Hurricanes Out, Blizzards In

Stick a fork in this year's hurricane season. It's done.

Weather gurus at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration officially called it off this week, after only nine named storms. Their original predictions called for at least 13 named storms this season.

"The development of El Nino conditions by September helps explain why this Atlantic hurricane season was less active than predicted," Gerry Bell, NOAA's weather guy in charge of hurricanes, tells NOAA News Online. Bell works at NOAA's headquarters on East-West Highway in Silver Spring.

NOAA explains the relatively quiet season like this:

El Nino, combined with the large-scale weather patterns over the southeastern U.S., produced sinking air in the middle and upper atmosphere, along with higher than anticipated wind shear (the change in winds through the atmosphere) over the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. These conditions minimized thunderstorm activity, which inhibited tropical storm and hurricane formation.

Whatever.

"We dodged a bullet this year," Dennis Feltgen, another NOAA meteorologist, tells the Haddiesburg (Miss.) American. "People should use the off season to prepare for next year."

In the meantime, NOAA is monitoring that freakin' mess that unloaded tons of snow in the Pacific Northwest, Rockies and the Midwest. The beast hits Silver Spring on Friday with heavy rain and high wind, NOAA predicts.

Props to NOAA for the satellite photo of Hurricane Ernesto.

"Return of El Nino Yields Near Normal 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season" (NOAA News Online)
"Hurricane Season Ends With Sigh of Relief" (Haddiesburg American)
"New Storm Brings Snow and Rain to Western States" (ABC 7 News)

Like Karaoke, With Civics

Ike Leggett wants to feel your pain. Or at least hear about it.

At Tuesday's open-mic night in Chevy Chase, the county exec-elect listened to gripes ranging from undocumented aliens to traffic to education. For Silver Spring residents attending the town-hall meeting, the big issues were the Purple Line, pedestrian safety and rent control.

"When they talk about affordable housing, I hope that includes rentals," said one Silver Springer who did not give her name. According to the woman, rents had increased by at least 10% despite the county's recommended increase of 4%.

"We pay taxes. We feel betrayal," she added.

MoCo has no rent-control regulations, though the housing department does issue annual voluntary guidelines for rent increases. The recommended increase for 2006 was 4.4%. Actual increases averaged 4.9% in Silver Spring and Takoma Park, according to a county report.

Leggett acknowledged the loss of affordable rentals, which he attributed to condo conversions. "You increase [availability] by maintaining what you already have," he said.

Pedestrian safety was an issue, particularly for those living around the Forest Glen Metro station. A pedestrian bridge over Beltway access ramps opened earlier this year, linking the Forest Glen Metro station with the Montgomery Hills business district along Georgia Avenue. A pedestrian tunnel beneath Georgia Avenue also is in the works.

Walking can be hazardous even along Ellsworth Drive, said Silver Spring mom Sandra Markhardt. She worried that any accident along that privately owned road might create a negative image for all of downtown Silver Spring.

The biggest item--for residents of Silver Spring and beyond--was the Purple Line. Denise Cohen, a Silver Springer who "lives above the CSX [railroad] tracks," voiced her support for development of the light-rail line.

Nancy Nickell disagreed. "In East Silver Spring, homes are threatened by the Purple Line," she told Leggett. Instead, Nickell recommended improvements in Ride-On bus service and taxi service.

Leggett reminded the audience that the Purple Line is in the county's master plan. However, he offered to "exhaust every means necessary" to build it as a subterranean line. Leggett also warned that the line was not a panacea for the area's traffic problems.

"If you believe that the Purple Line standing by itself will do this, then we're not fully addressing the problem," he said. "We can't build our way out of this."

Thanks to MoCo's planning board for the graphic and this dude for the penguin pic.

Leggett: Development Needs an Enema

MoCo's exec-elect hopes to rework the county's growth policy and break up that warm, fuzzy relationship between developers and the planning commission, the Washington Post writes.

Ike Leggett (right), who won the exec job on a platform of slower growth, says new-home construction may need to chill while infrastructure catches up. He and other incoming pols also say the development-approval process must be more transparent.

"Confidence and respect for the system need to be restored," Leggett tells the Post.

The county's new approach responds to critics who accuse fat-cat developers of getting around regulations. In one instance, a developer of 23 townhomes in Woodside got the planning board to waive requirements for moderately priced units, reducing the number from four to one, the Post writes.

"There really is a network of players in this county who know how to gain advantages and have access and results that are not available to the average citizen," says eastern MoCo activist Stuart Rochester.

Royce Hanson, chairman of the planning board, is hosing down the board's ethics policy, the Post reports. Hanson also may ask the county council for more time to review proposed development and less time blown on the council's pet projects.

Photo courtesy of the Washington Post.

"Developers Face a Chillier Montgomery" (Washington Post)

Next Stop, Sarbanes Center

Correction: The Washington Post credits US Sen. Paul Sarbanes with scoring $24 million in fed funds for the transit center project. However, a MoCo press release gives props to Sarbanes, US Sen. Barbara Mikulski, US Reps. Albert Wynn and Chris Van Hollen for bagging a total $54 million in fed funds. Either way, it's a lot of cash. (Nov. 28, 2006)

Local pols break ground today on Silver Spring's new transit hub (above), which they'll name after the dude who scored mad federal money for the project.

County exec Doug Duncan will officially tag the Silver Spring Transit Center for retiring US Sen. Paul Sarbanes (below), the Washington Post reports. Sarbanes is credited with bagging $24 million from the feds for the transit center.

"It is fitting to acknowledge his devotion and dedication to the residents of Montgomery County," write Duncan and county council prez George Leventhal in a letter to Metro bigwigs.

The $75 million hub puts Metro's red line, MARC trains and buses galore under one roof on Colesville Road. The joint also has wiggle room for whatever form the purple line takes, the state transit authority said recently.

On top of the transit center, developer Foulger-Pratt plans to construct two apartment buildings and a 200-room hotel, The Gazette reports. Whether the 420 residential units are condos or rentals will depend on the housing market, says Bryant Foulger, the developer's first half.

The transit center is slated for completion in 2009. The hotel and apartment project goes before the county planning board in January.

Thanks to the Washington Post and Sen. Sarbanes for the pics.

"In Transit, a Name for Silver Spring Hub" (Washington Post)
"Foulger-Pratt to Develop Portion of Transit Center" (The Gazette)
"Color Me Purple: Roller Coaster of Love" (The Daily Penguin)

The Early Bird

Time to move beyond the turkey leftovers and Terp loss. Here's this week in Silver Spring:

Tuesday: County exec-elect Ike Leggett (above) yucks it up at the first of three town-hall meetings. The gig starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Leland Community Center (4301 Willow Ln, Chevy Chase). Two more gigs go down later this week in Olney and Germantown.

Wednesday: MoCo's board of ed holds a forum on how to improve academic achievement in middle schoolers, particularly among black and Hispanic students. The forum starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Silver Spring International School (313 Wayne Ave).

Props to MoCo for the photo.

This Weekend

Burn off those Thanksgiving calories with a walking tour of the National Park Seminary. Members of the nonprofit Save Our Seminary guide visitors through the area, past the rehabbed pagoda (above) and other historic buildings. It's an active construction site, so wear sturdy shoes. The tour starts at 1:00 p.m. at the Linden Lane entrance. A $5 donation per person is appreciated.

Photo courtesy of Save Our Seminary.

Forget Something?

Don't sweat it. A couple of local supermarkets are open today for your last-minute shopping needs.

Giant Foods (1280 East-West Hwy) closes at 6:00 p.m.

Safeway (909 Thayer Ave) quits at 4:00 p.m.

Whole Foods Market (833 Wayne Ave) calls it a day at 3:00 p.m.

Snider's Super Foods (1936 Seminary Rd) is closed all day, so don't bother.

Now go out there and score some pie!

Image courtesy of the Australian Broadcasting Company.

Alleys in the Works for South Silver Spring

Pedestrian paths that slice through south Silver Spring should be ready for use by next summer, The Gazette reports.

The paths are designed to break up large industrial blocks in that neighborhood (above), the weekly paper writes.

The 400-foot-long Arts Alley at Blair Mill Road, completed in 2005, already provides pedestrian access to Georgia Avenue from East-West Highway. It is the first of eight proposed walkways through south Silver Spring, The Gazette writes.

A walkway between Kennett Street and East-West Highway is under construction, and another pathway would link Kennett and Eastern Avenue, Pat Shepherd, project manager for the county's department of housing and community affairs, tells The Gazette.

"There are more pedestrians, and though it was once an industrial neighborhood, it is now an urban neighborhood," Shepherd says.

The county also plans to post signs that would direct pedestrians through the walkways. Some private developers have already posted some signs, The Gazette says.

Image courtesy of MoCo's department of housing and community affairs.

"County Moves Ahead With Walkways to Connect South Silver Spring" (The Gazette)
"South Silver Spring Pedestrian Linkages" (Montgomery County)

Grade Schools May Be Restructured

The county's board of education is expected to approve a plan to shuffle the deck at Silver Spring elementary schools, The Gazette writes.

The proposal is meant to relieve overcrowding at Sligo Creek Elementary School, the board says. That school has 647 kids, according to the website Great Schools.

In the proposed plan, East Silver Spring Elementary School would be restructured to accommodate students from pre-kindergarten to the fifth grade. Currently, East Silver Spring holds classes for 358 kids in pre-K through the second grade, says Great Schools.

Some of the 510 kids who go to Takoma Park's Piney Branch Elementary School then would be reassigned to East Silver Spring, which would make room for some Sligo Creek kids to attend Piney Branch.

The changes, if approved, would take effect in the 2009 school year. The plan would also tack on $12 million to the board of ed's capital improvement budget, the board says.

Photo courtesy of DCPages.com.

"School Board Votes on Construction Plan" (The Gazette)

Ballet Co. Brings in Da Noise, Da Funk

Happy feet of the human kind will be shuffling over Ellsworth Drive early next year.

The Maryland Youth Ballet (right), known for its holiday performances of "The Nutcracker," is opening a studio in downtown Silver Spring, the dance company announced recently. The studio--a second-floor space above furniture retailer Bombay Company--is scheduled to open in January.

"The renaissance of downtown Silver Spring ... is well underway," proclaimed Mel Tull, administrator of Silver Spring's arts and entertainment district.

The custom-built studio will overlook the Ellsworth Drive fountain and will be the dance company's fifth studio in the Washington area. The space is designed to hold classes for children and adults, and can accommodate students with disabilities, the dance company said in a press release.

Thanks to the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts for the photo.

The Early Bird

Here's what's cooking in Silver Spring this week:

Monday: The Silver Spring Neighborhood Committee meets to discuss housing, development, education and other quality-of-life issues. The party starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Silver Spring Regional Center (8435 Georgia Ave).

Thursday: The county observes Thanksgiving. County offices--courts, libraries, even liquor stores--are closed. Metro buses and rail, as well as Ride-On buses, run on Sunday schedules. At least metered parking is free.

Friday: Sunrise shoppers can score deep discounts and a fierce case of mall buzz on the busiest shopping day of the year (above). It's like the PlayStation 3 carnival all over again, this time with less dejection.

Photo courtesy of Meister Planet.

This Weekend

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!

Tomorrow, penguins take to the streets in the county's ninth annual Thanksgiving Day parade (right). The party rolls north on Georgia Avenue from Sligo Avenue, hangs a right on Ellsworth Drive, blows through Downtown Silver Spring and past the Turf, and then calls it quits at Cedar Lane. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m.

Beware of related road closures on Saturday, starting at 7:00 a.m. and running to 1:00 p.m.

Not into clowns or balloons? Hit the ninth biennial Pyramid Atlantic Book Arts Fair instead. The event starts today with an art project that invites public participation. The project drops at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (8230 Georgia Ave) from noon to 4:00 p.m.

The rest of the book fair, which includes exhibits and lectures, goes down at the NOAA Auditorium and Science Center (1301 East-West Hwy) on Saturday and Sunday. Admission to all events will run you $65 ($35 if you're packing student or senior ID). Or skip the lectures and check out just the exhibits for $15 ($10 for students/seniors).

Thanks to The Gazette for the photo.

Middle School Kid Missing

Unconfirmed: Aaron Michael Horton was reunited with his family on Friday after being found at the Tropical Lagoon Aquarium on Georgia Avenue. (Nov. 18, 2006)

Police are looking for an 11-year-old Silver Spring boy who has been missing since Wednesday afternoon, NBC 4 News reports.

Aaron Michael Horton (above) was last seen getting off the school bus on the east side of 16th Street between Colesville Road and East-West Highway, near the Falkland Chase apartments. Horton never made it home to his apartment at The Blairs.

Horton is black, about 4 feet tall and weighs 70 pounds. He was wearing a red knit hat, red turtleneck, red jacket and khaki pants. His family said that he likes to visit the Tropical Lagoon Aquarium on Georgia Avenue near Seminary Place.

The police said that Horton misbehaved at school on Wednesday and might not have wanted to face his family with the news. His family, however, said it was weird that Horton hadn't called anyone yet, because he didn't usually go places on his own.

Fliers featuring Horton's photo and description were posted throughout The Blairs on Thursday night. Anyone with information about this case should call the cops at (301) 279-8000 or (240) 773-5400.

New House Majority Leader Gets Nod From Van Hollen

US Rep. Steny Hoyer (above, right) was elected House majority leader today, with props from downtown Silver Spring's guy on the Hill, Rep. Chris Van Hollen.

Hoyer, a 25-year rep from southern Prince George's County, won the vote among House Dems by a margin of 149 to 86, the Washington Post reports. Van Hollen, who covers the 8th district, had Hoyer's back the whole time.

"I'm fully supporting Hoyer," Van Hollen (left) told The Gazette.

Hoyer's ascension upset Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi's choice, Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania. Several media outlets are calling Murtha's defeat Pelosi's loss.

The Post speculates that Pelosi (above, left), who represents the San Francisco area, pushed aggressively for Murtha because of bad blood between her and Hoyer. Pelosi, a Maryland native, and Hoyer both rose through the ranks of the Hill while working for then-Sen. Daniel Brewster.

Pics courtesy of the Washington Post and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

"Hoyer Challenged in Bid for Majority Leader" (The Gazette)
"Democrats Elect Hoyer as New Majority Leader" (Washington Post)

Power Outage Stalls Red Line

Metro's Red Line was a mess early this morning after a power outage wiped out service near Dupont Circle.

The transit authority says that the juice cut out between the Dupont Circle and Woodley Park stations at 5:53 a.m. Passengers on a six-car train stuck between the two stations were evacuated.

Meanwhile, commuters in the District were forced to squeeze into buses to avoid the mess. Riders at the Silver Spring station also experienced delays in train service.

Power was restored to the stations around 7:30 a.m., but delays lingered. The cause of the outage has not been determined.

Photo courtesy of Ambivalent Images.

"Power Restored on Red Line" (WMATA)

Bridge Calls for Backup

The Forest Glen pedestrian bridge (left) along Georgia Avenue is getting beefed-up security after two recent robberies there, The Gazette reports.

Improved lighting and video surveillance might do the trick, as well as a deterrence "through environmental design," Silver Spring's top cop said at a citizens advisory board meeting on Monday.

"I want people to be able to use the bridge," said Betsy Davis, commander of the county PD's third district. Davis added that women in particular might not dig the new $7.7 million bridge, which connects Montgomery Hills with the Forest Glen Metro station.

"It's cause for some concern," she said.

Busted lights on the bridge could use some fixing, and security cameras could be installed, Davis suggested. The camera feed wouldn't be monitored 24-7, but the video could be reviewed if needed, she said.

Marilyn Seitz, an advisory board member, also suggested using email to let area residents know when a crime has gone down, The Gazette writes.

Last week, two people were robbed on the quarter-mile bridge in broad daylight. In both cases, the suspect hightailed it toward the Forest Glen Metro station. No one has been charged with the crimes.

Mad props go out to the photojournalists at Montgomery Blair High School.

"Police to Target Forest Glen Bridge for Added Patrols" (The Gazette)

Color Me Purple: Rollercoaster of Love

Proposed Purple Line routes could take the project up, down and sideways through Silver Spring, according to a project update presented Thursday.

The line could run at street level (above), burrow through a tunnel or even coast up a 23-foot-high ramp. Its exact altitude would depend on the amount of money thrown at the project, said Mike Madden, a spokesperson for the state transit administration.

At the cheap end, the line would run at street level from Bethesda to New Carrollton. Bus rapid transit would cruise on either shared or dedicated lanes through Lyttonsville, Woodside, the proposed Silver Spring Transit Center and East Silver Spring.

One downer to this option would be the elimination of traffic lanes, particularly in East Silver Spring. Routes that use Sligo Avenue or Fenton Street would reduce the flow of auto traffic down to as little as one lane, Madden told the planning board. No definitive route through East Silver Spring was named.

At its priciest, the Purple Line would cruise through a tunnel under part of Lyttonsville and resurface just west of 16th Street in Woodside. Approaching the Silver Spring Transit Center, the light rail would ride an aerial structure built above the existing Metro line. It would tunnel again through East Silver Spring until it reaches University Boulevard in Takoma Park.

However, the high sticker price may be a turnoff for the new administration in Annapolis, said Allison Bryant, commissioner with the planning board.

"We will be briefing the new administration as soon as they come in. [Governor-elect Martin O'Malley] said he is committed to building the Purple Line," Madden responded.

Once again, major props go out to RailPictures.net for the photo.

Bonifant Street Gets the Boot

The west end of Bonifant Street has been abandoned, writes The Gazette.

Like an extra toe or vestigial tail, the dead-end road was snipped last week, discarded by the planning board so that developers can build the Silver Spring Transit Center (above) on top of it next year.

The 5.7-acre transit center hooks up Metro and MARC rails to bus service, pedestrian and bike trails, and the proposed Purple Line, writes the Gazette. Bonifant Street will be used to build part of a bus circulation area.

The $75 million development will have three tiers: buses get the first and second tiers, Kiss and Ride gets the top bunk.

Thanks to the Silver Spring Scene for the image.

"Plans for $75M Transit Center Claim Part of Bonifant Street" (The Gazette)

Color Me Purple: All About the Green

County planning commissioners would like to build the Purple Line in stages, but the project may not be eligible for the installment plan, said one guy from the state transit administration.

Requests for federal funding would require approval of all 14 miles of the bi-county light-rail line, said Mike Madden, spokesperson for the transit administration. Madden spoke at Thursday's planning board meeting in Silver Spring.

The Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program cuts checks for various projects, doling out $1.7 billion annually. However, Madden warned, "This project would have to compete with other projects around the country."

To make the Purple Line more competitive, the state must demonstrate its ability to cover initial costs as well as maintenance, Madden said. The best way to do that, he suggested, is to shoulder 50% of the project's total cost.

Underground rail service, similar to existing Metro lines, could cost $1.6 billion for the route between Bethesda and Silver Spring alone, Madden estimated.

Royce Hanson, chairperson of the planning commission, worried that an all-or-nothing request to fund the entire Purple Line route may not pass federal muster. "Either segments would be delayed, or not even built," he said.

State funds for Purple Line development total $30.8 million through 2008, the Washington Post reported recently. Contrary to previous statements from the transit administration, Madden acknowledged that state funds have not been allotted for the Purple Line after 2008.

Thanks again to RailPictures.net for the photo.

Not the Same Dive Bar

The chef who rewrote the Quarry House's menu is ditching town, leaving the pub's Bonifant Street kitchen in anarchy, the Washington City Paper reports.

Toure Stoney, who introduced barflies to organic, hormone-free hamburgers, has returned home to California for "personal reasons," Quarry House management says. Cooks from Jackie's, the tavern's sister restaurant on Georgia Avenue, are pulling double duty to keep both kitchens going.

So far, the chef swap isn't exactly working, says the City Paper's Tim Carman. The bacon-cheddar burgers are overcooked, he writes, and the chipotle burrito is "a tortilla log of black beans, cheese and zipless chicken."

Even the side orders aren't immune from disaster.

"The Old Bay tater tots came with the seasoning served in a little plastic cup on the side, not incorporated into the cylinders," Carman writes. "Most puzzling."

Thanks to Silver Spring Singular for the lead, and to Hunt Emerson for the art.

"News Bites" (Washington City Paper)

Old Dog Learns New Tricks

Greyhound is pimping its rides and tricking out its bus stations, including one in Silver Spring, the company announced.

The favored fleet of spring breakers now rolls with movable armrests, automatic footrests and magazine straps. Greyhound also says the buses are cleaner, inside and out. Nearly 75% of the pimped-out fleet is already on the road.

Stations, like the one on Fenton Street, will have plasma screen televisions, renovated bathrooms and new food service. Personnel in fine new threads will greet passengers at the station door to answer any questions, the company said.

Greyhound buses have made headlines recently in two unrelated incidents. Last week in Utah, one passenger jacked an Arizona-bound bus as it tore down a highway at 65 m.p.h. The bus crashed into a cable barrier, but no one was injured. The bus jacker was later busted by the cops.

Also last week, an Ohio family filed a lawsuit against Greyhound for a high-speed stink bomb detonated two years ago. The suit claims that a Greyhound bus dumped its sewage tank as the family drove its SUV--with the sunroof wide open--behind it.

Thanks to Greyhound Pets, Inc. for the image.

"Greyhound Improves Customer Travel Experience in the Northeast and California/Southwest" (Press Release)
"Greyhound Bus Passenger Forces Dangerous Detour" (Salt Lake Tribune)
"Family Suing Greyhound After Flying Fecal Matter Covers SUV on I-75" (WSFA-TV Montgomery, Ala.)

Color Me Purple: The Palette

Designs for the Purple Line are a toss-up, and the final decision may be based on cost.

On Thursday, Mike Madden, a spokesperson for the state transit administration, told the county planning board that several options exist for the light-rail line. The proposed line would connect Bethesda and New Carrollton, with stations in Lyttonsville, Woodside and at the Silver Spring transit center.

The most expensive option is a high-investment transit mode that would put light-rail trains (like those in Baltimore, above) on either elevated tracks or in tunnels. A cheaper alternative would build the route at street level in either dedicated or shared traffic lanes. The least expensive option abandons light rail and invests in existing bus service, Madden said.

Underground rail service, similar to existing Metro lines, could cost $1.6 billion for the route between Bethesda and Silver Spring alone, Madden predicted. The federal government offers a maximum $1.7 billion in grants for eligible transit projects.

"That's too costly," Madden told the planning board. "We're looking at more affordable options."

Thanks to RailPictures.net for the photo.

Controversy at Local School ... Again

Mongtomery Blair High School is catching heat for distributing fliers from a group that works "to raise awareness of alternatives to living a homosexual life."

The fliers--printed by the group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays--were handed out to students last week during homeroom, NBC 4 News reports. Details of the flier's content are not given.

"If you have unwanted same-sex attraction, . . . then there are alternatives," Regina Griggs, the group's spokesperson, tells NBC 4 News. "Homosexual feelings can be overcome."

Avi Edelman, president of the school's Gay-Straight Student Alliance, tells NBC 4 News the fliers are a crock. "The message that they show on that flier is very different (from) what the organization actually stands for," Edelman says.

Last year, a US District Court ruled that Montgomery County could not stop the group from distributing literature in public schools. The group says it will continue to hand out fliers at area schools, NBC 4 News writes.

In October, Montgomery Blair High School students raised a ruckus when they were forced to wear color-coded ID badges.

Image courtesy of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays.

"Flier About 'Ex-Gays' Ignites Firestorm at School" (NBC 4 News)
"School Colors" (Washington Post)

The Early Bird

It's just another emo Monday. Here comes this week in Silver Spring:

Starting today: Montgomery College's Silver Spring/Takoma Park campus hosts a variety of programs for International Student Week. Events run through Wednesday.

Tonight: Silver Spring's Citizens Advisory Board meets to yak about commercial development, transportation, pedestrian safety and neighborhood concerns. The party goes down at the AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd) starting at 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday: Aspiring pundits can discuss the election's impact on women at a forum sponsored by Montgomery Women. The expert panel includes Bruce DePuyt, that poor bastard who moderated a raucous debate between then-Senate candidates Ben Cardin, Michael Steele and Kevin Zeese. Citizen punditry is free and starts at 7:30 p.m. at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center (8230 Georgia Ave).

Wednesday: The National Institutes of Health sponsor a free screening of "Jumping Off Bridges" (above) at the AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd). After the show, mental health experts discuss the film's themes and take questions. The joint drops at 7:00 p.m.

Friday: The county's department of environmental protection hosts two one-hour workshops on how to save money and energy when heating their homes. Workshops begin at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center (2450 Lyttonsville Rd). Each attendee scores an energy-efficient light bulb.

Thanks to Mike Slack for the photo.

This Weekend

Nothing says "weekend" like politics and tap dancing.

On Saturday, Mayorga Coffee Roasters (8040 Georgia Ave) hosts a community forum with Councilwoman-elect Valerie Ervin (left). The shin dig runs from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and costs $40 per person ($20 if you're packing college ID).

Also on Saturday, the dance troupe Tappers With Attitude tears it up at Los Arrieros (7926 Georgia Ave) on Saturday from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The performance is free, but the dinner on your plate will cost you.

Photo courtesy of ValerieErvin.org.

A Mall By Any Other Name

Ever shop at the Silver Plaza mall on Colesville and Fenton? You just might get the chance, if web surfers have their way.

According to an unofficial poll conducted by Silver Spring Singular, 37% of participants want to change the name of City Place mall to Silver Plaza. A new identity might invigorate foot traffic through the mall, the blog's moderator suggests.

"City Place rhymes with 'shitty place.' Enough said," writes the moderator, who uses the pseudonym Sligo.

One hundred and five visitors chose among ten names, including The Shoppes at the Turf, MoCrap for MoCo and Hecht's Center. The second most popular name was Bling in the Spring, which caught a distant 13% of the vote.

The name Silver Plaza is already used by downtown Silver Spring's fountain plaza on Ellsworth Drive, though Sligo is undeterred.

"They should surrender the name to the mall for the good of the neighborhood," Sligo writes. "It's not like anyone calls that area by that name, anyway."

Congrats to Silver Spring Singular on a fun survey. And thanks for the pic.

"The Results Are In!" (Silver Spring Singular)

H is for Hookey, B is for Busted

The public library is home to bookworms, librarians and now juvenile delinquents, The Gazette writes. And one school principal ain't having it.

The Gazette says one student from Oak View Elementary School ducked classes with a middle schooler and spent the day at the Long Branch library on Garland Avenue. Principal Peggy Salazar claims that librarians knew the kids were there but did not phone the school. It's not clear when the incident occurred.

Children are allowed to stay in the library as long as they behave, Parker Hamilton, director of the county's libraries, tells The Gazette. The policy has since been reviewed and may change, Hamilton says.

Salazar figures that the current policy is geared towards home-schooled kids, who may be dropped off at the library during the day. Hamilton says that it does happen occassionally.

Freakin' cool image from Good Girl Art.

"Truancy Sparks Library System to Review School-Hour Policy" (The Gazette)

New Boss Gets Down to Business

Ike Leggett, who won Tuesday's race for county executive, said he will hold three town-hall meetings before he takes office this December.

"I want to hear--straight from the people who pay the bills--what county government is doing right, and what we ought to change," the 61-year-old Democrat (right) told reporters from his transition offices in the old Rockville library.

The meetings will be held at the Leland Community Center, Chevy Chase, on November 28; Olney Elementary School, Olney, on November 29; and the Black Rock Center for the Arts, Germantown, on November 30. All of the meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m.

"We are going to keep what's working, fix what's not and make sure everybody gets a seat at the table when decisions are made," Leggett said.

Leggett served 16 years on the county council and is the first black American elected to county executive. His term officially begins on December 4.

Photo courtesy of ValerieErvin.org.

"County Exec-Elect Ike Leggett Thanks Supporters, Lays Extensive Plans for November Transition" (Montgomery County News Release)

The Final Score (Finally)

Stick a fork in this year's midterm election--it's done. According to several sources, the winners are:

US Congress

Senate: Ben Cardin (above) (54%), Michael Steele (44%), Kevin Zeese (2%)--Steele conceded to Cardin at a press conference this afternoon.

House of Representatives (District 8): Chris Van Hollen (77%), Jeffrey Stein (21%), Gerard Giblin (1%)

Maryland

Governor: Martin O'Malley (above) (53%), Robert Ehrlich (46%)--Ehrlich waved the white flag earlier today, saying that the absentee vote would not carry him over the finish line.

Comptroller: Peter Franchot (59%), Anne McCarthy (41%), Bob Auerbach (0%)

Attorney General: Doug Gansler (61%), Scott Rolle (39%)

State House of Delegates (District 20): Sheila Hixson (32%), Heather Mizeur (31%), Tom Hucker (30%), John Wrightson (6%)

State Senate (District 20): Jamie Raskin (ran unopposed)

Montgomery County

County Executive: Ike Leggett (above) (68%), Chuck Floyd (22%), Robin Ficker (10%)

County Council (District 5): Valerie Ervin (82%), Dennis Walsh (18%)

County Council (At Large): Nancy Floreen (18%), George Leventhal (18%), Mark Elrich (18%), Duchy Trachtenburg (17%), Steve Abrams (9%), Other (20%)

Photos courtesy of the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post.

"Cardin Wins Maryland's Open US Senate Seat" (News Channel 8)
"Local Elections 2006" (Washington Post)
"Ehrlich Concedes Governor's Race" (Baltimore Sun)

Results of That Other Stuff on the Ballot

In addition to deciding the fate of the county, state and nation, voters in Silver Spring put their two cents in on a handful of ballot initiatives. The Washington Post score card says voters gave a thumbs up to the following:

• An amendment to the county charter that specifies council membership as a full-time gig with full-time salaries.
• Another charter amendment that clarifies when the council must pass along legislation to the executive, and when the boss must act on it.
• An amendment to the state constitution that prohibits the transfer of state-owned parkland without approval from the general assembly.
• A state constitutional amendment allowing decisions from an in banc circuit court to go to the court of special appeals. Whatever.
• Another amendment that limits juried civil trials to cases involving at least $10,000.
• A statewide referendum requiring election boards to get their shit together.

These were landslide decisions, so don't expect any recounts.

Photo courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.

"Local Elections 2006" (Washington Post)
"Statewide Ballot Questions" (Maryland State Board of Elections)

Tiny Planet Promoted to "King of Pain"

The planet Mercury pulls a mini-eclipse tomorrow afternoon, appearing as a little black spot on the sun.

The event, known to astronomers and "Battlestar Galactica" fans as a transit, begins at 2:12 p.m. and ends for Silver Spring's star gazers at sunset. The transit should not be viewed without a specially filtered telescope, warns the Washington Post.

The Silver Spring/Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College has filtered scopes galore and will host a transit tailgate on the roof of the King Street parking garage. Cloudy skies will bring the show to the garage's first floor, where images from the Left Coast will be projected on a screen. Cubicle dwellers can also watch the transit safely through San Francisco's Exploratorium science museum website.

Transits of Mercury occur at erratic intervals--every 7, 13 or 33 years, depending on its mood--and take place in either November or May. Mercury passes between Earth and the sun every 116 days, though it's usually not in view, explains the Baltimore Sun.

Queue The Police . . . There's a little black spot on the sun today.

Image courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.

"Mercury in the Spotlight" (Washington Post)
"Seek Transit Glory With View of Mercury and Sun" (Baltimore Sun)
"Transit of Mercury" (Montgomery College)

Soviet-Style Shopping in Silver Spring

The Dutch company that owns Giant supermarkets has decided to focus on more store-brand merchandise, less variety and fewer discounts, the Baltimore Sun reports.

The strategy may allow Royal Ahold, Giant's parent company, to retain its supermarket business in the United States. It has already decided to sell its wholesale food business, says the Sun.

Giant's market share in the Washington-Baltimore area has been spanked into submission by big-box stores like Wal-Mart and Costco, and by high rollers like Whole Foods Market. Giant runs one market in The Blairs along East-West Highway (above).

Jeff Metzger, editor of a food industry mag, tells the Sun that Giant also must deal with complaints of poor customer service and limited product selection.

"If they can improve the quality and offer better prices, that's all going to help," Metzger says. "But there are other pieces they need to address and execute better."

Other analysts remain hopeful of Giant's prospects, the Sun writes, citing prime locations and 70 years of name recognition.

"Giant's Parent Selling Unit" (Baltimore Sun)

Voter's Guide: The Ballot

Most of this year's candidates have posted their views on the web for the benefit of hands unshaken, babies not kissed and front lawns not peppered with campaign signs. Even better, local publications have culled together all of this information and created voter guides of their own. Slacking off at work is a civic duty when you visit these sites:

• The Baltimore Sun's interactive candidate profiles
• The Washington Post's guide to local elections
• The Gazette's guide to Montgomery County races
• A guide distributed by Maryland's League of Women Voters

A couple of ballot questions also show up this election season. For more information, check out this website from the state's League of Women Voters.

Image courtesy of NBC4.com.

Voter's Guide: The Debates

This election season, the candidates bypassed mud slinging and went straight to bare-knuckle brawling. Check out this multimedia highlight reel of cheap shots, low blows and knees to the political groin.

For US Senate: US Rep. Ben Cardin (D), Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) and Green party candidate Kevin Zeese scrapped like rabid dogs in October 25's three way on public television. Steele and Cardin later ditched Zeese on October 29 for a debate on "Meet the Press."

For Governor: Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R) and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley (D) went toe to toe on October 14 in a WBAL simulcast. They went at it again just two days later in a debate televised on WJZ Baltimore.

For Maryland Attorney General: The big fight for attorney general actually revolved around state's attorney Doug Gansler (D-Montgomery) and whether he was eligible to run at all. Gansler got the green light on Wednesday, making this October 24 debate with state's attorney Scott Rolle (R-Frederick) public television's sleeper hit.

Voters can watch interviews of other candidates on Access Montgomery's Candidate's Forum and Maryland Public Television's State Circle.

Image courtesy of Fox Movies.

Voter's Guide: The Machines

Election officials have their fingers crossed for tomorrow's election, hoping to avoid a repeat of September's primary debacle, writes the Washington Post. With a little luck and a whole lot of absentee ballots, the county board of elections believes that things will run smoother.

So before hitting the polls, give the new Diebold Accu-Vote machines a test drive on the Maryland Votes website. Or at least learn to rig your vote.

Image courtesy of the Washington Post.

"Fingers Crossed for Polls on Tuesday" (Washington Post)
"Everything You Need to Know to Cast Your Ballot" (Washington Post)
"How to Fix an Election" (Daily Penguin)

The Early Bird

Correction: The planning board did not hear a progress report on the Silver Spring Transit Center on Thursday. It voted to approve the abandonment of Bonifant Street's west end, which sits within the transit center's footprint. The Daily Penguin regrets the error. (Nov. 15, 2006)

It's going to be a busy week in Silver Spring:

Tuesday: The negative ads and campaign speeches finally end when voters hit the polls for the midterm election. Every seat in the state is up for grabs, from the governorship to the guy who certifies wills. Polls open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday: County health officials administer flu shots (above) at the Dennis Avenue Health Center (at Georgia Avenue) from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Shots are reserved for people at high risk--kids up to age 2 years, pregnant women, people over age 65 or with chronic illnesses, and healthcare workers. Each shot costs $20. Low-risk people can get the nasal vaccine for free.

Thursday: The county planning board gets an update on the Purple Line light-rail project, as well as a progress report on the Silver Spring Transit Center. The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m. at the board's digs on Georgia Avenue at Spring Street.

Friday: The nation observes Veterans Day. People who work for banks, libraries, the postal service and the government get the day off. Buses run on a Saturday schedule and Metro train service ends at midnight. For everyone else--including public school students--it's business as usual.

Thanks to MSNBC for the photo.

This Weekend

Cut back on the caffeine, and keep the kiddies away from their leftover mini-Snickers bars. On Saturday, Class Acts Arts presents visual comedian Pete Geist (left). His kid-friendly show is described as "a unique blend of new vaudevillian skills and energetic audience participation." The joint drops twice--at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.--at Montgomery College's Black Box Theater (Philadelphia at Chicago Avenues on the Silver Spring/Takoma Park campus). Admission is $15 per person.

Oh yeah, and the fall foliage is at its peak. Get out there and hug a tree!

Image courtesy of Celebrate Silver Spring.

Ehrlich: Keep Purple Line Off the Green

Gov. Robert Ehrlich pounded the flesh along the Red Line yesterday and later wagged his finger at the Purple Line, the Washington Post reports.

As part of his re-election campaign, Ehrlich (right) joined his running mate, fellow Republican Sec. Kristen Cox, at the Silver Spring Metro station to shake hands and kiss babies. It was not clear whether Ehrlich or Cox took questions from commuters.

The governor did catch some flack, however. The Baltimore Sun records one commuter telling Ehrlich, "You're going to lose, big time."

He also made a pit stop at Chevy Chase's Columbia Country Club, site of a proposed path for the Purple Line light rail. Ehrlich opposes a Purple Line route through the club's golf course because it would not be "cost effective" and would destroy "thousands and thousands of trees" along the adjacent Capital Crescent Trail, the Post writes.

According to Ehrlich's campaign website, his top transportation priority is the Intercounty Connector, which would link Interstates 370 and 95. He also takes credit for launching studies into the Purple Line's development.

Image courtesy of the Washington Post. Props to Silver Spring Singular for the lead.

"Md. Governor's Race Running at 2 Speeds" (Washington Post)
"O'Malley Upbeat as Bus Tour Begins" (Baltimore Sun)

Drug Deal of the Year

CVS Pharmacies have agreed to merge with pharmacy-benefit manager Caremark Rx, creating a drug-dispensing juggernaut that can lean on pharmaceutical companies for lower prices, the Washington Post writes.

CVS has two locations below the Beltway in Silver Spring--in Montgomery Hills and at The Blairs, with another outside the Beltway at Four Corners. Caremark manages the county's drug discount program for residents who lack complete pharmaceutical coverage.

The merger gives CVS and Caremark more leverage over pharmaceutical companies, one bean counter tells the Post. "It's likely to lead to more transparent pricing and keeping prices down," says Mitchell Corwin, an equity analyst with Morningstar.

However, Helen Darling, of the nonprofit National Business Group on Health, worries that CVS and Caremark may not pass along the savings to consumers. She tells the Post that the newly merged companies may choose to pocket the spare change instead.

This merger comes one month after Wal-Mart announced its $4 generic drug giveaway. Target says it will also reduce prices for generics at its pharmacies.

Photo courtesy of Reuters.

"CVS, Drug Benefit Manager to Merge" (Washington Post)

Proletariat 1, Bourgeoisie 0

One Silver Spring resident scores a castle while another can't even give one away, says this week's Gazette.

Phyllis Johnson, of Michigan Avenue, gets a new "Katrina" prefab cottage (model, left) to replace her current digs, which The Gazette describes as trashed beyond repair. Johnson, who is disabled and unemployed, receives the 1,200-square foot house through a county program in cahoots with USA Weekend magazine and the Congress for the New Urbanism.

The cottage, named after that 2005 hell raiser, is on display at the Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center in Lyttonsville. It will be relocated to Johnson's property once her existing home is demolished.

Just up the block--way up, at Martello Drive off Old Columbia Pike--Brian Colella is trying to unload his 15,000-square foot mansion (right). The 52-year-old entrepreneur modelled the place after English castles and included a moat, The Gazette writes. Asking price: $3.4 million.

"He overbuilt for the neighborhood," Santiago Testa, a Chevy Chase realtor, tells The Gazette. "I think he's going to be sitting on it for a while."

The home has been on the market for nearly a year and a half. It's also available through an EBay auction.

Thanks to Slate.com and EBay for the photos.

" 'Katrina Cottage' To Be Resident's New Home" (The Gazette)
"For Sale: Castle With Moat" (The Gazette)