02122015_MCEdition - The Sentinel Newspapers
Transcription
02122015_MCEdition - The Sentinel Newspapers
2012 MDDC Newspaper of the year Je Suis Charlie Celebrating 159 years of service! SINCE 1855 Vol. 160, No. 31 • 50¢ Fix it Now! TODAY’S GAS PRICE $2.21 per gallon February 12, 2015 -February 18, 2015 Last Week NTSB calls WMATA on the carpet even as metro suffers another scare A month ago By Julian Sadur $2.30 per gallon Special to The Sentinel A year ago WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board issued urgent recommendations Wednesday for Metro to improve its ventilation procedures in the wake of a deadly smoke incident in the tunnel at L’Enfant Plaza. Findings from a federal investigation on the deadly Jan. 12 L’Enfant Plaza Metro incident reveal ventila- $2.13per gallon $3.35 per gallon AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON OF UNLEADED REGULAR GAS IN MARYLAND/D.C. METRO AREA ACCORDING TO AAA INSIDE tion fans sucked smoke in from the tunnel, engulfing the train and the passengers inside. Federal investigators found the Metro has no way to pinpoint the location of smoke and has no written procedures on how to operate ventilation fans in the event of a fire. Only a few hours after the NTSB released its safety recommendations Metro experienced a small track fire near Arlington’s Court House Station according to WMATA spokesperson Morgan Dye. Dye said the fire was caused by an issue with the arcing insulator and that the tracks are reopened after Arlington firefighters handled the situation. Metro managers refused to answer questions about the NTSB investigation, but released a statement, “We welcome the NTSB recommendations issued today and have begun to address these at Metro. Following the January 12 incident, we conducted system wide inspections and tests of all tunnel fan shafts and found them to be in good working condition. We also completed familiarization training for all 39 Controllers in our rail control center and we are reviewing additional protocols and training associated with tunnel fan use that are responsive to the NTSB recommendations issued today. We continue to give our full cooperation to the ongo- See “NTSB” page 8 Rockville buries APFS changes By Rebecca Guterman Staff Writer For Sale! A parcel of land in Bethesda could lead to a huge residential development now that it is up for sale. Page 9 Valentine Fun Find out where the greatest Valentine fun can be had this week.. And The Sentinel sponsors its first “Entertainment Special” Night. Page 9 ROCKVILLE – In a twist to the debate over Rockville’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and Standards (APFO/APFS) Monday night, Councilmember Tom Moore withdrew his motion to align with the county’s standards when Councilmember Beryl Feinberg said she would vote against the motion. Feinberg later took Moore to task for what she called “inaccurate” a social media post regarding her actions. The Rockville mayor and City Council decided to delay action and wait instead for the outcome of County Councilmember Roger Berliner’s (D-1) forum on the county’s ordinance on March 7. The forum “is intended to serve as the beginning of a conversation about what is working well in our county and frankly, what is not working so well,” Berliner wrote in a letter to each member of the mayor and council. “Mr. Moore withdrew his motion due to lack of support and I look forward to the meeting on March 7 that Berliner is putting forward and any follow-up that might be warranted,” said Mayor Bridget Newton. “This is a problem that the county is facing as a whole. It’s not just a Rockville problem.” The APFO/APFS for schools set guidelines for when there is enough room in schools to support residential development. Moore’s proposal would bring Rockville’s standards from 110 percent to 120 percent capacity, use cluster averaging instead of capacity per school and judge capacity five years from the application date rather than two years from the approval date. Moore, who proposed changing the standards on Nov. 17, said he was surprised by Feinberg’s speaking out against the changes but viewed her comments as saying she did not want to take the vote that night. The morning after the meeting, Moore posted on his Facebook page he had expected Feinberg to vote with him, but did not view this as her reneging on her promises. “Some people are saying this PHOTO BY REBECCA GUTERMAN morning that it looks like Coun- Concerned parents and children conduct a “Sleep In” in support of changing cilmember Feinberg has abandoned Bell Times for the county schools. her vow to align Rockville's school standards with the county's. I want to make it clear that that is false,” Moore said. “From the very beginer than before, adding 10 minutes to ning, Beryl gave me her word that By Rebecca Guterman recess and lunch. Shortening the she would vote for this, a promise Staff Writer transportation window will offset the that has enabled me to be very pubROCKVILLE – The Mont- $1.07 million cost for extra lunch licly out on a limb pursuing this issue on her behalf for the past sever- gomery County Public Schools Board hour aide positions. BOE Vice President Mike Durso al months. Beryl Feinberg is a of Education voted 5-3 on Tuesday to push school start times 20 minutes voted against the measure along with woman of her word,” Moore said. But Feinberg said some parts of later for high school and elementary members Chris Barclay and Judy Moore’s Facebook post were inac- school, against the wishes of many Docca. Board President Patricia O’Neill curate and changing the APFS was parents hoping to delay high school said this will likely not be the last never her top priority. Although she by an hour. The BOE chose the lowest-cost time the board acts on this issue. said during the campaign a year and “We’ve debated this quite a bit,” a half ago that she would support option to start for the 2015-2016 changing the city standards to align school year, which means that high O’Neill said. “Issues continue to rewith the county’s, she had not spo- school would start at 7:45 instead of cycle. The issue of bell times has ken publicly about the issue once 7:25, middle school would start at come before the board several times elected. She also said she told 8:15 instead of 7:55 and elementary before. This is just hitting the snooze schools tier 1 and tier 2 would start at See “Moore” page 8 9:00 and 9:25 but end 20 minutes latSee “Bell Times ” page 8 Schools change bell times 2 FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL R EFLECTIONS January 19,1989 Merry Millionare faces additional fraud charges Each week The Sentinel visits a memorable story from its archives. A former Silver Spring man who faces jail here and possible charges in Connecticut for not paying employment salaries apparently has long had a successful career as a flamboyant make-believe millionaire. Steven DeShields, 40, who authorities say has used at least five other names while posing as the beneficiary of a phony trust account, was expected to be charged with theft by deception this week in Tolland County, Conn. Authorities there are investigating allegations that DeShields failed to pay employees, tradesmen and restaurant owners for their work in arranging elaborate preholiday parties last fall. Meanwhile, DeShields is scheduled to be sentenced in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Feb. 10 after a guilty verdict here on similar charges. Last month, Judge William C. Miller found that DeShields failed to pay employees and contractors nearly $63,000 during 1985 and 1986. Now facing up to $2,000 in fines and 30 years in jail, DeShields has been free on a $10,000 bond since the Dec. 13 trial. Montgomery County authorities, who confiscated DeShields’ passport after his trial in December, expressed concern last week that DeShields may not appear for sentencing, although he has not missed any previous court proceedings. Authorities believe DeShields has lived in Connecticut since August, and currently resides in Willington, Conn. DeShields could not be reached for comment, despite repeated telephone calls to that residence. Through a Hartford, Conn., temporary employment agency, DeShields allegedly hired support staff last fall to arrange parties he threw in the Connecticut area, sources said. DeShields allegedly refused to pay the $10,000 bill, and at least one temp, who reportedly worked for the Tolland County State’s Attorney’s office in its investigation of the incident, The Sentinel has learned. However, Dominick Galluzo, chief deputy for that office, said he would not comment on the investigation until warrants are issued. DeShields allegedly promised high wages to employees for preparing invitations and arranging parties to be held at several Manchester and Hartford areas restaurants then stiffed restaurant owners for over $17,000 in bills, sources said. A charming con Described by acquaintances as charming man with a sense of humor, DeShields apparently convinced hundreds of people over a decade that he had access to unlimited funds. DeShields reportedly told creditors that payments from his trust accounts were often held up or delayed by attorneys. But in fact, an investigation into DeShields’ background by The Sentinel, shows DeShields had no trust account, shows DeShields had no trust account, apparently is unemployed and has lived on little more than a military disability pension since the 1970s. Born Steven Ross Hamilton in New Hampshire in 1948, the selfproclaimed millionaire changed his name to DeShields in 1974, according to Susan Cherry, a Maryland assistant attorney general. It is unclear whether the name change was official. Often driven to his own parties in a chauffeured limousine, DeShields would boast at the extravagant gatherings—which included entertainment—that he has attended royal weddings in England, sources said. DeShields reportedly told party-goers in Connecticut he was planning a New Year’s Eve party. The Montgomery County Sentinel, published weekly by Montgomery Sentinel Publishing, Inc., is a community newspaper covering Montgomery County, Maryland. Our offices are located at 22 W. Jefferson Street, Suite 309, Rockville, MD 20850. Founded in 1855 by Matthew Fields. All mail to: P.O. Box 1272, Rockville, MD 20849-1272. Subscription Rates for The Montgomery County Sentinel – Weekly by mail: $40.00 per year & $26.50 for Senior Citizens. (USPS) 361-100. Bernard Kapiloff EMERITUS PUBLISHER Mark Kapiloff A S S O C I AT E P U B L I S H E R mark@thesentinel.com Lynn G. Kapiloff CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER / PUBLISHER lynn@thesentinel.com E D I T O R I A L Brian J. Karem EXECUTIVE EDITOR editor-mc@thesentinel.com ALLISON BRICKELL Allisonmbrickell@gmail.com COPY EDITOR REBECCA GUTERMAN rguterman14@gmail.com STAFF WRITER Brandy L. Simms SPORTS WRITER brandysimms@thesentinel.com Jacqui South & David Wolfe STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS NEWS County outlines five options for liquor control By Rebecca Guterman Staff Writer ROCKVILLE – Montgomery County’s Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) released a report Tuesday presenting five options for private versus public liquor control, which the County Council’s ad hoc committee on liquor control will review over the coming months. Montgomery County is the only liquor control jurisdiction in Maryland, which means the county government serves as the wholesale source of alcohol for retail stores and owns the 25 retail liquor stores in the county. Over the years many consumers and groups like the Montgomery County Taxpayers League have advocated privatizing the system to lower prices, increase availability and generally improve service. The five options inlude: 1. Fully privatize the wholesale distribution and retail sales of alcohol. 2. Privatize wholesale distribution but maintain county control of liquor retail. 3. Privatize only the wholesale distribution of beer and wine but keep county control of whole- sale and retail sale of liquor. 4. Privatize only the wholesale distribution of special order beer and wine. 5. Do not privatize anything but improve Department of Liquor Control (DLC) structure. The report found the Liquor Fund made a net profit of about $32 million for the past three years, selling 1,024 licensees and 29,390 alcoholic products. The survey results in the report also indicate that licensees are dissatisfied with the DLC operations and availability of wine special order products. Because each of the first four options would bring in less revenue for the county, the report also details potential alternate revenue sources. For all four options, the county could potentially enact a variable or flat fee on wholesale distribution to bring in $7-$29 million or a special county sales tax on retail sales to bring in about $3 million for each 1 percent of tax rate. If the county council enacted option 1, the county could bring in $229,000 by increasing licensing fees for private retail sellers of liquor or $2.8-$5.3 million per auction period by selling or auctioning the rights to operate a liquor store. According to the report, many of these options would require changes to state law, which jointly governs the sale of alcoholic beverages with the county. For option 5, the DLC implemented a new system on Feb. 1 to streamline communication and the ordering process, particularly for special orders. But OLO only received 96 responses to the survey – a 25 percent response rate that the report’s authors said was still helpful but not “high enough to draw statistically valid conclusions.” Councilmember Hans Reimer (D-At large), chair of the ad hoc committee, requested the report. "I requested the OLO report and the formation of the ad hoc committee because, whether due to management or structural failures, our current system is not working for our county," Reimer said. "This report confirms that we have many options for reform. I am confident that, by conducting a thorough review of all options, we can strike the right balance of public safety, public health, economic development, quality of life, county revenue, good jobs and fair treatment for public employees." Write us TAZEEN AHMAD CALENDAR EDITOR mc-calendar@thesentinel.com The Montgomery County Sentinel welcomes letters. YOUTH SERVICES sentinelkids@yahoo.com All letters must be original, signed by the author and must include the author’s daytime telephone number for verification. Send letters to: The Montgomery County Sentinel 22 W. Jefferson St. Suite 309 Rockville, MD 20850 Fax: 301-838-3458 Email: editormc@thesentinel.com 301- 838 - 0788 CALL FAX 301- 838 - 3458 NEWSROOM AND LEGAL ADVERTISING A D V E R T I S I N G Lonnie Johnson ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE CALL 301-306-9500 / FAX 301- 306-0134 Sherry Sanderson LEGAL ADVERTISING MANAGER 301- 838 - 0788 301- 838 - 3458 sherry@thesentinel.com CALL FAX P R O D U C T I O N Lonnie Johnson THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL (USPS 361-100) is published every Thursday by Montgomery Sentinel Publishing, Inc., 22 W. Jefferson St., Suite 309, Rockville, MD 20850. Subscriptions by mail are $40.00 per year; by mail (out of MD, VA, & D.C.) additional $ 5.25; on newsstands 50 cents. Periodicals postage paid at Rockville, MD 20849-1272. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL, P.O. BOX 1272 Rockville, MD 20849-1272 PRODUCTION MANAGER ads@thesentinel.com Peter Lui GRAPHIC PRODUCTION STAFF C I R C U L A T I O N circulation@thesentinel.com CALL 301-306-9500 FAX 301-306-0134 A C C O U N T I N G Jill Wingo CREDIT / COLLECTIONS THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL IS A MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND. ©2012 Montgomery Sentinel Publishing, Inc. FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL 3 NEWS Rockville pushes for park as county looks for bus depot By Rebecca Guterman Staff Writer ROCKVILLE – This week the County Council approved two feasibility studies for the best location of the Blair G. Ewing Center while Rockville struggles with the future of the Mark Twain Athletic Park next door. The park, which Rockville maintains and uses after school hours per an agreement with Montgomery County Public Schools, could be the site of a future MCPS bus depot. The park takes up eight acres of the 22.5 acre site that houses the Ewing Center as well as six acres of a forest conservation easement area. At Monday night’s meeting the Rockville mayor and council agreed to include a few sentences in the mayor’s testimony at the county’s budget hearing on Feb. 24 to urge the county council to fund a feasibility study for the bus depot relocation. MCPS’s Capital Improvements Program requests $32 million to replace the bus depot. Most of the mayor’s testimony will focus on school construction funding. The city’s current agreement with MCPS runs through June 2018. According to Deputy City Manager Jenny Kimball, MCPS has made some mention of breaking ground for the bus depot in January 2018. In that case, Kimball said MCPS would have to rework their agreement with the city. “If they are going to require us to break an agreement that we have, that does give us more of a voice,” said Councilmember Tom Moore. Mayor Bridget Newton also said this might be a case in which the development should not move faster than the infrastructure to support it. The county plans to use the current site on Crabbs Branch Way for “smart growth” redevelopment and implementing the Shady Grove Sector Plan. The early 2014 request for development proposals for the bus depot site said developers should identify a replacement site but are not responsible for the design or construction of the facilities. “This is an interesting predicament that the county is finding itself in when the contract originally said that the developer is responsible,” Newton said. The working deadline for MCPS to relocate the buses from the current site is January 2017, according to Department of Facilities Management Director James Song. At a briefing before the county council on Tuesday, Song presented some temporary solutions for the buses, including using 10 current school parking lots, the Equipment Maintenance and Transit Operations Center and Carver Educational Services Center. But according to a memo to the council, that would still leave 130 buses out of the 410 currently housed at the Shady Grove bus depots without even a temporary home. Song said MCPS has looked at dozens of sites over the past decade for permanent solutions and none have seemed perfect. In the memo to the council, staff presented a site on Woodfield Road East near the Mont- gomery County Airpark as well as the Oaks Landfill site in Laytonsville as alternatives to the Blair G. Ewing site. Residents near the Ewing Center and Mark Twain fields have said they like the school where it is and worry about how traffic will increase if the bus depot is located near the intersection of Route 28 and Avery Road. “I’m concerned about safety. Avery Road is a two-lane winding country road with no shoulders, absolutely none, and when I encounter a school bus now I have to virtually come to a stop,” said resident Brenda Vaughan at a rally on Jan. 29. “I can’t fathom the amount of traffic.” A group of residents united under “Save Blair Ewing,” (originally Save English Manor) organized the rally and have tried to push the county to stop relocation of the bus depot and the Ewing Center and to include more transparency in the process. Rockville first acquired the land for the park in 1999 with help from the state’s Program Open Space funds. At the time, the city paid $196,000 from CIP funds to supplement the state’s $593,000 contribution. Kimball said the city is still working with the Department of Natural Resources to determine the Open Space requirements for the land 15 years later. According to Rockville statistics, an average of at least 1,000 individuals use the Mark Twain fields each day except Saturday during the spring and summer months and an average of at least 600 use it most days during the fall season. City manager says Gaithersburg is in strong financial position By Peter Rouleau Special to the Sentinel ADVERTISE in Call Lonnie Johnson at 301-306-9500 or e-mail lonnie@thesentinel.com GAITHERSBURG – Though the state of Maryland is facing a large budget shortfall, the city of Gaithersburg is in a strong financial position, according to a report presented by Gaithersburg City Manager Tony Tomasello. According to the report, which Tomasello presented to Mayor Jud Ashman and the city council at the annual budget forum at City Hall Monday night, city revenues exceeded budget projections by over $3 million while expenditures for the same year were nearly $6 million below budget. Additional sources of revenue are predicted from new residents moving to the city, large-scale development projects and rising assessments of existing properties. Personnel budget growth is expected to be a priority for Gaithersburg in the coming fiscal year, as hir- ing resumed after the recession and a number of new staff members have been hired across several departments in order to meet the needs of new residents and developments. Other priorities include managing new storm water drainage programs, stewarding existing infrastructure and continuing large-scale projects, such as the new Gaithersburg police station, through the Capital Improvements Program. Despite the report’s generally positive financial prognosis, there are areas of concern. The report notes the Hogan administration intends to address the state’s budgetary shortfall by means of expenditure cuts, including aid to local municipalities. Additionally, while some indicators point to continued economic recovery and Montgomery County’s unemployment rate is the lowest in the Washington, D.C. region, the report notes income tax revenue continues to decline. The fiscal 2026 budget will be introduced March 30. Priscilla Fox-Morrill, director of Homeless/Housing Services for Interfaith Works, thanked Ashman and the council for their continued support of her agency, which provides assistance and vocational services to a number of city residents. “Gaithersburg does a fabulous job,” Fox-Morrill said. Pam Plaisted called for better lighting to prevent crime and protect pedestrians near Gerard Street and other areas. “It’s not just the city – there are plenty of streets in the county that need better lighting,” Plaisted said. “Unfortunately, pedestrians think that they’re safe because they’re in a crosswalk, but if they’re wearing dark clothing and there’s not enough light shining on the crosswalk, it doesn’t help them. I’m sure the city will do what they can as the budget allows.” 4 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL OPINIONS &VIEWS Parting the Red Sea Brian Williams has been suspended from NBC for six months while Jon Stewart announced this week he’s leaving the Daily Show after 16 years of anchoring the fake news show that many have come to see as more vital than the real news. I can only say “Oy.” Williams is the instrument of his own demise and is being held accountable for lies he told while serving as a reporter in the second Gulf War. Stewart, on the other hand, lamented that perhaps some of those actually responsible for taking us to war should be held accountable for Editorʼs Notebook by Brian J. Karem the lies they told to get us there. Once again a man wiser than me correctly pointed out men will swallow the big lie far easier than the small one. In the case of the Gulf War we swallowed an immense lie about weapons of mass destruction and danger to our way of life and we are paying for swallowing that lie to this day. ISIS and the continued bloodletting in that part of the world speak volumes about our ability to be fooled while puffing up our chest with pride for ousting a reporter who lied about being onboard a helicopter that took RPG fire when in fact he was not. Do not get me wrong. It’s hard to feel upset with a guy who makes as much as Williams does and then decides to inflate his self-worth on television to a very gullible public. But, then again, Dan Rather lashed himself to a tree in a hurricane to get to the network and there are few television reporters who haven’t engaged in some subterfuge with their audience. I once watched a reporter do a live-shot from a satellite truck some 75 miles from a Texas hurricane who wore a yellow rain slicker and had his photographer pour water on him so he could pretend he was closer than the parking lot of a motel well inland from the disaster. Television has taught me to take everything I see with a grain of salt. So, I am merely amused by Brian Williams’s self-aggrandizement. I am not that angry. I am far more upset we continue to give pass to those who spread the bigger lies. I am also upset with people who say, “We expect politicians to lie. Journalists shouldn’t.” Well if that’s the case someone better flush the Fox News Channel right quick. The fact is, however, I don’t expect people to lie to me and I hold them accountable for those things they claim to be true which I find are not true. Accepting lies from politicians is not only sad, but anathema to the democratic process. People have to be credible and accountable. Otherwise, do not expect me to buy your baloney. I am immune and I don’t like it at all. My favorite recent example of bad baloney not passing the sniff test comes from the Montgomery County Republican party. This week the local GOP sent out a press release announcing that former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore won a Presidential straw poll among GOP members in our county. I resist the urge to engage in hyperbole regarding the lack of GOP numbers in the county and instead point to Gilmore’s assertion that President Obama engaged in antiChristian remarks in a National Prayer Breakfast. He also claimed “We need a President who believes in America.” Empty hollow words filled with rhetoric. Gilmore went on to recommend a flat rate tax, the elimination of inheritance taxes and sided with the rich getting richer while stripping the poor of any wealth. That’s reality. That’s a fact. It is also a fact the GOP misled us and led us into a war that got valiant young men and women killed and injured. It is also a fact the military-industrial complex doesn’t care anything about people, but greedily cares about gobbling up as much money as possible. It is a fact we live in a country more enamored with appearances than reality and where the poorest of us are conned into selling our collective souls to those who own more than most of us will ever be able to steal…How does it feel? No direction home. Like a complete unknown? Meanwhile we have become fixated on Brian Williams being suspended. In the scheme of things Brian Williams will be a footnote in history for his actions which led to his suspension. Jon Stewart and he may merely have engineered an elaborate job swap and we soon may see Williams on The Daily Show and Stewart on NBC. But if we don’t want the U.S. to be a footnote in history we should wake up and pay attention to facts and the “Big Lie” a little bit more. By the way, I’m Brian Karem and I parted the Red Sea. Prove me wrong. FEBRUARY 12, 2015 FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL LETTERS 5 LEGAL MATTERS Catch a falling Starr... To the editor; When the Montgomery County Board of Education decided not to renew Dr. Starr's contract, they essentially fired him. The obvious outcome under these usual circumstances is for the terminated individual to leave almost immediately. This is what Dr. Starr wisely chose to do, admittedly while under pressure, to allow the usual temporary replacement to occur and a search started for a new superintendent Having said this, I hope that the Board will find an individual who is more politically savvy and socially acceptable to that body. In contrast to their judgment,, Dr. Starr made substantial strides, while he was superintendent, during a period of budget restraint, increasing school enrollment and student diversity. I wish him well in his search for a new position with a more understanding board N. Marens Silver Spring State of Rockville City To the editor; The idea that we can have someone steamroll us into abandoning our cherished long-held beliefs about protecting our schools in Rockville is not something we can take with ease. Thankfully there are cooler heads in Rockville. I just hope we move forward by getting more people involved in the political decisions in Rockville. G. Stein Rockville Flaws in comparative bullet analysis A technique formerly used by the FBI called Comparative Bullet Lead Analysis (CBLA) was used as a forensic technique for many years to try to connect bullets found in a victim to other linked to a criminal THE COURT REPORT by Tom Ryan defendant. CBLA analysis has been debunked and has led to reversals of many convictions, and recently led to a writ of actual innocence being issued by Maryland’s intermediate appellate court in the case of Gary Ward v. State. The opinion indicates that after a victim was shot to death, anonymous calls to the police identified Ward as the shooter. Police got a warrant to search his car, and found three .357 magnum bullets. At trial, an FBI expert testified that CLBA analysis comparing bullet fragments in the victim’s body to the bullets found in defendant’s car came from the same composition source. The expert said that this could reasonably lead to the belief that the bullets came from the same box of ammunition. The State called one witness who claimed to have seen Ward arguing with the victim, and seeing him run away holding a gun after he heard gunshots. Ward testified and denied shooting the victim, and his parents said he was home at the time of the shooting. After his 1993 conviction of first degree murder was affirmed on appeal, in 2012 Ward’s attorneys filed a petition for a writ of actual innocence, which must be based on newly discovered evidence that creates a substantial or significant possibility that the outcome of the case would have been different had the new evidence been introduced. They argued that scientific studies had cast doubt on the validity of CBLA, that the FBI stopped doing the analysis in 2005, and in 2006 Maryland’s highest court ruled such evidence inadmissible in Court. The trial judge denied the petition and Ward appealed.The Court of Special appeals reversed, holding that later scientific studies could be newly discovered evidence that in this case would have made the FBI witnesses’s testimony inadmissible at trial. It discussed the history of CBLA testing, including that a study commissioned by the FBI debunked the theory that each batch of lead used to produce bullets was unique, and that the FBI witnesses overstated what conclusions could be drawn from comparisons of lead in bullets. The Court noted that Maryland’s highest Court last year reversed another conviction based in part on CBLA evidence, which warranted reversal of Ward’s conviction and referral back to the trial judge to determine if a new trial should be ordered. Thomas Patrick Ryan is a partner in the Rockville law firm of McCarthy Wilson, which specializes in civil litigation. Learning to protect your online identity Last year, hackers targeted a number of retailers to compromise shoppers’ financial and personal information. A recent hack of a health insurer possibly jeopardized policy holder data. And Krebbs Security (krebsonsecurity.com) reported on February 15th Write us The Montgomery County Sentinel welcomes letters. We reserve the right to edit all submissionsfor content, grammar and style. Anonymous letters may or may not be published at our discretion. All letters, submissions and or comments are considered on the record and the property of The Montgomery County Sentinel. We reserve the right to refuse publication of a letter for any reason. All letters must be original, signed by the author and must include the author’s daytime telephone number and email address for publication. Please send letters to: The Montgomery County Sentinel 22 W. Jefferson St. Suite 309 Rockville MD, 20850 Fax: 301-838-3458 editormc@thesentinel.com Or add your comments to our website at www.thesentinel.com REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS By Dan Krell about an investigation being conducted by the Defense Contract Management Agency of a possible hacking. Surely the reports of stolen data by hackers have made you more aware of protecting your credit cards when shopping. But how protective are you about handing over personal information to mortgage lenders, real estate brokers/agents, and title companies? If not managed or disposed of properly, your sensitive personal information could be at risk of being stolen – an identity thief only needs a few pieces of personal information to access bank accounts, credit card accounts, health record/insurance, etc. When buying a home, your information is “out there” and you are trusting those who have it will protect it. If you want to obtain a mortgage, you must complete a mortgage application; which requires a social security number, date of birth, address, employment, and other information. Mortgage lenders also collect financial documents (such as w-2’s, tax returns, and bank statements) to verify income and asset information on your application. Additionally, your real estate agent may ask you to complete a financial information sheet to demonstrate to the seller your ability to purchase the home. And as a means of record keeping, transaction files maintained by brokers and agents may also contain copies of deposit checks, credit card information, and other financial instruments. Renters may be required to submit personal information too. A rental application is a lot like a mortgage application, asking social security number, date of birth, address, employment, and other information. The National Association of Realtors® (realtor.org) Data Security and Privacy Toolkit states that although there is no federal law specifically applicable to real estate brokers, the Gramm-LeachBliley Financial Modernization Act applies to businesses that qualify as financial institutions; which may subject brokers to comply with “Red Flag Rules” (and other rules), and require policies and procedures to protect against identity theft. States have also implemented laws to protect consumers from identity theft. The Maryland Personal Information Protection Act (MD Code Commercial Law § 143501) describes personal information as an individual's first name or first initial and last name in combination with any one or more of the following: Social Security number; driver's license number; financial account number (including credit cards); and/or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Additionally, the law requires a business to take reasonable steps to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the personal information when destroying a customer's records that contain personal information. When choosing a mortgage lender and real estate agent, you might consider asking about the company policy on protecting personal information. Some questions about personal data might be: what types of information will be collected; what is it used for; who has access; when transmitted, is it encrypted; how long will the information be retained; and how will the information be disposed? Besides the management of your personal data, you should ask about procedures in case there is a suspected data breach. Dan Krell is a Realtor® with RE/MAX All Pro in Rockville, MD. You can access more information at www.DanKrell.com. 6 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL FEBRUARY 12, 2015 FEDERATION Now it’s time for the Federation Budgetpalooza By Paula Bienenfeld Montgomery County Civic Federation Every year at this time the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) superintendent announces his operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year. And every year, with little or no discussion, the Montgomery County Board of Education and the County Council approve it. This year, the proposed budget is $2.4BILLION. As we say many times, this amount is half of our entire county operating budget. Every other thing that we ask our county elected officials and our county employees to do, from keeping our libraries open and running, to our arts programs, to first responders who save lives, our police service, our parks, our health and human services, taking care of the needy and the homeless, all of it, every penny, comes from the other half of our money. So, it’s worth a close look and robust discussion. Is this the best way to spend $2.4B of our hard-earned money? Let’s find out. Let’s have a Budgetpalooza! What do we find out? Every year there are surprises. Here’s an example from our FY14 Budgetpalooza!, part of an analysis by Gordie Brenne, Taxpayers League Vice President: “The Taxpayers League compared green and red zone performance and salaries. After a decade of efforts to boost red zone performance, math and reading scores are still lower (-12% and -5%), and red zone teachers are paid 4% less reflecting their lower levels of experience. Surprisingly, there doesn’t seem to be much of a correlation between salaries and test scores in either zone, although red zone salaries are slightly correlated to improved performance. There is absolutely no correlation between green zone salaries and performance in math, showing MCPS has reached the point of diminishing returns with higher salaries in the green zone.” We know the Board of Education isn’t going to discuss the money allocations. So, let’s do it ourselves. Let’s find out. The third annual Budgetpalooza! is coming soon. The date this year is Thursday, February 26th, the time is 7-9:30 pm, and the place is the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, at 4805 Edgemoor Lane in Bethesda, convenient to the Bethesda metro stop on the red line. As usual we are teaming with our partners, the Montgomery County Taxpayers League, and the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County to go through the MCPS FY16 budget chapter by chapter. We need you, the residents of this county, who pay for every penny that the Board of Education spends, to sign up and take a chapter. To sign up, go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/ 10c094cadac28a3fb6-mcps. The event is titled, ‘MCPS FY16 Operating Budget Budgetpalooza! There are still chapters to choose from. There are 11 chapters in all and appendices. Each chapter discusses budget and staffing allocations, with some explanatory text on programs. Let’s take a peek at Chapter 1, K-12 Instruction. There the budget has increased from $942,015,166 to $983,334,751, an increase of $41,319,585. Why? Travel alone is over $1M. Why? I’ll let you read through and find out. How about Chapter 6, the Office of Shared Accountability? This is the office that includes the ‘Division of Accountability Initiatives.’ Here the budget actually went down. Why? Because, according to the budget text, “There is reduction of $150,000 for a FY 2015 study of special education programs and services which will not require funding in FY 2016. In addition, a .5 evaluation specialist position and $35,000 was budgeted to conduct a study of the Kennedy Cluster project. This study is expected to be completed in FY 2015.” Has everyone seen the study that we paid for? And here’s an interesting section, Appendix E, ‘NonOperating Budget Positions.’ What’s that doing in an Operating Budget? Let’s find out. Here we appear to have dozens of staff salaries paid for out of the Capital Budget and Trust Funds, and not the Operating Budget. These include positions in the Office of Communications, and the Office of Chief Technology Officer, positions like, ‘IT Systems Engineer,’ and ‘Environmental Safety Specialist.’ The appendices include nuggets on salaries, and an appendix titled, ‘Special Education Staffing Plan and Budget Guidelines.’ If you are interested in Special Education, we would appreciate your taking that appendix and reviewing it. Let us know what you think. Is our money well spent? Any interesting patterns in budget, program or staff allocations? The chapter by chapter analysis is simple and will only take as much time as you want to put into it. Please step up and help your community to understand how our $2.4Billion is being spent. Because we know the Board of Education won’t. The entire budget, by chapter, is here: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/fy2016/superintendent/index.aspx And this is how we do it. The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect formal positions adopted by the Federation. To submit an 800-1,000 word column for consideration, please send an email attachment to montgomerycivic@yahoo.com. SUBSCRIBE TO The Sentinel! Check Us Out Online www.thesentinel.com FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL 7 NEWS Board approves Starr replacement search firm By Rebecca Guterman Staff Writer ROCKVILLE – Following the resignation announcement of Montgomery County Public Schools superintendent Joshua Starr last week, the Board of Education is moving swiftly to find his replacement. Tuesday the BOE approved a $35,000 contract with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates to lead a national search for the next superintendent. Starr steps down Feb. 16 and Chief Operating Officer Larry Bowers will take his place as interim superintendent until the end of the term on June 30. Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates led the last two superintendent searches for the school system, leading MCPS to hire Jerry Weast in 1999 and Starr in 2011. The current contract includes additional appropriate expenses and gives the board the option to request additional services. Board President Patricia O’Neill said she wanted to get the process going as quickly as possible because they were already somewhat behind the hiring schedule of four years ago, when they hired a search firm in early January. “We’re a little bit behind the curve but not that much. We have to meet the July 1 deadline or have an interim for a year,” O’Neill said. The board discussed Starr’s status behind closed doors prior to the announcement of his resignation, citing it as a personnel decision. After the announcement, the board also declined to give specific reasons why some members did not want to renew Starr’s contract. In an interview O’Neill would not comment more than she had at the initial press conference, saying she could not speak for why individual board members made their decisions. “I can’t see into their brains or their hearts on any decisions. Everyone weighs, makes their own choices based on their own personal information,” O’Neill said. “I just can’t speculate on how individuals reached MCPS prepares for emergencies Jonathan Elbaz Special to The Sentinel ROCKVILLE – In the wake of a high school shooting last week local educators say they have the proper protocol in place to assist students in case of extreme emergencies. Last week, a gunman shot and injured two high school students outside a Frederick County school basketball game. Police arrived and locked down the campus, questioning about 200 people in the school cafeteria. The two victims were treated for non life-threatening injuries, officials cancelled the following day of school, and police continue to search for evidence and suspects. MCPS, which previously categorized emergencies as Code Red or Code Blue, now divides emergency protocol into three scenarios: lockdown, evacuation, and shelter. During a lockdown, which signals imminent danger in or outside the school, teachers secure classrooms while administrators call 911 and the MCPS central office. During an evacuation, administrators direct students to a secure location outside the building and students with special needs have staff members designated to assist them. Shelter emergencies are divided into three subcategories, with specialized instructions for “public safety” (similar to a Code Blue), “severe weather” and “outside hazardous materials” emergencies. Additionally, MCPS spokesperson Gboyinde Onijala said at every high school football and basketball game—typically the two sports that draw the biggest crowds—there are two Montgomery County police officers on duty alongside security staff. There were two private security guards and no police officers working at the Frederick County basketball game. “We have visitor management and access management systems at all of our schools,” Onijala said. “All of our schools conduct drills throughout the year around a variety of scenarios, including active shooter, emergency weather, evacuation, etc.” The School Resource Officer (SRO) program also deploys one sworn police officer to each of the county’s 26 high schools. The officers assist in emergency preparedness, start dialogues with students and parents and serve as a point of contact with the police department. Each school has an onsite emergency team (OSET) made up of administrators, teachers and security staff that convene during emergencies to coordinate and execute response plans. According to the county, the OSET staff receives in-depth training for handling crises. Emergency protocol came into play Monday during a standoff between police and an armed gunman in Silver Spring. The principal of nearby Woodlin Elementary School announced a Shelter in Place response plan. According to the school, officials locked exterior doors, moved classes from portables to indoor classrooms and held recess inside the main building. The principle sent updates to parents through the school PTA’s Facebook page. their own decisions.” Starr’s amended contract also contains a clause that he and the board members cannot make “disparaging remarks regarding the other.” Some county residents have now turned their attention to how public the hiring process will be. O’Neill said she could not speculate on whether they would make the interviews or applicants public but said the search firm always solicits community input. But O’Neill said making applicants public is a risky move. “In some communities, they trot out the three finalists for a dog and pony show. We’re hiring a top executive, a CEO who in all likelihood is already in a job,” she said. “What can be public will be public. What has to be confidential so that we don’t hurt anyone’s career where they’re sitting (will be confidential).” O’Neill did not comment on the public knowledge that in late 2013 Starr applied to the New York City Chancellor job and did not get it. Shortly after Starr’s announcement last week, Councilmember Hans Reimer called for a very public process to select his replacement. Reimer said he could see an argument for making all interviews public despite concerns of what happened with Starr when he applied for the New York City job. Former board member Laura Berthiaume said she understood the need for confidentiality but the board could be clearer about the direction they want for the next superintendent. “The board is very aware of the fact that they are dealing with a person’s career and to go out into public session and lay out a bill of particulars is not a kind act for somebody who certainly to my knowledge (has not done or said anything) that’s unforgivable,” she said. “The board could have been a little more articulate about why it made the choice it made in terms of stability versus moving in a different direction.” Berthiaume said she thought it could have had to do with personal dynamics between Starr and some board members, but the board has to lay out what plans they are looking for in the future. “If the accusation is going to be ‘he talks good game, but he didn’t propose any concrete plans,’ well what concrete plans were they looking for?” Berthiaume said. “They’re going to be asking the next person coming in to face a lot of big challenges.” Laurie Halverson, who opposed O’Neill in the most recent election, said she knew some principals did not feel Starr supported them well enough with all the changes from Curriculum 2.0 and Common Core. Halverson said Weast had more political savvy, which could be valuable in such a large county, but Starr was very engaged with students and on social media. Through her involvement in the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA), Halverson said she knows MCCPTA has had a say in the selection process in the past and is able to articulate their priorities. County Council addresses Ten Mile creek sewage and environmental concerns By Rebecca Guterman Staff Writer ROCKVILLE – The County Council plans to approve water and sewer amendments later this month that will allow for sewer systems to support development in the area of Ten Mile Creek while still protecting the environment as they intended in the amendment to the Clarksburg Master Plan. “Our council worked very hard to make sure that Ten Mile Creek and resources associated with that were given the maximum protection possible and it is the chair’s view that we should not allow a sewer to undermine that effort. The language that we are seeking to do is both consistent with the master plan and making very clear this council’s intent that we care deeply about Ten Mile Creek and only under extraordinary circumstances will we see something that could possibly have an impact on it,” said Roger Berliner (D-1), chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment committee (T&E). The amendment changes the designation for major properties for development to W-3/S-3, which allows the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) and county Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to move forward with figuring out how to link the sewer systems to these areas. It also designates open space as W- 6/S-6 to preserve them and adds language to the amendment that limits the environmental impact of the sewer systems. “We have given clear guidance to our DEP and WSSC as to how this must be constructed so it is technologically feasible, keep it out of the creek and to minimize any harm to buffers, to the stream, to tributaries, to all the values we worked so hard to protect in our master plan,” Berliner said before the full council Tuesday. The language in the amendment specifically mentions buffer zones, forested areas and tributaries, according to the draft from staff. In the Ten Mile Creek Limited Area Amendment to the master plan, the council tried to strike a balance between major developments and environmental protections, according to councilmember Craig Rice (D-2), who represents Clarksburg. Pulte Homes, one of the major developers for the area, sued the county in November for $86 million for the limits the council passed in the plan. “Let me say thank you to chair of the T&E committee as well as its members for really focusing on what is important to continue the spirit of the master plan...allowing us to proceed with some of the decisions that we made last year while allowing us to ensure connectivity for those particular properties to allow them to move forward,” Rice said. “It means a lot to the Clarksburg area.” During the process of approving the master plan, the Audubon Naturalist Society advocated for protection of the creek. “This vote is a victory for citizens and scientists working together with elected officials to protect our last, best creek: Ten Mile Creek,” said Diane Cameron, director of the Audubon Naturalist Society Conservation Program, after the council vote in April 2014. “Ten Mile Creek is the cleanest source of water to Little Seneca Reservoir, our only nearby emergency drinking water source in severe droughts serving 4.3 million people in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.” Rice said properties in the Clarksburg historic district operate on septic systems, which is why the county and WSSC need to evaluate and implement the sewer connectivity needs. The WSSC is currently going through a comprehensive sewer study for the Ten Mile Creek area and has come up with five alternatives for a Citizens Advisory Committee to consider. Some members of the public said the WSSC did not solicit enough input to come up with these alternatives, but council staff member Keith Levchenko said WSSC assured him the committee would be able to consider additional alternatives if the members want to. The council plans to vote on the amendment at the Feb. 24 meeting 8 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL FEBRUARY 12, 2015 COVER STORY NTSB demands immediate action from Metro rail on ventilation “Fix it Now” from page 1 ing NTSB investigation," said Dan Stessel spokes person for WMATA. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued what it called urgent safety recommendations Wednesday afternoon to Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) in an effort to prevent accidents and save lives. “Procedures for ventilation of smoke in emergencies can be critical, but they vary across systems, and in some systems are inadequate – as we have found in the present WMATA investigation,” said NTSB Acting Chairman Christopher A. Hart. “Although the investigation is ongoing, WMATA should immediately address these issues to prevent any chance of a recurrence and other systems should be audited for similar problems.” During the Jan. 12 incident, train 302 stopped after encountering heavy smoke in the subway tunnel. Several passengers suffered injuries from the smoke and one passenger, Carol Glover, died from smoke inhalation. Patrick Regan, who is representing the Glover family in its $50 million lawsuit against WMATA, said they learned nothing new from the report. Regan said through talks with the engineers who designed the system in the 1970s they confirmed there was no way the ventilation sys- tem was working properly. According to NTSB, investigators learned WMATA Operation Control Center (OCC) first activated under-platform fans in the exhaust mode at the L’Enfant Plaza Green and Yellow Line platforms during the incident. Because the train stopped in front of the station and smoke emanated from in front of the train, the ventilation system pulled the smoke directly into the train. The report also reveals the train operator did not shut off the train’s ventilation system, which continuously drew smoke into the train. Regan said smoke billowing into the car and WMATA experiencing delays in addressing the situation “definitively” caused Glover’s death. Existing WMATA procedures required the train operator to receive permission from the OCC to shut off the train ventilation, according to NTSB. According to NTSB, less than 10 minutes after WMATA activated the under-platform ventilation fans, WMATA then activated vent shafts with additional ventilation fans, located ahead of the source of smoke, in exhaust mode. NTSB said because WMATA activated both the platform and vent shaft fans in exhaust mode, no supply of fresh air could aid in moving the smoke through the tunnel to the exhaust. During a post-accident inspection investigators also found two of the four fans located inside of the ventilation shaft had tripped an overload circuit breaker and were nonoperational. The investigators could not conclude whether the two fans became non-operational before or during the event. NTSB recommends assessing and verifying the state of good repair of the ventilation system with industry best practices and standards and developing and implementing detailed written procedures on the ventilation fans based on the most effective strategy for fan direction and activation to limit passengers’ exposure to smoke. NTSB recommends then incorporating those procedures into ongoing training. Moore withdraws plans after others on council line up against him “Rockville” from page 1 Moore privately she supported him “several months ago” but changed her mind after going through the public hearing process. “I was very proud of that vote (the vote to add a second public hearing) because I thought it improved the process. (Moore) was the one who was only looking at letting us just get this resolved very quickly,” Feinberg said. “His error is that he was not really serving the city by refusing to hear all the comments and I think that’s what you have to do as an elected official.” Moore was the lone opposing vote in adding a second public hearing on Jan. 26. Originally, the only public hearing on the issue would have been on Jan. 5, which some in the public and on the dais felt was too soon after the holidays. In response, Moore said he be- lieved Feinberg would keep her word when the issue came back to the council for a vote until he heard otherwise from her directly, even given her statements Monday night. He said Feinberg had not communicated with him prior to Monday’s meeting and did not tell him she was going to change her vote. “She gave me her assurance she would be with me on the final vote and that’s the reason I was out there in front on her behalf for months,” Moore said. “I believe her to be an honorable person and I will believe she is breaking her word on this when I see it.” He also said he did not vote for the second public hearing because he was surprised when it came up so late on the agenda and said he set the schedule based on Feinberg’s wishes. But he said he was ultimately glad for the second hearing as well. “I absolutely listened to every public comment. I respond to a great deal of them over email far more than any other member (of the mayor or council) does. I have convened public hearings, I have made presentations, I have spoken to many, many more people on this issue than others,” Moore said. Although Moore withdrew his motion at the meeting, he also Monday night added it to future agendas with the support of Councilmember Julie Palakovich Carr so the discussion would not “get lost” after Berliner’s forum. He added it during the “future agendas” portion of the meeting after Newton, Feinberg and Onley voted against his motion to set the discussion for a date in March earlier in the meeting. Newton said she voted against setting a date because she did not want to continue to rush the discussion and was sure the council would not forget the issue even if they did not set a date that night. “It puts us all under a pressure point and I don’t like feeling that way about something that is so important to this community,” Newton said. “I think it’s time we hear the people and hear them with ears that are really listening.” Moore said he did not think any immediate changes would come from Berliner’s forum, especially considering the county’s Subdivision Staging Policy does not go through a review process until 2016. But Newton said some action items or next steps could come from the meeting even if there is no immediate change. Throughout the APFS discussion Newton said she wanted to bring in the Planning Commission and talk to other stakeholders, not just those at the public hearings. “Had we handled this differently from the very beginning, we could have had a public conversation in the community that didn’t pit our neighbors against neigh- bors and our business against our residents,” she said, adding that Moore and Palakovich Carr tried to push the process’s timeline from the beginning. Onley also said she has concerns about development in the city for fear of ending up as a “ghost town.” Feinberg also denied claims from some constituents that she should recuse herself because she is deputy director and chief operating officer for the county’s Department of General Services, which oversees major construction projects in county government. But Feinberg said she had talked with the city attorney and confirmed she has no financial or economic conflict of interest because her role in the county has nothing to do with the school budget or funding decisions. Palakovich Carr did not comment on her views on the issue during the meeting. Bell times are pushed back 20 minutes in move by BOE to help children “Schools” from page 1 button maybe two cycles.” The board considered school start times for high schoolers after a workgroup considered the increasing scientific research showing the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on adolescents. After initially recommending a $21 million dollar option, Superintendent Joshua Starr came back with lower-cost recommendations ranging from no-cost to nearly $6 million. Durso said he ultimately did not vote in favor of even the low-cost option because of the effects on lowincome families. Durso said in his experience as a principal in Washington, D.C. public schools versus other districts, he did not see start time make an overwhelming differ- ence in student behavior or performance. “I didn’t see any reason to make that change even though it was very small. Now the majority voted for that. It does not have a price tag so I think we can live with that, but I just didn’t see (the need for) that,” Durso said. “I was concerned about a later end of the day for elementary, as I mentioned in there I was really concerned about having elementary start first. Almost every rationale has a corresponding reason not to do it.” The board also discussed and voted down board member Phil Kauffman’s proposal to delay implementation for a year but use one of the options that started elementary school first and middle school last, which cost $3.9 million. Only three members voted in favor. O’Neill voted in favor of the 20-minute change, but said it was not possible to make more drastic changes in the current budget conditions. Most of the cost for the other options would have come from buying more buses as the window for buses to complete their routes would overlap. But parents and students, dozens of whom attended a “sleepin” protest the day before the vote, said the budget is no excuse for what is a “matter of public health,” in the words of Erica Antonelli, a parent of two middle schoolers. Antonelli said her children already have trouble falling asleep early enough because of their circadian rhythms. She also said many other jurisdictions have already implemented later start times for high schoolers, including Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia. “It’s a matter of public health and so we should be able to figure out...because it has such a huge effect,” she said. “If everybody else has been able to figure it out, I don’t know why MCPS hasn’t.” Officials at the American Academy of Pediatrics have said adolescents should start no earlier than 8:30 for their health. Many parents cited how sleep deprivation has been linked to increased likelihood of depression and thoughts of suicide. But some board members said they found testimony that linked a student’s suicide Monday night to sleep deprivation “hurtful.” “I have never been so offended,” said board member Rebecca Smondrowski, who said she had been affected by loss in her family and did not think anyone could imagine what the student’s family was going through. “I would never use a tragedy in our system to push forward my agenda or any agenda I think is worthy,” Barclay said. At the sleep-in the day before, students said the research on sleep deprivation and better performance in school held true in their daily lives. Theresa Davison, a freshman at Walter Johnson High School, said she usually goes to sleep close to midnight and wakes up at 5:30 a.m. to catch her 6:43 a.m. bus. “I always have a lot of difficulty focusing in class and later when I’m working on homework,” Davison said. “(Sometimes) I won’t remember what the teacher said because I was focused on staying awake.” Davison also said 20 minutes is enough to get dressed or watch part of a TV show, but it’s not really enough to make a difference for sleep. Her sister Natalie, a seventh grader at Tilden Middle School, agreed. FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL 9 NEWS Going, going . . . Huge potential development in Bethesda with sale of 75 acres By Jonathan Elbaz Special to The Sentinel BETHESDA - The owner of Washington area radio station WMAL (630 AM) put the station’s 75-acre transmitter site here on the market earlier this week, the first step in what will likely be the area's largest redevelopment project in years. Cumulus Media is receiving offers until March 12 from developers interested in the residential property, located at 7115 Greentree Road near the Beltway and I-270 spur. Local real estate experts estimate the property may be worth nine figures. There is no asking price, but a representative from Cumulus’ brokerage firm CBRE Group, Inc. said the property’s size and location should command strong competition. “Seventy-five acres in Bethesda,” said John Sheridan, Senior Vice President for CBRE. “You don’t need to say anything more than that. It is a huge parcel of land with some of the highest income demographics. There’s the potential to build 300 or more homes.” The site is residential—part of the R-90 zone—allowing prospective developers to use it to build homes in varying sizes. Currently the space is a hilly expanse of grass with WMAL’s four massive transmitter towers, satellite dishes and a transmission building the station hasn’t manned in years. Cumulus took control of the 90year old station in 2011 when it purchased Citadel Broadcasting for $2.2 billion. Soon after, it started simulcasting the station’s programming on 105.9 WVRX-FM, renamed WMAL-FM. The company hasn’t shared specific details about relocating the transmission equipment but said in a statement that it remains committed to broadcasting through the AM frequency. “We expect to realize substantial value from this land sale, which will not disrupt our current programming in the Washington area nor our long-standing commitment to the existing live and local programming that is important to our listeners,” the statement read. Last year, Cumulus agreed to sell its 10-acre broadcast facility in Los Angeles for $125 million. Other aspects about the potential development are unclear, including questions about access and a possible need for new traffic patterns. The southern edge of the property runs adjacent to the Beltway between Old Georgetown Road and the I-270 spur, but it’s unknown whether developers will propose to build a new PHOTO BY JONATHAN ELBAZ This quiet parcel of land up for sale in Bethesda could be site of a huge residential development. exit for the Beltway. The site is just a half-mile from the second richest neighborhood in the United States, according to Business Insider, which estimated the average household income for the Bradley Manor-Longwood neighborhood of Bethesda—farther south on Greentree Road—is nearly $600,000. Though the transmitter site is private, local residents use it yearround. The “dog park,” as many call the space, is a de facto recreational spot for dog-walking groups, cross country teams and kids playing sports. “It will be sad to lose this place because of the community,” said Bethesda resident Jinks George Millspaugh. “Some people have been coming here with their dogs, children and friends for 30 years. When people have gotten an illness in the family or lost their job, we have been here gathering and supporting one another for years." Valentine’s Day is special in Montgomery County Julian Sadur Special to The Sentinel ROCKVILLE – Chocolates and roses aren’t the only attractions for Valentine’s Day in the county. Those looking to make special plans can find plenty to do right here in Montgomery County. Duke Ellington Orchestra – 8 p.m. at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Club The world famous Duke Ellington Orchestra will be playing music that will take you back to the times of the big band dance era. According to Sche Brown, marketing assistant and server for Bethesda Blues and Jazz Club, the Duke Ellington band represents an era when you still asked a lady to dance. “Whether you fall in love with your husband or wife again or fall in love on your first date, it will be that type of evening,” Brown said. “And for those who don’t remember the times of chivalry and romance, they’ll learn that night.” District Comedy – 8:30 p.m. at BlackRock Center for the Arts PHOTO COURTESY RICK MILLER Richard Rosenblatt will be wailing with the Rhythm Bandits Saturday at La Mexicana in Gaithersburg. All the way from the nation’s capital D.C. District Comedy will bring their comedy act to Germantown for a laugh-filled night. NIH Community Chorus presents “A Winter Valentine” – Saint Mark Presbyterian Church The NIH Community Chorus in association with the East Avenue Ensemble of Chevy Chase will present “A Winter Valentine” for free, though donations are welcome. According to Teddi Pensinger, the group’s publicity chair, a chocolate buffet will be provided with original chocolate donations from the chorus. Pensinger said those who attend will be in for a treat. “(The show) combines a few perfect elements: music, chocolate and raising money for charity. So what’s not to love about those?” Pensinger said. Laugh Riot at Hyatt – 8 p.m. at Hyatt Regency Bethesda Three local stand-up comedians will perform their sets. Tickets are $10 cash at the door. Seating is firstcome first-serve with doors opening at 7 p.m. Rhythm Bandits – 9 p.m. at La Mexicana The Sentinel sponsors its first entertainment night. Come listen to rock’n’roll by local rockers and enjoy Mexican cuisine at La Mexicana on Rockville Pike. Owl-n-tine’s Day – 5 p.m. at Croydon Creek Nature Center Learn about how owls stay near home for their winter mating season, dissect an owl pellet and see the nature center’s resident owl. Rapture, Blister, Burn – 3 p.m. at Roundhouse Theatre Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the box office at 240644-1100. Godspell – 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Olney Theatre Tickets can be purchase online or by calling the box office at 301-924-3400. 10 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL Whatʼs happening this week in Montgomery County C FEBRUARY 12, 2015 ALENDAR FEB. 12 FAITH COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP (FCWG) JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING: OPEN TO PUBLIC Feb. 12. 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Please join us as we discuss our ongoing and future FCWG initiatives. Snacks will be provided but please feel free to bring your own dinner. WHERE: The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), 6101 Executive Blvd. North Bethesda, MD 20852. Email fcwg2013@gmail.com for more information. FOREVER YOURS BEREAVEMENT WORKSHOP Feb. 12. 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. A special workshop for widows, widowers and life partners who want to honor and remember their loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Free and open to any Montgomery County resident. Registration required. Call (301) 921-4400. Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Dr., Rockville, MD 20850. FEB. 13 LEATHER & LACE STEVIE NICKS/FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE BAND Feb. 13. 9 p.m. Rocky Gap Casino Resort’s Allegheny Event Center will host Leather & Lace: A Tribute to Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. Leather and Lace is focused on bringing the intensity and glamour of Stevie Nicks to the stage in the form of an entertaining presentation that draws the audience in on their journey through Stevie's music. General admission tickets are $20, or $35, which includes a buffet. More information about Leather & Lace is available at http://stevienickstributeband.com. Guests must be 21 years-old to attend and tickets are non-refundable. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at (301) 784-8573 or at http://rockygapcasino.com/tickets. 16701 Lakeview Rd., Flintstone, MD 21530. FOREVER YOURS BEREAVEMENT WORKSHOP Feb. 13. 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. A special workshop for widows, widowers and life partners who want to honor and remember their loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Free and open to any Montgomery County resident. Registration required. Call (301) 921-4400. Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Dr., Rockville, MD 20850. POETRY CONTEST Deadline: Feb.13. Requirements: Poems cannot be more than 21 lines of text. Eligibility: Contest open to residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia who are 14 or older at the time of the entry deadline. Awards: First Place: $500 and published on The Writer's Center's "First Person Plural" blog Second Place: $250, Third Place: $150, Young Poet: $100. Questions? Please email poetry@bethesda.org or call 301-215-6660 ext. 117 BETHESDA PAINTING AWARDS Deadline: Feb. 13. Requirements: Each artist must submit five images, application and a non-refundable entry fee of $25. Eligibility: Artists must be 18 years of age or older and permanent, full-time residents of Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. Awards: Best in Show: $10,000, Second Place: $2,000, Third Place: $1,000, Young Artist: $1,000. The Bethesda Painting Awards is downtown Bethesda's annual juried art competition that exclusively honors painters from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. $14,000 in prize monies are awarded to the top four painters annually. For more information call Bethesda Urban Partnership at 301- February 12, 2015 – February 18, 2015 Germantown, MD 20874. PRICE: FREE - For more information, please visit: www.blackrockcenter.org 215-6660 or go to info@bethesda.org VALENTINE’S CABARET AND DINNER Feb. 13 and 14. StageCoach Theatre Company presents “He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not” Valentine’s Cabaret and Dinner on February 13 and 14. The show begins at 7:30 and dinner is served at 8:15 p.m. Come and enjoy a cabaret performance featuring great music that will transport you to the grandest stages of New York City without having to leave your seat at Oatlands! Tickets are $75. Dinner will be catered by The Chef’s Table. . For more information, visit www.oatlands.org or call 703-777-3174. ROMERO: SUITE PARA CUERDES Feb. 21. 8 p.m. National String Symphonia presents "Romero: Suite Para Cuerdas.” This complete suite is a rhythmic, sensual piece that weaves Venezuelan folk music with traditional European forms and energizes any space it fills. Romero is best known for his popular works and was creator of Venezuela's new wave "Onda Nueva" school of music. Tickets: $10-$37.50. Learn more at www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre or (240) 314-8690. F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center Park at 603 Edmonston Dr., Rockville, MD. FEB. 14 DISTRICT COMEDY’S SPECIAL VALENTINE’S DAY PERFORMANCE FEB. 14. 8:30pm (doors open at 8:00pm). DCbased Comedy Group Returns to BlackRock to Share Laughs and Love. BlackRock Center for the Arts is thrilled to welcome District Comedy back to the ‘burbs for a very special evening of local comedy designed for those who love to laugh. Tickets are just $15-$18 and are on sale in person, over the phone by calling 240.912.1058, or online at blackrockcenter.org. The Valentine’s Day comedy night performance by District Comedy will be hosted by Simone, features Johnny Black, opener Hemu Nair, and headliner David Tveite. The performance will take place in BlackRock’s flexible dance theatre, which will be transformed into cafe club-style seating for the evening. BlackRock’s bar will be open throughout the night so audiences can enjoy local beer and wine, and comedy. STORYTELLER DIANE MACKLIN Feb. 14. 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. Join us for a special interactive story experience! Diane Macklin will be presenting tales involving rhythm, music, songs, chants and movement in celebration of Black History Month! A show for the whole family; no registration required. Program sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Quince Orchard Chapter. For more information, call (240) 777-0200. Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878. FEB. 15 FAMILY RAMBLE: WINTER ADAPTATIONS Feb. 15. 1:30-2:30 p.m. Explore the winter adaptations of plants and animals while on a brisk walk in Rockville Civic Center Park on Sunday, at Croydon Creek Nature Center. Age 1 and up. For more information call 240-314-8770. FEB. 16 SERENITY IN THE GARDEN: SIMPLICITY, SANCTUARY & DELIGHT IN THE GARDEN Feb. 16. 8:00pm (Doors open at 7:30pm) Why do some gardens make us feel so relaxed and refreshed? Professional landscape designer Jan Johnsen shares her passion for creating peaceful, enticing gardens and reveals the three features of a serene outdoor setting: simplicity, sanctuary, and delight. Drawing on her 40 years of experience in the design and horticulture professions, Jan illuminates the surprising role that layout, power of place, color, trees, and even rocks play in enhancing our wellbeing outdoors. Location: Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus, Health Sciences Center Building, Room 122. This meeting is free and open to the public. Refreshments are served after the meeting. COURTESY PHOTO The National String Symphonia presents "Romero: Suite Para Cuerdas” at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville on February 21st at 8 p.m. FEB. 17 NARFE ROCKVILLE LUNCHEON Feb. 17. Deadline to make reservations for monthly luncheon of the Rockville chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association on Tuesday, Feb. 24. It will feature a talk on risk assessment for toxic chemicals by Bruce Fowler, Ph.D. The meeting is held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the Village at Rockville, 9701 Veirs Drive (off Wootton Pkwy), Rockville, MD 20850. Cost is $25. Reservations required. Call (301) 2940566 UPCOMING WOUNDED WARRIORS MHSTIVAL FEB. 20. 6 p.m. -9:30 p.m. Magruder High School presents its annual MHSTIVAL at Magruder H.S. auditorium. Admission is $5.00, donations will also be accepted. This will feature multiple bands comprised of students and staff within Magruder as well as other high schools. All proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project. All ages are welcome. PLAY IN A DAY Feb. 20-21. Six professional Washington, D.C. area theatre companies will write, direct, rehearse and perform original plays based on similar themes in only 24 hours. The plays will be presented at the tenth annual Play In A Day, a one-of-a-kind theatrical event. Play In A Day kicks off on Friday evening, February 20th where playwrights and directors come together to receive their assigned themes and props. Playwrights then work through the night to create their ten-minute masterpieces. As the sun comes up, rehearsals begin as teams of directors and actors prepare anxiously to make the 8pm performance deadline on Saturday, February 21, 2015. Tickets are $15 Participants: Adventure Theatre MTC, American Ensemble Theater, Flying V, Imagination Stage, Olney Theater, Round House Theatre. ANNUAL SPRING GARDENING CONFERENCE Feb. 21. The Montgomery County Master Gardeners are holding their 15th Annual Spring Gardening Conference. The daylong event offers multiple workshops, morning snacks, a delicious bag lunch, door prizes, networking with other gardeners, answers to your gardening questions, handouts, and reference materials. Participants can attend three of nine concurrent workshops, all taught by Master Gardeners. This year’s topics include water features, herbs, perennials for shade, urban gardening, design tricks, DIY irrigation, peppers, and much more, plus several lunchtime presentations. The event will be held at the University of Maryland Extension Montgomery County Office, 18410 Muncaster Rd, Derwood, MD, at the Agricultural History Farm Park. Advance registration is $55 (box lunch included); bring a friend and the cost is $100 for two. Registration information can be found at: http://goo.gl/i4nalm The registration deadline is February 17, 2015. Space is limited and workshops will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION: YEAR OF THE SHEEP Feb. 21. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Usher in the Chinese New Year 4713, Year of the Sheep, with the Gaithersburg Chinese School. Enjoy folk dancing, performances and arts and crafts. Performances at 11:00 a.m. and arts and craft activities at 12:00 p.m. Space is limited. Presented by the students and staff of Gaithersburg Chinese School and sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Quince Orchard Chapter. For more information, call (240) 777-0200. Quince Orchard Library, 15831 Quince Orchard Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20878. LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION AT BLACKROCK CENTER Feb. 21. 10:00am – 1:00 p.m. Celebrate Lunar New Year at BlackRock . Join us for a Free Family Fun Day with kid-friendly tours of the exhibition “Transformations of Brush and Paper,” drop-in art making activities with a Lunar New Year theme, and performances of traditional Asian music, dance, and more. The event is free but advance registration is recommended. Drop-ins are welcome. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Recommended for ages 5+ with adult. Live music and dance performances have been organized in partnership with the Chinese Cultural and Community Service Center (CCACC), located in Gaithersburg, MD, and will include music performed by the CCACC Gu Zheng Club, martial arts by the MoyYat Ving Tsun Athletics Association, traditional dances by the Graceful Posture & Dance Class and the Carol Kuo Dance Class, and choral music by The Potomac Youth Choir. For more information about the Chinese Cultural and Community Service Center (CCACC), please visit: www.ccacc-dc.org LOCATION: Main Gallery (first floor) BlackRock Center for the Arts 12901 Town Commons Drive, GUY DAVIS & ERIC BIBB: BLUES TROUBADOURS AT BLACKROCK CENTER FOR THE ARTS Feb. 21. 8:00 p.m. W.C. Handy Award-winner Guy Davis and Grammy-nominee Eric Bibb will join their formidable blues lineages together in a performance at BlackRock Center for the Arts designed to celebrate and preserve the core of the blues. Each with his own distinctive voice and style, these two blues veterans will perform their own sets, collaborate on several numbers, and come together for a rousing joint finale. The performance of Guy Davis & Eric Bibb: Blues Troubadours will be held on the BlackRock Mainstage Saturday, February 21st at 8:00pm. Tickets cost $15 - $28, and can purchased in person, over the phone by calling 240.912.1058, or online at blackrockcenter.org. Discounts for seniors are available. Tickets are selling fast. Advance reservations are recommended. RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN Through Feb. 22. In a comedy hailed by The New York Times as “intensely smart and immensely funny,” Gina Gionfriddo (Becky Shaw) takes a sharp, unflinching look at 21st century gender politics. After grad school, Catherine built a career as a rock-star academic while Gwen built a home with a husband and children. Decades later, unfulfilled in opposite ways, each woman covets the other’s life, and a dangerous game begins as each tries to claim the other’s territory. For more information, call (240) 644-1100 or visit roundhousetheatre.org. Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814. ART EXHIBIT: “PAWS ‘N CLAWS FOR ART” Feb. 21 – Mar. 31. “Paws ‘N Claws for Art” exhibit at Vola Lawson Animal Shelter. Del Ray Artisans and Animal Welfare League of Alexandria teamed up to present this animal-themed, fundraising exhibit. Both nonprofits receive a percentage of each sale. Also showing, but not for sale, will be UpCycle’s Fur-Vor project community-based student-recycled dog art. Reception: Friday, February 27, 7-9pm. View the art: Monday-Thursday 127pm, closed Friday, Saturday-Sunday 12-5pm. www.TheDelRayArtisans.org/GWW BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT Feb. 22. 3 p.m. Rocky Gap Casino Resort will host a CASH Blackjack tournament in which players can win a share of $1,500. The buy-in is now just $30 and the top five winners are guaranteed cash prizes. For more information, call (301) 7848400 or visit rockygapresort.com. 16701 Lakeview Rd., Flintstone, MD 21530. TAKOMA PARK JAZZFEST BAND BRAWL Feb. 22. 6 p.m. Three jazz bands will compete Continued on page 11 FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL Whatʼs happening this week in Montgomery County C 11 ALENDAR Continued from page 10 for a showcase at the 20th Takoma Park JazzFest plus $600 prize. The 20th JazzFest will be Sunday, June 14 in downtown Takoma Park (two stages, workshops, crafts and international foods). For more information, visit www.tpjazzfest.org or contact Bruce Krohmer, producer, at clarinet1@netzero.net or (240) 277-6291. Busboys and Poets, 234 Carroll St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20012. THE ASPEN HILL SUNDAY MOVIE MATINEE Feb. 22. 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. Panda Extravaganza Sunday movie matinee at the Aspen Hill Library! Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2 will be shown on Sunday, February 22, from 2:00 to 5:30 at the Aspen Hill Library, 4407 Aspen Hill Road, Aspen Hill, MD. Set in the Valley of Peace, Kung Fu Panda follows Giant Panda Po’s adventures as he becomes a true Kung Fu Master. The sequel sees Po as he strives for inner peace. Award winners both, from Dream Works. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. The Aspen Hill Sunday Movie Matinees are sponsored by the Friends of the Aspen Hill Library. For more information, call (301) 871-1113 or e-mail aspenhill@folmc.org. ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION "LEGAL AND FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR ALZHEIMER'S" own yard and garden? Montgomery County officials agree. Join us on Monday February 23 from 12:15 to 2:00 PM at the Wheaton Library, 11701 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, Maryland, to learn more about what the County is doing about the problem of excessive deer populations and non-native invasive species control and how we can support these efforts. Guest speaker Rob Gibbs, Department of Parks and Recreation, will share his expertise on both issues and answer questions about what you can do safely in your own yard or garden to combat these problems. The public is welcome. Drinks and dessert provided. For information, contact Cindy Snow at 301-984-9585; email:lwvmc@erols.com. EMPTY BOWLS - FIGHTING HUNGER Feb. 25. 6:00-8:00 p.m. Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The premise is simple: potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Attendees are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. VisArts’ resident artist Kate Westfall and ceramic students have created hundreds of handcrafted bowls for an Empty Bowls event in our community that will take place on February 25th at VisArts. Nourish Now, a local non-profit that provided 127,000 meals to those in need in 2014, will prepare soup and bread for attendees. Since its inception in May 2011, Nourish Now has rescued more than 300,000 pounds of unused food from restaurants, caterers and other licensed food providers, which equates to more than 237,000 prepared meals. Ticket Prices: Early Bird Ticket $35.00, On Line Ticket $25.00, At the Door Ticket $30.00 Early Bird Bowl Selection 5:30-6:00 p.m. Buchanan Event Room, 2nd Floor ROCKVILLE’S LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION Feb. 28. - 10 a.m.-2 p.m. A special Lunar New Year celebration will honor Rockville's Asian cultures at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive. COURTESY PHOTO Come out and listen to bands comprised of local students and school staff at Magruder High School's annual MHSTIVAL. All proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project. Feb. 24. (part one) and Mar. 3. (part two) 6:00 7:30 p.m. Easter Seals, 1420 Spring St, Silver Spring, MD 20910. This free two-part workshop is for individuals and families who would like to know more about what legal and financial issues to consider and how to put plans in place when they or a loved one have received a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or dementia. To register, call the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900. LEARN WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING ABOUT EXCESSIVE DEER POPULATIONS Feb. 23. 12:15 - 2:00 p.m. Do you think there are "Too Many Deer and Invasive Plants" threatening our parks and public areas, not to mention your The event will feature samples of Asian cuisine and a variety of multigenerational performances and exhibitors including several dance groups. Also performing will be Flowers of Beijing Opera, the boys Korean drum group from Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School in Germantown and the FilipinoAmerican Community of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Gaithersburg. For more information, contact Janet Kelly at 240-314-8316 or jkelly@rockvillemd.gov or visit www.rockvillemd.gov/apataskforce. For information about access, call the City's ADA coordinator at 240-314-8108. ERNESTO BAZAN PHOTOWORKS @GLEN ECHO PARK Feb. 28. 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Portfolio Reviews with Master Photographer Ernesto Bazan - One-OnOne Reviews $150 for up to 30 prints. 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM "A Cuban Trilogy" Ernesto Bazan Lecture & Book Signing, Elsie Hull Memorial Lecture Series $25 per ticket. Visit glenechophotoworks.org for information & tickets, or check out our Facebook events page. WALTZ DANCE SPANISH BALLROOM AT GLEN ECHO PARK Mar. 1. 2:45 - 3:30 p.m. - Introductory Waltz Workshop, 3:30 to 6 p.m. – Dance. Join us for a Waltz Dance in the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park on Sunday, March 1, 2015 featuring the ensemble Taylor Among the Devils playing a lively mix of folk waltzes with a few other couple dances, including Hambo, Schottische, Swing, Tango, and Polka. The 45-minute dance lesson begins at 2:45 p.m. with a half-hour introductory Waltz workshop February 12, 2015 – February 18, 2015 and a more advanced move presented the last 15 minutes. Social dancing follows until 6 pm. Admission is $10. No partner required. For more information, call Joan Koury at 202-238-0230 or Glen Echo Park at 301-634-2222, go to www.WaltzTimeDances.org or e-mail info@WaltzTimeDances.org. The Glen Echo National Park is located at 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812. ONGOING TEEN WRITER'S CLUB Thursdays 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Join us at the Marilyn J. Praisner Library, at 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD 20866, to meet other teens who share your interest in writing. Learn to improve your writing and try new approaches. Ages 12 and up are welcome. For additional library events and information call 240-773-9460. A DAY AT THE POOL EXHIBITION Through Feb. 23. "A Day at the Pool" depicts the anxiety that underlies a mother's love. Na'ama Batya Lewin is a photographer and video artist living in Maryland. Her art often explores the roles of women in society. The responsibilities, expectations and emotions that come from being a daughter, a wife and a mother have been recurring themes in her work. Ms. Lewin has served as adjunct faculty at the Corcoran College of Art and Design for eleven years. For more information, visit www.glenechophotoworks.org or call (301) 6342274. Photoworks Gallery and Photography School, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812. GALLERY B - EXHIBITION: COAXING THE ELEMENTS Through Feb. 28. 6 – 9 p.m. Gallery B is pleased to present its first February exhibition: Coaxing the Elements featuring woodwork by Lynda Smith-Bügge and jewelry by Katja Toporski. Coaxing the Elements will be on display from February 4-28, 2015 at Gallery B, located at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E, Bethesda, MD. Gallery hours for the show will be Wednesday – Saturday, 12 – 6 p.m. The exhibition’s opening reception will coincide with the monthly Bethesda Art Walk on Friday, February 13th from 6-9pm. Presented by Bethesda Urban Partnership. Admission: Free. Phone: 301-215-6660 EXHIBITION: “A POINT IN TIME”: PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKS BY RONALD BEVERLY Through Feb. 28. Emphasizing texture and detail, Ronald Beverly’s images capture the elusive quality of light and reveal a sensibility that is clearly inspired by the masters of large format photography. Without losing sight of the essential qualities, this mid-career photographer seizes the opportunity to refine his vision by embracing the technological advancements of photography and digital imaging. Price: Free. Location: BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD 20874. On INFORMATION: 301.528.2260 or www.blackrockcenter.org ART EXHIBIT Through Feb. 28. - 3:00pm to 5:00pm, FREE. The public is invited to a reception to meet local artists Kit-Keung Kan, Freda Lee-McCann, and Insoon Shin whose work is featured in the exhibition “Transformations of Brush & Paper,” an installation exploring new directions in Asian brush art, which will be on view in the Main Gallery at BlackRock Center for the Arts through February 28, 2015. Free and open to the public. WILEY AND THE HAIRY MAN PRESENTED BY IMAGINATION STAGE COURTESY PHOTO Leather and Lace bring the intensity and glamour of Stevie Nicks to Rocky Gap Casino Resortʼs Allegheny Event Center on February 13th. Through Mar. 15. Written by Suzan Zeder; Music by Harry Pickens; Directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer This traditional tall tale tells of Wiley who lives in fear of the Hairy Man who lurks in the swamp. When Wiley’s Momma attempts to prepare him to confront the wicked trickster, he pays little mind. As Wiley ventures into the swamp, he is forced to think on his feet in order to outwit his opponent. Will Wiley succeed in banishing the big bully from the territory? Best for Ages 6+. Address: 4908 Auburn Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814. Parking: Parking Lot on Auburn Avenue adjacent to the building. Free on weekends! Street parking is free on Sundays. For more information call: 301-2801660. Admission Info: $10+ AFTERNOON GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP Tuesdays 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m. For anyone grieving the death of a love one. Registration required at (301) 921-4400. North Bethesda United Methodist Church, 10100 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda, MD 20814. LOSS OF A CHILD SUPPORT GROUP Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. For parents grieving the death of a child of any age. Registration required at (301) 921-4400. Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Dr., Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20850. EVENING GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP Thursdays 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. For anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Registration required at (301) 921-4400. Hughes United Methodist Church, 10700 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20918. PARENT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP Thursdays 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. For adults who have experienced the death of one or both parents. Registration required at (301) 921-4400. Mt. Calvary Baptist church, 608 North Horner’s Lane, Rockville, MD 20850. BACKGAMMON TOURNAMENT Tuesdays. 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Local backgammon tournament on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month starting March 11. More information at MeetUp.com-DC Metro Backgammon Club. Ruby Tuesday Westfield Wheaton Mall 11160 Veirs Mill Rd, Wheaton-Glenmont, MD 20902 11gmail66@gmail.com CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH Sundays 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. $33 $12 for unlimited champagne cocktails Executive Chef Todd Wiss has cooked up a seasonal brunch menu complete with a brunch time standard – Champagne! Guests are welcome every Sunday to indulge on Black’s favorites like Smoked Salmon, Chesapeake Bay Blue Fish Rillette, Herb Crusted Pineland Farms Prime Rib or breakfast treats like House Made Brioche French Toast, Quiche and a selection of Chef Wiss’ homemade jams. Visit http://www.blacksbarandkitchen.com or call (301) 652-5525. Black’s Bar and Kitchen, 7750 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. LAUGH RIOT AT THE HYATT Saturdays 8 p.m.- 10 p.m. Check out a live standup comedy show by local stand up comics every weekend at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda. There's a $25 cash prize joke contest for non-comedian audience members after the show. Check it out every Saturday night! Comedians can sign up to perform by emailing curtshackelford@verizon.net. $10 at the door. Visit http://www.StandupComedyToGo.com or call (301) 657-1234. Hyatt Regency Bethesda, 1 Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, MD. CORPORATE BARTENDING FOR CHARITY Wednesdays 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Send your CEO or VP to Tommy Joe's to bartend for charity! Can't bartend? No problem, the on-staff bartenders are there to help for a good cause (no experience necessary). Represent your company during happy hour, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the charity of your choice. Maybe you can even pull off some flair behind the bar and make Tom Cruise proud. Visit tommyjoes.com or call (301) 654-3801 for more information. 4714 Montgomery Ln., Bethesda, MD 20814. LIVE MUSIC FRIDAYS Fridays 9:30 p.m.-12:30 p.m. Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery features different music styles by various live bands that perform both original and cover songs. So come relax and enjoy live music and Rock Bottom's award-winning handcrafted beer. Visit http://www.rockbottom.com or call (301) 652-1311 for more information. 7900 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. SALSA NIGHT Tuesdays 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Come to the Barking Dog every Tuesday night for their sizzling Salsa Night. Take lessons with salsa instructor Continued on page 12 12 Continued from page 11 Michelle Reyes from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. for only $10. Learn to shake those hips, and then show off your new skills to the music of a live salsa band during the open dance after class. Visit salsawild.com or call (301) 654-0022 for more information. 4723 Elm St., Bethesda, MD 20814. HEY MR. DJ Fridays 9 p.m.-2 a.m. It’s time to dance! Grab your friends and come to The Barking Dog for a good time on the dance floor. Every Friday and Saturday night the Dog brings in a DJ to play the Top 40 and your favorite songs. Make sure you check out their great drink specials before you show us what you got! The Barking Dog, Elm Street Bethesda, MD 20814. Free admission. SPAGNVOLA CHOCOLOATE FACTORY TOUR Saturdays and Sundays : 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Meet the owners, learn about the origin of chocolate, and see how it is grown and processed. Experience how chocolate is made from the actual cacao seed to the final chocolate during this "sweet" educational tour, from chocolate bars to truffles to bonbons. Each tour also includes a FREE chocolate tasting! 360 Main Street Suite 101 Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878. Visit http://www.spagnvola.com or call (240) 6546972. COUNTRY THURSDAYS Thursdays, 9 p.m. Union Jack's traditionally British pub in Bethesda heads to the South for their all new Country Night every Thursday. Live country/rock bands, free cowboy hats for the cowgirls, bandanas for the cowboys, drink specials, including $2 PBR cans, $2 Budweiser bottles, $4 Jack Daniels drinks, food specials including 50 cent hot wings. Best of all, there's no cover to get in! And be sure to get there early for Union Jack's famous Beat. 4915 Saint Elmo Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. WORLD SERIES OF POKER Every Tuesday and Sunday night Flanagan's hosts Poker in the rear from 8-10 p.m. it's Bethesda's own version of The World Series of poker. Call (301) 951-0115 for more. Flanagan's Harp and Fiddle, 4844 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814. THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL Fridays, 8 p.m. Astounding magic and slight of hand with interactive theatre and hilarious fun. Ages 10 and up. 311 Kent Square Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. For more information: 301-258-6394. Price: $12 to $15 DROP-IN YOGA IN BETHESDA Fridays, 6 – 7 p.m. Community classes are mixed level, one-hour asana classes taught by a rotating selection of Unity Woods teachers. Just drop in – no registration required! Unity Woods Yoga Center, 4853 Cordell Ave. Bethesda. Ages 18+. Cost: $5. For more information, call 301-656-8992. TEEN SK8 AT WHEATON ICE Most Friday evenings 8 p.m.– 10 p.m. The Wheaton Ice Arena is the place to be on Friday nights! Play along with our theme to get the 'Cheapskate' rate of $6.50 for admission and skates. Wheaton Regional Park, 11717 Orebaugh Ave in Wheaton, MD. For more information, call: 301905-3000 or visit: montgomeryparks.org. THE WIDOWED PERSONS SERVICE OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY Weekly support groups for newly widowed persons at three locations: at Margaret Schweinhaut Center 1000 Forest Glen Rd. Silver Spring on Mondays, at Holiday park Senior Center, 3950 Ferrara Drive, Wheaton, on Thursdays and at Jane Lawton (Leland) Center, 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase on Thursdays. These support groups are open, free of charge, to all widowed persons who have suffered a loss within the past two years. Those preferring an evening group are encouraged to call the WPS office. The groups are facilitated by trained volunteers. For more information or to register, please call: 301-949-7398 to register. The Widowed Persons Service is a non-profit volunteer organization sponsored by AARP, the Montgomery County Mental Health Association, and other community organizations. – Compiled by Rebecca Guterman TAKOMA MOVES! COMMUNITY DANCE CLASS AT DANCE EXCHANGE Thursdays, 6:30 - 8 p.m., $10 per class. First Thursday of each month from 6:30 - 7 p.m., free! This open-level, community modern class brings together movers of all ages and abilities to move and make at Dance Exchange. Led by teachers from the DC region, Takoma Park Moves creates a space to explore improvisation, technique, and choreography in an intergenerational class. This drop-in class will kick off on the first Thursday of each month with a free, 30 minute get to know you class. New to dance? Join us. Returning to dance? Join us. Just want to dance with your family and neighbors? Join us. Presented by Dance Exchange, 7117 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, MD. For more information, please visit: http://danceexchange.org/ or call: 301270-6700. The Montgomery County NEED A SITTER? IT’S LEGO TIME AT VISARTS! Saturdays, 12 – 5 p.m. at VisArts in Rockville. Go on a date, get some shopping done, or just relax for a few hours while your kids get to play with more than 15 pounds of LEGO bricks! Children can play on our LEGO race track, build a car, a tall tower, a city or free build. They can even take part in a LEGO craft project! Our top-notch staff are LEGO enthusiasts and ready to entertain your kids while you get some "me" time. Register at birthdays@visartscenter.org. Send news of your group’s event AT LEAST two weeks in advance to: GAITHERSBURG ROTARY CLUB WEEKLY MEETING Every Tuesday, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Hilton Hotel, 620 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg. For more information, please visit www.gaithersburgrotary.org. THE COMEDY AND MAGIC SOCIETY Sentinel regrets to inform organizations that only Montgomery County groups or events located within the county will be published on a space-available basis. The Montgomery County Sentinel 22 W Jefferson St. Suite 309 Rockville, MD. 20850 or email mc-calendar@thesentinel.com or call 301.838.0788 Some Fun FEBRUARY 12, 2015 FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL 13 14 FEBRUARY 12, 2015 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL C LASSIFIEDS 2039 - In Memoriam Automotive 1035 - Antiques & Classics 1039 - Domestics 1040 - Imports 1041 - Sports Utility Vehicle 1043 - Pickups, Trucks & Vans 1045 - Motorcycles/Mopeds 1046 - Auto Services 1047 - Parts/Accessories 1051 - Vehicles Wanted RVʼs 1059 - Airplanes 1065 - Boats 1067 - RVs Announcements 2001 - Adoptions 2003 - Carpools 2004 - Happy Ads 2005 - Camp Directory 2006 - Classes/Seminars 2008 - Found 2031 - Lost 2033 - General Announcements 2037 - Personal Ads 3089 3093 3095 3101 3102 3103 3104 3105 3107 3109 3115 3118 3123 3125 3129 3130 3133 3135 3137 3141 3143 3145 Services 3000 - Accounting Services 3017 - Business services 3021 - Carpet services 3030 - Ceramic Tile 3031 - Child care services 3033 - Chimney cleaning 3035 - Cleaning services 3039 - Computer Services 3041 - Concrete 3045 - Decorating/Home Interior 3052 - Editing/Writing 3053 - Elder Care 3055 - Electrical Services 3057 - Entertainment/Parties 3062 - Financial 3066 - General Services 3071 - Gutters 3072 - Hauling 3073 - Health & Fitness 3075 - Home Improvement 3085 - Instruction/Tutoring 3086 - Insurance Services - Landscaping Lawn & Garden Legal Services Masonry Medical/Health Moving & Storage Painting Paving/Seal Coating Pet Services Photography Plumbing Pressure Cleaning Roofing Sewing/Alterations Snow Removal Tax Preparation Tree Services Upholstering Wallpapering Wedding/Parties Window Cleaning Windows Employment 4107 - Resumes/Word Processing Professional Services MDR Contracting 443-506-9222 www.networx.com/C.MDR-Contrete FREE ESTIMATES • Driveways • Roofing • Decks • Kitchens • Room Additions • Baasement Remodels Seenior Discounts MHIC#88812 Vacuum Cleaners Serviced All makes Free Estimates & models VEHICLES WANTED CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! 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MVA License #W1044. 410-636-0123 or www.LutheranMissionSociety.org Merchandise 5000 - Give Aways 5002 - Antiques 5003 - Appliances 5004 - Arts, Crafts & Hobbies 5005 - Auction & Estate Sales 5008 - Building Materials 5012 - Cemetery Lots & Crypts 5014 - Computers & Software 5015 - Consignment 5016 - Events/Tickets 5018 - Flea Market 5020 - Furniture Rentals 6035 - Apartments/Condos 6037 - Apartment Complexes 6039 - Commercial Space 6043 - Homes/Townhomes 6047 - Industrial/Warehouse 6049 - Office Space 6051 - Roommates 6053 - Room for Rent 6057 - Storage Space 6059 - Vacation Rental 6061 - Want to Rent • 2-story Foyers/Vaulted Ceilings • Military Discounts • Drywall/Water Damage Repair • Senior Citizen Discounts • Power Washing/Decks/Homes • Licensed & Insured • Handyman/Carpentry • MHIC#70338 • Wallpaper Removal Our showroom & service dept. ACCOUNTING SERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES GET CASH NOW for your Annuity or Structured Settlement. Top Dollars Paid. 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SHUGER served for 18 years as an Associate Judge on the 22095 - CNG District Court Legal of Maryland forServices Baltimore City, handling various civil and criminal matters. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) offers a creative, positive alterna3044585-1 tive tot the cost and uncertainty of litigation for individuals, businesses, organiza004676NANCY tions and families. As a former judge, she can assist disputing parties to achieve reasonable results. ADR offers a way for her to help people discover common SENTINEL interests which can allow them to shape their own resolution to their disputes. Nancy As a mediator, she acts as a private neutral. She emphasizes that mediation can be effective wether the parties desire to address differences in an ongoing relationship, or to reach a mutually agreeable solution to a single dispute, without trial. 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Mechanic II D 3044841-1 2 X 1.76 i Maryland Environmental Service 47135 Help Wanted, General - CNGseeks a3044841-1 Mechanic II at the MRF in 003173MDEVSERVICEMEC Montgomery County, MD. Must have a SENTINEL HS diploma/GED plus 5 years experience. MDEvService Mechanic View all requirements on Careers Page on www.menv.com. Send resume Attn: 400385 to MES 259 Najoles Road, Millersville, MD 21108, or fax to 410-729-8235, or email to resumes@menv.com CAREER TRAINING YOU CAN BE CAREER-READY in as little as 3 months for a rewarding new career in the growing healthcare, technology, or administration industries. The U.S. Department of Labor expects millions of new jobs in these fields! Get started today: CareerStep.com/startnow. MEDICAL BILLING TRANING PROGRAM! Train to process insurance and Medical Billing from home! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training at CTI gets you job ready! 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NO Experience Required! www.needmailers.com VOID IN WI 15 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL HELP WANTED, GENERAL HELP WANTED, GENERAL Lab Mgr., Library Prep & Validation to: D 3044862-1 2 X 2.51 i operate & maintain daily ops & testing personnel 47135 Help Wanted, General - CNG following SOPs for specimen handling & 3044862-1 003676LABMANAGER procssng, test analysis, reporting results & SENTINEL record-keeping; ensure adherence to QC Lab Manager policies; docmnt QC activities, instrument & procedural calibrations, reagent prep & testing & instrument maint.; identify problems that adversely affect test performance, take authorized corrective action; maintain compliance w/ CLIA, CAP & NY State lab regs. Min. req: MS in Biochem, Molecular Biology, or Cellular Biology. Send resume & cover ltr to: HR, BRLI No. 2 Acquisition Corp. d/b/a GeneDx, 207 Perry Pkwy, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. No calls/emails. EOE. Construction Inspectors Construction Inspectors D 3044683-1 2 X 2.01 i 47135 Help Wanted, General - CNG 3044683-1 003341ADREP SENTINEL Ad Rep ENR Top 100 firm has immediate openings for highway construction inspectors. Roadway and paving experience preferred, but not required. Experienced and entry level positions available. Exceptional benefit package. Please email resume to ajhr@gpinet.com. An Equal Opportunity Employer. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES DRIVERS: D 3044819-1 1 X 1.25 i 47135 Help Wanted, G 3044819-1 001838ACCESSADDRIVER SENTINEL Access Ad Drivers CDL-A. THE FLEET WAY! Home Daily! TOP Pay & Benefits! On-Site Fitness Center. 3yrs Tank/Haz TWIC req. Matt: 855-856-0835 x120 NO EXPERIENCE = NO PROBLEM We have Openings Full Time Hour$ No Experience Needed Full Training Provided Competitive Compensation + Bonus Opportunities Call To Schedule an Interview 410-616-0615 ADVERTISE IN The Sentinel! BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AVON - Earn extra income with a new career! Sell from home, work,, online. $15 startup. For information call: 888-423-1792 (M-F 9-7 & Sat 9-1 Central) DRIVE TRAFFIC TO YOUR BUSINESS and reach 4.1 million readers with just one phone call & one bill. See your business ad in 104 newspapers in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia for just $495.00 per ad placement. The value of newspapers advertising HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER....call 1-855-721-6332 x 6 today to place your ad before 4.1 million readers. Email Wanda Smith @ wsmith@mddcpress.com or visit our website at www.mddcpress.com. I WILL MENTOR a few ambitious, self-motivated people for a home-based eCommerce business. Unlimited earning potential. Lots of reward for modest investment. Call 1-844-662-8933 PLACE YOUR AD TODAY IN BOTH The Baltimore Sun and The Washington Post newspapers, along with 10 other daily newspapers five days per week. For just pennies on the dollar reach 2.5 million readers through the Daily Classified Connection Network in 3 states: CALL TODAY; SPACE is VERY LIMITED; CALL 1-855-721-6332 x 6 or 301-852-8933 email wsmith@ mddcpress.com or visit our website at www.mddcpress.com FIREWOOD A-1 FIREWOOD Seasoned oak. $165/1/2 cord, $225/cord. $60 extra to stack. Call 443-6861567 GARAGE/ YARD SALES HOWARD COUNTY FAIRGRDS Kids Nearly New Fall Sales Sat’s- March 14, & April 11 140 family booths selling NB-teen. Want a booth? Info. www.KNNsale.com SUNDAY BAZAAR Howard County Fairgrds Sun, April 12. 9am-3pm crafts, flea, flowers,food household, collectible Antiques, sport equip. more. 12’x12’ booth info. applications/rules on web www.HCSbazaar.com HEALTH & FITNESS CANADA DRUG CENTER is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your medication needs. 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FREE HD/DVR upgrade for new callers, SO CALL NOW 877-329-9040 WANT A LARGER FOOTPRINT in the marketplace consider advertising in the MDDC Display 2x2 or 2x4 Advertising Network. Reach 3.6 million readers every week by placing your ad in 82 newspapers in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. With just one phone call, your business and/or product will be seen by 3.6 million readers HURRY....space is limited, CALL TODAY!! Call 1-855-7216332 x 6 or 301 852-8933 email wsmith@mddcpress.com or visit our website at www.mddcpress.com VACATION RENTAL OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best selection of affordable rentals. Full/ partial weeks. Call for FREE brochure. Open daily. Holiday Resort Services. 1-800638-2102. Online reservations: www.holidayoc.com LOTS & ACREAGE RECREATIONAL CABIN 6.5 AC, POND SITE $84,900 Park like open and wooded Parcel with 2 state views/1,000+ sq. ft. shell ready for You to finish and enjoy. Elec.,tele available perc CALL OWNER 304-901-4931 WATERFRONT LOTS-VIRGINIA’S EASTERN SHORE WAS $325K Now from $65,000 - Community Center/Pool. 1 acre+ lots, Bay & Ocean Access, Great Fishing, Crabbing, Kayaking. Custom Homes www. oldemillpointe.com 757-8240808 OUT OF STATE DISCOVER DELAWARE’S RESORT LIVING Without Resort Pricing! Milder winters & low taxes! Gated Community with amazing amenities! New Homes $80’s. Brochures available ] 1-866-6290770 www.coolbranch.com We'll bring you a brand new audience. Ask about classified zone buys 301-317-1946 16 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL FEBRUARY 12, 2015 TRAVEL The last post card from little Nakhchivan Travel Tales By Llewellyn Toulmin Today I’ll tell you a true story about a sort-of country that I bet you never heard of. What do you want to bet? I am talking about Nakhchivan (or Naxҫivan, or about ten other similar names), and it is just east of Turkey, northeast of Iran, and southwest of Armenia. I’ll bet I won our bet! If it makes you feel better, I had never heard of it either, until it was added a few years ago to the list of worldwide “countries and sovereign territories” compiled by the Travelers’ Century Club (TCC). The TCC is a club for people who have been to more than 100 places on their list of 315 countries, and there are about 1000 members in various chapters around the world. Naturally, since it is remote, little-known, on the list, and I am a TCC member, I had to go. That is not easy. Nakhchivan is an Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, but is an “exclave” of that country, meaning it is separated from Azerbaijan by a disputed area, held by Armenia. You cannot take a train, since those were stopped decades ago by Armenian gunfire, and you wouldn’t want to try to drive from Azerbaijan, unless you dipped down into Iran to avoid Armenia. Like most Americans, I am a tad nervous about dipping into Iran. And eastern Turkey is a rather dangerous these days. The only feasible way to get there is to fly from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. There are one hour flights every day, which (oddly) fly over Armenian airspace, headed west to the capital of Nakhchivan, which is, naturally, Nakhchivan. You can’t book your flight from abroad, but must work with an Azerbaijani travel agent, who will also help you get a visa for Azerbaijan. (Don’t bother with the Government of Azerbaijan website that promises to get you a visa -- it doesn’t work and apparently never has!) By the way, most people do not know that Azerbaijan means “land of the fiery lane stradlers,” after their driving habits going back to Neolithic times. The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has a population of about 434,000, and the capital has 86,000 inhabitants. The “country” has 2100 square miles, a little smaller than Delaware. As I flew in, I started to wonder why I was going. The land was arid, ridged and brown, with apparently no crops, no trees, no grass – pretty much no nothing. Taking a taxi in to town from the airport, I was reminded of those former Warsaw Pact countries I had worked in during the early 1990s after the Iron Curtain fell. The architecture and the cars were very blocky and Soviet, the infrastructure was run down, the buildings had peeling paint, the streets were dusty and full of potholes, and there was little traffic -unlike oil-rich Baku, which was stuffed with late model Range Rovers. The Tabriz Hotel, the largest and finest in the Republic, had some issues, too. The heating in December was on full blast, so the temperature in my room was 95 degrees F (typical Soviet style). To get the temperature down to something livable, I had to open the window and the door, and pry off the part of the wall covering the heater, to turn it off. Naturally, the Internet connection did not work, so I could not look up the local sights. But I remembered some interesting facts from my previous Internet research. The name Nakhchivan means “place of descent” or “first landing” – meaning the place where Noah’s Ark first touched down after the Flood. Local residents say that the top of nearby Snake Mountain was hit by the keel of the Ark. Mt. Ararat in Turkey, where the Ark finally came to rest, is only 70 miles away from the city of Nakhchivan, and just 30 miles from the closest part of the Republic of Nakhchivan. Nakhchivan’s history goes back to Biblical times, but its present existence and borders are largely the work of Vladimir Lenin, who in 1920 ordered a referendum asking the residents whether they wanted to be part of Azerbaijan or Armenia. If you can trust Lenin, the vote was 80 percent for Azerbaijan. Next month we will go on a tour of the exclave, and I will fight a titanic battle to send the last post card ever mailed from Nakhchivan. Lew and Susan Toulmin live in Silver Spring and have sailed on every ocean. Star Clippers line can be reached at 760 NW 107th Ave., Suite 100, Miami, FL 33172; 800442-0551, 305-442-0550; www.starc l i p p e r s . c o m ; info@starclippers.com. PHOTOS COURTESY LEW TOULMIN Above, the airport in tiny Nakchivan. At right, Snake Mountain, where Noahʼs ark grounded the first time. PHOTOS BY LEW TOULMIN The mighty Hotel Tabriz in Nakhchivan, where it is 95 degrees all winter February 12, 2015 The Montgomery County Sentinel 17 R.M. survives B-CC scare in overtime 57-49 By Julian Sadur Sentinel Sports ROCKVILLE – The Richard Montgomery trio of Nick Jackson, Renzo Farfan and Daniel Alexander combined for 15 of their team’s final 22 points to lift the Rockets (16-1, 70) over Bethesda Chevy-Chase (105, 5-2) 57-49 in overtime at home Friday night. The Richard Montgomery victory puts the Rockets back on the winning side of things after Springbrook brought an end to their undefeated season last Friday. “This was a more important win to us than anything that Springbrook could have offered,” said Rockets coach David Breslaw. “This puts us two games ahead of everyone for the division. As long as we don’t just think we’re going to coast through the rest of the division season then we’re going to be able to get that banner and that’s something we haven’t had for five years – that’s history.” During the first half the Rockets stretched their lead over the Barons to as much as six points but could not put their opponents away. A 3-pointer by Rockets guard Justin Nikakhtar gave his team a slim 28-27 lead over the Barons at the half. Farfan ended the third in similar fashion, knocking down a triple to give the Rockets a one-point lead heading in the fourth quarter. The Barons came out in the fourth hot, opening the quarter on a 7-2 scoring run after Kevin Holston sparked the team with an and-one – but the Rockets answered back. Down four points with less than 4 minutes to go in the game Farfan converted a key and-one to pull the Rockets within one point of B-CC. Minutes later Jackson hit a triple out of a Rockets timeout before BCC’s Livio Caputo sank a layup to send the game into overtime. Jackson said he never doubted the 3-pointer and that it “looked good as soon as it left my hand.” Alexander would take care of the job in overtime, tallying eight of his total 13 points in the period to seal the key divisional win for his team. “Like (Rockets assistant) Coach Schools always tells me, let the game come to you,” Alexander said. “And I think the team finds me late in the game.” Defensively the Rockets contained Barons leading scorer Justin Carter, holding him scoreless from the field so that all five of Carter’s points came from the free throw line. Baron’s coach Sean Tracy chalked Carter’s subpar performance to a mixture of fatigue and bad chance. “He looked a little tired out there, maybe I kept him out there too long, didn’t really give him a break as he needed,” Tracy said. “But those are shots he normally hits and they were just falling short and that’s just the way the ball rolled tonight.” The Rockets also shut down the Barons’ perimeter shooting, holding them to a 1-of-11 night from beyond the arc. Breslaw praised his team for the shutdown and said it was a focal point of his team’s strategy coming into the matchup. “A lot of what we focused on this week was preventing the three and closing out on threes,” said Breslaw. “And that is the one goal we accomplished today, that we can say outright ‘we did that’ and that’s not always something basketball teams do after a game.” PHOTO BY DAVID WOLFE Richard Montgomery defenders corner B-CC during overtime. Springbrook takes to the road and excites crowd in victory over Sherwood By Brandy L. Simms Senior Sports Writer SANDY SPRING – Friday night’s colossal matchup on the hardwood between host Sherwood and visiting Springbrook lived up to its star billing as standout guards Donovan Walker and Xavier McCants went head-to-head for five quarters before the Blue Devils emerged with a 73-68 road win over the Warriors in overtime. Walker, Springbrook’s leading scorer, finished with a season-high 28 points including five threepointers to help the Blue Devils clinch the division championship. The win also helped Springbrook avenge a four-point loss to Sherwood last month. Springbrook also got a solid performance from Falu Seck and Aaron Burton who both scored in double figures. Seck finished with 15 points and Burton added 10 points for the Blue Devils. “I thought that young man Donovan took the game over and he wanted to make sure that we didn’t want to lose that game,” said Springbrook head coach Darnell Myers, “and I thought E.J. Dyson and Aaron Burton got some crucial rebounds down the stretch.” Sherwood led after the first period but Springbrook rallied to tie the game at halftime, 34-34. The teams went back and forth in the third and fourth quarters before Walker’s sharpshooting in overtime helped the Blue Devils prevail. “It showed we had a lot of confidence in each other,” said Walker. “We listened to our coach who was very confident in his play calling and everything. We just knew we could beat them. They’re a very good team to play against.” Meanwhile, Sherwood was led by Geremiah Charles who scored a team-high 22 points and McCants who added 21 points before fouling out in overtime. 18 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL February 12, 2015 SPORTS Kennedy tops Q.O. in a defensive struggle By Brandy L. Simms Senior Sports Writer GAITHERSBURG – Kennedy head coach Diallo Nelson was quite animated during Tuesday night’s road contest against Quince Orchard at Thomas R. Kautz Memorial Gymnasium. Nelson told his team in the huddle after the third quarter, “I don’t care if nobody scores another point as long as we have 26 and they have 24.” A few moments later, Kennedy sophomore guard Jonathan Mustamu knocked down a 3-pointer to help lift the Cavaliers to a 42-35 road victory over the Cougars. “He’s always pushing us to play our hardest,” Mustamu said about Nelson’s inspirational speeches. “That’s just how he does it and it works so I’m glad.” Mustamu, Kennedy’s leading scorer, finished with a game-high 18 points while teammates Kani Channer, a sophomore, and junior Dexter Pelap each scored 10 points for the Cavaliers. “Three of my top four scorers are sophomores,” said Nelson, who noted Mustamu has drawn interest from some prominent local AAU programs. For Kennedy, the win marked the Cavaliers’ tenth win this season and snapped a three-game losing streak. Kennedy controlled the tempo for much of the game and outscored Quince Orchard in the fourth quar- Friedgen out as Rutgers OC By Brandy L. Simms Senior Sports Writer Former Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen is one and done as the offensive coordinator at Rutgers. Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood announced Tuesday that Friedgen would not return as the Scarlet Knights’ offensive coordinator but would instead transition to the role of special assistant to the head coach. “He’s been very valuable to us over the last year,” said Flood, who guided Rutgers to an 8-5 record last season in its inaugural Big Ten campaign, “and there’s no doubt that he’ll be valuable to the program going forward.” In his lone season as Rutgers offensive coordinator, Friedgen directed an offense that rushed for 340 yards in the Quick Lane Bowl during a 40-21 victory over North Carolina. Friedgen also helped engineer the Scarlet Knights to a 41-38 victory over Maryland in the regular season finale. The win marked the biggest comeback in school history. Behind senior quarterback Gary Nova, Rutgers rallied from a 25point deficit in the second quarter en route to the three-point road win over Maryland. During a Tuesday teleconference, Friedgen said he’s not stepping down for health reasons but instead wanted to enjoy the fruits of his labor and focus on his family including a new grandchild. “I think it’s time for me to smell the roses,” he said, “and what Coach Flood has given me an opportunity to do which I think is very unique is still be in a support role and be able to contribute to Rutgers football, which has been unbelievably good to me, and still be able to do the things that I want to do, and I feel very fortunate that I have that opportunity.” Makosy takes Kennedy job By Brandy L. Simms Senior Sports Writer Former Damascus head football coach Dan Makosy is back in the saddle again. Makosy, who spent last season as Good Counsel’s special teams coordinator, has landed the head coaching job at Kennedy. “I’m very excited about it,” said Makosy. “We’ve got a very supportive administration over there.” Makosy, who replaced Carlos Smith at the helm, becomes Kennedy’s fifth head coach since 2000 and will inherit a program that finished 1-8 last season. Smith compiled a 10-29 record in four seasons including three consecutive 3-7 campaigns. The Silver Spring public school has not made the postseason since Gunnard Twyn- er guided the Cavaliers to back-toback playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007. During a decade-long tenure at Damascus, Makosy became one of the most successful football coaches in Montgomery County history. He compiled a 102-20 record and guided the Swarmin’ Hornets to three Maryland state titles. In 2005, Makosy led Damascus to a 14-0 record including the Maryland 3A state championship and was named The Sentinel Coach of the Year. Amid complaints to school administrators over his personal finances, Makosy was unceremoniously removed from the head coaching position at Damascus and had a brief stint as an assistant at Einstein before landing the head job at Hammond in 2009. ter. “We just continued to play defense and execute on offense and we did our thing tonight,” said Mustamu. Meanwhile, Quince Orchard sophomore Matt Kelly finished with a team-high 14 points including four 3-pointers while Eli Maynard and John Fierstein – two of the Cougars’ leading scorers – combined for just two points in a game that marked Quince Orchard’s third consecutive loss. “There’s the whole story right there isn’t it?” Quince Orchard head coach Paul Foringer said afterward. “And you know what? They weren’t even guarding those kids man-toman.” After opening the regular sea- PHOTO BY DAVID WOLFE Dylan Bikim makes his move for Quince Orchard. son with nine straight wins, the Cougars have shown they are mortal. Quince Orchard seeks to snap their current losing skid and close out the regular season with wins over Watkins Mill, Sherwood and Tuscarora in their final three games before the postseason. Junior College talent converges on Rockville Julian Sadur Sentinel Sports ROCKVILLE – This weekend Maryland’s top eight men’s and women’s junior college basketball teams will converge at Montgomery College’s Rockville campus to compete for the title of Maryland Junior College (MDJUCO) Tournament champions. “It’s exciting anytime you get the schools from the state to come. It should be great basketball and very competitive. There isn’t a vast difference between the one and eight seeds, so I’m looking for four days of great basketball,” said Derek Carr, athletic director for Montgomery College. Montgomery College’s women’s team will be competing this weekend. This is the first year that Montgomery College will host the newly formatted MDJUCO Tournament, which in previous years allowed every team in the conference a shot at getting in by way of play-in games. In the new format, only the top eight teams in the conference standings at the conclusion of the season get to play. “Everybody’s familiar with March madness – this is similar, it’s the conference tournament,” Carr said. “It’s the beginning of that time of year when bragging rights take place.” Tara Owens, athletic director and women’s head coach for Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), said there is a $5 admission charge for each day of the tournament, but fans that come will get to see potential division I talent. Both BCCC men’s and women’s teams will play this weekend. “I coached basketball in the NCAA in division I and division II for 15 years, these are the players that the coaches want,” Owens said. According to Rocco Geppi, athletic operations assistant for Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) Dundalk, which also has both men’s and women’s teams in the tournament, the MDJUCO is a bargain for anyone who enjoys the game of basketball. “I think what you’re going to see, to sum it all up, is a huge amount of athletics, the (division I) studentathletes of tomorrow and the most bang for your buck,” Geppi said. The women’s tournament will start on Thursday at 1 p.m. with No. 1 seed BCCC playing No. 8 seed CCBC Dundalk. The men’s tournament will start Friday at 1 p.m. with No. 3 seed CCBC Dundalk playing No. 6 seed CCBC Catonsville. The semi-final games for both the men’s and women’s tournaments will take place Saturday followed by the championship games on Sunday at 3 p.m. and noon respectively. Fans who want to cheer for their team on social media are being asked to use the hashtag #MDJUCO. The complete tournament schedule and additional information can be found on the Montgomery College athletic department’s website. Men’s Teams and Conference Record No. 1 Frederick Community College (11-3) Player to Watch: #10 Taeshun Huffman, sophomore guard – 16.3 points per game (ppg) No. 2 Garret Community College (11-3) Player to Watch: #24 DeAndre Davis, sophomore forward – 17.8 ppg, 11.5 rebounds per game (rpg) No. 3 CCBC Dundalk (10-4) Player to Watch: #1 Malachy Onwudiegwu, sophomore guard – 16.8 ppg, 1.7 steals per game (spg) No. 4 Baltimore City Community College (10-4) Player to Watch: #0 Brian Kelley, sophomore guard – 10.4 ppg, 5.5 assists per game (asg) No. 5 Howard Community College (9-5) Player to Watch: #3 Ian Vasquez, sophomore guard – 17.2 ppg, 4.2 rbg No. 6 CCBC Catonsville (9-5) Player to Watch: #23 Marcus Knight, freshman guard- 13.8 ppg No. 7 Harford Community College (9-5) Player to Watch: #1 Brandon Spain, sophomore guard - 19.4 ppg, 5.5 ppg, 4.5 ppg No. 8 Cecil Community College (8-6) Player to Watch: #3 Fateem Glenn, freshman guard - 18.8 ppg, 9.9 apg Women’s Teams and Conference Record No. 1 Baltimore City Community College (11-1) Player to Watch: #24 Michelle Wright, sophomore guard -21.1 ppg, 10.3 rbg, 3.9 spg 1.7 blocks per game No. 2 Harford Community College (11-1) Player to Watch: #1 Jazmin Johnson, sophomore guard -21 ppg, 6.4 apg, 3 spg No. 3 Chesapeake Community College (10-2) Player to Watch: #21 Daria Simmons, sophomore guard – 17.2 ppg, 3.5 spg No. 4 Hagerstown (9-3) Player to Watch: #40 Olivia Turner, sophomore forward – 12.4 ppg, 7.2 rbg No. 5 College of Southern Maryland (7-5) Player to Watch: #20 Amber Lewis, freshman forward – 10.5 ppg, 8.3 rbg No. 6 Montgomery College (6-6) Player to Watch: #4 Jerbia Smith, sophomore guard – 19.2 ppg, 7.6 rbg, 4.4 apg, 3.4 spg No. 7 Prince George’s Community College (6-6) Player to Watch: #20 Jaida Jenkins, sophomore forward – 19.7 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 1.6 spg No. 8 CCBC Dundalk (5-7) Player to Watch: #21 Hollie Booker, freshman center – 7.9 ppg, 10.4 rbg Statistics courtesy of MDJUCO.org. FEBRUARY 12, 2015 19 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL SPORTS Seneca Valley rallies to beat Damascus 59-58 By Julian Sadur Sentinel Sports DAMASCUS – First-year Seneca Valley basketball coach Brian Humphrey won plenty of games at Damascus High School both as a coach and a player. Tuesday night the former Hornet coach’s Screamin’ Eagles (11-6, 11-2) rallied from being down eight points with a minute and a half left to give Humphrey his first win at Damascus (8-8, 5-3) as a visitor 59-58. Humphrey, who coached the Hornets junior varsity program for eight years and summer league team for four in addition to playing every one of his four years attending the school, has to thank junior forward Quentin Twyman for Tuesday night’s win. Twyman contributed 13 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, including two stretches where he scored six straight points and five straight points for his team. “It feels great to pull off a win for us and coach,” Twyman said. “We have his back through thick and thin, he’s like our brother and we love him like one of us.” Humphrey said he was almost lost for words by the effort Twyman displayed on the court. “To dig deep like that and really get back-to-back-to-back baskets when we need them, you know I don’t even know what to say, it makes me want to give (Twyman) a big old hug,” Humphrey said. “He’s had the potential all year and he’s really started to come around these last couple games and started to use his body to finish around the basket. He’s great.” The Screamin’ Eagles led briefly in the first quarter 11-10, but Damascus would regain the lead before the quarter’s close and would not relinquish it until the final seconds of the game. After Seneca Valley leading scorer Brandon Simpson scored six points in the first quarter, Damascus took Simpson out of the game offensively with a box-and -one defense, putting a man on Simpson wherever he went. The next two quarters the stifling Damascus defense would hold Simpson scoreless and force the Eagles to settle for jump shots and runners. But despite the Hornets’ efforts to pull away, Seneca Valley closely trailed the Hornets 40-34 heading into the final stanza. The resiliency of the Screamin’ Eagles paid off as missed freethrows would give them a chance late in the fourth quarter to mount their comeback. After Damascus senior guard Matthew Torrence missed one of his two bonus free throw shots, Seneca Valley’s Dejuan Smith rose to the occasion and knocked down a huge triple to bring his team within two with 52 seconds left. Damascus turned over the ball on the next play, giving Twyman the opportunity to tie the game at 57 with 45 seconds to go with a tough bucket in the paint. Damascus again hit only one of its two bonus free throw attempts, opening the court for Simpson to score the game-winner with 6.5 seconds left after getting his own rebound and putting it back up. “We’re two-for-six from the free throw line in the last minute, so you’re not going to win many basketball games that way,” said Damascus coach Butch Marshall. Marshall said he felt proud of his team for battling against a Seneca Valley team bigger and more athletic than his Hornets. The Hornets will have a key divisional game Friday when they host Einstein (9-6, 6-2). Seneca Valley will host division opponent Poolesville (2-14, 0-2) on Friday ut instead we get to play the game.” Carter signs to play with Penn State By Brandy L. Simms Senior Sports Writer Like father, like son. Nearly three and a half decades after former football standout Aaron Carter signed a national letter of intent with East Carolina in 1981, his son Kamonte made his verbal pledge official last week when the Gaithersburg High School senior signed with Penn State on National Signing Day. Aaron Carter said Kamonte’s signing with the Nittany Lions was like déjà vu. “I was recruited and offered by Penn State as well,” said Aaron Carter, a former Gaithersburg defensive end who played for the legendary John H. Harvill. Carter recalled sitting in Harvill’s office 34 years ago and signing his letter of intent as a heavily recruited high school senior. The proud father now toils as Gaithersburg’s defensive coordinator and has watched his son develop into a major college prospect over the past few years. Kamonte Carter, who also received offers from Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Pittsburgh among others, said his father’s influence on his football career has been “ideal.” “He’s been there in every which way,” admitted Kamonte Carter, who plans to play defensive end in college. “In home life. Academic support. On the field, off the field, even car rides home. Whenever we could get a chance to talk about football we talk about football.” Meanwhile, longtime Gaithersburg head coach Kreg Kephart, a Gaithersburg alumnus who also played for Harvill, recalled watching Aaron Carter play in high school. “I remember watching him play against Magruder one Saturday,” said Kephart. “He wasn’t bad. We’ll see if Kamonte can step into those shoes.” During Kamonte’s tenure at Gaithersburg, the 6-foot-4, 257pounder was a two-way standout for the Trojans. He even lined up at quarterback on occasion in addition to his duties on the defensive line. “If Kamonte can fulfill his potential,” said Kephart, “he’ll be very successful at Penn State.” 2015 Montgomery County Football Signees Grant Ibeh, Avalon, Central Connecticut State Garrett Kapstein-O’Brien, Blair, Fairmont State Tuflah Davies, Paint Branch, Fairmont State Martin Tamga, Paint Branch, Saint Anselm Kamonte Carter, Gaithersburg, Penn State Adam McLean, Quince Orchard, Maryland Dorian Jones, Quince Orchard, Gannon PHOTO BY DAVID WOLFE Dejuan Smith expresses his excitement as Seneca Valley wins. Currie signs with Mercury Jonathan Holland, Bullis, Penn State Devonte Williams, Bullis, Indiana Damola Orimolade, Bullis, Marist Andrew Ashley, Good Counsel, Monmouth Darius Fullwood , Good Counsel, Virginia Tech Nick Miller, Good Counsel, Pennsylvania Jared Hardie, Good Counsel, Arizona Roger Richardson, Good Counsel, Robert Morris Myles Robinson, Good Counsel, Virginia Keon Paye, Good Counsel, Towson David Forney, Georgetown Prep, Navy Paul Padalino, Landon, Richmond Kolby Williams, Landon, Richmond Jalen Christian, Damascus, South Carolina Barrington Davis, Clarksburg, Nassau Community College Jimmy DeLuzio, Clarksburg, Massachusetts Maritime Academy Jesse Locke, Churchill, Gannon Neven Sussman, Sherwood, Albany Calvin Bacon, Sherwood, Cheyney Tyler Jones, Sherwood, Notre Dame College (Ohio) Brendan Thompson, Northwest, Millersville Brandon Williams, Northwest, Georgetown Anton Casey, Whitman, Brown By Brandy L. Simms Senior Sports Writer Former Bullis School basketball standout Monique Currie has signed a free agent contract with the Phoenix Mercury. The D.C. native has spent the majority of her professional career with the Washington Mystics but joins a three-time WNBA Champion as she enters her 10th season in the league. “Monique is a proven scorer who is versatile and athletic,” said Mercury General Manager Jim Pitman. “She can handle the ball, create, slash and rebound. Her strength and length also will help us defensively, and we are excited to add her. She has been known throughout her career for athleticism and rebounding, but she can also open up the court for us offensively as she is an excellent passer. Having this veteran presence on our team immediately makes us better.” Currie boasts career averages of 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists over nine WNBA seasons with Washington and Charlotte. Currie was originally selected by the Charlotte Sting with the third overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft out of Duke University and later selected with the first overall pick in the 2007 WNBA Dispersal Draft by the Chicago Sky. She was traded from the Sky to the Mystics during the 2007 campaign. During her high school career at Bullis, Currie helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back Independent School League championships in her junior and senior campaigns. A four-year varsity starter, Currie earned numerous individual accolades during her high school career including being named All-ISL throughout her tenure at the Potomac private school. She was also named Parade second team AllAmerican, Nike All-American and earned the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year honor during her senior campaign. Your community. Our world. The Prince George’s Sentinel www.thesentinel.com 20 THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL FEBRUARY 12, 2015