SUMMER of THE
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The season builds with Free Comic Book Day, box office blockbusters and local guy-turnedterminator J. August Richards as the cyborg Deathlok in “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
The Gazette OLNEY
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Wednesday, April 30, 2014
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Ashton CVS plan builds momentum
Dressed for success
Teen’s flair for fashion drives expanding business BY
n Store proposed at Kimball’s Service Center site BY
TERRI HOGAN
cant delays to projects across the county,” he said. Before Leggett released his recommendation, the County Council’s Education Committee approved Monday a plan aimed at addressing the roughly $230 million gap between the school system’s request for capital funds and Leggett’s original proposal. Council President Craig L. Rice
Nearby seem generally OK with having a CVS pharmacy in Ashton, but traffic questions remain. CVS is proposing a 12,900-square-foot building on the site of the former Kimball’s Service Center, at the northeast corner of Ashton Road (Md. 108) and New Hampshire Avenue. There also would be an improved pedestrian area, sidewalks, landscaping, and stormwater management. At a community meeting at the Sandy Spring Museum on April 23, representatives of CVS presented renderings of what the store would look like and how the site would be developed. Residents were pleased to learn that some of the concerns expressed at earlier, informal meetings with store officials were heard and addressed. “We heard loud and clear to move the building closer to the street, that the building should reflect the character of the community, that there should be a green area in front, and pedestrian connections to other properties in the area,” said attorney Stacy P. Silber Stacy P. Silber, of the law firm Leattorney for CVS rch, Early & Brewer, representing CVS. “A typical CVS prototype store would not be appropriate here and was never considered.” CVS representatives worked with local architect Miche Booz and came up with an exterior design that is similar to the nearby Christopher’s Hardware store, with cupolas, clapboard siding, and a front porch. The store will be smaller than a typical CVS, but comparable in size to the Olney store. Although most CVS locations have two drive-thru lanes, this store would have one. Residents expressed concern about the added traffic to the intersection, since no additional road improvements are required as part of the project. A traffic engineer said he recently completed a traffic study with results similar to a study conducted by the State Highway Administration in 2012. Both independent studies showed that traffic is down at that intersection, likely due to the east-west
See SCHOOLS, Page A-9
See CVS, Page A-9
STAFF WRITER
Zurum Okereke’s defining moment of success came recently in Houston. He was standing in a customs and immigration line at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and saw a complete stranger wearing a sweatshirt from his urban clothing line, Zone District. “I was so excited,” he said. “It reminded me of how far we’ve come, from two best friends coming up with an idea, to seeing a girl that I didn’t know wearing one of our early designs.” Zurum, 17, is an articulate and polite boarding student in his junior year at Sandy Spring Friends School in Sandy Spring. Because his father works for an oil company, the family has moved around a lot. Born in Kentucky, Zurum lived in Nigeria, England, North Carolina and Louisiana before arriving at Sandy Spring last year. As the son of Nigerian parents, he said, it always was the plan for him to attend high school and college in the U.S. In 2011, while he was at school in Nigeria, he and his friend Timothy Mbakwe came up with the idea to start a clothing line. They since have added another friend as a partner, Ugonna Ikechi. “I have a business mind, and we thought this would be something that was cool and fun, and keep us busy,” he said. The company’s name was derived from a
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Zurum Okereke (left), 17, a student at Sandy Spring Friends School, has started a successful urban clothing line of T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts and sportswear. whiteboard in a geography classroom — the words “zone” and “district” were among the words left from a previous class. Zurum said his parents were supportive on the condition that he keep focused on his schoolwork. They began selling shirts to their friends and through social media sites. The demand increased following photo shoots, a fashion show, and a Nigerian celebrity, Eku Edewor, wearing the clothing in her television shows. The company now sells T-shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, sportswear, and, most re-
cently, socks. Okereke describes the clothing as “really young, urban, and hip.” “Just cool, simple designs — no swear words or nothing that is over the top or insulting,” he said. “We release a few designs at a time, and when we sell them, we print more. We have so may cool designs that we have not yet released.” Jack Keller, 17, a senior at Sandy Spring Friends School, calls the clothing “unique and
See FASHION, Page A-7
Leggett seeks $41M more for schools School officials: Funding gap would still cause project delays n
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LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is recommending the county direct about $41.3 million more than he originally
TERRI HOGAN STAFF WRITER
proposed toward school construction projects. The extra funds would produce a total of more than $1.5 billion for Montgomery County Public Schools’ capital improvement program for fiscal years 2015 through 2020, compared to Leggett’s original proposal in January of about $1.1 billion. Leggett’s recommendation to increase county funding for the
school system follows unsuccessful efforts in the General Assembly to give Montgomery $20 million more a year in state funding for school construction projects. School board President Philip Kauffman said Monday the extra money Leggett is recommending would help the school system “somewhat,” but still leaves a significant funding gap. “There still will be signifi-
“A typical CVS prototype store would not be appropriate here and was never considered.”
Montgomery council tentatively approves employee pay raises n
Andrews warns of repeating pre-recession mistakes BY
RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County employees are scheduled to receive pay increases for the second straight year, while election-year politics have begun to creep into county decisions. The County Council cast an 8-1
NEWS
ART FROM THE HEART Students get creative to brighten Olney medical center.
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preliminary vote Tuesday to approve a package worth more than $23 million of wage, step, longevity and other increases negotiated by the county and the three unions that represent its workers. Councilman Philip M. Andrews (DDist.3) of Gaithersburg was the dissenting vote. The council is scheduled to take a final vote on the fiscal 2015 budget — which includes this package — on May 22.
Under the terms of the agreements, members of the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization would receive a 3.25 percent pay increase on Sept. 1. Seasonal workers would receive a raise of 50 cents an hour. Members of the Fraternal Order of Police would receive a 2.1 percent increase on July 1, while members of the International Association of Firefighters are scheduled to receive a 2.75 percent increase on the same date.
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NATURAL OR UNNATURAL MOTION? More advanced high school softball pitching increases injury risk.
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All three groups would get 3.5 percent step increases for employees. Employees at the top of their pay level and not eligible for another step increase would receive 3 percent longevity payment for MCGEO employees and 3.5 percent for FOP and IAFF employees. Fiscal 2014 was the first year the council approved raises after three years without them during the recession, keeping employees from getting an average of $30,000 in pay. Andrews suggested that total in-
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creases of 3 to 5 percent would be more appropriate. Employees deserve raises, but the increases should be more modest, said Andrews, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for county executive against current Executive Isiah Leggett and former Executive Douglas M. Duncan. To make these increases with an economy that’s still recovering shows
See RAISES, Page A-9
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