Germantown 121014 by The Gazette

INSIDE Check out My Favorite Teacher results. CONTEST

The Gazette

NEWS: North Potomac teen brings cancer journey into focus with photography. A-3

GERMANTOWN | CLARKSBURG

SPORTS: Damascus falls short in state title game after Franklin rallies. B-1

DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

25 cents

Victory, aggain

Road leads to growth

Northwest claims state championship

Century Boulevard extension enables more Germantown development BY

VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER

BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

orthwest High School football coach Mike Neubeiser told senior wide receiver Aaron-David Beidleman that this year’s state championship game would be played on “No drop Friday,” Beidleman said. The Jaguars’ receiving corps — Beidleman, Jamar Wilson and Brandon Wilson — complied in Northwest’s 3431 victory against Anne Arundel County’s Old Mill at M&T Bank Stadium Friday to secure the Germantown school’s second straight Class 4A state championship in football. The Jaguars became the first team to win back-to-back 4A state titles since crosstown rival Seneca Valley did it in 1998-99. It is the Jaguars’ third state championship in the sport. Senior running back E.J. Lee and Northwest’s ground game almost exclusively propelled the Jaguars past Prince George’s County’s DuVal in the state semifinals by scoring six of their seven touchdowns in that game. Still, Northwest prides itself on being a true team, Neubeiser said. Friday’s performance was more indicative of balanced offense that the Jaguars relied on to reach the state final. There’s no denying Lee’s integral role in Friday’s victory but in addition to his 206 yards and two touchdowns, Beidleman (6 catches for 74 yards, 1 touchdown), Wilson (3-99, 1 TD) and Williams (3-45) accounted for 218 of Northwest’s 438 total yards and two of five touchdowns. More

A recently completed 2,600-foot extension to the north of Century Boulevard in Germantown by the county Department of Transportation will open the way for two major building projects north of Father Hurley Boulevard. Planned is the development of the 107-acre, mixed-use Black Hills tract by Lerner Enterprises and a 24-acre tract being developed by Symmetry Developers. The total cost of the Century extension was $7.5 million, which included $4 million from Symmetry. Symmetry representative Nicole Totah could not immediately be reached for comment Monday about the project. Extended Century Boulevard now

See DEVELOPMENT, Page A-10 TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Senior running back E.J. Lee and his Northwest High School football teammates celebrate their 34-31 victory against Old Mill in the Class 4A state championship on Friday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. important than the statistics, Neubeiser said, was the number of timely catches. “Offensively, we try to spread it around,” Neubeiser said. “We look to where we can get good matchups and when they load the box up for the run, we’re able to get it to good receivers. When those guys get on the edge, they’re able to make

some big plays for us.” The nice thing about Northwest’s receiving corps is that each piece brings something different. Wilson is the fast one, Beidleman said. He proved his ability to blow past anyone on

See NORTHWEST, Page A-10

Local preteens to compete in national football game Germantown, Gaithersburg students to challenge best of the best

SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER STAFF WRITER

Marcus Simmons, 10, and Brian Plummer, 12, will travel to South Carolina on Dec. 31 to showcase their talent on the football ﬁeld for the Diamond Youth All-American Bowl, where they will compete against promising youth athletes from across the country. The Diamond Youth All-American Bowl consists of 70 players, each in grades 5 through 9, as well as a sepa-

rate group of 70 senior players. The groups are split into 35-player rosters that will compete at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach on Jan. 3. Donnell Britt, president and CEO of Diamond Sports Group, explained that their are several ways to get scouted for the event, including being seen at one of the Diamond Combine drill events hosted throughout the country. “What we do is in the spring and summer we tour the country. We seek out places where athletes are less recruited, looking for athletes that nobody knows about. We call them our

See FOOTBALL, Page A-10

Reasons are outlet center, housing growth BY

VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER

The county police department hopes to win County Council approval to hire 10 more ofﬁcers to work in the Clarksburg area because of expected growth there.

B-11 A-2 B-8 B-4 A-12 A-13 B-1

VIRGINIA TERHUNE

town on Jan. 5. It will be one of four presentations he makes around the county, said Catherine Matthews, director of the Regional Services Center in Germantown. Gillespie also said Monday that the new Germantown central business district patrols will start Dec. 28.

See POLICE, Page A-10

See SAFETY, Page A-10

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

“There’s been an increase in population ... and we need to grow with the community,” Gillespie said. Adding 10 officers would mean there would be one or two more ofﬁcers on duty in the area at any one time, he said. County Executive Isiah Leggett is expected to outline to the public his proposed operating budget for the ﬁscal year starting July 1 at the Black Rock Center for the Arts in German-

BAH, SCROOGE! One-man ‘Christmas Carol’ comes to Olney. Page B-4

Please

RECYCLE

December 18, 2014 1932812

Improvements made at student crosswalks

When school ofﬁcials rebuild the Seneca Valley High School in Germantown two years from now, they may have a chance to incorporate even more measures to protect student pedestrians. In the meantime, ofﬁcials have already taken measures to make it safer for students to walk to and from the school. Two years ago a Seneca Valley student was killed while crossing the intersection of Germantown Road and Wisteria Drive. The County Council on Sept. 17 chose the high school to publicize its new You Only Live Once [YOLO] campaign, which urges students to stay off their cell phones and look both ways before crossing the street. Ironically, later that same day, a student was bumped by a car but thankfully not injured. “It was the driver who was in the wrong,” said Seneca Valley Principal Marc Cohen. “[Students] can do everything right, but they still have to pay attention.” Students who live within two miles of the school are not eligible to ride buses, and most of those who walk head north across Germantown Road (Md. 118) to go home, he said. Seneca Valley is bounded by three

Brian Plummer, 12 (left), and Marcus Simmons Jr., 10, will play football in the Diamond Youth All-American Bowl in January in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

ENTERTAINMENT

INDEX Automotive Calendar Classiﬁed Entertainment Obituaries Opinion Sports

Clarksburg has reached half of its projected growth of 40,000 people, and the Cabin Branch outlet center with 100 stores is expected to open in 2016. “There are more calls for service, with more coming,” said Capt. David Gillespie, commander of the Fifth District, at a meeting of the Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board on Monday in Germantown. Based in Germantown, the district station serves most upcounty areas.

STAFF WRITER

County police requesting more ofﬁcers for Clarksburg n

Seneca Valley focused on student safety

THE GAZETTE

Page A-2

EVENTS

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.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 10 Drop-In Discussion About Grief and Healing, 6:30-8 p.m., Montgomery Hos-

pice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Rockville. For anyone mourning the death of a loved one. Free, registration required. 301-9214400.

Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of “Fiddler on the Roof,” 7:30-9 p.m., Jew-

ish Community Center of Greater Washington, 6125 Montrose Road, Rockville. This lecture, based on Dr. Solomon’s best-selling book, “Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’” is presented by The Foundation for Jewish Studies. Free; donations welcome. 301770-4787.

THURSDAY, DEC. 11 Art of Hanukkah, 11 a.m., Ingleside at King Farm, 701 King Farm Blvd., Rockville. Jody Shapiro of the nonproﬁt Jewish Art Education will give a slideshow lecture illuminating the Jewish holiday — a visual tour through Jewish culture, religious beliefs and traditions. Free, RSVP requested. 240-499-9019. Jewish Family Feud Game, noon, B’nai Israel Hazak, 6301 Montrose Road, Rockville. Celebrate Hanukkah with a Jewish version of the Family Feud game. Join a team and test knowledge of Jewish customs, history, Torah and Israeli facts. Bring a dairy lunch; sufganiyot and Hanukkah cookies will be provided. sharkylight@aol.com. Gaithersburg Fine Arts Association Meeting, 6:30-9 p.m., Whetstone Com-

munity Center, 19140 Brooke Grove Court, Montgomery Village. Full of fun and learning opportunities for artists of all levels. gaithersburgﬁneartsassoc@gmail.com. Turning 65? You Have Choices and Medicare is One of Them, 7-9 p.m., Twin-

brook Library, 202 Meadow Hall Drive, Rockville. Learn about Medicare through one of Montgomery County’s senior information sessions, which are offered through the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Free. 301-590-2819. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy Presentation, 7:30-9 p.m., National Alliance on

Mental Illness Montgomery County, 11718 Parklawn Drive, Rockville. Increases the capacity of individuals and families living with mental illness to share their stories effectively and use them to engage decisionmakers on key advocacy issues. Free. megan@namimc.org.

SATURDAY, DEC. 13 Brunch in PJ’s with Santa, 9-11 a.m., North Bethesda Market, 20 Paseo Drive,

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Rockville. Children can meet Santa and his helpers, decorate cookies and make holiday crafts over brunch. The event benefits Toys for Tots. Families who bring unwrapped toys receive a 20 percent discount. $5.95-$11.95. 301-907-3817. Breakfast With Santa, 9:30-11 a.m., North Creek Community Center, 20125 Arrowhead Road, Montgomery Village. Enjoy hot cocoa and a continental breakfast, then make holiday crafts and enjoy a one-on-one visit with Santa. Best for children ages 6 months-8 years with parent or guardian. $5-$15; pre-registration required. 240-243-2338. Creative Writing Club, 1-2:30 p.m., Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg. Come for constructive feedback on writing. Run by a member of the Maryland Writers’ Association. Ages 13-18. Free. 240-777-0200. Cat Behavior and Litter Box Issues, 2 p.m., A Cat Clinic, 14200 Clopper Road, Boyds. Dr. Melissa Mustillo, a veterinarian, will discuss medical and non-medical reasons cats may avoid the litter box, as well as tips for getting cats to love the litter box again. Free. 301-540-7770. Baskets, Thirty-One and Cash Bingo, 5-10 p.m., Damascus American Legion Post 171, 10201 Lewis Drive, Damascus. Bring an unwrapped toy for Toys For Tots and receive a free special game card. $20. 301-528-5052. Magical Night of Community, 8-11 p.m., Congregation Har Shalom, 11510 Falls Road, Potomac. Featuring the talents of magician Brian Curry. Strolling magic during hourlong hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine, then an hourlong magic show at 9 p.m., followed by desserts and a raffle. $36-$50. BMWraffle@harshalom.org.

SUNDAY, DEC. 14 Breakfast With Santa, 8 a.m.-noon, Laytonsville Fire Department, 21400 Laytonsville Road, Laytonsville. Meal includes pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries, chipped beef, baked apples, biscuits, orange juice and coffee. $5-$9; kids younger than 5 eat free. 240-304-1332. Fair Trade Festival, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Covenant United Methodist Church, 20301 Pleasant Ridge Drive, Montgomery Village. Peruse beautiful items from around the world, with purchases helping to provide a sustainable economy. Free admission. jillmaisch@comcast.net. Christmas Musical Cantata, 8:15 a.m.-noon, Covenant United Methodist Church, 20301 Pleasant Ridge Drive, Montgomery Village. Bringing the audience musically from preparation for the event to the joy of Christ’s birth through arrangements of carols, hymns and new

SAT

Milk and Cookies with Santa, 9 a.m.-

12:30 p.m., Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, 20001 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown. Come between 9 and 10:30 a.m. or between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Free. 240-773-4729.

MORE INTERACTIVE CALENDAR ITEMS AT WWW.GAZETTE.NET music. Free. 301-926-8920.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Wesley Grove

United Methodist Church, 23640 Woodﬁeld Road, Gaithersburg. The Wesley Grove United Methodist Church Chancel Choir and Players present their Christmas musical at 11 a.m., with an encore performance at 7:30 p.m. Free. wgumc@wesleygroveumc.org. Celtic Christmas, 3 p.m., Kentlands Mansion, 320 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg. Seamus Kennedy sings traditional and contemporary Celtic songs. $12-$25. 301-258-6425. Toys For Tots Holiday Concert, 3-4:30 p.m., Lake Marion Community Center, 8821 East Village Ave., Montgomery Village. Orchestral performance featuring the Montgomery Village Community Band. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy. Free. 301-948-0110.

Surviving the Holidays for Separated and Divorced, 5-7 p.m., Grace United

Methodist Church, 119 N. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg. Offering support and ideas for getting through the holidays with a positive spirit. There will be separate events for children and adults. $10. 301926-8688.

MONDAY, DEC. 15 Winter Blues: Balancing Sorrow and Celebration While Grieving, 1-2:30 p.m.,

Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Rockville. For anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Free, registration required. 301-921-4400.

TUESDAY, DEC. 16 Chanukah in the Village, 4:30-6 p.m., Potomac Village Shopping Center, 10116 River Road, Potomac. Enjoy a Menorah lighting, lively Hanukkah singalong, dreidel playing and lots of holiday sweets. Free. 301-299-0225.

PHOTO GALLERY

Chuck Anya and Brendan Thompson celebrate Northwest High School’s 34-31 victory in the state championship game Friday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Go to clicked.Gazette.net. SPORTS High school basketball season has begun. Keep up with the biggest games by checking online every weekend.

Get complete, current weather information

at NBCWashington.com

GAZETTE CONTACTS The Gazette – 9030 Comprint Court

Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Main phone: 301-948-3120 Circulation: 301-670-7350 Nathan Oravec,managing editor, Germantown : noravec@gazette.net, 301-670-7155 Samantha Schmieder, staff writer: sschmieder@gazette.net, 301-670-2043 Virginia Terhune, staff writer: vterhune@gazette.net, 301-670-2048 The Gazette (ISSN 1077-5641) is published weekly for $29.99 a year by The Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Periodicals postage paid at Gaithersburg, Md. Postmaster: Send address changes. VOL. 27, NO. 50 • 2 SECTIONS, 28 PAGES

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17 B’nai Tzedek Hazak Celebrates Chanukah, noon-2:30 p.m., 10621 South Glen

Road, Potomac. Famous homemade latkes and a festive holiday sing-along with Cantor Kapell and Rabbi Steve. Latkes, dessert and drinks provided. Free. 301-299-0225.

CORRECTION In the Nov. 26, 2014, edition of The Gazette, in the cover story “Teen Star: Germantown girl takes Miss Maryland Teen title,” Germantown native and Miss Maryland Teen USA Taylor Dawson was misquoted. A revised version of the story can be found online at www.gazette.net.

Recruiting is now Simple! Get Connected! Local Companies Local Candidates

1909598

CA H

FOR CAR !

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

INSTANT CASH OFFER 1932810

(301)288-6009

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page A-3

Montgomery teen brings his cancer journey into focus with photography Quince Orchard student captures football team from the sidelines

Germantown ﬁrm specializes in town planning, urban design n

VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER

BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER

Austin Cohen’s enthusiasm for football began around 2008, when he started playing flag football. He soon switched to tackle football, playing for various leagues over the course of several years. As an eighth-grade student at Ridgeview Middle School in Gaithersburg last year, Austin played for Quince Orchard’s middle school football team with the intention of joining the high school’s football team as a freshman. This past season, however, the North Potomac teen was on the field with a camera in his hand most of the time and not a pigskin. Austin chose to focus on his hobby of photography — he worked on the sidelines as the team photographer — after being faced with a serious challenge: cancer. It all started last winter when Austin, then 13, began experiencing pain near his right knee. With the pain worsening, Austin went in for an appointment with an osteopathic doctor — one who practices a “whole person” approach to medicine — since his pediatrician was unavailable. The doctor checked Austin’s body alignment and had him perform some stretches. Feeling some temporary relief from the stretches, Austin was sent home and instructed to continue the stretching exercises. The pain quickly returned, however, and over the next few days it became evident that the stretches weren’t helping. Within a week of that first appointment, Austin saw an orthopedist who took x-rays and ordered him to get an MRI. One day later, the orthopedist called Austin’s parents, Scott and Miriam, and referred them to the oncology unit at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Several scans later, Children’s National doctors found a bone tumor in Austin’s leg. In early March, following a biopsy of the tumor, Austin officially was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his right femur. “When my mom came home

Rood named president of Rodgers Consulting

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Quince Orchard’s Austin Cohen photographs the Northwest High School varsity football Class 4A State championship on Friday night at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. and told me that I had osteosarcoma, a wave of disbelief went through me. I just really couldn’t believe it,” Austin said. Undergoing chemotherapy was the ﬁrst step, but days before he was scheduled to begin treatment, Austin had an accident. While playing around on a skateboard with friends, Austin lost his balance and fell, leading him to break his right leg at the site of the tumor. “I wanted to spend time with my friends before I had to go into the hospital because I was going to be there for a while,” Austin said. With a broken leg and a growing tumor — he described it as the size of a cantaloupe — Austin received chemotherapy treatment over a 10-week period. Despite that effort, the tumor was not shrinking and the pain was at its worst. “It was like having a balloon ﬁlled with hard cement inside your knee,” Austin said. “That’s the way I explained it to people.” Surgery to remove the tumor was the next option, but the Cohens weren’t completely on board with the doctors’ plan to proceed with a limb-spairing procedure. The surgery would have saved Austin’s leg by removing the tumor and surrounding bone and cartilage, but it would have kept him from running, jumping and playing sports in the future.

Instead, the Cohens sought a second opinion from a doctor at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. There they discussed several surgical options, and they ultimately decided on a rotationplasty. The procedure involves a partial amputation of the leg above the knee. The lower leg and foot are then rotated 180 degrees and fused to the existing portion of the femur. The major beneﬁt of a rotationplasty is that the recipient can typically maintain a high level of mobility with the help of a prosthesis since the ankle joint essentially replaces the knee and assumes its function. “I really wanted the surgery because the pain was just getting worse and worse,” Austin said. Austin received his rotationplasty on June 17, 2014, and from the end of June to the beginning of November he underwent his last round of chemotherapy. In September, Austin was given his prosthetic. Last week, Austin and his family got the news that all of his scans came back clean and he is now cancer-free. In a few more months, once the bone has been able to heal, Austin will be able to “start doing impact-type activities like running or whatever he’s capable of doing at that point,” Scott said. Austin said he has enjoyed

working as the team’s photographer and that the activity helped him to focus on something other than ﬁghting cancer. “I knew how important it was to the players — being a player myself — to have pictures of yourself playing,” Austin said. “I put them up on a Flickr account that I made so the guys could go on to the account and screenshot it or just get the picture and have it for themselves.” As a parent, Scott said he has struggled with how to view Austin’s cancer plight in relation to his son’s impressive talent and athleticism. “I would have liked to have seen the able-bodied Austin and seen where that would have gone,” Scott said. “But I think now, I’m more excited about the possibilities of the handicapped Austin. There’s no reason why he can’t do Paralympics or he can’t do triathlon or play football. It’s whatever he wants to do.” Looking back on the past and ahead at the future, Austin said that having a positive attitude is the key to making it through tough times. “It doesn’t make sense to have a negative attitude because if you do you’re not going to get anywhere,” Austin said. jedavis@gazette.net

Rodgers Consulting, Inc., a land-use planning and consulting ﬁrm based in Germantown, has appointed Dusty Rood, 36, as company president. For the past 15 years, Rood has served as vice president and director of environmental consulting at Rodgers, which specializes in town planning, urban design and site engineering on behalf of developers, builders, institutions and corporations. Rood succeeds long-time president and CEO Mark Friis, who will remain as CEO of the ﬁrm. “The company’s continuing commitment to client success and leadership succession prompted the division of roles,” said Friis in a press release. Rood is a past recipient of the Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association’s President’s award, which recognized him for his “dedicated and tireless service and oversight of green building and environmental issues that are a priority for the real estate industry,” according to the release. “That’s an area that I’ve become quite involved with,” said Rood about his work during a period of ever-evolving stormwater and other environmental regulations. “It’s constantly changing,” Rood said. “Our role is to create certainty for our clients so

PHOTO FROM RODGERS CONSULTING

Rodgers Consulting has named Dusty Rood as president of the company.

they can make investment decisions.” Building in the county has also shifted from “greenfield” development of raw land to a focus on infill and increasing density in already-built areas. “It’s been a change from Greenfield to urban forms of development,” Rood said. Rodgers Consulting has worked on the Seneca Meadows Corporation Center in Germantown, the Washingtonian Center and the Kentlands in Gaithersburg and the Fillmore music venue in Silver Spring, as well as Lot 31 and Sunrise at Fox Hill in Bethesda, among other projects. The firm has been fortunate to have had Rood’s “expertise, passion and experience” for the past 15 years, said Friis in the release. “This change is a planned and deliberate succession that closely aligns our roles and skills to our clients’ needs and goals and positions the firm for continued success into the future,” he said in the release. vterhune@gazette.net

POLICE BLOTTER The following is a summary of incidents in the Germantown area to which Montgomery County police responded recently. The words “arrested” and “charged” do not imply guilt. This information was provided by the county.

Armed robbery • 20400 block of Father Hurley Boulevard, Germantown, at 11:30 p.m. Nov. 25. The subject is known to the victim. Strong-arm robbery • 19800 block of Century Boulevard, Germantown, at 2:15 a.m. Nov. 18. The subject is known to the victim. • 18500 block of Cinnamon Drive, Germantown, between 3 and 3:15 p.m. Nov. 21. The subjects are known to the victim.

Aggravated assault • 11200 block of Minstrel Tune Drive, Germantown, at 4:50 a.m. Nov 17. The subject is known to the victim. Commercial burglary • Rolling Hills Apartments, 19228 Circle Gate Drive, Germantown, between 12:45 and 1:30 a.m. Nov. 25. Forced entry, took property. Residential Burglary • 13300 block of Kilmarnock Way, Germantown, between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Nov. 19. Forced entry, took property. • 18800 block of Bent Willow Circle, Germantown, between 6:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Nov. 20. Unknown entry, took property.

THE GAZETTE

Page A-4

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

County employees give to Clarksburg nonproﬁt Town of Poolesville Ofﬁce holds bake sale to raise money for BrightFocus n

SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER STAFF WRITER

Employees of Montgomery County’s Ofﬁce of Management and Budget raised money for the Clarksburg-based BrightFocus Foundation through a bake sale and individual contributions last month. “It’s a wonderful charity doing wonderful things for our community, particularly with respect for Alzheimer’s,” said Dennis Hetman, a policy analyst at the Montgomery County Office of Management and Budget, based in Rockville. The foundation has been around since 1973 under the name American Health As-

1885200

sistance Foundation and was rebranded as BrightFocus two years ago, according to the foundation’s vice president of public affairs, Michael Buckley. “We are a Clarksburg-based foundation that works on diseases of mind and sight including Alzheimer’s and glaucoma and macular vision,” Buckley said. “We do two things. We currently support about $20 million in research to leading scientists around the world. We also have a public education aspect to help people who have the disease and their families.” Buckley explained that the foundation is supported exclusively through private donations and it doesn’t receive government money. Most of what it receives is small-dollar contributions through the mail. “This [donation from the Office of Management and Budget] was especially nice,

for it to be employees from our own county and being able to thank them in person,” Buckley said. Hetman explained that the employees chose to donate to BrightFocus for many reasons, including its location within the county and because its mission hit home for many employees. “The county does a charity campaign, I think it corresponds with the federal campaign. They have a very large fundraiser and in addition to that charity campaign we do our bake sale every year and we also do a clothing drive,” Hetman said. He explained that while Montgomery County’s Ofﬁce of Management and Budget’s employee bake sale, which raised the money for BrightFocus, is on a much smaller scale than the countywide charity campaign, it has become a tradition

that Ofﬁce of Management and Budget employees are all very proud of. Money that BrightFocus receives through mail donations and grass-roots campaigns, like the bake sale, is awarded to scientists picked by a scientiﬁc review board. “We awarded $8.7 million this year,” Buckley said. He explained that BrightFocus awards up to $20 million each year because many of their grants are awarded for multiple years. Buckley said BrightFocus often gears its funding toward young scientists. “Their research ideas and their careers seem very promising, but they are still new enough that we give them what we consider seed money,” he said. sschmieder@gazette.net

launches new website Promotes communication, tourism in town n

SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER STAFF WRITER

The website for the town of Poolesville received a makeover last month with a new, cohesive layout and features necessary to help move the town towards its goal of being a tourism hub in the upcounty, according to Chuck Stump, the vice president of the Poolesville Town Commission. Stump was one of the driving forces behind the move to get the new www.PoolesvilleMD.gov up and running.

“What we’ve done so far is just the beginning. We have set in place a new electronic infrastructure for citizens...” Chuch Stump, Poolesville Town Commission “Well, actually, part of the problem is there were multiple old sites with different branding, different feel and different addresses. There was a lack of consistency,” Stump said. In addition to the lack of consistency, Stump explained that the websites were all very basic and “early-to-mid-nineties” with limited capabilities and no added features. Now the website allows citizens to sign up for alerts, register for events and meetings and submit forms for various issues that they wish to have resolved. “Citizens can submit requests in 20 different categories that automatically get delivered to the right department in town and the town manager gets copied on it,” Stump said, adding that requests are tracked within the system so that once they are submitted they can be followed in order to insure completion. Another larger problem that Stump explained the town suffered from was a lack of transparency and good communication with the citizens because most major initiatives in town had to be spread by word of mouth or by physically going to the town hall to read the hard copy of the agendas. On the new site, in addition to a listing of calender events that are occurring in town, the website gives the public access to certain government documents, town government meeting minutes and agendas and much more information that keeps the public in the know. “What we’ve done so far is just the beginning. We have set in place a new electronic infrastructure for citizens to communicate with us and for us to communicate back to citizens,” Stump said. Citizens will also be able to communicate with town officials and employees through email addresses at the PoolesvilleMD.gov domain. Stump explained that having the .gov web address carries a sense of credibility because it is a controlled domain. Before the implementation of the new infrastructure, commissioners and staff members used personal email addresses. With the switch, which Stump plans to make this winter, citizens will have more confidence that they are talking to a government official. “We have a long term initiative that all our electronic communication and systems are consistent,” Stump said, explaining that would include Twitter, Facebook and email as well as any other platforms used. The website is also compatible with mobile devices, which Stump said was a very important factor in choosing which website development vendor the town used. CivicPlus, the company chosen, specializes in local government website design, content management and development. While out and about, people don’t have their computers, just their phones, and Stump wants them to be able to check the website to see what’s going on. “We are positioning ourselves as a place for tourism for the upcounty, for weekend getaways,” Stump said, Stump explained that the town of Poolesville is surrounded by wineries, historic sites and golf courses, a fact it hopes to use to draw visitors. “[We want to] leverage all of this tourism activity around Poolesville. The website is key to give that [information] out to the public,” Stump said. sschmieder@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page A-5

Plane crash in Gaithersburg kills three passengers, three in house BY DANIEL LEADERMAN STAFF WRITER

As details continue to surface regarding Monday’s plane crash that claimed six lives in Gaithersburg, many in the community and abroad are rallying to support the surviving family. A benefit fund for the family of a woman and two children — who died after wreckage from the crash set their house on fire — had raised more than $234,000 early Tuesday evening. Many online donations are coming from strangers who heard Monday’s tragic news and wanted to help. Montgomery County police said Marie Gemmell, 36, and her sons, Cole Gemmell, 3, and Devin Gemmell, 1 1/2 months, were killed in their home. They were found on the second floor. The plane struck houses on Drop Forge Lane, a cul-de-sac off Snouffer School Road, causing major fire damage at the Gemmell home. “[Marie Gemmell] tried to save these kids,” Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said, according to a report by The Washington Post. Manger told a meeting of the Upcounty Citizens Advisory Board Monday evening that Marie Gemmell was found holding the baby and had the 3-year-old between her legs in a windowless bathroom, and likely died of smoke inhalation. Six people were killed when the small jet crashed into a residential neighborhood, not far from the Montgomery County Airpark and the U.S. Army Legal Command Headquarters, authorities said. Three victims were in the plane, said Pete Piringer, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service. People who were in another house got out OK. On Tuesday, police said they tentatively identified the three victims in the plane, but the identities won’t be confirmed until the state medical examiner’s office does autopsies. However, Health Decisions — a Durham, N.C., clinical research organization for new medicines and medical devices — posted a statement saying its founder and CEO, Dr. Michael Rosenberg, died in the plane crash. During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, National Transportation Safety Board member Robert L. Sumwalt said the pilot, who was not named, had logged 4,500 hours and had been involved in a prior accident in March 2010. In March 2010, a Michael J. Rosenberg piloted a single-engine turbo-propeller plane that crashed while landing at the airpark. The pilot also was flying in from North Carolina, and was not injured, the Montgomery County Revenue Authority, which owns and operates the airport, told The Gazette at the time. On Tuesday, Sumwalt said preliminary information was retrieved from the flight recorder, known as a “black box,” which captures voice and flight data. The flight recording from Monday’s crash revealed that throughout the flight, the throttle appeared to follow commands; there was no evidence of engine failure or fire; and the lowest air speed reported throughout the flight was 88 knots. Sumwalt said that 20 seconds prior to the end of the recording, an automated stall warning indicated an aerodynamic stall, which is when airflow over the wings is disrupted. During a press conference on Monday, Sumwalt said the plane was an Embraer Executive Jet — a Phenom 100. The two-engine jet seats six people, according to registration information posted online. It was on GPS approach on the way to a runway at the airpark, Sumwalt said. Just prior to the crash, voices on the radio frequency used for air traffic control at the airpark — which can be heard at www. liveatc.net — described an unusual amount of bird activity in the area. During Tuesday’s press conference, Sumwalt said initial investigations show no sign of bird ingestion into the engines,

and that the reported activity included birds spotted on the ground, about 1,000 feet on the runway — not in the air and not in the flight path. The plane was registered to Sage Aviation LLC of Chapel Hill, N.C. According to Sumwalt, three other pilots were in the area at the time of the crash — one in the air and two on the ground. Two of those pilots reported seeing the plane pitching and rolling. The Washington Post reported that the plane had turned on final approach to land at the airpark, just behind a Cessna 172 propeller-driven plane. Sumwalt said the plane hit and ripped a gash in the first house, then hit the yard of a second house. A wing broke off and hit the third house, where occupants were killed, he said. Piringer said no one was taken from the scene for medical treatment. In a post on Twitter, Piringer said 19737 Drop Forge Lane had about $50,000 of structural damage; no one was home at time of the crash. In another Twitter post, he said 19740 Drop Forge Lane had more than $150,000 worth of damage and the occupants there escaped without injury. A photo accompanying the post about 19740 Drop Forge Lane shows a giant hole in the side and top of the house. Along with a photo showing 19733 Drop Forge Lane, Piringer wrote that the estimate of damage was more than $400,000.

1933930

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Part of an aircraft rests Monday in the front yard of a home on Drop Forge Lane in Gaithersburg, where it crashed less than a mile from the end of the runway at Montgomery County Airpark.

Tracy Everett, who works for a local home repair service, told reporters that he saw the plane flying at a low altitude before the crash. He said the plane’s path appeared erratic. “He went to the right, went to the left,” Everett said. “He took a bit of a, kind of a rolling dive into the neighborhood.” Everett, who was driving in his van at the time, went to the scene of the crash a few minutes later. He said a firetruck already was there. “I saw and heard a secondary explosion,” Everett said. “You could feel it under your feet.” Montgomery County received a 911 call from a nearby National Guard armory about the crash at 10:44 a.m., Montgomery County Fire Chief Steve Lohr said. During the day, dozens of firefighters were on the scene. Red Cross workers were on hand to assist and offered blankets to those who needed them.

Numerous firetrucks and emergency vehicles clogged the streets of the surrounding neighborhood. Neighbors reported hearing an explosion that rattled their homes. Matthew Nunez, who lives in the same neighborhood but on a different street, said the crash rattled his house. He could see a large ball of flames outside. Nunez said he was one of several witnesses who rushed to the scene, but could not get near the burning house because of the intense heat. Nearby, a woman shouted that there was a newborn baby in the house, he said. Planes regularly fly over the houses in the neighborhood, Nunez said. A portion of Snouffer School Road was closed for several hours as authorities investigated the crash, but reopened shortly after 7 p.m. Monday, police said. Sumwalt said the NTSB expects to spend as long as seven days at the scene, looking at the operations of the plane, the experience of the pilot and other factors. In Gaithersburg, an outpouring of support for the Gemmell family continues. Jenifer Miller, who said she knows the Gemmell family slightly from serving them at the Dogfish Head Alehouse, started a fundraising campaign at GoFundMe.com to raise money for Ken Gemmell, Marie Gemmell’s husband, and his surviving daughter, Arabelle. The money will help pay for fu-

neral expenses and other costs incurred by the family, Miller wrote on the website. “The original goal was $10,000, and now we’re at over $170,000,” Miller told The Gazette early Tuesday afternoon. Ken Gemmell posted a message on his Facebook page on Tuesday afternoon: “No words can describe the enormity of our loss and sadness over yesterday’s tragedy. We lost Marie, the love of my life and college sweetheart, and our two young, innocent and joyful sons — a loss that no person should ever endure. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming, and my daughter and I are appreciative for the prayers and well wishes from friends, neighbors and the community. “We also appreciate the dedication and hard work of the firefighters, police and other first responders who did everything in their power to try to save my family during this horrific event. There will be a lot of grieving over the coming weeks, and we request that the media respect our privacy so I can provide my daughter with some degree of normalcy as we try to re-build.” Miller said she heard about the crash from her mother, who lives nearby, and started organizing the funding website after the announcement that the Gemmells had died Monday evening. It wasn’t until a little more than an hour after the site was created that she realized she knew the family, she said. Miller said she spoke briefly

to Ken Gemmell Monday night, to make sure he knew about the fund. The fund has attracted thousands of donations and numerous messages of sympathy. “None of us may ‘know’ you and your precious little family but our hearts are with you,” one woman posted on the GoFundMe page. “This family is in my prayers. I don’t know them personally, and cannot fathom how painful this is and will continue to be for them,” wrote another. Several donations have come from local businesses, according to the website. Local fundraisers also are being planned, such as one scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Dec. 18 at Silver Spring’s Pop Up PlayZone featuring a performance from the Great Zucchini at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 per person, with all proceeds beneﬁting the Gemmell Family. For more information, visit http:// tinyurl.com/q9qswol. dleaderman@gazette.net Staff Writer Virginia Terhune contributed to this report.

Teacher

Tutoring in student’s home Math - Clarksburg, MD

havis@trusttutoring http://trusttutoring.com

1932439

Fund for surviving family members swells with donations one day after

THE GAZETTE

Page A-6

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Starr recommends $2.4 billion budget for schools Points to possible effect of state and county projected deﬁcits n

BY LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER

Superintendent Joshua P. Starr has recommended a $2.4 billion operating budget for fiscal 2016, which he said will manage growing enrollment, help close achievement gaps and “foster some innovation.” Starr’s proposal calls for about $126.9 million above this year’s operating budget, an increase of 5.6 percent. Of the requested increase, $103.6 million would go toward operational costs. Another factor that would increase the budget is a requested $23.3 million, which would replace money the Montgomery County Council pulled from a school system health trust fund. The money was put toward retiree benefits this fiscal year. The school board will hold two public hearings on the proposed budget on Jan. 8 and 15. The board will take its final vote on Feb. 10 after work sessions on Jan. 20 and 22. Starr said the school system

might not get its full request if the projected deficits of about $600 million at the state level and about $97 million at the county level hold true. At the school board’s Tuesday meeting, Starr said there are “rumors” that Gov.-elect Larry Hogan might not fund the Geographic Cost of Education Index, which would provide about $34 million to Montgomery schools. GCEI funding goes to certain school systems to help with educational costs. While there has been no official statement from Hogan, Starr said, school officials are anticipating that index money “will be cut.” Erin Montgomery, a press secretary for Hogan, said Tuesday that she “can’t comment at this time” on Starr’s comments about the GCEI. She said Hogan and his staff won’t comment on policy issues until he takes office in January. “The situation is not good, frankly, given state and local projections, which means my budget must be seen as a spending plan and preliminary,” Starr said at the meeting. He said his proposed budget is “reasonable” given the fiscal climate and continues the school system’s work with “no surprises.” Starr said he thinks

... Hogan might not fund the Geographic Cost of Education Index, which would provide about $34 million. spending restrictions he put in place starting Dec. 1 will generate savings that can be used next ﬁscal year. Under his proposed budget, the system would spend $19.6 million to add 279 positions speciﬁcally in response to its growing student population, Starr said. In another growth spurt, the system gained 2,563 students this school year, for a total of 153,852. Among those added positions, secondary schools would see about 105 new positions, such as those for security assistants, media assistants and paraeducators. There would be about 96 new positions for special education services and 41.5

new positions for English for Speakers of Other Languages services. Starr recommended roughly 77 other positions in a variety of areas. His proposal adds 3.5 elementary counselors, five psychologists and four pupil personnel workers, totaling more than $1 million. Another 5.5 new counselors, for nearly $463,000, would work in high schools with students from lowincome families and that need more staff to help their students. Starr said he wants to add ﬁve math content coaches at elementary schools in response to recent concerns about math performance in the school system. The coaches will help students do well in math early on in their education, he said. Other positions added as part of “enhancements,” rather than to address growth, include those related to special education services. Among them, 4.5 positions, totaling about $356,000, would support the system’s Learning and Academic Disabilities services, which include providing specialized instruction. Starr proposed spending roughly $36,000 to expand staff training on how to teach students learning English.

Book Festival, business partner to host book drive

About $250,000 would go toward expanding the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success program, which combines the efforts of the school system, Montgomery College and The Universities at Shady Grove. The added money would start programs for ninth- and 10thgraders at ﬁve more schools. A $250,000 recommendation would help start the Children’s Trust. Starr said county agencies would use the money to help families and children in parts of the county where there are “great needs,” but a lack of services. Starr included a recommendation of $329,000 for athletic trainer services. Another item calls for $225,000 for the system’s efforts to increase teacher diversity. During the meeting, school board President Patricia O’Neill said it is unknown whether GCEI funding will come through. Looking at the county projections, she said, “revenues are not very bright.” Board member Christopher S. Barclay encouraged staff and other board members “to do all we can to reach out to the folks who we don’t always hear from,” but who will be “highly impacted” by the budget.

BY GAZETTE STAFF

For the ﬁrst time, the Gaithersburg Book Festival is teaming up with Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa in the Kentlands to host a children’s book drive during the holiday season. The drive will run between now and Jan. 1, 2015. Donated books can be dropped off at the Hand and Stone spa, 217 Kentlands Blvd. The spa will then give the books to the Gaithersburg Book Festival team, which is working the city’s Holiday Giving program to see that the books are distributed to local families in need. Everyone who donates a book will receive a coupon from the spa for free aromatherapy on a massage or $10 off an Exceptional Facial. Participants will also be eligible to win a free massage or facial. The Gaithersburg Elementary School media specialist recommended the following series as those of interest to local students: “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” “Dork Diaries,” “Fly Guy” and “Pete the Cat,” For more information, visit gaithersburgmd.gov.

lpowers@gazette.net

Old allegation against substitute teacher scrutinized after charges Man accused of sexually abusing four students in last 10 years

DANIEL LEADERMAN AND LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITERS

Montgomery County police are investigating why a school principal did not tell law enforcement about a 2004 allegation against a substitute teacher, who already is facing charges of sexual abuse related to four students. An investigation into Jose Pineda’s work and interactions with students in several Montgomery County public schools has intensiﬁed. On Thursday, police said

nine additional students recently reported that Pineda touched them, although none of the encounters was severe enough to merit criminal charges. Pineda, 50, of the 9100 block of Bramble Bush Court in Gaithersburg, faces four counts of sexual abuse of a minor and four counts of third-degree sexual offense. He is accused of groping one student at Forest Oak Middle School in Gaithersburg in 2004, two students at Ridgeview Middle School in Gaithersburg in 2013, and one student at Roberto Clemente School in Germantown in September 2014. Pineda was charged in mid-October with abusing the Roberto Clemente student. After that, the other three alleged victims came forward. He was

charged again in mid-November, and is being held in lieu of $150,000 bail, according to police. At a press conference on Thursday, police talked about the newest reports of Pineda’s interactions — encounters that left the students uncomfortable. Six additional Ridgeview students and three students at Gaithersburg Middle School reported that Pineda touched them. The accounts describe encounters that, although valuable, are not prosecutable, said Capt. Paul Starks, a spokesman for Montgomery County police. Starks said there was no record that the 2004 incident — which charging documents indicate was reported to Forest Oak’s principal at the time — was ever reported to police.

Detectives have interviewed Principal John Burley, now retired, but Starks said he could not discuss what Burley told police because the investigation is ongoing The school system reviewed its records and did not ﬁnd a report of Pineda acting inappropriately in 2004, said Brian Edwards, the school district’s chief of communications. Edwards said it would be “inappropriate” for the school system to talk to Burley about this incident. Burley, now retired, told The Gazette Friday that while he doesn’t recall talking to the alleged victim and her mother about the incident, he must not have perceived it as a case of abuse. Otherwise, he would have called police, he said. Burley said he learned from police that the mother and daughter spoke Spanish, and used an interpreter when speaking to him in 2004. “One of my thoughts is that I, perhaps, did not get a clear picture of a sexual touching, but rather must have gotten a discomfort from her, about [Pineda],” Burley said. A Thursday statement from the school system said the system is cooperating with a police investigation of the 2004 incident. “Once the allegation was recently made, the Montgomery County Department of Police has taken the lead on the investigation and MCPS has appropriately not conducted a separate investigation,” the statement said. Superintendent Joshua P. Starr said in a Thursday press conference — after the police press conference — that he has seen Montgomery schools and ofﬁces handle matters related to allegations and suspicions of child abuse “appropriately.” “A vast majority of the time, we get it right,” Starr said. “However, recent incidents have caused me to believe that there

is more that we can do to improve our processes and procedures.” At a police press conference, Starks suggested that there may have been an unnecessary delay between the time the student connected to the most recent allegation, in September, reported the incident to school officials and when police were informed. Montgomery County Public Schools officials responded at a hastily called news conference of their own Thursday afternoon. When a reporter asked for a comment about a possible delay, Starr stood by the manner in which the school reported the incident to police. The district said a school resource officer learned of the allegation and contacted his department’s family crimes unit. Starr said the system is taking steps to improve how staff monitor and report allegations of abuse, including the efforts of a work group looking at the issue. He also pointed to recent training for principals that he said covered the system’s protocols for when allegations arise and the system’s expectations for communication with parents. He said he expects system employees will participate in additional training before the end of the school year. In general, community members shouldn’t hesitate to contact law enforcement if they believe there has been a crime, Starks said. “If a parent thinks that their child has been victimized and a law has been broken, they should contact police,” he said. Police are asking anyone with information about Pineda, including former students, to contact the Special Victims Investigations Division at 240-7735400. Detectives also are trying to reconstruct the past several years of Pineda’s life and work history, Starks said. From 2000 to 2003, Pineda worked for MCPS as a school

bus driver, then as a substitute teacher from 2003 to 2006. After that, he left MCPS, but returned to work as a substitute teacher from March 2013 until September 2014. “Investigators are looking to see where he was from 2006 to March 2013. We realize that people in the community may have some information about where he was working, where he was living and did he have contact with young people,” Starks said. “As a former MCPS parent and as an individual board member, we are concerned and this is a situation that I think everyone is taking seriously,” County Board of Education member Mike Durso (Dist. 5) said. Pineda’s attorney, Paul Wiesenfeld, declined to comment on Thursday about new details of the case. Susan Burkinshaw — health and safety committee cochairwoman of the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations — said in an interview that there is “a lot of room for improvement” in the school system’s efforts to make sure that “child predators don’t feel comfortable” in schools. “It’s not like we have to reinvent the wheel,” she said. “There are best practices we can follow.” She said she thinks the school system should take advantage of an outside agency that provides training related to recognizing and preventing child abuse. The community also can play a role to help keep children safe in and out of schools, she said. Parents can pay attention to changes in their child’s behavior or behavior from adults that might be precursors to sexual abuse. dleaderman@gazette.net lpowers@gazette.net

RAIN OR SHINE! Since 1989

www.CapitalAutoAuction.com

WE HAVE VEHICLES FOR EVERY BUDGET AND NEED! AUCTIONS EVERY SATURDAY

Temple Hills, MD

5001 Beech Road Live/Drive Auction Time Saturdays 9:00a.m.

Washington, DC

1905 Brentwood Road Live/Drive Auction Time Saturdays 10:00a.m.

Call 301-640-5987

or email dc@capitalautoauction.com

OPEN TO PUBLIC • ALL DEALERS WELCOME 1934493

1932811

BUY BELOW KBB VALUE

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page A-7

Promotion

Montgomery County Selects Three Favorite Teachers Some 500,000 Ballots Cast in The Gazette’s My Favorite Teacher Program By Karen Finucan Clarkson | Special to The Gazette

An apple for the winners of The Gazette’s 2014 My Favorite Teacher program. From left to right: Sarada Devi Jasti Currie, North Bethesda Middle School; Jacqueline Moore, North Chevy Chase Elementary School; Hsinyu Ho, Winston Churchill High School.

“We all have had a teacher in our lives who touched us somehow,” said Scott Ritter, vice president of retail delivery, chief lending officer and interim CEO with MidAtlantic Federal Credit Union (Mid-Atlantic FCU). “For me, it was Mrs. Dryer. She took a somewhat indifferent student and gave me real purpose, which allowed me to excel.” That recognition, of how teachers change lives, is one of the reasons MAFCU has been The Gazette’s My Favorite Teacher platinum sponsor for the past four years.

The contest – also held in Prince George’s County – began in September when The Gazette asked students to nominate their favorite teachers. The newspaper selected finalists at the elementary-, middle- and high-school levels based on the most compelling student essays, and then opened up the voting to the public to select the winners. Ultimately, the contest drew in excess of 700 nominations in the two counties and garnered more than 500,000 online votes.

Ritter’s comments came during a Dec. 1 awards ceremony at BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown, where students, family, friends, school administrators, and sponsors from the local business community gathered to honor the winning teachers. “What I appreciate about this contest is that it allows students, who often times don’t get the chance, to thank teachers for making a difference in their lives,” said Ritter.

Montgomery County selected Jacqueline Moore, a 4thgrade reading, language arts and social studies teacher at North Chevy Chase Elementary School in Chevy Chase; Sarada Devi Jasti Currie, a world studies teacher at North Bethesda Middle School in Bethesda; and Hsinyu Ho, a geometry teacher at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac. “I’m glad we have folks of this caliber making a difference in the lives of our students,” said Ritter.

PLATINUM SPONSOR

“W

The teachers were presented with the My Favorite Teacher signature award, a stunning glass apple mounted on an inscribed base. They were surprised to receive generous gifts – including a $100 Visa gift card from Mid-Atlantic FCU, $50 from Germantown Dental, and $350 from The Gazette. Each nominating student received a $50 gift card as well. During the ceremony, students read the essays they had submitted online nominating the winning teachers. Their words resonated with the sponsors, educators and parents alike. For additional details about The Gazette My Favorite Teacher contest go to www.gazette.net.

MID-ATLANTIC FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

hat do student essays nominating their favorite teacher and the service provided by Mid-Atlantic Federal Credit Union (MidAtlantic FCU) have in common? They both come straight from the heart. “Let’s face it, kids today are involved in a lot of activities and have a lot going on,” says Marc Wilensky, Mid-Atlantic FCU’s vice president of marketing. “For these kids to take the time from their hectic lives to recognize a teacher that has had a positive impact on their lives is remarkable….The nomination letters verified what

1932375

Several other sponsors, in addition to Mid-Atlantic FCU, were on hand to present the awards, including Marco Taffo with Deck Helmet, the elementary school sponsor; and Dr. Ali Alibakhshi with Germantown Dental & Cosmetic Center, the middle school sponsor.

day our employees educate the people of Montgomery County about financial issues. Financial literacy is a very important component of who we are.”

we assumed – that there are a lot of great teachers in our county and a lot of smart and articulate students.” A perennial My Favorite Teacher Platinum Sponsor, Mid-Atlantic FCU recognizes the value of education. “One could argue that teachers have the biggest impact on the future of our county.” Those who work and reside here can impact Montgomery County’s future by banking with Mid-Atlantic FCU. “The money that our members deposit into their accounts is lent out to their neighbors. Because the money is used locally, it ultimately helps our communities continue to grow.”

For nearly 50 years, tens of thousands of Montgomery County families, individuals and businesses have made Mid-Atlantic FCU their financial institution of choice for borrowing, saving and checking. If you live, work, worship, attend school, or volunteer in Montgomery County, you are eligible to join MidAtlantic FCU. “As a community chartered credit union, we believe in giving back to our community and what better way to give back than through education? Every

Just as important is community service. “From our CEO down, everyone throughout the organization believes in giving back to the community, a commitment I have never seen anywhere else….The culture is really contagious.” To learn more, visit mafcu.org or call 800-95-MAFCU (800-956-2328).

THE GAZETTE

Page A-8

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Promotion

Elementary

WINNER Jacqueline Moore

4th Grade Reading, Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher North Chevy Chase Elementary

Ms. Moore has the unique ability to connect to individual students, to bring together the school community, and to make the world simpler for kids. She has been teaching for more than 15 years and has had a lot of students. Somehow she can make every student feel like the most important one. She did that for me and it changed school for me forever.

Middle School

WINNER Sarada Devi Jasti Currie World Studies Teacher North Bethesda Middle School

-Cole Philpott, 6th Grade

I love Ms. Jasti Currie because she taught the only class that I ever actually looked forward to. She was always available if I ever needed help. She would converse with her students on a personal level and not keep everything strictly school related. Ms. Jasti Currie was always able to somehow crack a smile on my face, even when I was having a bad day. -Mackenzie DiLima, 7th Grade

“This award means more to me than anything an adult in education or an educational organization might give because this award was initiated by one of my students. Kids, unlike many adults, live in the moment. They don’t waste time with being insincere,” said Jacqueline Moore after learning she had been voted Montgomery County’s favorite elementary school teacher. To celebrate the award, Moore and her student nominator “did a little victory dance in the hallway.”

The nomination by Mackenzie DiLima came as a surprise to Sarada Devi Jasti Currie, lifting the sleep-deprived teacher’s spirits the morning she learned of the tribute and infusing her with energy. “It’s kids like Mackenzie that make me look forward to coming to school each day. They make me laugh and enjoy my time at school,” said Jasti Currie. “This is a really tough job; if I didn’t enjoy my students and have so many that are as amazing as her, there is no way I would have lasted past year one.”

The tears flowed, according to the North Chevy Chase Elementary School teacher, when she read Cole Philpott’s nominating essay. In it, the student described his battle with dyslexia and Moore’s unwavering confidence in his intelligence and abilities.

A world studies teacher at North Bethesda Middle School, Jasti Currie is honored “to be appreciated in this way….I have the best former students and a school community that is so supportive!”

Moore, who entered college intent on a career in mechanical engineering, enjoys “guiding children as they get in touch with their creative side. I want them to dig deep and to go deep as they learn so that they can apply what they have learned to new situations. I want them to love the process of learning, and I want them to realize the rewards in doing what it takes to really learn about something that interests them.”

Jasti Currie, Montgomery County’s favorite middle school teacher, strives to prepare her students to be global citizens. “Kids come into schools with different experiences and backgrounds that can influence their success, but what students hold in common is that they can all learn and grow. It’s my job to help them in that process. I try to plan my lessons to be as engaging as possible while still appealing to different styles of learning.”

A native of Topsham, Maine, Moore is married and an active volunteer. She is a member of the National Building Museum’s Teacher Advisory Board and Newseum’s Education Advisory Team and serves as an educational consultant for the Smithsonian’s Center for Learning and Digital Access and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

A Montgomery County Public Schools graduate, Jasti Currie enjoys traveling and experiencing other cultures. “Most of my extended family resides in India, so I am extremely grateful for any opportunity I get to visit my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.” Gardening, reading, and cooking delicious vegetarian meals are among her hobbies.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPONSOR

ransformation is key to both the work of educators and the professionals at Deck Helmet. While teachers use knowledge to transform the minds of students, Deck Helmet uses a revolutionary resurfacing system to transform old worn out decks into beautiful low-maintenance composite decks.

For those trying to imagine what a resurfaced deck would look like, Deck Helmet’s Deck Visualizer app eliminates the guesswork. Simply take a picture of the deck with an Apple iPad and see how the variety of deck colors, borders and railings would look when applied to your deck. To learn more, visit deckhelmet.com or call 800-884-4356.

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPONSOR

he traits that make for an excellent teacher overlap with those of an outstanding dentist. A true concern for the health and education of students or patients, a passion for the profession, and a desire to make someone smile are the hallmarks of both. “Teachers play a key role in building a strong educational and social foundation for our children,” says Dr. Ali Alibakhshi at Germantown Dental & Cosmetic Center. “I believe the end of education is morality and a teacher’s help is an intangible factor that may touch and last forever in many different ways throughout the student’s life.” Education is infused into the mission and tradition of Germantown Dental. “It is a continuous part of our philosophy,” says Dr. Ali Alibakhshi, who, along with his staff, provides patients with the latest information concerning oral hygiene and dental and orthodontic care. That knowledge allows patients to make informed decisions regarding their treatment.

MFT_GERM_DENTAL_2015

A first-time sponsor of The Gazette’s My Favorite Teacher program, Deck Helmet’s affordable resurfacing runs roughly half of what it would cost to replace a deck and can be accomplished in a fraction of the time it would take to rebuild one. The company provides a 10-year warranty, eliminating yearly maintenance. The resurfacing process eliminates splinters, making the deck safe again, and the finish is mildew resistant.

DECK HELMET

DECK_HELMET_MFT 1909567

GERMANTOWN DENTAL

It is Dr. Alibakhshi’s appreciation of education that led to Germantown Dental’s sponsorship of My Favorite Teacher. “Appreciating and praising good work is always important. It not only encourages people but also helps people understand that they are on right path.” That appreciation is felt by patients at Germantown Dental, which has been serving the up-county area since 1997. “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Dr. Alibakhshi and his staff put that sentiment into action every day, creating beautiful smiles.” To learn more, visit germantowndentalgroup.com or call 301-540-0500.

301-540-0500

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page A-9

Promotion

High School

Mr. Ho is a very unique and intelligent person with a great sense of humor. He not only ensures that all of his students are secure with the content he teaches, but also ties hilarious personal experiences and stories to every lesson.

WINNER Hsinyu Ho

-Kiera Luu, 9th Grade

Honors Geometry and Geometry Teacher Winston Churchill High School

MY FAVORITE TEACHER

AWARDS CEREMONY Held Monday evening, December 1, 2014 BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown

“I was very honored to read the essay, especially because I was nominated amongst so many amazing teachers,” said Hsinyu Ho after learning he was a My Favorite Teacher finalist. Given the competition, winning came as a shock. “This award means the world to me…especially having been voted for by my students, parents and fellow teachers. It makes me feel appreciated.” Ho’s teaching philosophy is that “everyone can learn. I believe that in order to teach, we must know the students we teach. Forming personal relationships with my students is imperative to my success in teaching,” said the geometry teacher at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac. “It is my job to help students discover their potential and develop who they are.” It was Ho’s passion for math that led him to the teaching profession. “When I was a child in school, I volunteered to tutor other students. Additionally, I am proud to be an educator because there are not many Asian male teachers within the school system today. Therefore, I want to set a positive example for the students and teach them that passion and dedication are all you need to achieve success.”

From left to right: Sarada Devi Jasti Currie, North Bethesda Middle School; Scott Ritter, chief lending officer and interim CEO of Mid-Atlantic Federal Credit Union, the platinum sponsor; Jacqueline Moore, North Chevy Chase Elementary School; Hsinyu Ho, Winston Churchill High School.

A native of Taiwan, Ho moved to the U.S. at age 14. He and his wife have one daughter. Ho, the sponsor of the Churchill Ping Pong Club, has a license in financial services. “I currently volunteer my time to educate people about tax-free retirement.

HIGH SCHOOL SPONSOR

Adventist HealthCare Behavioral Health & Wellness Services was the sponsor of the winning high school teacher (not pictured). From left to right: Keira Luu, 9th grade student who nominated Hsinyu Ho; Hsinyu Ho, Winston Churchill High School.

ADVENTIST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

eachers in Montgomery County share a common bond with the professionals at Adventist HealthCare Behavioral Health & Wellness Services. “Our mission is to care for the mind, body and spirit,” says Kevin Young, the organization’s president. “Education helps to sharpen the mind and uplifts the spirit.” Recognizing that “education is vital to the wellbeing and success of children in our community and that teachers play a very important role in their development,” Adventist HealthCare Behavioral Health & Wellness Services – a premier behavioral health provider serving children and families – deems it important to recognize those who support children in their educational growth. Its behavioral health facilities in Rockville and Takoma Park allow Adventist HealthCare Behavioral Health & Wellness Services to provide the most comprehensive mental health services in the National Capital area. It offers a wide-ranging spectrum of services and treatment options in a variety of settings for children and adolescents experiencing anxiety and stress,

depression, alcohol or drug addiction, grieving and loss, ADHD, and other behavioral issues and mental health disorders.

Germantown Dental, the middle school sponsor, surprised each teacher with a gift card. From left to right: Dr. Ali AliBakhshi, Germantown Dental and Cosmetic Center; Mackenzie DiLima, 7th grade student who nominated Sarada Devi Jasti Currie; Sarada Devi Jasti Currie, North Bethesda Middle School.

In reviewing nominations to the My Favorite Teacher program, Young was impressed by “the strong emotional connection between the students and their teachers. There are so many teachers who inspire, coach and support our children from early childhood to adolescence….Teachers are such an invaluable resource to our children and they truly help shape and nurture young minds. The My Favorite Teacher content is a great way to recognize those educators who go above and beyond to help their children be their best.” To learn more, visit AdventistBH.com or call 301-251-4500.

Deck Helmet was the sponsor of the winning elementary school teacher. From left to right: Jacqueline Moore, North Chevy Chase Elementary School; Cole Philpott, 6th grade student who nominated Jacqueline Moore; Marco Taffo, sales manager of Deck Helmet.

THE FINALISTS The Gazette congratulates all the Montgomery County teachers who made it to the final voting round this fall: MONTGOMERY COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

•Kristen Chu •Emily Greenberg •Adrienne Howard •Breanne Marsh •Jaqueline Moore •Thipamala (Ann) Moy •Meghan Rose •Cheryl Sellitti •Heather Stadtler •Ashley Weissenburger

Gaithersburg Elementary School Chevy Chase Elementary School South Lake Elementary School Cloverly Elementary School North Chevy Chase Elementary School Forest Knolls Elementary School Bullis School Cold Spring Elementary School William B. Gibbs, Jr. Elementary School Farmland Elementary School

MONTGOMERY COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL:

•Robert Buchanan •Glenn Hunter •Sarada Devi Jasti Currie •Pamela Lever •Samuel Linker •Carolyn Northrup •Tanya Rowe •Laura Sabelhaus •Sara Sanz •Donna Whitney •Lisa Wroblewski

Covenant Life School Bullis School North Bethesda Middle School Thomas W. Pyle Middle School Silver Spring International Middle School Rosa Parks Middle School Eastern Middle School Takoma Park Middle School A. Mario Loiderman Middle School Benjamin Banneker Middle School Roberto Clemente Middle School

MONTGOMERY COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL:

ADVENTIST_BEHAVIORAL

1909568

•Keith Anderson •Khanh Chau •Don Leonardo De Valoes •Janisann Hay •Hsinyu Ho •Guillermo Melendez •Katie Moylan •Dale Placek •Kurt Richter •Rebecca Ronquillo

Montgomery Blair High School Walter Johnson High School Poolesville High School John F. Kennedy High School Winston Churchill High School Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Connelly School of the Holy Child Academy of the Holy Cross Gaithersburg High School Damascus High School

THE GAZETTE

Page A-10

NORTHWEST

Continued from Page A-1 Northwest’s first offensive play of the night when he ran a 75-yard reception into the end zone to tie the game at 6-6 early in the first quarter. He also caught a flick from Lee on a fake punt play and darted upfield for a crucial first down to keep Northwest in possession with two minutes remaining in regulation. Beidleman is the route-runner, Williams said. It was “the technician,” per Williams, who caught an important 8-yard touchdown pass to put Northwest up by 10, 34-24, early in the fourth quarter. And 6-foot-2 Williams, Beidleman said, is the big play receiver, known for his athletic and

DEVELOPMENT

Continued from Page A-1 stretches north of the existing Cloverleaf Center office area under Hurley Boulevard (Md. 27) past Kinster Drive, which currently serves a quiet townhouse community. Ten-year resident Char Ferry said she had mixed feelings about the extended road, which will bring many more people and activity to the neighborhood. “We use this street [Kinster

SAFETY

Continued from Page A-1 wide roads with relatively high speed limits — Germantown Road, 40 mph; Middlebrook Road, 40 mph (30 mph on school days); and Great Seneca Highway, 50 mph. Wisteria Drive west of the school has a speed limit of 30 miles per hour but no trafﬁc lights near the school. There are no red-light or speed cameras at any of the intersections, and there are no crossing guards, which are typically reserved for elementary schools. Cohen credited the tireless work of volunteer Ruthanne Stoltzfus for her work monitoring the crosswalks around the school, especially those on Germantown Road at Middlebrook and Wisteria. “Ruthanne is relentless about getting these issues ad-

FOOTBALL

Continued from Page A-1 diamonds in the rough,” Britt said. Marcus and Brian both started playing football about three years ago on the same team. Now Marcus, who attends ﬁfth grade at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Germantown, and Brian, who

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Northwest High School’s Aaron-David Beidleman celebrates a touchdown with quarterback Mark Pierce during Friday’s Class 4A state championship game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. acrobatic catches. Not only does the versatility make it difﬁcult for opposing defenses to key in on one receiver but it takes the pressure off each individ-

ual, Williams said, and allows them to play more freely. “If you have a 1,000-yard guy, he knows every day he’s going to have to force plays to happen,” Williams

Drive] for parking,” said Ferry, about a street that will get much busier as the area builds out. “Right now we see it as the road to nowhere ... but we’re starting to see joggers and people walking their dogs [along the extension],” Ferry said. The extension is also now a direct link to central Germantown, where there is more crime than in her neighborhood, she said. On the other hand, Ferry said she welcomes construction of a walkable mixed-use

center similar to Clarksburg Village. Right now there isn’t a grocery store nearby or a place to go with her husband for a glass of wine and a good dinner, she said. In addition to the Symmetry tract, the Century Boulevard extension will also serve the Black Hills project to be built on the site of the former Waters Landing Golf Driving Range. Previously called Crystal Rock, the Lerner project is expected to eventually include more than 1,600 housing units,

dressed ... and the state is listening,” Cohen said. Ofﬁcials recently installed a sign for drivers saying no right turn on red at the corner of northbound Middlebrook and Germantown Road, he said. Until recently, Stoltzfus spent several days a week, sometimes with other volunteers, reminding students to stay off their cell phones and look both ways before crossing. She stopped volunteering because of other time commitments. “She was a constant reminder to do the right thing,” Cohen said. “Even when she’s not there, they’ll hear her voice.” Cohen said he will sometimes ask for targeted enforcement of trafﬁc violations by police, and he also regularly makes announcements to students about being aware of drivers. Posts have also been set into narrow Crystal Rock Drive in

front of the school entrance to discourage drivers from making U turns or blocking the road while waiting for students. Drivers are supposed to circle the school parking lot and wait, but some don’t, Cohen said. When the new school is built, it will have a drop off and pick up area set back from Crystal Rock Drive, which should alleviate problems on that road. “Drivers will have far fewer choices,” Cohen said. The current high school, which will be torn down, holds 1,300 students, and the new one will accommodate 2,400 students, in part to relieve overcrowding at Northwest and Clarksburg high schools. “We’ll go from being the third smallest high school in the county to the second largest,” Cohen said.

attends sixth grade at Ridgeview Middle School in Gaithersburg, play on different youth teams in the county. “I was good at ﬂag football and then my dad put me in tackle my ﬁrst year and I did really well,” Marcus said. Marcus plays various defensive positions on the Silver Spring Saints and Brian plays quarterback on the Sandy Spring

Falcons. On Jan. 3, the boys will join their respective age groups to play against the best of the best across the country. Brandon Grimes, Brian’s father, explained that he had never heard of Diamond Sport Group, but Brian’s coaches recommended he become involved. “We had to send in tapes and highlights and all that other

vterhune@gazette.net

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g said. “We sit back and whatever comes to you, you make that play. If it’s not our day, it’s not our day.” And while it might seem like Beidleman, Wilson and Williams’ catches were dispersed throughout Friday’s game, there is a whole other side to the receivers’ role that is often overlooked and could be the most important, Neubeiser said: blocking. It was Beidleman who turned around after his own score to make a huge block on Lee’s twopoint conversion run. “Coach always says, ‘If you don’t block, you don’t play,’” Wilson said. “We know E.J. makes cuts off our blocks. When he cuts out to the outside, it’s our job to make a block so he can sprint into the end zone.” jbeekman@gazette.net

along with office and retail space, and a 350-room hotel. Lerner representative Francine Waters declined to comment on Oct. 21 until more detailed plans are filed with the county. Lerner has already started work to extend Crystal Rock Drive north and east to connect with the Century Boulevard extension to form a traffic circle. Out of the traffic circle will come a third road that will connect to a new overpass over Interstate 270 to link with Dorsey Mill Road and Observation

Continued from Page A-1 A special unit has been created that will not need to respond to police calls handled by regular officers, which will enable the unit to spend more time in the downtown area, dealing with disorderly conduct, aggressive panhandlers, disruptive teenagers and other quality-of-life issues. Officers will be in cars or on bicycles, based on circumstances. “It will depend on the incident that they’re working,” said Lt. Rob-

Drive, connecting the east and west sides of Germantown in that area. “The developer is designing the bridge and the county will pay for and construct it,” said county Department of Transportation spokeswoman Esther Bowring. “There [are] no state or federal funds involved in the construction.” The extended roads and overpass will provide an alternative to using I-270 or Md. 355 between Germantown and Clarksburg, according to the county.

ert Ravida, Jr., who also attended the Monday meeting. The first group, which will include a sergeant and ﬁve ofﬁcers, will work from noon to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays, Gillespie said. “After school and the rush hour is when it’s the busiest,” he said. Gillespie said expects a second unit will be added in the spring to patrol Germantown and other areas of the Fifth District as needed. vterhune@ gazette.net

Both Black Hills and the Symmetry development will also be served by the planned, but as yet unfunded, northern section of the Corridor Cities Transitway, a bus rapid transit system with three envisioned stops in Germantown before ending in Clarksburg. To see a map of the road extensions, visit.montgomerycountymd.gov/OMB/Resources/Files/omb/pdfs/fy13/ ciprec/501115.pdf. vterhune@gazette.net

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Students from Seneca Valley High School cross Germantown Road at Middlebrook Road after school on Friday. good stuff. Brian had to have recommendations and people had to vouch for him,” Grimes said. Britt explained that Diamond Sports Group has various coaches throughout the country that report back about potential talent. The group was formed in March 2014 and this game will be its ﬁrst. “We grew very fast in a short

Eat, Drink, Celebrate! New Year’s Year’s Parties Welcome! Welcome! Book your New Year Celebration! Reserve your spot on New Year’s Eve! Special Menu • Music & Favors Champagne Toast

12-31-14

POLICE

amount of time,” Britt said, adding that he hopes the games will only grow and get stronger each year. Both Marcus and Brian hope that competing in this game will help them get recognized by scouts. “A lot of times this helps the youth when they are trying to go to prep schools or private schools around the country,” Britt said. “A lot of times things like this help kids get exposed to those prestigious schools.” Britt explained that attending private schools not only boosts the students’ potential athletically, but also academically. “It helps them get a better education, get a scholarship. It kind of steamrolls because now they get in a school where education is pushed at a higher level

and then they get recruited to a D1 [Division I college],” Britt said. Marcus and Brian both love football and are excited to participate in the bowl, especially because they have never been part of something quite like it before. “I think he’s excited, he’s super competitive,” Grimes said about Brian, adding that he never pushes his son to participate — it’s always Brian’s idea. In addition to physically playing football, both boys enjoy watching NFL games and playing the Madden NFL video game. While Brian likes the Washington Redskins, Marcus roots for the New York Giants. “Football made me who I am today,” Marcus said. sschmieder@gazette.net

• Breakfast on Saturday • Washington Football Specials • Happy Hour Specials 4pm-7pm Weekdays • Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials • Karaoke Fridays FLOWER HILL PROFESSIONAL CENTER Every Game, Every Market, Every Week!

1908981 1933177

18257 Flower Hill Way • Gaithersburg

240-654-3536 www.The-Grille.com

1909655

1933172

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page A-11

Inspector general seeks opinion on decision to hire assistant Ex-Commerce ofﬁcial had pleaded guilty to fraud

BILL TURQUE

THE WASHINGTON POST

Montgomery Inspector General Edward Blansitt said Monday that he has asked the county attorney for an opinion on his decision to hire an assistant who had pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge. Blansitt heads the independent office responsible for probing possible waste, mismanagement and fraud in county government. He said he hired Rachel Ondrik in October 2013 because of the skills she

honed as a criminal investigator for the Commerce Department. Blansitt, who reports directly to the County Council, said last week that he saw no need to consult with council members about his decision. But after inquiries last week by The Washington Post, he briefed at least two county lawmakers. On Monday, he sent a two-page letter to the full council. “Although [Ondrik] has been a strong performer and a strong contributor to our small team, what matters most is ensuring the integrity of the MC OIG [Montgomery County Ofﬁce of Inspector General],” Blansitt wrote. “Accordingly I will ask the County Attorney [Marc Hansen] whether he

Union, Gansler reach settlement on literature Sides agree not to pursue legal action

BY JOHN WAGNER THE WASHINGTON POST

The Montgomery County teacher’s union reached a settlement Thursday with the campaign of former gubernatorial candidate Douglas F. Gansler (D), ending a lawsuit over what the union said was deceitful apple-shaped literature distributed at the polls in the June primary. The suit sought to bar the campaign of Gansler, the state’s attorney general, from using material trademarked by the union. It did not seek money damages. The campaign denied wrongdoing but acknowledged that the Montgomery County Education Association has a properly registered trademark for “apple ballots” and pledged not to infringe upon it in the future.

The literature in question was in the shape of a red apple and listed Gansler as one of several candidates “supported by teachers across Montgomery County.” The Maryland State Education Association, an umbrella organization that includes the Montgomery teachers, endorsed Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown in the Democratic primary, which Brown won before losing in the general election. The union has promoted its endorsed candidates on appleshaped literature for years. Gansler said Thursday that his campaign was trying to show that while Brown was supported by the union, he was supported by rank-and-ﬁle teachers. Under the settlement, both sides agreed not to take further legal action and to pay their own legal fees. john.wagner@washpost. com

concurs with my analysis of the propriety of hiring Ms. Ondrik . . . and will rely on his advice.” Ondrik pleaded guilty in 2013 to submitting nearly $40,000 in false travel vouchers and time cards claiming hours she had not worked. She was sentenced to eight months in federal prison. The sentence was thrown out on appeal because it was deemed excessive, and Ondrik was allowed to withdraw her guilty plea on procedural grounds. Under a subsequent plea agreement with prosecutors, the travel-fraud charge was dropped. In May, Ondrik pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor of falsely claiming to have worked several days at the National Institute of Standards

and Technology, a Commerce agency. She received a year’s probation, a $20,000 fine and 60 hours of community service. She paid the fine and is in the process of completing the service hours. Blansitt, a former deputy inspector general at Commerce, hired Ondrik in October 2013, after the original plea was vacated. “I considered that new charges might be filed but ultimately decided to proceed with her employment because of my understanding of her skills and the value I thought she would add to the office,” he wrote. He said her duties are not the same as when she was a federal law enforcement officer. “No one in the MC OIG con-

ducts criminal investigations,” Blansitt said, “and neither Ms. Ondrik nor any other member of the MC OIG staff would be expected to appear in court to testify against an individual or ﬁrm in a criminal case.” While his office is tasked with preventing and detecting fraud, Blansitt said, “that objective is accomplished primarily through our analysis of internal [management] controls. The focus is on identifying what policies and procedures are in place, how they are intended to function, and whether they are being implemented correctly.” Blansitt said he never directly supervised Ondrik but was “well aware of her strong ability to gather evidence, to interview people and of her excel-

lent writing skills.” “All of these are strengths that are essential to the MC OIG,” he said. Ondrik was hired from a field of nine applicants, Blansitt said, most of whom had accounting or financial backgrounds but did not have Ondrik’s investigative expertise. For the moment, he said, the position is part time and temporary. But Blansitt last week expressed the hope that he would find a full-time position for her. Hansen said Monday that he would “look into the matter this week and give him my best advice.” bill.turque@washpost.com

Maryland comptroller visits Gaithersburg GaithersburgGermantown Chamber of Commerce hosts Franchot n

SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER STAFF WRITER

Maryland Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot met with members of the GaithersburgGermantown Chamber of Commerce on Friday to discuss boosting business and the economy in Montgomery County as well as in the state of Maryland. Franchot, a Democrat who was first elected as comptroller in 2006, spoke first about the election results and his shock that Republican Gov.elect Larry Hogan was taking office in a state that usually favors Democrats. While he admitted that the election results were not to his liking, he was not interested in attacking Hogan. “We’re putting down the swords and working together to boost the economy,” Franchot explained to the cham-

“We’re putting down the swords and working together to boost the economy.” Peter V.R. Franchot, Maryland comptroller ber. He said partisanship is a problem for the country and politicians don’t work together after elections. Franchot is committed to working with Hogan and keeping an open mind. Franchot said the lack of economic growth in Maryland is a problem that is unacceptable, especially in a state with such strong “economic bones.” He called the economy in Maryland “stagnant.” “I’m not pessimistic of the economy, we just need to make certain adjustments in Maryland,” Franchot said. Franchot explained that there are 2.9 million people who ﬁle taxes with his agency

and the average return is 2.1 business days, which is something he is very pleased with. “People need the money and it’s their money,” he said. This quick turnaround, Franchot explained, is key to one of his goals of maintaining great customer service, and if anyone ever interacts with someone who is rude or dismissive within his ofﬁce, they should call him directly. Especially during the holiday season, Franchot was adamant about shipping local and urged private sector business to explain to Marylanders how important it is. “Keep the money within the state, within the county,” Franchot said to the chamber,

explaining that main street businesses are the “lifeblood” of the local economy. On Monday, Franchot and Hogan took a trip to Easton to go holiday shopping in locally owned stores in order to show members of the community just how important staying local is, even across party lines. In addition to pushing for local shopping, Franchot also told chamber members to talk to their legislators and tell them to stop frivolous spending. Franchot meets with many chambers of commerce throughout the state to get information straight from them regarding their local economy rather than relying on outdated statistics. sschmieder@gazette.net

Search Jobs

Find Career Resources

151107G

THE GAZETTE

Page A-12

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Cabbies ask council to consider their plight in Uber, taxi bills Public reaction to proposed new regulations mixed

KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER

Proposed reforms to Montgomery County’s taxicab regulations also should address the conditions of workers, cabbies said on Dec. 2. Others offered mixed testimony on changes to regulations for cabs and new standards for ride-sharing companies. The County Council’s Transportation Infrastructure Energy and Environment Committee held hearings Tuesday evening on three proposed bills that would ease regulations on the taxicab industry, while establishing requirements for ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft.

About 30 people testiﬁed for more than two hours on Dec. 2. Ride-sharing companies, which rely on smartphone apps to connect customers and drivers, have gained market share in Montgomery County. Traditional cab companies claim county regulations — which are not applied to ride-sharing companies — restrict the taxi industry’s ability to compete against the newcomers. On Oct. 28, council members introduced the bills intending to level the playing ﬁeld between traditional cab companies and the likes of Uber and Lyft. One bill would lessen regulations on cab companies by permitting drivers to use personal vehicles, allowing older cars as cabs and software-based meters, among other changes. Another bill would set regulations for ride-sharing companies, such as licensing, insurance and service to the dis-

abled, while the third bill would create a centralized system for dispatching cabs. While the bills include changes sought by the taxicab industry, Barwood Taxi driver Becaye Traore testified that the concerns of drivers are not addressed. Taxi drivers in Montgomery County are suffering, working under conditions “you would not believe,” while trying to compete with companies like Uber for clients, Traore said. Cab drivers, he said, start their day about $170 in the hole, after paying $110 to rent their vehicle, $50 for gas and at least $10 in credit card and other fees. Several drivers said the fees lead to long hours and often low wages — which some say can be less than the minimum wage. “We need some change,” taxi driver Nelson Diama said. Drivers want caps on fees, living wages and better dispute resolu-

tion with companies, he said. Peter Ibek, a Barwood driver, said a thorough restructuring of the county’s cab regulations is needed — which the bills do not do. He said the bills go in the wrong direction “by lowering the standards in the industry instead of strengthening them.” Committee Chairman Councilman Roger Berliner (DDist. 1) of Bethesda said the legislation is intended to allow fair competition between cabs and ride-sharing. Speakers at the meeting were divided on whether the legislation will achieve that end. In contrast to the accounts of cabbies, current drivers for ridesharing services testiﬁed primarily about the perks of their job. One driver, Elgasim Fadlalla, said driving for Uber “saved his life” after he lost his job. Kimberly Jordan-Gaskins, Ms. Wheelchair Maryland 2015,

After council, Andrews joins prosecutor’s ofﬁce Former councilman will work on mental health, other issues

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

After 16 years on the Montgomery County Council, former member Philip M. Andrews of Gaithersburg is moving across the street in Rockville to work in the ofﬁce of State’s Attorney John J. McCarthy. Andrews will work on the office’s community outreach team, focusing on crime pre-

vention programs. Andrews said Monday that he’ll be working on initiatives including helping people prevent themselves from becoming victims; working with truant students at risk of dropping out of school; and helping ensure that people who come into the county detention center get the treatment for mental illness they need. The problem of treating mentally ill prisoners is a crisis throughout the criminal justice system, Andrews said. The new post will allow him to use the experience he accumulated as the longtime head of the council’s Public Safety

Obituary Anthony James Hudmon, 22, of Gaithersburg, MD passed away on November 24, 2014. Graduate of Damascus High School. Son of James William and Lynda N. Matteson Hudmon of Gaithersburg, MD. Survived by a sister, Renee Lynn Hudmon Jones and her husband Joseph of British Columbia, Canada, and a brother, Dean Edward Hudmon and his wife Sarah of Gaithersburg, MD. Also survived by two nieces, Leah and Eliana. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2014 at 11am at Montgomery United Methodist Church, 28325 Kemptown Road, Damascus, MD 20872. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Montgomery United Methodist Church. Online condolences at www.barberfhlaytonsville.com 1932440

FILE PHOTO

Former Montgomery County Councilman Philip M. Andrews has joined the county state’s attorney’s ofﬁce. Committee. Andrews chaired the committee from June 2000 until leaving the council this month. He represented District 3, which also includes Rockville, on the County Council for four terms since 1998, and

sought the Democratic nomination for county executive in the June primary against current Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and former Executive Douglas M. Duncan. Andrews said he has known McCarthy since the mid-’90s, when Andrews was director of the county’s AmeriCorps program and McCarthy would give presentations as an assistant state’s attorney. Having worked in the executive branch as the AmeriCorps director and in the legislative branch on the council, Andrews said, he’s looking forward to working in the judicial branch of government. In a news release Monday, McCarthy said Andrews’ experience on the Public Safety Committee and other related groups has given him a broad understanding of the challenges that face the criminal justice system and how those challenges should be addressed. rmarshall@gazette.net

raised concerns that the legislation could hurt services for the disabled. The bill regulating ridesharing companies requires drivers who pick up a passenger with a disability to stow the passenger’s mobility equipment. If that’s not possible, they have to give the passenger a refund. But Jordan-Gaskins said a refund still leaves the disabled passenger without transportation. She also criticized the bill’s requirement that ride-sharing companies craft a plan to serve people with disabilities. Rather than address the problem outright, she said, the council would force people with disabilities to wait on companies to do it. “How long are we supposed to wait for the equal service and treatment already required by law?” she asked. Rob Alexander, CEO of RMA Worldwide Chauffeured

Transportation Services and Orange Taxi, said the current unregulated status of ridesharing companies is a safety risk for drivers and passengers. “We’re not transporting pizzas. We’re not transporting packages,” he said. “We’re transporting people with families who love them. We have to do everything in our power to ensure the safest ride, operated by responsible companies.” The cab industry pushed for many of changes in the bills and to have ride-sharing companies subject to the same rules. Representatives of Uber and Lyft told the committee they will work with the council on reasonable regulations of their services. The bills are headed to the committee for further work. kalexander@gazette.net

County lawmakers tapped for leadership in Senate, House n

Positions for Raskin, King, Madaleno announced BY GAZETTE STAFF

Montgomery County state Senators Jamie B. Raskin, Nancy J. King and Richard S. Madaleno Jr. will assume new leadership roles in the Maryland Senate this January. Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach announced in a news release Wednesday his appointments for the next session, which starts Jan. 14, 2015. Madaleno (D-Dist. 18) of Kensington will serve as vice chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. Madaleno has served on the budget committee since 2007. Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park will serve as Senate chair on the Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics, as well as chairman of the Executive Nominations Committee. Raskin, a member of the Senate since 2007, has served on

several committees, including Legislative Ethics and Judicial Proceedings. He also has served as majority whip. Raskin replaces Sen. Delores G. Kelley (D-Dist. 10) of Randallstown as chair of the Executive Nominations committee. Kelley will serve as vice chairwoman. King (D-Dist. 39) of Montgomery Village, a member of the Senate since 2007, will serve as chairwoman of the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee — a subcommittee of the Budget and Taxation Committee that Madaleno previously chaired. King will continue in her current role as assistant deputy Senate majority leader. In the House, Del. Kumar P. Barve (D-Dist. 17) of Gaithersburg was tapped to lead the new Environment & Transportation Committee. Barve served since 2003 as House majority leader. He has been sitting on the House Ways and Means Committee. Del. Anne R. Kaiser (D-Dist. 14) of Calverton will succeed Barve as majority leader.

Derwood bistro awarded beer and wine license Silverman resigns as

The operator of the Gourmet Asian Bistro in the Red Mill shopping center in Derwood recently won permission from the Board of License Commissioners to begin serving beer and wine. Applicant and Manager Yanhui Wang, on behalf of R and S Group, LLC, received a

Class H license from the commissioners on Thursday. The license allows sales in the restaurant only. The new service is expected to start this week, and restaurant hours will remain the same, Wang said on Monday. — GAZETTE STAFF

Professional Services Call 301-670-7106

Montgomery economic development director Says he is leaving to pursue another career

BY KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER

The man in charge of economic development for Montgomery County, Steven A. Silverman, has resigned to open a government relations firm. Silverman, who started with the county as economic development director in 2009, will end his tenure with the county on Jan. 2, then hang out his own shingle in government relations, he said. “I’ll be setting myself up as my own government relations consultant and I’ll be working at the local, state and federal level on behalf of private clients,” he said Friday. “I’ve got three teenage kids — one on the way to college, one just graduated — so this seemed like the right time to go back into the private sector.” Montgomery County Media first reported Silverman’s departure on its website and Facebook on Friday afternoon. Silverman said he has been in public service for the past 16 years and while he has enjoyed “every minute of it,” now is the time to move to the private side. Prior to taking the helm of economic development for the county, Silverman served as director of aging, health care and special projects in the Maryland attorney general’s office, according to his county bio. He also served on the Montgomery County Council from 1998 to 2006 and was chairman of the Planning Housing and Economic Development Committee. Silverman ran for county

2011 FILE PHOTO

Steven A. Silverman is leaving the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development.

executive in 2006, losing the Democratic primary to current Executive Isiah Leggett (D), who later appointed him director of economic development. It was not easy taking over economic development in the challenging ﬁscal climate of 2009, Silverman said, but “it’s been the most exciting of times.” During Silverman’s tenure, Leggett focused on job creation, retaining existing business while adding new programs like the biotech and cybersecurity tax credits, and the MOVE program, which helps fund companies that move into vacant spaces. “I think we’ve got a good record,” Silverman said. “But we’ve had extraordinary support from the county executive. It’s been his agenda.” Lacefield said the department’s deputy director, Sally Sternbach, will take over as interim director of economic development while the county searches for a new department head. kalexander@gazette.net

The Gazette OUROPINIONS

Fix the channels

In bureaucracies, procedure sometimes trumps common sense. We’re seeing evidence of this in Montgomery County Public Schools, as the district tries to clean up fuzzy, conflicting guidelines for handling sexual abuse allegations. This murkiness is having real-world repercussions. Most notably, parents aren’t getting information they need about their children’s safety. In October, a contractor at John T. Baker Middle School in Damascus was arrested, accused of inappropriately touching a 12-year-old student. Later that month, a substitute teacher at Roberto Clemente Middle School in Germantown was arrested for a separate but similar offense and now faces charges conSCHOOL SYSTEM’S nected to four students. In both cases, principals RECENT RECORD OF COMMUNICATION dragged their feet in disseminating information. ABOUT ABUSE Baker Principal Louise ALLEGATIONS Worthington alerted parIS WEAK ents about the arrest in a letter on Nov. 3 — nearly a month after the arrest. She later apologized and said she was trying “to protect the privacy of the victim.” Clemente Principal Khadija Barkley waited about three weeks to tell parents about the arrest at her school. She, too, apologized later. It took media coverage and parents’ demands to jolt school officials into sharing what they knew. This matters not just because of what has been alleged, but what other crimes might have happened. Officials say the accused employees previously worked in dozens of other schools within the district. In the Clemente case, police have asked other possible victims to come forward. Nine girls already have alleged contact in which the substitute teacher made them uncomfortable, even if it wasn’t criminal. In the Baker case, the contractor had a criminal background and apparently was poorly vetted by a temp agency. When a safety network has gaps, as this one did, transparency and communication are essential. What are the dangers? What went wrong? How will you fix it? A work group reviewing school district policies and procedures found multiple sets of instructions for administrators to follow when faced with possible abuse in their schools. The discrepancies might seem harmless, but recent cases have proven that common sense is sometimes missing. District employees must have clear, specific protocols to follow, including direct, open communication with parents. We don’t need another case of privately handled justice to make us realize the urgency in fixing these flaws.

Promising speed

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, upon being sworn in for his third term last week, made a promise: His focus on economic development would include a 30-day turnaround on developers’ permit approval. The audience replied: “Wow.” It’s unclear what that “wow” meant. 1. “Wow, that’s terrific”? 2. “Wow, is he kidding?” For years, the county has had a reputation — somewhat deserved — as a hard place for business to operate. The outcry has been loudest from developers. Despite officials’ pledges and attempts to streamline it, the county’s permitting process has become so unwieldy, time-consuming and expensive, some businesses LEGGETT have thrown up their hands and given up. This year, Wal-Mart said it would no PLEDGES longer try to build a big-box store in AsTO TURN pen Hill, citing bureaucratic delays. AROUND That’s not entirely bad. There are COUNTY’S valid reasons why it takes time to apBUSINESS- prove multimillion-dollar residential UNFRIENDLY and commercial projects, especially in REPUTATION a county as well developed as Montgomery. There’s a host of concerns to consider, from protecting the environment to making sure the project won’t further clog the county’s congested roadways and transit systems. Thoroughly assessing a proposed project’s impact on nature and manmade infrastructure takes time and money. There’s no way around that. First and foremost, county officials are charged with the increasingly complex task of improving the public welfare, and that takes many forms. Clean air and water, uncrowded schools, public safety, good roads and efficient transit lead to a high quality of life. But so does economic development. A healthful environment is vital, but so is having good jobs for residents. “I want us to usher in and foster a culture of ‘yes’ when it comes to doing business in Montgomery County,” Leggett said. To that end, he wants to have a county ombudsman help businesses navigate the permitting process. That’s a good idea. If Leggett can untangle the county’s unnecessary red tape for developers, more power to him. But he mustn’t do so at the expense of elements that make the county a good place to live.

The Gazette Karen Acton, President/Publisher

Forum

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Ken Sain, Sports Editor Dan Gross, Photo Editor Jessica Loder, Web Editor

Page A-13

LETTERS TOT HE EDITOR

Pepco ‘taking no prisoners’ in tree removal As a 29-year resident of Potomac and a lifelong citizen of Montgomery County, I am very angry at the stance Pepco has taken with tree removal. I have lived along the Pepco right-ofway for 28 years. In that time, Pepco has trimmed the trees on my property adjacent to the right-of-way. Not once in those 28 years did they ask to remove the trees they now want to cut down. When they did want to remove a tree, we usually came to agreement, with a compromise. In the past, I have had a very good relationship with their representatives, but now they have new foresters that are very arrogant and see no reason to talk or compromise. This “take no prisoners” attitude toward these same trees will leave me with no shade on the southern edge of my property and the possibility of stormwater runoff problems. At a time when the county is enforcing stricter tougher stormwater policies, they ignore Pepco’s obvious disregard for the new practices. Pepco shares a large portion of this destruction, but an equal portion goes to Senator [Brian] Feldman and Councilman [Roger] Berliner. Their shortsightedness in insisting that the PSC make Pepco more reliable has opened up Pandora’s box. Pepco is using RM 43 as an excuse to remove trees that in the past have only been trimmed. Not only are they removing large mature trees, but they are also removing trees that will never reach the power lines.

GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

Potomac Crest resident Jake Liang labeled trees on his property that were tagged by Pepco. He and other Potomac residents’ homes back up to Pepco’s right-of-way. Some trees are on Pepco’s property, while other trees slated for removal are on residents’ property. The power company has said it has the authority to remove anything that could interfere with power lines. When asked why certain trees need to be removed, they state that they have the sole discretion. Many of these trees, if managed properly by me, the homeowner, will never pose a threat to the power grid. They also state a Maryland law that says any tree that is pruned more than 25 percent needs to be removed. This law is ﬂawed and needs to be up-

dated. Both Senator Feldman and Councilman Berliner say they are working to ﬁx this problem. Well, it will be to little too late by the time they get anything done. I suggest next time they come up for re-election that Montgomery County voters ﬁnd new representatives — ones who think before they act. Scott Bender, Potomac

Take time to give thanks often

In my American history classes, I learned that the Thanksgiving holiday started off as a means of giving thanks to God for the harvest that came after a difficult year for the colonists. This idea made me wonder: If God deserves to be thanked for the big occurrences in life that He has blessed us with, what about the things that He has given us that we take for granted? I celebrate Thanksgiving as

an American Muslim, but I also reﬂect on the idea that in Islam, there is no specific day that has been established for giving thanks to God. Rather, Islam teaches its followers to thank God several times each day, since there are countless things we have been blessed with that we sometimes forget to be thankful for. To further such an idea, the Holy Quran says: “And God brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers while

you knew nothing, and gave you ears and eyes and hearts, that you might be grateful.” Even though it is necessary for one to give thanks to God on a regular basis, I still recognize the importance of Thanksgiving Day itself. And while I love the great feasts and family gettogethers, we shouldn’t let the festivities take away from the true and original purpose of such a holiday. We should, however, take

time to show gratitude to God for even letting us be a part of certain activities, in a country in which we are free. As a Muslim, I look forward to Thanksgiving. After all, there are only beneﬁts for us when we give thanks, as it is declared in the Holy Quran: “And God will certainly reward the grateful.” Navaal Mahdi, Silver Spring

The writer is member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.

School board’s holiday treatment is flawed, inconsistent Since the Montgomery County Board of Education voted to remove all references to religious holidays from its school calendar, it has become clear that the board’s decision lacks the necessary foresight, clarity, and critical thinking one expects from one of the strongest school systems in the country. There are several interconnected issues: 1. The board is selective in its use of “holiday,” and the diction is problematic. The calendars from past years list several days specifically labeled as “holiday,” including Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Memorial Day. Rosh Hoshanah and Yom Kippur appear on the calendars, but are not designated as “holiday.” When Christian holidays are treated the same as national, secular holidays, the Christian holidays are “normalized” and identified as “American,” whereas the Jewish holidays are acknowledged, but treated as an “other.” Even now that religious designations are removed from the calendar, Sept. 14, 2015, (Rosh Hoshanah) and Sept. 23, 2015, (Yom Kippur and Eid-al-Adha) are left blank, with a simple statement that there is no school. In contrast, March 25, 2016, (Good Friday) and March 28, 2016, (Easter Monday) are la-

beled as “holiday.” Is this inconsistency due to carelessness or something worse? 2. Despite multiple requests from the Equality for Eid Coalition, the Montgomery County Board of Education has failed to articulate an absentee threshold to determine whether a school closing is necessary. The lack of transparency has unfortunately created an atmosphere of mistrust. Montgomery County schools started closing for Rosh Hoshanah and Yom Kippur over 40 years ago. According to the board, there is no “empirical data” available articulating how this decision was made. The absence of information should not serve as an excuse for the board; rather, it is a call for leaders to address the needs of today’s constituency in an honest, direct, and timely manner. 3. The board’s decision appears reactionary and punitive, discouraging community members from making their voices heard. The Equality for Eid Coalition requested that Eid-al-Adha be added to the calendar that already included Rosh Hoshanah, Yom Kippur, Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter. Yom Kippur and Eid-al-Adha land on the same date in 2015, and schools are already closed that day. However, the pro-

posed calendar listed Yom Kippur and then parenthetically added that Eid-al-Adha is on the same day. The Equality for Eid Coalition requested that the two holidays get “equal billing” by being listed together. A small edit would have reflected a significant degree of respect and good will. The board’s refusal to make that edit suggests a view of the Muslim community, as separate, parenthetical, “other.” The board’s decision was reactionary and inflammatory. By tying their decision to the petition regarding Eid-al-Adha, the board left the Muslim community open to blame for a decision they did not support. Muslim Americans were told to embrace “American” culture or “go back to where they came from,” as if acknowledging, respecting, or celebrating Eid-al-Adha (a holiday that honors the Prophet Abraham and his family) is somehow un-American. While there is more than one right decision in this instance, the manner in which the board handled this matter is irresponsible and disrespectful to many. The board should consider the implications and effects of its choices and make decisions that set an example for our students and community. Sahar Siddiqui, Rockville

Staying on the sidelines is ‘voting,’ too

You published an interesting letter from a voter on Nov. 19, explaining principled reasons for not voting then and asking how a Republican governor won, but no Republican in Montgomery County won. The answer is there were a lot of Republican candidates and a lot of Central Committee members who did a lot of work for [Gov.-elect Larry] Hogan. In my district, as we went door-to-door for ourselves, we also included the importance of a Republican governor in order to change this state. Hogan did not win in this county, either, but he got the necessary number of votes in Montgomery County to win the state. The reasons for not coming to the polls are many. The greatest reason is lack of interest. Surprisingly, sometimes I got responses like, “Oh, yeah, I heard there was an election

next week” or “I’m just not into politics.” Or people show up at the polls and say they have not yet made up their minds. There are also those who will not support someone who doesn’t agree with them 100 percent. I guess they would prefer to have someone in ofﬁce who does not agree with them at all rather than someone who agrees with them 80 percent and differs on a few issues. But there is no such thing as a non-voter. We all vote. Some of us go to the polls to have our own voices heard, and others who don’t show up at the polls in reality are saying, “I don’t care, I’ll take whatever candidates ‘they’ want.” People who think they are leaders — educated people, busy people, people who would never allow another person to speak

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

Vanessa Harrington, Senior Editor Nathan Oravec, Managing Editor Glen C. Cullen, Senior Editor Copy/Design Will C. Franklin, A&E Editor

Dennis Wilston, Corporate Advertising Director Mona Bass, Inside Classiﬁeds Director Anna Joyce, Creative Director, Special Pubs/Internet Ellen Pankake, Director of Creative Services

Leah Arnold, Information Technology Manager David Varndell, Digital Media Manager Cathy Kim, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach

for them — stay home on Election Day (as well as eight early voting days) and allow others to choose representatives who can change their lives, determine taxes they pay, choose their health insurance, change the condition of the roads they drive on, accept or reject Common Core, determine how many students in the county attend classes in trailers, etc. etc. We are all into politics, come to the polls or not. Just look at your paycheck, or the fees on utility bills, or the cost of a gallon of gas, or the tax on the “impermeable surfaces” on your own property. We are all into politics and we all vote one way or the other. Pat Fenati, Damascus The writer was a candidate for state delegate in the last general election.

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

Page A-14

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

InBrief Meeting to focus on sewer plans in Boyds Residents of Boyds and Clarksburg, including smallbusiness owners in the Clarksburg Historic District, are invited to a meeting on Wednesday to talk about future sewer service to the area. “The purpose is to share various alternatives to providing sewer service to the entire Clarksburg-Ten Mile area,” said Jerry Irvine, spokesman for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, in an email. “We are also looking to form a Customer Advisory Committee to assist in reviewing and discussing the various options going forward,” he said. The public informational meeting will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Rocky Hill Middle School at 22401 Brick Haven Way in Clarksburg. Small business owners in the Clarksburg Historic District straddling Md. 355 have said they need affordable sewer connections to develop and upgrade their properties as part of the Clarksburg master plan. However, WSSC says it does not have the funds to help them pay for connections to main lines. Owners’ hopes of connecting to main sewer lines planned by the Peterson Cos. to serve a proposed Tangier fashion outlet on Md. 355 were dashed when Peterson withdrew from the site after the County Council approved plans for a Premium outlet center in Cabin Branch further south.

Toy drive launched Montgomery Housing Partnership, a Silver Spring nonprofit, has launched its annual Angels for Children Toy Drive, along with the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad and Wheaton & Kensington Chamber of Commerce. Organizers said they hope to collect upward of 2,500 toys, books, board games and winter clothing items, such as hats, gloves and scarves. The gifts will be wrapped and delivered on Christmas Eve by Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus to roughly 1,000 children in lowincome families living in the nonprofit’s affordable housing communities in Wheaton, Silver Spring, Takoma Park, Rockville and Gaithersburg, according to a news release. New, unwrapped gifts can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the following locations: • The nonprofit’s headquarters at 12200 Tech Road, Silver Spring (open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) • Greenwood Terrace Community Center, 8504 Greenwood Ave., Silver Spring. • The Beall’s Grant leasing office, 254 N. Washington St., Rockville. • Pembridge Square Community Center, 2315 Blueridge Ave., Wheaton. Also, donations may be made at mhpartners.org.

Weather service splits county in two

151269G

As many county residents know, a winter storm can sometimes dump 6-plus inches of snow in Clarksburg and leave only a dusting in Bethesda. Starting last week, the National Weather Service officially acknowledged this meteorological phenomenon. As of Dec. 3, the federal agency’s station in Sterling, Va., started dividing the county into two zones — Northwest Montgomery, and Central and Southeast Montgomery — in its so-called long duration watches, warnings and advisories, such as those for snowstorms. Northwest Montgomery includes the Clarksburg, Damascus, Germantown and Poolesville areas; Central and Southeast Montgomery covers the Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Silver Spring areas. Similar changes have been made in Howard, Baltimore and Harford counties. The idea is to provide more precise forecasts and reduce false alarms. The change doesn’t affect daily weather forecasts; watches or warnings for short-term events such as tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flash floods; and weather radio alerts. More information, including a map, is at weather.gov/lwx/ ZoneSplits2014. — GAZETTE STAFF

SPORTS

GAMES GAZETTE.NET IS STAFFING

Poolesville senior leads the All-Gazette girls volleyball team. B-3

Posted online by 8 a.m. the following day. BOYS BASKETBALL: Paint Branch at Clarksburg, 5:15 p.m. Friday. Both teams won their openers and could be 2-0. Clarksburg’s Andrew Kostecka is a returning starter. GIRLS BASKETBALL: Wootton at Churchill, 7 p.m. Friday.

GERMANTOWN CLARKSBURG |

www.gazette.net | Wednesday, December 10, 2014 | Page B-1

Damascus shows its support If you have ever watched Friday Night Lights one thing is clear: smalltown high KENT ZAKOUR school ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR football is king. And for better or worse, the game means everything to the community. Football in Montgomery County doesn’t come anywhere close to drawing a comparison to rural Texas, but if pressed, there is one place where it may matter just a little bit more. Throughout the week, green and gold signs showing support of the Damascus High School football team were displayed at seemingly every community business. On Friday, it felt like the entire population of Damascus traveled north to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore for the 3A state title game, the Hornets first title game since the 2007. And for 23 minutes, 30 seconds of football, the Swarmin’ Hornets’ faithful and players appeared to be well on their way to celebrating an eighth state title. But after establishing a 21-0 lead over defending state champion Franklin and a couple of turnovers later, Damascus found itself on the wrong end of a 35-21 outcome. While the post-game press conference was expectedly somber — several players held back tears — one thing was clear: they all relished the past four months and the teams’ 13-1 record. Star wide receiver/defensive back Jalen Christian, who said he was competing Friday at 60 percent health due to a high-ankle sprain, is set to play this fall in front 80,000 fans at South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium rocking out to Darude’s Sandstorm. But moments after his final high school game, he was thoughtful — even with a slight break in his voice — in reflecting on his four years at Damascus. “No one else around here does that, you won’t see that anywhere else,” Christian said about the town’s unrivaled support for the program that has made the playoffs 17 consecutive seasons. “There’s something special about this area. They shut places down just to come to games. People who graduated way before our time, they still come to the games. It’s just crazy support.” Workhorse junior running back Jake Funk, who ran 34 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns, agreed, and even said he felt like he let the town down. “It’s great that the community comes out and supports us,” he said. “I wish we could’ve given them a championship, but things happen. It’s just a great feeling that we have the support that we do.” kzakour@gazette.net

1909630

Franklin rallies to defeat Damascus n Indians score 35 unanswered points to win second straight state title BY

PRINCE J. GRIMES STAFF WRITER

on the go-route. We deﬁnitely did think he could get past them. A big ﬁrst play like that is very vital to the game.” On the opening drive of the game, Old Mill used a bit of deception itself, with receiver James Venerable breaking a 62-yard touchdown run — not workhorse running back Donovan Franklin. The score put Old Mill ahead 6-0 — the only lead the Patriots would have. “Our defense usually does a good job,” Northwest coach Mike Neubeiser said. “But if we do give up some points, we know our offense can catch up

The Damascus High School football team raced out to a 21-point lead in the Class 3A state championship game Thursday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. With its smothering defense and ball-control offense, that is usually enough for the victory. Not so Thursday. Defending champion Franklin of Baltimore County rallied from a 21-0 second quarter deficit to hand the previously-unbeaten Swarmin’ Hornets their first loss, 35-21. Two turnovers played a key role in the Indians’ rally. While Franklin (13-1) tightened its own ball security after first-half turnovers put it in a hole, Damascus started to lose control, allowing the Indians’ high-powered offense to close the gap. By the start of the fourth quarter the game was tied at 21, and once Franklin scored its third touchdown of the second half with 2 minutes and 56 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Damascus offense couldn’t answer. Franklin defended its 3A state championship title. “Momentum,” Damascus coach Eric Wallich said was the difference between the two halves of football. “Sometimes when you play the sport, a team gets momentum and it’s hard to stop.” Damascus had the early momentum — with Franklin’s defense focused on stopping Damascus running back Jake Funk, sophomore Markus Vinson was able to break three runs of more than 10 yards on the game’s opening drive to move the Hornets into Indians’

See NORTHWEST, Page B-2

See DAMASCUS, Page B-2

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Northwest High School’s Brendan Thompson (left), Austin Wickham and teammates celebrate their 34-31 victory over Old Mill in Friday’s Class 4A state championship game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Back-to-back champs Balanced offense gives Northwest the edge in the 4A state championship game BY

PRINCE J. GRIMES STAFF WRITER

In the week prior to Friday night’s Maryland Class 4A state championship game, Northwest High School running back E.J. Lee rushed for 180 yards and scored six touchdowns in a semiﬁnal victory against DuVal. It was no mystery who their opponent, Old Mill, would be focused on. So on the Jaguars’ ﬁrst offensive play Friday at M&T Bank Stadium, Northwest threw it deep to speedy receiver Jamar Wilson. Quarterback Mark Pierce connected

with Wilson for a 75-yard touchdown to tie the game at 6. “Old Mill just thought we was going to run the ball the entire time. That put them to sleep,” Wilson said. “I trust my speed... Mark already knows. He puts the ball in the perfect spot all of the time.” That score set the tone for a close game, but one that never seemed to be in doubt for the Jaguars. Northwest (131) wins its second straight state championship with a 34-31 defeat of Old Mill (11-3). “He was my ﬁrst read,” Pierce said. “That play was designed to go to Jamar

Clarksburg junior leads state track and ﬁeld contender Defending county champion and state runner-up Coyotes have sights on state title n

BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

Last winter it took just 43.50 points for the South River High School (Anne Arundel County) girls track and ﬁeld team to win the Class 4A state championship. Clarksburg junior Alexus Pyles could conceivably reach close to that number on her own in a given championship meet. With a win in the 55-meter hurdles and third in the high jump, the incredibly multifaceted athlete accounted for about 50 percent of the Coyotes’ total 34.50 points in last year’s state runnerup performance. Though two of her strongest events — the triple jump and the long jump, which she won at the county meet — are not contested at the season-ending state championship, Py-

les has the ability to score in plenty of other events. With four individual county titles and one state win to defend, much attention will likely be paid to everything she does. But Pyles, who wakes up at 4:30 a.m. several times a week to train before school, seems relatively unfazed by external pressure. “Going from being the unknown to being the favorite is really hard, that kind of pressure is different, but she dealt with that some last spring and I thought she did a pretty good job,” Clarksburg coach Scott Mathias said. “I tell her, and I tell everyone, just to worry about yourself. You can’t control anyone else. That’s the best way to deal with that type of pressure and she’s very good at focusing.” While Pyles’ breakout 2013-14 was undeniably rooted in sheer talent, Mathias praised her work ethic — Pyles is always looking to improve and never relies solely on her giftedness, he said.

See TRACK, Page B-2

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Clarksburg High School’s Alexus Pyles is expected to be one of the most versatile athletes this winter.

THE GAZETTE

DAMASCUS

Continued from Page B-1 territory. Funk capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown. Later in the first quarter, following a fumble by Franklin quarterback Jacquez Adams, Damascus quarterback Derek Gibson hit Joey Salisbury for a 13-yard touchdown to put the Hornets ahead 14-0. Another fumble would undo Franklin on its next possession. Indians running back Darius Hinton broke a 21-yard run which almost resulted in a touchdown, but instead was ruled a touchback thanks to Damascus defensive back La’Kye Alston stripping the ball from his grasp at the 1-yard line. Damascus grabbed a 21-0 lead later in the quarter on a 3-yard run by Funk, but Franklin was able to steal the momentum

NORTHWEST

Continued from Page B-1 quick.” Northwest answered immediately on Pierce’s pass to Wilson. Early in the second quarter, Pierce scored on a 10-yard run to put the Jaguars ahead 14-6. Old Mill traded scores with Northwest from that point, but Lee got free and the Northwest offense proved to be too much for the Patriots to keep up with. Following a 10-yard touchdown pass from Old Mill quarterback David Marrocco to Franklin, Lee broke a 35-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter to put the Jags

TRACK

Continued from Page B-1 “[Pyles] is talented but she works very hard and she’s a very smart girl,” Mathias said. “She doesn’t have an ego at all for someone who is as good as she is. ...She’s very good at making changes. She’s very comfortable with doing something new. And she’s exceptional at knowing where her body is in the air. She’s aware of her position so she picks up changes and techniques very well.” While Pyles has the potential to pile on the points, Clarksburg is arguably the most well-rounded team in the

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

just before halftime. A 26-second-drive was orchestrated by Adams, a University of West Virginia recruit, who completed three passes for 72 yards including a beautiful 30yard touchdown pass to Steven Smothers in the right corner of the endzone. “We knew if we just keep plugging away, things would open up,” Franklin coach Anthony Burgos said. “And obviously that score right before halftime was a great momentum switch for us, knowing that we were going to get the ball in the second half.” That momentum carried into the third quarter on the first possession when Kiandre Burrell broke off a 35-yard touchdown run to pull Franklin within a score. That’s when the turnover bug hit Damascus. Alston caught a 5-yard pass from Gibson only to fumble

it away to Franklin defender Franklin Hussain. On the very next play, Ad-

ams hit Steven Smothers for a 47-yard touchdown to tie the game.

ahead 20-14. Early in the third quarter, Lee broke a 59-yard touchdown. He ﬁnished the game with 197 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, providing Northwest with a balance they didn’t have in last year’s title run. “When the defense is thinking you’re going to pass all the time, and then you run the ball and they have to guess, they don’t really know what you’re going to run,” Lee said. Lee’s 7.6 yard average helped carry Northwest through Friday’s game, but the biggest play he made probably came late in the fourth quarter with the Jaguars trying to put Old Mill away.

Following an 8-yard touchdown pass from Pierce to Aaron Beidleman, Old Mill went on a 9-play, 67-yard drive which resulted in a 1-yard touchdown by Marrocco to pull Old Mill to within a ﬁeld goal. Northwest responded with the type of drive you would expect from the defending state champions trying to seal a second straight title. But a fourth down put the Jaguars in a punting situation. Out of the punt formation, the ball was snapped to Lee, who rolled right with the ball and as the defender closed on him, he pitched it to Wilson who earned the ﬁrst down. “They overloaded the left side and I knew I wasn’t going

to be able to get outside, so I just took it up inside to make them come to me. And then I just had to toss it over,” Lee said. “[My] stomach was bubbling the entire time,” Wilson said about the nerves on that play. “In my head I was like, ‘it’s not going to work.’ Then E.J. gets the ball, makes a move and then just ﬂips it... I made one man miss and then I just looked for the first-down marker. Northwest ran out the clock from there, clinching Montgomery County’s 46th football state championship.

county, possibly the state. The Coyotes aren’t just versatile, either, they have top talent in most, if not every event. Pyles and younger sister Brionne, have the sprints and jumping events covered. Lucie Noall is one of the state’s best distance runners. The return of junior Justina Ababio after a year off will help fill the void of her graduated sister in the shot put — she finished third in the county meet as a freshman. And especially in indoor track and field, where less events are contested than the outdoor season, star power is much more useful than depth, coaches said. “If you have one or two stars,

then you have a great team,” Einstein coach Eric DeSilva said. “B-CC a couple years ago won a state title with I think ﬁve girls. If you get the right combination...”

Contenders

Favorites Boys: From reigning Gazette Athlete of the Year Diego Zarate in longer events to classmate Jalen Walker in the sprints/middle distance and versatile Aaron Beidleman in the sprint and jumping events, among a slew of others, Northwest will have a contender in just about every race or ﬁeld event. Girls: Clarksburg, for all the aforementioned reasons.

pgrimes@gazette.net

Boys: Graduation left some holes in defending county champion Paint Branch’s lineup but the Panthers still have top talent in several events. Numbers are up for the 2013 state champion Clarksburg from last year and that includes several potentially big scorers. Quince Orchard appears to be one of the county’s more well-rounded teams, which should bode the Cougars well come championship season. Girls: Based on tradition alone Northwest can never be counted out. But the Jaguars happen to have some top ath-

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

letes as well. The addition of Nora McUmber to BethesdaChevy Chase’s distance corps is huge. Defending county champion Churchill has some points to make up but some talented additions could take care of that. Paint Branch could follow in the footsteps of their male counterparts who had a breakout 201314. Seneca Valley and Damascus have the versatility to contend for the 3A West Region title.

Darkhorses Boys: It’s tough for teams with isolated strengths to truly contend but that doesn’t mean they won’t be competitive. Ken-

Call this provider today for your mortgage needs! NMLS 1522

pgrimes@gazette.net

Northwest High School football coach Mike Neubeiser celebrates his team’s 34-31 victory Friday against Old Mill in the Class 4A state championship game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

FEATURED LENDER/BROKER

SPECIAL - 30 YEARS GOVERNMENT LOANS - 3.250%~APR 3.398% LOANS FROM $417,001 TO $625,000 CONVENTIONAL LOAN AMOUNT TO $417,000

30 YEARS @ 3.875%-APR 4.098% 15 YEARS @ 2.875%-APR 3.098% AND 5/1 ARM @ 2.50%-APR 2.673%

of the fastest,” Funk said. “Having a 21-0 lead, that was great. We just came out in the second half and laid an egg. They came out ﬁred up, and we didn’t respond.” “[Franklin’s offense is] crazy,” Damascus receiver and defensive back Jalen Christian said. “But we were right there, we just didn’t make a play on the ball.” Franklin added another score on a 13-yard fumble return by Smothers with just nine seconds remaining in the game. “Just an amazing feeling right now,” Burgos said. “These guys stayed together. They were poised. They were under control. And they just believed in what they do. We have a very talented team. Talented young men who can do some special things with the football.”

30 YEARS @ 4.250%-APR 4.299% 15 YEARS @ 3.125%-APR 3.297%

nedy lost the majority of last year’s top 5 squad but historically produces some top sprinters/jumpers. Gaithersburg is in the same boat. Seneca Valley and Rockville look to rebound from the loss of top scorers. It’s early but Sherwood posted some good results in Saturday’s MCPS Meet #1. Girls: The addition of sprinter Stephanie Davis a year ago took Magruder to new heights. Sherwood, Whitman, Walter Johnson, and Einstein all have their areas of strength that could sneak up on the projected top tier teams. jbeekman@gazette.net

CALL(301) 881-5555 FOR FREE CONSULTATION

HELIO SOUZA

1909576

www.americatrustfunding.com

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Damascus High School’s Daquan Grimes reacts after his team’s loss to Franklin in the Class 3A state championship football game Thursday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Later in the fourth, Damascus put together a threatening drive of 63 yards which appeared destined to recapture the lead for the Hornets, but Vinson fumbled on a ﬁrst-down carry from the Franklin 25. Adams drove Franklin 48 yards on the ensuing possession to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 12-yard pass to Smothers. “I don’t know what [the defensive back] was looking at and why he wasn’t focused on me, but I got the inside position and put the points on the board,” Smothers said. “It’s a great win for my team to be down 21-0 at halftime... It means a lot.” Funk rushed for 138 yards on 34 carries for a 4.1 yard average, down from his 9-yard regular season average. He said it was one of the fastest defenses hes faced. “They were definitely one

NMLS #13003

***OTHER LENDERS PROMISE GREAT SERVICE, AMERICA TRUST NOW OFFERING 95% FINANCE ON LOANS TO $625,500 AND NO MI FUNDING GUARANTEES IT*** Rates subject to change without further notice

100% FINANCE - VA LOAN - 30 YEARS - 3.250%-APR 3.398%

95% FINANCE AND NO MORTGAGE INSURANCE - SPECIAL APPRAISAL

We make sure you will get the best interest rate.

NMLS# 1522

http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

1909626

Page B-2

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page B-3

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

FIRST TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Allyson Convers

Megan Conger

Ellie Goodwin

Kaiya Heyliger-Powell

Conger followed up an impressive sophomore campaign with a dominant junior year, leading Good Counsel in kills (434), blocks (49), aces (59) and digs (275).

The Towson recruit was third on the team with 122 kills, anchored the defense with 157 digs, was second on the team with 55 aces and was a ﬁrst team all-WCAC selection.

In her ﬁrst season at the position, Heyliger-Powell emerged as the Warriors’ top offensive threat, leading the team with 157 kills, while hitting .330.

Caroline Leng

Megan McTigue

Kerra Tirado

Falcons right side hitter shined in her second season, leading the team in both kills (241) and blocks (44). Trained with USA volleyball.

McTigue, a ﬁrst team all-WCAC selection, ﬁnished the season with 150 kills, 74 digs and 27 aces, all after missing some time with an ankle injury.

The Rollins College recruit was dominant at the net, hitting .367 and ﬁnishing the season with 145 kills and a team-high 47 blocks.

Good Counsel Junior Hitter

Poolesville Senior, Setter

Senior was a do-it-all player for the Falcons, using her speed and athleticism to make an impact on a number of different levels. Convers recorded 418 assists, 101 digs, 39 blocks, 91 kills and 67 aces.

Holy Cross Senior Libero

Sherwood Sophomore Hitter

COACH OF THE YEAR

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Northwest High School quarterback Mark Pierce runs for a touchdown against Old Mill during Friday’s Class 4A state championship game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Superstitions help Northwest QB win again I don’t care much for superstitions or routines, but Northwest High School quarterback Mark Pierce certainly does. And for the past two years, the junior’s self-admitted quirks — along with a few alterations following losses — have worked perfectly on the football ﬁeld, as he’s guided the Jaguars to backto-back Class 4A state championships. I’ll let Pierce describe his steps of preparation to success. “It’s kind of weird,” Pierce, who sports one eye black mark below his left eye, said following the Jaguars’ 34-31 victory Friday over Old Mill at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. “I listen to the same music in the same order, I wear the same thing every week to school and games. I have a playlist [that has] some rap, I have some rock stuff and at the end it’s a little instrumental stuff that gets me hyped, some Friday Night Lights’ music.” After Old Mill scored on the opening drive, Pierce, who completed 12 of 21 passes for 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and his offense went to work. On the Jags’ ﬁrst offensive play from scrimmage, he connected with a wide open Jamar Wilson for a 75-yard touch-

down. “We practiced all week,” Pierce said. “That was going to be the ﬁrst play of KENT ZAKOUR the game ASSISTANT SPORTS because EDITOR we knew Jamar could beat them deep.” Pierce, who has grown into a team leader since assuming the full-time quarterback responsibilities midway through the 2013 season, and running back E.J. Lee led Northwest to a perfectly balanced offensive performance (218 rushing and passing yards). “We pride ourselves on a balanced offensive and it opens up so much,” Pierce said. “From sophomore to junior year I’m a lot more comfortable in the pocket. ... I just hope to build more and more [in the offseason].” The victory gave the Germantown school (13-1), which opened in 1998, its third state title. It was also the ﬁrst time a local program — Montgomery County owns 46 championships — repeated since Seneca

Valley did so in 1998-99. And by all accounts this year’s title run was different than last fall’s. Northwest, which has a bullseye squarely on its back, was blown out by Quince Orchard in the ninth game of the season, but rebounded to end the season victorious. “Last year we were the underdogs so my speeches were really easy,” coach Mike Neubeiser said. “Everyone thinks you’re not gonna be any good, no one thinks you’re any good, we’re just gonna go out and fight for our lives and see what happens. ... It is harder when everybody expects you to win.” Added Pierce: “It’s an amazing feeling, but I think the first one always will be most special to me considering my brother was on the team and it was our first state championship in nine years. But this year, it’s right there.” Pierce’s superstitions will undoubtedly continue next year. But what about winning a third straight title? “I hope so,” he said. “I hope so.” kzakour@gazette.net

Brothers played key role for Damascus n

Siblings said playing together on one of state’s best defensive lines was a joy BY ADAM GUTEKUNST STAFF WRITER

Thursday night’s 35-21 loss to Franklin in the Class 3A state championship game at M&T Bank StadiumwasdifferentforDamascus.TheSwarmin’Hornets hadn’t lost all season, rattling off 13 wins to earn the trip to Baltimore. But even in defeat, one thing remained unchanged as Damascus players stood in the away locker room: brothers Jake Bradshaw and Mikey Bradshaw stood together. Jake, a 6-foot-2 junior defensive lineman, and Mikey, a 5-foot-10 sophomore nose guard, have been together for as long as they can remember. Separated by only 20 months, the brothers shared a room growing up. Their older brother, Zach Bradshaw, starred at receiver and linebacker for Damascus from 20092012andiscurrentlyasophomoreoutsidelinebacker for the University of Virginia. But from the time they were young, the younger Bradshaw’s knew where they were destined to make their name: on the line. “From when I was a kid, I was told the line won the game,” Mikey Bradshaw said. “That’s where I wanted to be.” “When I was little, I just started at line,” Jake Bradshaw said. “I was like, ‘I’m not fast enough — I’ll just play [line].” For Mike Bradshaw, the father of the three boys, it was evident from the beginning that Jake and Mikey were simply different kind of athletes than their older, faster brother. “I think that they really look up to Zach, but I don’t know that they necessarily wanted to be him,” Mike Bradshaw said. “Jake was so big growing up that he had to stop playing after sixth grade because he was too big weight-wise.” Playing on the line has certainly worked out for the better for the Bradshaw brothers, who started for a Damascus defense that hadn’t allowed more than 15 points before Thursday’s loss in the state title game. If the situation is right, it’s not uncommon to see

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Jake Bradshaw (left) of Damascus High School plays defense against Franklin during Thursday’s 3A state championship game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Jake, No. 42, line up right next to his brother, No. 57, on the defensive front — a sight that leaves their father overwhelmed with pride no matter how often it happens. “As a dad, seeing them on the ﬁeld together, it’s really special,” Mike Bradshaw said. “It’s been indescribable seeing them go from two little guys sharing a room to two guys anchoring one of the best defensive fronts in the state of Maryland.” Jake has started to garner interest from a number of Division I colleges, such as Pittsburgh, Boston College, Rutgers and Maryland, but has no offers yet, according to his father. But after three weeks of holding his own against offensive lineman committed to Maryland (E.J. Donahue, Linganore), Florida State (David Robbins, Glenelg) and Georgia (Patrick Allen, Franklin), schools may be tempted to offer soon. Still, despite what the future may hold, Jake Bradshaw said his biggest thrill on the football ﬁeld is being able to line up right next to his little brother. “I played one or two plays with Zach my freshman year, and I thought that was cool,” Jake Bradshaw said. “But playing side-by-side with [Mikey] is awesome.” agutekunst@gazette.net

Stephanie Blake

Northwest, 6th Year Just one season after going 10-5, Blake had a seniorless Northwest team clicking at the right time, as the Jags rode a hot streak all the way to the 4A state championship game.

Poolesville Sophomore Hitter

Holy Cross Junior Hitter

Sherwood Senior Middle

Second Team and Honorable Mentions are online at Gazette.net

KEEPING IT BRIEF Ledecky sets two more records Stone Ridge School senior swimmer Katie Ledecky won three individual events, two of them in record-breaking fashion, at last week’s USA Swimming’s AT&T Winter National Championships in Greensboro, N.C. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist ﬁnished with 93 points to earn the Women’s High Point award. Ledecky opened the competition Thursday with a meet record en route to her third consecutive 500-yard freestyle

national title — Ledecky’s time of 4 minutes, 29.54 seconds beat the ﬁeld by eight seconds. The world’s best distance swimmer then turned around 45 minutes later to take silver in the 200yard individual medley to prove she can pretty much just do it all. After winning the 200-yard freestyle Friday, Ledecky broke her own American record by nearly two seconds in the 1,650yard freestyle. Ledecky, who earned the Phillips 66 Performance Award for the gold-medal swim, ﬁnished in 15:13.30; her previous record was 15:15.17.

— JENNIFER BEEKMAN

Adam McLean is staying in Maryland On Thursday, Quince Orchard High School senior defensive tackle and four-star recruit Adam McLean announced his verbal commitment to play football at the University of Maryland, College Park next fall. He was previously committed to Penn State On Dec. 1, Good Counsel junior linebacker Keandre Jones also announced his plan to become a Terp.

— PRINCE J. GRIMES

Arts & Entertainment www.gazette.net | Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014 | Page B-4

Fresh humbug every time Morella’s take on Dickens’ tale requires imagination n

Session beers, ﬂavor and style all became the norm in 2014

KIRSTY GROFF STAFF WRITER

An Olney Theatre Center fixture for the past five years, Paul Morella’s “A Christmas Carol” returns with a re-examined one-man approach to a standard winter show. His version of the show was initially presented at the Arts Barn in Gaithersburg six years ago following the suggestion of a theater coordinator there to turn the production into a one person performance. Morella has deconstructed and rebuilt it from scratch annually, ensuring that while the essence of the Charles Dickens story remains the same the experience is unique every time. Morella’s take on “A Christmas Carol” is almost certainly more stripped down than anything audiences have seen before — except maybe for returning guests. The show is a holiday classic, and versions fall everywhere on the spectrum from stark to grand and outrageous. “The beauty of this story is it can withstand so many different interpretations,” he said, “and there are so many out there. By going in the opposite direction, it relies on the audience to let their imaginations take flight. It will take you to places you could never go with the work done for you.” Morella greets audience members as they enter the theater and wishes them happy holidays as they depart. In doing so, he creates an intimate experience that allows audience members to feel more like

Trends in the brewing world changed this year

PHOTO BY STAN BAROUH

Paul Morella takes on the entire cast of characters in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in his one-man production at the Olney Theatre Center through Dec. 28.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL n When: various dates and times through Dec. 28; check site for details n Where: Olney Theatre Center Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 OlneySandy Spring Road, Olney n Tickets: $18-$36 n More information: olneytheatre.org; 301-924-3400

participants than observers. Though he may be the only man physically on stage, the full cast depends on the number of people in the audience on any

given night. Some actors, Morella said, see a one-man show as the “Mount Everest” of acting accomplishments, but the key is focusing on the opportunities the format provides. “It can be a challenge to reach out to people and make them understand that the audience, then, becomes the other characters, the scenes,” he said. “You never know what you’re going to get, and over the years one of the challenges has been addressing different people from different walks of life, young and old, and having them willing to go on this journey.” Over the years there have been countless interpretations

of the plot and characters, building on Dickens’ original descriptions to create characterizations that are by now mostly recognizable by sight — from Scrooge’s associate Marley in chains to Tiny Tim and his cane. With Morella taking on every character himself with no costume changes, the audience members are forced to provide their own appearances. “I ﬁnd the image Dickens creates, for example the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come,” he said, “is far more harrowing when you don’t see that conventional ‘Grim Reaper’ character, and instead have to imagine

See HUMBUG, Page B-5

As 2014 comes to a close, several trends in the brewing world have emerged. These include moving away from high alcohol beers to the more difﬁcult to brew but more easily drinkable session beers; the emergence of styles that have been very infrequently brewed in an effort to broaden the brewing palette, and the growth of estate beers along with the increased availability of local hops and malt. Session beers are named because one can drink several of them in one session, often with friends, and still maintain sobriety. Part of the newfound prominence of these beers is a reaction to the spate of high alcohol beers of the last decade. Drinks-writer and “The Session Beer Project” blogger Lew Bryson says, “You want a beer that facilitates conversation, not dominates it.” Usually these are beers between 3.5 and 4.5 alcohol by volume (ABV), although the Brewers Association deﬁnes a Session Beer as a lower strength version of a beer meeting classic style guidelines and one that can reach 5.1 percent ABV. A number of session beers are available in the region from Frederick’s Monocacy Brewing, D.C.’s Right Proper Brewpub (which always has 2 to 3 session beers on tap), Philadelphia’s Victory Brewing, Dover, Del.’s, Fordham Brewing and Roseland, Va.’s, Devil’s Backbone Brewing. The latter three and other breweries are even making sessionable IPAs. Some

BREWS BROTHERS STEVEN FRANK AND ARNOLD MELTZER styles which are being brewed more often are inherently sessionable, such as Berliner Weisse and Gose. Other styles that are receiving renewed interest as brewers stretch their brewing horizons looking for new avenues to entice the craft beer enthusiast include: Grisette, a Saison-like low alcohol style originally brewed for Belgium’s working miners; Lichtenhainer, a tart sessionable Berliner Weisse beer with a notable smokiness; and the Grodziskie style (also known as Grätzer in German), another low alcohol, smoked wheat beer originating in Poland and usually slightly tart. Estate beers — beers for which the hops and grains are preferably grown onsite but often just locally — are becoming more prominent as craft malting has grown. Encouraged by changes in state agricultural regulations promoting farm breweries, many in the MidAtlantic and New England regions, these maltsters are using heirloom grains, or grains which take advantage of local soils for richer flavors. One regional maltster hears complaints such as, “Your malt is too flavorful. I can’t taste my hops.” Combined with the upsurge in local hop growing, and sometimes even locally acquired yeasts, estate beers are becoming somewhat more available but still difficult to find. Look for such beers from Maryland’s Monocacy Brewing, Burley Oak Brewery and the nascent Scorpion

See TRENDS, Page B-5

1933920

1933187 1909565

1909656

1934944 1909657

1909558 11-30-14

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

IN THE ARTS For a free listing, please submit complete information to wfranklin@gazette.net at least 10 days in advance of desired publication date. High-resolution color images (500KB minimum) in jpg format should be submitted when available. DANCES Hollywood Ballroom Dancing, 2126 Industrial Highway, Silver Spring, 301-326-1181, hollywoodballroomdc.com. Scottish Country Dancing, 8 to 10 p.m. Mondays, steps and formations taught. No experience, partner necessary, T-39 Building on NIH campus, Wisconsin Avenue and South Drive, Bethesda, 240-5050339. Glen Echo Park is at 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Blues, Capital Blues: Thursdays,

8:15 p.m. beginner lesson, 9 to 11:30 p.m. dancing to DJs, Glen Echo Park’s Spanish Ballroom Annex, $8, capitalblues.org. Contra, Dec. 12. DeLaura Padovan calls to Glen Echo Open Band, Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom, 7:30 p.m., $10, fridaynightdance. org. English Country, Dec. 10, Joseph Pimentel and April Blum, 8 p.m., Glen Echo Town Hall (upstairs), fsgw.org. Swing and Lindy, Dec. 27, Daryl Davis. $18, $12, 17 and younger. Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom, ﬂyingfeet.org. Waltz, Dec. 7, Trio Con Brio with Paul Oorts (mandolin), Elke Baker (violin), Jonathan Jensen (piano), waltztimedances.org. Irish Dancing, “Ring of Kerry Irish Dance class winter session began on Sept. 9. Dancers meet on Tuesday’s until mid-December at Ridgeview Middle School. Beginning class starts at 7 p.m., followed by the more experienced class at 8:05 p.m. Cost is $40. We do ceili and set dances and no partner is required to enjoy the lessons. For more information, email Jean at jtmwoods@gmail.com or visit ringofkerrydancers.org. Dancers must be at least 8 years old to senior. Anyone younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

MUSIC Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Glenn Miller Orchestra: In the

Holiday Mood, Dec. 10; Frank Sinatra Birthday Tribute featuring Tony Sands, Dec. 11; Elikeh, Dec. 12; VMA Holiday Show, Dec. 14; A Very Chaise Lounge Christmas Show, Dec. 17; call for prices, times, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. 240-3304500, bethesdabluesjazz.com.

HUMBUG

Continued from Page B-4 it based on the original description and through Scrooge’s eyes.” In addition, having one actor playing all parts can also create a sense of recognition and an ability to relate or sympathize with much of the cast of characters at one point or another. “There’s a little bit of Scrooge in us, of Bob Cratchit, of Tiny Tim,” he said. “When you see all of these characters come out of one person, the show has an everyman feel.” Morella’s version, however, is not for the faint of heart; rec-

BlackRock Center for the Arts, The Steel Wheels, Dec. 12; Bettye LaVette, Dec. 13; 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown. 301-5282260, blackrockcenter.org. Fillmore Silver Spring, French Montana, Dec. 10; 3BallMTY, Dec. 11; HIM, Dec. 12; 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. ﬁllmoresilverspring.com. Strathmore, Afternoon Tea, Dec. 10; Susan Jones Klezmer Ensemble, Dec. 10; Art and Wine Night, Dec. 11; BSO: Holly Jolly Pops, Dec. 11; The Temptations and The Four Tops, Dec. 12; Mannheim Steamroller (two shows), Dec. 13; Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker (two shows), Dec. 14; Stome Ridge Christmas Concert, Dec. 15; Strathmore’s Children’s Chorus Winter Concert, Dec. 16; Robyn Helzner Trio, Dec. 17; call for venue, times. Locations: Mansion, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda; Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, 301581-5100, strathmore.org.

ON STAGE Adventure Theatre-MTC, “Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol,” through Jan. 1, call for prices, times, Adventure Theatre MTC, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, 301-634-2270, adventuretheatre-mtc.org. Imagination Stage, “101 Dalmatians,” through Jan. 11, call for prices, times, Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, imaginationstage.org. Highwood Theatre, 914 Silver Spring Ave., thehighwoodtheatre. org, 301-587-0697. Olney Theatre Center, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” through Dec. 28, call for prices, times, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, 301-924-3400, olneytheatre.org. The Puppet Co., “The Nutcracker,” through Dec. 30; Tiny Tots @ 10, select Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, call for shows and show times, Puppet Co. Playhouse, Glen Echo Park’s North Arcade Building, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., $5, 301-634-5380, thepuppetco.org. Rockville Musical Theatre, Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, 240-314-8690, rm-t.org. Round House Theatre, Bethesda, “The Nutcracker,” through Dec. 28, call for show times, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Tickets range in price from $10 to $45 and seating is reserved. 240-644-1100, roundhousetheatre.org. Lumina Studio Theatre, “Twelfth Night,” through Dec. 14, Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, 301588-8277, luminastudio.org; theatreconsortiumss@gmail.com. Silver Spring Stage, “Orson’s Shadow,” Jan. 9 through 31, Woodmoor Shopping Center, 10145 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, see

ommended for audiences 10 and up, there’s not a lot of ﬂuff or sentimentality — and certainly no carols. By scrubbing the show of everything movies and television have added to the story over decades, he returns to Dickens’ true intentions — after all, the original 1843 novella feels like it was meant to be spoken aloud, with a narrator eager to tell his tale. “It’s this morality story in its essence,” he said, “and it speaks to the very basic human capabilities and reactions, good and bad, that live within all of us. I think that along those lines, it can only be fully realized and experienced in its pure, direct, original, less ostentatious form.”

Web site for show times, ssstage. org. Randolph Road Theater, “The Gypsy Princess” (Die Csardasfurstin), Dec. 19 and 21, call for prices and times, 4010 Randolph Road, Silver Spring, belcantanti.com, 240230-7372.

VISUAL ART Adah Rose Gallery, “Notes, References and Miscellaneous Debris,” Brian Dupont, through Dec. 28, 3766 Howard Ave., Kensington, 301922-0162, adahrosegallery.com Glenview Mansion, Rockville Art League Juried Members’ Show, through Jan. 2, Rockville Civic Center Park, 503 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. rockvillemd.gov. Marin-Price Galleries, Jeremiah Stermer, through Dec. 31, 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, 7022 Wisconsin Ave., 301-718-0622, marin-price.com. Montgomery Art Association, Gordon Lyon, through Jan. 4, Westﬁeld Wheaton Mall, 11160 Viers Mill Road, Wheaton, montgomeryart. org. VisArts, Steve Pearson: Manipular, Dec. 10 through Jan. 18; Happy NOT Sappy, Dec. 10 through Jan. 18; William Peirce, Dec. 10 through Jan. 18; Gibbs Street Gallery, 155 Gibbs St., Rockville, 301-315-8200, visartsatrockville.org. Washington Printmakers Gallery, Pyramid Atlantic Art Center,

second ﬂoor, 8230 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, washingtonprintmakers.com. Kentlands Mansion, Artwork of the Gaithersburg Camera Club, Dec. 12 through Jan. 23, 320 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg, 301258-6425. Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg, 301-258-6394 “You Are Here,” exhibit by Dave Montgomery, now through Jan. 4. Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Ave., Takoma Park. photoartbeyond.com; 301215-9224.

ET CETERA The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, 301-654-8664, writer.org.

North Bethesda Market hosts its second annual “Destination North,”

a day-long holiday celebration of all things frozen, merry, and bright, from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, on the Plaza. Families can watch ice sculptures come to life, sing along with strolling carolers, and receive souvenirs — from glittery tattoos to themed balloons and face painting. Market retailers will offer special discounts and promotions. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit northbethesdamarket.com, or the Market’s Facebook page.

Though Morella has brought the show to the stage for several years, he makes clear it’s unlike other theater companies who put on the exact same production year after year. From one season to another — and even from night to night — audiences can expect a truly unique take on the classic Christmas story they thought they knew. “It’s like having 30 different Christmases on stage for me, they’re never the same,” he said. “It’s always unique and special, shared with a particular group on a particular night. I may be in a bad mood sometimes, but not by the time the show has ended.” kgroff@gazette.net

TRENDS

Continued from Page B-4 Brewing, and Virginia’s Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery. Grisette Working Class Ale (5.6 percent ABV) is brewed by Sly Fox Brewery in Pottstown, Pa. Grissette has a sweet malt and enticing lemon nose. Smooth throughout, it has a restrained sweet malt front with a muted melange of citrus fruits including orange, grapefruit and lemon. The lemon citrus wanes as the malt grows in the middle. A soft earthiness emerges along with a genial tartness in the finish as the citrus ebbs. The tartness lingers in the aftertaste while the other flavors fade. Ratings: 8.5/7.5. Goldie’s Best Bitter Ale (3.9 percent ABV) is made at the Milkhouse Brewery at Stillpoint Farm in Mt. Airy. This delightful best bitter has a light floral hop and sweet malt aroma which presages a slightly sweet malt front with a hint of bitter hops. The bitterness increases a bit in the middle and edges up more in the finish joined by notes of apricot. In the aftertaste the mild hops continue but are well balanced by the robust malt presence and tempered dryness. Ratings: 8.5/8. Pivo Grodsiskie/Grätzer Ale (4 percent ABV) is produced by Dr. Fritz Briem, a professor at Doemen’s University, the German brewing university in Friesing, who has recreated a number of forgotten beer styles. It is brewed in Munich. Grätzer has a tempered sour bouquet of wheat, heavy smoke, and orange peel. The subtle sweet front is followed by the addition of some sourness, a modest smokiness, and a tinge of orange rind in the middle. The smokiness intensifies in

THE BREWS BROTHERS

Grisette Working Class Ale, brewed by Sly Fox Brewery in Pottstown, Pa., has a sweet malt and enticing lemon nose.

the finish as does the orange zest. The sourness comes to the front in the aftertaste while the smoke tapers and a wisp of dryness appears. Ratings: 8/8. Gold Leaf Lager (4.5 percent ABV) is brewed by Devils Backbone Brewing of Lexington, Va. Gold Leaf has won several awards, including gold medals, at the Great American Beer Festival in the Pilsner category. The sweet malt nose with a touch of floral hops melds into a delicate sweet front. The middle adds a pinch of citrus which continues in the finish where the malt elevates modestly. All these flavors continue in the refreshing aftertaste, mingled with a nuance of melon. Ratings: 7.5/8.

148188G

Page B-5

THE GAZETTE

Page B-6

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Steamrolling the holidays

RICHARD DORBIN/PARAGON LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

Irish entertainer Seamus Kennedy will perform on Sunday at the Kentlands Mansion in Gaithersburg.

Traditions are always nice this time of year, and it deﬁnitely seems like Mannheim Steamroller’s performance at the Music Center at Strathmore has become an annual holiday event. Mannheim Steamroller is set to perform to shows in North Bethesda on Saturday. Founded by Chip Davis in the mid-1970s, Mannheim Steamroller has made a name for itself with modern takes on holiday favorites, adding video images and a ‘laser-light-show’ vibe to its live performances. The band is also quite popular. According to Strathmore, if you lined up all of the CDs Mannheim Steamroller has sold, they would stretch from New York to Los Angeles and into the Paciﬁc Ocean — more than 3000 miles. Or if you stacked them, one atop another, they would stand 645 times taller than the Sears Tower. Tickets for the show are $48-$98. For more information, visit strathmore.org or call 301-581-5100.

PHOTO BY STRATHMORE

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas is set to return to the Music Center at Strathmore for two performances on Saturday.

Holiday shenanigans with Seamus Kennedy Beauty from four perspectives Arts on the Green invites merry-makers of all ages to celebrate the season with Celtic holiday music in the Kentlands Mansion. Entertainer and professional funnyman Seamus Kennedy will sing traditional and contemporary “jolly” songs of Ireland and Scotland at 3 p.m. Sunday. The audience can anticipate an afternoon of seasonal music, plus stories and jokes. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Kennedy has been entertaining audiences all over the United States for almost four decades. Kennedy’s strong interactive entertainment skills have helped him create an excep-

tionally loyal fan base everywhere he goes. His local track record is extraordinary — 13 times Kennedy has received the Washington Area Music Association Award for “Best Irish/Male Celtic Vocalist.” Kennedy encourages patrons to sing along to silly lyrics or act out the choruses of children’s songs. When he plays a lively Irish jig or a reel, Kennedy often coaxes someone to jump up and dance to the music of his guitar or bodhrán. Tickets are $25 for adults and $12 for youth (age 18 and younger). For more information, call 301-258-6394 or visitgaithersburgmd.gov and search for “Arts on the Green.”

For its December exhibition, Gallery B in Bethesda presents the works of four area artists. “Crossroads: Four Artists,” features the works of Jeffery Cooper, Rebecca Hirsh, Sally Levie and Philippe Mougne. Cooper worked as a mathematician for 40 years before creating sculpture. His sculptures are made to attract the eye and invite the viewer to look at details. Hirsh’s work has been shown in the Washington, D.C., area at several local galleries and businesses. She has also illustrated books, including “The Mother’s Almanac” by Washington journalist Marguerite Kelly. Her 20-year career as a picture researcher, locating images to use in illustrated books, in exhibits for art, science and history museums and on U.S. postage stamps was a contributing visual experience.

Levie’s work has been exhibited throughout several area galleries and her paintings and drawings are held in private collections nationally. Mougne was born in Paris, France and relocated to Washington, D.C., where building materials inspired him to take up sculpture. He made his ﬁrst pieces using discarded timber and sheet metal from construction sites. In 2013, Mougne became a member of the Studio Gallery in Dupont Circle, and the Washington Sculptors Group. “Crossroads: Four Artists” will be on display until Dec. 27. The exhibition’s opening reception will coincide with the monthly Bethesda Art Walk on Friday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. For more information, visit bethesda. org.

PHOTO BY GALLERY B

Jeff Cooper’s “A Character” is on display at Gallery B in Bethesda as part of the ”Crossroads: Four Artists” exhibit.

F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre

603 Edmonston Dr. Rockville, MD 20851

240-314-8690

www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre

Rockville Civic Ballet

THE NUTCRACKER

TICKETS: $17 ADULT; $13 SENIOR (60+) & YOUTH (UNDER 12)

1909570

Saturday, December 13 @ 2 pm & 7:30 pm Sunday, December 14 @ 2 pm

1909566

1909658 1909561

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

THE GAZETTE

Page B-7

Page B-8

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

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

GAITHERSBURG

GAITHERSBURG An Active Senior Apartment Community Situated In the heart of the Kentlands neighborhood with all the benefits of small town living, with the excitement of the city life!

WEDNESDAY OPEN HOUSE COFFEE SOCIAL 11AM-1PM • Free membership to Kentlands Citizen’s Assembly • Planned Activities • Transportation • Emergency Pull Cords • Controlled Access

Kentlands Manor Senior Apartments 217 Booth Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 kentlandsmanor@thedonaldsongroup.com

(888)303-1868

GAITHERSBURG

SSTREAMSIDE TREAMSIDE A APARTMENTS PA R T M E N T S

ROCKVILLE

• Garden-Style Apartment Homes • On-Site Laundry Facilities • Kitchen w/ Breakfast Bar • Private Balcony/ Patio • Free Parking GAITHERHOUSE • Small Pets Welcome APARTMENTS 501B S. Frederick Ave #3 • Swimming Pool

Gaithersburg, MD 20877

301-948-1908

DON’T WAIT APPLY TODAY!

Senior Living 62+

• Emergency Response System • 24 Hour Maintenance • Transportation Via Community Van • Pet Friendly • Full Size Washer & Dryer

www.PinnacleAMS.com/GardensOfTraville

Se Habla Espanol

Advertise Your Apartment Community Here!

14431 Traville Garden Circle Rockville, Maryland 20850

301-762-5224

Office Hours: M-F 9:00am - 6:00pm

SILVER SPRING CALL FOR SPECIALS

STRATHMORE HOUSE APARTMENTS

Extended Hours Tues, Weds & Thurs kSwimming Pool

and reach over 350,000 readers!

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

• Huge Floor Plans • Large Walkin Closets • Private Balcony/Patio • Fully Equipped Kitchen w/Breakfast Bar

• Minutes away from I-270, Metro, and MARC Train

1 Br nr Metro/Shops No Pets, No Smoking $375 Avail Now. Call: 301-219-1066

ROCKVILLE-

2 BR/2 BA fin Attic, sunroom, living & Family RM, no HOA, on one acre land. $1800 call 202-380-8885

Basement in TH. Priv entr,/BA, full kit., pkg. $1000 incl. utils. NP/NS Call 240-8480136 after 6pm.

SILVER

Furnished basement w/priv BA & Entra. $1000. Lg BD w/priv BA $550. Int, Direct TV, priv pkg, utils incl. Avail Dec 15th. 240398-6552

3BD, 2.5BA TH. Gated community. W/D. Walk 2 shops & bus. $1795. 240-383-1000

WHEATON- 4 BR/

2.5 BA TH 1600 sq ft eat-in kitch, fin bsmt w/bar, W/D, off street parking $2250 close to metro & beltway call 301-656-4477

G559810

CHEVY

CHASE:

GAITH: 3Br/1.5Ba Th

Fp, W/D, Lg deck, nr Schls, Shops, Bus, n/p $1650+electric, Avail call/text 240-447-5072

GAITHERSBURG:

FREDERICK: 5,000

sf, Furnished entire floor, Carroll Creek area, 7 Executive offices, 12 divided cubicles, conference room, computer room, reception area, kitchen, 2 Full Bath., parking, $4,950/mo excluding util Call: 301-694-3103

FREDERICK:

Office Suite, 2300sf, 3 offices, conference room, waiting area, parking, Historic District. $2,200/month excluding utilities. Call: 301-694-3103

3BR, 2.5BA TH, Fin walkout bsmt, FP, new kit, paint, crpt. $1,750. Brian 866-411-5656 Proplocate Realty 703-538-1113

GAITHERSBURG:

4BD 3.5BA, SFH, 2 car garage, deck, newlly carpeted. $2350. 240-476-3994

GAITHERSBURG:

TH, 3BR, 2.5BA, W/D, Rec Room. NP/NS. No HOC. $1600+ utilities. 301-977-1113

GE RMA NT OWN :

3Br, 3.5Ba, TH, granite counter tops, H/W flrs, fin bsmt, min to I270, $1650 per mo, Call: 301-452-1268

GE RMA NT OWN :

MOUNT

AIRY-

Cottage on 5 acres 1bd/1ba $895 per month N/P Avail Now call 301-845-1234

BETH/CHELSEA TOWERS: Updated

1BR, balcony, panoramic view. $1495 +utils Becky Plesset L&F 202-438-3755

DAMASCUS: 3BR

$1400/ 2BR $1200 +util NS/NP, W/D New Carpet, Paint, Deck & Patio 301-250-8385

4Br, 2.5Ba, TH, great location, HOC welcome, $1845 obo 301540-7047

GE RMA NT OWN :

TH, 3Br, 2.5Ba, NP/NS, new paint, $1575 + util AND R O C K V I L L E : 2Br, 1Ba Condo $1500 + electric 240-472-5642 (after 6pm)

KEMP MILL/SIL SPRING: lrg 4BD, 2.5BA SFH. H/wd, fp. W/D. Walk 2 shops. $2350. 240-383-1000

MONT

VILLAGE:

Newly Renovated TH, 4BR, 3.5BA w/fin bsmt. $2200/month Call 301-675-8507

GAITHERSBURG:

Olde Towne Spacious 1 bedroom/1 ba Apt $1000 month + elec Call (240)388-0056

BETHESDA: Furn,

1Br, 1Ba, kit, balcony, 2 walk/in closets, pool, exercise club, tennis store and restauarant $1,845/mo inc utils and cable Call: 301-455-9608

GE RMA NT OWN -

Luxury 1 Bedroom Apt 1 person short term avail $1275 call 301580-3769 see online ad on craigslist.

ROCK/BETH: 1BR,

priv ent/BA., kit, patio, pet ok, yr lse $1,100 util incl. 1 person only. 301-881-8214

utils incl. Close to Bus & Shops. HOC Ok. . Call 240-506-1386

SILVER

SPRING:

3Br, 2Ba, 1 lvl top flr, pool, nr ICC, Metro, shops,HOC, $1600 inc water 301-908-9627

DERWOOD:

MBD w/shared BA in SFH WIFI, uti incl $650, 5 min to Shady Grove Metro. 240- 643-6813

Room (301) 460-1647 kFamily kFull Size W/D

3004 Bel Pre Rd., Apt. 204, Silver Spring, MD 20906

in every unit

To Advertise

S.S: Bsmt apt 2 RMS $700&$650 shrd kitch &bath, priv entr NS NP nr metro call 240-3898825

Call 301.670.7100

GAITH/KENTLNDS

lg bsmt, full kit & Ba, LR, $1300 utils incl, nr bus/shops 301-8698705 or 301-675-7465

GAITH/MONT VILL. Master Bedroom $600/mo Avail now Ns/Np Nr Bus Shops Call 240-426-5651

GBURG: Furn RM Fem only 1BR, pvt BA $600 utils incl. CATV extra! Ns/Np nr Metro Avail Now! 240-6019125

PUBLIC AUCTION DECEMBER 13, 2014 @ 9:30 AM DON’T MISS THE FINAL SALE OF THE YEAR! Selling for: PG County, PG Co. School Board, Arlington Co., City of Alexandria, Charles County 60+ Government Vehicles

GERM: 1 BR, shared

250+ CARS, TRUCKS, SUV’S, MISC

GE RMA NT OWN :

13200 OLD MARLBORO PIKE UPPER MARLBORO MD 20772 301-627-7575

BA $400, 1MB $500 + utils in TH NS/ND Near bus/shops. Sec Dep Req. 240-4766224 1 furnished Br, shrd Ba & Kit, nr bus, $450 all util inc Call Jose: 301-366-8689

www.colonialautoauction.com Visit our website to view inventory

GE RMA NT OWN :

Master BR w/ priv bath $650 + utils. Easy access to bus. Avail now (240)426-7852

GERM:

R o o m in SFH, Private Ent & BA w/kitchenette; NS/NP. $650/mo utils incld. 301-370-0295

MONT. VILLAGE: BELTSVILLE: 1br, 1ba Condo. $1300

SPRING

Furn rm on 1st flr $600, and 2 rooms in basement $450 each. shrd kit, lvng rm, Male. util/Internet, cable included. 240-882-7458

kBalcony Patio

GAITHERSBURG:

Huge Apt for 1 in SFH, GBURG- Female Preavail 01/10, $1500/mo ferred fully furn master + utils, photos & more BR w/priv bath WIFI & at www.rent4u.us Cable TV ready $700 CALL 240-672-4516

GAITHERSBURG-

SILVER

kSmall Pets Welcome

1 Large BR nr Shops & bus $600/mo util & cable included NP/NS Call: 240-498-1915

OLNEY:

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

ROCKVILLE: 1Br

share bath in SFH. Male $500 utils cable incl. Near Metro/ Bus NS/NP 240-483-9184 ROCKVILLE: Large Newly Remodeled rm in SFH Nr Metro & Shpng $575/mo utils incl 240-444-7986

MULTI-FAMILY FLEA MARKET

Somerset Elementary School, 5811 Warwick Place, Chevy Chase, MD Sat., Dec. 13th, 10:00am-1:00pm, Featuring collectibles, toys, games, clothing, books, housewares, crafts, sporting goods, and baked goods.

FIREWOOD FOR SALE $250/cord $150 per 1/2 cord µ Includes Delivery µ Stacking Extra Charge Ask for Jose 301-417-0753 301-370-7008

ALL MUST GO!

3904 Braveheart Circle, Urbana MD, 21704, 12/12 10am, 12/13 9am and 12/14 10am. Vintage Oak, Furniture, New Electric Scooter, Books, 100’s Of Tools Household Items and Lots More. estatemax.net 301-3325585 Cash or Credit Cards, Park on Braveheart Circle

Treasure Hunt It’s

FREE!

GazetteBuyandSell.com

Join 400+ families consigning at our HOLIDAY SALE !! Montgomery Fairgrounds 16 Chestnut St Gaithersburg, MD 20877

(use Chestnut or Dalmar entrances) Fri. 12/12 9a-7p, Sat 12/13 9a-5p Sun 12/14 10a-4p Many Items 50% Off, Mon 12/15 9a-10a (Dollar Dash)

FREE ADMISSION! Baby To Teen: Toys, Clothes, Books, Baby Equipment & More!!!!

Consignors Wanted www.totswap.net

PREMIUM ALL SEASONED HARDWOODS Mostly Oak $200 a Cord Split & Delivered 240-315-1871

GP2188A

NEWLY RENOVATED 3Br 3Ba, $999,000. Scott Egloff, Realtor Pls call: 301-674-8866 WC&AN Miller Co a Long and Foster Co. 4701 Sangamore Rd. Bethesda, MD 20816

GAITHERSBURG:

OLNEY: SFH, 4 bedroom , 2.5 baths, W/D, deck, fpl, 2 car garage, non smoking $2500 . 301-740-3623.

kSpacious Floor Plans

G557971

301-948-8898

340 N. Summit Ave. • Gaithersburg, MD

SPRING:

kNewly Updated Units

HAVANESE PUPPIES Home raised, AKC, best health guarantee noahslittleark.com Call: 262-993-0460

PETS: 5 month AKC German Shepherd puppies for sale Please call me at 240-385-6672

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page B-9

Daycare Directory

NOTICE Archer Western and Maryland Purple Line Partners are soliciting subcontractor and supplier quotes for The Purple Line Project between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Maryland. The Purple Line Project is a 16.2 mile east-west Light Rail Transit line extending inside the Capital Beltway from New Carrollton in Prince George’s County to Bethesda in Montgomery County, Maryland. G GP2173A P2173A

Fax all quotes to 404-495-8701 prior to January 30th, 2015.

Kimberly Villella Childcare Damascus Licensed Family Daycare Children’s Center of Damascus Elena’s Family Daycare My Little Lamb Daycare Kids Garden Daycare

Quotes will be evaluated on scope, price, experience, financial condition, and other pertinent factors. Equal Opportunity Employer (Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran) (12-10, 12-11-14)

Treasure Hunt It’s

FREE!

GazetteBuyandSell.com G560765

301-774-1163 301-253-4753 301-253-6864 301-972-1955 301-990-9695 240-601-9134

20832 20872 20872 20876 20877 20886

DEADLINE: JANUARY 5th, 2015

If you have any questions, please call Lavier Shoemaker at 404-495-8700 or email at wshoemaker@walshgroup.com For project documents access to our online plan room, please e-mail your request to mplp@walshgroup.com.

Lic#: 27579 Lic#: 139094 Lic#: 31453 Lic#: 15133761 Lic#: 51328 Lic#: 139378

LIVE-IN/LIVE-OUT ENERGETIC HSKPR: Good com-

mand of English, cooking a must Annapolis Area. 443-9949324 between 9-5. Driving a plus!

NANNY- Potomac Family w/ Children 16 & 11 looking for housekeeper/nanny for after school hrs approx.3:15-6:15 MonFrid. Family has 2 friendly dogs must have car for driving kids to activities. Other duty may include house cleaning & laundry. Background check & driving record required. $15/hr Call 301-299-7472

To Advertise Realtors & Agents

AND Rentals & For Sale by Owner Call 301.670.7100 or email class@gazette.net

Careers 301-670-2500

class@gazette.net Healthcare

ORAL SURGERY STAFF

Recruiting is now Simple! NURSING ASSISTANT

TRAINING IN JUST 4 WEEKS Now enrolling for December 15, 2014 classes WE HAVE THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS SPECIALS! CALL FOR DETAILS!

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

Surgical Assistant. Modern, caring Oral and Maxillofacial surgical office needs motivated, intelligent, friendly individuals to join our busy multilocation practice. Experience preferred. Please reply to 301-774-6200.

Get Connected!

Maintenance Tech/Helper

Local Companies Local Candidates

Streamside Apartments in Gaithersburg looking for experienced Maintenance Technician/Helper. Must have own tools. Fax resume 301-948-3959.

SILVER SPRING CAMPUS

Painters

GC3407

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

Cochran and Mann are seeking experienced painters. All applicant’s must have own tools and transportation. If you are interested please contact our office at 301-948-1471 ext 201. Please be very clear with name and phone numbers please.

GC3395

ADMIN/SECRETARY

Rockville, CPA firm has a FT position for a take-charge person. Must be fluent in Spanish (written and verbal), able to work independently, have excellent verbal and computer skills, & be able to multi-task. Prior professional office exp a plus. Excellent salary & benefit package available. Email resume to scl@lapointeandcompany.com or fax 301-770-1240.

CHAUFFEURS Become a Professional Chauffeur - We train! If you have a good driving record, know your way around and enjoy making people happy then we want to talk to you. Stop by anytime between Monday December 15th, 2014 - Friday December 19th from 11am to 5pm to fill out an application. 401K, benefits package, and bonuses provided! Applicants must be at least 25. RMA WORLDWIDE CHAUFFEURED TRANSPORTATION 12270 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852

CLEANING

Earn $400/wk. Monday-Friday and Thursday-Saturday. No nights. Must have own car & valid. Drivers lic. Se Habla Espanol.

Merry Maids

Gaithersburg 301-869-6243 Silver Spring 301-587-5594

Treatment Foster Parents Needed Work from home!

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

Call 301-349-2983

Dental/Medical Offices now hiring. No experience? Job Training & Placement Assistance Available 1-888-818-7802 CTO SCHEV

Search Jobs

Find Career Resources

Call 301-355-7205 Real Estate

CLERK/DATA ENTRY Bethesda, MD. 8:30-5:00, M-F Job Requirements Include: Data Entry, Answer Phones, Attention to Detail. Minimum 6 Months Experience. $13.00/hr to start based on experience. Please email resume to: Beth@clymenvironmental.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.

Call Bill Hennessy

GC3394

Must have a minimum of 5yrs experience in service and installation. Must have clean driving record. Call Scott at 301-252-3709

Residential/Commercial Min 4 years experience

Foster Parents

GC3396

HVAC Technician

NOW HIRING ELECTRICIANS

Dental/ Medical Assistant Trainees Needed Now

301-388-2626 301-388-2626

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

Page B-10

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Careers 301-670-2500

class@gazette.net

Senior Analyst

For Rockville, MD biopharmaceutical company to use understanding of biological principles & drug development process to build financial models & provide analytical support for business development initiatives & contract negotiations in biotechnology industry; use knowledge of biological principles to help support negotiations & construct contract structure; conduct financial valuations during company Biosciences portfolio management & review process using knowledge of biological principles; help establish long-range financial plans for biopharmaceutical & medical device products in pipeline; present financial evaluations to senior management team; identify, analyze & communicate trends & issues in the biopharmaceutical industry that impact business; liaise with Strategic Investment Division & Finance & Administration Group. Requires Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Molecular Biology or closely-related field; 18 months experience conducting financial analysis in support of M&As, licensing and partnership opportunities in the biopharmaceutical or healthcare industry; analyzing discounted cash flow (NPV), comparable companies, precedent M&A transactions, IPO and private company step-up, and leveraged buyouts; building three statement (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow) financial models; obtaining equity research reports in the Thomson database; advising on the structuring of convertible debt instruments, issuance of convertible debt, issuance of equity (IPO, follow-on offerings and secondary share sales) and issuance of debt; identifying licensing opportunities for biopharmaceutical or pharmaceutical products; and determining the value of intellectual property. Background must include college courses in Finance and Accounting. Mail resume to Linda Povinelli, Emergent BioSolutions Inc., 2401 4th Ave., Suite 1050, Seattle, WA 98121. Equal Opportunity Employer.

Rough-in Plumber TCS is looking for Shuttle Bus Drivers at Dulles Airport. Class B CDL with passenger and air brake endorsements, current DOTphysical card and 3 years of passenger driving experience required.

Full-Time positions • 24 Hour Operation. Must be able to work all shifts.

SR. TAX PROFESSIONAL

Contact Sehon Ross from 10AM to 3PM at 703.572.7621

Established CPA firm in Olney, Maryland, is seeking a Senior Tax Consultant. Seasonal Work, January 2015 - April 15, 2015.

GC3373

Must pass pre-employment drug screen and possess clean driving record. Salary is $13.75 per hour.

Must be dependable & proficient w/RI, GW & fixtures. Drug Test req’d, Co trk & Lg tools provided for right plumber. Fax: 240-745-0476 or email: flowritemary@copper.net $12-18/hr dep on exp.

Qualified applicant requirements are: µCPA Certificate/Enrolled Agent Designation µ10 + yrs of direct exp. in tax return prep. & review µExcellent interpersonal, analytical, research, & problem solving skill µProficient in tax compliance µStrong computer & technical skills Please email: DeannaWalsh@WightWalsh.com

Administrative

Assistant Community Manager

Growing community Management Company in Gaithersburg is seeking individual with excellent admin & computer skills. Familiarity with MS WORD, EXCEL & Outlook req’d. Must possess: strong writing & organizational skills, attention to detail & be able to work in a fast paced environment. Own transportation is req’d for visits to properties. Some evening hours req’d. Competitive Salary, 401K & benefits. Email resume to HR@casinc.biz

On-Site Community Manager

Established, still developing large scale community in Frederick, MD (1100 units now, 1500 build-out) seeks experienced Community Manager with good leadership skills &* friendly disposition. Exper with rec facilities, communities, complicated financials & mgmt of staff req’d. PCAM designation/candidate & on-site management exper req’d. Competitive salary, 401k & benefits. Email resume to HR@casinc.biz SALES

NEW HOMES PT SALES ASSISTANT

We’ve Got the Ideal Job!!! Miller and Smith is seeking energetic candidates with excellent people and communication skills to serve as a part-time Sales Assistant at our location in MONT Co. /Clarksburg for 4 days a week. Thurs. -Sun. weekends are required/ NO benefits. $16.00/hr. Interested candidates should send their resumes to hr@millerandsmith.com or fax to (703) 394-6605. EEO M/V/F/D

Recruiting is now Simple! Get Connected! Local Companies Local Candidates

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Automotive

Page B-11

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

CA H

RAIN OR SHINE!

FOR CAR !

Since 1989

www.CapitalAutoAuction.com WE HAVE VEHICLES FOR EVERY BUDGET AND NEED!

AUCTIONS EVERY SATURDAY

ANY CAR ANY CONDITION

Temple Hills, MD

5001 Beech Road Live/Drive Auction Time Saturdays 9:00a.m.

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

Looking for a new ride?

G558040

1905 Brentwood Road Live/Drive Auction Time Saturdays 10:00a.m.

Call 301-640-5987

or email dc@capitalautoauction.com

INSTANT CASH OFFER

Log on to Gazette.Net/Autos to search for your next vehicle!

Washington, DC

OPEN TO PUBLIC • ALL DEALERS WELCOME

(301)288-6009

BUY BELOW KBB VALUE

G558041

YOU ALWAYS GET YOUR WAY AT OURISMAN EVERYDAY

Looking for a new convertible? Search Gazette.Net/Autos

DARCARS NISSAN 2009 Nissan Versa

9,977

#440168B, Automatic, 1.8 SL FE, 64K Miles, Sedan

2004 BMW X3

9,977

#P9111B, Automatic, 3.0i SUV, AWD

OURISMAN VW $

*down

#7441995, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP 17,715 $

10,977

#P9021A, Automatic, 4DR, Sedan

#541043A, Automatic, LX Sedan, 68K Miles

13,995

2014 PASSAT S

MSRP 23,185

11,977

2012 Ford Fusion #441562A, Auto, 61K Miles, 1-Owner, SE Sedan

11,977

2013 Nissan Sentra #E0424, Automatic, SV Sedan, 1-Owner, 35K Miles

11,977

2012 Fiat 500 POP #541010C, Manual, Convertible, 35K Miles, 1-Owner

*security deposit

*1st month’s payment

2015 GOLF 2DR HB LAUNCH

2014 BEETLE 1.8L

#3020550, Mt, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

#1601477, Power Windows/Power Locks, Keyless Entry, Sunroof

MSRP $21,015

MSRP 18,815

BUY FOR

16,599

OR $244/MO for 72 MONTHS

BUY FOR

18,999

OR $279/MO for 72 MONTHS

2014 JETTA SEDAN TDI 2014 JETTA SPORTWAGON TDI

10,977 $

#546033A, Automatic, 1-Owner, 46K Miles

signing

#9087784, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

*due at

OR $205/MO for 72 MONTHS

2007 Honda Accord

payment

2014 JETTA S

BUY FOR

2010 Dodge Charger SXT

SAVE UP TO $8,000

11,977

BUY FOR

MSRP 22,435 $

17,999

OR $264/MO for 72 MONTHS

2015 TIGUAN S 2WD

#13540292, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP $27,180

BUY FOR

#7298300, Automatic Power Windows, Power Locks, Bluetooth

24,999

OR $372/MO for 72 MONTHS

BUY FOR

17,999

#5608496, Automactic. Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP $28,835

BUY FOR

24,399

OR $264/MO for 72 MONTHS

OR $358/MO for 72 MONTHS

2015 GTI 4DR HB S

2014 TOUAREG TDI R-LINE V6

#4028905, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

#14013851, Navigation, Sunroof Power Windows/Locks, Loaded

MSRP $27,235

BUY FOR

24,999

OR $367/MO for 72 MONTHS

MSRP $55,835

BUY FOR

45,795

OR $659/MO for 72 MONTHS

OURISMAN VW WORLD AUTO CERTIFIED PRE OWNED

12,977

2013 Scion iQ Auto Coupe #E0492A, Automatic, 17K Miles, 1-Owner

12,977

2010 Saab 9-3 #441556A, Automatic, 1-Owner, Black, 38K Miles

12,977

2011 Nissan Altima SL #546106A, 2.5L Sedan, Automatic, 42K Miles

14,977

G557906

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!

2006 Jetta Sedan PZEV AT...#V394369A, Silver, 98,816 Miles....$5,995 2004 Nissan Murano.....#V030263A, Silver, 133,451 Miles..........$6,991 2007 Honda Fit.....#V625092B, Gray, 50,877 Miles.......................$6,995 2009 Subaru Legacy...#V026784A, White, 79,495 Miles............$10,191 2011 Jetta Sedan...#VLP0105, Black, 47,803 Miles....................$10,591 2013 Ford Fiesta...#V034406A, Platinum, 35,310 Miles....................$12,992 2012 Golf HB..#V026462A, Gray, 66,571 Miles..................................$13,663 2012 Jetta Sedan...#VP0106, White, 32,563 Miles...........................$13,991 2012 GTI HB MT...#V517048A, Gray, 50,877 Miles............................$13,995 2011 Dodge Charger...#VPR0100A, Silver, 60,717 Miles..................$14,991 2012 Beetle CPE PZEV...#V621679A, Silver, 22,689 Miles.........................$14,991 2010 CC SDN...#V538777A, White, 43,169 Miles........................$16,591

2012 Mini Cooper S...#V034678A, Red, 33,011 Miles...............$16,993 2008 Volvo XC90...#V822908A, White, 63,471 Miles........................$17,491 2010 Routan CPO...#VP0102, Brown, 30,797 Miles..........................$17,911 2012 Jetta Sedan TDI...#V615887A, Silver, 26,804 Miles.................$18,471 2012 GTI HB MT...#VP0107, Red, 54,244 Miles.................................$18,991 2013 Golf...#VPR0098, Black, 7,392 Miles.........................................$18,993 2012 Tiguan SE...#V511462A, Black, 37,637 Miles..........................$19,991 2011 Tiguan SEL...#V520327A, Pearl, 69,623 Miles.........................$19,991 2013 Passat Wolfsburg...#VPR0097, Silver, 8,459 Miles..................$20,492 2013 Passat SEL LTD...#V017623A, Black, 53,252 Miles.................$21,392 2013 Tiguan SE...#V006405A, Gray, 17,099 Miles............................$22,391 2013 Beetle Convertible...#V009351Z, Black, 9,202 Miles..............$24,591

All prices exclude tax, tags, title, freight and $300 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 72 Months on all models. See dealer for details. Ourisman VW World Auto Certified Pre Owned financing for 72 months based on credit approval thru VW. Excludes Title, Tax, Options & Dealer Fees. Special APR financing cannot be combined with sale prices. Ends 12/31/14.

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

G557903

2014 Hyundai Accent GLS #E0503, Automatic, 1-Owner, 26K Miles, Sedan

27 Available...Rates Starting at 1.64% up to 72 months

Page B-12

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

Page B-13

$0 DOWN

14,690

TTOYOTATHON OYOTATHON SSTARTS TARTS NNOW! OW!

2015 COROLLA LE

36 $

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

AFTER $750 REBATE

2 AVAILABLE: #570271, 570275

119/MO**

$0 DOWN

4 DR., AUTO, 4 CYL

NEW 22014 AVALON XLS AVAILABLE: #478067, 478074

NEW 2014 SCION XD 2 AVAILABLE: #453039, 453047

25,690

4 DR., AUTO, 6 CYL.

AFTER TOYOTA $2,000 REBATE

189/MO**

2 AVAILABLE: #567067, 567081

$0 DOWN

AUTO, 4 CYL., 4 DR

NEW22015 RAV4 4X2 LE AVAILABLE: #564027, 564039

20,990

4 CYL., 4 DR., AUTO

NEW 2015 TACOMA 4X2 XTRACAB

NEW 2015 CAMRY LE 2 AVAILABLE: #572033, 572003

159/mo.**

18,590

AUTO, 4 CYL

NEW 2015 CAMRY LE 2 AVAILABLE: #572025, 572005

MONTHS+ % 0 FOR 60 On 10 Toyota Models

See what it’s like to love car buying

DARCARS

4 CYL., AUTOMATIC

AFTER $750 REBATE

$0 DOWN

19,990

4 CYL., AUTO

1-888-831-9671

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

G557901

NEW2 AVAILABLE: 2015#570154, COROLLA L 570205

PRICES AND PAYMENTS INCLUDE ANY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURE’S REBATES AND EXCLUDE MILITARY ($500) AND COLLEGE GRAD ($500) REBATES, TAX, TAGS, DEALER PROCESSING CHARGE ($300) AND FREIGHT: CARS $795 OR $810, TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY AND SIENNAS $810, $845 AND $995. *0.0% 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 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 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. LEASES FOR COROLLA AND CAMRY ARE 24 MONTHS WITH $0 DOWN PLUS TAX, TAGS, PROCESSING AND $650 ACQUISITION FEE. SEE DEALER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. EXPIRES 12/31/2014.

DARCARS NISSAN TWO LOCATIONS

Rockville

College Park

15911 Indianola Drive Rockville, MD 20855 888-797-1831

VERSA S

10,995 $

w/manual transmission MODEL #11115

2015 NISSAN

159/MO

w/automatic transmission MODEL #11515

39 MO LEASE DOWN 12K MILES/YR

AT THIS PRICE

$ AT THIS PRICE

LEAF S

w/bluetooth MODEL #29014

MSRP: $32,000 Sale Price: $28,495 NMAC Bonus Cash: $3,500

AT THIS PRICE

MURANO S

18,995

0 DOWN

239/MO

AT THIS PRICE

MAXIMA 3.5 S

36 MO LEASE 12K MILES/YR

AT THIS PRICE

MODEL #23214

MSRP: $33,265 Sale Price: $28,495 Nissan Rebate: $4,500 NMAC Bonus Cash: $500

$ w/leather, Limited Edition pkg, moonroof MODEL #16114

MSRP: $31,705 Sale Price: $27,495 Nissan Rebate: $3,500 Nissan Murano Bonus Cash: $500 NMAC Bonus Cash: $500

23,495 OR

22,995

36 MO LEASE DOWN 12K MILES/YR

299

149

/MO 36 MO LEASE DOWN 12K MILES/YR

189/MO

24,995 OR

w/bluetooth MODEL #12114

2014 NISSAN

MSRP: $22,960 Sale Price: $19,495 NMAC Bonus Cash: $500

13,995

2014 NISSAN

2015 NISSAN

w/free Charger MODEL #17015

139/MO

36 MO LEASE DOWN 12K MILES/YR

2014 NISSAN

169/MO

HOLIDAY SAVINGS!

13,495 OR

MSRP: $19,165 Sale Price: $15,495 Nissan Rebate: $1,000 NMAC Bonus Cash: $500

SENTRA SV

MSRP: $16,700 Sale Price: $13,995 NMAC Bonus Cash: $500

ROGUE SELECT AWD

17,495 OR

MODEL #13115

MSRP: $23,505 Sale Price: $19,745 Nissan Rebate: $1,250 NMAC Bonus Cash: $1,000

ALTIMA 2.5 S

AT THIS PRICE

VERSA NOTE S+ CVT

MSRP: $13,170 Sale Price: $10,995

$ AT THIS PRICE

2014 NISSAN

2015 NISSAN

9330 Baltimore Ave College Park, MD 20740 888-693-8037

279

/MO 39 MO LEASE DOWN 12K MILES/YR

HOLIDAY SAVINGS!

/MO 39 MO LEASE DOWN 12K MILES/YR

SEE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LOVE CAR BUYING

DARCARS NISSAN OF ROCKVILLE

DARCARS NISSAN OF COLLEGE PARK

www.DARCARSnissan.com

www.DARCARSnissanofcollegepark.com

Prices include all rebates and incentives. DARCARS Nissan DOES NOT Include college grad or military rebates in price! NMAC Bonus Cash require financing through NMAC with approved credit. Prices exclude tax, tags, freight (Cars $810, SUVs and Trucks $860-$1000) and $300 processing charge, Lease payments are calculated with tax, tags, freight, $300 processing charge and first payment due at signing, and are valid with tier one approval through NMAC. Prices and payments valid only at listed VINS. See dealer for details. Offer expires 12/15/2014. G557902

Page B-14

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 g

G558044