason than last.

“When [Young] was a freshman, she was a little intimidated to go out there and dive but she quickly learned she belongs at the top and can compete with these girls,” Grimes said.

ter practice, he doesn’t go home to shower and relax in front of the Xbox, he remains in the gym, alone, to shoot some more. “I’m always here, just shooting,” said Friedman, who added that he’s likely to attend a prep school next year. “Last free period I made 97 free throws in a row. It’s just form shooting. I don’t think there’s anybody else that shoots more than me. I just love having the ball in my hands.” Growing pains were a bless-

ing in painful disguise for Friedman. As a freshman, he was 5-foot-7, maybe 120 pounds, and then promptly shot up ﬁve inches in the next couple months. His knees ached bad enough that he was essentially limited to shooting. So he shot, all day every day. Born was the feathery 3-point touch that led to 51 of Sandy Spring’s 65 deep balls prior to Thursday’s 63-60 loss to Grace Brethren Christian. His

breakthrough came on back-toback 40-plus point nights — 46 against Georgetown Day and 41 against Saint Anselm’s — and he has added another six in the 20s. It’s slightly amusing he hasn’t been in the 30s yet. “Basically, he can just shoot the lights out,” St. Andrew’s Episcopal coach Kevin Jones said. “He’s deﬁnitely one of the best shooters that we’ve seen this season.” “There would be nights where

I just wouldn’t miss at all,” Friedman said. “And my conﬁdence went sky high. Last year and then this summer I changed my form, got a lot more consistent. Once I had that 46-point game I knew I could do that and then after that the 41 I knew the coach was still going to give me the green light. For the rest of the season I wanted to average at least 35.” Parker is the Director of Basketball Operations at Washington Adventist University, a small

school with a 1,493 enrollment in Takoma. He sees collegiate athletes every day, though he has yet to come across one who can shoot like his leading scorer at Sandy Spring. “I got some guys on my team that are great athletically and so forth,” he said. “[Friedman] is a better shooter than anybody I have on that team at Washington Adventist.”

he cares about the people who play for him,” Zegowitz said. “When I got a varsity job, I went and called him every day with questions and he was so helpful. Even when I wasn’t working with him he wanted to help out a former player.” Pisarski’s career win-loss record at Damascus as of Monday was 352-118 — he coached two years of varsity girls’ basketball at his alma mater Springbrook from 1994-96. The Swarmin’ Hornets have not dropped below 17 wins in a single season in more than 15 years. Four of his players have gone on to play Division I ball and a plethora more to Divisions II and III. “It was a neat thing but I’m getting old, so I guess it’s not that big of a deal, but you talk about 350 wins and that’s really just a compliment to the many, many talented players who have come through [Damascus],” said Pisarski, who thanked his wife and three children for their

support in letting him to do what he loves. True, the players are the ones who have to execute the game plan — Pisarski said his main role is to put them in a position to be successful — but the best teams beneﬁt from a symbiotic relationship between the coach and his team and that is exactly what Pisarski and the Swarmin’ Hornets share. He said he pushes his players hard because he truly believes in them and they want to work for him, said senior guard Jenna Kaufman, whose three older sisters played for Pisarski — Julie and Jessie returned to honor their old coach. Guard Lauren Green added that Pisarski has a knack for communicating with his players and is always open to their thoughts and opinions. “If someone else has an idea I think is good ... it’s dumb if you’re not willing to listen to your players,” Pisarski said. Pisarski grew up in an apart-

ment complex, playing basketball after school and in the summer is what kids there did, he said. A point guard, he went to college at Western Maryland (now McDaniel) to play basketball but transferred back to the University of Maryland after a year for ﬁnancial reasons. He spent three years as an assistant coach with the McDaniel men’s team before his stint at Springbrook, an admittedly tough adjustment but the start of something pretty amazing. “I went back to what I always said I would do when I was a kid,” Pisarski said. “I started playing basketball when I was 4 [years old] and I never stopped, so it makes sense that I’m still doing it. That’s why I probably never should have decided to be a stock broker. I’m far from rich but I have a much better quality of life every day. Sometimes it’s OK not to be rich.”

COACH

Continued from Page B-1 Deep down, he’d always wanted to coach basketball and be a teacher. So, back to the University of Maryland he went in 1991 to earn his teaching degree and embark on an entirely new career path. The opportunity to teach and convey his passion for the sport that played such an important role in his own upbringing, the relationships he’s built and maintained and the long-lasting impact he’s had on his players’ lives in and out of basketball, have ﬁlled a void that a bigger paycheck couldn’t, he said. On Jan. 10, before Damasucs’s 54-31 victory against Gaithersburg, more than 12 of his former players came back from all over — some with children of their own — for a surprise pre-game ceremony to honor Pisarski for reaching

GEORGE P. SMITH/FOR THE GAZETTE

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Damascus High School girls basketball coach Steve Pisarski, who recently eclipsed the 350th win mark, runs a practice. the 350th win mark during a 22-point win against Montgomery 3A/2A Division foe Poolesville four days earlier, something he said he no idea was coming. The showing, which Pisarski said made the milestone even more special, was indicative of

just how important a role he continues to play in many of his current and former players’ lives, said Lindsey Zegowitz, the current Walter Johnson coach and former player and assistant to Pisarski at Damascus. “He cares about his team,

jbeekman@gazette.net

tmewhirter@gazette.net

jbeekman@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Page B-3

Gaithersburg gaining control of 4A West Whitman on 10-game win streak, Holy Cross climbing up WCAC standings

Clarksburg High School’s Calob Carter takes the ball to the hoop against Springbrook on Friday.

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Clarksburg boys ﬁnd scores with baseball equipment n

Coyotes use pitch counters to calculate points per possession

There is a secret to Clarksburg High School’s boys’ basketball team holding previously No. 4 Springbrook to 52 points — the Blue Devils’ second lowest output of the season — in the Coyotes’ 55-52 upset win on Friday night: baseball equipment. Speciﬁcally, pitch counters. Clarksburg coach G.J. Kissal isn’t a big fan of the National Basketball Association, but curiosity got the better of him with the league’s recent fascination with advanced statistics, particularly the points per possession stat harped on by San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Kissal, lacking the abundant technological resources at Popovich’s disposal, has resulted to a more primitive method of calculating Clarksburg’s points per possession, divvying out pitch counters to his assistants to keep track of both the Coyotes’ production per trip down the court and the opposing team’s. He’s more concerned with the latter, noting that the goal is to limit the opposing team to .75

points per possession. Though Kissal hadn’t calculated the exact number for Springbrook, Prince George’s County coaches estimated that there are roughly 80 possessions in a normal game, give or take a few. This would come out to .65 points per possession for the Blue Devils on Friday night, easily satisfying Kissal’s goal of .75.

BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK BY TRAVIS MEWHIRTER “I kept hearing how Popovich stresses points per possession,” he said. “And I thought about it, and I didn’t think points per game was anaccuratemeasure,soIsaid,‘Let me try this.’ So I went to Modell’s and I bought two pitch counters, like baseball pitch counters. ... “The stats could not be clearer. In the games we have lost — in the three losses that we have — we have given up over .85 points per possession. Everything else is .75 or below. It’s proven effective.” When the Coyotes don’t hit that number — take an 83-59 drubbing at the hands of Gaithersburg in which the Trojans aver-

aged more than one point per trip (1.02 to be exact) — the result isn’t quite so pretty. “They kicked our [butt],” he said. “You get stops, you win.” Having a goal number has had an additional positive effect, aside from the winning aspect. It has gotten the players excited to playdefense.PriortoKissal,whois in his second year with the school, Clarksburg hadn’t played much man-to-man defense. Now, that’s all they play, and each individual feels a certain sense of accountability in reaching that goal of .75. “It gets us excited, it gets us into it,” Kissal said. “It allows them to focus. It’s taken time change the mindset. It’s funny. We put in our 2-3 [zone] at the beginning of the season and Josh [Hardy] and Xavier [Sewell] said, ‘We don’t want to play that,’ which makes me feel good because if you’ve ever seen us play, we don’t play zone.” At the season’s midpoint, it is still a work in progress. “We’re just playing hardnosed defense and turning our defense into offense basically,” Hardy said. And that’ll help both sides of the points per possession. tmewhirter@gazette.net

Churchill hockey to honor soliders County teams fare well at Winter Blitz wrestling tournament

Winston Churchill High School’s ice hockey team has long been the class of the Maryland Student Hockey League, but on Jan. 31, in a game against rival Bethesda-Chevy Chase, it will extend that class beyond wins and losses. The Bulldogs plan to wear camouﬂage jerseys in honor of the USA Warriors, a program designed to give military veterans who have been injured in military action the chance to play hockey in a environment that is suited to their needs.

PREP NOTEBOOK BY GAZETTE STAFF “The seniors on the team have organized this game as a way of reminding all of us of the value of our heroes to us, both on and off the ice, and to our community,” manager Scott Levenson said in a news release. Several members of the USA Warriors team are expected to be in attendance that evening when the puck is scheduled to drop at 6:20. — NICK CAMMAROTA

Watkins Mill surprises at wrestling tournament Among all the strong wrestlers featured at the Winter Blitz tournament at Charles H. Flowers High School on Saturday, it was a trio from Watkins Mill that quietly snuck under the radar. While Paint Branch won the tournament and Poolesville ﬁnished in third, the Wolverines shot all the way up to ﬁfth thanks to a strong championship round. At 106 pounds, Fabio Wuintanilla scored a 6-4 decision against Northwestern’s Steve Velasquez while Serigne Sock (113) won his match easier than the score would make it seem, beating Northwestern’s Abraam Benitez, 8-6. After starting the championshiproundwithtwowins,Watkins Mill heavyweight Billy Emerson

RAPHAEL TALISMAN/FOR THE GAZETTE

Watkins Mill High School’s’s Fabio Wuintanilla (top) gains advantage over Northwestern’s Steve Velasquez during Saturday’s 106-pound ﬁnal at the Winter Blitz. closed things out with a dramatic pin of Forestville Military Academy’s Khalil Proctor — a Division I football recruit — in 3 minutes, 42 seconds. — NICK CAMMAROTA

Blair, Poolesville rely on divisionals for next year No one has to sleep on the couch in the Johnny Leong/Emily Rawson household this week. The husband and wife, swimming and diving coaches at Poolesville and Montgomery Blair, respectively, competed against each other Saturday with their spots in the county’s top division on the line. The consolation prize, the two joked beforehand, would be a spot on the couch. The teams, however, split Saturday’s meet. Poolesville’s boysekedoutaone-pointwinand Blair’s girls won comfortably, 10071. “I waited for [Rawson] to go to bed and then I looked up her lineup,” Leong said with a chuckle. “It was almost like we were playing battleship when we were doing our lineups. I was like, ‘I’m going to try and do this,’ and thenshewouldcounterwith,‘Well then I’m going to do this.’ But it was very fun, we were both taking about what matchups would spotlight whom and what would bring the best out of our kids.” Either Blair or Poolesville, which made its debut in the coun-

ty’s top group this winter, will drop down to Division II next year based on this dual meet season but that decision will come down to the divisional meet Feb. 1. Each dual meet win is worth one point, teamsthenearnpointsindecreasing amounts — with more than a one-point differential — based on their finish at the division championship. The team with the lowest overall combined score between girls and boys, drops down to the next division. Saturday’s match capped off the division schedule with Poolesville ahead by a single point. Though Blair’s boys have not yet won a meet, the preseason favorite to contend for a state championship, is still capable of doing well this postseason. The Blazers, who were missing a couple swimmers Saturday, boast top-level talent and points awarded in relay events at championships are worth double those of individual events. Plus, swimmers are allowed an additional event — two individual, two relays — during the postseason. “It’s definitely going to come down to the divisional meet,” Leong said. “I think Blair will do well at divisionals. I’m crossing my fingers for Poolesville, though. Only time will tell.” — JENNIFER BEEKMAN

The Gaithersburg High School girls’ basketball team has won seven of its past nine games and sits atop the Montgomery 4A West Division after starting off the season 0-2. Senior Janessa Fauntroy is anchoring the Trojans frontline and scoring a team-high 12.7 points per game. The 6-foot-1 forward has been playing well of late, averaging over 15 points in Gaithersburg’s last four games that included a victory over Thomas S. Wootton on Friday. “This is the best game

GIRLS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK BY ERIC GOLDWEIN she’s played all year,” Gaithersburg coach Adrian McDaniel said after the Wootton win. “Honestly, I’ve been on her pretty hard because she’s not been contributing what she wanted. But today, she came in with a hurt knee and just took over like I needed her to.” Fauntroy, a second-team All-Gazette selection last season, signed a National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Maine, according to a Jan. 16 school announcement.

Holy Cross heating up After a slow start, the Academy of the Holy Cross is on a four-game win streak and climbing up the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference standings. The Tartans (7-11, 5-4) defeated Bishop McNamara 52-41 on Friday, jumping out to a 13-2 lead after the ﬁrst quarter and hanging on for their fourth straight win. Rhamat Alhassan, a 6-foot-5 center, is averaging 13.3 points per game and leading Holy Cross in scoring. Jillian Dunston, who signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Michigan, averages 12.9 points and

FILE PHOTO

Gaithersburg High School senior Janessa Fauntroy is leading the Trojans in scoring (12.7 ppg) this winter. scored a game-high 16 points in the McNamara win.

Whitman keeps winning Montgomery County’s hottest team, Walt Whitman, is on a 10-game win streak (as of Monday) after Friday’s 44-43 victory against Paint Branch. The Vikings (11-2, 5-0) have not lost a game since falling to Bishop McNamara on Dec. 14. “I think this gives us conﬁdence to go on the road against a tough team and win,” Whitman coach Pete Kenah said after the Paint Branch victory. “It shows that if we do need to travel for playoffs we can win in this environment.” Senior Avery Witt led Whitman with 13 points and junior Nicole Fleck hit a clutch 3-pointer to put the Vikings ahead with 18 seconds remaining.

“I cannot give Nicole enough credit that 3-point shot she made,” Kenah said. “… I’m proud the girls were able to enjoy that moment and then focus.” Paint Branch (10-2, 4-0) remains atop the Montgomery 4A East Division after its second loss of the season. “Whitman is a good team but there were a lot of things that we are in control of that we need to ﬁx, we helped them out by missing a lot of layups,” Paint Branch coach Rochelle Coleman said. “The comforting thing is the things we need to work on can be ﬁxed.” Panthers senior guard Kiara Colston scored her 1,000th point against Springbrook earlier this month. egoldwein@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Page B-4

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Paint Branch senior ﬁnishes what he started After quitting the sport twice, wrestler has lofty postseason hopes

NICK CAMMAROTA STAFF WRITER

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Thomas S. Wootton High School’s Brandon Hall is in control of the puck against Bethesda-Chevy Chase on Friday.

Wootton conﬁdent for postseason-title run With a dynamic offense, stout defense, Patriots look unbeatable n

NICK CAMMAROTA STAFF WRITER

RAPHAEL TALISMAN/FOR THE GAZETTE

Paint Branch High School senior Mitchell Zio looks for an angle on Oxon Hill’s Jahi Jones during Saturday’s 145pound ﬁnals at the Winter Blitz annual wrestling tournament held at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale. Zio wore the mask to protect a broken jaw.

RAPHAEL TALISMAN/FOR THE GAZETTE

Paint Branch High School’s Mitchell Zio took off his mask and ended up winning the Winter Blitz championship. thing, that sense that was there that you just have to go with it. Don’t even care,” Zio said. “With wrestling, as soon as I hit the floor, I’m right back up. The coaches like that about me.” He finished the final 1:46 of that match and it wasn’t until

he visited the doctor three days later that he was told he needed surgery immediately to ﬁx his jaw. It was wired shut. Now, however, Zio is at the heart of Paint Branch’s wrestling program — a team that won the division a year ago

— and is one of three captains along with Chris Young (285 pounds), and Ryan Van Meers (126). The Panthers won the Winter Blitz, too, unseating two-time defending champion Parkdale and placing 12 of their 14 wrestlers in the top six. “Last week, [Zio] lost to the returning state champ from Catoctin [Charles Perella] in the semifinals of the Hub Cup, 3-2,” Paint Branch coach Rich Smith said. “That was a good match but he did something crazy at the end. He was taking it to the kid, but we’ve got to correct a few things with his technique.” Saturday’s final at the Winter Blitz followed a similar pattern given the wild finish, but this time Zio, who also plays football but hopes to wrestle in college, was able to come out on top. Last season, the Panthers were stacked with experience as all but three starters in the lineup were seniors. Now, the exact opposite is true and a youthful team continues to navigate the county’s crowded competition with an eye on postseason success. “We just work as hard as we can during practice and try to set a good example for the rest of the guys,” said Young, who finished third at the Blitz. “Show them how to become winning wrestlers and how we do things at Paint Branch.” ncammarota@gazette.net

Thomas S. Wootton High School ice hockey coach Dave Evans knows what it’s like to coach a championship team. Not just coach them, but interact with them on a daily basis, pick their brains about school and neutral zone traps and their favorite brand of stick. So when — with his team sitting at 9-0-0 in league play as the regular season nears its conclusion — Evans said that coaching this team feels a lot like leading his championship teams of the 2008 and 2009 seasons, it’s signiﬁcant. “I’ve had great athletic teams over the years, but it’s that game intelligence, the ability to control the play with puck movement and smart play that separates this team,” Evans said. “That’s what makes this feel like ’08-’09.” The Patriots aren’t only undefeated against Maryland Student Hockey League competition (their only loss this year came to Landon School of the Interstate Athletic Conference), they’re outscoring their opponents by a whopping 72-14 margin. They downed defending champion Winston Churchill, 5-1, in an emotional game earlier in January and they feature six players with 12 or more points. It all adds up to Wootton thinking that, at this point, it’s state championship or bust. “I think this is our year to win states,” said sophomore Brandon Hall. “It’s probably one of the best teams we’ve had. We’re a close group of guys, we’re all friends and a good amount of the team is seniors.” Hall, who started playing hockey at the age of 3, has scored 14 goals and contributed 12 assists to Wootton’s dominant cause this year. “For a sophomore, the kid can shoot,” Evans said. “There’s

1905975

Even before Mitchell Zio stepped onto the mat at Charles H. Flowers High School, the murmurs in the crowd became audible. They crescendoed when he shook hands with his opponent, Oxon Hill’s Jahi Jones, and with that those in attendance at the annual Winter Blitz wrestling tournament were hooked. “How the heck does he see?” one onlooker asked. “That’s terrifying. He looks like Darth Vader,” yelled another. Zio, a 5-foot-3, 145-pound senior from Paint Branch, was wearing a glossy black mask that covered his entire face to offer protection for his jaw, which he broke during a match last year. A horizontal Iron Manesque slit left just enough room for him to be able to see, but not without tilting his head up. For the first 2 minutes, 30 seconds of the match, nothing much happened. Zio crouched remarkably low to the mat, often sliding his knees against the padding, and quickly defended any attempt by Jones to shoot. But he also couldn’t accomplish anything offensively. It was stale. That is, until Zio stormed toward the side of the mat following a whistle and tossed the mask into the stands. Now it was on. Zio recorded an escape to begin the third period but was dramatically taken down by Jones with 50 seconds remaining to fall behind, 2-1. Shortly after, Zio reversed Jones before a mad scramble to the finish ensued with both wrestlers tumbling multiple times, but with no points awarded either way. The best match of the night, one between two wrestlers who pinned their way to the finals, ended 3-2 in Zio’s favor. Another learning experience for one of Montgomery County’s more talented wrestlers who, two years ago, wasn’t even sure if wrestling was something he wanted to do. “I started freshman year, quit halfway. Joined again my sophomore year, quit halfway. Then junior year, I broke my jaw on both sides so I had to stop,” Zio said. He said the weight cutting and the diet discipline were too much to handle during his first two attempts at the sport. And once he finally became fully invested, his jaw slammed against an opponents’ hip. “After you break some-

no question about it, the kid can shoot. It seems like if he gets one [goal], you better get on him because he’s going to bury his chances.” But what makes the Patriots so strong is not only their ability to light the lamp at an eightgoals-per-game average, but the versatility of their defenseman, especially ﬁrst liners Austin Schoenfeld and Jordy Bretner. Schoenfeld, also a standout lacrosse player, has 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists) while Bretner has 16 (7, 9). The pair complements one another well as Schoenfeld is a steady defender with excellent puck possession skills and Bretner has the ability to transition with ease and join the attack. “Austin’s huge and he doesn’t turn the puck over very often. He’s very effective both ways. Jordy is a cut-and-slash guy. He’ll spin and take off up ice,” Evans said. Behind them, goalies Aaron Cooperman and Jake Mitchell have been solid. “This is more than I expected,” said Bretner, one of the captains along with Sam Eichberg. “I saw from the beginning we were going to have a good team, but over the course of the year we’ve gotten better.” Of all the wins, there’s little doubt the victory against Churchill was the most important to date, but both players and coach know they’ll likely see the Bulldogs again before season’s end. And while that blowout inspired a conﬁdence among the group, Evans believes the experience his team stands to learn the most from this year was the 8-2 loss to Landon. Now with the mentality that they can hang with any team in the league, the Patriots will round out the schedule with Richard Montgomery and Sherwood before the playoffs begin and bring with them hopes for the program’s third title in seven years. “It’d be great to win a title,” Bretner said. “I can’t even describe what that would be like, but we’ve had a great year and we’re looking forward to winning it all.”

MOVIE REVIEW

RYAN RETURNS

Jack Ryan’s origin story never rises above average.

The Gazette’s Guide to

Arts & Entertainment

www.gazette.net

www.gazette.net PIXIES

Popular rock band, with new bass player, comes to Strathmore BY

WILL C. FRANKLIN STAFF WRITER

Singer, dancer, actress ﬁnds home in local theater scene n

CARA HEDGEPETH STAFF WRITER

Page B-5

MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

DIRTY SUGAR PHOTOGRAPHY

uch like her body of work, singer, dancer and actress Natascia Diaz’s Strathmore debut will showcase a variety of genres. “I straddle and encompass many different styles,” Diaz said. “I run the gamut from rock musicals to more [traditional] musicals. I don’t want to be constricted to one idea.” Instead, Diaz said she will sing a variety of tunes during her two cabaret shows Saturday night. “There’s a song from ‘Seussical,’ songs I sing from parts I would like to play,” Diaz said. “I’ll even slide one pop tune in there.” But all of the songs will have one thing in common; their special signiﬁcance to Diaz. “I chose to stick with songs that have meant something to me,” Diaz said. “I almost look at it like the

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Extended play

Natascia Diaz makes her Strathmore debut at the Music Center on Saturday night.

show will be an opportunity to look under the hood and [the audience] can join me in the meaning of this; what it means to me personally.” The daughter of renowned opera singer Justino Diaz and professional ballerina Anna Aragno, it seemed Diaz was destined to become a performer. “It’s in my blood, it was in my house,” Diaz said. “I was always like this, I was never intrigued by anything else.” Though new to Strathmore’s stage, Diaz is hardly a stranger to the Washington, D.C., theater scene. She is a two-time Helen Hayes Award recipient — first in 2009 for her role as Scottish punk rocker Monica P. Miller in the musical “Rooms” at MetroStage and then in 2012 for her performance in the theater’s production of

See TRIPLE, Page B-8

The alternative rock band Pixies formed in 1986. They released three albums, then took a hiatus three years later. They got back together in 1991 and released two more albums, before disbanding, again, in 1993. Fast-forward 10 years. The group goes on a reunion tour. One of the founding members leaves the band. What happens next? Naturally, the band that stays wildly popular even after all it has been through releases two collections of new music, “EP1,” and “EP2,” — the ﬁrst in two decades — and go out on a

massive North American tour, which makes a stop at The Music Center at Strathmore on Sunday. Drummer David Lovering, who has been with the band since the beginning, said being back in the studio recording was “just like riding a bike.” “It had been a long time and there were some differences, mostly with the digital format we used for recording,” Lovering said. “But it was like nothing had changed. I can say it was a different experience in one aspect … I had a different attitude when I went in there.” Lovering said when the Pixies ﬁrst started releasing albums, it was a mad rush trying to learn all the songs while the band was out on tour. It was a bit much, having to have all the songs completely perfect every time.

PIXIES n When: 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26 n Where: Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda n Tickets: Sold out n For information: 301-581-5100; strathmore.org

See PIXES, Page B-8

NATASCIA DIAZ n When: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 n Where: The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda n Tickets: $35 n For information: 301-5815200, strathmore. org

The Pixies — (from left) Joey Santiago, Black Francis and David Lovering — will be performing at Strathmore on Sunday. MICHAEL HALSBAND

Designing ‘Miss Nelson’ Graduate students earn professional with Adventure Theatre MTC production n

CARA HEDGEPETH STAFF WRITER

For the third year in a row, Adventure Theatre MTC will partner with the University of Maryland’s design department to give students the opportunity to earn credits working on a professional production. The theater’s 2011 production of “A Year with Frog and Toad”

MISS NELSON IS MISSING

n When: To March 9, see website for speciﬁc dates and times n Where: Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo n Tickets: $19 n For information: 301-6342270, adventuretheatre-mtc.org

marked the ﬁrst year of the collaboration. After that show earned nine Helen Hayes Award nominations, including one nod for design,

Adventure Theatre MTC producing Artistic Director Michael Bobbitt chose to renew the partnership. The theater’s production of “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” in 2012 featured University of Maryland design students as did last year’s “A Little House Christmas.” This year, three students — one in lighting design, one in costume design and one in set design — were selected for the crew on “Miss Nelson is Missing,” running now through March 9.

See NELSON, Page B-8

BRUCE DOUGLAS

(From left) Calvin McCullough, Rachel Viele, Sean McComas and Sherry Berg in “Miss Nelson is Missing,” now playing at Adventure Theatre MTC.

THE GAZETTE

Page B-6

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

HAR SHALOM PLAYERS

The Har Shalom Players will present “The Wizard of Oz” this weekend at Congregation Har Shalom, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac.

Off to see the wizard The Har Shalom Players will present “The Wizard of Oz” at 8 p.m. Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Congregation Har Shalom, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac. Produced by Kenneth Lechter and Stewart Remer and directed by Rochelle Horn, a cast of 51 — including students from eight area schools — will bring Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion, and all other residents of the yellow brick road, over the rainbow and into audiences’ imaginations. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children. For more information, visit harshalom.org.

STEPHEN HAY

Studio B opened Jan. 15 in downtown Bethesda. Featured artists include Linda Button, Judy Gilbert Levey and Stephen Hay. Pictured: Stephen Hay’s “Times Square I.”

Introducing

Studio

Bringing up Bonnie The city of Gaithersburg’s Singer Songwriter Concert Series will present Bonnie Whitmore in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road. Earning her country cred at the age of 8 while touring PHOTO BY MATT LANKES with her parents and sister as part of the Singer-songwriter Bonnie Whitmore will traveling roadshow perform as part of Gaithersburg’s Singer “Daddy & the Divas,” Songwriter Concert Series. Whitmore set out on her own at the age of 16, charting a course for her occasionally angst-ﬁlled tunes. A workshop with Whitmore will precede the concert at 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon at the Kentlands Mansion, 320 Kent Square Road. Tickets for the concert are $25 for general admission, or $23 for city of Gaithersburg residents. Combination tickets, including the workshop, are $45 for general admission, $43 for Gaithersburg residents. Next up for the Singer Songwriter Concert Series is Slaid Cleaves on Feb. 22. For more information, visit gaithersburgmd.gov/artsbarn.

Studio B, 7475 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, opened on Jan. 15, to provide individual studio spaces for artists to create, display and sell their artwork. Current featured artists are Linda Button, Judy Gilbert Levey and Stephen Hay. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. A collaboration between The Bethesda Urban Partnership and the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District, Studio B will participate in monthly Bethesda Art Walks, with the next scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 14. For more information, visit bethesda.org/bethesda/studio-b.

King, Dash set for Flanagan’s Singer Sarah Dash will be joining Cathy Ponton King and her band at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle, 4844 Cordell Ave.,

Bethesda. Dash,

who sang with Patti LaBelle’s PHOTO BY ALAN GROSSMAN group LaBelle, has also toured Singer/guitarist Cathy Ponton King will join with Keith singer Sarah Dash on Saturday at Flanagan’s Richards’ band, Harp & Fiddle in Bethesda. the X-Pensive Winos. Dash and King will be paying tribute to King’s drummer, Antoine Sanfuentes. Also part of King’s band are bassist John Previti, guitarist Mike Melchione and Sam Paladino on B3 organ. Also joining the performance will be Curtis Pope of the Isley Bros. and Wilson Pickett bands. For reservations, call 301-951-0115. For more information, visit ﬂanagansharpandﬁddle.com.

Whodunnit? The plot thickens at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre when

“An Inspector Calls”

this weekend. J.B. Priestly’s drama, set in 1912, ﬁnds a family, implicated in young woman’s death, being visited by the mysteriPHOTO BY KEN KEMP ous, titular detective. Gordon Adams (left) is Inspector Goole in Show times are 8 p.m. Rockville Little Theatre’s “An Inspector Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays Calls,” with Lena Winter, Peter Harrold, Chris Daileader, Michael Silver and Natalie to Feb. 2. Tickets are $18 for adults and McManus. $16 for students with ID and seniors ages 62 and older. For more information, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre. Also upcoming at the Fitzgerald Theatre is the Rockville Regional Youth Orchestra’s annual winter concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, visit rockvillemd.gov/arts. The F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre is located at 603 Edmonston Drive in Rockville.

w No ing! w Sho F.

Scott Fitzgerald Theater

603 Edmonston Dr. Rockville, MD 20851

240-314-8690

www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre Rockville Little Theatre Presents

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly

The family is celebrating when a mysterious inspector comes to call. It becomes clear that they are implicated in a young women’s death. Join us for an exciting whodunnit that will keep you guessing to the very end.

$18 to $16

1905833

Still can’t find the car you were looking for? 1912390

1906386

Jan. 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. Jan. 26 at 2 p.m.

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Page B-7

Hot mix of movies, music Gypsy jazz and vintage ﬁlms blend at BlackRock

VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER

n When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 n Where: BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown n Tickets: $14-$25 n For information: Blackrockcenter.org, Hcsf.com

LENNY GONZALEZ

The Hot Club of San Francisco visits BlackRock in Germantown on Saturday for its “Cinema Vivant” program, a mix of gypsy jazz swing and early stopmotion ﬁlm shorts. From left are band leader and lead guitarist Paul Mehling, guitarist Jeff Magidson, vocalist Isabelle Fontaine, violinist Evan Price and bassist Clint Baker. walls and telephones weaving like cobras. “This gives people the chance to see movies they’ve never seen,” said Mehling. “He made 20 ﬁlms in America and only 11 exist, and they were all found in Europe.”

Mehling said that after the shows, audiences often say “they’d wished we played more [gypsy jazz], and they’re often shocked about how modern the ﬁlms seemed.” vterhune@gazette.net

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Time was when gypsies traveling through the French countryside would look for a barn wall or throw a white sheet over a tree branch to entertain villagers with silent movies while they supplied the music. The tradition has died out, but the Hot Club of San Francisco band preserves the memory in its show “Cinema Vivant,” featuring Gypsy jazz music and vintage shorts on Saturday at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown. “I grew up listening to Django Reinhardt and Louis Armstrong,” said band leader Paul Mehling, who started the group 25 years ago. “I was a big fan of the Beatles, and when they broke up, I didn’t think there was any other music worth listening to,” said the guitarist, who sought out gypsies in Europe and learned French to read liner notes from Reinhardt recordings. The Hot Club of San Francisco takes its name from the Quintette du Hot Club de France in Paris, where gypsy guitarist Reinhardt performed with violinist Stephane Grappelli in the 1930s. “[Gypsy jazz] is one part classical, one part gypsy, one part folk music and one part American jazz with acoustic string instruments,” said Mehling, who has made instructional DVDs about the genre. “It’s not easy music to play — it involves extreme dedication and technical technique to play the guitar,” Mehling said. Also performing in the band are the Grammy award-winning violinist Evan Price, vocalist Isabelle Fontaine, guitarist Jeff Magidson and bassist Clint Baker. “People around the world are interested in this music,” said Mehling, who said the genre has become more popular

in recent years. Gypsy jazz is featured in the films “Sweet and Lowdown” with Sean Penn and “Chocolat” with Johnny Depp, he said. At BlackRock, Hot Club of San Francisco will perform several gypsy jazz songs and talk about their history, then play a variety of music to accompany three short, silent films. Incorporating the films into the band’s performances was “a way of getting our foot in the door” with a broader range of venues, Mehling said. “Americans don’t think they understand jazz or like jazz, but we show them how easy it is to listen to and how much fun it can be,” he said. Mehling learned about early stop-motion movies from a friend who had started a San Francisco silent film festival, where films are often accompanied by an organist or a band. “He gave me a bunch of films to look at,” Mehling said. The oldest short in the show is “The Cameraman’s Revenge,” a pioneering 1912 film by Ladislaw Starewicz. Born to Polish parents in Russia, Starewicz is considered to be the inventor of stop-motion films. The movie is about an adulterous marriage, but the characters are not people — they’re insects, one of which rides a motorcycle. Like animated works, stopmotion films involve shooting small changes in the actions of the characters, frame by frame, to create the illusion of movement. “It was expensive and time consuming,” Mehling said. Starewicz also made “The Mascot” in 1933, an adventure story about lost toys. Also in the show is “There It Is,” a recently discovered 1928 comedy about a mysterious incident investigated by a Scotland Yard detective played by Charley Bowers, an American. Known for his technical expertise, Bowers combined animation with live action, creating images of wagons going through

THE HOT CLUB OF SAN FRANCISCO

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T H E G AZ ET T E

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Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Puppets bring Potter’s mice, frogs and rabbits to life Classic stories feature Jemima, Jeremy and two mischievous mice n

VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER

Unforgettable characters like Jemima Puddle-Duck come to life in a return performance to Glen Echo of “Tales of Beatrix Potter” presented by Christopher Hudert of the Richmond-based Applause Unlimited. A guest of The Puppet Co. in Glen Echo, Hudert will perform three of Potter’s stories using puppets on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Friday and running to Feb. 9. Potter, who died in 1943, was a conservationist who wrote and illustrated children’s books reﬂecting the life she led in the English countryside. “She was multi-talented and had multiple interests as well. … She was versatile for her time,” Hudert said. Perhaps her most famous story is “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” written in 1902. “It’s been done so often, in so many ways,” said Hudert, who opts instead to tell other stories, which he sets in the imaginings of a young English girl in a nursery in the early 1900s. Hudert said he will be using hand, rod and shadow puppets originally developed by Terry and Linda Snyder, who have since retired from Applause Unlimited. “They’re very different in style,” said Hudert about the Applause puppets, which don’t look like those created by The Puppet Co. “It’s one of the reasons why they have guest artists,” he said about The Puppet Co. “They like to expose audiences to the wider world of puppetry.” Hudert said he personally ﬁrst encountered puppets at the Boys Club in Richmond, and he’s been hooked ever since. “It’s the only whole art where you can accomplish — by yourself — performance, sculpture, two- and three-dimensional art — you can do it all,” he said. Hudert enjoys playing all the different characters in the Potter stories — everything from a frog and a duck to a fox and mice. “For 45 minutes, it’s me and my puppets,” he said. “When you love what you do, it’s not work.” The first story, “Two Bad Mice,” is about two mice who vandalize a doll house and later try to atone for their mischievous deed.

TRIPLE

Continued from Page B-5 “Jaques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.” “There’s a strong-knit community here in D.C.,” Diaz said. “I found an artistic home in Washington.” Diaz’s credits include three Broadway productions: “Capeman,” “Seussical,” and the 2004 revival of “Man of La Mancha.” But the performer said it is the nation’s capital that has cultivated her development into a triple-threat. “I want to do dramatic roles in meaty plays. I want to dance and I love to sing,” Diaz said. “In this town, I have been able to realize the maximum potential of those skills. I’ve gotten to play the gamut of roles from the spider woman to this scrappy little Scottish punk rocker … to a beautiful Russian princess.” But Diaz’s toughest role may have been playing herself. She was one of a handful of actors depicted in Adam Del Deo and James D. Stern’s 2008 documentary, “Every Little Step.” The ﬁlm follows the process of the casting of the 2006 Broadway revival of “A Chorus Line.” “I went in for [the part of] Diana and

PHOTOS FROM CHRISTOPHER PIPER

The Puppet Co. Playhouse in Glen Echo hosts the “Tales of Beatrix Potter” featuring three stories by puppeteer Christopher Hudert of Applause Unlimited, running Friday to Feb. 9. In “Jeremy Fisher,” Hudert takes the little frog fishing, but the fish may be fishing for him.

TALES OF BEATRIX POTTER n When: 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Fridays; 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, to Feb. 9 n Where: The Puppet Co. Playhouse, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo n Tickets: $10 (ages 2 and older) n For information: 301-634-5380, thepuppetco.org

chedgepeth@gazette.net

In “Two Bad Mice,” the mice wait for Lucinda to leave her dollhouse so they can misbehave. “A story is only as strong as its villain,” Hudert said. There are also lessons to be learned from Potter’s stories, but Hudert said he doesn’t try to hammer them home in an obvious way. “We don’t harp on the morals,” he said. “We let it come out in the tale. [The lessons] don’t drive the tale. Hudert recommended the show for children in kindergarten through fifth grade. “We don’t dumb things down, but we’re not so high that it goes over kids’ heads,” he said. vterhune@gazette.net

PIXES

Continued from Page B-5 “It was tough to kinda do that when these songs are new in your head,” Lovering said. “So recording always had a bad taste for me. … For this new material, I had enough time to learn the songs and go into it with a new attitude. It was a joy. I loved every minute of it.” With new music comes a new North American tour. While the guys may be a little older, Lovering said he personally enjoys being on the road. “I look at it as an escape,” Lovering said. “I love playing live and I like traveling. A lot of it’s the same. The only difference is the different places, but I’ve been to a lot of these places. Now that we have Paz [Lenchantin] on bass, it’s different. She’s a killer bass player. She intimidates me and makes me play a lot better!” Lenchantin replaces founding member and fan favorite Kim Deal, who left the band shortly before “EP1” was released. Deal, who sometimes had a stormy relationship with frontman Black Francis, is currently

NELSON

Continued from Page B-5 “When the university launched their master’s program in design, I was excited about the kind of work the students were going to head,” Bobbitt said. “These designers have great fresh approaches. They really do bring a fresh design.” Bobbitt typically attends the university’s student design showcase in May to scope out talent for the following season at Adventure Theatre MTC. “ … They stand by their stuff and I usually go there and walk around the room, ask them questions,” Bobbitt said. “Once I decide on the three [students] I would like to use, I run those names by the department … they like us to look at their second-year students who will be in their third year.” Set designer Ruthmarie Tenorio, costume designer Aryna Petrashenko and lighting designer Brittany Shemuga were the three students selected to work on “Miss Nelson is Missing.” Based on the books “Miss Nelson is Missing” and “Miss Nelson is Back!” by Harry Allard, the musical tells the story of Miss Nelson’s unruly class in Room 207. Spitballs and paper airplanes send the quiet, long-suffering teacher over the edge, and one day, Miss Nelson goes missing. In her place is terrifying substitute teacher Viola Swamp.

BRUCE DOUGLAS

Calvin McCullough, Sherry Berg, Jessica Lauren Ball, Sean McComas and Rachel Viele in the Adventure Theatre production of “Miss Nelson is Missing.” “I had read the book many years ago and was aware that there was a musical based on the book, but I had never

MUSIC & DANCE

DANCES Carpe Diem Contra Dance, Feb. 13, Caller: Ann Fallon, Music by Gary Wright and Leah Weiss with Ahren Buchheister, 7-7:30 p.m. contradance workshops, 7:30-10 p.m. Contras & Squares, second Thursdays, Great Hall, Silver Spring Civics Center, One Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, $10 for general admission, $8 for members, $5 for students and those without income, www.carpediemarts.com. Hollywood Ballroom, Jan. 22, Ballroom Bash, 8:30-10:30 p.m. ($16); Jan. 23, 30, Tea Dance from 12:30-3:30 p.m. ($6); Jan. 24, dropin lessons from 7:30-9 p.m., West Coast Swing dancing at 9 p.m. ($15); Jan. 25, Latin Night with Mr. Mambo, workshops from 8-10 p.m., dance from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. ($18 for workshop and dance, $15 for dance only); Jan. 26, free Hustle lesson at 7 p.m., Social Ballroom Dance at 8 p.m. ($16); Jan. 29, Ballroom Bash from 8:30–10:30 p.m. ($16), 2126 Industrial Highway, Silver Spring, 301-326-1181, www.hollywoodballroomdc.com Now and Then Dance Studio, Saturday ballroom dances, second and fourth Saturdays, beginner group lesson at 8 p.m., open dancing at 9 p.m., $10 cash at door (all men admitted at halfprice throughout October), 10111 Darnestown Road, Rockville. 301424-0007, www.nowandthendancestudios.com. Glen Echo Park is at 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Blues, Capital Blues: Thurs-

“It’s fun and rollicking,” he said. “The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher” follows the titular frog who lives on the edge of a pond and goes ﬁshing in his lily-pad boat to catch minnows. “Jemima Puddle-Duck” is about a duck who leaves her farm looking for a place to lay her eggs without human interference and meets a fox who offers her shelter. “The fox invites her to dinner, and I don’t mean candlelit,” said Hudert about the danger in which the unsuspecting Jemima ﬁnds herself. Her story turns out well but not without some loss. “We’ve been very true to her original tales,” Hudert said. There are elements of danger in Potter’s stories, but without danger, there wouldn’t be much drama, he said.

Cassie and I showed up the ﬁrst day and there were all of these piles of paper on the desk,” Diaz said. “I was with 25 other women and they said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to be ﬁlming this audition, we’re going to need you to sign this.” While several dancers objected, Diaz said she was so desperate to get the job she “just signed it.” None of the participants were aware that the footage would later be used for the documentary. Though Diaz ultimately did not get the part, she said “Every Little Step,” has been one of the greatest gifts in her career. “The response has been staggering to me,” Diaz said. “I’ve had people come up to me on the subway saying, ‘You should have gotten Cassie’ … Usually the person who doesn’t get the job doesn’t get seen, but I did and that was almost better. That is the biggest consolation prize an actor could ask for.” Diaz said she is looking forward to the opportunity to simply be herself on stage at Strathmore on Saturday night. “For me, the difference here is I’m not in a story, I don’t have lines,” Diaz said. “This is me without having to put on a costume and be somebody else.”

IN THE ARTS

seen it,” said director Jennifer Nelson. “I think for everyone involved it’s a priority to stay true to the spirit of the source

days, 8:15 p.m. beginner lesson, 9-11:30 p.m. dancing to DJs, Glen Echo Park’s Spanish Ballroom Annex, $8, www.capitalblues.org. Contra, Jan. 24, Tom Hinds and STEAM, 7:30 p.m. lesson, 8:30 p.m. dance, Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom, $10, www.fridaynightdance.org. Contra & Square, Jan. 26, Valerie Helbert with STEAM, 7:30 p.m., Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom, $12 for general, $9 for members, $5 for students, www.fsgw.org. English Country, Jan. 22, Caller: Susan Taylor; Jan. 29, Caller: Stephanie Smith, 8 p.m., Glen Echo Town Hall (upstairs), www.fsgw.org. Swing, Feb. 8, Red Dress Ball with the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra, lesson at 8 p.m., dancing at 9 p.m., Glen Echo Park, $15, www.ﬂyingfeet.org.

working on solo projects. Lovering said it was a little tough at ﬁrst continuing without Deal. “I had played with Kim for forever,” Lovering said. “When Kim left, it was odd having someone different there. Now, we’re all very happy. It’s like a renewed vigor we all have because of [Lenchantin]. She’s such a virtuoso — her playing as well as her vocals. She compliments us very nicely and we’re very happy about it.” Lovering said it was a bit of a shock when Deal up and quit after all the band had been through. Before Deal left, just as the band was about to start recording, people asked Lovering if he was excited about recording the new music. “I would say no,” Lovering said. “They asked why and my answer was, ‘Oh, something’s going to happen.’ Because I’m in The Pixies, you know? Something always happens. We’re still dysfunctional in some way even though we’re older.” When Lovering got to the studio and recorded the ﬁrst couple of songs, Deal told the band she was leaving. “There ya go,” Lovering said. “I know I do magic, but I didn’t know I was a mentalist. For about three days,

material but understand in translating from one medium to another, you have to make some changes. This isn’t like a great introspective book but it’s harder to transfer things like what people are thinking from the page to the stage.” The opportunity to bring the Miss Nelson text from the page to the stage is something Bobbitt said is an especially wonderful experience for the design students. “The benefit is to go from script to production,” Bobbitt said. “[As a student] a lot of the work you do is never realized, but now you get a chance to realize how the work changes and is tweaked … [there’s] budget, execution, making sure that your designs can be executed well.” Perhaps most significant is that the partnership allows students to earn professional credits, something that can be difficult when attending school full time. “Opportunities are limited because school takes so much time,” Petrashenko said. “On the resume, it matters because it’s something outside of school.” Petrashenko is a third-year design student at the University of Maryland. Born in the Ukraine, she moved to the states when she was 16. A professor at the community college she attended in St. Louis was the first to introduce her to costume design. “I didn’t know it existed and it just

Arts Barn, Singer Songwriter Concert Series, Bonnie Whitmore with Dede Wyland & Ira Gitlin, Jan. 23; Slaid Cleaves with Tony Denikos, Feb. 22, 3 p.m. workshops at the Arts Barn or Kentlands Mansion, 7:30 p.m. concerts at the Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394, www. gaithersburgmd.gov/artsbarn.

Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Gotta Swing Dance Night

with Bad Influence, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22; Sammy Figueroa and his Latin Jazz Explosion, 8 p.m. Jan. 24; Antone “Chooky” Caldwell, 8 p.m. Jan. 25; Ron Kearns Quintet with Special Guest Michael Thomas, 7 p.m. Jan. 26; Peter Fields and Rob Holmes — A Tribute to Charlie Byrd & Stan Getz, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29; Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam, 8 p.m. Jan. 30; Spectrum, 8 p.m. Jan. 31, call for prices, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. 240-330-4500, www.bethesdabluesjazz.com. BlackRock Center for the Arts, Charlotte Blake Alston, 10:30 a.m. p.m. Jan. 24; Hot Club of San Francisco and “Cinema Vivant,” 8 p.m. Jan. 25; Chelsey Green and The Green Project, 8 p.m. Feb. 1; call for tickets, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown. 301-5282260, www.blackrockcenter.org. Marilyn J. Praisner Library, The Schrodinger’s Jazz Cats, jazz, 20th century popular songs for piano, alto saxophone and flute, 7 p.m. Jan. 30, 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, 240-773-9460. Strathmore, Artist in Residence Education Workshop with Christie Dashiell: A Jazz Journey, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22; BSO: Marvin Hamlisch — One Singular Sensation, 8 p.m. Jan. 23; Jazz Vocal Intensive: Scat Singing 201, 10 a.m. Jan. 25; Denis Matsuev, piano, 7 p.m. Jan. 25; Natascia Diaz, 7:30 p.m. and 930 p.m. Jan. 25; Rob Patterson, Maria Lambros & Audrey Andrist, 3 p.m. Jan. 26; Pixies, 8 p.m. Jan. 26; So You Think You Can’t Sing: Harmony Edition, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27; Christie Dashiell, jazz vocalist, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29; Bill Cosby, 8 p.m. Jan. 3031; AIR Alumni: John Kocur, jazz saxophone, 11 a.m. Jan. 31, call for venue, Locations: Mansion, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda; Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, 301-581-5100, www.strathmore. org.

the three guys … we didn’t know what to do. Do we quit the band? We didn’t know what. We were about halfway done with the recording and we had a lot on the table. … So we said let’s put our heads together and go forward with this.” Most all of the Pixies’ North American concert dates have sold out. Lovering said that to have so many loving fans, even after all the band has been through, means a lot to the group. “I feel that we are very fortunate,” Lovering said. “I think it’s something that we definitely cherish a lot more, given this second opportunity. … You can learn to appreciate that opportunity a lot more. We have a large, large, large audience now of younger kids who weren’t even around when our records came out. It’s just amazing.” As for the rumors that the band is sitting on “EP3,” just waiting to release it? “As a magician, I like surprises,” Lovering laughed. “I’ll just say ‘EP1’ suggests something and then ‘EP2’ suggests something, so I’ll just leave it at that.” wfranklin@gazette.net opened a whole new world,” said Petrashenko, who always had an affinity for art. “It was a revelation for me.” Though Petrashenko has spent the last two years working in design at the university, she said there are more challenges working on a professional production. In the case of “Miss Nelson is Missing,” those challenges include effectively using a small stage space and dressing adult actors to look like children. But beyond the technical difficulties, Petrashenko had to fly home to St. Louis partway through production to tend to her sick mother, making the design process even more complicated. “One of the challenges is just doing something long distance,” Petrashenko said. “I had to do [ordering] exclusively online since I was in St. Louis. And not being here for fittings. Luckily, when I came back, I still had enough time to buy things and be here for tech week.” Despite the roadblocks, Petrashenko said her experience with the partnership has been positive. “When you spend three years in grad school and four years in undergrad before that, it’s always a little scary for your first production outside of school,” she said. “But it was actually a lot of fun … I hope everyone’s first work out of school is this stress-free.” chedgepeth@gazette.net

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

THE GAZETTE

Page B-9

Page B-10

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Classifieds Call 301-670-7100 or email class@gazette.net

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Welcome 3 lvl TH, 3br, 2.5ba nr 270/shops $1699/mo avail now Call: 301-906-0870

MONT VILLAGE- 2

LVL TH 3BD 1.5 BA Fenced Yard $1675 301-787-7382 or 301787-7583 HOC OK

GE RMA NT OWN :

GAIT H: Penthouse POTOMAC: Renovated TH, 3Br, LRG CONDO 1bd/1ba 1.5Ba, W/D, 2 car wood floor, 24hr segrg, fin bmst. AC, lrg curity, all util incl HOC private yard, great OK 240-383-1000 neighborhood and schools, park nearby, LAKESIDE APTS (soccer/tennis & more) surrounded by upscale GAITHERSBURG Half Month Free houses $2k + util /mo 240-481-9294 or Large 1 or 2 BR Apts yochanantennis@yah Short/long term leases Utilities Included oo.com

Great Prices

POOLESVILLE: TH

3BR 1.5BA, W/D fncd bkyd, Pets Ok. $1395 + utils, avail immed Call: 301-407-0763

POTOMAC: SFH, 5Br, 3Ba, MBr suite, no bsmt, 3800 sq ft $4k/mo owner shares util, 301-983-4783 SIL SPG: TH, 3BR

3BA, LR, DR, Kitch, W/D. $2,100. Near Bus, Shops & 495. Call 240-501-4442

3BR, 2.5BA TH, Fireplace, Finish Bsmt, $1800 + utils, No Pets. 202-236-4197

POOLESVILLE:

3br 2.5ba Remodeld TH $1350 + 1/mo Sec Dep. N/s, N/p. Avail. Mar 1st. 240-876-9627

SILVER SPRING : Dwntwn Flower Ave. Unfurn 2br 1ba Apt. HOC Welcome $1250 202-246-1977

MT RAINER: Beauty Salon For Sale Large 1680s: Call 202-2584052 for more info!

SILVER SPRING: 3

bed/2 1/2 bath finished basement NP $1700 util not included Call 301-774-9780

SS: 3br/2ba SFH, fin

rec rm, hrwd flrs, DW, W&D, CAC $2000+ utils, Metro/shops. 202-210-5530

TH w/ 3Br, 1.5Ba $1400 + util, parking, fenced yrd, W/D, Avail SS: SFH 3BR, 1.5BA, hrd flrs, W&D, nr MT AIRY: TH 3BR/ Now! 301-424-6759 shops, bus & 495, 2.5 BA. $1475 + util HOC ok. $1695/mo. No smk, No Pet. MV/GAITH: Huge 4lvl 240-383-1000 301-377-4602 3Br 2.5Ba TH w/FP. Newly renov. 2100 sf, NS, NP. $1750 + utils. 301-990-9294

BURTONSVILLE:

301-948-0087

ASPEN HILL: Comp

Renovated 2Br/ 1Ba 1st flr,CAC w/d in unit. $1350 incl util, except elec. 240-398-1337

CABIN JOHN- 1 bd

condo close to DC & VA near C&O canal and bike path call 301299-8024

GAITH: 2bd,2ba

renovated,patio, near costco,bus,mall,I270 $1300/mo + utils CALL(301)678-9182

GAITHER:

3 Bedroom + den, 2 Bathroom, renovated, Sec 8 welcome, Util incl 410-800-5005

GERM: $1600/mo +

security (plus utilities) Email for details/quest becm75@yahoo.com

GERM: 2Br, 2Ba new

crpt/paint, h/d flr, W/D, fitness center, near shops & restaurants $1250 + SD Mike Remax Pro. Please Call: 301-674-2371 or 240-426-6964

GAITH:M BRs $435+ 440+475+555+ Maid Ns/Np, nr 270/370/Bus shops, quiet, conv.Sec Dep 301-983-3210 GERM: 1 large room,

shared bath $500 util incl near transit, NS/NP call 301-7177696

GERMAN: Bsmt in

ADELPHI: Lrg BR, walk to UMD. $595 utils incl. Sec Dep. Req. Avail Feb 1st Call: 301-213-3348

ADELPHI:

TH, BA, prvt ent, shrd kit, Conv. loc, safe neigh, $800+ refs incls utils. 240-316-5944

GE RMA NT OWN :

Master bedroom with full bath in condo. $625 includes utiltities. Call 240-893-0745

Renovated bsmt Br suite, priv entr, W/D, Nr UMD, $1450 utils incl. SD Avail 02/01 GERM: Bsmt, 1 BR, 301-213-3348 1 BA, sep entr, nr MC. w/d, refridge. $850/mo BETHESDA: Nice incl utils. NS, NP. Avail Studeo in SFH. Near Now. 301-366-1673 NIH, Bethesda Metro, Ride-On. $975 incl GERM: Bsmt w/pvt util. Free pkg. 301- Entr, Ba, Br, nr schls, bus, util incl N/S N/P 801-8087 Avl Jan 1st Please DAMASCUS: Bsmt Call 301-461-2636 2br, 1ba, pvt entr, cable, int, util inc. $800+ GERM: Male 1Br in Share bath & sec dep. Np/Ns 301- TH kitchen $450 ut inc Nr 253-1370 MARC/Buses, Ref’s GAITHERSBURG: Req. 240-370-2301

Lrg Rm in SFH, Pool, full privlgs,Vegetarian, NS. $600 + 1/4 elec Call: 301-482-1425

GAITHERSBURG:

Lrg room w/priv BA & Entr. Close to shops, bus & metro. $1,000 incl utils & int. N/P, N/S. Se habla espanol. Email David davidvaliente01@ hotmail.com

GAITHERSBURG:

Male, master BR w BA $399. Nr Metro/Shops NP/NS. Avail Now. Call 301-219-1066

GERM/MILESTONE Lg room w/ view & bath in condo; prkg, busline, shops $650 incl utils + dep w/Wifi 301-5154554.

(301) 460-1647 3004 Bel Pre Rd., Apt. 204, Silver Spring, MD 20906

MONT VILL: M B SILVER SPRING Suite, priv Ba, female, MBR with private bath $630 + util NS/NP available 02/01. $650 $200 move-in bonus includes all utils. Call Call: 240-401-3522 240-505-8012 N.BETHESDA:

LAYTNSVL: M, N/S off street park, Furn Br, shr kit, lndry & common areas, quiet & homey. $640 utils incl. 301- 253-9662

SPRING:

Room avail now $465 shared kitchen, bathroom & util cable TV W/D 301-404-2681

OLNEY:

Room for rent, prvt BA & Den. $700/mo incl utils. Non smoker. Call Arthur 301-587-6922

1 Rm in bsmt in SFH share kitchen $500 utils included, NS/NP Avail Now. 301-257-5712

OLNEY: Furn Bdrm

+ Den avail in TH for mature female only! $500 util inclu + security dep 301-774-6075

P O T O M A C : Furn

Rm in SFH $625. shrd Ba w/one, FREE util, cable & int NP Call: 301-299-4444

ROCK: Clean Lg

MBR Suite, W/in closet/office. Kit, FR, TV, INT., $825 util incl. Call 301-424-8377

ROCKVILLE: BR in

apt w closet, prvt BA, shrd kit, NS/NP. Acr metro. $650 all utils incld 301-340-1257

SIL SPG: 2 MBr, 1 ($700) and 1 ($650) both priv Ba, all util inc, NS/NP, nr shops & metro 240-551-4591

HYATTSVILLE: Rm SILVER in Apt, shrd Ba/Kit, Free Wifi, Cls to shops /metro, $600 inclds utils. 301-728-7816

SILVER

Rm for rent in Apt w/ priv bath nr NIH & metro priv parking $650 utils includ call Mr. T 240-899-2655

SPRING:

SILVER SPRING:

SS:1rm bsmt apt pvt ent share kit/ba, $510 uti/cbl inc, Male. wlk to bus, nr White Flint Twinbrk 301-933-5668 SS: NEW 1BR Apt 1st

floor private ENT, KIT, BA, PARKING. $1100 quiet and Sunny! call 301-879-2868

TAKOMA

PARK:

2 Rooms starting at $750 shared bath util incl. All furn! Near metro. 240-421-6689

WASHINGTON DC: Brentwood NE,

Lrg furn Br, priv Ba, shrd kit & W/D, 1 blk frm bus & 5 blks from Red/Metro $850/util inc 202-361-8087

WHEATON 1 Large

BR, Female, 5min to Metro On Veirs Mill Rd $625 uti incl. NS/NP Call: 240-447-6476 NO Solicitors!

1Br bsmt apt, SFH, LR, kit, Ba, priv entr, NS/NP, nr metro & ICC $950 inc util/ cable 301-774-6763

WHEATON: BR in APT w/pvt BA. $650/ mo incl. utils, Cable/ WiFi. Nr Metro & Bus. Call 240-286-7142

SILVER SPRING: 1 furnished BD in basement in SFH. Priv ent. $450 incl util. MALE ONLY. 240-676-0621

WHEATON: Male

pref non-smoker, 1BR, shr BA, near metro, $525/mnth util incl +dep 301-933-6804

WHEATON:

kFull Size W/D in every unit kSwimming Pool

On Georgia Ave. 1 MBR w/prvt ba. $650 util incl Nr Metro & Shops. Npets 240-441-1638

G560376

Contact Ashby Rice (301) 670-2667 or pricing and ad deadlines.

kFamily Room

to advertise call 301.670.7100 or email class@gazette.net

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

na, Sub Mariner, etc. TOP CASH PAID! 1800-401-0440

KILL ROACHES!

Buy Harris Roach Tablets. Eliminate Roaches-Guaranteed. No Mess. Odorless. Long Lasting. Available at ACE Hardware, and The Home Depot.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AMEND REGULATIONS WSSC to amend Development Services Code WSSC is proposing to amend and update the 2014 Development Services Code. Proposed changes are varied with highlights as follows: enhanced procedures for Government Referred Plan Reviews, Hydraulic Planning Analysis, System Extension Permits, Site Utility Permits, Service Connections and Wastewater Pumping Stations.

To review proposed code language entitled "Proposed 2014 Development Services REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL! * Get Code", please visit the WSSC Website at http://www.wsscwater.com/devservicescode. BY APPT ONLY! Living room & Bedroom furniture for Sale! Call: 301-674-0569

WHEATON:

HH items, furn, clothes, dishes, sowing machine. Sat & Sun, 1/25, 1/26; 8-2pm. 2903 Dawson Ave, Wheaton, MD

BURIAL FOR SALE

2 burial site in good location at G. W Cemetery Adelphi, MD sold at discount 301384-6020

a 4-Room All-Digital Satellite system installed for FREE and programming starting at $19.99/mo. FREE HD/DVR upgrade for new callers, SO CALL NOW. 1-877388-8575.

Written comments will be accepted until February 20, 2014 at Development Services Group, 7th floor, Attn: Kathy Maholtz, 14501 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, MD 20707. Comments and recommendations received may be considered in the final draft. If the 2014 Development Services Code is finalized and approved by the Commission, the code will become effective 30 days after it has been published in a newspaper of general circula- MEDICAL OFFICE TRAINING tion in Prince George’s County and Montgomery County. PROGRAM! Train to For additional code related information, please contact: Kathy Maholtz, Management Support Specialist II - kmaholt@wsscwater.com or 301-206-8739. (1-22, 1-23-14)

2007 YEARBOOK FROM HERBERT HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL in Poto-

mac MD Please call Roy at 727-2188962 if you have one to sell. $30

DOWNSIZING? HAVE A COLLECbuy TION? We households, attics or basement accumulations. Almost anything. 301-514-4234

ANTI-AGING BUSINESS GOLDMINE!

#1 Baby Boomer Market in US. Prime Turnkey locations available. $12K (min. Invest)=$50K+ Yearly! Call today: 888-9008276 24/7

MAKE UP TO

$2,000.00+ Per Week! New Credit Card Ready Drink-Snack Vending Machines. Minimum $4K to $40K+ Investment Required. Locations Available. BBB Accredited Business. (800) 962-9189

MY COMPUTER WORKS Computer

APPLIANCE REPAIR - We fix It no matter who you bought it from! 800934-5107

DIRECTV - Over 140

channels only $29.99 a month. Call Now! Triple savings! $636.00 in Savings, Free upgrade to Genie & 2014 NFL Sunday ticket free!! Start Saving today! 1-800-2793018

FIREWOOD FOR SALE

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM M M $235/cord M M $150 per 1/2 cord M A Nurturing Family For Your Baby. M µ Includes Delivery M Stay-at-home Mom, Education, M µ Stacking Extra Travel and Much More. M M Charge M M Expenses Paid M M Ask for Jose M 1-800-775-4013 M 301-417-0753 M M Nathalie & Jerald M M 301-370-7008 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

MADOPTION:M

GP2365

problems? Viruses, spyware, email, printer issues, bad internet connections - FIX IT NOW! Professional, U.S.-based technicians. $25 off service. Call for immediate help 1-866-998-0037

gram. Finanical aid if qualified - Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 877818-0783.

ALL THINGS BASEMENTY!

Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing? Finishing? Structural Repairs? Humidity and Mold Control FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1888-698-8150

COUPON CLIPPERS NEEDED! Trade extra

become a Medical Office Assistant. No Experience Needed! Career Training & Job Placement Assistance at CTI! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. 1-877649-2671

DISH TV RETAILER . Starting at

$19.99/month (for 12 mos.) & High Speed Internet starting at $14.95/month (where available) SAVE! Ask GET FREE OF CREDIT CARD About SAME DAY InDEBT NOW! Cut stallation! CALL Now! payments by up to 1-877-992-1237 half. Stop creditors ONE CALL, DOES from calling 877-858IT ALL! FAST AND 1386

RELIABLE ELECTRICAL REPAIRS & INSTALLATIONS. Call 1-800-

grocery coupons for 908-8502 $$$$$. All national brands requested. ONE CALL, DOES Free details, send IT ALL! FAST AND stamped selfRELIABLE addressed envelope: PLUMBING RECFCO Box 18529 MilPAIRS. Call 1-800waukee, WI 53218 796-9218

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM M M M M HAVANESE PUPPIES Global Executives, Hiking, Skiing, M M Home raised, AKC, Playful Pets. Theatre, Music, M best health guarantee M noahslittleark.com Lovingly Awaits 1st Baby M M Call: 262-993-0460 M M M Expenses Paid. M SHITZU:Puppies, M M M/F, 8wks old, B/W 1-800-933-1975 Brown/White. $475 M M GP2363 each. Call 240-793- M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M

risk & get guaranteed income in retirement! CALL for FREE copy of our SAFE MONEY GUIDE. Plus Annuity. Quotes from A-Rated compaines! 800-6695471

CASH FOR UNEXPIRED DIABETIC TEST STRIPS! Free Ship-

Call: 240-595-4418

I AM SEEKING A JOB: Housecleaning

24/7 monitoring. FREE Equipment. FREE Shippng. Nationwide Service. $29.95/Month CALL Medical Guardian Today 866-992-7236

Weekend live-in companion needed for senior Glentleman, dri ver, secretary,cook Gd English. 301-990-3990

HOUSEKEEPER NEEDED IN POTOMAC to cook, clean, 5½ days for couple. 301-983-3278.

by day, 10 yrs exp, POTOMAC HSKPR exc ref, Please Call: 1-9 pm. Legal. Drive, 301-661-5861 Good English. Laundry. Min 2yrs Exp. NANNY/HSKPR Call 301.887.3212. I AM LOOKING FOR WORK PT/FT Avl Live-in /live-out to to advertise assist w/kids & elderly call 10 yrs Exp & Exc Ref 301.670.7100 POTOMAC or email 240-601-2019

class@gazette.net

ping, Friendly Service, BEST prices and 24hr payment! Call today 877-588-8500 or visit www.TestStripSearch. com Espanol 888-4404001

MEDICAL ALERT FOR SENIORS -

GE RMA NT OWN :

MOMS

You can care for one or more children while staying in your own home. Call MONDAY MORNING MOMS

GP2377

for info. 301-528-4616

MONDAY M O N D AY M MORNING ORNING M MOMS O M S® OFFERS OFFERS

Reliable, Insured & Monitored Care in a home setting for Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers in Montgomery County

3 301-528-4616 01-528-4616

Daycare Directory

MADOPTION:M

G GP2362 P2362

GAITHERSBURG

AIRLINES ARE HIR- GUARANTEED NURSE/LPN LOOKING - Train for hands INCOME FOR ING FOR WORK: on Aviation Career. 18 yrs exp, live-out, YOUR RETIREFAA approved proMENT. Avoid market FT, own trans, exc ref.

GP2376

***OLD ROLEX & PATEK PHILIPPE WATCHES WANTED!** Dayto-

Page B-11

Bethesda Village Daycare Children’s Center of Damascus Damascus Licensed Family Daycare Elena’s Family Daycare My Little Lamb Childcare Kids Garden Day Care Reflections Daycare Susanna’s Day Care Little Angels Licensed Child Care Kids Love Jewelry

Lic # 160373 Lic. #: 31453 Lic. #: 139094 Lic. #: 15-133761 Lic #: 51328 Lic.#: 139378 Lic.#: 160613 Lic #: 105189 Lic #: 160952 Lic #161641

301-564-1966 301-253-6864 301-253-4753 301-972-1955 301-990-9695 240-601-9134 240-506-5343 301-933-7342 301-622-1517 301-625-1762

20817 20872 20872 20876 20877 20886 20886 20902 20904 20904

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 3, 2014

0464

Careers 301-670-2500

class@gazette.net

Customer Service/Sales Person

BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN GAITHERSBURG! NOW HIRING!! • Lot Attendant (know how to drive a manual a MUST) • Quick Lube Technicians • Experienced Body Shop Technician • Experienced Transmission Technician • Service Advisors • Experienced Diesel Technician • Sales Position (no experience necessary, but preferred)

NURSING ASSISTANT

TRAINING IN JUST 4 WEEKS Now Enrolling for February 10th and March 17th Classes

All positions require a background and drug screening test before employment. Excellent pay with Great Benefits, 401K, Life, STD, Flexible spending and other insurance offered!

GAITHERSBURG CAMPUS MORNING STAR ACADEMY 101 Lakeforest Blvd, Suite 402 Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Call: 301-977-7393 www.mstarna.com

Apply online at Sheehy.Com/Careers

SILVER SPRING CAMPUS

GP2300

CARE XPERT ACADEMY 13321 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 205 MORNING & EVENING CLASSES Silver Spring, MD 20904 Call: 301-384-6011 www.cxana.com

Administrative

CUSTOMER SERVICE REP

Optical Wholesale Lab is looking for energetic person to join their customer service staff. Hours: Monday - Friday 9:30a to 6:00 p. Please contact Rhonda at 301-585-9060 for interview.

Local companies, Local candidates Get Connected

Gazette.Net

CLEANING

Earn $300-$500/wk. M-F, No nights or wknds. Must have own car & valid. Drivers lic. Se Habla Espanol.

Merry Maids

Gaithersburg 301-869-6243 AUTOMOTIVE

MULTIPLE LUBE TECH POSITIONS

MOBIL LUBE EXPRESS in Kensington, MD. Experience preferred, but will train the right person! APPLY IN PERSON AT: 10635 Connecticut Ave. Kensington, MD.

Experienced, mature customer service/sales person for small independent retail store. Must be outgoing, self starting and looking for a career position. Hours 8:30-5:30; Mon-Fri. Convenient location near Friendship Heights Metro. Email resume with salary requirements to amaschal@zupnik.com

Experienced Receptionists, Stylists & Estheticians For High End Salon in Montgomery Mall Please e-mail resume to: nxabuder@comcast.net www.ericalexandersalon.com

GC3180

Courtroom Clerk

District Court for Montgomery County Rockville and Silver Spring Perform specialized clerical work at the advanced level assisting the judge in courtroom procedures and dockets. Prepare/generate paperwork for the judge’s and/or defendant’s signatures. Responsible for assisting the judge in the maintenance, operation, and organization of the courtroom. Work is performed with considerable independence and is evaluated for efficiency, effectiveness, timeliness and compliance with procedures. Resolve a variety of unprecedented or unusual problems. Ability to work overtime, as needed without prior notice. Maybe called in during emergencies, e.g. inclement weather conditions and staff shortages. For full details and instructions on how to apply, visit the court’s website www.mdcourts.gov; EOE

to advertise call 301.670.7100 or email class@gazette.net

Sales Rep (Outside)

Walpole Outdoors, FT, sell (pre-set leads) to homeowners in the DC Metro area. Must be self-motivated, service orientated, organized, have basic computer knowledge & good customer service skills. Flex. to work weekends, & Landscape Design or Building Products Sales background desirable. Competitive annual base salary + comm. Expected 1st yr $40k-$50k (base + comm.) Contact Phil Brennan 703-635-5028. Foster Parents

Treatment Foster Parents Needed Work from home!

û Free training begins soon û Generous monthly tax-free stipend û 24/7 support

Call 301-355-7205

Page B-12

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Careers 301-670-2500 Government

class@gazette.net

Office Secretary III

The Office of the Public Defender is seeking oriented persons familiar with the legal or court systems and significant customer service experience to fill a full time Office Secretary III vacancy in its Rockville office. Applicants with the ability to speak, write and translate for Spanish speaking clients are encourage to apply. View the entire posting and apply online through the States JobAps system at www.dbm.marlynad.gov Job Seekers section. Announcement #14-001362-00 Dental/ Medical Assistant Trainees Needed Now Dental/Medical Offices now hiring. No experience? Job Training & Placement Assistance Available 1-877-234-7706 CTO SCHEV

Pharmacy/ Phlebotomy Tech Trainees Needed Now Pharmacies/ hospitals now hiring. No experience? Job Training & Placement Assistance Available 1-877-240-4524 CTO SCHEV

Lab Technician Andrologist The A.R.T Institute of Washington Inc. has an immediate opening for an Andrologist in Bethesda, MD. College education or cert. in a biological or chemical science pref. US citizenship req. Previous andrology experience &/or background check for work in a DOD facility is beneficial. Will train a qualified applicant. Work schedule requires some weekends & holiday work. EOE The successful candidate must be detail-oriented & have superior communication and organizational skills. We seek a lab colleague who has the drive and enthusiasm for patient contact, quality control, regulatory compliance and who functions well independently. Please fax or email your resume to Aidita James at 888-399-7045 or aida.n.james.ctr@health.mil

Healthcare

WE’RE HIRING WEEKEND CNAS, GNAS, AND HHAS!

Provide non-medical care and companionship for seniors in their homes. Personal care, light housework, transportation, meal preparation. Must be 21+. Must have car and one year professional, volunteer, or personal experience www.homeinsteads.com/197 Home Instead Senior Care To us it’s personal 301/588-9023 Call between 10am-4pm Mon-Fri

Skilled Nursing facility needs experienced Registered Nurses for FT and PT Night shifts (11pm7am). Apply in person and take the Pre-Employment exams at 1235 Potomac Valley Road, Rockville, MD 20850. EOE Health

Certified Nursing Assistant

(GNA & Med Tech a plu$) Asst. Living in a rural home enviroment, Brookeville, MD Must have own transp. brookevillehouse@aol.com or fax: 301-570-1182

HANDYMAN General Maintenance 25 hr/wk. Vehicle (truck) Required. Good driving record. Send resume to fhcc@flowerhill.org Weekend work also required NO PHONE CALL PLEASE

Skilled Trades

SERVICE TECHS Griffith Energy Services is seeking qualified Service Techs with previous oil or HVAC experience to join their team in Frederick, Carroll & Montgomery County. Journeyman License preferred. Competitive pay, full 40 hr wk, bonuses, & exceptional benefits. Submit resume to: jobs@griffithoil.com or call Mike H. at 301-663-3111. EOE

HVAC MECHANIC

HEALTHCARE

Registered Nurses (FT/PT)

to advertise call 301.670.7100 or email class@gazette.net

Residential HVAC service, install, sheet metal mechanic with min 5 years exp. Top pay, excellent benefits; CFC certificate & MD state license required. Good driving record. Call 301-770-3100 academyhvac@gmail.com

Let Gazette Careers help you find that next position in your LOCAL area.

Medical Biller

HVAC - HELPER

Sheet metal helper with minimum 2 yrs exp. Good driving record, top pay, excellent benefits. Call 301-770-3100 or email to academyhvac@gmail.com

Web Developer

Skilled Trades

Exp. Biller Needed.Charge posting, A/R, Charge and payment posting for a Large Cardiology Practice in Mont. Co. FT/Benefits offered. Send resume to 240-449-1193 (f) or heartworkresumes@aol.com

A division of The Washington Post that publishes one of the largest community newspaper groups in the country is looking for an experienced web developer. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years’ experience and be proficient in CSS, HTML, JQuery and JavaScript. Experience with content management systems and responsive design preferred. Outstanding attention to detail and strong organizational skills are required. We offer competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package including pension 401(k) and tuition reimbursement.

Search Jobs Find Career Resources

If interested, please email your resume along with cover letter and salary requirements to: HRJobs@gazette.net Attn: Web Developer. EOE

Healthcare

PT Dietary Aides Long-Term care facility hiring experienced dietary aides for 4pm-8pm shifts. 3-4 days/wk plus every other weekend. Apply at 1235 Potomac Valley Road, Rockville, MD 20850 EOE.

Part-Time

Work From Home

National Children’s Center Making calls. For more info please call Weekdays between 9a-4p No selling! Sal + bonus + benes. Call 301-333-1900

Maintenance Technician (Rockville, MD) Experienced Maintenance Technician needed for garden style apartment community. Must have solid experience with apartment maintenance including appliance repair, HVAC, electrical and plumbing repairs. Must have reliable transportation for rotating on-call responsibility. HVAC certification is a plus. Great opportunity for highly experienced, selfmotivated maintenance technician. Excellent compensation & benefits.

Email cover letter & resume to dfair@horningbrothers.com. No phone calls please. EOE.

HANDY PERSON (PT) Flexible afternoon/evening Mon-Fri for responsible and dependable individual. Duties include laundry, equipment repair, supplies and car inventory and closing the office. Must have a drivers license (no car needed) and be able to lift 40lbs.

Recruiting is now Simple! Get Connected

The Maids - Call 301-562-8900

TECHNICAL LEADS

Montgomery County Public Schools Division of Maintenance NOW HIRING

In Gaithersburg, MD. Lead & plan Salesforce cloud based custom application by coordinating people, tech, & client resources. Train, supervise, & direct architects, project managers, & software developers to conduct user interaction, reqs gathering, solve problems, & build reusable software. Develop Salesforce, .Net, and GIS tech to design, develop, & implement business needs, organizational policies, business goals, & procedures. Send res to Client Network Services, Inc., Attn: Edmund Yarboi, 15800 Gaither Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

Office Manager For doctor office in Bethesda must have Medical office experience and references. Salary is based on experience. Send resume by email to lindamm2@verizon.net or fax 301-530-2606

Real Estate

MST / HVAC MECHANICS

Interested candidates should complete a profile and submit a resume by applying online at www.MCPScareers.org to requisition # 13000OB. Please create an account under Potential Employees. All applicants must also call (301) 279-3291 to schedule an appointment for a written test. GC3178

Pharmacy Technician

Must be MD Cert., Independent Pharmacy located in Medical Building. M-F 9-6 every other Sat 9-1. Experience Necessary Send Resume to Darnell@knowleswellness.com

Seminar

Interested in a career in decorating? Career opportunity seminar Sat. Jan 25th @ 10am - Noon 10426 fawcett St, Kensington, MD RSVP to jimkirlin@decoratingden.com

Silver Spring

Work with the BEST!

Be trained individually by one of the area’s top offices & one of the area’s best salesman with over 34 years. New & experienced salespeople welcomed.

Must R.S.V.P.

GC3191

Call Bill Hennessy

3 301-388-2626 01-388-2626

bill.hennessy@longfoster.com • Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. EOE

Gazette Careers

Career Training Need to re-start your career?

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Automotive

Page B-13

Call 301-670-7100 or email class@gazette.net

JJANUARY ANUARY INVENTORY INVENTORY REDUCTION S ALE! REDUCTION SALE! 04 Honda Element EX #362045B, 4 Speed $ $ Auto, 1-Owner, 4WD

5,800

12 Ford Focus SEL #351136A, $ 6 Speed Auto, $

4-DR, Silver Metallic

12,800

07 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS #364333A, $$ 5 Speed Manual, 1

8,800

Owner, 44k Miles

11 Toyota Camry LE #472182A, $$ 6 Speed Auto,

12,800

4 Door

10 Scion TC #P8855, 4 Speed $ $ Automatic,1-Owner

12,700

11 Toyota Corolla S #472214A, 4 Speed $ $ Automatic

13,500

YOU ALWAYS GET YOUR WAY AT OURISMAN EVERYDAY

2013 MODELS SALE

2014 JETTA S

2013 GOLF 2 DOOR

#3096306, Automatic, Power Windows/Power Locks, Keyless Entry, Heated Seats, Bluetooth, Cruise Control

MSRP $17,810

#377689B, Automatic, Coupe

14,700

11ToyotaRAV4 $$

#364568A, 4 Speed Auto, 1-Owner, 18K miles

18,700

12 Nissan Altima S #470192A, CVT $ $ Trans, 2.5. Low Miles

14,800

08 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 3.0L #457003B, 7 Speed Auto, Mars Red

19,700

13 Hyundai Velostar #467009A, $ 6 Speed Auto,1 Owner,$ 10k Miles, Coupe

16,800

11 Toyota Tacoma $$

#467046A, 2WD, 5 Speed Manual, 32k Miles

19,800

2006 Toyota Camry LE........... $8,800 $8,800 2010 Toyota Prius II............ $16,800 $16,800 #462007A, 5 SpeedAuto, Indigo Ink Pearl #P8874, CVT Trans, 1 Owner, 25k Miles, Barcelona Red

$9,800 2007 Lexus IS 250.............. $17,700 $17,700 2002 Toyota Highlander LTD.... $9,800 #462007B, 4WD Sport Utility, Vontage Gold, 4 SpeedAuto #4377591A, 6 SpeedAuto, 1 Owner, Obsidian

2013 Beetles & Beet Convertibles le 19 Available In Stock Units On ly

OURISMAN VW # 7373771, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

09 Mini Cooper Clubman S

$5,000 OFF

14,999

BUY FOR

16,999

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

2013 BEETLE

#1679497, Power Windows/Locks, Sunroof, Auto, Loaded

MSRP $22,765

19,490

2013 JETTA TDI

2013 GTI 2 DOOR

#7234651, Automatic Power Windows, Power Locks, Bluetooth

#4125692, Automatic, Power Windows/ Power Locks, Keyless Entry

19,995 2014 TIGUAN S BUY FOR

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

2013 JETTA GLI

18,999

BUY FOR

MSRP $25,155

MSRP $24,490 - $5,000 OFF BUY FOR

#9009449, Automatic, Power Windows/Power Locks, Keyless Entry, Cruise Control

MSRP $20,860

BUY FOR

2014 PASSAT S 2.5L

MSRP $26,095 BUY FOR

21,938

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

2014 PASSAT TDI SE

$10,700 2013 Scion TC................... $19,800 $19,800 2009 Toyota Camry LE......... $10,700 #355058A, 5 SpeedAuto, Super White, 4-Door #351079A, 1-Owner, Release Series 8.0,Absolutely Red 2012 Nissan Sentra 2.......... $14,800 $14,800 2011 Toyota Avalon............ $19,800 $19,800 #472173A, CVT Transmission, 1-Owner, 11.6k miles, Brilliant Silver #478001A, 6 SpeedAuto, 1 Owner, 4 Door

2007 Honda Odyssey EX-L. ... $15,800 $15,800 2009 Nissan Murano SL....... $20,800 $20,800 #460070A, 5 SpeedAuto, 1 Owner #P8851A, CVT Trans, 4WD, Sport Utility 2011 Honda Accord LX-P...... $15,700 $15,700 2014 Toyota Camry LE.......... $21,800 $21,800 #472112A, 1 Owner, 5 SpeedAuto, 39k Miles, Metal Metallic #378075A, 6 SpeedAuto, 1-Owner, 307 Miles, Clearwater Blue Metallic

355 3 5 5 TOYOTA TOYOTA PRE-OWNED P R E - OW N E D See what it’s like to love car buying

1-888-831-9671 1-888-831-9671 15625 Frederick Rd (Rte 355) • Rockville, MD | OPEN SUNDAY

V VISIT ISIT U US S O ON N T THE HE W WEB EB A AT T w www.355.com ww.355.com

MSRP 26,110 $

BUY FOR

21,999

#13525611, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP $25,235

OR 0.9% for 60 MONTHS

BUY FOR

23,399

#9060756, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Sunroof

MSRP $27,385 BUY FOR

23,399

OR 0.9% for 60 MONTHS

OURISMAN VW WORLD AUTO CERTIFIED PRE OWNED 23 Available...Rates Starting at 2.64% up to 72 months

1999 SAAB 9-5..............#V674887A, Green, 83,144 miles..............$5,991 2011 Jetta Sedan..........#V0019A, Silver, 47,603 miles.................$12,995 2010 Routan...................#VP0021,White, 53,686 miles.................$13,999 2012 Mazda 6................#VPR0023, Black, 44,340 miles...............$14,995 2011 Toyota Corolla......#VP0020, Black, 30,992 miles.................$15,491 2012 Nissan Altima......#VPR0024, Gray, 42,366 miles................$15,995 2012 Honda CR-Z..........#V448990A, Black, 24,198 miles.............$15,995 2012 Jetta SE................#VPR61113, Silver, 34,537 miles.............$16,495 2012 Beetle....................#V20016, Silver, 10,890 miles.................$16,495

2012 Passat S................#VPR0016, Gray, 37,800 miles................$16,995 2013 Jetta SE................#V693295A, Red, 3,179 miles..................$18,995 2013 Jetta SE................#VPR0012, Silver, 3,693 miles..................$18,999 2013 Jetta SE................#VPR0011, Silver, 4,491 miles..................$18,999 2011 CC..........................#VP0022, Black, 30,272 miles..................$18,999 2011 Honda CRV...........#V003776A, Gray, 37,086 miles...............$19,995 2011 Tiguan S................#VPR0017,White, 32,529 miles...............$20,995 2012 CC..........................#V502916A, Silver, 35,715 miles..............$21,995

All prices exclude tax, tags, title, freight and $200 processing fee. Cannot be combined with any previous advertised or internet special. Pictures are for illustrative purposes only. See dealer for details. 0% APR Up To 60 Months on all models. See dealer for details. Ourisman VW World Auto Certified Pre Owned financing for 60 months based on credit approval thru VW. Excludes Title, Tax, Options & Dealer Fees. Special APR financing cannot be combined with sale prices. Ends 01/31/14.

Ourisman VW of Laurel 3371 Fort Meade Road, Laurel

1.855.881.9197 • www.ourismanvw.com Online Chat Available...24 Hour Website • Hours Mon-Fri 9 am-9 pm • Sat 9 am-8 pm

Selling that convertible...be sure to share a picture!

Log on to

Gazette.Net/Autos to upload photos of your car for sale

G558481

G558479

DARCARS

#7301806, Power Windows, Power Locks

Page B-14

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Page B-15

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top

CA H

$$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Makes! Free Towing! We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call 1-800-959-8518

FOR CAR ! ANY CAR ANY CONDITION

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WE PAY TOP DOLLAR-FAST FREE PICKUP! SELL YOUR CAR TODAY! CALL NOW FOR AN

Any Make, Model or Year. We Pay MORE! Running or Not. Sell Your Car or Truck TODAY. Free Towing! Instant Offer: 1-888-545-8647

INSTANT CASH OFFER

(301) 288-6009

G558459

DARCARS NISSAN

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breast cancer families. Tax Deductible. Free Next-Day Towing. $1000 Grocery/Restaurant Coupons. Call 7 days/week United Breast Cancer Foundation 800-728-0801

DARCARS

2004 Nissan Sentra S

See what it’s like to love car buying.

#340139A, Auto, 4 Door, 1-Owner

Sale Price: NMAC Bonus Cash:

With Bluetooth #12113 2 At This Price: VINS: 797494, 788738

2014 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5 S MSRP: $23,470 Sale Price: Nissan Rebate: NMAC Bonus Cash:

16,995

ALL APPLICATIONS REVIEWED WE HELP EVERYONE!

$15,495 -$500

14,995

2004 Toyota Camry Solara SE #448307A, Auto, 1 Owner, Convertible

With Bluetooth #13114 2 At This Price: VINS: 204558, 263232

G558482

Sale Price: Nissan Rebate: NMAC Bonus Cash:

1-866-464-1618

With Bluetooth, Rear View Monitor #22113 2 At This Price: VINS: 555572, 042248

2011 Kia Forte SX #447501A, Black Leather, Low Miles, 5-Door, 1-0wner

$18,995 -$500 -$500

Looking for a new ride? Log on to Gazette.Net/Autos to search for your next vehicle!

23,495

24,495

G558480

#25014 2 At This Price: VINS: 607679, 602755

DARCARS NISSAN of of ROCKVILLE ROCKVILLE 15911 Drive • • Rockville, Rockville, MD MD (at (at Rt. Rt. 355 355 across across from fromKing KingFarm) Farm) 15911 Indianola Indianola Drive www.DARCARSNISSAN.com 888.824.9166 •• www.DARCARSNISSAN.com

#3374548A, Auto, Sunroof, Heated/ Ventilated Seats

2007 BMW 3 Series 328Xi #445067A, AWD, Automatic

14,977

2010 Nissan Murano SL #P8816, AWD, 1 Owner, Sport Utility

17,977

19,977

2013 Nissan Juke SL #N0292, Auto, AWD, Navigation, Leather, Sunroof

20,977

www.DARCARSnissan.com DARCARS NISSAN of ROCKVILLE 15911 Indianola Drive • Rockville, MD (at Rt. 355 across from King Farm)

888.805.8235 • www.DARCARSNISSAN.com

BAD CREDIT - NO CREDIT - CALL TODAY!

NEW 2014 COROLLA LE 3 AVAILABLE: #470156, 470225, 470255

3 AVAILABLE: #470284, 470321, 470197

WINTER

129/mo.**

CLEARANCE SALE!

4 DR., 4 CYL., AUTO

NEW 2014 VENZA 4X2 2 AVAILABLE: #474515, 474500

15,690

4 DR., AUTO, 4 CYL., INCL.

NEW 2014 SCION XD 2 AVAILABLE: #453005, 453012

4 CYL., AUTO

AFTER $1,000 REBATE

14,977

2010 Cadillac DTS w/1SC

$26,495 -$1,000 -$1,000

2014 NEW COROLLA LE

24,590

13,977

With Leather, Moonroof #16114 2 At This Price: VINS:454672, 454568

Prices include all rebates and incentives. NMAC Bonus Cash requires financing through NMAC with approved credit. Prices Pricestax, include rebates incentives. NMAC Bonusand Cash requires financing through NMAC with approved credit.with exclude tags, all freight (carsand $780, trucks $725-$995), $200 processing charge. *Lease payments are calculated Prices exclude tax,$200 tags,processing freight (cars $810,and trucks $200 processing charge. valid only onthrough listed tax, tags, freight, charge first$845-$995), payment dueand at signing, and are valid withPrices tier one approval VINS. See dealer for details. Offer expires 01/31/2014. NMAC. Prices valid only on listed VINS. See dealer for details. Offer expires 10/22/2012.

13,977

2012 Nissan Altima 2.5s #E0293, Auto, 1 Owner, 4 Door

$31,810 $26,995 -$3000 -$500

2014 NISSAN PATHFINDER S AWD MSRP: $31,345 Sale Price: Nissan Rebate: NMAC Bonus Cash:

#446119A, Auto, 1 Owner, Special Edition, Sunroof, Navigation

17,995

2014 NISSAN MAXIMA S MSRP: Sale Price: Nissan Rebate: NMAC Bonus Cash:

8,977

2012 Nissan Sentra 2.0S

$18,995 -$1,000 -$1,000

2013MSRP: NISSAN ROGUE S$22,695 FWD

EMAIL US AT BUILDMYCREDIT@JIMCOLEMANAUTO.COM OR CALL

7,977

2013 NISSAN SENTRA SV MSRP: $18,360

4 NEED AUTO FINANCING ASSISTANCE? 4 TIRED OF HASSLES? 4 WANT A FRESH START?

6,977

2002 Toyota Camry LE #446064A, Auto, 1 Owner, 4 Door Compact

169/mo.**

4 CYL., 4 DR., AUTO

NEW 2013 RAV4 LE 4X4 BASE 3 AVAILABLE: #364521, 364539, 364554

NEW 2014 CAMRY LE 2 AVAILABLE: #472090, 472091

36 Month Lease $

169/mo.**

4 DR., 4 CYL., AUTO

NEW 2014 CAMRY LE

2 AVAILABLE: #377728, 377730

16,690

2 AVAILABLE: #472122, 472144

0% FOR

4 DR., AUTO, 4 CYL.,

AFTER $1,000 REBATE

4 CYL., AUTOMATIC

AFTER $500 REBATE

NEW 2013 PRIUS C II

21,690

DARCARS

MONTHS+

On 10 Toyota Models

See what it’s like to love car buying

18,690

AUTO, 4 CYL., 4 DR

AFTER TOYOTA $1,750 REBATE

G557425

1-888-831-9671

15625 Frederick Rd (Rte 355) • Rockville, MD n OPEN SUNDAY n VISIT US ON THE WEB AT www.355Toyota.com

G558478

PRICES AND PAYMENTS INCLUDE ANY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURE’S REBATES AND EXCLUDE MILITARY ($500) AND COLLEGE GRAD ($500) REBATES, TAX, TAGS, DEALER PROCESSING CHARGE ($200) AND FREIGHT: CARS $795 OR $810, TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY AND SIENNAS $810, $845 AND $995. *0.9% APR & 0% APR FINANCING UP TO 60 MONTHS TO QUALIFIED BUYERS THRU TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES. TOTAL FINANCED CANNOT EXCEED MSRP PLUS OPTIONS, TAX, AND LICENSE FEES. 0% APR 60 MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $16.67 FOR EACH $1000 BORROWED. 0.9% APR 60 MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $17.05 FOR EACH $1000 BORROWED. APR OFFERS ARE NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER CASH BACK OR LEASE OFFER. NOT ALL BUYERS WILL QUALIFY.**LEASE PAYMENTS BASED ON 36 MONTHS, 12,000 MILES PER YEAR WITH $995 DOWN PLUS $650 ACQUISITION FEE, NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED. SEE DEALER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. OFFERS EXPIRES 01/31/2014.

Page B-16

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 b

Advertorial

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