Bethesdagaz 012914 by The Gazette

INTO THE BLENDER Violinist creates a marriage of classical, contemporary sounds

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

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Exorcism death suspects facing mental evaluations

The mobile generation

Both women have been transferred to Perkins hospital n

ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH STAFF WRITER

A Montgomery County District Court judge has ordered the two Germantown women accused in the killings of two toddlers to undergo further psychiatric evaluation at a state mental hospital. Judge Eugene Wolfe on Tuesday ordered Monifa Sanford, 21, to be transferred to Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Jessup. Zakieya Avery, the mother of the two toddlers, was ordered to the maximum security psychiatric hospital Friday. Avery, 28, and Sanford told police

Sanford

Avery

they were trying to cast out demons they believed had possessed the children. The women told investigators that they saw the children’s eyes turn black, and observed demons possessing them, skipping

See EXORCISM, Page A-10

County Council taps Branson to ﬁll its vacancy in District 5 Capitol Hill staffer from Silver Spring will ﬁnish Ervin’s term

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Deisy Izquierdo, who is 21 weeks’ pregnant, learns the sex of her next child from a mobile ultrasound unit test during her baby shower Sunday in Silver Spring. Izquierdo is holding the hand of her husband, Josue, as technician Betelhem Seleshi of Baby Joy 3D/4D Mobile Ultrasound conducts the exam. See story, Page A-4.

Montgomery sees graduation rate rise Most student groups improve; decline in ESOL n

LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER

A larger percentage of Montgomery County Public Schools seniors tossed their mortarboards in 2013 than in 2012, according to Maryland State Department of Education data released Tuesday. The county school system’s four-year graduation rate rose to 88.3 percent in 2013, an increase of about 1 percentage point from the

2012 senior class. The rate has increased about 1.5 percentage points since 2011. Montgomery’s rate stands about 3.3 percentage points higher than the state’s rate. Rates for student subgroups generally rose from 2012 to 2013 with the exception of the graduation rate for English for Speakers of Other Languages students, which declined slightly. Black students’ graduation rate increased by 1.6 percentage points to 83.9 percent. Hispanic students’ graduation rates rose by 0.8 percentage point

to 77.5 percent. Special education students gained 4.7 percentage points for a 67.5 percent rate. Students who receive free and reduced-price meals — an indication of poverty — climbed 1.5 percentage points to a 78.1 graduation rate. The graduation rate of ESOL students declined about 1 percentage point after an increase of 3.9 percentage points from 2011 to 2012. The county school system also

See GRADUATION, Page A-10

SPORTS

PASSION, PATIENCE AND COMMUNICATION The best players aren’t always the best coaches: a look at the qualities of a great coach.

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Silver Spring resident Cherri Branson will serve out the remainder of former Councilwoman Valerie Ervin’s term on the Montgomery County Council after being unanimously chosen by the other council members Tuesday. The position opened up when Ervin resigned Jan. 3 to take a job as the chief executive of the Working Families Coalition, a New York nonproﬁt advocacy organization. Branson currently is chief oversight counsel for the Committee on Homeland Security working for the committee’s ranking member, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). In a statement Tuesday, she said she was honored to be nominated, and pledged to work hard to represent the voters of District 5, which includes Silver Spring, Takoma Park and Burtonsville.

Cherri Branson, newly appointed Montgomery County Council member in District 5. Branson said she was familiar with many of the issues facing the district, but would work to quickly get up to speed on other issues. Branson will retain members of Ervin’s staff, who can help in her transition. In an interview this month, she said

See BRANSON, Page A-10

Candidates rake in the money n

Some District 16 hopefuls’ war chests top $100,000 BY AGNES BLUM STAFF WRITER

In the crowded race for three Delegate seats in District 16, recently released ﬁnance reports show three of the eight candidates boast war chests of greater than $100,000. The others have substantially less — the candidate in distant fourth has just over $30,000. Marc Korman, Hrant Jamgochian and Ariana Kelly are all Democrats running to represent the district that encompasses Bethesda, Cabin John, Glen Echo and parts of Chevy Chase, Potomac and Rockville — and all have more than $100,000

Automotive Business Calendar Celebrations Classiﬁed Entertainment Opinion School News Sports Please

in their coffers, according to campaign ﬁnance reports released earlier this month and available at the Maryland State Board of Elections. But money isn’t everything, said candidate Jordan Cooper of Bethesda, a technology integration specialist with Kaiser Permanente who reported $22,204. “It’s not money that will determine how this election is won,” Cooper said. “It’s direct voter contact.” And Cooper said he has been making that contact by canvassing neighborhoods throughout the county since Memorial Day of 2013. “I personally knocked on 6,000 doors in District 16,” Cooper said. His campaign does not need as much money as others do, Cooper said, as his

See MONEY, Page A-10

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

PEOPLE& PLACES More online at www.gazette.net

AGNES BLUM

Teens’ jazz concert raises money for mentors

Landon School to host Women’s Heart Health Forum Landon School in Bethesda will host a Women’s Heart Health Forum from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Benjamin M. Mondzac Performing Arts Center, 6101 Wilson Lane. The forum will cover the disease’s symptoms, risk factors and prevention.

GALLERY

PHOTOS BY RAPHAEL TALISMAN/FOR THE GAZETTE

The Minor Third Trio — (from left) Murphy Hagerty, 14, and Reuben Dubester, 15, both of Washington, and Elijah Cole, 15, of Garrett Park — play a concert Friday in Garrett Park Town Hall to beneﬁt Ernest Coleman III and Clynt Hyson, their mentors.

chases a haircut, a free haircut will be provided to a homeless person. The company is working with government and social service nonproﬁts near the salons to provide vouchers for adults to receive a free haircut this winter. Last year, 100,000 free haircut certiﬁcates were donated through Share-AHaircut at almost 900 Hair Cuttery salon locations nationwide. More information is at haircuttery.com.

National Public Radio host Diane Rehm will moderate a panel discussion featuring Dr. Roger Blumenthal, director of Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease; Dr. Janet Wright, executive director of the Million Hearts Initiative; and Carrie Wosicki, chairwoman of WomenHeart and a heart disease survivor For more information, contact

EVENTS WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29

SATURDAY, FEB. 1

Funding Your Business, 1-3 p.m.,

Used Book Sale Book Drop-Off,

Rockville Economic Development, 95 Monroe St., Rockville. 301-315-8096.

FRIDAY, JAN. 31 History Happy Hour: Local Legends and the Art of Storytelling, 6:30-8 p.m.,

Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bentley Road, Sandy Spring. $20. 301-7740022. Nicotine Anonymous Meeting, 7-8 p.m., Northwood Presbyterian Church, 1200 W. University Blvd., Silver Spring. 443-812-5284. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Jr., 7:30-8:30 p.m., Randolph Road

Theatre, 4010 Randolph Road, Silver Spring. $20. tllg22@gmail.com.

Can We Send It Back?: Welcoming a New Sibling, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Parent

Encouragement Program, 10100 Connecticut Ave., Kensington. $30. 301929-8824.

Carole Kerns at Carole_Kerns@ landon.net or 301-320-1068.

Donate a haircut to the homeless Hair Cuttery salons in Bethesda, Gaithersburg and Silver Spring will

hold “Share-A-Haircut” days Tuesday and Feb. 5. For every customer who pur-

10 a.m.-2 p.m., Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, 4301 East West Highway, Bethesda. tdyspringer@ yahoo.com. Resident Artists Open House, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bentley Road, Sandy Spring. Free. 301-774-0022. Potomac Community Village Meeting, 7:30-8:45 p.m., Potomac

Community Center, 11315 Falls Road, Potomac. 301-299-2522. Cezanne Piano Trio, 8 p.m., Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda. Free. 301320-2770. Rockville Little Theatre: An Inspector Calls, 8 p.m., F. Scott Fitzgerald

Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville, also 2 p.m. Feb. 2. $18 for adults, $16 for students and seniors. www. rockvillemd.gov/theatre.

The Jewish Council for the Aging will offer Career Gateway classes starting Feb. 10 at 12320 Parklawn Drive, Rockville. The classes are for job-seekers older than 50. The program comprises 30 hours of group instruction over ﬁve non-consecutive days in two weeks, take-home materials, a post-course job club and one-onone mentoring. The cost is $75. For more information, email Ellen Greenberg at egreenberg@AccessJCA.org or call 301-255-4215. Business Seminar, 8-10:30 a.m., Mayor

BestBet

Send items at least two weeks in advance of the paper in which you would like them to appear. Go to calendar.gazette.net and click on the submit button. Questions? Call 301-670-2070.

Jasmine Diggs of Paint Branch ﬁnishes the 4x55 shuttle hurdles at Georgetown Prep’s indoor track invitational on Saturday. Go to clicked.Gazette.net. SPORTS Check for results from the final weeks of the high school winter season.

and Council Chambers at City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Free. 301-424-9300.

Potato Drop, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Christ Church Kensington, 4001 Franklin St., parking lot on Everett Street, Kensington. Bagging 20 tons of potatoes for local food pantries. Free. potato@ccpk.org.

SAT

ConsumerWatch When a relative dies, is the family responsible for debt left behind?

How to Tell and Record the Stories of Your Life for Future Family Generations, 2-4 p.m., Chevy Chase Village

Hall, 5906 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase. Free. 301-657-3115.

Rockville Regional Youth Orchestra Tryouts, 6 p.m., Glenview Mansion,

MONDAY, FEB. 3 It’s Not All About the Redskins: Understanding Contemporary Challenges of American Indians, 7:30-9 p.m.,

Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County, 8215 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Free. 301-652-2606. Planning for Safe Teen Driving, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Parent Encouragement Program, 10100 Connecticut Ave., Kensington. $30 per adult; $15 per teen. 301-929-8824.

February Good Morning Rockville

Liz takes charge on this important money matter.

WeekendWeather FRIDAY

SATURDAY

603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. jfarrell@rockvillemd.gov. Women’s Heart Health Forum, 7-8:30 p.m., Landon School’s Mondzac Performing Arts Center, 6101 Wilson Lane, Bethesda. Free. 301-320-1068.

SUNDAY

NBCWashington.com

Mobile Download the Gazette.Net mobile app using the QR Code reader, or go to www.gazette.net/mobile for custom options.

GAZETTE CONTACTS The Gazette – 9030 Comprint Court

Salon Luncheon: Immigrant Voices,

Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Main phone: 301-948-3120 Circulation: 301-670-7350

Bloody Orators Toastmasters Club,

CORRECTION

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5 noon-1 p.m., Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bentley Road, Sandy Spring. Free. 301-774-0022.

6-7 p.m., American Red Cross Jerome H. Holland Laboratory, 15601 Crabbs Branch Way, Derwood. Free for ﬁrsttime guests. Contact-614319@toastmastersclubs.org.

A Jan. 22 photo caption with the article “Walter Johnson diver among county’s best” misidentiﬁed the school Katie Young attends. She attends Walter Johnson High School.

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Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville. Free. 301-610-0030.

MORE INTERACTIVE CALENDAR ITEMS AT WWW.GAZETTE.NET

TUESDAY, FEB. 4

LIZ CRENSHAW

Adult Literacy Tutor Information Session, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Rockville

A&E Olney Theatre takes care of “Business” with a big-name talent.

For more on your community, visit www.gazette.net

Jewish group offers employment classes

Ernest Coleman III of Washington thanks his students, the Minor Third Trio, during Friday’s beneﬁt concert at Garrett Park Town Hall.

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A teen jazz trio put their musical talents to work to raise money for their mentors, who lost their home in a fire. Minor Third Trio, with members from Garrett Park and Washington, started playing together after Ernest Coleman III, a jazz drummer, introduced them at the beginning of the school year. He led the trio and helped the musicians improve their skills. Elijah Cole, 15, of Garrett Park plays jazz guitar and piano. Reuben Dubester, 15, of Washington is the drummer and Murphy Hagerty, 14, also of Washington, plays bass. In December, Coleman and his friend Clynt Hyson, a jazz vocalist, lost the house they shared in Washington to a fire. “Since they didn’t have any insurance, they had lost everything,” Elijah said. “We figured we needed to help them in some way.” The trio members, along with their parents, produced a concert of jazz standards Friday at Garrett Park Town Hall to raise money and help Coleman and Hyson recover after the fire. Elijah said the teens raised more than $1,800, most of which they were able to give to Coleman at the concert, although donations are still coming in. “It was great; it was a full house,” Elijah said. “It was a lot of fun. I thought we played really well together.” — ELIZABETH WAIBEL

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

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LOCAL

New roads’ impact on White Flint considered Activists dispute claim Street realignment depends on development schedules and availability of funding n

ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER

A new road network is an integral part of the county’s White Flint Sector Plan, but many hurdles stand in the way before construction can begin. Planners are still designing the details of a road network in the rapidly urbanizing area around the White Flint Metro station, according to Dee Metz, Montgomery County’s White Flint implementation coordinator. They are well along in the design process, she said, and are currently working on the layout for utilities and a stormwater management plan. “Even though we might not build it all at one time, we’re designing it all at one time,” she said.

The county’s long-term plan for the area includes new roads and intersections that in some places cut through properties that already have parking lots or buildings on them. The plan calls for realigning Executive Boulevard, which runs behind the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. In order to straighten out the street, it would have to run through what is now a parking lot for the conference center and a building that formerly housed VOB Auto Sales. Before construction can begin on the new road network, the county must build a parking garage for the conference center and ﬁgure out what will happen to the car dealership building, Metz said. “The conference center is very successful; we can’t take up so much of their parking,” Metz said. “... We’re putting the garage there, but eventually that will turn into a more mixed-use [building] behind

the conference center.” Funding is already in place for a conference center parking garage, Metz said. Other projects, such as a parking structure for Wall Park is still not funded nor is there funding in place to obtain land for roads from private property owners. Metz said the sector plan anticipated private property owners redeveloping at the same time as the road network was being built. If they don’t, the government may have to buy the property or go through the costly process of taking land through eminent domain, also referred to as condemnation. The owners of the VOB building have said they are interested in redevelopment, Metz said, but they have not yet submitted any development plans. “Unless the property owners are developing at the same time, to go forward, we would have to condemn that property,” she said. Planners are still talking to

the property owner and looking into whether they could build that segment of the road at a later date, Metz said, so they might not move forward with condemning the one-acre property. “The real discussions are timing right now,” she said. The county hopes that construction on the roads will be able to start sometime in mid to late 2016, Metz said. County planners are also starting to look at plans for pedestrian access along Nebel Street, Metz said. Friends of White Flint, a group that promotes implementing the sector plan, blogged about possible pedestrian improvements, such as reducing the number of lanes and adding a median, Jan. 16. County planners are expected to give an update on plans for Nebel Street to the White Flint Downtown Advisory Committee in March. ewaibel@gazette.net

Community center renamed for local activist Leonard D. Jackson helped lead Ken Gar urban renewal program

BY KRISTA BRICK STAFF WRITER

An old segregated school building turned community center now bears the name of a man who was one of Montgomery County’s most inﬂuential human rights activists. The Ken Gar Community Center in Kensington was renamed Saturday in honor of Leonard D. Jackson, who died in 2000 at 67 years old. “My dad would have been so happy,” said Karen Jackson-Knight, Leonard Jackson’s daughter. “My father loved Ken Gar, Montgomery County and the state of Maryland. He felt the community could be better and felt working together we can make it better.” The building at 4111 Plyers Mill Road was originally a segregated school building and closed in 1955 when Montgomery County integrated its schools. The building was renovated and dedicated as a community center in 1978. Jackson was a founding member of the Ken Gar Civic Association in 1959 and served as its president for more than 20 years. He worked with Montgomery County to make Ken Gar the county’s ﬁrst urban renewal program. The urban renewal plan originally included townhouse development, street paving, sidewalk construction, a community center, and a program for private ownership of rehabilitated and newly constructed housing — the latter under the federally funded “Turnkey 3” program. The urban renewal package also

MONTGOMERY COUNTY RECREATION

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and Barbara Jackson — Leonard D. Jackson’s widow — help unveil a sign renaming the Ken Gar Community Center after Leonard D. Jackson.

called for the county to purchase all of the absentee-owned lots and structures in Ken Gar. Jackson served on both the Maryland Commission of Human Relations and the Montgomery County Human Relations Commission, where he was an advocate for strengthening anti-discrimination laws. He also served on the Montgomery County Landlord-Tenant Commission, the Montgomery County Committee on Community Action and the Montgomery County Citizens Committee. In the early 1990s, he was the AfricanAmerican liaison to Montgomery County’s chief of police. For his dedication to the advancement of human rights in Montgomery County, he was inducted into the county’s Human

The Gazette’s Auto Site

Chevy Chase lawyer and allies challenge federal agency’s ﬁnding n

BY AGNES BLUM STAFF WRITER

John Fitzgerald is still hoping the federal government will do what he calls “the right thing,” but if it doesn’t, he and others are ready to file a lawsuit. Fitzgerald, an environmental lawyer and activist who lives in Chevy Chase, said the Federal Transit Administration failed in its obligation to conduct a biological assessment of the effect the Purple Line will have on two small shrimp-like creatures, called amphipods, in the area. The Purple Line is a $2.2 billion, 16-mile light-rail project running from downtown Bethesda through Silver Spring to New Carrollton. The Maryland Transit Administration plans to begin construction in 2015. If a new environmental impact study is not done, and the “Record of Decision” is filed, Fitzgerald, along with the nonprofit Center for Sustainable Economy and some Chevy Chase residents, plan to sue. The “Record of Decision” is the final approval of the environmental impact statement. Issued by the Federal Transit Administration, the public document will summarize any mitigation measures that will be incorporated into the project. After it is filed, permits and right of way can be acquired. That could happen any day now, Fitzgerald said. Two small creatures are at the heart of the potential lawsuit: the Hay’s Spring amphipod, which is listed as a federally protected endangered species, and the Kenk’s amphipod, which is listed in Maryland as an endangered species already and is a candidate for federal listing. John Bickerman, a council member of the town of Chevy Chase, had said that these tiny creatures might be the Davids that stop the Goliath of the Purple Line in its tracks. Any increase in runoff would threaten the vulnerable creatures, Fitzgerald said, and

construction of the Purple Line is going to mean a lot more runoff. “They’re going to be clearcutting about 48 acres of trees, which is the worst thing you can do if you’re trying to control runoff,” Fitzgerald said. Fitzgerald disputes the claims of a Jan. 7 letter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent to the Federal Transit Administration, stating that the light-rail project would not hurt the amphipods. In the letter, Genevieve LaRouche, a supervisor with the Chespeake Bay field office, wrote that “no Federally proposed or listed endangered or threatened species are known to exist within the impact area of the proposed Purple Line Project.” It went on to state that the Kenk’s amphipod lived “within a quarter mile of the Purple Line project,” but construction would have no effect on it. “They completely ignore the effects on Coquelin Run — all along the run,” he said. Coquelin Run is a stream that flows into Rock Creek and the Potomac River and runs directly beneath where planners want to build the Purple Line. Developments such as the Purple Line and the Chevy Chase Lake project are precisely the types of threats that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service warned about, Fitzgerald said. An assessment conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this past spring described the amphipod’s small habitat as shrinking — it can be found only in parts of Washington, D.C., and Montgomery County. “Kenk’s amphipod is vulnerable to threats because of its limited geographic distribution and the infringement of urban development both outside and within Rock Creek Park,” according to the report. All Fitzgerald and his allies can do now is wait, he said, and work on a letter stating their intent to sue. “We are getting our ducks in a row,” he said. “Making sure the letter’s just right. We have our expert opinions ready to go.” ablum@gazette.net

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Rights Hall of Fame in 2002. “It is a pleasure to honor the many contributions made by Leonard D. Jackson by naming the Ken Gar Community Center in his memory,” said County Executive Isiah Leggett in a statement he read at the dedication ceremony. “Jackson lived a short distance from this center and worked tirelessly in pursuit of improved housing and educational opportunities for members of the community.” Renovations to the center, completed in December, included both interior and exterior improvements, upgraded heating and air conditioning systems, and alterations to make the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The cost of the renovations was approximately $325,000, with $100,000 coming from a state grant, according to Judy Stiles, spokesman for the county’s Department of Recreation. The balance of the cost was covered by county and federal funds. “My father would have enjoyed seeing the brightness [of the new center],” Jackson-Knight said. “It is warm and welcoming to everybody. The community center was his baby.” The department plans to develop an after-school and summer program, as well as senior activities for members of the Ken Gar community at the center. The building includes three meeting rooms and ofﬁce space. “I am happy to welcome the Leonard D. Jackson Ken Gar Center as our newest facility,” said Recreation Director Gabriel Albornoz. “The renovations have greatly improved the facility and allow for the continuing tradition of the center to be an inclusive gathering place for the whole community to enjoy.”

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7315 Muncaster Mill Road, Derwood, MD 20855 The state-of-the-art Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center will open in early 2014. To help get the word out and raise funds, The Gazette is partnering with mcpaw, the nonprofit working to build then enhance the center, by producing a special publication explaining the mission and benefits of this new facility.

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-4

AROUND THE COUNTY

School board digs into operating budget proposal Raises questions on counselors, ESOL staff

LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER

With hefty operating budget books before them, Montgomery County school board members raised questions Thursday night about proposed money for elementary school counselors, English for Speakers of Other Languages staff and other needs. The work session included presentations from school system officials, followed by board member questions. It was the first of two sessions the board will use to parse through Montgomery County Public Schools’ proposed fiscal 2015 operating budget. In December, Superintendent Joshua P. Starr recommended a $2.28 billion operating budget — about $56.4 million more than this fiscal year’s budget. The proposed budget total is about $17 million more than what the county is required to provide under state law. The board plans to make its final decision on the budget Feb. 11. The

next fiscal year will start on July 1. School board member Michael Durso raised the topic of elementary school counselors on Thursday. He asked whether the school system is creating a staffing formula to determine how many counselors would be at a school based on enrollment. Durso said one counselor told him that counselors are dealing with student issues, such as suicide, that they haven’t dealt with in the past. A counselor from Little Bennett Elementary School in Clarksburg said at the board’s Jan. 9 operating budget hearing that she and other counselors areoverwhelmedbythelargenumber of students they work with. Starr’s proposed budget includes 5.5 new elementary school counselor positions. Larry Bowers, chief operating officer for the school system, said Thursday that a proposal recently submitted to the board — separate from the budget — called for more counselors in the system’s larger elementary schools and those with higher free and reduced-price meal rates, an indication of poverty. Starr’s operating budget reflects

the changes in the proposal, Bowers said. School board President Phil Kauffman asked district officials to justify adding elementary school team leaders and why they thought it more necessary than adding counselors. The team leaders are teachers who oversee other teachers in specific grades and subjects. Starr said strong leadership teams and distribution of leadership are important factors for meeting the Common Core State Standards and a new state assessment set to be fully implemented next school year. Board member Shirley Brandman requested an explanation of the allocation of ESOL staff and the “very different ratios” found in elementary, middle and high schools. Erick Lang, associate superintendent for curriculum and instructional programs, said the school system directs more ESOL staff to high schools because some older students, including recent immigrants, face “significant challenges.” For elementary students, Lang said, much of their English-language learning is imbedded in regular classroom instruction.

Brandman said lowering the student-to-teacher ratios as part of the school system’s investment in ESOL services would help students. Bowers said a work group has studied ESOL staff ratios for the past year and the school system plans to roll out a new allocation model soon. Younger students “pick up English a lot faster” than older students, he said. While most ESOL students are at the elementary level, Bowers said, “the challenges are great” at the high school level. In his proposed budget, Starr included eight new positions working with ESOL students. Brandman asked Chrisandra Richardson — associate superintendent for special education and student services — why more psychologists and pupil personnel workers weren’t included in the budget. “It’s not an easy decision, ever,” Richardson said, but the ofﬁce recognized the school system has limited resources and must fund other needs. lpowers@gazette.net

‘IT’S A ... ’

Baby Joy 3D/4D comes to the parents BY

ALINE BARROS STAFF WRITER

Baby Joy 3-D/4-D Mobile Ultrasound promises expecting mothers and fathers a personal and intimate experience — finding out their inutero baby’s sex — away from a doctor’s office. Baby Joy 3D/4D Ultrasound, a Silver Spring business, was an idea that grew from a mother of two who believes seeing a baby in the womb is a special bonding moment. “I see pregnant women every day. ... Some of them want to show the pictures to their husbands that couldn’t make it to the doctor’s office ... or they want to show the pictures to the grandparents who were watching the kids at home,” Betelhem Seleshi said. And that’s when Seleshi thought: Why not bring the experience to people’s home?. On Sunday, Seleshi went to a baby shower party in Silver Spring at which the baby’s sex would be revealed. The expecting mother, Deisy Izquierdo, did not know Seleshi was coming. When Seleshi walked in the house, Izquierdo was so surprised, she couldn’t hold back her excitement, cheering when Seleshi entered the living room. Izquierdo has two daughters — Lucia, 6, and Hannah, 4 — with her husband, Josue Izquierdo. The Izquierdo family now was hoping for a baby boy. The ultrasound machine is hooked up to a video screen. The mother then lies on a couch, while Seleshi puts ultrasound gel on the mother’s pregnant belly. More than 30 people witnessed Seleshi’s ultrasound. Some exclaimed: “How beautiful” and “Look at the hands” and “The baby is waving.” Seleshi finally typed in the ultrasound machine: It’s a boy! The whole experience can take 15 to 30 minutes. “This is incredible. ... We have been hoping for a boy,” Deisy Izquierdo said. The tears flowed in a room filled with grandparents, uncles, cousins, and close friends. “This is better than watching the Super Bowl,” Josue Izquierdo said. When families react, Seleshi is moved, too. “For me, I get so satisfied [and] I get emotional,” she said. On a busy weekend, Seleshi visits up to four clients at their homes. Seleshi thinks her company is the only one of its kind in the Washington area. It performs ultrasounds at the client’s convenience. It might be a baby shower, a sex-revealing party, or just an intimate moment between

InBrief

County seeks election judges for primary The Montgomery County Board of Elections seeks registered voters to work as election judges at polling places for the June 24 primary election. The county typically employes about 3,500 judges for each election. The judges must be registered voters in Maryland; be able to speak, read and write the English language; and, while acting as a judge, not hold, or be a candidate for, public or party office. Also, election judges may not be a campaign manager for a candidate or treasurer for any campaign financial entity. Also, bilingual election judges, especially those fluent in Spanish, and election judge alternates are needed around the county. The application process requires both an online quiz and hands-on training. The application deadline is 21 business days before the election. The judges will be paid at rates that vary by position, as listed at 777vote.org. For example, roamers — “tech savvy” individuals who are assigned to a route of six to 10 nearby polling precincts and who deal with equipment and other issues, according to the website — are paid the most, $300, including training. But that job entails working up to 20 hours on the election day, starting at 5 a.m. Greeters, on the other hand, are paid $60 per seven-hour shift.

County and Rockville plan race forum

Ultrasound company delivers the big news at home n

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

The Montgomery County and city of Rockville Human Rights commissions will hold a public forum on race, community and ethnic relations in the county. “Do you think a Trayvon Martin-type incident could occur in Montgomery County?” will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Executive Ofﬁce Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville. Moderated by Sheryl Brissett Chapman, executive director for the National Center for Children and Families, a group of relations experts and other participants will have the opportunity to share viewpoints on race and community relations. The death of Trayvon Martin, which took place two years ago in Sanford, Fla., will be a point of reference throughout the discussion, as participants discuss what their actions would be in a similar situation. For more information, call James Stowe, director of the Ofﬁce of Human Rights, at 240777-8490.

POLICE BLOTTER

Complete report at www.gazette.net The following is a summary of incidents in the Bethesda area to which Montgomery County police responded recently. The words “arrested” and “charged” do not imply guilt. This information was provided by the county.

Bank robbery • On Jan. 8 at 9:10 a.m. at Capital One Bank, 7340 Westlake Terrace, Bethesda. The subject threatened the victim with a weapon and took property. • On Jan. 13 at 4:30 p.m. at Bank of America, 4411 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. The subject implied a weapon and took property, then ﬂed. TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Betelhem Seleshi (right) of Baby Joy 3D/4D Mobile Ultrasound reveals the sex of Josue and Deisy Izquierdo’s child during a shower on Sunday in Silver Spring. the parents and close family members. Seleshi has portable equipment — approximately the size of a laptop — that can be connected to a big screen TV. She also carries a projector. The mobile ultrasound packages vary from $150 to $250. That gives clients 10 to 30 minutes of 2-D, 3-D or 4-D session, color printed pictures, and a DVD with the entire session. According to the Baby Joy 3D/4D website, ultrasound in an elective, noninvasive procedure offers a “peek” inside the womb. Conventional 2-D ultrasound returns a black-and-white image of the fetus in utero. 3-D ultrasound uses advanced technology to capture a detailed image. A 4-D ultrasound includes a video image of the fetus. Seleshi said sex verification can be done in any package, but only if the parents want to know. She can perform the ultrasound and not disclose what the sex is. Seleshi, a Silver Spring resident, is certiﬁed through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography and specialized in obstetrics/prenatal ultrasound. She holds a bachelor’s in sonography from Georgetown University. For nine years, she has performed thousands of ultrasound services in women with high-risk pregnancies, she said. Seleshi said a mom-to-be does not need to

Aggravated assault • On Jan. 11 at 2 a.m. in the 10700 block of Connecticut Avenue, Bethesda. The subjects are known to the victim. Burglary • On Jan. 8 or 9 at Landon School, 6101 Wilson Lane, Bethesda. Unknown entry, took property. Commercial burglary • On Jan. 7 at 6:13 a.m. at Luna Apparel, 7232 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda. Forced entry, unknown what was taken. • On Jan. 9 or 10 at Democracy International, 7600 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. Forced entry, took property.

get a doctor’s permission for the ultrasound, but she requires that a client be under a physician’s care. Seleshi said she needed about $36,000 to start her business. It took about 10 months to get the business fully running. Her ﬁrst client was seen on Nov. 23. Since then, she has been booked every weekend, she said. She still works Monday to Friday at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. “I have a good amount of clients every weekend. ... People that I scan say to me, ‘I wish I had known about this business before,’” Seleshi said. abarros@gazette.net

Residential burglary • 8600 block of Split Oak Circle, Bethesda, between Jan. 8 and 13. Attempted forced entry, took nothing. • 10400 block of Willowbrook Drive, Rockville, between Jan. 10 and 12. Forced entry, took nothing. • 8500 block of 16th Street, Silver Spring, between 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. Jan. 11. No forced entry, took property. • 11300 block of Mitscher Street, Kensington, between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Jan. 14. Forced entry, took property. Theft • On Jan. 10 at 1:45 p.m. in the 5400 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda. The subject took property from the unknowing victim. Vehicle larceny • Three incidents in the 4100 block of Leland Street, Chevy Chase, on Jan. 8 or 9. No forced entry, took loose valuables including an iPod and gloves. • Two incidents in the unit block of Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda, between 2:15 and 5:20 p.m. Jan. 9. Forced entry, took a purse, an iPhone and cash.

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page A-5

Group opposes Lohr’s appointment as ﬁre chief Navarro to introduce bill for affordable insurance

Chief, county say alleged racial incident was investigated and no problems were found n

Measure would require county contractors to provide employees an affordable plan or its cash equivalent n

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

A group of residents is opposing the appointment of Montgomery County’s fire chief because of an alleged racial incident involving Montgomery County Fire and Rescue EMS personnel at a Rockville restaurant in May. The group has promised political retribution for County Council members who vote to confirm acting fire chief Steven Lohr to become the permanent chief. The council interviewed Lohr on Tuesday morning and is scheduled to vote on his appointment at the Feb. 4 council meeting. Rockville resident Rocky Twyman said he and several other men were at the McDonald’s in the 1300 block of Rockville Pike in Rockville in June when they saw a homeless man they believed to be having a heart attack and called 911. When EMS personnel arrived, Twyman claimed, they acted unprofessionally and expressed little concern for the man. “There was no compassion, no sympathy or anything for this poor man who seemed to be suffering,” Twyman said. All of the EMS crew who responded to the call were white and the homeless man was black. Twyman said he thinks race was a factor in how the crew handled the call. County spokesman Patrick Lacefield said Monday that the county thoroughly investigated the incident and determined there was no racism involved. After his interview with the council Tuesday, Lohr said the department launches two types of investigations when it gets this type of complaint. In one investigation, EMS staff looks into whether the call was handled properly from a medical perspective, he said. In a separate investigation, the report of whether any of the staff behaved inappropriately during the call was turned over to the department’s internal affairs division, led by a retired state police major. Both investigations found that the allegations weren’t substantiated, Lohr said. Val Russell of Gaithersburg, who was with the group at McDonald’s and witnessed the incident, said the man was bent over, holding his chest and clearly

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RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

PHOTOS BY DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

During a County Council discussion Tuesday about the appointment of Steve Lohr as Montgomery County’s permanent ﬁre chief, Rocky Twyman of Rockville holds a sign asking about the fate of a man who received emergency medical care from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.

Steve Lohr (center), the acting Montgomery County fire chief, answers questions Tuesday from the Montgomery County Council. At left is Timothy Firestine, chief administrative officer for the county. in pain. The EMS staff handled the situation very casually and displayed “no empathy whatsoever,” Russell said. Twyman said he was told an investigation into the incident showed that the man called 911 several times in the past. He said he and other onlookers were “amazed” by the medics’ behavior, and he believes that if a black EMS crew behaved similarly toward a white patient, the county’s reaction would have been different. Twyman said he has nothing against Lohr personally, but thinks crews need more sensitivity training. “That’s not the type of fire chief we want here in Montgomery County,” he

said. He and several others met with County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) on Monday in hopes that he would withdraw Lohr’s nomination. The county takes any allegations of this sort very seriously, Laceﬁeld said. He said Lohr has Leggett’s full conﬁdence as his appointment process moves forward. Council President Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, who, like Leggett, is black, said any allegation like this needs to be addressed and investigated thoroughly. Only people at the restaurant that day know exactly what happened and what was said, Rice said. He said if the EMS personnel acted inappropriately, they should be held accountable. But framing the entire department as racist is wrong, Rice said. Council members reacted warmly to Lohr at Tuesday’s interview, with several saying they’ve enjoyed working with him as acting chief and they welcome his appointment. Twyman said he and others are putting the council on notice that they’ll organize political opposition against any members who vote for Lohr. If Lohr is approved, “I think all hell is going to break loose in this county,” Twyman said. rmarshall@gazette.net

A bill scheduled to be introduced next week by Montgomery County Councilwoman Nancy Navarro would require businesses who contract with the county to provide affordable health insurance for workers or a cash beneﬁt that would allow workers to buy their own insurance. Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring said she plans to introduce the bill at the council’s meeting Tuesday. The bill would amend the county’s living wage law to require contractors and subcontractors who are subject to that law to provide affordable health insurance or an hourly “health beneﬁt” to let employees buy insurance on their own. It would apply to new contracts and would not require the county to rebid existing contacts, according to Navarro’s letter. But it would allow the county to modify existing long-term contracts that don’t include affordable health insurance to cover the cost of providing insurance to full-time employees of up to $4,000 per year. The county’s living wage law requires contractors to pay employees at least $13.95 an hour, which totals just below $30,0000 a year for a full-time employee. “Anyone who works a full-time job should be able to afford health insurance,” Navarro wrote in a Jan. 13 letter to her colleagues on the council. The current living wage law allows contractors to pay below the living wage if they provide health insurance. But Navarro said that out of about 400 contractors to whom the living wage applies, only one claims the health care credit. “As a local government, we may

not be able to shoulder the burden of providing healthcare to all residents, but we can at least ensure that all employees that perform services for the County have access to affordable health insurance,” Navarro wrote in the letter to her colleagues. She said the measure was partially inspired by situations in the fall in which workers at two of the companies that provide trash pickup for the county were part of labor disputes partially involving workers’ desire for affordable health care. Workers at Gaithersburg’s Potomac Disposal reached an agreement with the company’s management after a 10-day strike. The agreement included a pay raise for workers, one paid holiday and sick and vacation days for workers, but the sides were not able to agree on a plan to provide affordable health care. Workers at Laurel’s Unity Disposal and Recycling staged a oneday walkout on Jan. 21 over what they said was management’s refusal to acknowledge the workers’ desire to form a union to help negotiate a new contract. Workers are seeking better wages and working conditions and affordable health care. Councilman Marc Elrich (D-At Large) of Takoma Park, who earlier this year sponsored a bill raising the county’s minimum wage to $11.50 an hour by 2017, said he’s interested in Navarro’s bill but hadn’t seen it yet wants to know how it fits into the living wage law. The council would have to decide what is a reasonable price for insurance, Elrich said. Navarro’s bill would require health plans to meet the affordability definition in the federal Affordable Care Act, which defines affordable coverage as that in which an individual’s share of an annual premium for self-coverage is no more than 9.5 percent of their annual household income. “I’m interested, but I have to be sure it’s going to work,” Elrich said. rmarshall@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Page A-6

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Schools seek new technology courses Must meet ‘very speciﬁc’ state standards n

LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER

Montgomery County Public Schools wants to engage students with a greater variety of ways to learn about technology, but faces state standards that offer little flexibility to create new classes, according to school system officials. Erick Lang, associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the school system, said the district must adhere to “very specific” state standards that place a significant emphasis on engineering and engineering skills. “We’ve been looking at ways to try to expand (the courses available) within the context of the content that’s required by the state,” Lang said. Maryland requires that high school students complete a one-year technology education credit before graduation. Before new standards were created in 2007, the school system offered a broader spectrum of courses through which Montgomery students could earn the credit, including various computer programming courses, Lang said. Since the change, the school system has developed only one course that fit the bill and was officially added to the school system’s curriculum,

leading to the system’s current total of four technology classes that provide the credit. The school system’s qualified technology courses had been narrowed down to three when the standards changed. The system is also piloting a fifth class at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring that focuses on automotive technology. During a Dec. 12 school board meeting, some board members expressed interest in determining if two new computer science courses might be developed into technology education courses. Lang later said, however, he didn’t think the school system could make the classes fulfill the state requirements. “They’re pretty strict,” he said. The state currently requires that a technology education course incorporate topics including the nature of technology and its connections with other fields; the cultural, economic and political impacts of technology; engineering design and development; and core technologies such as biotechnology, electronics and mechanical technology. Luke Rhine — a career and technology education program specialist in the state education department’s Career and College Readiness division — said the state’s aim for the courses is to help students improve their technology literacy

and learn how to apply technology to different situations and problems. The state standards were developed to help generate consistency among classes and resources across Maryland’s school systems, he said. Rhine said the standards emphasize engineering skills — such as how to use tools and machines, evaluating multiple variables and developing a process to solve a problem — as opposed to the specific career position of an engineer. Rhine and other state education officials said the hope is the technology courses motivate students to delve further into related fields, such as engineering. County school board member Shirley Brandman (At-large) of Bethesda said she fully supports exposing students to the STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — subjects and wants to see multiple options that are interesting and relevant to students. Schools are trying “to engage a diverse student body,” she said. The technology courses, she said, seek to teach kids skills including critical thinking and problem solving. “We can probably address those skills in other related fields and accomplish the same purpose,” she said. The school system is involved in ongoing conversations with state representatives

about possible opportunities for it to expand its ﬂexibility within technology courses, she said. In May 2012, the county school board introduced a resolution to begin advocating for more technology education options to the Maryland Board of Education, the Maryland Superintendent of Schools and the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland. Montgomery’s most recently added technology education course — Designing Technology Solutions — combines engineering principles and computer programming, Lang said. Lang said the course allows students to study engineering “through the lens of computer programming.” Marisa Amberg, a resource teacher at Clarksburg High School, said the course has served as a great way to combine engineering with computer programming aspects that the students enjoy. Amberg said the course, currently in its third year at Clarksburg, incorporates computer programming and robotics to cover some of the engineering objectives found in other technology education classes. “The programming piece and the robotics piece still allow them to get at the same objective but it’s a fun way for kids to do it,” she said. lpowers@gazette.net

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Implant $1255 Abutment & Implant Crown 1912232

$998

PHOTO FROM NATHAN RESNICK

A Yes Man watch, which will retail for $200 — less for early company funders.

Student launches watch business with Kickstarter campaign Company concept is to help people consider use of time n

SARAH SCULLY STAFF WRITER

While working at a lessthan-inspiring internship in Rockville last summer, Nathan Resnick felt constrained by the 9-to-5 workday. The Bethesda native and sophomore at the University of San Diego was making cold calls to sell Eyeblack sports strips, which athletes wear on their face to reduce sun glare. He started thinking more about how he wanted to spend his time. He zeroed in on watches. “I think time is the most valuable asset we have in life,” Resnick said. That motivated him to start a company, Yes Man Watches. He did some research and talked to friends about his idea. “Just reaching out to people, sharing your passion, is key when you’re just starting up,” he said. A few months later, just a week into its Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, Yes Man Watches exceeded its fundraising goal of $20,000. The funding will allow the company to make its ﬁrst order of watches, with a white face and brown leather strap. But backers didn’t stop there. By Tuesday, contributions from 241 backers surpassed $27,000, so the company has promised to produce a second, all-black design. And Yes Man has set a higher goal — to raise $40,000 by Feb. 14. If it succeeds, it will produce a third version, with a tan strap and navy face. “We blew it out of the water,” Resnick said. Balancing full-time college studies with starting a company isn’t easy. He sets daily shortterm goals for himself to reach larger ones. “I don’t breathe without thinking about [the business],” Resnick said. Resnick always “looks for alternatives to the regular,” said family friend Missy Reingruber, who has known Resnick since elementary school. Resnick spent his junior year of high school in Beijing, which helped when he was looking for manufacturers. Resnick said he speaks Mandarin almost ﬂuently. Reingruber said that last summer, Resnick would come over with friends and start talking about watches and belt buckles. She noted how Resnick sought out the answers of how to start a business. “He was very good about asking questions about patents and what kind of funding he’s going to need and insurance,” she said. “He does talk about it almost to everybody, which is great because people always have something new for him to think about.” Through extensive research,

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PHOTO FROM NATHAN RESNICK

Company founder Nathan Resnick.

he figured out how to design, manufacture and market his idea. Online, Resnick connected with an engineer in Budapest and screened dozens of Chinese manufacturers before settling on one. “I sent over to the engineer every little detail of what I wanted the watch to entail and he put it on the computer in a design,” Resnick said. The engineer created a mold for the Chinese manufacturer. Resnick said he looked into producing the watches in the United States, but making them in China cost about one-fifteenth of the price. He wouldn’t disclose the cost of manufacturing. The band has no holes and adjusts to sizes by using a metal clasp that cinches on a rubber strip built into the leather. A patent on the design is pending approval. “I first got the idea when I had seen a similar apparatus on belts,” Resnick said. At the 5 o’clock mark on the watch, the Yes Man logo indicates the end of the typical workday. It looks like a person with hands up, or an olive in a martini glass. Resnick said the logo “is what you make of it — just like time is what you make of it.” When it came to picking the name, Resnick knew about the negative connotations of being a “yes man.” “We’re kind of trying to turn that negative connotation on its head and to get people to consider every opportunity,” he said. Resnick is a finance major, so his schoolwork doesn’t veer far from his business ambitions. “What’s really cool about being in college ... in some classes like financial accounting” — which he’s taking this semester — “I can apply concepts that I’ve learned in class toward my business, which is amazing,” he added. He expects to get the first watches in April. They will retail for around $200. Kickstarter funders will get the watches for $99, $109 or $119, depending on when they contributed. The earlier they pledged money, the better the deal. Kickstarter is a website where people can request funding from the public for projects. Anyone interested in a project can contribute money, usually with a perk if the project is completed — such as a discounted watch. Resnick hopes to sell the watches in retail stores and online. He has a few interested business owners in San Diego. Eventually, he would like to sell clothes with the Yes Man logo and design an athletic model for the watches. “The long-term goal is to expand this into an international brand, really making people consider their use of time,” Resnick said. sscully@gazette.net

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page A-7

Mall shooter, of College Park, was Blake High grad n 19-year-old reported missing a little more than two hours after mall shooting BY CHASE COOK AND EMILIE EASTMAN STAFF WRITERS

Police say a missing College Park man was the gunman in Saturday’s shooting at the Mall in Columbia. Darion Marcus Aguilar, 19, of the 4700 block of Hollywood Road in College Park, was initially reported missing to Prince George’s County police at about 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, said Lt. William Alexander, a Prince George’s County police spokesman. Howard County police reported that Aguilar opened ﬁre at about 11:15 a.m. in the mall’s Zumiez store, killing Brianna Benlolo, 21, of College Park and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Mount Airy, said Sherry Llewellyn, Howard County police spokeswoman. County police believe Aguilar killed himself after the shooting, Llewellyn said. Aguilar’s mother believed her son had gone missing sometime after he was scheduled to work at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, Alexander said. Aguilar worked at the College Park Dunkin’ Donuts, 10260 Baltimore Ave., according to a statement from Dunkin’ Donuts. A Prince George’s police investigator read Aguilar’s journal, which police said contained information that made the investigator “concerned for the missing person’s safety.” Aguilar graduated from James Hubert Blake High School in Silver Spring in 2013, said Dana Toﬁg, a Montgomery County Public Schools spokesman. Alexander said Prince George’s police didn’t discover Aguilar was the alleged shooter until after 6 p.m. when the investigator followed Aguilar’s phone signal to the mall. The missing person information was turned over to the Howard County Police Department, which is investigating the shooting since the incident occurred inside Howard County, Alexander said. Prince George’s police did not make the missing person investigator available for interview. “We found out after the shooting,” Alexander said. “It was not like we could have intercepted him before it happened.” Police said Aguilar was living with

At gun shop, no hint of what ‘polite’ customer would do weeks later n

‘He was an ideal customer,’ says Rockville merchant BY PAUL DUGGAN, PETER HERMANN AND MATT ZAPOTOSKY THE WASHINGTON POST

Darion Aguilar, neatly clad in jeans and a dress shirt, strolled into a Rockville gun store Dec. 10 with a wad of cash and lots of questions. He wanted a weapon for home defense, he told the owners, who remember him as upbeat and courteous. He didn’t know much about firearms and asked for their help in picking one out. “His whole demeanor was, he smiled, he was polite, he wasn’t aggressive,” said Cory Brown, a proprietor of United Gun Shop. Aguilar, then 18, told Brown and co-owner Dan Millen that he had been researching Mossberg shotguns. Could they show him a Mossberg? So they got out a basic 500 model — “an entry-level” gun, Brown said — a pump-action 12-gauge that is easy for a novice to ﬁre accurately in close quarters. Saturday morning, 46 days after he left the shop with a $430 Mossberg 500 and two boxes of shells, Aguilar used the weapon at the Mall in Columbia, killing two employees of a clothing store and then himself as hundreds of frightened shoppers ran for cover. “This guy, to rate him as a customer, he was an ideal customer,” Brown said Monday at his store off Randolph Road. “We get plenty of his mother in College Park. No one responded at Aguilar’s mother property and was not home or available for comment. Neighbors said they did not know Aguilar personally and that Saturday’s incident did not cause them to feel unsafe. Jessica Canotti said she bought her home off Hollywood Road about eight months ago and chose the neighborhood partly because it seemed safe and stable. “This neighborhood was quiet,” she said. “I did my research because I have

United Gun Shop at 5465 Randolph Road in Rockville, where Darion Aguilar bought his shotgun last month. people that come in here and look shady. We turn them away. We don’t even bother doing the paperwork. But this guy asked a lot of good questions. All ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ Engaged us great. “Just really good to deal with,” Brown recalled. “Threw up no red ﬂags at all. That’s why I’m so shocked, and I’m waiting to hear what the motive was. Because it makes no sense to me.” As Howard County police continue to investigate the shootings, kids. I want to know my neighbors.” Her husband, Daniel Canotti, said the neighborhood was not so quiet on Saturday afternoon when the roads were blocked and full of police cars. He said he still feels safe in his home. “But I’m a little scared to go to the mall now,” he said. Heidi Mayhew of College Park was picking up a piece of furniture a few houses down from Aguilar’s residence two days after the shooting.

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they said the reason for the attack remains a mystery. They said they have found no connection between Aguilar and his victims, Brianna Benlolo, 21, and Tyler Johnson, 25, who worked in Zumiez, a store for skateboarders, snowboarders and surfers on the Maryland mall’s second level. Two law enforcement officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said Aguilar kept a journal in which he described suicidal “It could be anywhere,” she said. “The only things that worry me are the things that happen in schools because my kids go to public schools. God, it’s happening everywhere.” Residents Sharri Gertler and Walter Comisiak took one of their regular walks Monday around the neighborhood, a route that took them past Aguilar’s house. “I think it can happen anywhere and it has happened in many places

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

thoughts. When the young man’s mother reported him missing Saturday, they said, a police detective was sent to the home. He began reading the journal, but Aguilar’s mother demanded he stop. Later, after authorities identiﬁed Aguilar as the shooter, police seized the journal. In addition to the references to suicide, it contains notes expressing hatred of certain groups, according to the ofﬁcials, who did not elaborate in detail. you wouldn’t expect,” Gertler said. “I’m not moving because of it.” Gertler said residents are still processing what happened and what it means to them. “It’s a good solid community,” she said. “I think we’re all feeling the effects, but it could happen anywhere, and like I said, it does.” ccook@gazette.net eeastman@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

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Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Van Hollen backs Leggett for county executive Leggett’s proposed Congressman praises incumbent for work keeping jobs and funding transportation, schools n

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

Rep. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. (D-Dist. 8) of Kensington has endorsed Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett in his race for re-election. Leggett is seeking a third term as county executive, and is being challenged by former County Executive Douglas

M. Duncan and Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg for the Democratic nomination. Duncan served as county executive from 1994 through 2006, while Andrews has been on the council since 1998. Van Hollen sent out a letter praising Leggett for his work in keeping federal jobs in the county and dedication to causes such as affordable housing and the environment. “As we move into the future, Montgomery County continues to need a visionary and principled leader who can deliver results,” Van Hollen

wrote. “Our county executive, Ike Leggett, has demonstrated that, time and again, he is that leader.” The letter carried an authority line from Van Hollen’s congressional campaign. Leggett said he was “very appreciative” of the endorsement. Leggett said Thursday that Van Hollen had indicated some time before the holidays that he would likely endorse Leggett. Leggett said he and Van Hollen have a strong relationship and have worked together on a number of projects for

the county, including bringing Walter Reed Medical Center to Bethesda and the downcounty Purple Line project. But they’ve also worked on less high-proﬁle programs such as increasing the number of federal government housing vouchers for veterans in the county, Leggett said. He praised Van Hollen’s “extraordinary level of commitment” to Montgomery County despite his senior leadership positions among the Democratic minority in the House of Representatives. rmarshall@gazette.net

Mikulski: Federal workers will see more certainty n

NIST, NIH, FDA see budgets increase

KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER

After a year marked with employee furloughs and budget cuts, employees at the National Institute of Standards and Technology will see more certainty this year, U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski said Monday at the federal agency’s Gaithersburg headquarters. “There’s going to be no sequester this ﬁscal year,” Mikulski (D) of Baltimore told several hundred employees, to a round

of applause. That was “very good news,” said Patrick Gallagher, director of NIST, an agency under the U.S. Department of Commerce. “We have the certainty of a budget in place,” he said. “We have been given new resources to expand our mission.” NIST’s budget for fiscal 2014 is $850 million, more than $40 million more than fiscal 2013, according to a congressional summary of the federal budget. The Food and Drug Administration, headquartered in Silver Spring, is seeing $2.55 billion this fiscal year, some $96 million more than last year. The fiscal 2014 budget for

Bethesda-based National Institutes of Health is $29.9 billion, about $1 billion more than NIH funding last year after sequestration cuts. But it’s also $714 million less than NIH funding before sequestration cuts went into effect. Mikulski, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she also worked to rid the budget of classifying certain federal employees as “nonessential.” “That is a demeaning label to be called nonessential and should not be a part of our budget,” Mikulski said. NIST has about 2,700 employees in Gaithersburg. Its research relates to everything from measuring the level of lead in dental crowns to devising stronger building standards. For example, following the 2001 terrorist attacks, a team from the agency traveled to New York to

review the World Trade Center rubble and make recommendations to improve future building codes. Gallagher, who has been director since 2009, joined NIST in 1993 as a research physicist and instrument scientist at the Center for Neutron Research, a national user facility for neutron scattering on the Gaithersburg campus. Mikulski toured NIST’s Center for Automotive Lightweighting, which conducts research on developing new manufacturing materials to help the automotive industry build lighter, more fuel-efﬁcient cars. “It’s very impressive research,” Mikulski said. “Manufacturing in this country is coming back, aided by this kind of research.” kshay@gazette.net

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capital budget plan boosts area colleges Schools plan to address parking, renovation needs

LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER

The Universities at Shady Grove would receive funds for a much-needed parking garage and Montgomery College aims to both renovate and build anew thanks to appropriations included in the proposed Montgomery County capital budget. In his proposed six-year capital improvements program, County Executive Isiah Leggett directed about $20 million to the Shady Grove campus in part for a parking garage to replace spaces that will be lost during the construction of a biomedical sciences and engineering facility, said Stewart Edelstein, executive director of the Universities at Shady Grove. The capital funds mark an unusual contribution from the county because Montgomery is not responsible for ﬁnancially supporting the state institution, Edelstein said. The state is paying for the new facility but will not provide money for a parking garage, Edelstein said. The garage, which will be able to hold about 700 cars, will expand the campus’ parking capacity to meet enrollment increases, Edelstein said. Edelstein said he thinks the county’s ﬁnancial commitment helped the institution get the money it needed from the state. The new facility will host a range of programs from the University of Maryland College Park, the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland Baltimore County — all current university partners with the institution. These programs — including an electrical engineering degree from College Park, a research and medical technology degree from Baltimore and a computer science degree from Baltimore County as well as a few new degrees — have not been offered at the Shady Grove campus before due to the lack of a proper facility in which to teach them.

“We know that the county and state can’t meet every need that we have.” DeRionne Pollard, Montgomery College president The institution plans to start building the garage in about nine months. Edelstein said the new facility will bring engineering and biomedical disciplines to the area that are “critical” to the region’s economic development. Leggett proposes about $348 million for Montgomery College’s three campuses. Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard said the college faces the largest space deficit among Maryland’s community colleges. With the proposal, Pollard said, the college would be able to make “significant progress” addressing the needs of its students. Pollard said the college’s goal is to work efficiently with the funds and renovate existing buildings to match them with current curriculum requirements. “We know that the county and state can’t meet every need that we have,” she said. At the Rockville campus, the budget would renovate the Science West Building, construct a parking garage, and design and construct a student services center. The Germantown campus would receive money to design and renovate the Science and Applied Studies Building and design a student services center. The math and science building on the Takoma Park/ Silver Spring campus would be modernized. She said there is “a growing need to continue to revitalize existing facilities.” “We have lots of work that needs to be done,” she said. lpowers@gazette.net

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THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page A-9

Kessler touts Capitol Hill experience in bid for state delegate Silver Spring Democrat vies for District 18 seat

PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER

Newcomer Eric “Rick” Kessler of Silver Spring conﬁrmed Tuesday that he has ﬁled as a candidate in the District 18 delegate’s race. A Democrat, Kessler said he would be an advocate for Montgomery County, as well as for District 18, which covers Kensington, Chevy Chase, Garrett Park, Wheaton and parts of Silver Spring and Rockville. “Our progressive values don’t carry the day in Annapolis,” he said. “We are not getting back what we put in [the

state] not just ﬁnancially, but with our values too.” Kessler said he would be happy to see money for the Purple Line, a light rail that will connect Bethesda to New Carrollton, in the state budget and agrees with County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) Kessler that there should be a dedicated fund for school construction. “We need to expand access to affordable quality day care. After care, I think is critical,” Kessler said. “We need to use the tax code as incentive to consumers and businesses. Sales

tax on any necessity is regressive. Sales tax on clothing is both regressive and harms the poorest among us and our businesses. I’d like to work to get that changed. If you took that tax and replaced it with another, like on companies that do business here...we need to start that discussion.” Kessler said he has not run for elected ofﬁce before, though he did compete for the District 18 appointment to complete Del. Jane Lawton’s term after she died in 2007. The Democratic Central Committee selected Alfred Carr, Jr. to ﬁll the unexpired term, who continues in the post and is running for re-election this year. “I went in late but I wanted to learn the process,” he said. “I did a candidates forum and I enjoyed that.”

Kessler, 48, is now senior vice president of Levick Strategic Communications. He is also vice chairman of the District 18 Democratic Caucus. He and his wife, Cindy Schwartz, and son Matthew live in Silver Spring. Kessler grew up in Livingston, N.J. and attended Kenyon College in Ohio, where he graduated with an AB in International Studies — the ﬁrst student to graduate from that program — as a Soviet Studies major. He said he believes his experience working 20 years on Capitol Hill will be a valuable asset in Annapolis. He is former chief of staff to Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and former legislative assistant to Sen. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and served on the professional staff for House Energy and Commerce Com-

mittee and was projects and legislative assistant to the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). “I am running for the House of Delegates because I believe that on the progressive values what we care about in Montgomery County, we can do better,” Kessler wrote in a statement. “I want to...make a difference in Annapolis for all our District 18 families and communities.” The primary election is June 24 and the general election is on Nov. 4. According to the Maryland State Board of Elections website there are four other District 18 delegate candidates registered for the primary election, all Democrats: incumbents Al Carr, Ana Sol Gutierrez and Jeff Waldstreicher, and Elizabeth Matory.

Congressional hopeful pulls out of race Ex-PTA leader launches GOP’s Vogt may run for ‘more local ofﬁce’

KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER

Republican David Vogt has bowed out of the race for the 6th Congressional District, likely creating an uncontested Republican primary in June. Vogt, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, announced his withdrawal Tuesday, his campaign saying that he was instead considering a run for a “more local ofﬁce.” A resident of Brunswick in Frederick County, Vogt was the only candidate in the congressional race that actually lived in District 6. Daniel Bongino (R), also running, lives in Severna Park in Anne Arundel County and incumbent U.S. Rep. John K. Delaney (D) lives in Potomac. Both Severna Park and Potomac are outside the 6th District boundaries. Vogt’s exodus from the race

Vogt leaves, at present, an uncontested primary for Bongino. Candidates have until Feb. 25 to ﬁle for election in Maryland. If Vogt does seek a local ofﬁce, Maryland Republican Party Chairwoman Diana Waterman said that allows the party a chance to gain even more ground in the 2014 election. “We certainly don’t discour-

age primaries,” she said. “But it is nice if you do not have to fight a primary as well as general battle. Now we put all of our efforts behind getting Dan elected in the general election.” Vogt said in a press release his decision to withdraw from the race came after spending time in talks with friends, family and supporters. “I will continue to offer my fervent support of returning statesmanship to our district, state and country regardless of candidacy,” he was quoted saying in the release. At this time, Vogt does not have any concrete plans for running locally, but will make an announcement once he has spoken to area leaders and evaluated his options, spokesman Cam Harris said in an email. Vogt wished Bongino “the best of luck in his fight to restore conservative principles to Western Maryland.” “In some respects it’s sad to see him go,” Bongino said. “From a practical component, it makes it easier to not fight on

two fronts.” Now looking toward the general election in November, Bongino said his campaign is poised to take back the District 6 seat for the Republican party. Delaney (D) of Potomac won the seat in 2012 by defeating longtime GOP Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, thanks in part to Maryland’s latest round of redistricting drawing more Montgomery County voters into the district. Delaney said Tuesday in a statement that he expects to seek re-election despite a push to enter the race for Maryland’s governor. “Many people I trust and respect have asked me to consider running for governor and of course I always think about where I may best serve,” Delaney said. “But I love my job and my expectation is that I will continue to serve in Congress and represent my district.” Maryland will hold its general election on Nov. 4. kalexander@gazette.net

Water main break closes Wisconsin Avenue WSSC seeing dozens of breaks in Montgomery, Prince George’s counties n

SYLVIA CARIGNAN STAFF WRITER

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission crews dealt with a wave of water main breaks Tuesday as overnight temperatures plunged into the single digits. At about 11:30 a.m., the util-

ity confirmed that an 8-inch water main broke near the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Chestnut Street in Bethesda. “It is safe to say the weather is a factor,” said WSSC spokeswoman Lyn Riggins. “There is unusually cold water moving throughourdistributionsystemin the wake ofthe recent cold snaps.” The Potomac River is about 33 degrees, the coldest it has been this winter, she said. In Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, the utility was working to ﬁx 69 water main

breaks Tuesday — above the daily average for this time of year. “Things are pretty busy right now,” said WSSC spokesman Jim Neustadt. According to Riggins, there are no “large transmission” mains broken, which are 16 inches in diameter or larger. “It is the smaller, distribution mains that are feeling the impact,” she said. So far this month, WSSC has seen 427 water main breaks and leaks, but that barely touches the utility’s all-time record. In

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January 2009, the utility ﬁxed 611 breaks and leaks. Though a typical water main break takes four to six hours to repair, Riggins said the process can take longer in cold weather, as crews have to rotate in and out of warm environments such as heated vehicles. The utility on Tuesday did not have an estimate on when the Wisconsin Avenue break would be repaired. “Once we dig down on the pipe and see the type of break, we can often give a better estimate on repair time,” Riggins said. Montgomery County police closed all southbound lanes of Wisconsin Avenue between Woodmont Avenue and Battery Lane while the pipe was being ﬁxed. scarignan@gazette.net

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board races. The primary election falls on June 24 and the general election on Nov. 4. On Friday, Evans said she BY LINDSAY A. POWERS was working toward a fundraisSTAFF WRITER ing goal of $6,000 to $10,000 in Until last week, Shebra the next 30 days to fuel her Evans was vice president of campaign. Evans said that as a board educational issues for the Montgomery County Council member, she would draw more of Parent-Teacher Associations. awareness to career education. The school system offers opShe said she quit so she could run for an at-large seat portunities to gain job skills — such as the vocational programs on the county’s school board. at Thomas Edison Evans — a SilHigh School of Techver Spring resident nology in Silver Spring with two daughters in — that can help stuMontgomery County dents interested in goPublic Schools — said ing directly from high she can make a differschool to the work ence because of the force, she said. relationships she has Evans said she developed at the local, Evans would expand those county and state levels through her work in her commu- opportunities and get businesses nity, education advocacy and the involvedtohelpstudents. With the school system facenergy and cable industries. A member of the county ing ongoing achievement gaps, PTA council since 2011, Evans she said, she would direct more has held several roles, includ- resources to new efforts and exing vice president of programs isting intiatives. She said she thinks more reand her ﬁrst position, recording sources would be well spent on secretary. Evans, 42, said that, if the school system’s Innovation elected, she would bring her Schools Network to improve leadership skills, understand- student performance and the ing of the school community’s system’s current Achieving Colneeds and ability to comfortably legiate Excellence and Success program that helps high school engage and speak with people. The school board role, she students prepare for and get into college. said, would be a natural ﬁt. Her time on the school “It always seems to come back to children,” she said. board, she said, also would focus “That’s definitely where my on increasing parent engagement and helping them underpassion is.” As of Tuesday, she was the stand how they can get involved. Evans said the school board only non-incumbent running for a board position. School has done well in its advocacy for board District 1 representative capital funds from the county Judy Docca, District 3 Repre- and state to help address the sentative Patricia O’Neill and school system’s capacity issues. “I think they’re doing a District 5 Representative Michael Durso are all running to good job in telling the story about the school system and keep their respective seats. The board includes five what the needs are,” she said. Evans said the current district seats and two at-large seats. Only districts 1, 3 and 5 board works hard, but is often not visible to the public. are up for election this year. “I would definitely give Voters countywide are eligible to cast ballots for school them an A for effort,” she said.

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THE GAZETTE

Page A-10

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Observers say women face challenges if they seek insanity defense Plea requires medical evaluations, high threshold of evidence

BY ST. JOHN BARNED-SMITH STAFF WRITER

The two women accused of slaying two toddlers in an attempted exorcism in Germantown face charges of ﬁrst-degree murder and attempted ﬁrst-degree murder, but haven’t been arraigned yet. Lawyers for the women, Zakieya L. Avery and Monifa D. Sanford, said it is too soon to discuss their clients’ cases in detail, including the possibility of them pursuing a “not criminally responsible,” or insanity, defense. During bail hearings for the two women this month, prosecutors said both women have a history of mental illness. According to Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy, Avery told police that she once was involuntarily committed for psychiatric care. Sanford told police she has tried to

MONEY

Continued from Page A-1 campaign manager and other staff are working for free. Other candidates plan to use their funds to hire full-time staff. Jamgochian, for example, whose coffers top out at $116,698, recently brought in

GRADUATION

Continued from Page A-1 saw a slight decrease from 2012 to 2013 in the dropout rate, which fell about 0.5 percentage point to 6.3 percent. Since 2011, the dropout rate has decreased by about 1 percentage point. Montgomery’s dropout rate stands about 3.1 percentage points below Maryland’s 9.4-percent rate. Among the school system’s 25 high schools — 16 of which saw graduation rate increases from 2012 to 2013 — the highest increases from last year include Rockville’s 4.8 percentage points, Springbrook’s 4 percentage points, and Clarksburg’s and Northwest’s 3.7 points. Wheaton High School saw the

BRANSON

Continued from Page A-1 she thinks her experience as a congressional aide will help her get started quickly on the council. It has also taught her the importance of compromise in getting things accomplished,

commit suicide twice. “The state’s attorney’s statements present a pretty compelling case for a lack of criminal responsibility,” said David Felsen, Sanford’s attorney, before declining to discuss his client’s case further. Byron L. Warnken, a University of Baltimore law professor, said that obtaining a “not criminally responsible” verdict is a “very difﬁcult hurdle” for defendants. In Maryland, if a jury ﬁnds a person guilty, and the defendant’s lawyers can establish “not criminally responsible,” or NCR, the defendant cannot be punished, he said. “You can put me away, where you put other involuntarily committed people ... and I might get out in one-tenth of the time, or 10 times longer, [than a convicted criminal]. It has nothing to do with punishment. It has to do with, ‘Do I pose a danger to myself, to others and to the property of others?,’” Warnken said. In a 911 call on the evening of Jan. 16, a neighbor told police that Avery left one of her children in her car for about an hour.

During the call, Avery came out of her house and accosted him. In the call, which police released to the public, the caller told dispatchers Avery was “responding to internal stimuli.” The caller explained that Avery appeared to be talking to herself. During Avery’s bail review, McCarthy said the women told police they had seen demons possessing the children and turning their eyes black. Avery has been transferred to a secure psychiatric hospital. Before her case can go forward, mental health experts have to evaluate whether she is legally “competent,” or understands the charges against her and can assist in her defense. A similar evaluation has been ordered for Sanford. Neil Blumberg, a forensic psychiatrist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said that when defendants might have mental illnesses, health ofﬁcials check if there’s a history of mental illness or drug abuse, and learn about their early development. In cases in which mothers kill their children and there’s no history of being abused or abus-

ing children, most are psychotic or responding to hallucinations and delusions, he said. If Avery and Sanford are found not competent, they will go through a process to “restore” them to competency, lawyers said. That would involve medication and other treatment. Judicial proceedings would continue after they finally reached competency, McCarthy said. The length of that process varies widely, possibly taking months or years, said Steven D. Kupferberg, a local lawyer. Once restored to competency, the women would be evaluated by a state psychiatrist to determine whether they were “not criminally responsible” when the accusations took place. In that case, their defense attorneys would need to prove that their clients are either unable to appreciate the criminality of their conduct or unable to conform their conduct to law, said Paul Kemp, a local defense attorney. Then, they would plead guilty, but not criminally responsible. “The only cases where the defendant is usually found to

two full-time workers — a ﬁeld organizer, Harrison Keller, and a campaign coordinator, Tim Hernandez. Both will start Feb. 1, Jamgochian said. The Bethesda attorney and health care advocate said he was “humbled by the strong grassroots support.” More than half of his money came in the form of individual donations.

Korman, whose cash count of $120,791, $75,930 of which were individual donations, is second only to incumbent Del. Kelly’s reported $122,964. Korman also just hired a new staffer, Noah Wasserman, who recently served as operations director on Rep. Rush Holt’s campaign for U.S. Senate in New Jersey, and will take care of the logistical

details of Korman’s campaign, he said. “I feel really good,” Korman said. “I’ve been knocking on doors since June every Saturday and Sunday.” Kevin Walling, who helped lobby in Annapolis to legalize gay marriage in Maryland, reported having $30,653 and Gareth Murray, who served in the House of Delegates in 2002, re-

greatest decline in its graduation rate, dropping to 68.6 percent in 2013 from 76.1 percent in 2012 — about 7.5 percentage points. Sixteen high schools saw an increase from 2012 to 2013 among black students and 12 high schools saw an increase among Hispanic students. Of the high schools that showed an improvement among special education students, several school saw signiﬁcant rate increases, including Paint Branch with a jump of 21.8 percentage points and Quince Orchard with a jump of 19.2 points. School board President Philip Kauffman said he is encouraged by the improved graduation rates but also wants to learn more about how ready students are for college or a career after they leave high school.

Addressing ESOL students’ data, Kauffman pointed to recommendations in Superintendent Joshua P. Starr’s proposed operating budget that direct more resources to ESOL services. “I think that’s something we need to do,” he said. School board member Christopher S. Barclay (Dist. 4) said the school system needs to “take ownership” of its responsibility to help prepare ESOL students for the future. “We can’t do that if we’re not helping ensure they get all the way through (high school),” he said. Barclay said he thinks the school system needs to be as “aggressive” and “intentional” as possible to produce signﬁcant changes in student performance, including those of

GRADUATION RATE CHANGES

she said. Branson had previously served on the county’s Charter Review Commission and the Commission on Redistricting. Branson was nominated by Councilwoman Nancy Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring, who said she thinks Branson would make an excellent addition to

the council. Council Vice President George Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park moved that the nomination by acclimation, a suggestion the other council members supported. Branson was one of 18 candidates who applied for the open seat, 14 of whom were interviewed by the council.

High schools with greatest graduation rate increases

be NCR is where they are separated from reality, or psychotic,” Kemp said. Waging an NCR defense requires a defendant to admit to the facts of the case. “The initial burden is on the defendant. ... You have to come in with an opinion [of NCR] from a psychiatrist,” Kemp said. “The hardest thing is you don’t have a client on the other end of the line helping you when they really have that condition,” he said. Scott Shellenberger, state’s attorney in Baltimore County, would not comment on the charges against Avery and Sanford. Speaking of NCR cases generally, he said: “The problem is whenever someone does a particularly heinous act, it’s normal for regular folks to say, ‘They must be crazy,’ but that doesn’t mean they weren’t criminally responsible.” One way evaluators try to determine that is if a defendant tries to conceal the crime. “That’s best way to know — if they did it, and tried to hide it, that’s the best indication they knew what they were doing was wrong,” Shellenberger said. ported $2,414, according to state records. Three other candidates — Democrat Karen Kuker-Kihl and Republicans Rose Li and Meyer Marks — have not ﬁled any ﬁnancial reports with the Maryland State Board of Elections. District 16 is now represented by Sen. Brian Frosh and Dels. Bill Frick, Ariana Kelly and

High schools with greatest graduation rate decreases

(in percentage points)

n 1. Rockville:

4.8

n 1. Wheaton:

-7.5

n 2. Springbrook:

4.0

n 2. John F. Kennedy:

-4.0

n 3. Clarksburg:

3.7

n 3. Walter Johnson:

-2.2

n 3. Northwest:

3.7

n 4. Walt Whitman:

-1.5

n 5. Northwood:

3.6

n 5. Albert Einstein:

-1.3

SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

black, Hispanic, and free and reduced-price meals students whose graduation rates are below those of their white and East and South Asian peers. “We’ve got to make larger leaps in those groups really to

deal with those gaps that we see,” he said. Rockville High Principal BillieJean Bensen said that, while this academic year marks her ﬁrst at the school, she has seen the continuation of recently started ef-

Councilman Hans Riemer (D-At large) of Takoma Park complemented the people who applied. “It was really a testament to a great tradition of citizen engagement here in Montgomery County,” Riemer said. Branson will serve out the remainder of Ervin’s term,

which ends Dec. 1. Candidates for the appointment were asked to agree not to run for re-election in November. The race for the new term has drawn plenty of speculation among Montgomery political observers. Silver Spring Democrat Jeffrey Thames was the only candidate to ﬁle as of Tuesday, according to the state Board of

Professional Services

EXORCISM

Continued from Page A-1 from child to child, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said at Avery’s Jan. 21 bail review. The women, who lived on Cherry Bend Drive in Germantown, have been charged with two counts of ﬁrst-degree murder and two counts of attempted ﬁrst-degree murder in the deaths of Avery’s 1-yearold son and 2-year-old daughter on Jan. 17. Police also have charged the two women with attempting to kill Avery’s two other children, ages 5 and 8. Police found the two toddlers washed and wrapped in blankets on Avery’s bed. Avery and Sanford were arrested Jan. 17, and have been held without bail since. sjbsmith@gazette.net

Susan Lee. All four are Democrats. Kelly is planning to run again, Frick will ﬁght it out for attorney general with Frosh, and Lee is running for Frosh’s Senate seat. The primary will be held June 24 and the general election Nov. 4. ablum@gazette.net

forts that she thinks have helped students reach graduation. Among other work, the high school has used team meetings — which pull together counselors, resource teachers, administrators and others — to talk about each student’s individual needs, she said. In contrast to the school system overall, Rockville High’s 2013 data included a jump in ESOL students’ graduation rate to 85.7 percent from 41.7 percent in 2012. Bensen said school staff work hard to provide a variety of supports to ESOL students beyond those found in the ESOL classes. “That data in particular is just amazing,” she said. lpowers@gazette.net

Elections. Evan Glass, chairman of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board has expressed his intention to run, while Del. Tom Hucker (D-Dist. 20) of Silver Spring and Board of Education member Christopher S. Barclay are among those who have said they’re considering running for the seat. rmarshall@gazette.net

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THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page A-11

BUSINESS

Auto sales continue to increase State numbers reach highest level since 2007

“That didn’t help us,” he said of the shutdown. “A big part of our market here is government workers. While they mostly got paid, a lot of contractors didn’t.” Besides the improvement in the economy, more accessible ﬁnancing and pent-up demand were factors for last year’s better year, Kitzmiller said. The much better fuel economy with the new vehicles is another reason, he said. “A lot of people have put off buying vehicles for a long time,” Kitzmiller said.

KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER

Tamara C. Darvish remembers the lean times during the recession when dealers tried to lure buyers through “cash for clunkers” and other programs. Therefore, seeing another jump in new-vehicle sales — the fourth consecutive annual statewide increase since the decade low point of 2009 — in 2013 from 2012 is a welcome development, even if sales ﬁgures have yet to return to pre-recession levels. Silver Spring-based Darcars Automotive Group, where Darvish is vice president, saw sales rise by 17 percent last year, higher than the 6 percent statewide increase. “Consumers are feeling more confidence,” said Darvish, a member of the board of directors of the National Automobile Dealers Association, representing Washington-area franchised new-car dealers. “We have great ﬁnance rates and incentives available.” The roughly 335,000 new vehicles sold in Maryland last year was the highest number since about 378,000 in 2007, according to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. The average sales price continued to climb to more than $30,000, as the $10.1 billion worth of new cars sold in the state was the most since $10.4 billion in 2006 and greatly improved from $6.7 billion worth sold in 2009. Used-vehicle sales statewide rose 3 percent from 2013 to about 645,000 and $6.0 billion. Maryland’s new-vehicle sales increase was slightly below the 8 percent nationwide jump. The federal government shutdown and sequester budget cuts could have something to do with that, said Peter Kitzmiller, president of the Maryland Automobile Dealers Association.

Auto show season

FILE PHOTO

“Consumers are feeling more conﬁdence,” says Tamara K. Darvish.

AUTO SALES RISE, BUT STILL BELOW PRE-RECESSION LEVELS n New and used auto sales across Maryland increased last year from 2012, but still have a way to go to reach pre-recession levels. New auto sales Year

Used auto sales No.

Value*

Avg. price

No.

Value*

Avg. price

2013

335,209

$10.1

$30,171

644,755

$6.0

$9,269

2012

316,762

$9.3

$29,312

627,678

$5.6

$8,893

2009

248,928

$6.7

$26,860

608,889

$4.5

$7,407

2007

378,184

$10.0

$26,437

678,549

$5.8

$8,539

2006

399,282

$10.4

$26,076

696,968

$5.9

$8,416

*in billions of dollars

SOURCE: MARYLAND MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION

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Darcars and other Maryland dealerships are involved in the Washington Auto Show, which started Thursday and runs through Feb. 2 at the Washington Convention Center. Darvish, also a past board chair of the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association, which organizes the Washington show, plans to be at the show next week following this weekend’s NADA convention in New Orleans. The event showcases more than 700 vehicles from some 40 manufacturers. The continued technological changes in new vehicles, from hands-free phone systems to sensors that make drivers aware of objects in the way, is a key theme of the show, Darvish said. Technology also is a big part of the Motor Trend International Auto Show-Baltimore, Kitzmiller said. That show, presented by the Maryland Automobile Dealers Association, will run Feb. 6-9 at the Baltimore Convention Center. “All of the manufacturers are back at the show,” Kitzmiller said. “In recent years, some haven’t been able to make it.” Among the new models being exhibited will be 2015 pre-production models of the Ford Mustang, Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Suburban. kshay@gazette.net

BizBriefs

Have a new business in Montgomery County? Let us know about it at www.gazette.net/newbusinessform

Damascus bank hires new branch manager Linda Sardella is the new Damascus ofﬁce branch manager for Damascus Community Bank. Sardella, of Urbana, has more than 20 years of retail management and sales experience. She has more than 10 years of banking experience, including, most recently, at PNC Bank. She has been working in the Damascus community since 2005. Her previous banking experience includes branch management, coaching, business banking and ﬁnancial sales consulting.

Youth etiquette school opens in Burtonsville Etiquette consultant Valerie Nance has opened the Eastern School of Etiquette in Burtonsville. The school’s purpose is “to coach youth in building character and life skills while living a pure life in order to accomplish goals and endure life challenges with conﬁdence,” Nance said in a statement. The school offers classes evenings and weekends at 3911 Cotton Tree Lane. Its phone number is 301-272-7113, and its website is at easternetiquette.com. It can be found on Twitter @1stladyofese.

Chamber hires new member services director The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce named Maxine Chen of Gaithersburg director of member services. Chen has been in the hospitality industry for 30 years, according to a chamber news release. She was co-owner of a restaurant in Lehigh Valley, Pa.; worked in event management at the Sulgrave Club in Washington, D.C.; was director of catering at Norbeck Country Club; worked in catering sales at One Washington Circle Hotel; and was sales manager at Buca di Beppo in the Kentlands in Gaithersburg. Chen also owned and directed a dance studio in Emmaus, Pa.

THE GAZETTE

Page A-12

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

SCHOOL LIFE n Age: 41

Keith Adams

n Job title: Social studies resource teacher, John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring; founder CKA SAVE Project n Hometown: Hyattsville; now lives in Silver Spring n Education: Bachelor of science, history, Bowie State University; master’s in teaching, Grand Canyon University, Phoenix; Educational Leadership certiﬁcation, Hood College; now working on Ph.D. in organizational leadership n Family: Divorced with one son, Keith Jr., 5 n Hobby: Fan of professional wrestling n Lesson to live by: “Discipline is simply doing what you are supposed to do, at the time you are supposed to do it, and in the best possible manner and that’s not such a bad thing,” — Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University basketball coach

Keith Adams is a social studies resource teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, and founder of CKA SAVE Project, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting student athletes lead successful academic and professional careers. He was interviewed Friday at Kennedy. You are a teacher at Kennedy and the founder of a nonprofit that benefits student athletes. Do you consider yourself a teacher first or a coach?

I’m always a teacher first. I’m a teacher coach: a teacher in the classroom and a teacher in the gym. You talk a lot about coaching while teaching. The worlds are intertwined. I’ve been teaching 19 years in Montgomery County; I was hired May 1995. I started as a social studies teacher at Benjamin Banneker Middle School [Silver Spring]. I got to teach at my old middle school, then I went to Paint Branch [High School] where I graduated from and played varsity basketball for four years. So for my first five years who better to teach me how to be a teacher than those who taught me? I was also assistant basketball coach at Paint Branch. Then I went to Wootton [High School] to be head basketball coach and social studies teacher. We did well at Wootton. I moved to Springbrook [High School] and left coaching to coach at Hood College and then I came to Kennedy. I stayed at Hood coaching for eight years.

VOICES IN EDUCATION So tell me about the CKA SAVE Project. What does that stand for?

Coach Keith Adams Student Athletes Valuing Education Project. When I was in high school all of us on the team were very close to Coach [Hank] Galotta. One day he went on a rant about coaches as role models. Coaches really are role models and that really stayed with me. I said, “Coach, one day when I get the means I’m going to get this group together and we’re going to make a difference.” When I was coaching at Hood [College] I saw kids just like me, kids who needed a direction, who needed attention. So I decided to start a nonproﬁt. I called on my former players. One was in business and he helped me set up a corporation, another who was a lawyer helped with the legal part. Several helped with seed money. Slowly it built up and in April 2009 we became a 501(c)(3). Our mission is simply to assist students; the primary focus is student athletes, and the people who work with them. This is the ﬁrst year we are offering scholarships, one to a male and one to a female athlete. How do you assist students?

We teach them time-management skills,

organizational skills and the ability to selfadvocate. For teachers we teach them about the athletic mindset and how to use it to expect higher levels of communication, higher levels of collaboration and higher levels of accountability. When people are given a task and not given the means to do that task they won’t do it well, so we do a summer AP class to prepare students for AP classes. Their likelihood of success greatly increases — like basketball, you get better with practice. We also have a summer camp to prepare students for the responsibilities of high school. We also take them on college visits to get them in the mindset of going to college. Is there anything else you would like readers to know?

We are having an academic all-star basketball game here at Kennedy March 17. It is seniors playing and they have to have a 2.5 grade point average. The cost is $10 and all the money goes to academic programs here at Kennedy High School.

“Voices in Education” is a twice-monthly feature that highlights the men and women who are involved with the education of Montgomery County’s children. To suggest someone you would like to see featured email Peggy McEwan at pmcewan@gazette. net.

EDUCATION NOTEBOOK County Scouts participate in annual Klondike Derby If there was ever a time to “Be Prepared,” it was the weekend of Jan. 17-19 when Boy Scouts from around the county held their annual Klondike Derby at Little Bennett Regional Park in Clarksburg. More than 450 Scouts participated in the winter weekend camporee, all waking up Saturday morning to a dusting of snow that fell Friday night. Joe Goldsmith of Troop 445 in Damascus said he didn’t mind the cold and snow. “I love camping,” he said. “I came prepared, dressed in layers.” In addition to setting up their camp sites, cooking meals and staying warm, Scouts participated in 22 separate activities designed to test their camping skills. Jack Lundin of Troop 68 in Bethesda quizzed Scouts on common plants and animals. He awarded points to the Scout patrols for corra the highest score and the title of overall winner. “We’re trying to teach how to use what you can,” said adult leader Geoffrey Wolfe of Troop 1434 in Bethesda. “If you are in trouble, you can take action.” The Scouts’ skills points were added to scores earned by submitting a design for the 22015 Klondike Derby patch, building and bringing a sled to the weekend equipped with a winter survival kit or entering the Saturday night dessert competition, where patrols contributed their own sweet creations for judging. Top honors for most points earned this year went to the Mighty Penguins patrol of Troop 249 of Silver Spring. The weekend wrapped up Sunday morning with an actual Klondike Derby. Patrols

ists, accounting for 75 percent of Maryland’s 20 semiﬁnalists. Montgomery has three of the state’s four ﬁnalists.

Rocky Hill students perform ‘Annie Jr.’

GEOFFREY WOLFE

Boy Scouts from Troop 1449 in Rockville participate in the sled race at the Boy Scouts Potomac District Klondike Derby on Jan. 19 at Little Bennett Regional Park in Clarksburg. used their sleds, some specially decorated for the competition, in a race across the Little Bennett meadow. The Hun patrol from Troop 773 in Potomac came in ﬁrst and the Spam patrol from Troop 1449 in Rockville took second. Don Kilgore, district director of the Boy Scouts of America National Capital Area Council, said the Scouts loved the weekend. “They are well prepared and it’s a good experience,” he said.

Blair High has three ﬁnalists in science contest Three Montgomery County Public Schools students — all from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring — are ﬁnalists in the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search, a nationwide high school science competition. Ishaun S. Datta, Neil S. Davey and Jessica Shi are

among 40 ﬁnalists nationwide who will gather March 6-12 in Washington, D.C., to compete for more than $600,000 in

awards, including a grand prize of $100,000. The students’ projects: • Datta: Saturated Nuclear Matter in the Large Nc and Heavy Quark Limits of Quantum Chromodynamics. • Davey: Early Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Through the Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells Using Drop-Based Microfluidics. • Shi: The Speeds of Families of Intersection Graphs. “This is a very proud day for Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery Blair High School,” Superintendent Joshua P. Starr said in a news release. “These students have combined deep academic knowledge with creativity and perseverance and it has led to tremendous success. Congratulations to our Intel finalists, their families, and the staff that have supported them throughout this process.” The contest is administered by the Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. Fifteen county students were among the 300 semifinal-

The Rocky Hill Headliners from Rocky Hill Middle School in Clarksburg will present the musicial “Annie Jr.” this week. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee Sunday. The school is at 22401 Brick Haven Way. Tickets, available at the door, cost $7, and $5 for students and senior citizens. For group ticket sales or more information, email Catherine_A_ Obendorfer@mcpsmd.org.

Audubon opens summer camp registration Registration for the Audubon Naturalist Society’s summer camp offerings begins at 9 a.m. Friday. Summer camps and programs for students in pre-kindergarten through 10th grade are offered at two locations in Montgomery County: Woodend Nature Sanctuary, 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase; and the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center, 5110 Meadowside Lane, Rockville. “We are a throwback outdoor summer camp: we’re outdoors, playing games, walking in the woods,” camp director Karen Vernon said in a news release. “But the magic climbing over fallen logs or ﬁnding a salamander under the leaves unlocks for our campers is transformative, like only experiences in nature can be.” Weekly summer camp sessions run at Woodend June 16 through Aug. 15, with camps

for all ages. A Teen Naturalist Training Program is offered for students entering ninth and 10th grades. The teens are taught what it takes to be an Audubon naturalist while volunteering in the summer camp program and earning student service learning hours. “Last year was our ﬁrst year offering the [training] program and it quickly sold out,” Vernon said. “Our camps are also very popular among elementary school-aged children, which is why we added the Rockville location.” For the past three years, the society has had a partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools to offer some of its signature nature camps at the Smith Center. First- through fourthgraders can attend the Smith Center for two weeks in August. More information and online registration are at anshome.org/camp.

Transfer applications get underway Monday Montgomery County parents and guardians seeking a change of school assignment for their children from their home school may begin the process starting Monday. All requests must be submitted by April 1. Except for students in the Northeast, Downcounty and Middle School Magnet consortiums, county students are assigned to a school based on their residence or their Individualized Education Program and are expected to attend that school. Assignment changes are permitted under the following circumstances: • An older sibling attends the requested school in the regular program, absent a boundary change. • A continuation in a feeder

pattern from middle to high school, except when affected by boundary change, application program acceptance or consortium choice guidelines. • A documented, unique hardship situation. • A student selected for an exempt program. At the home school or online, parents or guardians may obtain an information booklet that contains the request form, describes the process and provides other information. It is available in English and Spanish. Exempt programs that do not fall under the transfer guidelines are listed in the information booklet. There is a different process to access the elementary language immersion programs. Information and copies of the relevant forms are available at all elementary schools and online at montgomeryschoolsmd.org. Parents of ﬁfth-graders enrolled in immersion programs should submit a change of school assignment if they want the students to continue in the immersion program in middle school. For information about assignments for students in the Northeast, Downcounty and Middle School Magnet consortiums, contact the Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services at 301592-2040 or visit the website. For more information about the transfer process, parents and guardians are encouraged to contact the principal at their home school. Non-English speakers who need help may call 301-309-6277, where operators who speak English and Spanish are available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parents who speak languages other than English or Spanish who call and identify their language will have their questions answered through a telephone interpreter.

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page A-13

CELEBRATIONS

HEALTH CALENDAR UPCOMING Healthy Weight Series, 5:306:15 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 29 to March 19, at Suburban Hospital Lambert Building (second ﬂoor), 8710 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Focusing on the building blocks of a healthy diet, explore the latest topics in nutrition, exercise and lifestyle issues that can affect weight management. Topics include portion size, making healthier menu options when dining out, and bulking upon ﬁber rich food. Facilitated by licensed/ registered dietician. $85. www. suburbanhospital.org.

Senior Shape: Advanced Weight Training, from 10-10:45

Guthery, Hoffman Jeff and Debbie Hoffman of Gaithersburg announce the engagement of their son, David Jordan Hoffman, to Lisa Simson Guthery, daughter of Peter and Dr. Jean Guthery of Denver, Colo. The prospective groom is a 2001 graduate of Gaithersburg High School. In 2005 he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business in Ann Arbor and obtained his master’s degree in accountancy at the University of Denver. He is currently employed as a CPA at Holben.Hay.Lake. Balzer Certiﬁed Public Accountants LLC of Denver. The bride-to-be graduated magna cum laude in 2007 from Bowdoin College in Maine with a degree in psychology. After graduation, she served as a volunteer at Safe Passage in Guatemala City. She is currently employed as the Parents as Teachers Coordinator at Focus Points Family Resource Center of Denver. No date has yet been set for the wedding.

a.m. Fridays to March 28, at Holiday Park Community Center, 3950 Ferrara Drive, Wheaton. Taught by a certiﬁed instructor, this exercise program, participants perform a variety of weight-training exercises at a faster pace to increase muscular strength and endurance while getting the heart rate up. Form is emphasized to insure maximal results while keeping the joints safe. Dress comfortably. Bring a mat. $30. www.suburbanhospital.org.

Kuscher, McHugh Mr. and Mrs. Ken Kuscher of Boynton Beach, Fla., (formerly of Rockville) announce the engagement of their daughter, Alexandra Rosa Kuscher, to Mr. Terence Lanman McHugh, youngest son of Mr. Martin Charles McHugh of Siesta Key, Fla., and Ms. Maureen Collins McHugh of Rockville. Alex is a 1994 graduate of Thomas Wootton High School and a 1998 graduate of Ithaca College. Ms. Kuscher is the senior marketing manager for ServiceNow in Tysons Corner, Va. Terry is a 1996 graduate of Gonzaga College High School and a 2000 graduate of the University of Delaware. Mr. McHugh is the vice president and third-generation licensed funeral director for Francis J. Collins Funeral Home Inc. in Silver Spring, a family owned and operated funeral home. The wedding is scheduled for June 7, 2014, at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Easton. The couple plans to reside in Bethesda.

Yoga for Women Cancer Survivors, from 7-8:15 p.m.

Meditation and Mindfulness: Tools for Alleviating Stress Post Cancer Diagnosis, from 7-8 p.m.

Thursdays to March 27 at Sibley Memorial Hospital, Private Dining Room 3 (next to cafeteria), 5255 Loughboro Road, NW, Washington, D.C. Join facilitator Ashley Nunn and others with a history of cancer to learn about and practice a relaxation technique that uses focus on breathing. This practice has been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety and loneliness; improving sleep; and boosting immune system. No prior experience required. Walkins welcome. Register at Sibley. org or call 202-243-2320. Free. www.suburbanhospital.org.

RELIGION CALENDAR ONGOING Damascus United Methodist Church, 9700 New Church St.,

Damascus, offers traditional Sunday morning worship services at 8:15 a.m., a youth contemporary worship service at 9:30 a.m. and a service of liturgy and the word at 11 a.m. with Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. for all ages during the school year. www.damascusumc.org. Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 7730 Bradley Bou-

levard, Bethesda, offers services at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. each Sunday, with Sunday School for all ages scheduled at 10 a.m. Child care is offered from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. A fellowship and coffee hour follows the 8:30 a.m. service. 301-365-5733, www. elcbethesda.org.

Reed, Lavon Keith A. Lavon of Takoma Park and Danielle M. Reed of Unadilla, N.Y., were married Aug. 24, 2013, at Traditions at the Glen in Johnson City, N.Y. The bride’s sister, Darcy Reed, was matron of honor, and attendants included Taylor Reed, Tanner Reed, Jen Reed, Niki Reed, Tara Judd and Jean Gearhart. Keith was attended by Tim Fouche, Eamonn Murphy, Andrew Parente, Adam Jones, Brandon Reed, Jim Bob Sides, Will McDermott and Nicholas Natalicchio, and his younger brother, Scott Lavon, served as the best man. The bride is the daughter of Denny and Elaine Reed of Unadilla, N.Y. Keith is the son of Neal Lavon and Carol Hightower of Takoma Park. Danielle received her high school diploma in 2004 from Unatego High School in Otego, N.Y. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta in 2007 and a master’s degree from the University of Texas Pan-American in 2012. Keith received his high school diploma from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School formerly in Wheaton in 2005, and he obtained a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University in Boston in 2010. Danielle is employed by the New England Center for Homeless Veterans in Boston and Keith works for The Schawbel Corporation in Bedford, Mass. The couple honeymooned in Maine before returning to Waltham, Mass., where they reside.

Mondays to March 31, at Sibley Medical Building Conference Room 2, 5215 Loughboro Road, NW, Washington, D.C. Weekly meditative gentle and restorative yoga using mindful movement, balance and breathing techniques to help women with a history of cancer to reduce anxiety, improve quality of life and regain sense of self. $10 per class, $30 per month, scholarships available. Walk-ins welcome with cash/check if space permits. 202-243-2320. www. suburbanhospital.org.

Liberty Grove United Methodist Church, 15225 Old

Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, conducts Sunday morning worship services at 8:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday school, nursery through adult, is at 9:30 a.m. 301-421-9166. For a schedule of events, visit www. libertygrovechurch.org. “MOPS,” a faith-based support group for mothers of children, birth through kinder-

Miller, Geggel Betsy and Jeff Miller of Rockville announce the engagement of their daughter Michal Miller to Ezra Geggel, son of Karen and Rob Geggel of Dover, Mass. The bride-to-be graduated from Richard Montgomery High School in 2002 and the University of Maryland in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in communication. She has worked for a variety of private-sector and nonproﬁt organizations and now serves as a communications consultant. The prospective groom graduated from the Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Mass., in 2005 and from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009. He is currently ﬁnishing a law degree from the University of Michigan. He has a clerkship with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court beginning in September 2014. The couple met during an organized trip to Israel in 2011. The wedding will take place in October 2014 at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Va.

garten, meets from 9-11:30 a.m. the ﬁrst and third Wednesdays of the month at the Frederick Church of the Brethren, 201 Fairview Drive, Frederick. Child care is provided. For more information call 301-662-1819. Email mops@fcob.net. Neelsville Presbyterian Church, 20701 Frederick Road,

Germantown, has returned to its fall worship schedule, with services at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays. Sunday School for all ages at 9:40 a.m. www. Neelsville.org.

Providence United Methodist Church, 3716 Kemptown

Church Road, Monrovia, conducts a contemporary service at 8 a.m. followed by a traditional service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday mornings, with children’s Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and adult Sunday school at 11 a.m. For more information, call 301-253-1768. Visit www. kemptownumc.org. Trinity Lutheran Church, 11200 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, conducts services every Sunday, with child care from 8 a.m. to noon and fellowship and a coffee hour following each service. 301-881-7275. For a schedule of events, visit www.TrinityELCA.org.

PLACING AN ANNOUNCEMENT The Gazette prints engagement and wedding announcements, with color photographs, at no charge, as a community service. Copy should be limited to 150 words and submitted in paragraph form. Announcements are subject to editing for space. Please include contact information, including a daytime telephone number. Photos should be professional quality. If emailing photos, ﬁle size should be a minimum of 500 KB. Wedding announcements should be submitted no later than 12 months after the wedding. Send to: The Gazette, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, or email kgroff@gazette.net. Montgomery County celebrations are inserted into all Montgomery County editions.

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Doug Duncan and the Chamber of Secrets Around this time last year, Doug Duncan was keeping to himself about his plans to run again for Montgomery County executive. He wouldn’t return media phone calls and was making no public statements. Fast forward to last week, when Duncan refused to attend an event with the opposite conditions — he didn’t like that the public wasn’t allowed to hear him speak. The forum, for county executive candidates, was sponsored by the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce. Duncan and Phil Andrews were invited, along with Isiah Leggett, the incumbent. Republican candidate Jim Shalleck said he was not invited, but wished he were there. “This is not unique when you’re a Republican in Montgomery County,” he said this week. Andrews and Leggett were there. Duncan stayed away when he realized the chamber was only letting its members attend. “This is not how we run government in Montgomery County,” Duncan declared. “This is not how we run elections in Montgomery County.” Considering Duncan’s past symbiotic relationship with the business community, it might sound odd that he wouldn’t be comfortable at a business-people-only event. But we’ll take Duncan at his word that openness should be the default position and that the infringement bothered him. The Gazette has tried several times to sit in on newsworthy presentations organized by local chambers of commerce, on topics such as the future plans for Lakeforest mall, but has been rebuffed each time. Private groups, including chambers, are entitled to close ranks — although we think helpful information shouldn’t be hoarded. For candidates for public office, access takes on a new significance. “Private” and “closed doors” are poor bellwethers of future behavior if you’re elected. Duncan, then, is right to insist that a candidate forum be public. Shouldn’t every voter hear the plans of executive candidates — of all parties — for helping businesses? At least, an event like this should be broadcast or taped and posted online, so constituents can hear what candidates say, even if it’s not in person. The candidates will have numerous other chances to be in one place and hash out the top issues. We hope they pick the most open venues and formats and stay away from the others. The ideas of public officials belong, in a sense, to all of us, not just those in a particular place or club.

Unanswered questions Conjure the image of the town where a mother, along with her friend, attacks her four children, killing two. Imagine it’s the plot of some cable television show. Before Jan. 17, one might not dream up Montgomery County. But now, Germantown is one more dot on the map of senseless tragedies. How does a community handle the horror? How does one understand what was going through the minds of Zakieya L. Avery and Monifa D. Sanford, the women accused? Montgomery County police say the women thought they were performing an exorcism, but how can we process such a bizarre crime on a such a quiet street? There are so many questions, with little reason to believe that answers are forthcoming. We barely had regained our footing from the deaths of these toddlers when a troubled young man on Saturday walked into the Mall in Columbia — a place not much different than Lakeforest or the Montgomery mall — and shot two people before turning his shotgun on himself. One more dot for the map. Investigators say they are still searching for the link between the shooter and the victims. The young man, Darion Marcus Aguilar, was a 2013 graduate of Blake High School in Silver Spring; once again, Montgomery County wrestles with one of its own committing an unfathomable act. And once again, we wrestle with unanswered questions. Looking to the past, we can take some solace that neighbors of the disturbed mother sensed something was wrong and did what they could. They saw something. They said something. They called 911, but because authorities lacked probable cause, little could be done before the tragedy played out. Looking to the future, we can hope 1-year-old Norell N. Harris and 2-year-old Zyana Harris in Germantown — and Brianna Benlolo and Tyler Johnson in Columbia — did not die in vain. We can hope our elected ofﬁcials in Rockville, in Annapolis, in Washington, D.C., see that mental health funding is not an esoteric expenditure. No evidence yet has been shared that a government program or nonproﬁt agency could have helped the young man in Columbia or the women in Germantown, but we can hope that any attempt to heal the hurt can help avoid future senselessness.

The Gazette Karen Acton, President/Publisher

LETTERS TOT HE EDITOR

No ofﬁce buildings in neighborhoods

I am writing to express disappointment that our county government is choosing to spend $14 million on an ofﬁce building that is proposed for a residential neighborhood backing to Rock Creek Park as opposed to near public transportation and major county access roads. What about smart growth? HHS needs to move the Children’s Resource Center from its current location at the Hungerford site, so MCPS can reopen it as a school. HHS says it wants a centrally located place because people from all over the county will access the Infants and Toddlers

program, day care providers will attend trainings, plus parents will bring children to the Parent Resource Center. Land near Shady Grove Metro would be centrally located and near transit. Instead, the county thinks the former Broome Middle School site on Twinbrook Parkway would be better. Buses run only every 30 minutes along Twinbrook Parkway and it is not close to Metro. There have been no traffic studies conducted of what traffic will be like adding 110 office workers, plus visitors to the building in addition to the 30 buses and

150 staff members of the proposed holding middle school that also will be located at the Broome site. The county is rushing this project because the Hungerford building needs to be vacated by 2016. A more prudent plan would be for the county to rent some of the abundant vacant ofﬁce space in the county and then allow whoever is elected county executive to spend more time looking for other sites which are more accessible and transit-friendly.

A ‘thank you’ to county firefighters On behalf of the town of Washington Grove, I want to express our appreciation for the magnificent job the Montgomery County Fire Department provided for a “two-alarm” fire on the morning of Jan. 14. A total of 10 fire stations responded to the call. We couldn’t ask for better coverage! Were it not for the very rapid and highly effective response the loss of homes in the Grove would have undoubtedly been far greater. We know how hard it is to work in Washington Grove given the access issues in the old historic part of the town.

The response from the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Volunteer Fire Department and supporting stations has always been outstanding. With the new maps, technology and a heightened awareness of how to use these new tools, the ﬁre department has achieved even higher standards. Our thanks go out to all of the dedicated firefighters who helped us today and who risk life and limb serving our county and our town.

Georgette Cole The writer is the mayor of Washington Grove.

What kind of psychological treatment is offered in prison? Tragedies such as the murders of the two young children in Germantown leave communities in utter disbelief and shock. We become so invested in removing and punishing the people responsible for these unspeakable acts that we forget to consider what happens after conviction. Statistically speaking these homicides were not typical. The alleged perpetrators were a mother and a houseguest (of some sort), and the victims were young children. In addition, the police note that the women believed they were performing an “exorcism.” Obviously, this is not a typical crime that can be explained by an escalating argument or disagreement. This is something more deeply rooted in

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Montgomery County ﬁre investigators at the scene of a house ﬁre in Washington Grove.

the psychological characteristics of the two female perpetrators. While I do believe that these women should be removed from society in an effort to eliminate the threat they pose to the remaining children and the public at large, it is a shame to think about what psychological treatment they will receive in conﬁnement. Our nation’s prison system is not designed to rehabilitate mentally disturbed inmates, its purpose is to punish and lock away criminals. Perhaps they don’t deserve rehabilitation, but I believe that these women obviously need substantial psychiatric help in order to function throughout the duration of their sentences.

Tucker Kelly, Rockville

Appalled by student insults As an octogenarian, raised when we were taught respect for teachers, principals and parents, I was appalled at the insults and threats leveled at Montgomery County School Superintendent Joshua P. Starr on social media sites. While some comments may have been classiﬁed as simply blowing off steam, the ones threatening bodily harm exceeded any limits of civility. Unfortunately free speech allows considerable leeway in what can be said, particularly when it comes to public ofﬁcials, making it almost impossible to bring the culprits to justice.

Andrew Schotz, Assistant Managing Editor Nathan Oravec, A&E Editor Ken Sain, Sports Editor Dan Gross, Photo Editor Jessica Loder, Web Editor

Dennis Wilston, Corporate Advertising Director Doug Baum, Corporate Classiﬁeds Director Mona Bass, Inside Classiﬁeds Director

While some may plead that the students involved are too young and immature to be responsible for what they have said and thus deserve no punishment and certainly will not receive any, I would suggest that if the student is identified his or her comments should be made part of the official transcript with admissions officers at universities able to make their own judgment as to the appropriateness of the student’s remarks. For those who have threatened physical violence, our courts should act accordingly.

Nelson Marans, Silver Spring

WRITE TO US The Gazette welcomes letters on subjects of local interest. Please limit them to 200 words. Send submissions to: The Gazette, attention Commentary Editor, 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877; fax to 301-670-7183; or email to opinions@gazette.net.

9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 | Phone: 301-948-3120 | Fax: 301-670-7183 | Email: opinions@gazette.net More letters appear online at www.gazette.net/opinion

Douglas Tallman, Editor Krista Brick, Managing Editor/News Glen C. Cullen, Senior Editor Copy/Design Meredith Hooker, Managing Editor/Internet Robert Rand, Managing Editor/Presentation

Alison Moser, Rockville

Jean Casey, Director of Marketing and Circulation Anna Joyce, Creative Director, Special Pubs/Internet Ellen Pankake, Director of Creative Services

POST COMMUNITY MEDIA Karen Acton, Chief Executive Ofﬁcer Michael T. McIntyre, Controller Donna Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources Maxine Minar, President, Comprint Military Shane Butcher, Director of Technology/Internet

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Maryland’s Best/Worst 2013, Part II Pests of the year The IRS The NSA Federal government shut-downs The Redskins name debate Lyme disease Dennis Rodman Concussions Surveillance drones Gov. Rick Perry Cellphones during air flights Traffic lane “cutters” Miley Cyrus Copper thieves Athletes on steroids Target credit card hackers Cruise ship norovirus Bullying Obamacare’s religious mandate Toilet-clogging “flushable” baby wipes

Most bizarre moments • A Baltimore jury awards $1.42 million to a patient, Nadege Neim, whose doctor, Maureen Muoneke, mistakenly removed her right ovary instead of her left one. When Neim returned for a checkup a month after the surgery, Dr. Muoneke realized her mistake but did not tell Neim. • Howard County police bust an “inhome” licensed child day care center that had a hydroponic marijuana growing operation in the basement. • Public health officials warn of rabid raccoons attacking people and pets in Ocean City. • When a Bethesda couple, watching TV, see a black bear walk by their window they call police, who, after a chase through the neighborhood, tranquilize it. • Donald Pray, after getting drunk and arguing with his passenger, gets out of his car, lies down on Suitland Road and is struck and killed by a car. • A Maryland Lottery employee pleads guilty to stealing 7,500 scratch-off tickets worth $90,000 and redeeming them for $67,000. • When Baltimore scrap metal thieves steal numerous 54-pound backup traffic light batteries costing $428 a piece, the city padlocks and alarms traffic light facilities. • A woman dressed in pink with a pink cellphone robs two P.G. County banks in December. • A man wearing a fake Santa beard holds up a Laurel bank in December. • Frederick police, investigating a possible break-in, are surprised when two burglars fall through the dry wall ceiling. • A portable speed camera stationed outside Glenelg High School is set on fire

by unknown vandals. • After leading police on a 100 mph chase through Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, Dock Workman is arrested after ramming a state trooper’s car four times. He was seen lighting a cigarette between his strikes against the police cruiser. • Ocean City police witness a man hijacking a taxi and pursue him up Coastal Highway, where the hijacker abandons the taxi and runs into the surf, where he’s arrested. • Montgomery County pays Bethel World Church $1.25 million not to build a church on its environmentally sensitive 119-acre Germantown property. • On New Year’s Eve, a Silver Spring mother has twins born three minutes apart but in two different years, one in 2013 and the other in 2014. • Golfers attending Baltimore’s Scunny MY MARYLAND McCousker Memorial Elvis InviBLAIR LEE tation Golf Dinner are asked to “dress like Elvis or an actress from any Elvis movie.” • Ralph Jaffe (D) files for governor with Freda Jaffe, his sister, as his running mate. • Baseball star Cal Ripken Jr.’s mother Vi Ripken, who was kidnapped in 2012, is the victim of an attempted carjacking in October 2013. • Bethesda resident Lois Lerner, who resigned after becoming the central figure in the IRS-Tea Party scandal, volunteers for a Montgomery County panel that screens applications for tax-exempt status. • Police suspect a possible suicide when a College Park man locks himself in a portable toilet and sets it on fire. • An Anne Arundel jury awards $800,000 to a woman who suffered hundreds of bites when she moved into a bedbug-infested Annapolis apartment. Her attorney, Daniel Whitney, specializes in bed bug lawsuits. • A Virginia woman, represented by Daniel Whitney, sues for bed bug bites she suffered at a National Harbor hotel. • A lactose-intolerant federal employee suffering from frequent flatulence is reprimanded by Baltimore Social Security Administration officials for “creating a hostile work environment.” • A woman with a Cheshire cat tattoo on her neck slips a $1,200 Maltese puppy into

her purse and flees a Rockville pet store. • When Baltimore police arrest a prostitute at a BWI hotel they discover that her pimp, waiting outside in his car, is a Baltimore city policeman. • After a 22-year-old woman driving across the Bay Bridge is rammed by a tractor-trailer, sending her car 40 feet into the water, she frees herself and swims ashore. • When three of Frederick’s five county commissioners participate in a local callin radio show, a political opponent complains to a state board, which rules it an “open meeting law” violation because, as a quorum, they discussed county business at a “meeting” without prior public notice. • Montgomery County public employee unions boycott the county Democratic Party’s annual spring fundraiser because, they say, the county party has grown too conservative. • Instead of endorsing either gubernatorial candidate Heather Mizeur, a lesbian, or Doug Gansler, the first state official to advocate same-sex marriage, Equality Maryland (the gay lobby group) endorses Anthony Brown. • When a Silver Spring real estate agent turns her house into an extravagant Halloween display and invites hundreds of clients to view it, county officials take her to court for operating a business in a residential neighborhood. The judge, after three hours of testimony, permits the display for two nights. • After being sworn in as Glenarden’s new mayor, Dennis Smith discovers IRS fines for $150,000 accrued by the outgoing administration for failing to file tax records. • Diamonde Grant (aka Dimez) sues the Oasis club, where she’s an exotic dancer, for taking a portion of her tips and private dance money in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. • The St. Mary’s County school board bans hugs between children and any adult who is not their parent. • Attorney General Doug Gansler says prison inmates should be issued free tablet computers to help further their education. • A National Guard A-10 Warthog fighter jet inadvertently ejects an inert 500-pound bomb, which lands in a Queen Anne’s County tavern parking lot, leaving a 3-footdeep hole and some shaken patrons. Blair Lee is chairman of the board of Lee Development Group in Silver Spring and a regular commentator for WBAL radio. His column appears Fridays in the Business Gazette. His past columns are available at www.gazette.net/blairlee. His email address is blairleeiv@gmail.com.

Page A-15

LETTERS TOT HE EDITOR

Questions for candidates If I were to be asked to vote for a candidate, here would be the five concerns I would want them to address. I am looking for a visionary, someone who won’t take office just to keep things going, but would be willing to shake up things and look for solutions that are different and may even require a leap of faith. 1. Maryland is listed by most of the Internet sites where seniors seek retirement information as one of the top-five most expensive states to live in. Income taxes are higher here, we still have inheritance taxes, home values are static but property taxes are not. We need to see where we can lower the cost of living in Maryland. I’d like to be at the bottom of the list, will settle for the middle, but I am definitely not happy with being in the top five of 50 states in the union. 2. Employment for youth. Could Maryland pave the way for an innovative education model that would put more students into employment when they finish school? Instead of putting more funds into helping only the brightest kids with magnet schools, could we set up vocational tech schools similar to those in Germany that would support other bright students in professions that require hands-on work that can’t easily be outsourced to foreign countries. Our nurses, plumbers, electricians, biotechnologists, and electronic specialists are all vital professionals and all make good money, but we push the myth that everyone needs to go to college. We could reduce unemployment considerably if we had an alternative technical educational model and promoted it as equally good as college education. 3. Higher education. Let’s reduce the price of going to university and instead make it free. My quid pro quo for allowing any organized gambling in Maryland would only be if the funds gained went to state college systems, and they in turn used it to offer scholarships, not loans. The incredibly high debts that students now face going to university, even in-state,

are simply unsustainable. Getting more loans at ever higher interest rates negatively impacts every student and down the line every profession and every business in Maryland. Pay for it with the tobacco fund, pay with lottery money, pay with gambling and casino money, but at some point the state should fully take over the cost of running the universities. 4. Maryland could be the first state to have state-mandated health insurance. If our federal government is too chicken to vote for a national health, single-payer system, then Maryland should do so. If individuals want to opt out and pay for private insurance that’s fine, but a single payer will ensure more fairness in what doctors and hospitals charge, what labs charge and will force the insurance companies to do the same. We could reduce administrative costs enormously by reducing the number of people checking insurance, filling forms, filing reports, checking different rules and regulations. We could innovate by getting health records electronically onto a credit card sized chip that would be portable as consumers move from one doctor to another. 5. Internet access should be treated as if it were a utility — an essential service for the consumer that is regulated by the state, both for quality of service and for price. It is unconscionable that consumers whose every daily action from banking to education, from medicine to communication, should be dependent on private sector companies who can set prices, and raise prices at will. The U.S. consumer has the most expensive Internet service of all the developed world. Internet connectivity should be free for every Maryland resident and the State should make sure it is regulated and monitored in the same way that other utilities are monitored. I have more, but will stop at these five and wait for some visionary candidate to respond.

Mona Grieser, Silver Spring

THE GAZETTE

Page A-16

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Building advocates eye Berliner’s energy plans ‘Let’s take our time and ﬁgure out how it works,’ industry spokesman says

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

Darline Bell-Zuccarelli’s “tiny house,” which cost about $15,000 to build in her backyard, has been condemned by Gaithersburg ofﬁcials.

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

City condemns structure without inspection Ofﬁcial: Newspaper photos show it had been wrongfully modiﬁed n

BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER

Gaithersburg officials recently condemned the structure that a woman built in her backyard as a miniature home for her daughter after they read about it in a December edition of The Gazette. Darline Bell-Zuccarelli said a city inspector came to her house Jan. 16 and condemned the 192-square-foot structure behind her own home on Woodland Road in Gaithersburg. To help her daughter, who was struggling to afford her own place, Bell-Zuccarelli and her husband spent about one year and $15,000 to build the small building, which she has called a “tiny house.” Complete with a living room, kitchenette, sleeping loft, bathroom and porch, the struc-

1906235

ture is small but functional, Bell-Zuccarelli said. It also has electricity, air conditioning and heat, and it is set up for plumbing. She has city electrical and building permits for a shed of up to 216 square feet under city code. The house also passed city foundation, framing and electrical inspections, according to Bell-Zuccarelli. The tiny house had been sitting unoccupied in the backyard while Bell-Zuccarelli saved up to pay for the water company’s charge to connect its pipes to those on the street. At least that was the plan before the city became involved. Wes Burnette, the city’s permits and inspections division chief, conﬁrmed that the city did condemn the shed. He said he thought the structure had been modified without permission since it was ﬁrst approved and that the zoning law does not permit more than one dwelling unit on a lot in that community. “I can say that based on the

article and pictures in The Gazette, there have been modifications to the structure after we closed out the shed permit without obtaining further required permits or inspections,” he wrote in an email to The Gazette. After coming home to find the notice on the structure’s door, Bell-Zuccarelli said she was fuming that the city condemned it without speaking to her or visiting the house. She noted that the inspector first put the condemnation sign on the front door of the primary house until he was corrected by her daughter, who was home at the time. “If you didn’t go visit, then why did you condemn it?” BellZuccarelli asked. “All of this could have been resolved if someone came out to actually visit it and talk with me.” Bell-Zuccarelli said she built the house to the exact specifications outlined in the blueprints, which were approved by the city in June 2012. She said she thought she had all the necessary permits and inspections as required by the city.

Zoning, however, was one issue she forgot to check. “I didn’t even give zoning a second thought,” she said. Even though she now knows that zoning requirements will prohibit her from ever having people live in the structure, she said she is still ﬁghting to keep it as a shed — a really nice shed. “You can’t condemn me for what I might do, but for what I am doing,” she said. After completing a physical inspection at Bell-Zuccarelli’s home Monday, Burnette said he cited several projects that were completed without proper permits, including the staircase, railings on the staircase and loft, extra kitchen cabinets, kitchen sinks and some plumbing work, exterior deck, extra electrical outlets and ﬁxtures, and bathroom toilet, shower and sink. Bell-Zuccarelli said she plans to apply for the appropriate city permits to get approval for the projects, and have the condemnation order reversed. jedavis@gazette.net

Two building industry representatives believe the effect of several bills by Montgomery County Councilman Roger Berliner on energy efficiency and clean energy will have to be determined. Berliner (D-Dist. 1) of Bethesda plans to submit a package of 11 bills and two zoning amendments that would seek to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in the county, as well as promote environmentally friendly policies such as streamlining the process for creating charging stations for electric cars. One of the bills would require building owners to track their buildings’ energy efficiency and make the information available to the public so tenants would be better able to predict the cost of utilities. Another would require new buildings to install an electric vehicle charging station for every 50 spaces in a parking lot, while a third would require all new commercial buildings to meet the Silver standard for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design as determined by the U.S. Green Building Council. New commercial buildings in Montgomery have to be LEED-certified, although county buildings must meet the more demanding Silver standard. Robert Kaufman, vice president of governmental affairs for the Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association, based in Silver Spring, said he sees the bill requiring owners to track, or benchmark, their buildings’ energy efficiency as being potentially very expensive, and said owners already have a natural incentive for reducing energy costs in the form of lower utility bills. Kaufman said he would

rather see the county provide tax credits for companies that choose to benchmark rather than require them to do it. Benchmarking energy usage is not a new issue in Maryland, said Tom Ballentine, vice president of policy and government relations for NAIOP Maryland, formerly known as the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. There’s already a tremendous incentive for building owners to track energy efficiency because when you lower a building’s operating costs you increase in value, he said. On the Silver LEED-certified bill, Kaufman wondered how the county planned to maintain the standards over time. Once you pass something with standards in it, how do you keep the standards current, Kaufman asked. Most new, premium office space is Silver LEED-certified, Ballentine said. The gap between building codes and LEED certification also has narrowed over time, he said. Providing charging stations for electric cars could be a selling point for builders of condominiums or apartment buildings, Kaufman said. But he said current electric car batteries can take several hours to charge, meaning a space at the charger would be occupied for some time. There also is the issue of who will pay for the electricity consumed as more electric cars are purchased, Kaufman said. He suggested Berliner and the council form a working group of building owners to identify potential obstacles and figure out solutions. “I just feel like we’re not there yet; we don’t have enough information,” Kaufman said. But he praised Berliner for thinking about upcoming issues and encouraging others to do the same. “Let’s take our time and figure out how it works and not just impose it,” he said. rmarshall@gazette.net

MAGRUDER, QO GRADS LEAD A CONTINGENT OF 11 COUNTY PLAYERS ON SALISBURY MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM, B-4

SPORTS BETHESDA | KENSINGTON

www.gazette.net | Wednesday, January 29, 2013 | Page B-1

HOW THEY RANK BOYS The 10 best boys’ basketball teams in Montgomery County as ranked by The Gazette’s sports staff:

Rank 1.

School

Record Pts

Bullis

15-3 60

Montrose Christian 10-5 54

Gaithersburg

12-1 48

Springbrook

11-2 40

Montgomery Blair 12-2 37

St. Andrew’s

12-3 31

Clarksburg

10-4 24

Walt Whitman

11-3 18

Poolesville

10-3 12

10.

Rockville

10-3 4

Others receiving votes:

Jewish Day, 2.

BEST BET

Blair at Sherwood, 7 p.m. Tuesday: The Warriors, once 6-1,

have an opportunity to right the ship again with a quality win.

TOP SCORERS

Name, school A. Trier, Montrose Christian W. English, McLean J. Friedman, Sandy Spring I. Kallon, Wheaton J. McKay, McLean N. Segura, The Heights J. Bradshaw, Einstein M. Adkison, St. Andrew’s K. Williams, Kennedy A. Tarke, Gaithersburg

PPG 26.5 23.1 22.6 21.0 20.6 20.4 20.2 20.1 18.7 18.6

GIRLS The 10 best girls’ basketball teams in Montgomery County as ranked by The Gazette’s sports staff:

Rank 1.

School

Record Pts

Damascus

12-2 60

Walt Whitman

12-2 54

Paint Branch

12-2 48

Poolesville

12-1 42

John F. Kennedy 10-1 36

Seneca Valley

11-3 30

Holy Child

14-3 20

Magruder

9-4 17

Gaithersburg

8-4 13

10.

Good Counsel

10-8 10

Others receiving votes: None.

BEST BET

Poolesville at Damascus, 7 p.m. Tuesday: Poolesville would

be undefeated if not for a 22-point loss to Damascus. The Falcons and Swarmin’ Hornets meet again.

TOP SCORERS

Name, school L. Belton, Bullis K. Prange, Damascus S. Addison, Wootton J. Karim-Duvall, Churchill D. Lerner, Jewish Day D. Harris, Paint Branch B. Beckwith, Quince Orchard K. Colston, Paint Branch K. Porter, Bullis K. Meredith, Northwest D. Walker, Watkins Mill

1905971

PPG 22.0 19.4 18.7 18.3 18.1 17.7 17.6 16.5 16.5 16.2 16.2

PETE KENAH

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

DAN HARWOOD

FILE PHOTO

Passion: Walt Whitman High School girls

Col. Zadok Magruder boys

Patience, ability to communicate among qualities needed, successful coaches say BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

There was one main driving force behind 24thyear Col. Zadok Magruder High School boys’ basketball coach Dan Harwood’s pursuit of a high school coaching position when he returned to Montgomery County following a Division I career and short stint playing abroad: Love for the sport.

“I got into coaching because I love basketball and the next best thing to playing, is coaching,” Harwood said. “I did not want to be a role model or anything like that. I was in my 20s and I wanted to play and coach basketball.” It wasn’t long before he relished in the ability to impact young aspiring athletes. With 454 wins, 412 of them at Magruder, Harwood is Montgomery County’s winningest boys’ basketball coach.

Blake boys starts their season over Bengals adjusting to life without their leading scorer

See COACHES, Page B-2

Speedy senior carrying red-hot Holy Child Tigers, having a strong season in the ISL A, are led by 5-foot-3 PG

STAFF WRITER

James H. Blake High School has played four boys’ basketball games in what coach Marcus Wiggins has called the “second season,” one where Demonte Ojinnaka suits up in sweats, sits in a chair and doesn’t take a meaningful shot all game. Without Ojinnaka, it’s a new team and, therefore, in the view of Wiggins, a new season. “Literally,” the coach said, “it’s like starting the season over, looking for scoring. The kids look to him as their leader not just scoring, but he was our returning player. He

A transcendental passion for the sport of basketball is at the core of every one of the county’s ﬁnest basketball coaches, 12th-year Walt Whitman girls’ coach Pete Kenah said. As heading a program has become more and more of a year-round endeavor over the past decade, it truly has to be a labor of love on the coaches’ part. But sheer talent and knowledge of the ins and outs of basketball do not alone ensure that a coach will be successful. It takes a certain type of patient person to get through to and build prosperous coach-athlete relationships with high school athletes, but the county has seen its fair share of coaches who seem to be able to perennially draw the best out of whatever traditional talent, or lack thereof, they are dealt. The ability to communicate and get players to buy into one’s coaching system is the most important factor, Harwood said. But, what does it take to earn that respect? According to 13th-year Quince Orchard boys’ basketball coach Paul Foringer, it’s ﬁnding a way to relate to players. “One thing I’ve learned is, when you’re in the gym

TRAVIS MEWHIRTER

BY ERIC GOLDWEIN STAFF WRITER

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

James H. Blake High School’s Jordan Browne struggles to get to the hoop with Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s Somto Ndubisi trying to take the ball on Friday. was the only kid who played last year.” Ojinnaka averaged 16.9 points per game in the eight contests he played prior to straining the posterior cruci-

ate ligament — the ligament behind the more serious anterior cruciate ligament — in his left knee. The Bengals

See BLAKE, Page B-2

FILE PHOTO

Thomas S. Wootton girls

GREAT COACHES SHARE ONE ATTRIBUTE

MAGGIE DYER

Connelly School of the Holy Child girls’ basketball player Talley Britt is, more often than not, the shortest player on the court. Lately, she’s been the best player on the court, too. Britt, 5-foot-3, is the leading scorer for the Tigers (14-3, 7-1), who are ranked ﬁrst in the ISL A Division. The senior is averaging 14.2 points per game, using her speed and aggression to carry the Holy Child offense.

“She’s gotten better every year,” Holy Child coach Jamie Ready said. “This year, I’m not surprised by it. She’s just having an outstanding year all around.” Britt knows a thing or two about playing against taller opponents. After all, she grew up around two Division I basketball players; her brother Nate Britt plays for the University of North Carolina and her Godbrother Kris Jenkins is a forward at Villanova University. At one point, she and Nate — now a 5-11 freshman — were about the same height. “When I was younger I was one of the tallest people on the court,” Britt said. “I thought it would stay that way.” It didn’t. As her peers grew,

See SPEEDY, Page B-2

THE GAZETTE

Page B-2

BLAKE

Continued from Page B-1 were 6-2 in that stretch and were well on their way to 7-2 on Jan. 8, leading John F. Kennedy by seven early in the fourth quarter when the senior got tripped up in transition and fell on his knee. “I went back on defense but I couldn’t really move,” he recalled. “I felt like I was going to collapse.” Wiggins pulled his star player and the Cavaliers went on to beat the Ojinnaka-less Bengals, 59-55. After that, with Ojinnaka’s return date optimistically set for a Feb. 7 tilt with Paint Branch at the very earliest, the redesigned Blake season began. “It’s been really frustrating, just watching my team fighting on their own,” Ojinnaka said. “I know what I can bring to the team; I bring that motor. When I’m fired up, they’re fired up. It’s frustrating not being able to lead out there, just pretty much being a coach on the sidelines.” Wiggins, meanwhile, has been seeking the silver linings of the situation. “We’ve had several different results,” Wiggins said. “The kids are trying to figure out what we can do and what they can do. Sometimes they figure it out, sometimes it’s still new for us as a team. In the grand scheme of things, I’d hate for this to be football because if this were football we would be done. But we still make playoffs and right now we’re looking for our third or fourth options to step up.” Five-foot-8 junior Duane Davis has been that option. In the first three games postOjinnaka, the guard logged his three highest scoring nights — 16 against Kennedy, 16 in a loss to Paint Branch and 12 in an overtime loss to Montgomery Blair. “I basically knew my role had to change from what I was used to be doing because I used to be a come off the bench kind of guy,” Davis said. “But now

SPEEDY

Continued from Page B-1 Britt was forced to develop her guard skills. Playing with Nate eased the transition. “Who cares about your height?” Britt recalled Nate saying. “As long as you can get up the ﬂoor you can use your speed to your advantage.” Britt took that advice to heart, improving her ball handling and her ability to shoot over taller defenders. This season she has hit 26 3-pointers and is shooting 51 of 62 (82 percent) from the foul line. “She’s kind of fearless,” said senior teammate Mary Claire Byrne. “She’ll just take the ball up and draw the foul.” In a 56-51 victory over Bishop Ireton, Britt made all 18 of her free throws and scored 25 points in what Ready called “one of the most impressive performances I’ve witnessed.” Free-throw shooting has always been a point of emphasis in Britt’s practice routine, she said. “My dad [Nathaniel Britt] has always taught me that free throws are free money. You should never miss a free throw, ever,” Britt said. “... We wouldn’t

I got to take responsibility for some of the things [Ojinnaka] used to do. I’m looking to create my own shot more. Teams see that I’m scoring so they’re stepping up on me and now I’m looking for my teammates.” Wiggins said that he hasn’t changed anything in the Xs and Os of the offense but Blake doesn’t have the Ojinnaka safety net when the possession becomes sloppy and the offense isn’t run quite right. “A great player becomes a great player — regardless of what we’re doing, if he’s a true scorer, which he is, he gets his buckets within the offense,” Wiggins said. “Most of [Ojinnaka’s] points came within the offense. We just don’t have a kid right now, when the offense breaks down and we don’t have a good possession, to get the ball to and say ‘Go get a bucket.’ “These kids are learning how to play basketball right now. It’s almost like we didn’t have a scrimmage season. It’s been trying, but I think we’ll be better for it at the end.” Blake will play at least four more games without Ojinnaka, meaning more time for those third and fourth options Wiggins spoke of to develop into serious scoring threats. As his team has progressed, so has Ojinnaka, already strong enough to walk the halls and participate in light drills here and there, meaning the Paint Branch game isn’t an overly optimistic return date. “He is an unbelievable athlete,” Wiggins said. “I didn’t take him out of games because he was tired, I took him out so he could see some things. His conditioning will be ﬁne [when he returns], he’ll be out there. The good thing about him being on the sidelines is that you can really see what your teammates can do when you’re not out there. The trust level with his teammates will deﬁnitely go up.” tmewhirter@gazette.net

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

COACHES

Continued from Page B-1

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

James H. Blake High School’s Nathan Bonsu takes it to the hoop against Bethesda-Chevy Chase on Friday.

and you’re coaching, you can push kids as hard as you want to and they might dislike it and they might not care for that but when you’re outside of the gym and the last horn sounds, they have to know you’re a human being,” Foringer said. “You have to let them see the other side of you, let them see you’re one of the guys, that you’re right there with them. They have to see you smile, that you’re just a regular guy.” It is also imperative, coaches agreed, that players know their coach truly cares about their well-being. Whether it’s attending a soccer game in the fall season or writing an individual note to a player at the start of the season, student-athletes need to know a coach has their back, Kenah said, and genuinely cares about them. It took 11th-year Thomas S. Wootton High girls’ coach Maggie Dyer precisely two years to turn a county doormat program into a perennial postseason contender. In her third season, the Patriots went from four wins to 16, their ﬁrst winning campaign in more than 15 years. Since then Wootton has only endured one nonwinning season, two years ago when starting essentially an entirely freshman lineup — even then the Patriots almost met the .500 record mark. And it has not been for the number of Division I athletes who have walked through Dyer’s door. “People don’t remember but before Maggie got there, Wootton was a guaranteed win, they were winning one or two games, period,” Kenah said. “I think she’s only had one Division I player but she’s been able to get guards to scrap and shoot and they’re so well prepared. Now you put Wootton in the bank for 15 to 18 wins a year.” Dyer, like Harwood, Kenah, Foringer, Whitman boys’

leave the gym until we made 10 free throws in a row. We could be there all day and all night, it wouldn’t matter.” Nearly 30 percent of Britt’s 183 points have come from the foul stripe. “She’s always been a whole lot more aggressive than I was, especially offensively,” Nate said. Holy Child is on a 10-game win streak and is undefeated in 2014. Britt has played particularly well during that stretch, averaging 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals over the last ﬁve games. “It’s just been one of those stretches where everything is clicking and the girls are all playing well together,” Ready said. “It’s actually been amazing on all aspects.” Nate is averaging 5.5 points for the Tar Heels while Jenkins is averaging 3.4 points for the Wildcats. “It’s hard being an only child because they’re not here to talk to or joke with,” Britt said. “... But I’d rather see them doing what they love than here with me.” egoldwein@gazette.net

Connelly School of the Holy Child’s Talley Britt drives past Winston Churchill’s CeCe Wallerstedt on Dec. 28.

coach Chris Lun, John F. Kennedy’s Diallo Nelson, Montgomery Blair’s Damon Pigrom, Damascus girls’ coach Steve Pisarski and the plethora of other coaches who have established consistently competitive programs within the county, is a players’ coach. Up until a sore knee sidelined him this year, Harwood has been playing recreational league basketball every week with the same team for two decades. Basketball should be fun, he said, and it’s important for coaches to remember the parts of playing basketball that they enjoy. Coaches also agreed there is a correlation between consistency within a coaching staff and a program’s success. Most of the county’s perennially successful teams have longer standing coaches. This helps the future players know what to expect when they come in, Foringer said. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a team will play the same style year in and year out. The best coaches are ﬂexible with their approach and can make adjustment based on each season’s personnel. For example, Pisarski said he had to deviate from the guard-oriented approach he intended to employ at Damascus to involve the post players he’s been lucky enough to have. Foringer’s teams have played 3-2 zone and full-court press in back-to-back years thanks to teams with completely different dynamics. The best coaches are in tune with what best suits their players and are unafraid to step outside their own comfort zones. “I think like anything else, I searched for what I was passionate about and for me it was basketball,” Dyer said. “If I couldn’t play anywhere, I wanted to coach, to be a part of it. You always try to surround yourself with things you’re passionate about.” jbeekman@gazette.net

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page B-3

Magruder makes moves in 4A West Division n

Albert Einstein High School’s Joe Bradshaw (left) plays defense during a practice last year.

FILE PHOTO

Einstein turns things around Titans are 4-2 after beginning season 1-8

Albert Einstein High School’s boys’ basketball team entered the season with high expectations after ending last winter hot. But the Titans started slow and coach Rich Porac believed nothing was wrong.

BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK BY TRAVIS MEWHIRTER That stance is becoming increasingly backed up, as the 5-9 (as of Monday) Titans have won four of their past ﬁve. After his Titans became practically an overnight sensation last year, rebounding from a 2-11 start to rattle off nine wins in the next 12 games, Porac’s team was bestowed with lofty expectations this year. They returned 6-foot-7 guard Joe Bradshaw, 6-foot-5 center Abe Camara and several other role players from last season’s late-starting team. It was as promising an Einstein team as any. The Titans promptly began 1-8. “I don’t want to say I expected to lose some games

early on, but we had a brutal schedule,” Porac said. “We had Sherwood, Urbana, [James H.] Blake, Springbrook, [Col. Zadok] Magruder. I think the worst of that bunch is Magruder and we competed with those guys and we were starting a freshman point guard.” J.D. Guerrero, the freshman Porac spoke of, was thrust into the proverbial ﬁre, a practical sink or swim situation. Even with Guerrero playing through the expected growing pains, the Titans’ worst losses were 15-pointers to Urbana, a reigning state semiﬁnalist, and Springbrook, currently one of the county’s most formidable 4A teams. Since Einstein dove into its divisional play against teams the Titans will be playing come playoff time on Jan. 4, it is 4-2, and Camara and Bradshaw have begun to resemble the pair that carried the Titans through their Cinderella run last season. “We’re turning things around. Well, not really turning things around, but staying the course,” Porac said. “All of the downtown consortium teams open up our schedules against the 4A schools and 99 percent of us start with losses. ... “People go ‘Well, what’s

wrong with Einstein?’ and I say ‘Nothing.’ We gave away two games and another we could have won but I got a 14-yearold kid dribbling the ball up the court. He’s really good, I mean, he’s extremely skilled, but he’s still 14-years old. “So we have a freshman point guard, a 6-7 guard, a big man who’s been playing three years — I’d say we’re doing pretty good. I kind of like where we are right now and the direction we’re going.”

Overtime, again Wheaton and Rockville have technically played only two games thus far, yet have slugged it out for more than three games’ worth of basketball. A month and four days after the Rams topped the Knights in a four-overtime contest — nine players fouled out — Wheaton flipped the script, handing Rockville a 5551 defeat in just one overtime. “Both teams were in foul trouble as usual,” Rockville coach Steve Watson said with a laugh. “If we see each other in playoffs and we go into overtime, I wouldn’t expect any less.” tmewhirter@gazette.net

TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE

Holton-Arms School’s Caroline McTaggart swims the 100 butterﬂy at Friday’s Independent School League (ISL) championships at the Bethesda school.

Holton, Georgetown Prep kick off championship season on high note n

Elderly soccer players travel to Florida for tournament

Swimming and diving championship season ofﬁcially kicked off with the weekend’s Independent School League hosted by Holton-Arms School and the East Coast Catholic Classic held at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex.

PREP NOTEBOOK BY GAZETTE STAFF Holton-Arms School won its ninth ISL title in 11 years with Friday’s 267-180 advantage over defending champion and crosstown rival Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. Holy Child improved on last year’s sixth-place ﬁnish to move into ﬁfth. Georgetown Prep’s thirdplace finish at the East Coast Catholic Classic Sunday was the highest of any Washington, D.C.

area programs at the East Coast Catholic Classic Sunday. Holton won all three relay events — worth more points than individual events — and a teamhigh three individual events. Caroline McTaggart, Isabelle Jubin, Emma Raynor and ALexis LeMone closed the championship with a meet record (3 minutes, 36.59 seconds) en route to winning the 400-yard freestyle relay. McTaggart (50-yard freestyle, 100yard butterly) and Stone Ridge junior and Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky (200- and 500-yard freestyle) were the meet’s only double individual race winners. “Our league has come so far, it’s so much stronger, than it’s been in the 11 years I’ve been coaching, it’s a real privilege to be on top of the league,” Holton coach Graham Westerberg said. Juniors Brandon Goldstein, Carsten Vissering, Grant Goddard and Adrian Lin helped Prep off to a good start by winning the meet opening 200-yard medley relay. Goddard (200-yard individual medley, 100-yard freestyle), Carston Visstering (100-yard breast-

stroke, 100-yard butterfly) and Adrian Lin (500-yard freestyle) all won individual races. — JENNIFER BEEKMAN

D.C. United? Try D.C. Reunited While the Montgomery County high school athletes were off relaxing, enjoying a few snow days courtesy of Mother Nature, a troop of senior athletes made their way down to the Sunshine State for the Florida Classic, an international soccer tournament hosting teams from the United States,CanadaandtheCaribbean. Four teams from Montgomery County — over ages 50, 55, 60, and 65 — competed while the eldest of the bunch, the amusingly named “D.C. Reunited,” returned home with a second-place finish after losing in penalty kicks in the finale. “What a wild ride!” Cliff Moy, a player on the over-65 team, wrote in an email. “We almost won first place but we are happy with a second place finish.” — TRAVIS MEWHIRTER

Holy Cross senior breaks record, Kennedy keeps winning

Col. Zadok Magruder High School, Gaithersburg and Thomas S. Wootton are separating from the pack in the Montgomery 4A West Division heading into the final stretch of the season. Magruder (9-4, 4-2 as of Monday), which went 1112 last season, has made significant improvements with most of its key players returning. The Colonels have won their past two games (before Tuesday) and four of five, including a 50-39 win over James H. Blake on Thursday and a 60-56 win over Wootton on Friday. Janel Brown (12.5), Hannah Barr (10.9), Hope Randolph (10.2) and Adjowa Pinkrah (9.5) account for most of Magruder’s scoring.

GIRLS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK BY ERIC GOLDWEIN Wootton (8-6, 4-2) continues playing competitive basketball but slid down the standings after close losses to Gaithersburg and Magruder, both division foes. Gaithersburg (7-4, 5-1), led by senior Janessa Fauntroy, has won seven of its last nine games.

Holy Cross senior breaks record Playing without 6-foot-5 senior Rhamat Alhassan, the Academy of the Holy Cross’ basketball team needed somebody to step upSaturdayagainstBullis.Senior Jillian Dunston did exactly that, scoring a game-high 30 points and setting a school record with seven 3-pointers, leading the Tartans to a 64-58 victory. Dunston, who signed a letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Michigan, has been Holy Cross’s top scorer as of late and is averaging a team-best 13.7 points per game on the season. “She’s playing out of her mind,” Holy Cross coach Clyde Singleton said. “I’m so proud of her.” Dunston is the team’s best 3-point shooter, with 33 on the

FILE PHOTO

Academy of the Holy Cross’ Jillian Dunston (right) drives to the basket during a game against Archbiship Spalding last year. season. “She can ﬂat out shoot it,” Singleton said. Holy Cross (9-11, 6-4) has won six of its last seven games after dropping ﬁve straight in late December through early January.

Cavaliers stay hot John F. Kennedy (10-1, 4-1) has won four straight since losing to Paint Branch (12-2, 4-0), and the Cavaliers will get another chance at the Panthers in a rematch on Friday. Paint Branch won the first meeting 53-49, limiting Kennedy to ﬁve points in the fourth quarter to earn the road victory. The Panthers have won ﬁve of six; their lone loss during that stretch came against Walt Whitman (44-43).

4A South Division taking shape Walt Whitman (12-2, 5-0) has taken control of the Montgomery 4A South Division, but Montgomery Blair, Winston Churchill and Walter Johnson all look capable of grabbing second place. Blair (10-4, 4-1) has lost three of four, though remains at the top of the conference thanks to its fast start and strong division play. Walter Johnson (9-6, 3-3) has won four straight and Churchill (7-6, 3-2) is also on a four-game win streak that includes wins over Blair and Walter Johnson. egoldwein@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Page B-4

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

There’s a whole lot of Montgomery County at Salisbury Sea Gulls have 11 county natives on roster of 16 players n

KENT ZAKOUR STAFF WRITER

Every so often, members of the Salisbury University men’s basketball team begin reminiscing about their time in high school. More often than not, those conversations trend toward memorable high school basketball games they participated in. And during those chats, many of the Sea Gulls are classiﬁed as “MoCo” by the other players on the roster. “We talk about different games, rivalries and when we played each other. So most of the time it is, “Remember when we beat you guys?” senior starting guard Tim Harwood said. “And the other guys just make jokes.” A year ago, Salisbury had one of its better season’s in program history, posting 19 wins before losing in the semiﬁnals of the Capital Athletic Conference tournament. Now, midway through the 2013-14 campaign, the Sea Gulls sit in a different position than they did a year ago. “I’d say we’ve been, for the

PHOTO FROM SALISBURY UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

Col. Zadok Magruder High School graduate Tim Harwood is Salisbury University’s leading scorer as a senior this winter.

Quince Orchard High School graduate Charles Porter is Salisbury University’s second-leading scorer as a freshman this winter.

most part, consistently competitive,” Salisbury coach Josh Merkel said. “Our young guys are getting better and that doesn’t always show up on the scoreboard. ... We’ve taken a step forward in every game and the guys are learning how to ﬁnish games out, how to win.” Due to graduation losses, a strong conference and a difﬁcult schedule, Salisbury has taken time this winter to rebuild following two consecutive winning seasons. At 7-10 (as of Tuesday) and playing

kick and take 3-point shots. Leading the way are several former Montgomery County high school players. Of the 16 players listed on the roster, 11 played at a local high school. “It’s deﬁnitely neat especially with three Magruder guys here,” said Harwood, who is expected to graduate in May with a degree in physical education. He is looking into becoming a grad assistant next season. “We all knew of each other or played with or against each other in high school. I’ve

well recently (winning three of four games), the Sea Gulls still have an outside chance to ﬁnish the season with another winning mark. “It may not look good now with our record,” Harwood said. “But it’s what we got to do for the long run. It’s what we have to do to win every year and make the NCAA tournament regularly. It’s a reason why I came here.” Salisbury plays fast and the system allows players freedom within the offense to drive,

known some of the guys my whole life.” Harwood and freshman guard Charles Porter (Quince Orchard, Gaithersburg) lead the Sea Gulls in scoring, averaging 14.3 and 11.5 points per game, respectively. “I didn’t expect to be where I am right now, I though I’d still be learning or behind an upperclassman,” Porter said. “Since everyone knows each other, it definitely made everything more comfortable adjusting to college. I mean, the

furthest person away we have is from North Carolina. Everybody else is from Maryland.” Additionally, Dominic Milburn (Montrose Christian, Silver Spring), Chris Viqueira (Clarksburg, Boyds), Kyle Savercool (Our Lady of Good Counsel, Silver Spring), Luke Ruland (Magruder, Olney) and Justin Witmer (Magruder, Rockville) have all started at least one game this season for Salisbury. Charlie Rogers (Sherwood, Olney), Nick Sparacino (Springbrook, Silver Spring), Derrick Miller (Poolesville, Olney) and Jacoy Gillum (Northwest, Germantown) have all played off the bench. “We want to recruit from inside out and there’s great basketball from the area,” said Merkel, who credited his players relationships with each other as a key factor in recruiting “... We’ve recruited good people, good character guys. With a familiarity with each other, players say the natural camaraderie has been beneﬁcial on and off the court. “It makes MoCo look good,” Porter said. “We are representing everybody from back home.” kzakour@gazette.net

Stone Ridge’s swimming success truly a group effort BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN STAFF WRITER

The 38-person Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart swimming and diving team has earned some notoriety in the past three years, not just in the Washington, D.C. area but nationwide. That’s what happens when one of the members wins an Olympic gold medal and sets multiple world records. It’s no coincidence that the arrival of junior Katie Ledecky in 2011-12 has coincided with the Gators’ recent resurgence — last winter Stone Ridge won its first Independent School League title since 2003, knocking off the champion eight of the previous 10 years, crosstown rival Holton-Arms. But even arguably the world’s best distance freestyler can’t win a high school championship meet without any help. That concept has helped unite the team, which seniors Lily Gasaway and Villanova University recruit Laura Garcia agreed is more spirited than ever. According to the school’s website there are 315 students enrolled in grades nine through 12, a fairly small talent pool to draw from but within

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Members of the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart swim team Lily Gasaway (left), 18, Kelleigh Haley (center), 15, and Laura Garcia, 17, at the school’s aquatic center Friday in Bethesda. that, the Gators have built a solid core of competitive year-round swimmers. Swimming is a demanding sport that takes a certain kind of investment, coach Robert Walker said. Stone Ridge, he added, is fortunate enough to boast the type of student-athletes willing to put in the time to hone their craft. “I deﬁnitely feel like people know it’s a whole team effort,” Gasaway said. “Katie is far and away the best swimmer we have but she is not the only good swimmer.” Stone Ridge scored 235 points in

last year’s fourth-place ﬁnish at the Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming and Diving championships, its best performance in a decade. A meet-high 48 of them — 20 percent of the team’s total — were earned by Ledecky, who won both her individual events in meet-record fashion. She also teamed with current sophomore Kelleigh Haley, Gasaway and former standout breaststroker Natalie Kronﬂi to win the 200-yard freestyle relay. The remaining 187 were a compilation of top 15 performances made

by Garcia, who finished fourth in the 100-yard butterfly, Gasaway, Kronfli and sophomore Kelleigh Haley. Ledecky certainly adds a unique component, Walker said, and Garcia and Gasaway agreed the Gators are motivated to work even harder to rally around her. “If you’re on a relay with Katie, you’re not just letting yourself down or your family down, you’re letting Katie down and I mean that in a good way,” Walker said. “You don’t want to be the weak link. I think they don’t even think about it as being on a relay with [an Olympic gold medalist] I think they just get up on the blocks and don’t want to be the slow one.” Stone Ridge’s ascent back into the area’s upper echelon started in 201011 with its fourth-place finish at ISL’s. A top three team at Metros in the early 2000s, the Gators had finished 2009 and 2010 in ninth place in the 12-team league and scored just two points in 31st- and 33rd-place performances at Metros. In 2012 Stone Ridge finished second at ISLs and tied for 10th at Metros, paving the way for last year’s results. The Gators, lost their ISL title to the champion nine of the past 11 years, Holton-Arms, and have their work cut out for them if they’re going to repeat last winter’s success at this weekend’s Washington Metropolitan Prep Schools Swimming and Diving Championships and Metros Feb. 8.

Kronfli’s graduation has left a hole in the breaststroke and 200-yard medley relay. But Stone Ridge’s recent runner-up finish doesn’t necessarily mean the Gators are out of contention to remain the highest private school finisher at Metros. Walker is still fine tuning his lineup combinations, he said. Strong freestyle relays will likely be the cornerstone to Stone Ridge’s postseason success. The addition of freshman Megan Fennell to sophomore Lexi Catalano on the diving contingent should be good for a few extra points during championship season as well. The points are there, Walker said, it’s just a matter of figuring out where to put them. Not many high school athletes get to say they’re teammates with an Olympic gold medalist and that’s not something Stone Ridge takes for granted, Garcia and Gasaway said. But the Gators are also a bunch of friends and teammates working toward a common goal, leaving their mark on the resurgent program. “We spent my first three years trying to get to this level, now the more difficult task is staying there,” Gasaway said. “We’re coming from a different place, it’s almost more [nerve-wracking] when you have all these expectations put on you but we want to maintain our high level.” jbeekman@gazette.net

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Gators look ahead to Metros after second-place ﬁnish at ISL meet n

THEATER

ENTER SIR IAN

‘Hobbit’ star lends voice to Olney’s ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Even Trying.’

The Gazette’s Guide to

Arts & Entertainment

Page B-8

www.gazette.net

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 | Page B-5

Chelsey Green is a classically trained violist and violinist. She and The Green Project will perform at BlackRock Saturday night.

CHELSEY GREEN AND THE GREEN PROJECT n When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1

n Where: BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Dr., Germantown

Professional violinist blends classical with contemporary BY

y mom’s goal for me was to be a classical violinist,” said musician Chelsey Green. “I kind of took a detour on purpose.” Born into a family of jazz and funk musicians, Houston native Green started her performance career on the violin at age 5. By 16, she was performing solo at Carnegie Hall. Now, Green is using her classical violin and viola training to bolster the sounds of contemporary artists such as Michael Jackson and John Legend. Green and her ensemble, The Green Project, will perform at the BlackRock Center for the Arts on Saturday night. “The marriage of classical and contemporary music is something that is relatable to everyone no matter what ethnicity you are …

n Tickets: $22

CARA HEDGEPETH

n For information: 301-258-2260, blackrockcenter.org

STAFF WRITER

JENNIFER WHITE-JOHNSON

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE

Latest Happenstance production celebrates the spirit of the circus

See GREEN, Page B-8

THE KOLL

SHOW

Alt comic comes to Rockville as part of Cool Cow Comedy showcase n

VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER

What comedian Alex Koll especially likes about doing standup is the response from the audience. “It’s one of the weirder things you do 100 percent,” he said. “Nothing else you do gives you that immediate feedback.” “You try to please them and take them along with you, and make it last,” said Koll, now 10 years into the art of making people laugh.

See KOLL, Page B-8

Though clowning is a way of life for Happenstance Theater artistic directors Sabrina Mandell and Mark Jaster, the circus is newer territory. “We do physical theater, we’re not circus performers,” Mandell said. But starting Friday, the members of the Happenstance Theater company will try their hand at the circus in the premiere of the theater’s latest production, “Impossible! A Happenstance Circus.” Running until Feb. 9, Mandell called “Impossible!” “a theatrical collage” centered on circus life. MINDY TUCKER

Comedian Alex Koll pays a visit to VisArts in Rockville on Feb. 7 as part of the Cool Cow Comedy series.

CARA HEDGEPETH STAFF WRITER

“There’s not a real through-line story,” Mandell said. “We basically just get a glimpse of characters who are creating the circus of the imagination.” Happenstance has delved into the circus world before. In 2009, the company produced “Look Out Below,” a clown theater piece. Unfortunately, the show opened during a major snowstorm preventing people from coming out to the theater.

“Impossible!” draws inspiration from several areas, including Mandell’s own personal history with the circus. “I grew up in rural Nova Scotia and there was a small circus that came to the town I grew up in,” Mandell said. “My sister and I ended up creating all of these circus characters and we wanted to run off and join the circus.” But the major motivation for “Impossible!” came years later after Mandell saw “Corteo,” a Cirque du Soleil show

See CLOWNING, Page B-8 LESLIE MCCONNAUGHEY

Ensemble members of Happenstance Theater and the cast members of “Impossible! A Happenstance Circus,” opening Friday at the Round House Theatre.

THE GAZETTE

Page B-6

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Austrian OCTAVES MAX DOBROVICH

The Vienna Concert-Verein Orchestra will perform in concert Saturday at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center at Montgomery College.

The Vienna Concert-Verein Orchestra, led by conductor Philippe Entremont and featuring soloist Sebastian Knauer, will perform in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center at Montgomery College in Rockville. For more than 20 years, the orchestra has achieved international renown by performing at Vienna’s Muskverein. Its repertoire spans orchestral works from classical Viennese composers to contemporary Austrian music. Tickets are $40 for general admission, $38 for seniors and students. For more information, visit montgomerycollege.edu/PAC.

Stuck on ‘Trafﬁc’

Here’s to you, Miss Nelson “Miss Nelson is Missing” continues to March 9 at Adventure TheatreMTC in Glen Echo.

Dave Mason’s Trafﬁc Jam comes to the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club at 8 p.m. Thursday. The PHOTO ANGELICA LEE

The Cezanne Piano Trio will present its premiere performance as part of the Washington Conservatory Piano, Plus! Concert Series on Saturday at the Westmoreland Congregational UCC Church in Bethesda.

Color through sound DAVE MASON

Co-founder of the English psychedelic rock group Trafﬁc, guitarist Dave Mason and his band will perform Trafﬁc hits from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as music he’s written as a solo artist on Thursday at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club in Bethesda.

The Cezanne Piano Trio will present its premiere performance at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Westmoreland Congregational UCC Church in Bethesda. The concert, part of the Washington Conservatory Piano,

Plus! Concert Series, will feature Haydn’s “Piano Trio in C Major Hob. XV/27,” Mendelssohn’s “Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49” and Shostakovich’s “Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor Op. 67.” The trio’s name is a tribute to Paul Cezanne, a French Post-impressionist artist who described his process as modulating with colors, a description similar to that of the musical concept of creating color with sound. The concert is free. Donations will be accepted. For more information, visit washingtonconservatory.org.

BRUCE DOUGLAS

(From left) Jessica Lauren Ball, Rachel Viele and Sherry Berg in a scene from Adventure Theatre MTC’s “Miss Nelson is Missing.”

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English singer-songwriter rose to fame with the psychedelic rock band Trafﬁc in the late 1960s, yielding such hits as “Feelin’ Alright” and “Hole in My Shoe.” The Trafﬁc Jam tour features deep cuts and favorites from Mason’s time with the band, as well as classics from Mason’s solo career. Tickets are $35 to $150. For more information, visit bethesdabluesjazz. com.

Based upon the beloved children’s books “Miss Nelson is Missing!” and “Miss Nelson is Back!” by Harry Allard, and featuring book, music and lyrics by Joan Cushing, the familiar tale follows the manic misdeeds of room 207 — spitballs, paper airplanes and the like — that send the gentle Miss Nelson AWOL, and conjure the monstrous Viola Swamp as her replacement. Directed by Jennifer Nelson, the program is recommended for ages 5 and older. For more information, including ticketing, visit adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

w No ing! w Sho F.

Scott Fitzgerald Theater

603 Edmonston Dr. Rockville, MD 20851

240-314-8690

www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre Rockville Little Theatre Presents

An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestly

The family is celebrating when a mysterious inspector comes to call. It becomes clear that they are implicated in a young women’s death. Join us for an exciting whodunnit that will keep you guessing to the very end.

$18 to $16

135644G

1905603

Still can’t find the car you were looking for?

1906393

Jan. 31 and Feb 1 at 8 p.m. Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.

THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page B-7

IN THE ARTS DANCES Carpe Diem Contra Dance, Feb. 13, Caller: Ann Fallon, Music by Gary Wright and Leah Weiss with Ahren Buchheister, 7-7:30 p.m. contradance workshops, 7:30-10 p.m. Contras & Squares, second Thursdays, Great Hall, Silver Spring Civics Center, One Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, $10 for general admission, $8 for members, $5 for students, www.carpediemarts.com. Hollywood Ballroom, Jan. 29, Ballroom Bash from 8:30–10:30 p.m. ($16); Jan. 30, Feb. 6, Tea Dance from 12:30-3:30 p.m. ($6); Jan. 31, drop-in lessons from 7:30-9 p.m., West Coast Swing Dancing with Dance Jam Productions at 9 p.m. ($15); Feb. 1, Ballroom Bash, lessons from 6-8:30 p.m., open social practice dance from 8:30 p.m. to midnight ($25 for classes and dance, $16 for classes only, $16 for dance only); Feb. 2, free Samba lessons at 7 p.m., Social Ballroom dance at 8 p.m. ($16); Feb.

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5, International Ballroom and Latin Night, classes from 7:30-8:30 p.m., open social practice dance from 8:30-10:30 p.m. ($15 for classes and dance, $10 for classes only, $10 for dance only), 2126 Industrial Highway, Silver Spring, 301-326-1181, www.hollywoodballroomdc.com

Glen Echo Park is at 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Blues, Capital Blues: Thurs-

days, 8:15 p.m. beginner lesson, 9-11:30 p.m. dancing to DJs, Glen Echo Park’s Spanish Ballroom Annex, $8, www.capitalblues.org. Contra, Jan. 31, Rebecca Lay and Sharktones, 7:30 p.m. lesson, 8:30 p.m. dance, Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom, $10, www.fridaynightdance.org. Contra & Square, Feb. 2, Rebecca Lay and the Sharktones, 7:30 p.m., Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom, $12 for general, $9 for members, $5 for students, www.fsgw.org. English Country, Jan. 29, Caller: Stephanie Smith, 8 p.m., Glen

Echo Town Hall (upstairs), www. fsgw.org. Swing, Feb. 8, Red Dress Ball with the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra, lesson at 8 p.m., dancing at 9 p.m., Glen Echo Park, $15, www.ﬂyingfeet.org. Waltz, Feb. 2, Karen Collins and the Backroads Band, 2:45-3:30 p.m. lesson, 3:30-6 p.m., dance, $10, www.waltztimedances.org.

MUSIC & DANCE Arts Barn, Singer Songwriter Concert Series, Slaid Cleaves with

Tony Denikos, Feb. 22, 3 p.m. workshops at the Arts Barn or Kentlands Mansion, 7:30 p.m. concerts at the Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394, www. gaithersburgmd.gov/artsbarn. Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Peter Fields and Rob

Holmes — A Tribute to Charlie Byrd & Stan Getz, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29; Dave Mason’s Trafﬁc Jam, 8 p.m. Jan. 30; Spectrum, 8 p.m. Jan. 31, call for prices, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. 240-330-4500, www.

bethesdabluesjazz.com.

BlackRock Center for the Arts,

Chelsey Green and The Green Project, 8 p.m. Feb. 1; call for tickets, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown. 301-528-2260, www. blackrockcenter.org.

Institute of Musical Traditions — Rockville, Claire Lynch

Band, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3, Saint Mark Presbyterian Church, 10701 Old Georgetown Road, Rockville, call for prices, www.imtfolk.org. Marilyn J. Praisner Library,

1905607

1911170

1905605

The Schrodinger’s Jazz Cats, piano, alto saxophone and ﬂute, 7 p.m. Jan. 30, 14910 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, 240-773-9460. Strathmore, Christie Dashiell, jazz vocalist, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29; Bill Cosby, 8 p.m. Jan. 30-31; AIR Alumni: John Kocur, jazz saxophone, 11 a.m. Jan. 31, call for venue, Locations: Mansion, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda; Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, 301-581-5100, www.strathmore.org.

THE GAZETTE

Page B-8

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

‘Business’ as usual in Olney Esteemed theater, popular musical, famous friends unite for a fun-ﬁlled ‘How To’ n

WILL C. FRANKLIN STAFF WRITER

How’s this for a success story – a lowly window washer at a major corporation in New York City reads a how-to book on becoming successful in business and rises through the ranks to become company chairman … within a week or so. Granted, it sounds a little farfetched – but not in the world of musical theater. “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” the 1961 Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning show, opens today at the Olney Theatre Center. The story revolves around J. Pierrepont Finch, a window washer at the World Wide Wicket Company. He reads the book “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” while he works. “He’s a bit of an anomaly in a lot of ways,” said Sam Ludwig, who plays Finch. “Even

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING n When: Jan. 29 through Feb. 23; performances are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; matinees at 2 p.m. on Sunday; Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. on Feb. 8, 15, and 22; Wednesday matinees at 2 p.m. on Feb. 5, 12, and 19. n Where: Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney n Tickets: $32.50-$65 n For information: 301-9243400; olneytheatre.org

though he’s a take on the sort of prototypical male ingénue, he is bright-eyed and full of optimism. But because of the nature of the show and the world that he’s in, … he’s kind of a nice sociopath until he gets a little warmed by love and life.” Finch is guided throughout the show by “the voice” of the book. Much-beloved journalist Walter Cronkite and TV personal-

ity Anderson Cooper provided the voice of the book during different Broadway runs of the show. The folks at Olney Theatre Center were able to land a pretty big name to lend his talents for the voice of the book – Sir Ian McKellen. Known as a talented performer of stage and screen, the great Shakespearean actor is probably a little more well-known these days for playing Magneto in the “X-Men” ﬁlms and, of course, Gandalf in “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” triloMcKellen gies. Lately, McKellen has been seen spending time with his best friend, fellow actor Sir Patrick Stewart, in New York as they’re doing “No Man’s Land” and “Waiting for Godot,” in repertoire on Broadway. “You have no idea how excited I got thinking about that,” Ludwig said of having McKellen provide the voice of the book. “The voice of the book, in the context of the show to Finch,

“How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” opens today at the Olney Theatre Center. is like the voice of God. This is the voice of his conscience. It is his drive. It is his inspiration. Also the audience has to kind of trust the voice, but the relationship I have with the voice is really important. When I found out Ian McKellen was doing it, I literally jumped out of my seat. Then when I heard the recordings he did, they are so perfect.” McKellen actually has a history with the Olney Theatre Center. In 1987, he brought his one-man show, “Acting Shakespeare,” to the Olney Theatre Center to act as a fundraiser – as well as signing posters and Tshirts – to help the center pay for renovations to the theater. “I’ve heard stories about his residency here in 1987 since the time that I came and there are

signed pictures of him all around the place,” said director Jason Loewith. “When we were talking in the summertime about who we should pursue for the book voice, I was like ‘Who does the Olney Theatre know who has a very distinctive voice?’ He was extremely, extremely gracious and immediately said yes, so we’re very lucky about that.” While Loewith has directed before at Olney, this is his ﬁrst time at the helm of a musical. Loewith, who wrote the book for last summer’s production of “Big Nate,” at Adventure Theatre MTC, said he has had great support from his cast and crew. “I’m really lucky to be working with some really stellar people, especially veterans at Olney Theatre as well as the folks who

PHOTOS FRON SONIE MATHEW

are new,” Loewith said. “… It’s fun to work with Sam Ludwig, who has been here before but is really an immerging talent who’s doing some amazing stuff.” This isn’t the ﬁrst time Loewith and Ludwig have worked together. Ludwig starred as Nate in the Adventure Theatre MTC production. “The characters of Nate and Finch are sort of very similar,” Ludwig said. “They have a little glint of the devil in their eye, but they’re totally lovable. I think they probably saw that I could do that sort of thing. … With this, [Loewith] has been great. He’s so ready and willing to let [us] play … it’s been a super fun experience.” wfranklin@gazette.net

Seoul Food reinvents the truck stop, Korean cuisine, in Wheaton If you have never dabbled in Korean cuisine, Seoul Food, located in the ancillary dining space at the Exxon at Georgia Avenue and University Boulevard in Wheaton is the best place to give it a go. While bipimbap is traditionally a time-consuming and at times off-putting production in most Korean

SEOUL FOOD n 2514 University Blvd. West n Silver Spring, MD 20902 n seoulfooddc@gmail.com n 571-236-4750 n seoulfooddc.com

DINING REVIEW

n Restaurant hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 5-8 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday

BY BRIAN PATTERSON eateries, at Seoul Food, the dish is simpliﬁed to suit the hungry grab-and-go palate that is in the mood for something new yet nourishing and approachable. Here, sticky rice is topped with baby spinach, carrots, daikon and red radish, a sunny side-up egg (produced by cage-free chickens) and your choice of bulgogi marinated protein such as grass fed beef, spicy pork, local chicken, or grilled tofu. It is all made with reverence as well as alacrity. While the hot-pink truck with the

n Closed Sunday n Closed Monday (open only for truck) n Truck: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at Courthouse; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Rosslyn; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Ballston

ﬁery kimchee has been plying their wares on the road in Northern Virginia since 2011, Seoul Food parked

CLOWNING

featuring a blend of clowning and acrobatics. “Daniele Finzi Pasca [the show’s creator] created this incredible poetic circus that was more about the theater of it and the imagery created in it,” Mandell said. “At that point, I was like, ‘That’s what I love.’” There was also the influence of the Taschen book, “The History of the Circus,” and circus posters and images, plus the urging from company members to do a circusthemed show. “Impossible!” unites the on stage and offstage worlds of the circus through classic circus acts performed in unconventional ways. “There are poetic uses of circus skills,” Mandell said “Like somebody changes a light bulb on stilts ... We capture the essence of what the circus does in terms of surprise and excitement and danger through acting.” Set in the Depression era, “Impossible!” aims to lift the spirits of its audience. “The idea is that when times are tough and you have nothing, you have to kind of pick yourself up and make and invent things,” Mandell said. “It’s relevant to our

Continued from Page B-5 no matter what education or background you have,” Green said. “That’s what music is meant to do … it’s meant to touch everybody. That was my goal with The Green Project.” Green said the desire to meld classical and contemporary sounds was ﬁrst born during an internship with a Top 40 radio station. “An artist that shall remain nameless came to the station and they wanted me to stand in the elevator to make sure the doors were open when they got on,” Green said. “I said, on that day, ‘I’m more than this.’” Green went on to earn her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a graduate degree from The Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins and is now working on her doctorate at the University of Maryland. Since 2009,

itself into more stationary digs in Wheaton in June of 2013, redefining the meaning of a “truckstop.” Anna is the Korean influence, with a significant artistic and culinary background, and her partner and husband J.P Goree grew up as a hunter, fisherman and conservationist along the shores of the Great Lakes. Besides being an entrepreneurial couple, they are clearly good cooks. She is the extroverted front of the house type, and

IMPOSSIBLE!

Continued from Page B-5

GREEN

J.P. GOREE

Pork bulgogi at Seoul Food in Wheaton.

n When: 8 p.m. weeknights, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 31 to Feb. 9 n Where: Round House Theatre, 4545 EastWest Highway, Bethesda n Tickets: $15-25 n For information: 240-641-1100, roundhousetheatre.org

current economic crisis today and needing to come up with ways to stay inspired when our resources are limited ... It’s sort of the idea of creating a circus when you don’t have those skills.” Among the “Impossible!” cast is Karen Hansen who provides the show’s music as Shorty McHansen. Her character pushes a cart which houses a mini-organ and a collection of other instruments. The performers will sing a cappella. Hansen has worked with Happenstance since 2009. Though she lives in Vermont, she travels to Maryland often to collaborate with Mandell and Jaster. “When I’m up in Vermont, I’m usually

Chelsey Green and The Green Project have been touring the world and shattering the perception of the classical music scene. “I want to erase all stereotypes of typical acoustic classical instruments,” Green said. “I want people to know the violin is capable of doing anything.” Beyond challenging stereotypes about classical music, Green hopes her work speaks to pushing the limits in general. “The bigger message there is that anything you want to do, you can make happen because it’s your voice,” Green said. “If [you] do it with focus and integrity, you have limitless possibilities … I want to show people that you can have fun and still do something well.” It’s a message Green said she hopes to communicate through her educational outreach in the Washington, D.C., area with students ranging from pre-K to adulthood. “What I try to do with out-

he is the quiet keeper of the kitchen. A 1998 graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine’s professional pastry program, Anna’s desserts are made from scratch and crafted out of wholesome ingredients, designed to taste great and appeal to the sweet tooth. Dessert specials change frequently — pumpkin whoopee pie was a fall highlight. Leery of kimchee? This is not the vintage stuff buried in jars that smells weirder than it tastes. Anna makes hers by hand several times a week, and it is spicy, pickled cabbaggy goodness. She will adjust the spiciness of your serving to your taste. Better yet, Seoul Food will cook that great kimchee low and slow to caramelize it, bringing out another depth of bittersweet ﬂavor, and then use it as a garnish on their Korean Superbowl — sticky rice topped with your choice of house protein, jalapeno and serrano relish, scallion, queso fresco, cheddar and Korean salsa roja; however, it’s best showcased in their Kimchi Tofu Bowl. When mobile, their menu is ab-

researching and composing for shows,” Hansen said. With no real knowledge of circus music, Hansen did an in-depth investigation to prepare the “Impossible!” score. “I didn’t know that much about circus music so it was really fun to dig stuff up,” she said. “There are a lot of marches and gallops. A lot of waltzes and the band was usually brass or woodwind ... Not predictable as you might think.” Because of the show’s Depression-era setting, Hansen added that the “Impossible!” music is not the upbeat, typical circus music you may expect to hear. Some instruments won’t be used in the show at all because of old circus traditions. “There’s a lot of [lore] around the circus and superstition,” Hansen said. “Like the harmonica is considered bad luck so we couldn’t use that.” While “Impossible!” is a circus-themed show, Mandell said as with any Happenstance production, the heart of the “Impossible!” lies in its sense of imagination. “We decided to focus on what is the magic of the circus,” Mandell said. “What are the things that make us love the circus?” chedgepeth@gazette.net

reach, is show young students from pre-K all the way to high school the discipline of learning an instrument,” Green said. “It helps set you up for success for anything you ever want to go into.” The Green Project features musicians Ignatius Perry Jr. on keyboard and piano, Lorenzo Johnson on keyboard and organ, Kevin Power Jr. on electric bass and Spyda Wheatley on drum. Saturday night’s show will showcase a mix of original songs and covers, including a special Green Project arrangement of John Legend’s “Ordinary People.” The band will head into the recording studio in February to work on their next album, due out in April. When selecting songs to cover, Green said she takes a few things into consideration. First is whether the piece will translate well through instrumental music. And second is the signiﬁcance behind the song. “We try to work with cov-

ers that have a special meaning,” Green said. “I try to find melodies and find harmonies that would support a story … I want the listener to engage in their own story as much as I want the listener to engage in my story.” Once the songs have been selected, Green said the last step is putting that “Green Project twist” on it. Unlike the artist for whom she held the elevator, Green’s first priority is not herself, but her audience. “I do my best to use that power for good and really influence or have a connection with people. That’s the most powerful thing we can do,” Green said. “To have someone come up to you after the performance and say, ‘I don’t really like violin but what you did tonight is amazing,’ that’s what I strive for.” chedgepeth@gazette.net

breviated, serving up to three customers a minute. When serving out of their Wheaton kitchen, the food is no less rapid, but the menu is a little more expansive, including a brunch menu of maki rolls, crepes with seared butternut squash, scallion pancakes and whole-wheat dumpling soup. Rather than dumbing down their menu for kids, they offer a mildly seasoned bipimbap as well as straight-up chicken and cheese quesadillas. While the dining room is three steps away from the gas station and convenience store cashier, the kitchen space has its own kitschy identity. Bring your eclectic taste in rock ’n’ roll because they are playing everything from The Clash to Johnny Cash. Stay and have fun playing board games. Don’t come to Seoul Food seeking cornbread, collard greens and pork barbecue, as some errant walk-in customers assume; it’s not that kind of soul food. It is however, Seoul-ful.

KOLL

Continued from Page B-5 Koll, who has appeared on “Conan” and also Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham,” will perform his brand of comedy at VisArts in Rockville on Feb. 7. In 2009, he performed at the Bentzen Ball comedy festival in Washington, D.C., and he has also performed at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, the SXSW festival, ComedyFest Vancouver, The Bridgetown Comedy Festival and SF SketchFest. While he currently resides in New York City, Koll grew up in California. During his college years at San Jose State University, he studied photography and illustration, did some animation and posted humorous videos online while YouTube was taking off. Some of his early heroes were comedians such as Andy Kaufman, Bill Hicks, Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy. By his mid-20s, he knew he wanted to do standup comedy. “I wound up doing nothing else,” said Koll, who lived in the Bay area as a teenager and then moved to San Francisco, where he lived for eight years. “You’re anchored to time and place where you start,” he said about fellow San Francisco comedians. “It’s like school. We all have a little bit of each other’s sensibility.” In the early years, he said he was “anarchic, pushing the envelope, and I was a little bit of a clown, too.” “I like picking things that have happened to me, but then I’ll also veer off into something I’ve imagined,” he said. “Today I’m a little more straightforward, but I’ll also do something a little more absurd than usual — I’m getting toward ﬁnding a balance,” he said. Sometimes described as someone who does “alt” com-

Cool Cow Comedy presents

ALEX KOLL n When: 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 n Where: VisArts, 155 Gibbs St., Rockville n Tickets: $15 n For information: coolcowcomedy.com

edy, Koll explained the term. “There was an ’80s boom in comedy, and then it collapsed on itself,” he said. “It got oversaturated, and the wave broke. “It had gotten bland and awful. It was terrible but people were getting by,” he said. “It got too big.” As an alternative, comedians headed away from the mainstream to work in coffee shops and rock venues. The four big topics in mainstream comedy are food, relationships, men and women and race, Koll said. Alternative comedy tackles the same topics but “it’s more involved, honest and informed when taking on these things.” Koll said New York “is one of the most amazing towns for, specifically, standup. ... You can work constantly here.” The fans, he said, are a little different than those in California. “It’s even more immediate — you interact more with the audiences,” he said. Working in New York can also be humbling, he said. Although he’s been working 10 years as a comedian, he said he still runs the risk of “walking out there and not making a single person laugh.” But Koll said he enjoys taking risks “more and more.” “I’m comfortable on stage, and I like being up there,” he said. vterhune@gazette.net

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

THE GAZETTE

Page B-9

Page B-10

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Classifieds Call 301-670-7100 or email class@gazette.net

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TH, BA, prvt ent, shrd kit, Conv. loc, safe neigh, $800+ refs incls utils. 240-316-5944

GERM: Male 1Br in

GERM/MILESTONE Lg room w/ view & bath in condo; prkg, busline, shops $650 incl utils + dep w/Wifi 301-5154554. HYATTSVILLE: Rm

in Apt, shrd Ba/Kit, Free Wifi, Cls to shops /metro, $600 inclds utils. 301-728-7816

LAYTNSVL: M, N/S off street park, Furn Br, shr kit, lndry & common areas, quiet & homey. $640 utils incl. 301- 253-9662

MONT

VILLAGE

1 small Br in TH, shrd Ba w/female NS/NP, $399/mo + util Call: 240-401-3522

N.BETHESDA:

Rm for rent in Apt w/ priv bath nr NIH & metro priv parking $650 utils includ call Mr. T 240-899-2655

OLNEY: 1 Rm in bsmt in SFH share kitchen $500 utils included, NS/NP Avail Now. 301-257-5712 OLNEY: Furn Bdrm

+ Den avail in TH for mature female only! $500 util inclu + security dep 301-774-6075

P O T O M A C : Furn Rm in SFH $625. shrd Ba w/one, FREE util, cable & int NP Call: 301-299-4444 ROCK: Clean Lrg

MBR Suite, Prvt BA, W/in closet/office. Kit, FR, TV, INT., $825 util incl. 301-424-8377

ROCKVILLE: 2rms

priv bth $1150; 2 rms 2nd flr, lrg mstbr $1250 bth w/TV cbl & int. 1 person each flr NS/NP 301-762-1058

ROCKVILLE: BR in

apt w closet, prvt BA, shrd kit, NS/NP. Acr metro. $650 all utils incld 301-340-1257

SIL SPG: 2 MBr, 1 ($700) and 1 ($650) both priv Ba, all util inc, NS/NP, nr shops & metro 240-551-4591 SILVER SPRING MBR with private bath

SS:1rm bsmt apt pvt ent share kit/ba, $510 uti/cbl inc, Male. wlk to bus, nr White Flint Twinbrk 301-933-5668

SS: Furnished 2 BRs

in Bsmt, Liv Rm, Shrd BA/Kit, Prvt Ent. $750 ech/mo incl utils. NS/NP Cls to Veirs Mill & Randolph. Please 301-213-9797

SS: NEW 1BR Apt 1st

floor private ENT, KIT, BA, PARKING. $1100 quiet and Sunny! call 301-879-2868

TAKOMA

PARK:

2 Rooms starting at $750 shared bath util incl. All furn! Near metro. 240-421-6689

WASHINGTON DC: Brentwood NE,

Lrg furn Br, priv Ba, shrd kit & W/D, 1 blk frm bus & 5 blks from Red/Metro $850/util inc 202-361-8087

WHEATON 1 Large

BR, Female, 5min to Metro On Veirs Mill Rd $650 uti incl. NS/NP Call: 240-447-6476 NO Solicitors!

WHEATON: BR in APT w/pvt BA. $650/ mo incl. utils, Cable/ WiFi. Nr Metro & Bus. Call 240-286-7142 WHEATON: Male

available 02/01. $650 includes all utils. Call 240-505-8012

pref non-smoker, 1BR, shr BA, near metro, $525/mnth util incl +dep 301-933-6804

SILVER

WHEATON:

SPRING:

Room avail now $465 shared kitchen, bathroom & util cable TV W/D 301-404-2681

On Georgia Ave. 1 MBR w/prvt ba. $650 util incl Nr Metro & Shops. Npets 240-441-1638

kFamily Room kFull Size W/D in every unit kSwimming Pool

G560377

(301) 670-2667

301-762-5224

Office Hours: M-F 9:00am - 6:00pm, Saturday 11:00am - 3:00pm

GAITHERSBURG

GERMANTOWN

GAITHERSBURG

14431 Traville Garden Circle Rockville, Maryland 20850

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

WANTED! Old

Guitar’s, Banjo’s, Violin’s & Ukulele’s. Any condition considered. Please call with description 1-800-4519728

KILL ROACHES!

Buy Harris Roach Tablets. Eliminate Roaches-Guaranteed. No Mess. Odorless. Long Lasting. Available at ACE Hardware, and The Home Depot.

Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg, and Gibson Mandolins/Banjos. WANTED TO PURCHASE Antiques & 1920’s thru 1980’s. Fine Art, 1 item Or EnTOP CASH PAID! 1tire Estate Or Collec- REDUCE YOUR 800-401-0440 tion, Gold, Silver, CABLE BILL! * Get Coins, Jewelry, Toys, a 4-Room All-Digital TOP CA$H PAID FOR OLD ROLEX, Oriental Glass, China, Satellite system Lamps, Books, Tex- installed for FREE and PATEK PHILIPPE tiles, Paintings, Prints programming starting & CARTIER almost anything old at $19.99/mo. FREE WATCHES! DaytoEvergreen Auctions HD/DVR upgrade na, Submariner, Gmt973-818-1100. Email for new callers, SO Master, Explorer, evergreenauction@hot CALL NOW. 1-877Milgauss, Day Date, mail.com etc. 1-800-401-0440 388-8575.

Sunday, Feb 2,10:00 AM At Hunts Place

19521 Woodfield Rd (Rte 124) Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Furniture- Hsehold- Collectables Galore #5205 Look on Auctionzip.com

GAITHERSBURG

BY APPT ONLY! Living room & Bedroom furniture for Sale! Call: 301-674-0569

PARKLAWN: 4 bur-

ial rights, Garden of Life Eternal, value $29,660 total and asking $25k/neg Please Call: 757-229-1119

APPLIANCE REPAIR - We fix It no

MY COMPUTER WORKS Computer

matter who you bought it from! 800934-5107

problems? Viruses, spyware, email, printer DIRECTV - Over 140 issues, bad internet channels only $29.99 connections - FIX IT a month. Call Now! NOW! Professional, Triple savings! U.S.-based techni$636.00 in Savings, cians. $25 off service. Free upgrade to Genie Call for immediate & 2014 NFL Sunday help 1-866-998-0037 ticket free!! Start Saving today! 1-800-2793018

SHITZU:Puppies, M/F, 8wks old, B/W Brown/White. $475 each. Call 240-7930464

Soccer Club has openings for U-13 girls team. Please contact COMPUTER & Coach Pat Farrell at MEDICAL TRAINING! Call CTI for Free Benpatcfarr@gmail.com efit Analysis today! 1-888-407-7173

Prime turn-key routes available. Baby Boomers #1 Demand=$$$ $20k invest = $80k+ yearly, P/T Call today: 888900-8276 24/7

MAKE UP TO

$2,000.00+ Per Week! New Credit Card Ready Drink-Snack Vending Machines. Minimum $4K to $40K+ Investment Required. Locations Available. BBB Accredited Business. (800) 962-9189

risk & get guaranteed income in retirement! CALL for FREE copy of our SAFE MONEY GUIDE. Plus Annuity. Quotes from A-Rated compaines! 800-6695471

DISH TV RETAILER . Starting at

$19.99/month (for 12 DROWNING IN mos.) & High Speed GET FREE OF DEBT? Stop collecInternet starting at CREDIT CARD tion calls. New or con- DEBT NOW! Cut $14.95/month (where solidated credit availa- payments by up to available) SAVE! Ask ble. Bad credit ok. About SAME DAY Inhalf. Stop creditors Call Century Financial stallation! CALL Now! from calling 877-8581-800-931-1942 1-877-992-1237 1386

ping, Friendly Service, BEST prices and 24hr payment! Call today 877-588-8500 or visit www.TestStripSearch. com Espanol 888-4404001

It’s FREE! Buy It, Sell It, Find It GazetteBuyandSell.com

24/7 monitoring. FREE Equipment. FREE Shippng. Nationwide Service. $29.95/Month CALL Medical Guardian Today 866-992-7236

WHY YOUR FAT FRIENDS WILL HATE YOU WHEN YOU LOSE WEIGHT! www.Fat-

Loss FAQ.com As Seen On TV, RiskFree 60 Day. Toll-Free 1-800-804-1381

ONE CALL, DOES IT ALL! FAST AND RELIABLE ELECREPAIRS M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M TRICAL INSTALLAM & M TIONS. Call 1-800-

ST EV E’S STEVE’S FFIREWOOD I R E W O O D M MADOPTION:M M A ALL LL O OAK AK

M A Nurturing Family For Your Baby. M Stay-at-home Mom, Education, M M $ Travel and Much More. 220 a Cord M M $ 140 1/2 Cord M M M Expenses Paid M 1 Cord Mix M 1-800-775-4013 M $ Hardwoods 190 M M Nathalie & Jerald M M 301-980-8181 M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M GP2365

301-948-3937

Adorable pups. They are 10wks,1m & amp; 1f. They come with papers.Healthy.Home raised. Shots email lorihall12@aim. com Call: (301) 2531233 $850

GP2381

HUNT AUCTION

PETS: French Bulldog

CASH FOR GUARANTEED UNEXPIRED DIAINCOME FOR MEDICAL ALERT Educational training BETIC TEST YOUR RETIREFOR SENIORS benefits! GI Bill covers MENT. Avoid market STRIPS! Free Ship-

SOCCER TRY- VETERANS! Take OUTS: B e t h e s d a full advantage of your

ANTI-AGING BUSINESS GOLDMINE!

FIREWOOD FOR SALE

908-8502

Daycare Directory

ONE CALL, DOES IT ALL! FAST AND RELIABLE PLUMBING REPAIRS. Call 1-800796-9218

AIRLINE CAREERS

$235/cord $150 per 1/2 cord

begin here - Get FAA approved Aviation Maintenance training. Housing and Financial Aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 800-4818974.

µ Includes Delivery µ Stacking Extra Charge Ask for Jose 301-417-0753 301-370-7008

AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Train for hands on Aviation Career. FAA approved program. Finanical aid if qualified - Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 877818-0783.

HAVANESE PUPPIES Home raised, AKC, best health guarantee noahslittleark.com Call: 262-993-0460

G GP2362 P2362

*OLD GUITARS WANTED!** Gibson,

Page B-11

Bethesda Village Daycare Children’s Center of Damascus Damascus Licensed Family Daycare Elena’s Family Daycare My Little Lamb Childcare Kids Garden Day Care Reflections Daycare My Little Place Home Daycare Susanna’s Day Care Little Angels Licensed Child Care Kids Love Jewelry

Lic # 160373 Lic. #: 31453 Lic. #: 139094 Lic. #: 15-133761 Lic #: 51328 Lic.#: 139378 Lic.#: 160613 Lic.#: 131042 Lic #: 105189 Lic #: 160952 Lic #161641

301-564-1966 301-253-6864 301-253-4753 301-972-1955 301-990-9695 240-601-9134 240-506-5343 301-947-8477 301-933-7342 301-622-1517 301-625-1762

20817 20872 20872 20876 20877 20886 20886 20886 20902 20904 20904

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 3, 2014

CAREGIVER LIVEIN Gburg assist living

Experience or will train. Cooking is a req. Call 301-330-0030

GE RMA NT OWN :

Weekend live-in companion needed for senior Glentleman, dri ver, secretary,cook Gd English. 301-990-3990

HOUSEKEEPER

Experienced Person for Cleaning & Laundry, Potomac, Must have Own Car, 2 Days Per Week, 9am-3pm, Salary $20/hr, Excellent References Needed. CALL: 301-674-1028

NANNY/HSKPR:

Wanted In Potomac. M-F, 1:30p - 5:30p. Driving. Refs req’d Call 301-299-0337

POTOMAC HSKPR

1-9 pm. Legal. Drive, Good English. Laundry. Min 2yrs Exp. Call 301.887.3212.

Careers 301-670-2500

class@gazette.net Pharmacy Technician

Must be MD Cert., Independent Pharmacy located in Medical Building. M-F 9-6 every other Sat 9-1. Experience Necessary Send Resume to Darnell@knowleswellness.com

NURSING ASSISTANT

TRAINING IN JUST 4 WEEKS Now Enrolling for February 10th and March 17th Classes

BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN GAITHERSBURG! NOW HIRING!!

GAITHERSBURG CAMPUS MORNING STAR ACADEMY 101 Lakeforest Blvd, Suite 402 Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Call: 301-977-7393 www.mstarna.com

SILVER SPRING CAMPUS

GP2300

CARE XPERT ACADEMY 13321 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 205 MORNING & EVENING CLASSES Silver Spring, MD 20904 Call: 301-384-6011 www.cxana.com

Accounting/Admin Asst

Can you take on a challenging position in a fast-paced computerized industry? Energy Mgmt Co in very exciting growth stage has: Two Part Time openings or one very exper high-level Full Time opening. EOE. Please provide a detailed cover letter & resume to: Jobs@Systems4.com

or please fax to: 301-258-7747.

Administrative

CUSTOMER SERVICE

F/T M-F Ideal candidate will have good phone & people skills. Position will include data entry & processing customer orders. Must be reliable and detail oriented. Will train. Please email resume to: Resume@centurydist.com

• Lot Attendant (know how to drive a manual a MUST) • Quick Lube Technicians • Experienced Body Shop Technician • Experienced Transmission Technician • Service Advisors • Experienced Diesel Technician • Sales Position (no experience necessary, but preferred)

Join our Facebook page and Stay Connected

All positions require a background and drug screening test before employment. Excellent pay with Great Benefits, 401K, Life, STD, Flexible spending and other insurance offered! Apply online at Sheehy.Com/Careers

CLEANING

Earn $300-$500/wk. M-F, No nights or wknds. Must have own car & valid. Drivers lic. Se Habla Espanol.

Merry Maids

Gaithersburg 301-869-6243

Recruiting is now Simple! Get Connected

GC3180

GC3195

Construction

SPRAY TECH

Commercial Contractor is looking for an exper. polyurethane foam insulator or previous spray exper. & willing to learn new trade. Must have trans. E-verify, EOE, Drug-Free workplace. Please call Marcela for info (301) 662-7584.

Customer Service/Sales Person

Experienced, mature customer service/sales person for small independent retail store. Must be outgoing, self starting and looking for a career position. Hours 8:30-5:30; Mon-Fri. Convenient location near Friendship Heights Metro. Email resume with salary requirements to amaschal@zupnik.com

DOMINO’S PIZZA IS NOW HIRING

ALL POSITIONS

DRIVERS ASST MANAGERS SHIFT RUNNER Competitive compensation & cash paid daily for drivers. Hours Flexible. LOCATIONS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY JERRY QUINTANILLA 240-752-4523 EOE

VETERANS NEEDED Use your GI Benefits NOW for training in Healthcare. JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE Offered.

Call Now 1-888-3958261

Page B-12

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Careers 301-670-2500

class@gazette.net

District Court Clerk - Cashier

District Court for Montgomery County, Rockville Performs clerical work and cashiering functions using a cash register. Receives and handles large sums of money. Reconciles receipts and prepares bank deposits. Greets and assists the public, police, attorneys and court personnel. Receives, opens, sorts and distributes mail. Works additional hours, as required. May be called in during emergencies, e.g. inclement weather conditions and staff shortages. For full details and instructions on how to apply, visit www.mdcourts.gov. EOE

Recruiting is now Simple! Get Connected!

Finance

Banking Specialist Positions Gaithersburg and Bethesda Offices

Financial

Qualifications or Skills Required: A high school diploma or equivalent with an emphasis in a business or accounting curriculum and at least 2 years of branch banking experience.

Responsibilities:

Foster Parents

∂Performing a variety of duties to support the functions of a commercial branch office. ∂Coordinating work within the office, as well as with other departments. ∂Reporting pertinent information to the immediate supervisor. ∂Responding to inquiries or requests for information.

û Free training begins soon û Generous monthly tax-free stipend û 24/7 support

To Apply: Fax resume to Florence Thomas, Human Resource Officer at 301-916-4550, email to fthomas@obabank.com, or mail to OBA Bank, Attention Florence Thomas, Human Resource Officer, P.O. Box 340, Germantown, MD 20875 EEO/AA/H/V

Treatment Foster Parents Needed Work from home!

ATTENTION: MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALS

Caliber Home Loans, Inc. is actively seeking to expand within the Northern VA/DC/MD Metro area. We are holding a general information session for mortgage professionals on Thursday, January 30th from 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Bethesda Marriott Suites at 6711 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD. Please stop by if you are interested in hearing the Caliber story. Caliber Home Loans is an equal housing lender and equal opportunity employer.

Call 301-355-7205

HILTON, GAITHERSBURG, MD

Thursday, April 3, 2014, 9:00-2:00pm

Career Expo 2014 will provide employers with an opportunity to take a first look at local qualified applicants. Our mini seminars will command an audience of highly skilled professionals. Reserve your space today, log on to www.gazettecareerexpo.com or call 301-670-7100. PREMIUM PACKAGE $495 EARLY BIRD PRICING*

• Booth at Event • 30 Day Banner on Gazette. net/Careers & DCMilitary.com/Career • Featured Advertiser, Hiring and Company profile • 2-Job postings (one print, one online)

EARLY BIRD

Registration Deadline January 31, 2014

*$695 after January 31, 2014

GC3194

TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE CALL 301-670-7100 Dental/ Medical Assistant Trainees Needed Now

Dental/Medical Offices now hiring. No experience? Job Training & Placement Assistance Available 1-877-234-7706 CTO SCHEV

Pharmacy/ Phlebotomy Tech Trainees Needed Now Pharmacies/ hospitals now hiring. No experience? Job Training & Placement Assistance Available 1-877-240-4524 CTO SCHEV

HEALTHCARE

WE’RE HIRING WEEKEND CNAS, GNAS, AND HHAS!

Provide non-medical care and companionship for seniors in their homes. Personal care, light housework, transportation, meal preparation. Must be 21+. Must have car and one year professional, volunteer, or personal experience www.homeinsteads.com/197 Home Instead Senior Care To us it’s personal 301/588-9023 Call between 10am-4pm Mon-Fri

Software Developer IV

Sought by Lash Group/TheraCom in Rockville, MD: Provide lead tech expertise for design & dvlpmt of s/w apps . Reqs: Bach deg in CS, Eng, Bus or rel +5 yrs progressively responsible IT exp (or Masters degree +3 yrs), incl 3 yrs w/VB6, .NET & SQL Server dvlpmt (DB design, queries & scripts; SSRS reports; & SSIS ETL) & 2 yrs in pharma/biotech. To apply: www.thera.com, Job code 11E527.

HVAC - HELPER

Sheet metal helper with minimum 2 yrs exp. Good driving record, top pay, excellent benefits. Call 301-770-3100 or email to academyhvac@gmail.com

Change Is In The Air! Find your next career opportunity.

GazetteJobs.Net

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page B-13

Careers 301-670-2500

class@gazette.net

Healthcare

HVAC MECHANIC

Registered Nurses (FT/PT)

Residential HVAC service, install, sheet metal mechanic with min 5 years exp. Top pay, excellent benefits; CFC certificate & MD state license required. Good driving record. Call 301-770-3100 academyhvac@gmail.com

Skilled Nursing facility needs experienced Registered Nurses for FT and PT Night shifts (11pm7am). Apply in person and take the Pre-Employment exams at 1235 Potomac Valley Road, Rockville, MD 20850. EOE

IT Microsoft Corporation currently has the following openings in Chevy Chase, MD: Account Technology Strategist - Enhance the Microsoft customer relationship from a capability development perspective by articulating the value of our services and solutions and identifying competition gaps in targeted accounts. Requires travel to various unanticipated locations throughout the U.S. up to 25% of the time. http://www.jobs-microsoft.com/job/go/36128200/ Technology Solutions Professional: Drive product win rates by proving the value of product(s) to customers and partners. Requires travel up to 35% with work to be performed at various unknown worksites throughout the U.S. h t t p : / / w w w . j o b s microsoft.com/job/go/35873000/

Market Research Analyst Needed in Wheaton, MD. Monitor & forecast market trends. Measure the effectiveness of marketing programs and strategies. Gather data about consumers, competitors, and market conditions. Convert complex data and findings into understandable tables, graphs, and written reports. Master’s in Business Admin or Related field and 12 months exp in the job offered required. $44,283/yr. Fax resumes to David at 240-292-7225. Law Offices of Jezic, Krum, & Moyse, LLC

MECHANIC

The Recycling Center, located in Laurel (PG Co.), is accepting applications for the following positions: ∂ Heavy Equipment Mechanic ∂ Road Mechanic Must have experience & clean driving record Please email resume to info@mtlaney.com fax 410-795-9546 Top wages and a great working environment. EOE

Newspaper & Web Ad Sales Comprint Military Publications publishes 8 newspapers, 2 websites and 14 special sections and is looking for an energetic, organized sales representative to sell advertising into our media. Must be able to work well under weekly deadlines and pressures of meeting sales goals. Prefer someone with print and/or web advertising sales experience. Position is in Gaithersburg office and hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. M-F. Territory is Northern VA. We offer a competitive compensation & comprehensive benefits package including pension, 401(k) & tuition reimbursement.

Multiple job openings are available. To view detailed job descriptions and minimum requirements, and to apply, visit the website address listed. EOE.

If interested, please send resume and cover letter with salary requirements to: John Rives at jrives@dcmilitary.com. EOE

Real Estate

Office Manager

Silver Spring

Work with the BEST!

Be trained individually by one of the area’s top offices & one of the area’s best salesman with over 34 years. New & experienced salespeople welcomed.

Must R.S.V.P.

GC3191

Call Bill Hennessy

3 301-388-2626 01-388-2626

bill.hennessy@longfoster.com • Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. EOE

TECHNICAL LEADS In Gaithersburg, MD. Lead & plan Salesforce cloud based custom application by coordinating people, tech, & client resources. Train, supervise, & direct architects, project managers, & software developers to conduct user interaction, reqs gathering, solve problems, & build reusable software. Develop Salesforce, .Net, and GIS tech to design, develop, & implement business needs, organizational policies, business goals, & procedures. Send res to Client Network Services, Inc., Attn: Edmund Yarboi, 15800 Gaither Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

MAINTENANCE TECH Aspen Hill

Building repairs, plumbing, electrical, HVAC. 2 yrs exp. for non-profit retirement community. Send resume w/salary req. to 301-598-6485 office@homecresthouse.org

For doctor office in Bethesda must have Medical office experience and references. Salary is based on experience. Send resume by email to lindamm2@verizon.net or fax 301-530-2606

Local companies, Local candidates Get Connected

SKILLED TRADE

HVAC SERVICE TECH

IMMEDIATE Position Avialable for NATE and/or Journeyman HVAC service technicians. MUST have 2 yrs exp. Great hourly pay, commission, weekly bonus & insurance. Drug free, customer oriented, and motivated. Only qualified applicants apply. 301-670-1944 - Gaithersburg

Search Jobs

Find Career Resources

Gazette.Net

SKILLED TRADE

PLUMBER IMMEDIATE Position Avialable for Plumber. MUST have 2 yrs exp. Great hourly pay, commission, weekly bonus & insurance. Drug free, customer oriented, and motivated. Only qualified applicants apply. 301-670-1944 - Gaithersburg Skilled Trades

Plumber

Rapid growth company seeks exp’d plumber 3+ yrs. Opportunity to grow/learn areas of service, boilers, remodel, generators, etc. Excellent pay/benefits. Must have own tools & clean driving record.

Call 301-569-4012

Let Gazette Careers help you find that next position in your LOCAL area.

Web Developer A division of The Washington Post that publishes one of the largest community newspaper groups in the country is looking for an experienced web developer. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years’ experience and be proficient in CSS, HTML, JQuery and JavaScript. Experience with content management systems and responsive design preferred. Outstanding attention to detail and strong organizational skills are required. We offer competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package including pension 401(k) and tuition reimbursement. If interested, please email your resume along with cover letter and salary requirements to: HRJobs@gazette.net Attn: Web Developer. EOE

Healthcare

PT Dietary Aides Long-Term care facility hiring experienced dietary aides for 4pm-8pm shifts. 3-4 days/wk plus every other weekend. Apply at 1235 Potomac Valley Road, Rockville, MD 20850 EOE.

Part-Time

Work From Home

National Children’s Center Making calls. For more info please call Weekdays between 9a-4p No selling! Sal + bonus + benes. Call 301-333-1900

Page B-14

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Automotive Call 301-670-7100 or email class@gazette.net

CA H

DONATE AUTOS, TRUCKS, RV’S. LUTHERAN MISSION SOCIETY.

FOR CAR !

Your donation helps local families with food, clothing, shelter. Tax deductible. MVA licensed. LutheranMissionSociet y.org 410-636-0123 or toll-free 1-877-7378567.

ANY CAR ANY CONDITION

WE PAY TOP DOLLAR-FAST FREE PICKUP! SELL YOUR CAR TODAY! CALL NOW FOR AN

INSTANT CASH OFFER

(301) 288-6009

CASH FOR CARS!

$$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Makes! Free Towing! We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call 1-800-959-8518

Any Make, Model or Year. We Pay MORE! Running or Not. Sell Your Car or Truck TODAY. Free Towing! Instant Offer: 1-888-545-8647

G558490

EMAIL US AT BUILDMYCREDIT@JIMCOLEMANAUTO.COM OR CALL

14,999

#1679497, Power Windows/Locks, Sunroof, Auto, Loaded

MSRP 24,490 - $5,000 OFF $

19,490

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

2013 JETTA GLI

#7301806, Power Windows, Power Locks

MSRP $26,110 BUY FOR

BUY FOR

16,999

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

2013 Beetles & Beet Convertibles le 19 Availabl Stock Units eOnIn ly

#4125692, Automatic, Power Windows/ Power Locks, Keyless Entry

19,995 2014 TIGUAN S $

#13525611, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP 25,235 $

21,999

OR 0.9% for 60 MONTHS

BUY FOR

23,399

12,700

12 Toyota Corolla LE $$

#N0289, 1-Owner, 4 Speed Auto, Low Miles

13,800

11 Toyota Camry LE $$

#P8895, 1-Owner, 6 Speed Auto, 25k Miles

15,500

2013 Toyota Corolla LE......... $15,800 $15,800 #472176A, 1-Owner, 4 SpeedAuto, Magnetic Gray

$16,800 2010 Toyota Prius II............ $16,800 #P8874, CVT Trans, 1 Owner, 25k Miles, Barcelona Red

2011 Honda Accord LX-P...... $14,700 $14,700 #472112A, 1 Owner, 5 SpeedAuto, 39k Miles, Metal Metallic

2011 Toyota Avalon............ $19,800 $19,800 #478001A, 6 SpeedAuto, 1 Owner, 4 Door

2012 Nissan Sentra 2.......... $14,800 $14,800

2009 Nissan Murano SL....... $20,800 $20,800 #P8851A, CVT Trans, 4WD, Sport Utility

2012 Toyota Sienna Minivan. . $19,700 $19,700 #460044A, 6 SpeedAuto, 25k Miles, Silver Metallic 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander SE. $20,700 $20,700 #467058A, 1-Owner, Sport Utility, CVTTransmission, 4.5k Miles

G558487

See what it’s like to love car buying

1-888-831-9671 1-888-831-9671 15625 Frederick Rd (Rte 355) • Rockville, MD | OPEN SUNDAY

V VISIT ISIT U US S O ON N T THE HE W WEB EB A AT T w www.355.com ww.355.com

Selling Your Car just got easier!

21,938

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

2014 PASSAT TDI SE

#9060756, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Sunroof

MSRP $27,385 BUY FOR

19,800

2008 Mercury Grand Marquis LS .. $9,700 $9,700 #472145A, 4 SpeedAuto, Silver Birch Metallic

DARCARS

MSRP $26,095 BUY FOR

19,700

11 Toyota Tacoma $$

#467046A, 2WD, 5 Speed Manual, 32k Miles

PRE-OWNED 3355 5 5 TTOYOTA OYOTA P R E - OW N E D

18,999

#7234651, Automatic Power Windows, Power Locks, Bluetooth

18,700

#457003B, 7 Speed Auto, Mars Red

#472173A, CVT Transmission, 1-Owner, 11.6k miles, Brilliant Silver

BUY FOR

08 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 3.0L

2012 Scion XB.................. $14,800 $14,800 #457000A, 1-Owner, 4 SpeedAuto, Blue Magnetic, Station Wagon

MSRP $22,765

2013 GTI 2 DOOR

BUY FOR

14,800

$10,777 2011 Ford Focus SE............ $10,777 #364474A, 1-Owner,Auto, 23.9k Miles, Silver Metallic

#9009449, Automatic, Power Windows/Power Locks, Keyless Entry, Cruise Control

2013 JETTA TDI

MSRP $25,155

14,800

2006 Toyota Camry LE........... $8,800 $8,800 #462007A, 5 SpeedAuto, Indigo Ink Pearl

$5,000 OFF

2014 PASSAT S 2.5L

MSRP $20,860

2013 BEETLE

BUY FOR

#3096306, Automatic, Power Windows/Power Locks, Keyless Entry, Heated Seats, Bluetooth, Cruise Control

13,700

12 Nissan Altima S #470192A, CVT $ $ Trans, 2.5. Low Miles

11ToyotaRAV4 $$

#364568A, 4 Speed Auto, 1-Owner, 18K miles

2013 MODELS SALE

BUY FOR

12,800

#377689B, Automatic, Coupe

10 Scion TC #P8855, 4 Speed $ $ Automatic,1-Owner

Log on to Gazette.Net/Autos to search for your next vehicle!

OURISMAN VW 2013 GOLF 2 DOOR

9,800

Blue, Sport Utility

13 Toyota Corolla S $$

Looking for a new ride?

YOU ALWAYS GET YOUR WAY AT OURISMAN EVERYDAY

09 Mini Cooper Clubman S

#364536A, 4 Speed Auto, 28k Miles, Red Metallic

1-866-464-1618

MSRP $17,810

11 Toyota Camry LE #472182A, $$ 6 Speed Auto, 4 Door

ALL APPLICATIONS REVIEWED WE HELP EVERYONE!

# 7373771, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

04 Toyota Highlander LTD #462007B, $ 4 Speed Auto, Vontage $

5,500

breast cancer families. Tax Deductible. Free Next-Day Towing. $1000 Grocery/Restaurant Coupons. Call 7 days/week United Breast Cancer Foundation 800-728-0801

4 NEED AUTO FINANCING ASSISTANCE? 4 TIRED OF HASSLES? 4 WANT A FRESH START?

2014 JETTA S

04 Honda Element EX #362045B, 4 Speed $ $ Auto, 1-Owner, 4WD

DONATE YOUR CAR - Give hope to

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CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top

W INTER CCLEARANCE LEARANCE SSALE ALE WINTER BBEST EST PPRICES RICES OOFF TTHE HE M MONTH! ONTH!

23,399

OR 0.9% for 60 MONTHS

OURISMAN VW WORLD AUTO CERTIFIED PRE OWNED 24 Available...Rates Starting at 2.64% up to 72 months

1999 SAAB 9-5.......#V674887A, Green, 83,144 miles...............$5,492 2011 Jetta Sedan......#V0019A, Gold, 47,603 miles................$12,491 2009 GTI..................#V551811A, White, 99,448 miles.............$12,991 2009 Passat Wgn...#V059316A, Silver, 75,496 miles..............$13,491 2011 Toyota Corolla #VP0020, Black, 30,992 miles................$14,991 2010 Routan S..........#VP0021, White, 53,686 miles................$14,991 2012 Jetta Sedan...#V028517A, Black, 25,429 miles..............$14,995 2012 Mazda 6..........#VPR0023, Black, 44,340 miles...............$15,491 2012 Nissan Altima.#VPR0024, Gray, 42,366 miles...............$15,991 2013 Passat S….....#VPR0031, Silver, 34,132 miles...............$15,999 2012 Jetta SE...........#VPR6113, Silver, 34,537 miles...............$16,495 2011 Jetta SEL.......#V060018A, Black, 27,526 miles..............$16,991

Log on to

2013 Jetta SE............#V693295A, Red, 3,179 miles................$18,492 2011 Honda CRV.....#V003776A, Gray, 37,086 miles..............$18,992 2013 Jetta SE............#VPR0012, Silver, 3,693 miles................$18,999 2013 Jetta SE............#VPR0011, Silver, 4,491 miles................$18,999 2011 CC.....................#VP0022, Black, 30,272 miles................$19,991 2013 Jetta SE............#VPR0030, Silver, 4,340 miles................$19,995 2011 Tiguan S..........#VPR0017, White, 32,529 miles..............$19,995 2013 Jetta SE...........#VPR0027, White, 6,101 miles...............$19,995 2013 Passat S...........#VPR0026, Black, 6,891 miles................$20,995 2013 Beetle Conv...#V827537A, Black, 20,496 miles..............$23,995 2013 Passat SE........#VPR0029, White, 5,964 miles...............$23,999 2013 Passat SE........#VPR0028, White, 5,010 miles...............$23,999

Gazette.Net/Autos to place your auto ad!

All prices exclude tax, tags, title, freight and $200 processing fee. Cannot be combined with any previous advertised or internet special. Pictures are for illustrative purposes only. See dealer for details. 0% APR Up To 60 Months on all models. See dealer for details. Ourisman VW World Auto Certified Pre Owned financing for 60 months based on credit approval thru VW. Excludes Title, Tax, Options & Dealer Fees. Special APR financing cannot be combined with sale prices. Ends 01/31/14.

Ourisman VW of Laurel

As low as $29.95!

1.855.881.9197 • www.ourismanvw.com Online Chat Available...24 Hour Website • Hours Mon-Fri 9 am-9 pm • Sat 9 am-8 pm

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3371 Fort Meade Road, Laurel

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Page B-15

2014 NEW COROLLA LE

36 $

NEW 2014 COROLLA LE 3 AVAILABLE: #470255, 470321, 470347

2 AVAILABLE: #470392, 470393

WINTER

129/mo.**

CLEARANCE SALE!

4 DR., 4 CYL., AUTO

NEW 2014 VENZA 4X2 2 AVAILABLE: #474501, 474502

24,590

15,690

4 DR., AUTO, 4 CYL., INCL.

NEW 2014 SCION XD 2 AVAILABLE: #453016, 453015

4 CYL., AUTO

AFTER $1,000 REBATE

169/mo.**

4 CYL., 4 DR., AUTO

NEW 2013 RAV4 LE 4X4 BASE 2 AVAILABLE: #364497, 364372

NEW 2014 CAMRY LE 2 AVAILABLE: #472144, 472090

36 Month Lease $

169/mo.**

4 DR., 4 CYL., AUTO

NEW 2014 CAMRY LE

2 AVAILABLE: #477414, 477415

21,690

AFTER $500 REBATE

3 AVAILABLE: #472091, 472122, 472311

0% FOR

HATCHBACK 4 DR., AUTO, 4 CYL.,

4 CYL., AUTOMATIC

AFTER $500 REBATE

NEW 2014 PRIUS II

21,590

DARCARS

MONTHS+

On 10 Toyota Models

See what it’s like to love car buying

18,690

AUTO, 4 CYL., 4 DR

AFTER TOYOTA $1,750 REBATE

1-888-831-9671

15625 Frederick Rd (Rte 355) • Rockville, MD ■ OPEN SUNDAY ■ VISIT US ON THE WEB AT www.355Toyota.com

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PRICES AND PAYMENTS INCLUDE ANY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURE’S REBATES AND EXCLUDE MILITARY ($500) AND COLLEGE GRAD ($500) REBATES, TAX, TAGS, DEALER PROCESSING CHARGE ($200) AND FREIGHT: CARS $795 OR $810, TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY AND SIENNAS $810, $845 AND $995. *0.9% APR & 0% APR FINANCING UP TO 60 MONTHS TO QUALIFIED BUYERS THRU TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES. TOTAL FINANCED CANNOT EXCEED MSRP PLUS OPTIONS, TAX, AND LICENSE FEES. 0% APR 60 MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $16.67 FOR EACH $1000 BORROWED. 0.9% APR 60 MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $17.05 FOR EACH $1000 BORROWED. APR OFFERS ARE NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER CASH BACK OR LEASE OFFER. NOT ALL BUYERS WILL QUALIFY.**LEASE PAYMENTS BASED ON 36 MONTHS, 12,000 MILES PER YEAR WITH $995 DOWN PLUS $650 ACQUISITION FEE, NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED. SEE DEALER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. OFFERS EXPIRES 01/31/2014.

Page B-16

Wednesday, January 29, 2014 b

Advertorial

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