THE GAZETTE
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Google flubs Duncan photo n
Wednesday, May 28, 2014 b
InBrief
Leading the way
Voter registration deadline is Tuesday Montgomery County citizens planning to vote in the June 24 primary elections must submit a voter registration application by 9 p.m. Tuesday. That is also the deadline for changing political party affiliation or making other registration changes. To register, residents must be a U.S. citizen, live in Montgomery County and be at least 18 by Nov. 4. Applications can be downloaded at 777vote. org. To verify voter registration using the automated phone system, call 240-777-8683. Registration can be done in person at 18753 N. Frederick Ave., Suite 210, Gaithersburg. The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The office will be open until 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Applications also are available at county libraries, regional service centers, all county health offices, Department of Motor Vehicles offices and post offices.
Campaign: No response from giant BY
KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
Search for Montgomery County Executive Candidate Douglas M. Duncan (D) on Google and you will get a brief but accurate bio of the former county executive. But it is not his face next to it. The ubiquitous search engine has mistakenly linked Duncan’s name and info to the image of Douglas G. Duncan — Fannie Mae’s senior vice president and chief economist responsible for providing forecasts and analyses on the economy, housing and mortgage markets for Fannie Mae, according to the bio page. Searching for “Doug Duncan” proved no better, however, it did bring up the names and actual faces of his two opponents in the race this June, current County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D). With a laugh, Duncan’s campaign manager Kurt Staiger said they were aware of the picture. “We’ve contacted Google a couple of times, and they have not responded,” he said.
County seeks Board of Appeals applicants The Montgomery County Council is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the Board of Appeals when Catherine Titus’ second term ends in September. The board typically holds hearings all day on Wednesdays and work sessions every other week. Members work about 15 to 25 hours a week, and are paid $15,032.30 annually. Applications are due at 5 p.m. July 16. Interviews will be scheduled in September. Applications, with a letter of interest, resume and contact information, should be sent to County Council President Craig Rice, County Council Office, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850, or emailed to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.
kalexander@gazette.net
Student stabs peer with scissors n
Heritage Montgomery launches new app
Minor injury at Bethesda school’ BY
LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
One student stabbed another student with a pair of scissors Friday at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, according to county police. Police received a call at about 1 p.m. for the stabbing incident that occurred while the two students — a 16-year old and a 17-year-old — were arguing, said Montgomery County Police intern Haley Mangun. One student was transported to the hospital with “a minor laceration,” said Pete Piringer, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue. No additional information was immediately available. lpowers@gazette.net
KERI RASMUSSEN/FOR THE GAZETTE
David Embery of Savage is followed by Bruce French of Wheaton as they represent the Maryland Sons of the American Revolution. The group led the presentation of the colors during Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park in Bethesda.
Residents concerned with property plans for Purple Line State says it is willing to work with Silver Spring owners to set fair value
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BY
ALINE BARROS STAFF WRITER
As the Maryland Transit Administration gets ready to purchase land, homes and businesses to make way for the proposed 16-mile Purple Line, residents of the Arliss Knolls townhouses in Silver Spring are concerned. They are worried about the agency’s proposed acquisition of their properties during construction time. According to an April 15 letter obtained by The Gazette, the MTA requested property appraisals to be done along the houses on Arliss Street — near Long Branch-Arliss Neighborhood Park between Flower Avenue and University Boulevard. The letter stated that residents had to contact contractors within five days of the date of the letter to grant permission to enter their property; otherwise, inspection would be done from the public road. According to the letter, inspection from a distance may not provide a clear view of the property, and could have an effect on the appraised value. “Obviously, I am concerned with the value of my home,” said Adam Jones, one of the residents who received the appraisal letter. MTA officials said the Purple Line Right-ofWay team will work with residents to figure out the value of their property. They are willing to set up meetings to accommodate people who work during the day. The Purple Line is a $2.2 billion light-rail project expected to open in 2020. It will connect Bethesda and New Carrollton and pass through many communities along the way. The MTA plans to acquire 625 properties. About 288 of the acquisitions are for easements that will be needed only during construction. MTA officials estimate acquisition costs of $200 million. Residents sent an email to outreach@purplelinemd.com, where MTA invites public feedback. The email, signed by 20 people, said residents
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
(From left) Adam Jones, Luis Noboa and Wanderly Calderon, neighbors on Arliss Street in Silver Spring, are concerned about how the Purple Line construction might affect their property. They said that the Maryland Transit Authority has not clearly communicated what is going to happen.
were “upset” with the lack of communication from the state agency. It said officials should have met with residents before sending the appraisal letter to discuss how to limit the impact on the community. “We never got a call back. ... I’ve sent emails and I know other neighbors sent as well but we never got a call,” Jones said. In an email to The Gazette, Michael Madden, MTA’s manager of Purple Line planning, wrote that the state agency plans to acquire properties temporarily for the Purple Line construction. “We will return the properties to a state similar to their original condition,” Madden wrote. He also wrote that MTA does not have an exact time frame for beginning of construction on Arliss Street. “Due to the nature of construction, it will begin in this area early on in the construction phase — as early as fall 2015,” Madden wrote. Madden wrote that residents have been invited to neighborhood meetings to discuss the project and ask questions. Officials also have distributed a brochure that outlines the real estate acquisition process. According to the brochure, the acquisition of
additional property is sometimes needed to build transit stations or fulfill other project requirements. The process has six steps: • Notification: Residents receive an official letter from the MTA. • Appraisals: Once residents have received the letter, an appraiser is set to contact the residents. • Negotiations: After receiving the appraisal results, the state agency will make a written offer for the property. • Condemnation: If an agreement cannot be reached, the state of Maryland has the authority to acquire the property through eminent domain, the right of a government to appropriate a private property for public use with payment compensation. • Settlement: After agreement is reached, property agreement settlements will be finalized. • Relocation assistance: If a business is the area of the project, it may be eligible for relocation assistance, such as moving or re-establishment costs. Madden wrote that the Purple Line right-ofway team will meet with owners to discuss the acquisition of property easements and would be happy to work directly with the property owners to discuss the project. “The right-of-way meetings will be with the individual owners and the real estate experts, but we intend to hold a community meeting to discuss other items. We don’t have a date set. We need to coordinate with the residents,” Madden wrote. Jones is concerned with loud noises, dust, children’s safety and the overall quality of life during the Purple Line construction. He wonders how the Arliss Knolls community will look once the project is completed. “I have a hard time believing that it would only be for two years ...,” Jones said. “Some of our neighbors have been living in the neighborhood for quite a long time and have trees that are 20 years old. ... What are they going to give back to us.” Madden asked residents to call 443-451-3706 or email outreach@purplelinemd.com to arrange the meetings. abarros@gazette.net
Officials warn of possible measles exposure in Bethesda Risk very low for people who have been vaccinated n
BY
ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER
Health officials are warning that some people were in Bethesda on May 11 could have been exposed to measles. According to the Virginia Department of Health, two people have
been diagnosed with measles in Virginia since late April. Because the disease is highly contagious, health officials are trying to identify people who may have been exposed. People who have never been vaccinated against measles could be at risk of getting the disease, according to a Virginia Department of Health news release. In Bethesda, people at the Fine Arts Festival, the Prep Matters waiting room and a farmers market, all
on Cordell Avenue, on May 11 could have been exposed, according to the department. A full list of times and places of possible exposure, most of them in Virginia, is on the department’s website. Symptoms of measles, which is caused by a virus, typically include a fever, runny nose, watery red eyes and a cough, followed by a rash several days later. Anyone exposed to the measles May 11 through 15 could develop symptoms as late as
June 5, according to Virginia health officials. People who have received a measles or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are at a very low risk of infection, the department says, but those who have not should call a physician if they develop symptoms. People who may have been exposed can call 877-275-8343 with questions. ewaibel@gazette.net
Heritage Montgomery has a new tool to make it easy to find the county’s historic treasures and activities. The free Heritage Montgomery smartphone app lets users stream or download tours around the county. Interactive GPS maps that include the user’s current location and points of interest on the tours are designed to allow for easy navigation. Descriptions, plus contact information including websites and phone numbers, are included for each tour stop. “Things to Do” for each listing has program information to explore the 40-plus sites participating in Heritage Days Weekend, June 28-29. The app can be found at the Android Market or App Store under Heritage Montgomery, Maryland. Information: HeritageMontgomery.org.
BizBriefs
Have a new business in Montgomery County? Let us know about it at www.gazette.net/ newbusinessform
Parent nonprofit names executive director The nonprofit Parent Encouragement Program of Kensington named Kathy Hedge its executive director, succeeding Cheryl Wieker, who retired. “Kathy is a nonprofit executive with 25 years of experience in fundraising, board development, planning and administration,” Chairwoman Patricia Pannuto said in a statement. “She also is a graduate of [the nonprofit’s] three core classes so she is very familiar with [its] education model and philosophy.” Hedge is the author of a new book, “Engaging Your Board in Fundraising: A Staff’s Guide,” published by BoardSource. Previously, she was an independent consultant, deputy director for the Center for a New American Dream and chief fundraising officer at BoardSource. She also worked for the American Red Cross, American Youth Hostels and Hariri Foundation.
POLICE BLOTTER
Complete report at www.gazette.net The following is a summary of incidents in the Bethesda area to which Montgomery County police responded recently. The words “arrested” and “charged” do not imply guilt. This information was provided by the county.
Sexual Assault • On May 7 at 3:30 p.m. in the 11800 block of Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. The subject is known to the victim. • On May 10 at 12:30 p.m. in the 7900 block of Jensen Place, Bethesda. The subject is known to the victim. Robbery • On May 10 at 11:10 p.m. in the 1700 block of East West Highway, Silver Spring. The subjects assaulted the victim and took property. Commercial Burglary • On May 6 at 11 p.m. in the 4300 block of Montgomery Avenue, Bethesda. Forced entry, took nothing. • On May 7 or 8 in the 8300 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda. No forced entry, took property. • On May 7 or 8 in the 7100 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda. Forced entry, took property. Residential Burglary • 2900 block of Daniel Road, Chevy Chase, at 1 p.m. May 6. Forced entry, took nothing. • 8100 block of Whittier Boulevard, Bethesda, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. May 8. Forced entry, took property. • 5900 block of Rossmore Drive, Bethesda, at 1 p.m. May 12. Attempted forced entry, took nothing. Theft • Between May 5 and 8 in the 7500 block of Bybrook Lane, Chevy Chase. Took property from outside. • On May 6 in the 7400 block of Bybrook Lane, Chevy Chase. Took property from outside. Vehicle Larceny • Nine incidents in Bethesda between May 4 and 13. Took cash, electronics and small valuables. • Two incidents in the 7100 block of Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, between 5 and 6 p.m. May 6. Forced entry, took cash, purses and an iPad.