WHITMAN’S TWIN WHIZZES Brothers are among nation’s top debaters. A-3
NEWS: Parlez-vous français? MCPS’s French immersion program turns 40. A-5
The Gazette BETHESDA | CHEVY CHASE | KENSINGTON
SPORTS: Whitman girls to face defending state champion Eleanor Roosevelt Thursday. B-1
DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
25 cents
Barve running for Congress
Ukulele ladies
Kelly, Raskin also consider running for seat Van Hollen is giving up n
BY
KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
Amy Schreiber and her daughter Eliza, 7, of Chevy Chase practice during a ukulele workshop Sunday at Chevy Chase Town Hall. Folk musicians Linda Littleton and Karen Hirshon of the group Simple Gifts led the workshop before performing a concert.
Three finalists up for Teacher of the Year Chevy Chase Elementary educator is among those being considered for top county award n
BY
LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
Chevy Chase Elementary School teacher Josephine Luster is one of the county’s top teachers.
Three Montgomery County Public Schools teachers are in the running for an annual award that honors one of the area’s top educators. These are the finalists for the county’s 2015–16 Teacher of the Year award: • Josephine Luster, who teaches 51 fifth-graders in The Center Program for the Highly Gifted at Chevy Chase Elementary School. • Jill Raspen, a sixth-grade English teacher at Ridgeview Middle School in Gaithersburg.
• Joseph Gannon Jr., who teaches social studies, including Advanced Placement world history classes and a U.S. history class, at Damascus High School. The teachers received a Veteran Teacher Award, making them eligible to be Teacher of the Year. The veteran award from the Marian Greenblatt Education Fund comes with a $1,000 prize. The next teacher of the year will be unveiled April 21 at the Champions for Children Awards Celebration. The nonprofit Montgomery County Business Roundtable for Education hosts the event. Luster focuses on reading, writing and social studies with the students, who she said need more challenging coursework than the general education curriculum offers. “Just being able to get kids to push
See TEACHER, Page A-12
Pepco, Exelon sweeten the deal to gain OK Opponents say offer still not enough to justify deal
n
BY
KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
With less than a month remaining for the Maryland Public Service Commission to vote on Exelon’s planned takeover of Pepco, the two utilities have increased customer benefits in the deal. The companies have doubled the proposed financial
INDEX Automotive Business Calendar Classified Entertainment Obituaries Opinion Sports
1930707
B-13 A-13 A-2 B-9 B-5 A-11 A-14 B-1
benefit to customers and promised more emphasis on reliable power, according to a recent filing with the Public Service Commission. Chicago-based Exelon Corp., parent of Baltimore Gas and Electric, plans to acquire Pepco Holdings Inc. for $6.83 billion in cash. The sale would bring together Exelon’s three electric and gas utilities — BGE, ComEd and PECO — with Pepco Holdings’ three utilities, Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco, cementing
Exelon’s hold on the mid-Atlantic market. The PSC has until April 8 to rule on the request. To proceed, the companies must get approval from public service commissions in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. New Jersey and Virginia have approved the deal. In Maryland, Exelon and Pepco must prove that the deal is in the public interest. After facing strong opposition from the public, the Office
A&E
of People’s Counsel, the Maryland Energy Administration and other groups, the companies have proposed to increase the deal’s promised benefits to customers. “We understand the merger review process is in many ways a dialogue with stakeholders in Maryland to demonstrate that the merger satisfies the standard of benefiting and not harming customers and being consistent with the public interest,” Pepco
MORE THAN ONE WAY TO LOOK AT IT Silver Spring Stage play focuses on difficult parallels.
B-5
See PEPCO, Page A-12
Volume 4, No. 8, Two sections, 32 Pages Copyright © 2015 The Gazette Please
RECYCLE
Del. Kumar P. Barve appears to be the first Montgomery County candidate to throw his hat in the ring for Congressional District 8. “I am announcing today that I’m running for the open 8th congressional district of Maryland to help rebuild our middle class, restore hope in the American Dream, and grow our economy so that everyone has an opportunity to thrive and the freedom to live as they wish,” Barve said in an email to his supporters. Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. (D) of Kensington, who holds the seat now, said last week he is running for U.S. Senate, now that Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D) of Baltimore has announced she is not running for a sixth term next year. Because the Senate and House seats are both up for election in 2016, Van Hollen’s decision to run for Senate means he is giving up his House seat. Barve (D-Dist. 17) of Gaithersburg has served in the Mary-
land House of Delegates since 1991 and as House majority leader from 2003 to 2015. He currently chairs the Barve Environment and Transportation Committee, formerly known as the Environmental Matters Kelly Committee. Barve, who was not immediately available for comment, is not the only local representative eyeing the Raskin seat. D e l . Ariana Kelly and Sen. Jamie B. Raskin have said they are seriously considering running. Other members of Maryland’s
See BARVE, Page A-12
County Council members, Leggett back Van Hollen Edwards running for Senate, too; Delaney, Sarbanes mulling a race n
BY
KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
A week after Maryland Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski announced her retirement, Montgomery County elected leaders have lined up behind Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. to succeed her. All nine County Council members and County Executive Isiah Leggett — all Democrats — publicly endorsed Van Hollen at a joint press conference Monday in Rockville. Mikulski (D) of Baltimore announced her retirement March 2. Van Hollen (D-Dist. 8) of Kensington was the first candidate to commit to running for her seat. Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-Dist. 4) of Fort Washington announced her candidacy Tuesday. Van Hollen has served in the House since 2003 and is the top Democrat on its Budget Committee. Edwards, the only female
representative from Maryland, was the first black woman to represent Maryland in Congress after her election in 2008. She represents District 4, which spans portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties. Obtaining the endorsement of Montgomery County’s elected leadership could be seen as a strategy to limit the field of candidates. “I’m sure that’s what Chris wants,” Council President George L. Leventhal said. Leventhal (At Large) of Takoma Park said Van Hollen has made it clear he wants to lock down as many early endorsements as he can. “I understand that as a strategy, but I don’t know if every candidate needs to pursue precisely the same strategy,” Leventhal said. Among other Democrats considering running for the Senate are Reps. John K. Delaney (Dist. 6) of Potomac and John Sarbanes (Dist. 3) of Towson, who also represent parts of Montgomery County.
See ENDORSE, Page A-12