Monday, April 6, 2009

County Executive's Tenants Work Group is having a series of public meetings

We want to hear from renters in Montgomery County!

The County Executive’s Tenants Work Group is having a series of public meetings to hear from residents who live in rental housing. This information will help inform their final report to the County Executive. Please come and share your experiences, concerns and ideas!

Thursday, April 23, 2009
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Upcounty Regional Center
12900 Middlebrook Rd
Germantown, MD 20874

Tuesday, May 5, 2009
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Long Branch Community Center
8700 Piney Branch Road
Silver Spring, MD 20901

For additional information or special accommodations, (including language translation)
call Megan Moriarty, 240-247-0283 or visit: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/Content/EXEC/TWG/home.asp

Friday, April 3, 2009

Silver Spring Blues Festival Set for Saturday, May 9, 2009 in Downtown Silver Spring

For Immediate Release Contact: Alan Bowser, 301-608-3932

SILVER SPRING BLUES FESTIVAL SET FOR SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2009

Silver Spring, MD. April 3, 2009. The first Annual Silver Spring Blues Festival at Downtown Silver Spring will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2009. The festival will be held, 2 pm to 6 pm, on Ellsworth Drive between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street.

The one-day event will feature local and regional blues stars playing acoustic and electric blues. Among the festival activities will be crafts, face painting, magicians, clowns, and a musical petting zoo.

Silver Spring acoustic blues star, Jonny Grave, will perform on the stage near the Silver Fountain on Ellsworth Drive.

The exciting electric blues line up includes the DC Blues Society Blues Band, and the winner of the 2009 Battle of the Bands competition at the Surf Club, and a very special guest headliner.

The Silver Spring Town Center, Inc. is a Silver Spring nonprofit organization which was established to provide exciting arts, entertainment and humanities programming for the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza to be completed in 2010.

The Silver Spring Blues Festival at Downtown Silver Spring is sponsored by the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., in partnership with the DC Blues Society, Montgomery College, Three Keys Music and the Peterson Cos.

For more information, visit www.silverspringblues.com

Visit the event partners online at
www.montgomerycollege.edu, www.threekeys.com, www.dcblues.org, www.downtownsilverspring.com and www.silverspringtowncenter.com

Silver Spring Swings Summer Concert Series 2009

Montgomery County has announced its Silver Spring Swings Summer Concert Series 2009

Thursdays 7-9pm Silver Plaza @ the "fountain."

June 18 Jennifer Cutting & Ocean Orchestra -- folk-rock, Celtic

June 25 Second Wind -- rock& roll covers

July 2 The Fabulous Bel Airs – oldies-50s & 60s

July 9 The David Bach Consort – world jazz

July 16 The Knockout Kings vs. Bruce Ewan – blues from Spain

July 23 Eliot Levine – r&b, funk

July 30 Eddie Becker Band– rock, soul, R&B

August 6 Verny Varela – salsa

www.silverspringdowntown.com for more information.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Substation closure won't affect service, police say - Gazette

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Budget cuts threaten Third District's Long Branch post

by Jason Tomassini | Staff Writer

The potential closure of a substation in Long Branch would not affect Montgomery County Police officers' ability to patrol the area, police officials said, but residents and business owners say losing the building could alter the community's feeling of safety.

Pending the County Council's approval of County Executive Isiah Leggett's fiscal 2010 budget, the Third District Police substation at Piney Branch Road and Flower Avenue could close because of county police budget cuts, said Capt. Donald M. Johnson, Third District commander. Johnson said no officers would be lost, and no MCPD staff is stationed full time in the substation.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04012009/silvnew184741_32470.shtml

Pedestrian improvements to Second Avenue unveiled - Gazette

April 1, 2009

Seniors say they can more safely cross Silver Spring street

by Jason Tomassini | Staff Writer

Some of the 14 improvements made to Second Avenue include relocated bus stops, wider crosswalks and sidewalks and an audible crossing signal for blind pedestrians at Second and Fenwick that announces when it is OK to cross.

The improvements are paid for in part by Leggett's Pedestrian Safety Initiative that launched last year. Leggett allocated a $4 million increase for pedestrian safety in this year's proposed budget.

"There are too many deaths, too many people are dying," Leggett said of the increased focus on pedestrian safety. The county averaged 14 pedestrian deaths per year between 2003 and 2006, and 17 in 2007.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04012009/silvnew115205_32487.shtml

Residents raise concerns about WSSC repairs - Gazette

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Community says construction makes Takoma Park street hazardous

by Jeremy Arias | Staff Writer

Residents took turns blasting WSSC officials Thursday night in Takoma Park, calling the utility arrogant and citing its failure to control its independent contractors, leading to badly repaved streets that make driving in the city a hazardous experience.

The forum, held at the request of Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park, was intended to give residents the chance to voice concerns regarding the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission's level of service in its ongoing effort to repair and replace the city's outdated water pipes.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04012009/silvnew184743_32471.shtml

Gangs, budget hot topics at candidate forum - Gazette

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

District 4 hopefuls address residents' questions, concerns

by Amber Parcher | Staff Writer

Combating a perceived rising gang problem and balancing an education-heavy budget were two of the hottest topics at one of the first forums for candidates vying for the District 4 County Council seat.

About 35 residents attended the forum, which took place Tuesday night at Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, writing questions on note cards for the nine out of 10 candidates who were present.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04012009/silvnew184746_32473.shtml

Residents do their part to battle crime with neighborhood watch programs - Gazette

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

by Jason Tomassini | Staff Writer

It's 10 p.m. on a Thursday, and Silver Spring resident Dave Evans is where he usually is at this time: driving around his neighborhood in his enormous black Hummer H3.

In the back seat is a black bag with night-vision goggles, pepper spray and a stun gun. A police scanner is in the front seat, with a remote control to operate two spotlights: one mounted on the car, and another that watches over the basketball courts in the middle of the neighborhood.

Evans puts in about 30 hours a month on neighborhood patrol and rarely needs to use all his gear. Regardless, Evans knows his 820-residence Tanglewood community is safer because of one of the most intense Neighborhood Watch programs in Montgomery County.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04012009/silvnew184750_32474.shtml

Revenue Authority will keep golf course lease until Oct. 1 - Gazette

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

County to determine best use of the facility after that date

by Jason Tomassini | Staff Writer

The Montgomery County Council passed a lease amendment Tuesday to require the county Revenue Authority to operate Sligo Creek Golf Course until Oct. 1 before terminating its lease because the course was ruled a drain on the county golf system's finances.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04012009/silvnew184751_32476.shtml

Two-thirds of Falkland Chase to be designated as historic - Gazette

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Developer can build high-rise on one portion of the property

by Jason Tomassini | Staff Writer

The owner of the Falkland Chase apartments in Silver Spring can proceed with redevelopment plans after the Montgomery County Council unanimously voted Tuesday to only designate two-thirds of the property as historic.

Vienna, Va.-based developer Home Properties will demolish 182 rental units on the north parcel of Falkland Chase and build about 1,000 high-rise apartments at the corner of 16th Street and East West Highway. The south and west parcels, which contain about 270 garden-style apartments, will be added to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation, which requires owners of listed properties to obtain additional work permits for new construction.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04012009/silvnew184751_32477.shtml