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DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net

Thursday, February 6, 2014

25 cents

Low ridership ends city-funded shuttle

Dancing for good health

Five months of operation cost about $84,000; officials say expense was worth it

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BY CHASE COOK STAFF WRITER

A free shuttle service for business workers has been shut down after ridership was too low to justify Bowie taxpayers spending about $17,000 per month on it.

After about five months with an average of about 14 riders per day (with round-trip passengers counted twice), Bowie officials canceled the Bowie Business Shuttle Bus service on Jan. 31.

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Three sites, budget proposed as final plans are considered

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BY JAMIE

BY CHASE COOK STAFF WRITER

Bowie has weathered a weak economy, kept a balanced budget and avoided raising taxes for four years — and city services are about to get even better, Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson told city residents and business owners Jan. 29.

“I divide the world into two groups: the people who live in Bowie and the people who should,” Robinson said.

“We are the strongest, the most diverse and most family friendly city.”

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson gives the annual State of the City address Jan. 29 at the Bowie Senior Center.

During the annual State of the City speech, Robinson announced a proposal to open a 24-hour call center in Bowie that would handle non-

Prince George’s County Public Schools is moving forward with a lottery for Spanish immersion specialty schools, even though the budget and locations are not yet final.

“I’m just happy there’s movement in the right direction, rather than no movement at all,” said Gina Bowler of Upper Marlboro, an advocate for Spanish immersion education in Prince George’s County.

Parents may apply for the Spanish immersion program, but the school system website says options and locations will be finalized as part of the fiscal year 2015 budget process.

The creation of three new Spanish

emergency calls, routing them to city officers instead of requiring residents to call Prince George’s County’s nonemergency number.

“This [call center] will ... give Bowie folks the advantage of bypassing the county’s busy telephone system in non-emergencies,” Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson said during his speech.

The call center would cost about $500,000 per year, Robinson said, and still has to be approved for the city’s fiscal 2015 budget. Emergency calls will still be dialed by 911, which is handled by the county dispatch station, Robinson said.

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Knotts files for office using new rental home address after redistricting confusion

BY CHASE COOK STAFF WRITER

Questions have been raised about a former Prince George’s county councilman’s decision to run for state delegate in District 26, where he has rented a home for about two months.

Tony Knotts, a Democrat who served on the County Council for District 8 from 2002 to 2010 and announced a run for county executive in 2010 but didn’t file by deadline

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because of lack of voter support, said he attempted to file Nov. 12 to run for state delegate in District 26, where the Temple Hills home he has lived in for about 24 years is located, only to find out redistricting now places that home in District 25. Redistricting was approved in 2012 based on population changes in the 2010 census.

Knotts said when he found out his home was in District 25, he opted to use the address of an Oxon Hill home he began renting Dec. 1 and filed for District 26 on Jan. 16. Knotts said he had put his Temple Hills home up for sale in June after purchasing a lot in Fort Washington and had already been looking for a rental property in the area.

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CANINES TO THE RESCUE

Proposal delays move for a year, reviews boundaries to relieve overcrowding

Knotts, 62, said he has lived in District 26 since the 1960s and considers that area his home.

Paul Herrnson, University of Connecticut’s executive director of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research and former professor at University of Maryland, said politicians who jump district lines are viewed as “carpetbaggers” who are looking to run in a district with open seats because they don’t have to compete with the resources of incumbents. But Herrnson doesn’t think Knotts fits into that category.

“He has lived there,” Herrnson said. “He knows the people. And it is

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BY CHASE COOK STAFF WRITER

Parents of Barack Obama Elementary students spoke out against moving the school’s sixth-graders to nearby middle schools next year — and Prince George’s County school officials listened.

A plan to send the sixth-grade class from the Upper Marlboro school to James Madison Middle and Kettering Middle, also Upper Marlboro-based

See DISTRICT, Page A-8

SPORTS

TOUGH DECISIONS FOR ATHLETES

Laurel therapy dogs help community heal in wake of mall shooting.

High school athletes who feel pressure to commit to colleges early sometimes change their minds.

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DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell visits a Spanish immersion class Jan. 30 at Capitol Heights Elementary School..

Obama ES parents block sixth-grade relocation, for now

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ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER

Mayor touts city’s success, call center plans Proposal would create staff to handle nonemergency matters

See SHUTTLE, Page A-8

Spanish immersion program lottery opens

Arrowhead Elementary School second-grader Kennedy Heard (right), 7, of Upper Marlboro and fellow students participate in Zumba dancing Jan. 31 during a health fair at the school in Upper Marlboro. The event, which also featured health screenings and healthy snacks, was designed to promote exercise and good nutrition.

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The shuttle was aimed at employees of Inovalon, a health care technology company.

The service had several stops, including Inovalon’s satellite office on Melford Boulevard, Bowie Town Center, the Bowie Park and Ride, and Inovalon’s main office on Collington Road.

The city created the shuttle service to help transport employees between the offices as an incentive to keep the company in Bowie and re-sign the lease with Buchanan Partners at Bowie Corporate Center, said John Henry King, Bowie’s economic development director.

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RECYCLE

schools next school year to alleviate overcrowding has been scrapped. Instead, the sixth grade will likely move to Madison Middle in Upper Marlboro in the 2015-2016 academic year, county school officials said. Kettering will receive students from Arrowhead Elementary and Patuxent Elementary, both in Upper Marlboro.

To further address overcrowding — Obama Elementary has a capacity of 834 students, but has 896 students enrolled — officials will look at the school’s boundaries, potentially sending students to Perrywood Elementary in Upper Marlboro, said Max Pugh, Prince George’s County public school

See RELOCATION, Page A-8

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PEOPLE& PLACES More online at www.gazette.net

Bowie, Fort Washington residents honored Two Prince George’s County residents have been placed on the dean’s list at their North Carolina schools.

Janelle Murphy of Bowie and Zachary Green of Fort Washington were placed on the fall 2013 dean’s list for Chowan University after maintaining between a 3.25 and 3.79 GPA for the semester, according to a Chowan University news release. Both students are seniors.

Murphy is studying graphic design, and Green is studying criminal justice, according to the release.

Chowan University is a private liberal arts college in Murfreesboro, N.C., that was founded in 1848 and enrolls more than 1,300 students per year, according to the release.

Second quarter honor roll for Fort Washington school Indian Queen Elementary in Fort Washington announced that 40 percent of its students made honor roll for the second quarter of the 2013-2014 school year with 13 percent of the school’s students making principals honor roll by maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.

Second-graders who made principals honor roll are as follows: Sarah Christie, Monica Henry, Stefanos Kebret, Kayla Lanier, Nicholas

Mue, Joshua Quiambao and Jason Verzonilla, according to the school’s honor roll list.

Third-graders who made principals honor roll were Miguel Barnum and Marylynn Baughman.

Fourth-graders inducted were Katrina Albacieta, Reginald Clark, Jacob Edelin, Natalie Johnson, Darien Maye and Caleb Wilson.

Fifth-graders who made the list were Jais Avalos, Yeimee OrtizZamora and Sierra Sturgis.

And sixth grade rounded out the last group with Victoria Asuncion, Eliezer Ayala, Nina Dinglasa, Kevin Flores, Jasmine Glover, Ogechi Nwughala and Antoine Williams.

Clinton private school releases director’s list Grace Brethren Christian School in Clinton has announced its second quarter director’s list, which is awarded to students who maintain a 97 to 100 percent average without posting a score lower than 70 percent.

The award is given to ninththrough 12th-grade students, and this quarter’s winners are as follows: Taylor Custis of Upper Marlboro, Alex Harris of Accokeek, Jennifer Frost of Clinton, Sasha Toophanie of Clinton and Ciarah Williams of Clinton, according to a Grace Brethren Christian School news release.

Grace Brethren Christian School is a private school in Clinton that

EVENTS Enslaved Women of Darnall’s Chance Tour, 1 p.m., Darnall’s Chance

House Museum, 14800 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro.

Tours begin at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes prior to tour time. Reservations required for groups of seven or more. Contact 301-9528010;TTY 301-699-2544.

First Friday Line Dance: Cupid’s Edition, 6 to 9:30 p.m., Southern Re-

gional Technology and Recreation Complex, 7007 Bock Road, Fort Washington. Come dressed to impress in red and white to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Refreshments served. Cost: residents, $5; non-residents, $6. Contact 301-749-4160; TTY 301-203-6030.

FEB. 8 Caregivers Symposium, 10 a.m. to

2 p.m., Largo High School, 505 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro. Designed to help people proactively understand everything involved in providing quality caregiving. Contact PACE@pul1906. org.

Blacks in Classical Music Symposium, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Prince

George’s Community College, 301 Largo Road, Largo. Free, includes continental breakfast and light lunch.

Contact 301-203-0929 or info@4caapa. org.

African Mask Workshop, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Potomac Landing Community Center Park, 12500 Fort Washington Road, Fort Washington. Bring children to learn and celebrate their roots in diverse African cultures. As they listen

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Bowie magic show rescheduled The Bowie Senior Center Magic show has been rescheduled after inclement weather forced organizers to cancel the Jan. 21 show.

The Magic Show is free and will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Feb. 11 at the Bowie Senior Center, located at 14900 Health Center Drive in Bowie, and will be put on by the center’s Magic Club.

“It is a lot of fun for everyone,” said Herb Briscoe, club president.

“Everyone who performs is a senior citizen.”

The club is comprised of senior citizens who have participated in the club’s magic courses, Briscoe said. The show features comedy and magic, and is crafted to entertain any age, he said.

Baker prepares for third county budget hearing Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) will host the county’s third 2014 public budget hearing at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 at Laurel High School, 8000 Cherry Lane in Laurel.

The public hearings are a time for residents to voice their opinions on the county budget and county government priorities, said Barry Hudson, communications manager for the county executive’s office.

“It’s basically citizens talking

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FEB. 7

emphasizes Christian teachings along with traditional education, according to the school’s website.

to African music, they will create a traditional mask to take home. Cost: resident, $5; non-resident, $6. Contact 301-292-9191; TTY 301-203-6030.

“Twelve Years a Slave:” A Panel Discussion, 11 a.m., Oxon Hill Library,

6200 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill. Contact 301-839-2400.

Gotham City Showdown, 1 to 4 p.m., Patuxent Community Center, 4410 Bishopmill Drive, Upper Marlboro. Let your child participate in a dynamic duo challenge with their best buddy. Teams participate in Batmanthemed challenges, games and crafts.

Don’t forget your costume. Contact 301-780-7577; TTY 301-203-6040.

Quilters Trunk Show, 1 p.m., Hillcrest Heights Library, 2398 Iverson St., Temple Hills. Learn different kinds of quilting patterns and how quilts were used in the Underground Railroad.

Participants will also create their own quilt square. Contact 301-630-4900.

Family Campfire, 1 to 2:30 p.m., Clearwater Nature Center, 11000 Thrift Road, Clinton. Enjoy an afternoon nature program while roasting marshmallows. You may bring hot dogs and beverages. Pre-registration through SMARTlink encouraged; programs may be canceled due to insufficient registration. Cost: resident, $3; nonresident, $4. Contact 301-297-4575; TTY 301-699-2544.

Chess Club, 2 p.m., Accokeek Library, 15773 Livingston Road, Accokeek. Learn to play or improve your game. Contact 301-292-2880.

Pink Goes Red Zumba Fitness Event, 2 to 5 p.m., Oxon Hill Library,

6200 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill. Join the members of Alpha Kappa Alpha

FRI

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Step, Cheer and Dance Fest, 7

to 9 p.m., Potomac Landing Community Center Park, 12500 Fort Washington Road, Fort Washington.

Watch step teams from local schools and colleges, churches and community organizations perform. Cost: resident, $5; nonresident, $6. Contact 301-2929191; TTY 301-203-6030.

MORE INTERACTIVE CALENDAR ITEMS AT WWW.GAZETTE.NET Sorority Inc., Upsilon Tau Omega chapter, with a Zumba fitness event with Ky Zumba. To register for the free event, go to www.akaupsilontauomega.org. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact HealthCommittee@akaupsilontauomega.org.

Fighting Old Nep: The Food Culture of Enslaved Afro-Marylanders, 4 p.m.,

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo about what they want the government to fix within the community,” he said. “It is a wonderful way for residents to be heard.”

Hudson said the events are set up like hearings, with residents testifying about their concerns rather than posing questions to the county executive. At the first budget hearing in Oxon Hill on Jan. 28, around 20 community members signed up to testify, he said.

Prince George’s school CEO visits 100th school Kevin Maxwell, Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO, visited his 100th school on Jan. 29 with a visit to tour Capitol Heights Elementary School.

After being hired as the school system’s leader in July 2013, Maxwell said it was his intention to visit all 205 schools in the county by the end of his first school year.

Maxwell said that with the visit to Capitol Heights, he is well on his way towards meeting that goal.

Maxwell met with Acting Principal Clara Yancey, toured the school and visited classrooms.

Maxwell said the visits accomplish a number of goals.

“One of the other important things is to let teachers and principals and counselors and building service workers and cafeteria workers, everybody that works for us, know that I place a value on what they are doing, that I feel it is important to set aside a pretty significant portion of my schedule to see and to learn what they’re doing,” he said.

Multi-Chamber Breakfast, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., La Fountaine Bleu, 7514 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie. Power networking with area chambers of commerce. Cost: $25, members with prepaid reservation, $45, nonmembers and members at the door. Contact 301-262-0920 or kelly@bowiechamber. org.

After Hours Networking Mixer, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DHC Medical Supply, 8855 Annapolis Road, Lanham.

Network with GBCC members and non-members at this business mixer.

Refreshments provided. Cost: $15, members with prepaid reservation; $25, non-members and at the door.

Contact 301-262-0920 or kelly@bowiechamber.org.

Family Night at South Bowie: STEAM Night, 7:30 p.m., South Bowie

Glenarden Community Center, 8615 McLain Ave., Glenarden. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Cost: $15 per single ticket; $25 per couple. Contact 301-772-3151; TTY 301-218-6768.

ference Room 243, 15901 Excalibur Road, Bowie. An open forum featuring orthopedic surgeon, Marc Brassard.

He will cover non-surgical and surgical options for pain relief and host a Q&A session. Contact 443-481-5555.

Book Discussion, 7:15 p.m., Bowie Library, 15210 Annapolis Road, Bowie.

Franz Kafka’s “The Trial.” Contact 301262-7000.

Black History Month: Expressions of a People, 1 to 6 p.m., Harmony Hall

SPORTS Check online for coverage of Saturday’s Prince George’s County swimming championships.

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

ConsumerWatch Why do they use Roman numerals to number Super Bowls?

Liz takes the field for this big-game trivia.

FEB. 11

Library, 15301 Hall Road, Bowie.

Join us for an evening of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) related activities. Families welcome. Call for details. Contact 301850-0475.

FEB. 9

Unveiling UMUC: School displays 33 pieces from a growing art collection in an exhibit opening Sunday in Adelphi.

Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington. Free event features fun for the whole family from musical performances to children’s activities and workshops. Contact 301203-6070; TTY 301-203-3803.

Surratt House Museum, 9118 Brandywine Road, Clinton. Take an AfricanAmerican food culture journey, dating back three centuries. Join Michael Twitty as he discusses the vast influence both enslaved and free blacks had on the cuisine of the new world.

Arrive early, space is limited. Contact 301-868-1121; TTY 301-699-2544.

Love is in the Air: A Pre-Valentines Day Line Dance, 8 p.m. to midnight,

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FEB. 12 Pain, Pain Go Away: Hips and Knees, 6 p.m., Bowie City Hall, Con-

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LOCAL Film, TV productions help to Brandywine falls in Science Bowl bolster the state’s bottom line Laurel team earns second spot in elementary school final four n

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Industry brings jobs and money to state BY

RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER

Jack Gerbes and the Maryland Film Office had a good week.

On Jan. 12, Robin Wright captured a Best Actress Golden Globe for her role in “House of Cards,” which was shot largely in Maryland, and the upcoming season includes the House of Delegates chamber in Annapolis standing in for the U.S. Senate.

On Thursday, the film “Philomena,” shot partially in Montgomery County, received four Academy Award nominations including for Best Picture and Best Actress for Judi Dench.

And on Saturday, the Susan Sarandon film “Ping Pong Summer,” shot in Ocean City, was scheduled to make its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Add in the fact that the American Film Institute recently named both “House of Cards” and the Maryland-based “Veep,” starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to its list of Top 10 shows of 2013, and the film office has had a productive year.

Gerbes, the office’s director, said in fiscal 2013, the film industry in Maryland generated $197 million through the production of both large and small films, commercials, industrial films and other works.

The success of his office is evaluated by several factors, such as the number of Marylanders hired as actors, extras and crew for productions in the state, how much money produc-

tions spend in the state and how many Maryland businesses were utilized during the shoot.

The first season of “House of Cards” hired 2,198 actors extras and crew, Gerbes said.

The production also bought or rented goods or services from 1,814 Maryland businesses or vendors.

Season One of “Veep” hired 978 Marylanders and patronized 1,141 Maryland businesses, Gerbes said.

Cities such as Baltimore and Annapolis have long been standins for Washington, D.C., a tradition continued on “Veep” and “House of Cards.”

The D.C. film office has a difficult job, Gerbes acknowledged, because the logistics of dealing with multiple local and federal jurisdictions and agencies in the nation’s capital means that productions often find it easier to be based in Maryland and only go to D.C. for shots you can’t get anywhere else, such as the monuments or other landmarks.

Carol Flaisher, a Cabin John resident, served as the production supervisor and location manager for “Philomena.”

She said Maryland offers a variety of settings, from cities to mountains and the Eastern Shore, as well as four distinct seasons.

“We have a fabulous autumn here,” she said.

In 35 years in the business, she said she tries to bring as many productions as possible to Maryland.

“Whenever they want the rolling hills of Virginia, I bring them to Maryland,” she said.

While most of “Philomena” was shot in England and Ire-

land, parts of the film were also shot in Bethesda, Darnestown, Gaithersburg, Potomac and Cabin John, Flaisher said.

The production definitely brought money into the local economy, with the cast and crew patronizing a variety of shops and businesses, she said.

Gerbes also addressed an item that has been making the rounds on the Internet and social media that featured a map of the U.S. with the best movie based in each state, as determined by Reddit user “Jakubisko.”

The map listed “Silence of the Lambs” as the best movie based in Maryland.

But while his prison supposedly was located in Baltimore, Hannibal Lecter never consumed any fava beans or a nice Chianti in Maryland.

The website Internet Movie Database lists filming locations for “Silence of the Lambs” in the District, Virginia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee and the Bahamas, but none in the Free State.

Gerbes likened choosing his favorite movie actually shot in Maryland to a parent trying to pick his favorite child.

“It’s hard to choose because we love them all,” he said.

Gerbes said while he’s passionate about movies, the most important aspect of his job is bringing in productions that will create jobs and revenue in Maryland.

“When it comes down to it, it’s jobs and stimulating our local economies,” he said. rmarshall@gazette.net

BY JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER

Tuesday’s Science Bowl elementary school eliminations came down to the last few questions as Montpelier Elementary of Laurel hung on for a 250-230 win against University Park, the 2013 runner up and winningest school in Science Bowl history.

“It was so close, I was freaking out,” said Montpelier fifthgrader Allison DeMik. “I was shaking all over the place,” added fifth-grade team captain Haris Chaudry.

The Science Bowl competition, now in its 28th season, is a televised quiz program pitting Prince George’s County public elementary and middle school teams against each other in a series of science-related questions worth five to 25 points, based on difficulty.

Both Allison and Haris credited teammate Katie Godshall, also in fifth grade, as being the rock that held the team together.

“I had to keep them both together. They were shaking,” Katie said.

Montpelier took an early lead in the first half, but the University Park team — sixthgraders Chloe Widman, James Dawson and Liam Roy — made a comeback in the second half, and took a five-point lead when James correctly answered a 25-point question when he replied that nymph was the name for a grasshopper’s immature stage.

“They were definitely fast

JAMIE ANFENSON-COMEAU/THE GAZETTE

Brandywine Elementary students Gabriella Martinez and Aaliyah Beckles confer with team captain Serenity Smith during Tuesday’s Science Bowl. on the buzzer. They were a very formidable team,” Katie said.

Host David Zahren said University Park’s speed on the buzzer was generally a benefit, but cost them when they tried to anticipate the answer before he finished the question.

“We buzzed a little early on some of the questions, so it was kind of hard to think of some of the answers,” Chloe said.

With the win, Montpelier has earned a spot in the Science Bowl “Final Four,” and will compete against Berwyn Heights and two other teams, that have yet to be determined, on April 1 for the chance to be named 2014 Science Bowl Champion.

University Park earned their shot at Montpelier with an earlier 195-185 win against the Brandywine Elementary team, comprised of fifth-graders Serenity Smith, Gabriella Martinez and Aaliyah Beckles.

The two teams were tied at the end of the first half, but University Park answered three 20-point questions to take the lead.

Brandywine team sponsor Gina Losey said her team did very well against tough opponents.

“University Park wins all the time, and we ended within 10 points, so I am thrilled,” Losey said.

Earlier, Montpelier defeated the District Heights Elementary team of Devonte Duncan, Madison Holmes and KyAsia Myrick by a score of 230 to 200.

Montpelier led until the second half, when Devonte answered two 20-point questions, recognizing that plants store sugars as starches and that crows and seagulls lack talons, to give his team a 10-point lead.

“I guessed on a lot of those, except the talons question. I knew that one,” Devonte said.

The Montpelier team brought three small stuffed bulldogs, their school mascot, for good luck.

“Apparently they’ve been working,” Katie said. janfenson-comeau@ gazette.net

O’Malley signs bill establishing retroactive health insurance program n

‘If it affects just one family, it is worth the effort’ BY

PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on Thursday signed a bill allowing retroactive health care benefits for state residents who tried and failed to register on the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange before the Dec. 31, 2013, deadline.

The bill also provides retroactive benefits for residents eligible for the Maryland Health Insurance Plan, a pro-

gram for medically uninsurable individuals not eligible for other coverage.

The measure was introduced Jan. 9 and passed on Jan. 29. Before signing the bill, O’Malley said it could help as many as 1,400 people.

“The reason we do this is because if it affects just one family, it is worth the effort,” O’Malley said.

Previously, the Maryland Health Progress Act of 2013 closed enrollment in MHIP on Dec. 31, as enrollees would be eligible for insurance through the individual market or exchanges. Technical problems enrolling have changed that.

“Bridge-eligible individuals,” those

who qualify for retroactive coverage under the new law and their dependents, are those who prove they tried but failed to obtain insurance through the exchanges, a legislative analysis said.

It does not include those eligible for coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, the Maryland Children’s Health Program or those with an employer sponsored group health insurance plan with comparable benefits, according to the analysis.

Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve (DDist 17 of Gaithersburg) said the measure was a good idea.

“It’s a question of fairness,” he said.

“These are people who in good faith tried to sign up. We should try to help them our until the website is running smoothly.”

Montgomery County Republican Central Committee Chairman Michael Higgs said the new law was “flawed legislation.”

“My problem with this bill is it’s open-ended. Nobody has any idea how many people this is going to affect and how much money it will cost taxpayers.

It is essentially a blank check,” he said.

The legislative analysis noted that the costs can’t be calculated.

“The exact [cost] cannot be reli-

ably quantified and will depend on the number of people who qualify as bridge-eligible individuals, the number of those individuals who choose to enroll in MHIP, the plan selected and the total health care expenditures incurred during enrollment,” it read. “Funds are anticipated to come from the MHIP fund balance. Sufficient funds are available for this purpose, and no additional State funds should be required.”

Sarah Tincher of Capital News Service contributed to this report. pmcewan@gazette.net

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Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

State audit highlights questionable tax credits n

Comptroller’s office disagrees on recommended program BY

KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER

As much as $1.8 million in questionable out-of-state income tax credits could have been claimed by Marylanders during tax year 2010 because the comptroller’s office failed to use all available data, according to the state’s Office of Legislative Audits.

But the comptroller’s office said it

has looked at the program that auditors suggest could solve the problem and instead chose a more effective program.

The audit, released Jan. 21, says the Maryland Comptroller Compliance Division was provided taxpayer data through a multistate clearinghouse.

The clearinghouse is the North Eastern States Tax Officials Association Centralized Returns Processing Project.

But that data was not used to help identify invalid out-of-state tax credits claimed by Marylanders on income tax returns, according to the audit.

The compliance division is tasked

with ensuring taxpayers comply with tax law.

Out-of-state tax credits are available to Marylanders who paid taxes on their income to another state.

For the past six years, the comptroller’s office has used a tax compliance network known as the Data Warehouse, spokesman Andrew Friedson said.

“To date, it has already captured nearly $250 million in additional revenue for the State of Maryland, far exceeding the potential revenue impact of implementing a program to review out-of-state tax credits using NESTOA

data,” Friedson wrote in an email.

NESTOA data was used by the division to identify individuals who failed to file tax returns, according to the audit.

As a result, the state collected about $330,000 from nonfilers.

Friedson said the comptroller’s office will continue to explore using NESTOA’s Centralized Returns Processing Project for out-of-state-tax credits.

But he said the comptroller’s office has unresolved questions about the completeness and the validity of the data.

He said the office also has concerns about the program because Maryland’s

neighboring states — Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania — and Washington, D.C., do not participate.

“As always, the Comptroller’s Office will continue to utilize the most efficient and effective tools at our disposal to fairly and aggressively enforce our state’s tax laws and to serve the State of Maryland,” Friedson wrote.

Maryland has participated in the clearinghouse since 2007 and, as of July 2013, had paid a total of $265,140 to participate, according to the audit.

Miller, Busch unveil bills to aid business

Paws for a cause

Leaders applaud coordinated agenda n

BY

KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER

EMILIE EASTMAN/THE GAZETTE

Pat Jarvis, a volunteer with Laurel-based Fidos for Freedom, and her therapy dog, Jay Bear, visit Saturday with Jane Curran of Burtonsville.

Therapy dogs help in wake of shootings Laurel nonprofit provides space to discuss, relax as community reflects on mall tragedy

n

BY

EMILIE EASTMAN STAFF WRITER

A week after the shooting at The Mall in Columbia, one Laurel organization decided to help the community heal with a little assistance from man’s best friend.

Fidos for Freedom, a nonprofit that trains therapy and service dogs, asked Maryland residents affected by the tragedy to join more than 30 volunteers and their dogs at Fidos headquarters Saturday for a calming and rejuvenating experience.

“An event like this [allows people to] come here, and sort of process that and talk about it,” said Tracy Bowman, Fidos’ board president. “If you’re touching the dog, I think there’s that tactile touch that helps to bring down the endorphins and lower blood pressure and just reduce the stress.”

Attendees were able to pet and visit with the dogs while chatting with Fidos

volunteers and other visitors.

Fidos staff member Sandy Ball helped coordinate the event and said she started planning shortly after she heard about the Jan. 25 shooting, which left three people dead, including the gunman.

“We wanted to offer comfort,” Ball said. “We know our dogs can do that.

It’s just the unconditional love I think they give.”

Fidos for Freedom opened its doors in Laurel in 1987 and has since recruited and trained around 130 therapy dogs and their owners who visit facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and schools, Ball said. The organization also trains service dogs and raises awareness about disabilities, she said.

Laurel Mayor Craig Moe attended Fidos’ event Saturday to show support for the organization and the community’s healing process, he said.

“Fidos for Freedom always do a wonderful job for the community,” Moe said. “I grew up with dogs — they become part of the family. These in particular, these dogs really assist and help a lot of people.”

Carrie Nicholsen, a Fidos client and volunteer, said she was thinking about

kalexander@gazette.net

going to the mall Jan. 25 before she heard about the shooting. She said she still feels shaken about the incident.

“It was hard, because I go there all the time,” she said. “I just don’t want to go [back] there right away.”

John Silva of Eldersburg attended the event with his wife, Cindi, and son, Brian, and said the family was at Fidos’ center when the mall shooting took place.

Brian Silva, an Air Force veteran, suffered traumatic brain injury during a car accident three years ago and is working with Fidos to find a service dog.

“In the three months we’ve been here working with Fidos, we’ve seen a really significant improvement in how [Brian Silva] thinks about himself and how he interacts with the folks here,” John Silva said. “It’s just amazing.”

Bowman said Fidos occasionally hosts community events, but this was one of the first designed to aid recovery after a tragedy mourned nationwide.

“We had a lot of volunteers who felt really passionately about doing this event,” she said. “We wanted to just give back.” eeastman@gazette.net

Maryland’s top two legislative leaders have unveiled a series of proposals that include a commission to review the business climate and bills to reduce the estate tax and provide more tax credits and business funding.

The agenda marks the first time that state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist.

27) of Chesapeake Beach and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Dist.

30) have jointly proposed a legislative business package.

“I don’t think I have ever seen this level of coordinated effort between two presiding officers in the General Assembly before,” said Mathew Palmer, senior vice president of government affairs for the Maryland Chamber of Commerce.

“We are very happy and encouraged by this development.”

Norman Augustine, a former CEO of Bethesda defense giant Lockheed Martin, will chair the commission. Other members are expected to be announced in the next few weeks, picked from the business community. The commission will begin work this session and issue a report in December.

Business leaders have long discussed that jobs and residents are moving to Virginia and other states because of tax purposes.

“The commission is part of a long-term strategy for economic development in the state,” Palmer said. “This means we will be talking about issues on how to make Maryland the leader in job creation not just this year, but next year and in future years.”

The estate tax bill, which was introduced in the Senate on Thursday, would phase in Maryland’s estate tax to match the federal tax over four years.

Maryland’s estate tax only allows a $1 million exemption, while the federal estate tax allows an exemption of $5.25 million, meaning someone could have an estate of $5 million and not be taxed by the federal government. Maryland and New Jersey are the only two states to have both estate taxes and inheritance taxes.

Similar legislation proposed last year, which did not pass, would have reduced state revenues by

$13.6 million in fiscal 2014, $43.8 million in fiscal 2015, $59.5 million in fiscal 2016, $79.3 million in fiscal 2017 and $87.3 million in fiscal 2018, according to a legislative analysis.

But that reduction would be made up by many more retirees remaining in Maryland rather than moving to Virginia, Delaware, Florida or other states where “death taxes” are not so high, advocates said.

Senate Minority Leader Sen. David R. Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market noted that the Democratic leaders are coming around to support measures he and other state Republicans have for years.

“There is a greater realization that this situation is harming communities,” Brinkley said.

He added that he was glad to see that the Democratic leaders are supporting more proposals to help the private sector, though he said they “could have been done all along.”

“Welcome to the pool,” Brinkley said.

Clark Kendall, president and founder of Rockville financial advisory firm Kendall Capital Management, said he sees clients making decisions to leave the state on a recurring basis.

“These are middle-class people, who have prudently saved and own a modest-sized house in Montgomery County,” he said. “It’s not unusual for them to have more than $1 million saved up. You cannot really retire comfortably in Montgomery County without $1 million or more saved.”

Most clients of Kendall who live in Maryland have family members in the state and want to remain there when they retire, he said. But when they learn that it will cost them $200,000 or so in death taxes to stay in Montgomery rather than move across the river to Virginia, a good number decide to move, he said.

“This tax is very short-sighted,” Kendall said.

Kendall, the Small Business Committee co-chairman of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, said he talked about the issue with local legislators who were receptive at the chamber’s legislative reception on Jan. 27 Miller and Busch’s agenda also includes legislation for a seed fund for cybersecurity start-ups and to assist universities with tax credits and endowments. kshay@gazette.net

Car sales numbers in Maryland reach highest level since 2007 n

‘Consumers are feeling more confident’

BY

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 in 2009 — in 2013 from 2012 is a welcome development, even if sales figures have yet to return to prerecession levels.

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 direc-

The average sales price continued to climb to more than $30,000. tors 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 billion.

Maryland’s new vehicle sales increase slightly was 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.

“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. kshay@gazette.net

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

New fundraising rules for candidates KATE S. ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER

New, broader fundraising guidelines from the Maryland State Board of Elections appear to step back from a December ruling by State Election Administrator Linda Lamone that allowed the running mates of gubernatorial candidates who hold statewide office to raise money during the legislative session.

But the latest guidelines are not a step back, said Jared DeMarinis, director of the State Board of Elections’ Candidacy and Campaign Finance Division.

Election law prevents state elected officials — including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the General Assembly — from raising money during the 90 day session, which began Jan. 8.

Lamone’s ruling raised eyebrows among members of the Board of Elections who said they were not consulted before the ruling was issued.

It also prompted supporters of Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler’s gubernatorial bid to file suit on Dec. 26, 2013 asking the Anne Arundel Circuit Court require the State Board of Elections enforce election law.

The suit would also prevent Howard County Executive Kenneth S. Ulman (D) — running mate of Gansler’s opponent Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D) — from raising funds during the legislative session.

Gansler’s running mate Del. Jolene Ivey (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly is prohibited from fundraising during the session.

The ruling does not apply to Del. Heather R. Mizeur (DDist. 20) of Takoma Park and her running mate the Rev. Delman Coates, who have opted to for public financing, allowing them to take donations up to $250 throughout the session.

Plaintiffs argue Lamone “got it wrong” in her December ruling.

They claim that because Ulman is running with Brown on a single ticket, it is impossible for Ulman to raise money that isn’t on behalf of Brown and impossible to raise money that isn’t in cooperation with Brown.

“Now, instead of taking the courageous and correct step and saying ‘We got it wrong,’ they want to clarify and say ‘By the way, you can’t do that,’” plaintiffs’ attorney Daniel Clements said Friday of the new guidelines. “In my view, they are now saying nothing more than the law itself says.”

MarylandReporter.com first reported the changes in

up newest scholarship

Concerns include job losses, wage decreases and financial deregulation n

the guidelines.

Governor and lieutenant governor are the only offices in Maryland where candidates are jointly placed on the ballot, where candidates run as a unit and where votes cast for the governor are votes cast for the lieutenant governor and vice versa.

Yet DeMarinis said the law separates candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, each must pay a separate filing fee and establish a campaign committee.

As for the new guidelines, “this is a broader guidance, this one covers other factors,” he said. It does not retreat from the previous ruling, he said.

Applicable to independent expenditures from political action committees and Super PACs as well, the new guidelines detail what is not permitted when it comes to “cooperation and coordination” with candidates and campaigns, he said.

DeMarinis would not say whether the new guidelines were run by the board first, saying only that it “came out the normal way.”

Specifically, “we craft guidance, we seek some legal clarification on it or some review on it and then we issue the guidance.”

We, he said, are the Board of Elections division of Candidacy and Campaign Finance.

Clements could not say Friday what affect the new guidelines will have on the lawsuit.

The case is set for a hearing Feb. 26.

Election Board member Rachel McGuckian, a Rockville lawyer, did not return multiple requests for comment.

Ulman’s campaign also did not respond.

n

BY KRISTA BRICK STAFF WRITER

About 40 protesters rallied outside Rep. John Delaney’s (D-Dist. 6) Gaithersburg office on Friday to urge him to vote against reauthorizing the president’s fast-track privileges for issues like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a controversial free-trade agreement.

The partnership is proposed between the United States, Canada and 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Under the proposal, tariffs and other limits to trade would be removed..

Protest organizers say the Friday rally in Gaithersburg was part of a North American Day of Action.

More than 50 cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada were expected to host rallies to raise concerns involving the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other trade agreements.

According to papers handed out at the rally, protesters are concerned the partnership agreement will cause the United States to outsource jobs to other countries, increase the cost of prescriptions, and degrade environmental as well as consumer protections.

Delaney has not come forward with a stance on the

BY CHASE COOK STAFF WRITER

DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE

Protesters stand outside U.S. Rep. John Delaney’s office building in Gaithersburg on Friday, including (from left) Buddy Robson of Berwyn Heights with Teamsters Local 639 and Pam Wilt of Catonsville with Communication Workers of America. partnership, according to Will McDonald, communications director for the congressman.

“This is a massively complex and incredibliy important piece of legislation that will likely be very transformative for our trade policy. We are still doing due diligence on it and part of that is hear-

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ing constituents’ feedback and the concerns they raise,” McDonald said Friday. kbrick@gazette.net

The Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce Women in Business Committee is now accepting applications until May 2 for its scholarships designed to help working women seek new education or training.

Women who wish to apply for the scholarship, which awards an educational grant to the applicant for training, must be: employed, 18 years old or older, have a high school diploma or equivalent, show a history of achievement and live in ZIP codes 20715, 20716, 20720 or 20721 or must be a Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce member or employee of a member, according to the application.

The final deadline for applicants is 4 p.m. May 2. Applications are available by contacting Kelly Pierce, chamber executive director, at 301262-0920. ccook@gazette.net

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1911735

But elections board says it’s not a step back from earlier guidance

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Page A-5

Page A-6

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

POLICE BLOTTER This activity report is provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department as a public service to the community and is not a complete listing of all events and crime reported.

District 2

ONLINE For additional police blotters, visit www.gazette.net Vehicle stolen and recovered,

Headquarters, Bowie, 301-3902100 Glenn Dale, Kettering, Lanham, Largo, Seabrook, Woodmore, Lake Arbor, Mitchellville and Upper Marlboro.

JAN. 27 Commercial property break-in,

1300 block Crain Highway Nw, 2:19 a.m.

Commercial property breakin, 15400 block Emerald Way,

2:42 a.m.

Commercial property break-in,

6900 block Laurel Bowie Road, 3:29 a.m.

Commercial property break-in,

6900 block Laurel Bowie Road, 3:40 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1700 block Peachtree Lane, 6:56 a.m.

Theft, 1300 block Campus Way S, 9:34 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 8900 block Darcy Road, 10:54 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 7200 block High Bridge Road, 11:12 a.m.

Theft, 3300 block Dunwood Ridge Terrace, 11:45 a.m.

Residential break-in, 9600 block Woodberry St., 2:44 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 11200 block Westport Drive, 3:13 p.m.

Theft, 9400 block Annapolis Road, 3:37 p.m.

Theft, 14300 block Gallant Fox Lane, 4:07 p.m.

Theft, 9100 block Annapolis Road, 4:45 p.m.

Theft, 11400 block West Branch Drive, 6:34 p.m.

Residential break-in, 9800 block Good Luck Road, 7:01 p.m.

Residential break-in, 9800 block Good Luck Road, 10:00 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, Huxley Drive/ Heston Terrace, 11:47 p.m.

JAN. 28 Assault, Kettering Drive/Joyceton Way, 1:34 a.m.

Assault, 16600 block Sylvan Drive, 2:27 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 4900 block King Patrick Way, 2:39 a.m.

Commercial property breakin, 8500 block Pepco Place, 4:53

a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1600 block Monarch Birch Way, 4:59 a.m.

Residential break-in, 16200 block Presidio Way, 6:09 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 4300 block Begonia Drive, 7:03 a.m.

Vehicle stolen and recovered,

2200 block Prince Of Wales Court, 7:07 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 16000 block Trade Zone Ave, 7:20 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 6100 block Main St., 7:47 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 7100 block Hanover Pky, 8:11 a.m.

Theft, 2600 block Ann Arbor Lane, 11:05 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 5000 block Philadelphia Way, 11:08 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8400 block Old Marlboro Pike, 11:52 a.m.

Theft, 9400 block Firtree Park St., 1:24 p.m.

Theft, 9700 block Teakwood Drive, 1:56 p.m.

Theft, 14200 block Old Annapolis Road, 1:56 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 14500 block Dolbrook Lane, 1:58 p.m.

9500 block Greenbelt Road, 2:28 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 13700 block Central Ave, 3:12 p.m.

Assault, 3900 block Evergreen Pky, 3:20 p.m.

Theft, 12500 block Kingstead Court, 4:02 p.m.

Theft, 9300 block Wellington St., 4:37 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 10900 block Layton St., 4:38 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8400 block Church Lane, 5:13 p.m.

Assault, 9400 block Annapolis Road, 8:42 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 3900 block Elite St., 10:50 p.m.

JAN. 29 Theft from vehicle, 700 block Jennings Mill Drive, 1:29 a.m.

Robbery, 8600 block Chestnut Ave, 3:20 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 14600 block Danube Lane, 7:26 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, unit block of Watkins Park Drive, 7:29 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 800 block Largo Center Drive, 7:36 a.m.

Residential break-in, 13300 block Gallery Court, 8:02 a.m.

Commercial property break-in,

4000 block Melwood Road, 8:40 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 17300 block Melford Blvd, 8:43 a.m.

Theft, 15900 block Excalibur Road, 10:06 a.m.

Robbery, 9700 block Good Luck Road, 11:06 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 1200 block Mercantile Lane, 1:26 p.m.

Theft, 3500 block Crain Highway Nw, 1:46 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9200 block Elvis Lane, 2:18 p.m.

Theft, 3300 block Chester Grove Road, 4:12 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8400 block Old Marlboro Pike, 4:54 p.m.

Theft, 7100 block Hanover Pky, 8:50 p.m.

JAN. 30 Theft from vehicle, 8500 block Greenbelt Road, 2:07 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 7900 block Orchard Park Way, 6:41 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8400 block River Park Road, 6:58 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8500 block Seasons Way, 7:51 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1300 block Caraway Court, 8:15 a.m.

Theft, 8200 block River Park Road, 9:23 a.m.

Residential break-in, 14600 block Danube Lane, 11:07 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1100 block Largo Road, 5:30 p.m.

Break-in, 3400 block Melwood Road, 7:02 p.m.

Assault with a weapon, 8600 block Block Greenbelt Road, 9:07 p.m.

JAN. 31 Theft from vehicle, 2200 block Alstead Lane, 3:32 a.m.

Vehicle stolen and recovered,

12800 block Brunswick Lane, 4:18 a.m.

Vehicle stolen and recovered,

14500 block London Lane, 4:33 a.m.

Commercial property break-in,

900 block Capital Center Blvd,

Obituary

1884448

Jonathan Shelby Foust, age 27, a resident of Brandywine, Maryland entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at his residence. He was born May 26, 1986 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to John and Janie Foust. Jonathan lived in New Mexico and Texas for many years before spending the rest of his life in the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.

Jonathan worked as a government contractor in the cyber-security field. He was a very loving son, brother and uncle. Jonathan had a big heart and always put everyone else first, before himself. His hobbies included watching sports, playing computer games and watching movies. He enjoyed being with his friends and hanging out at Fast Eddie’s Sports & Billiards in Springfield, VA. He will be dearly missed but never forgotten. He is survived by his father and mother, John and Janie Foust of Brandywine and one sister, Melissa Foust Gunn of Beaumont, Texas, one nephew, Travis Foust, and three nieces, Martha Foust, Jayla Gunn & Savannah Gunn, all of Beaumont. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles and cousins from across the United States. A memorial service was held from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on February 3rd in Maryland at Pope Funeral Home, Forestville Chapel.

1905656

5:30 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 3800 block Endicott Place, 6:19 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 2400 block Kegwood Lane, 7:48 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 3500 block Heidi Lane, 8:46 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 11400 block Abbotswood Court, 9:31 a.m.

Theft, 4300 block Dario Road, 9:35 a.m.

Theft, 8400 block Westphalia Road, 10:33 a.m.

Theft, 16400 block Pennsbury Drive, 10:42 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 9300 block Woodberry St., 11:30 a.m.

Theft, 4600 block Melwood Road, 12:35 p.m.

Theft, 4600 block Mitchellville Road, 12:48 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1200 block Minnesota Way, 1:51 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9700 block Lanham Severn Road, 2:16 p.m.

Theft, 4600 block Timber Lane, 2:21 p.m.

Theft, 15400 block Neman Drive, 3:50 p.m.

Theft, 11400 block Glenn Dale Blvd, 4:14 p.m.

Theft, unit block of Watkins Park Drive, 5:57 p.m.

Robbery on commercial property, 8800 block Annapolis Road,

6:49 p.m.

Robbery, 2400 block Turngate Court, 6:52 p.m.

FEB. 1 Theft from vehicle, 4900 block Ashford Drive, 4:46 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8600 block Greenbelt Road, 5:52 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 4600 block Governor Kent Court, 8:17 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1100 block Pewter Court, 11:40 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 15000 block Marlboro Pike, 11:47 a.m.

Theft, 12000 block Towanda Lane, 12:27 p.m.

Theft, 15700 block Pointer Ridge Drive, 1:20 p.m.

Theft, 4400 block Mitchellville Road, 1:32 p.m.

Robbery, 3300 block Northview Drive, 3:08 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 9600 block Lottsford Court, 3:41 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 800 block Capital Centre Blvd, 3:49 p.m.

Theft, 12700 block Midwood Lane, 4:02 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1200 block Capital Center Blvd, 4:15 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1000 block Shoppers Way, 4:46 p.m.

FEB. 2 Vehicle stolen and recovered,

11100 block Lake Victoria Lane, 11:26 a.m.

Residential break-in, 12400 block Whitehall Drive, 1:42 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 15400 block Chrysler Drive, 2:06 p.m.

Theft, 2300 block Petrie Lane, 2:29 p.m.

Residential break-in, 16300 block Pewter Lane, 3:28 p.m.

Theft, 600 block Crain Highway Sw, 4:11 p.m.

Theft, 3100 block Kyle Ave, 8:15 p.m.

District 3 Headquarters, Palmer Park, 301-772-4900. Chapel Oaks, Cheverly, Glenarden, Fairmount Heights, Kentland, Landover, Palmer Park, Seat Pleasant, Forestville, Suitland, District Heights and Capitol Heights.

JAN. 27 Vehicle stolen, 6100 block Beacon Hill Place, 12:24 a.m.

Theft, 500 block Suffolk Ave, 7:53 a.m.

Vehicle stolen, 5000 block Silver Hill Court, 8:40 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1800 block Allendale Court, 8:45 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 8600 block Central Ave, 9:18 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 7400 block Marlboro Pike, 10:17 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 1000 block Glen Willow Drive, 10:58 a.m.

Theft from vehicle, 4200 block Suitland Road, 11:22 a.m.

Theft, 4400 block Arnold Road, 12:10 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 2100 block Brightseat Road, 12:41 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 5700 block Silver Hill Road, 1:25 p.m.

Residential break-in, 2700 block Judith Ave, 1:37 p.m.

Theft, 2900 block Boones Lane, 6:20 p.m.

Residential break-in, 2300 block Roslyn Ave, 6:24 p.m.

Vehicle stolen, 400 block 70th Place, 6:46 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 2900 block Rose Crest Lane, 7:58 p.m.

Robbery, 4100 block Southern Ave, 9:34 p.m.

Theft from vehicle, 2600 block Brooks Drive, 10:37 p.m.

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

Page A-7

Laurel volunteer firefighter Man convicted of drug dealing injured in townhouse blaze in county gets 12 years in prison n

Occupants escaped fire that destroyed three homes BY

EMILIE EASTMAN STAFF WRITER

A Laurel volunteer firefighter was injured Wednesday night while responding to a townhouse fire in Laurel.

Mark Brady, Prince George’s County fire/EMS spokesperson, said the firefighter was taken to a hospital and released a short time later.

“He sustained some burns to his ears during the fire fight,” Brady said. “They’re not serious.”

The fire, which began shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, consumed three townhouses on Compton Avenue in Laurel, Brady said. Fire loss is estimated at $300,000, he said.

Two of the townhouses were occupied — one by six adults and two children, the other by a single man, Brady said.

All of them escaped uninjured and made alternate living

arrangements, he said.

Linda Hatcher lives across the street from the building that caught on fire and said she was at home when it happened.

“I heard an explosion and I thought it might be a car backfiring,” she said. “Then I heard another one, and my dog started barking.”

Hatcher said she called the fire department and started thinking about her own potential escape route.

“It’s kinda shocking to see flames that high and see some-

body’s house on fire,” she said.

“It was very scary. I felt bad for the people whose homes were involved.”

Firefighters from the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department and Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad responded to the fire, with support from Howard, Montgomery and Anne Arundel County firefighters, Brady said.

The fire remains under investigation, and no cause has yet been determined, Brady said. eeastman@gazette.net

Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Terrin Tamal Anderson, 29, of Waldorf to 12 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release for distributing cocaine and being a felon in possession of a gun.

The sentence was announced Feb. 3 by Rod J. Rosenstein, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and representatives of the U.S. Park Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Baltimore Field Division the Drug Enforcement

Administration Washington Field Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in a new release.

From April 14, 2011, to January 30, 2012, ATF and U.S. Park Police agents made eight controlled purchases of cocaine from Anderson totaling 308.8 grams, according to the plea agreement.

Anderson received a total of $11,000 for the drugs, according to the plea agreement.

The drugs were sold in different locations in Prince George’s County, Washington,

D.C., and Oxon Hill, according to the plea agreement.

On June 6, 2013, a search warrant was executed at Anderson’s residence, according to the plea agreement.

Agents seized a pistol. Anderson previously had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a gun, according to the plea agreement.

Deborah A. Johnston and Thomas P. Windom prosecuted the case.

—STAFF REPORT

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1911734 1884473

THE GAZETTE

Page A-8

SHUTTLE

Continued from Page A-1 Other local riders may have used the service and bolstered passenger counts, but King said it was advertised to the businesses, to move employees along the fourmile route.

Officials said the cost of operating the shuttle was worth it to keep Inovalon, the city’s largest employer, with about 700 employees.

King wouldn’t disclose the tax revenue the business produces for the city, calling it proprietary information, but he said the cost of the shuttle did not exceed that revenue.

The Gazette has submitted a Maryland Public Information Act request to find out how much the business pays in taxes.

A recent report to the city council listed the actual cost of the service to the city at $16,891 a month.

“They had outgrown their facility here in Bowie,” King said. “Their option was to find more space by moving elsewhere or stay and find more space in Bowie.”

Inovalon did not respond to phone calls or an in-person request for comment.

King said Inovalon officials told him they

DISTRICT

Continued from Page A-1 not him that moved, but the district lines that moved.”

State delegate candidates must be residents of their district for at least six months to run for office, but that requirement doesn’t have to be met until the general election on Nov. 4.

Jared DeMarinis, Candidacy and Campaign Finance Division director for the Maryland State Board of Elections, said Knotts will meet the six-month requirement since he moved to his current home on Dec. 1.

“I find the timing really interesting,” said Joyce Thorpe, a Fort Washington resident. “He should have ran in District 25.”

MAYOR

Continued from Page A-1 Bowie’s nonemergency calls are currently filtered through the county’s number, which is used by everyone in the county and operated by staff who also answer 911 calls, Bowie Police Chief John Nesky said. When

had enough employees who would use the service. City officials routed the bus so other businesses could use the route, but after five months, the ridership wasn’t high enough for the cost.

The estimated average of 14 riders per day is likely inflated, with the same riders being counted twice, meaning about eight or nine people would ride the bus each day, King said.

“I think obviously we were hoping it would be successful,” City Councilman Todd Turner (At-large) said. “The experience was useful. ... Call it trial and error, but it is part of that process.”

Tony Jones, a Bowie Business Shuttle Bus driver, said he drove since the route started in September and he enjoyed serving the few riders he had. He said there were a couple of devoted riders in the morning, and he lamented them losing the route.

But most of his stops were the same: an empty bus pulling up to an empty stop.

“I think it was a benefit to the business community for those that did ride it,” Jones said. “I anticipated [ridership] getting better because more and more people were finding out about it.”

Bowie resident Mary Nusser said she

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

SPANISH

Continued from Page A-1 immersion specialty schools — plus a Spanish immersion program at neighborhood school Capitol Heights Elementary — are a major focus of school system CEO Kevin Maxwell’s proposed fiscal 2015 budget.

The budget still needs to be approved by the school board and county council.

“We really need to produce students who can speak Spanish,” said Maxwell, who did his doctoral dissertation on language immersion. “We need Spanish-speaking teachers, administrators, secretaries, police officers, firefighters, pilots. We need bilingual people in much greater numbers than we have them right now.”

Maxwell’s proposed budget currently includes approximately $1.44 million to be used to establish Spanish and dual Spanish-English immersion.

The specialty school application deadline is March 12.

Maxwell said he understands that parents may feel some uncertainty applying for a program that doesn’t officially exist yet.

“But I’m very optimistic the program will be there, so I feel pretty comfortable going ahead and finding the people who are interested in having their children in these programs,” Maxwell said.

Capitol Heights is a neighborhood school, meaning only students within the school’s designated boundaries are accepted.

Conversely, the three new Spanish immersion schools Maxwell is also proposing will be specialty schools, meaning students from anywhere in the county apply via lottery for a limited number of seats.

The three elementary schools currently under con-

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Chonita Tillmon of Washington, D.C., was the lone rider Jan. 29 on a Bowie Business Shuttle Bus at the Bowie Park and Ride on Collington Avenue.

appreciated the city experimenting with the shuttle and making an effort to keep Inovalon. She said she wondered if officials would consider running a shuttle on the weekend for senior citizens and young people given their willingness to experiment with a business shuttle.

“For the people who can’t drive, it would provide a special outlet to them,” Nusser said. ccook@gazette.net

District 26 comprises the Oxon Hill, Fort Washington and National Harbor areas. District 25 is farther north and includes Temple Hills and District Heights among other areas, according to legislative district maps.

“I was not aware that redistricting, at the legislative level, would impact my community,” Knotts said. “Once I was aware of the misunderstanding, I took the necessary steps to correct it.”

Thorpe said she was concerned that Knotts’ movement to therentalpropertywasanattempt to compete for the seat opened up

by Del. Veronica Turner (D) of Temple Hills. Turner is running for the District 26 Senate seat.

Of the three District 25 incumbents, Del. Aisha Braveboy (D) of Bowie and Del. Melony

G. Griffith (D) have filed to run for different offices. Braveboy is running for attorney general and Griffith will compete for the District 25 Senate seat. Dereck Davis (D) has not filed for re-election yet, according to election records. Democrats Nick Charles II of District Heights; Geraldine Eggleston of Temple Hills; Tony Jones and Stanley Onye, both of Upper Marlboro, have filed to run for delegate in District 25.

In District 26, of the three incumbents, none have filed for re-election. Democrats Tamara Davis Brown of Clinton; Keith L. Gray of Fort Washington; and Vernon O. Holmes Jr. of Fort Washington have filed to run for delegate in District 26 along with Knotts. No Republicans have filed in either district.

Thorpe said she doesn’t support Knotts’ candidacy, in part because of the district change.

“He is trying to circumvent the laws of you have to be a resident of the district you live in,” Thorpe said.

Knotts said he wants to bring his focus on transportation and public safety concerns to District 26 along with his experience as a former county councilman.

He said he wants to put cameras in the schools and try to get light rail access across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

“I consider myself battletested and proven,” Knotts said. “I bring experience. It isn’t about, ‘What I will do for you,’ it is about what I have done.”

county staff is busy, residents reporting non-emergencies may find themselves on hold, which are the majority of calls sent to Bowie’s Police Department, he said.

“It is nothing against the county,” Nesky said. “It is purely a numbers thing. I’ve had someone email me saying they were on hold for an hour.”

The center will be housed in the Bowie Police Department and will likely be ready in June 2015 after staff is hired and equipment is purchased, Nesky said. The call center also will serve as a hub for city calls such as public works employees needing police assistance with a disorderly resident, Nesky said.

Robinson also said Bowie is

“financially stable” and has seen revenue increases of about 5 percent in fiscal 2014 and that the city will likely maintain its current tax rates for a fifth straight year. The city is also growing with large developments at Melford Village, which could bring 2,500 residential units and hundreds of jobs, and a Walmart Supercenter on Crain Highway, he said.

Resident Toby Byrd, a business owner, said he appreciated the council’s work.

“Bowie is pro-business, and [officials] always try to balance that with the demands of the community,” Byrd said. “We are proud to be residents here for over 45 years.”

City Councilman Dennis Brady (At-large) said the city’s success had a lot to do with the council’s ability to work together and the focus on a balanced budget.

“We have our different personalities, but in the end we all pull together and do the right thing for the city,” Brady said.

Emergency Services at Bowie Health Center

Emergency medical services for adults and children

ccook@gazette.net

Quicker than a traditional Emergency Room

RELOCATION

Continued from Page A-1 spokesman.

Perrywood Elementary would go from 639 students — its current enrollment — to 706 with 85 seats left before it reaches capacity at 791 students, Pugh said.

“This is definitely a success for parents of fifth-graders this year,” said Sandra Collier, PTA president at Obama Elementary. “Some of our children are not ready to go to a middle school to interact with middle school children.”

Collier and other parents were opposed to moving the school’s sixth-graders during the 2014-2015 school year.

Parents said the plan, which was announced in December, gave them less than a year

ccook@gazette.net

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sideration to become the new specialty schools are Cesar Chavez in Hyattsville, Phyllis E. Williams in Largo and Overlook Elementary in Temple Hills.

The program at Cesar Chavez actually would be a dual Spanish-English immersion program, Maxwell said, meaning a student body of approximately equal numbers of native English and Spanish speakers would be taught in both languages.

The transition to specialty schools will be phased in, Maxwell said.

Students currently attending those schools as neighborhood schools will continue to do so. However, the school boundaries will be redrawn, so that upcoming kindergartners zoned for those schools will instead attend other neighborhood schools in this fall, and the kindergarten seats instead will be filled by Spanish immersion students.

Bowler said she is glad the school system is moving quickly, even if the final approvals haven’t been received yet.

“I’d rather find out the sites in the last few months than have to wait another year,” said Bowler, whose daughter will begin kindergarten in the fall.

Deanah Mitchell of Glenn Dale said she has been considering where to send her 4-year-old daughter to kindergarten in 2015, adding that she is “ecstatic” the school system is considering implementing Spanish immersion.

“In this day and age, Spanish is one of the leading languages in the world, and especially in Maryland, there are so many Spanish-speaking individuals, so I want my daughter to have the opportunity to learn Spanish,” Mitchell said. janfenson-comeau@ gazette.net

to prepare their children for middle school.

They were also upset the initial plan didn’t examine Obama Elementary’s boundaries, the borders that determine which schools students attend.

School officials are hoping to remove the sixth grade from elementary schools countywide and place the grade level in middle schools.

A. Duane Arbogast, schools chief academic officer, said studies show middle schools with a sixth- to eighth-grade spread was optimal for students.

Madison is the school of choice for Obama sixth graders because if Obama’s boundaries are changed it will filter all of its students into Madison, Pugh said. Obama currently sends students to both Madison and Kettering middle schools while Madison receives students from Arrowhead and Patuxent. With change to the boundaries, Madison would be able to take on all of Obama’s sixth graders — the middle school currently has 751 students of its 850 pupil capacity — while Arrowhead and Patuxent students, who currently feed into James Madison, are sent to Kettering, Pugh said.

The school board is expected to vote on the proposed changes Feb. 28.

School board member Lyn Mundey (Dist. 7), said the changes were a direct result of parents voicing their concerns at the Jan. 23 board meeting.

“They were highly motivated and highly organized around this issue,” Mundey said. “It is really a collaborative process to work together for what is best for the students.”

Although the parents have a longer warning, Collier said she would still prefer that sixth-graders stay at Obama, which she said is a state-ofthe-art school.

“It has computers for every student to use and touch screen boards that engage the students,” Collier said.

Tim Gulley’s son is in the fourth-grade at Obama, which means if the sixth grade is moved in 2015-2016, it will impact his son. Gulley said he will likely enroll his son in a private or charter school if the Madison move is approved.

“I don’t believe [Madison] will give him the things he needs to progress,” he said. ccook@gazette.net

Gazette-Star OUROPINIONS

Forum

Thursday, February 6, 2014

|

Page A-9

Parents make a big difference

It’s no secret that getting parents involved in Prince George’s County schools has been a bit of a battle over the years. Despite efforts that included creating parent liaison positions to make the school system easier to navigate and hosting myriad events to lure parents, many schools still struggle just to get enough participation to form a PTA. So it’s all the more important to highlight when a group of parents unite in an organized manner to fight for what they feel is best for students — which is exactly what happened at Obama Elementary School in Upper Marlboro.

County education officials planned to remove the sixth-grade class from the school in the next academic year to relieve overcrowding and move the grade level to OBAMA nearby middle schools, an ELEMENTARY effort occurring countywide to get the grade level out of CHANGE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE elementary schools.

Obama ElemenOF COMMUNITY, taryHowever, parents saw flaws in the COUNTY plan and had a better way to COOPERATION handle the situation. They discussed the issue in PTA meetings and testified before the school board. They asked for a delay in the grade level’s move to allow more time for children to prepare for the transition, and they asked for boundaries to be redrawn given that some nearby elementary schools appeared to be underutilized — and they won.

County school officials are now holding off on moving the sixth-grade class until the 2015-16 school year, and they are taking another look at school boundaries.

School board member Lyn Mundey (Dist. 7) told The Gazette the changes were made directly because of parents’ efforts.

“They were highly motivated and highly organized around this issue,” Mundey said. “It is really a collaborative process to work together for what is best for the students.”

For some, the parents’ success may seem like a small feat. However, in a county where low parental participation is such a problem that officials considered making it the sole focus of the school board, every example of parents stepping up is important.

Granted, parents aren’t solely to blame for the weak participation. Education officials acknowledge that they could do more in some cases to make schools more welcoming. And it wasn’t that long ago that the school board was so dysfunctional and out of touch with residents that the General Assembly disbanded the elected group.

However, having parents speak up and have their ideas embraced by the school system is a positive sign.

Many studies show that when parents and schools work together, students perform better in their classes.

Obama Elementary parents — and parents countywide who take the time to show up at school and board meetings to address concerns — show that even a small, vocal group can make a big difference.

LETTERS TOT HE EDITOR

‘P.G. County is becoming a dumping ground’ I am a resident of Prince George’s County and have been so for approximately 38 years. I will keep my comments short and to the point: P.G. County is becoming a dumping ground for trash, i.e., beer cans, bottles, tires, plastic sheeting, etc., and does not appear to represent “the highly educated” citizenry that County Executive Baker touts in his remarks regarding the county.

What highly educated person would trash their own neighborhood?

Our roadways, entrance and exit ramps onto the Beltway and major thoroughfares are littered with trash and debris, cigarette butts, containers, etc. As a homeowner and taxpayer in the county, I find this extremely upsetting.

I am more than delighted in recent progress in the county, namely the Harbor, the various shopping entities, the newly announced casino and the 15-story

Bowie’s proposed solution spotlights county problem Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson announced that the city hopes to create its own call center. The proposed operation would let residents call in non-emergencies and likely get a quicker response than they do now when calling Prince George’s County’s non-emergency number.

“It is nothing against the county,” Bowie Police Chief John Nesky said. “It is purely a numbers thing. I’ve had someone email me saying they were on hold for an hour.”

Currently, county non-emergency calls are handled by staff who also answer 911 calls, according to Nesky. During busy periods, city residents complain they are being put on hold for long amounts of time — even though their nonemergency matters are largely handled by Bowie police.

The new system, which first needs City Council approval, would allow Bowie residents to contact the city call staff, who would dispatch the information to Bowie police.

The plan makes sense, but highlights a problem likely being faced by other county residents whose communities may not be able to afford their own call centers. Bowie is planning to pay $500,000 per year for its center.

On the bright side, with Bowie being one of the largest cities in the state, having a city call center should lighten the load on county staff and potentially improve service for other county residents.

However, it’s not sufficient to assume call volumes will improve. Prince George’s officials should review the concerns raised by Bowie residents and look for ways to improve county services — or figure out why the system doesn’t seem to be working for the Bowie community.

If staffing is a problem, perhaps county leaders could work with other municipalities that have police departments to model plans similar to Bowie’s.

In the end, it’s a great opportunity for Bowie to improve service for residents — and for the county to review its own performance.

Gazette-Star Douglas S. Hayes, Associate Publisher

Ferris wheel. However, at the current rate, I will have to drive through a mountain of trash to visit these amenities.

I am outraged and would like the county to stop this trashing of this part of the state. A call to P.G. environmental services requires that I give street(s) involved, the cross streets, etc., which can be cumbersome in view of the fact that the entire county is becoming awash in trash!

Part of the responsibility is also on the state government, which is hard to reach by phone. I realize this is going to cost money, but I am also aware that the state of Maryland has also committed billions of dollars for a new phase of the Metro to connect P.G. and Montgomery counties.

I am starting with The Gazette but hope to encourage our state and county executives to do something about this.

Trash leads to abandonment, crime,

Ken Sain, Sports Editor Dan Gross, Photo Editor Jessica Loder, Web Editor

Elva M. Matthews, Clinton

Send your letters Letters must include the writer’s name, address and telephone number.

The phone number will not be published; it is for verification purposes only. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Letters selected may be shortened for space reasons.

Send letters to: Editor, Gazette Newspapers, 13501 Virginia Manor Road, Laurel, MD 20707. E-mail them to princegeorges@gazette.net.

Biggest disappearing acts of 2013 • The Grahams. After 80 years the Graham family sells the struggling Washington Post to billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, which, ironically, helped kill classified advertising. Also disappearing in 2013 was the Post’s ombudsman position, the readers’ advocate.

• The Allbrittons. Bob Allbritton sells eight TV stations, including the D.C. area’s WJLA (Channel 7), to Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcasting.

• The Washington Examiner. Drops its print edition, abandons local news and becomes an online national news service.

• Maryland Life Magazine. Closes its doors due to MY MARYLAND circulation and ad BLAIR LEE shortfalls.

• Baltimore’s Grand Prix. The city’s Labor Day IndyCar race never made financial sense and finally dies a quiet death.

• Ed Papenfuse. This living piece of Maryland history, the state archivist, retired after collecting and preserving precious state artifacts and records for 38 years.

• Sen. Norman Stone. The senator from Dundalk is calling it quits after 13 terms (52 years) in Annapolis. When they tried gerrymandering his district in 2002, the senator — quiet, dignified and humble — sued and won. Who says nice guys finish last?

• Alex Mooney. This Frederick Republican lost his Senate seat in 2010, so he became state GOP chairman and, in 2013, moved to West Virginia, where he’s running for Congress.

• Delegate Sam Arora. No Montgomery lawmaker ever lost re-election by raising taxes, failing to bring home the bacon or selling the county down the river. But Montgomery delegate Sam Arora was shunned by the Democratic party and saw his career ended for voting against gay marriage.

• Morris A. Mechanic Theatre. Balti-

more’s playhouse for touring Broadway plays is razed after a 40-year run.

• White Flint. Montgomery’s upscale mall is being replaced by a trendy mixeduse town center.

• The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Walk.

Canceled, again, the traditional spring bridge-closing and pedestrian walk fell victim to state budget cuts.

• Redskins “Hogettes.” Football fans cross-dressed as sows? Weird, yes, but it got them on TV every week. The Hogettes call it quits after 30 seasons.

Worst moves of the year • As Maryland’s Obamacare website exchange crashes spectacularly, its director, Rebecca Pearce, goes on a Caribbean vacation and, when she returns, is dismissed from her $175,000 job.

• Responding to gay activists, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett asks the Fillmore Music Hall to cancel a band whose lyrics offend homosexuals.

• The Anne Arundel school system suspends a 7-year-old who nibbles his breakfast pastry into the shape of a gun.

• Several thousand Baltimore city residents are awakened before 6 a.m. when the mayor’s back-to-school celebration robocall is sent too early.

• Andre Henry, suspected of committing eight Montgomery County burglaries, is finally nabbed when he leaves two pages of his criminal court records at the scene of his latest break-in.

• Ignoring the city legal department’s opinion that the bill is unconstitutional, the Baltimore City Council requires that a majority of workers for city contractors and city-subsidized projects be Baltimore city residents.

• Brunswick elementary school students are stranded at bus stops when the school system fails to notify parents of new bus stop locations.

• Ocean City Councilman Brent Ashley, linking tourism decline with unsightly saggy pants, proposes a ban on clothing hanging more than 3 inches below the waistline. Ashley says he wants to turn

13501 Virginia Manor Road, Laurel, MD 20707 | Phone: 240-473-7500 | Fax: 240-473-7501 | Email: princegeorges@gazette.net More letters appear online at www.gazette.net/opinion

Vanessa Harrington, Editor Jeffrey Lyles, Managing Editor Glen C. Cullen, Senior Editor Copy/Design Meredith Hooker,Managing Editor Internet Nathan Oravec, A&E Editor

drugs, etc., in the community. Something needs to be done!

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

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

Ocean City into “Maryland’s first crackfree city.”

Best moves of the year • The state increases ICC speed limits to 60 mph.

• Anne Arundel County Executive Laura Newman vetoes the council’s “rain tax.”

• Maryland’s highest court rules that it’s up to the legislature, not the courts, to decide the state’s negligence standards.

• State health authorities shut down four abortion clinics after a patient dies and widespread violations are discovered.

• When a female cop sues Baltimore city for firing her because she married a convicted murderer who’s a gang member of Dead Man Inc., the court dismisses her case.

• Salvation Army volunteers find a $1,300 gold coin dropped into their kettle by an anonymous donor outside a Frederick Giant.

• Heroic WSSC workers refuse to give up on a broken valve that threatens a countywide water shutdown in the midst of July’s heat wave. Working non-stop in waist-deep underground water, they fashion new parts and save the day.

• Angela McCaskill, Gallaudet U.’s chief diversity officer, who was fired when she signed a petition bringing Maryland’s same-sex marriage law to referendum, sues the school for unlawful discrimination.

• State Sen. Bobby Zirkin, a Democrat, crosses party lines, endorsing Republican Sen. Allan Kittleman for Howard County executive.

• Managers of Baltimore’s Burns Arena cancel “Touch of Flavor,” a two-day event featuring classes on hot wax, sex-dungeon safety and rope bondage, because children also use the arena.

• NFL Ravens star receiver Torrey Smith gets married, cuts off his dreadlocks.

Blair Lee is chairman of the board of Lee Development Group in Silver Spring and a regular commentator for WBAL radio. His email address is blairleeiv@gmail.com.

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

CROSSLAND’S LEADING SCORER’S AVERAGE IS DOWN, AND THAT’S A GOOD THING, A-11

SPORTS BOWIE | LARGO | UPPER MARLBORO | CLINTON

www.gazette.net | Thursday, February 6, 2014 | Page A-10

HOW THEY RANK

Love for a brother and basketball

BOYS The 10 best boys’ basketball teams in Prince George’s County as ranked by The Gazette’s sports staff:

Rank 1.

School

Record Pts

DeMatha

19-2 60

2.

Henry A. Wise

15-2 52

3.

Riverdale Baptist 21-4 50

4.

Potomac

5.

Eleanor Roosevelt 13-4 36

6.

Charles H. Flowers 13-4 29

7.

Clinton Christian 16-4 25

8.

Largo

9.

Frederick Douglass 10-7 13

10.

Crossland

BY

15-3 42

12-5 17

10-7 6

Others receiving votes: None.

BEST BET

Paul VI at DeMatha Catholic, 4:30 p.m. Sunday: It would be a

statement WCAC victory for the Stags over the nationally-ranked Panthers.

TOP SCORERS

Name, school M. Reed, Capitol Christian A. Bundu, Largo D. Taylor, Central J. Grimsley, Capitol Christian A. Fox, Eleanor Roosevelt E. Hill, Surrattsville D. Stockman, Pallotti R. Broddie, Potomac B. Better, Crossland D. Wiley, Potomac J. Gray, Bowie F. Williams, Laurel G. Gray, Suitland J. Davis, Clinton Christian B. Dawson, Forestville B. Hawkins, Clinton Christ.

J. Moultrie, McNamara

PPG 30.7 25.8 24.9 21.4 20.8 20.0 19.4 18.6 18.5 18.5 18.0 17.9 17.4 17.4 16.9 16.9 16.9

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

School

Former Largo basketball star made an immediate impact at Duquesne

n

Rank 1.

Record Pts

Riverdale Baptist 15-3 58

2.

Eleanor Roosevelt 16-0 55

3.

Elizabeth Seton 17-4 49

4.

Charles H. Flowers 12-1 42

5.

Largo

13-5 35

6.

Gwynn Park

14-3 31

7.

Capitol Christian 12-6 25

8.

Bowie

9.

St. Vincent Pallotti 12-6 12

10.

Crossland

12-4 24

11-5 5

Others receiving votes:

Bishop McNamara, 1.

BEST BET

Bowie at Roosevelt, 7 p.m.

Friday: The Bulldogs have as good

a shot as anybody at spoiling the Raiders’ perfect season. Roosevelt won 58-50 in the first meeting.

TOP SCORERS

Name, school M. Fletcher, Potomac D. Boykin, Charles H. Flowers K. Conteh, Parkdale C. Ray, Riverdale Baptist C. Jackson, Riverdale Baptist Tak. Ellis, Gwynn Park C. Tyler, Suitland K. Charles, Eleanor Roosevelt C. Lee, Henry A. Wise C. Musgrave, Elizabeth Seton I. Quinn, Fairmont Heights J. Harris, Crossland M. Sisco, Friendly I. Yates, Potomac L. Jing, Laurel A. Long, Largo M. Brown, Laurel B. Hughey, Capitol Christian B. Ogunrinde, Pallotti

PPG 23.5 22.5 21.4 19.6 18.6 17.6 17.6 17.4 17.3 17.1 17.1 16.6 16.4 16.4 16.3 16.0 15.5 15.1 15.1

KENT ZAKOUR STAFF WRITER

BY

STAR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES, RECRUITED BY MANY COLLEGES, OFTEN FEEL PRESSURE TO DECIDE TOO EARLY

TRAVIS MEWHIRTER STAFF WRITER

For Potomac High School’s Quadree Smith, it was a coach’s contract extension. For Damascus’ Zach Bradshaw, it was NCAA sanctions. For Suitland’s Taivon Jacobs, it was a daughter. For Montrose Christian’s Justin Anderson, it was a coaching change.

For other college recruits, from Division III to Division I, it could be one of an endless list of reasons for reneging on a verbal commitments to sign with another college.

For now, Smith remains loyal to the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, but he has since reopened his recruitment as he waits a possible contract extension for coach Wes Miller.

Bradshaw first said he would play football for Penn State, but switched to Virginia after the school was hit with severe sanctions that would keep them out of bowl games for most of his time there.

Previously, Jacobs reneged on his verbal to play football at Ohio State and is now playing for Maryland. After Gary Williams retired in 2011, Anderson signed with rival Virginia rather than the Terps, where a new coach — Mark Turgeon — who hadn’t recruited him would be taking over.

Some coaches, take former Montrose Christian coach Stu Vetter, Our Lady of Good Counsel offensive coordinator Tom Crowell and Suitland football coach Ed Shields, see this as a growing trend as the recruiting process begins at earlier and earlier ages.

Others, such as Riverdale Baptist basketball coach Lou Wilson, say it has been happening for as long as he’s been involved in the business, but is only now beginning to become so exposed as the media continues to dedicate staggering amounts of attention to the college recruitment process.

“I’d say this has been something that’s been going on for awhile,” Wilson said. “And I tell you, there are so many reasons to verbal with one school and then at the last minute sign with another school.”

See PRESSURE, Page A-11

An assist of a lifetime n

Mother of two donating kidney to cousin, basketball star BY

ERIC GOLDWEIN STAFF WRITER

Dawn Evans has known for four years that she would need a new kidney, but she didn’t always know where she would get it.

That’s where her cousin Erika Evans stepped in.

Erika, 28, of Landover, is a mother of two young children — ages 3 and 6 — and an office manager at a dental office in Prince George’s County.

Dawn, 24, of Clarksville, Tenn., is a professional basketball player who starred at James Madison University and has since played in the WNBA and overseas.

The two didn’t see each other much growing up, but their families remained close, and in March the cousins are scheduled to share a kidney.

“We can’t have her sick or not doing well,” Erika said. “We got to keep her strong.”

Dawn was diagnosed with a kidney disease (focal segmental glomerular sclerosis) in December 2009, and after it became public, several family members volunteered to be tested.

Erika, who grew up in New Carrollton and graduated from Parkdale, said she learned her cousin would need a transplant in 2011.

“When I got word that she was sick, my first instinct was, what can I do to help?” Erika said.

Erika flew out to Nashville, Tenn.,

Derrick Colter said that family has always come first for him.

For several years, the former Largo High School star and current Duquesne (Pa.) University sophomore guard has written “4 Bro JJ” on his game shoes to honor and remember his late older brother, J.J., who died in Dec. 2012 after a 33-year fight with cerebral palsy.

“It’s not all just PHOTO DUQUESNE ATHLETICS about basketball, Largo High School it’s about life and graduate Derrick Colter Derrick is a great example of that,” said is a key starter as a Largo High coach sophomore at Duquesne Lew Howard, who University. is one of Colter’s closest mentors. Howard and the Colter family developed a strong relationship when one of Colter’s four brothers and 2007 Largo gradFormer uate, Mo, played for the Lions.

Montrose “They are a close family and Christian we’ve spent a lot of time together,” basketball Howard said. player Justin Colter said he plays every game with his brother on his mind Anderson goes and prays before each contest. On up for a dunk Wednesday, Colter returned to the during the area as the Dukes were scheduled Capital Classic. to play at George Washington in a contest that ended too late to FILE PHOTO be included in this edition of The Gazette.

“My whole family is going to be there,” Colter said in a phone interview last week. He added that they attend most of the home games and close road games. “It’s going to be a great experience.”

At Duquesne, the 2012 AllGazette first-team selection has been a key player from his first day on campus.

Colter, who led Largo to the 2012 2A state championship game by averaging 22.5 points per game, was the only Duke to start all 30 games last season and averaged a team-high 13.5 points while leading the team in assists (156). He was also named to the Atlantic 10’s All-Rookie Team.

This winter, Colter, who is interested in studying criminal justice, has started all 20 games for the Dukes (10-10 overall, 2-5 Atlantic 10). His statistical numbers (9.9 ppg, 73 assists) are down, but by all accounts, he is a better player. Colter, always a good shooter, said he’s worked on reading defenses and “every facet” of the sport since entering college.

“I’ve told him to just be patient,” Howard said. “Last year, he was an all-freshman and everything. But now, he’s not scoring as

See LOVE, Page A-11

BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE

Erika Evans (left), who will be donating her kidney in March to her cousin Dawn Evans (not pictured), with her daughter Kennedi Jacobs, 6, at her home in Landover on Sunday. in Nov. 2012, and was tested at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

The results were shocking, Erika said. The cousins matched at four of the six markers and were compatible.

“Most mothers to their children maybe match at only three markers,” Erika said. “The fact that we were first cousins and we matched at four, I said ‘I just got to do this.’”

In August 2013, after multiple rounds of tests, Erika decided to go through with the transplant.

“It’s kind of a life changing experience for the both of us,” Dawn said.

Dawn continued playing basketball for four years in spite of the kidney disease. She graduated from James Madison University in 2011 with a school-record 2,667 points, then played for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks — alongside two-time league MVP Candace Parker — before joining Arras of the French League.

All the while, Dawn was an advocate for kidney disease awareness, serving as an ambassador for the NephCure Foundation, a nonprofit supporting research

See ASSIST, Page A-11

PHOTO DUQUESNE ATHLETICS

Largo High School graduate Derrick Colter, a sophomore at Duquesne University, drives to the basket.

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

Page A-11

Crossland’s scorer gets some help Girls’ basketball: Transfers aid Cavaliers’ mid-season surge n

BY

ERIC GOLDWEIN STAFF WRITER

Crossland High School girls’ basketball player Janee Harris is having a down year as a scorer, averaging 16.6 points per game.

And to the senior, who averaged about 20 points last season, that’s a good thing.

Harris is scoring fewer points, but said the decline is because of new and returning teammates, who are stepping up and driving Crossland (11-5, 10-3) near the top of the County 3A/2A/1A League’s standings.

“This year, there’s less weight on me,” Harris said. “If I have a bad game, I know my other teammates can pick it up for me.”

Junior Treasure Doberson and senior Alexis Welch, both transfers, have become two of Crossland’s lead options on offense. Doberson, a 5-foot-5 guard, played for The Covenant School in Charlottesville, Va., as a freshman and Frederick Douglass as a sophomore before transferring to Crossland this school year. Welch attended Bowie from ninth to 11th grade, transferring to Crossland after moving to Temple Hills.

Doberson and Welch said they have had smooth transitions to their new school.

“The main challenge was getting to know my teammates and their playing styles. But everything worked out pretty great,” said Welch, who averages 11.8 points. “My team, they’re really understanding and they helped me get through the new process and coaching style.”

Doberson (7.7 points), who has played for three schools in three years, said the lack of continuity has been challenging but that she’s found a role with the Cavaliers.

LOVE

Continued from Page A-10 much and assisting more. The team around him has gotten better and he’s more of a facilitator. That’s what you want from

PRESSURE

Continued from Page A-10 Of all the various explanations local coaches offered in explaining why an athlete would rescind a verbal commitment — personnel changes (Quadree Smith’s and Justin Anderson’s reasoning), proximity to home, having a child (Taivon Jacobs’), a sick family member, what have you — each eventually circled back to one distinct reason: pressure.

Athletes are under it from their very first conversation with their very first college coach. It is then upped a notch when a verbal offer — sometimes as early as middle school — is extended their way. And then things can begin to spiral out of control when dozens more throw their name into the mix, each with their own attractions and incentives — playing time, championships, professional development — to consider.

“One of our receivers just got offered by Michigan State,” said Crowell, who also coaches the boys’ basketball team at Springbrook. “So let’s just sign the papers right now. But it doesn’t work like that anymore. He’s got to wait until next February to

ASSIST

Continued from Page A-10 on debilitating kidney diseases.

“Dawn has been a superstar in all that. Probably a bigger superstar in advocating for her position than in basketball,” NephCure CEO Henry Brehm said. “She’s a terrific advocate for the cause.”

But in January, just after spending Christmas in Clarksville, Dawn learned from her doctor that her kidney function was deteriorating.

“They basically said, you need to come home,” Dawn said.

Dawn returned home and with the surgery scheduled for March, Erika went to Tennessee for additional testing.

GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE

Crossland High School’s Alexis Welch (right) drives with the ball against Gwynn Park’s Tashina Cardwell last Friday in Brandywine.

“I’ve been told I have natural leadership skills,” Doberson said. “And I always try to work through the worst to get through the best.”

Crossland has four players averaging double-figures in points, including Harris, Welch, Uniqek Miller (11.1) and Jewel Ledbetter (10.0).

“We all have different things that we bring to the table, and it works out great,” Welch said.

Crossland ranks third in the 3A/2A/1A League standings, behind Largo (13-5, 13-0) and Gwynn Park (14-2, 12-1).

“Everybody had to get used to playing with each other,” Crossland coach Selina Smith said. “Now that they’re getting the chemistry it’s starting to mix well.”

The team recently went on a six-game win streak, which was snapped by Gwynn Park on Friday.

“Confidence,” Harris said.

“Players started to play that confidence more. We started playing more team ball and helping each other out.”

Doberson has twice registered 18 points this season.

“The thing about Treasure is, she’s so energetic. She never gets tired,” Harris said. “She’s always ready. She gets out and she’s like, coach, put me back in.”

Welch and Harris share the backcourt, with the transfer handling most of the point guard responsibilities. Welch scored a season-high 26 points in a win over Potomac and is averaging 14 points in her last five games.

“She’s a solid point guard [and] she sees the floor,” Harris said. “If you’re open she is giving you the pass. And she can score.”

Crossland played its first two games of the season against Bowie and Frederick Douglass, Welch and Doberson’s former schools. After falling to Bowie (56-50) in the season-opener, the Cavaliers responded with a 67-57 win over Douglass, Doberson’s former team.

“I felt a tension in the air, but it was good tension,” said Doberson, who scored five points in the victory.

a true point guard.”

On Jan. 25, Colter made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Duquesne an 83-81 victory over St. Bonaventure and snap the Dukes’ four-game losing streak. A moment earlier, he had missed a pair of free throws.

“I’m so excited for him,” Howard said. “He’s worked so hard and Derrick prepared himself to be in the position he is now — on and off the court — as one of the better players in the Atlantic 10.”

sign and now he thinks he’s got to live up to these expectations. If they offer you right now, the kid should be able to sign right now if he wants to. It’s out of control.”

“Personally,” Vetter added, “I would eliminate the verbals and have a signing period in April. If a player didn’t have to make a decision until April there wouldn’t be much pressure.”

Shields, though he feels for the athletes under the everwatchful eye of the college coaches, says it’s also a wise move on their part to begin talking to kids before they can even drive a car or take their SATs. “You want to be the first to offer, which makes sense,” he said. “You want to be the one who discovered them. That’s the smart thing for the coaches because you want them to commit.”

But when coaches offer too early, it could just as easily backfire. Athletes oftentimes get overexcited or want to shed the pressure of recruiting so they hastily pledge before realizing that bigger universities or better fits could also come calling. Such was the case for Nigel Johnson, a former Riverdale Baptist guard.

Now at Kansas State, Johnson had been verbally committed to play for George Washington

for nearly a year. About a month prior to signing day, he took stock of his talent and figured he could go someplace higher, so he reopened his recruitment with GW as a firm backup plan.

Within a week he had switched to Kansas State.

“He thought his opportunity to play at the next level would be greater playing at Kansas State, playing in the Big XII,” Wilson said. “And the point guard situation was up in the air so he thought he’d be able to play right away.”

So, is there a solution? Recruiting — and therefore commitments of all kind — is an inevitable part of college sports.

Shields believes Crowell is onto something when he suggested if a college extends an offer — verbal or physical — that the athlete should be able to sign that day rather than wait until designated signing periods. Vetter believes verbal offers and commitments should be removed entirely.

Either way, reneging would become all but a moot practice.

“Once you’re signed, you’re locked,” Shields said. “I think you should be able to move [signing] up. It would settle things down very quickly.”

“[It] was the first time we really got to spend good time together,” Erika said. “ … I just told her, ‘We’re not strangers. Even though we don’t see each other often, we’re still family.’”

Added Dawn: “It’s funny, for someone that I didn’t grow up with, we clicked well.”

Rodney Evans, Dawn’s father, said he was not surprised that Erika, his niece, would offer her kidney.

“That’s the way she’s always been. That’s not any different for her,” Rodney said.

Dawn said she wants to return to basketball after the operation and is confident she can get back to full strength.

“The doctors are thinking that after this, I’ll come back two times stronger than I was be-

fore,” Dawn said. “I’m just looking forward to it.”

Erika said she will miss about a month of work while recovering from the surgery.

“It is [scary], but we’re a very faithful family,” said Edward Evans, Erika’s father and Dawn’s uncle. “…I was proud, I was ecstatic that she was a great match.

Not just for my daughter, but for my niece as well.”

“I look at her and just say like ‘wow, that’s a wonderful thing she’s doing,” Dawn said. “… I’m more than appreciative. It takes a really kind-hearted person.

Somebody that’s really amazing.”

To support the Evans family, visit http://www.gofundme. com/6i3j7w?preview=1.

egoldwein@gazette.net

kzakour@gazette.net

tmewhirter@gazette.net

egoldwein@gazette.net

1884459

THE GAZETTE

Page A-12

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

February is Black History Month February is Black History Month!

Origins of Black History month February is the month set side to learn, honor, and celebrate achievements of black men and women throughout history. It’s orgins can be traced back to Carter G. Woodson, son of former slaves, who was the 2nd African American to earn to earn a doctorate from Harvard University in 1912 (W.E.B. Du Bois was the first). Realizing that most textbooks ignored the history and achievements of Blacks, he promoted the idea of a “Negro History Week” in 1926. In 1976, Black History Week was expanded to Black History Month.

Black History Firsts Fact #1

In 1950, writer Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for her poetry collection, Annie Allen.

Fact #2

Also in 1950, Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche became the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize for Mediation efforts in the Middle East during the 1940’s.

Fact #3

Politician and educator Shirley Chisholm was the first African American Congresswomen AND major party candidate for President of the United States.

Fact #4

Ernie Davis was the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy AND the No. 1 NFL draft pick.

Fact #5

In 1959, Ella Fitzgerald became the first African American woman to win a Grammy Award.

Fact #6

Robert Johnson, owner at the time of Black Entertainment Television, became the first African American billionarie in 2001.

Fact #7

In, 1940, Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Academy Award, earning Best Supporting actress for her role in the epic film, Gone With The Wind.

Fact #8

Benjamin Banneker was considered the first African American scientist.

Fact #9

Physician Regina Benjamin became the first African American woman and the first physician under age 40 to be elected to the American Medical Association’s board of trustees in 1995. More than a decade later, she was tapped to become Surgeon General of the United States.

Fact #10

1166 Route 3 Gambrills, Maryland 21054

George Washington Carver, who made a number of agricultural advancements and inventions, and Percy L. Julian, who was a pioneering chemist and researcher who synthesized medicinal drugs, were the first African Americans admitted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990.

1910998

MOVIE REVIEW

&

LET’S GET AWKWARD? Zac Efron stars in a romantic comedy that sets a low bar.

The Gazette’s Guide to

Page B-7

Arts & Entertainment

www.gazette.net

|

Thursday, February 6, 2014

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Page B-1

STRATHMORE HOSTS FIRST-EVER CONCERT BY LOCAL GOSPEL GROUPS

Gospel truth The

BY

VIRGINIA TERHUNE

STAFF WRITER

G

ospel lovers needn’t look too o far f afield to appreciate some first-class local choirs. fi “There’s a lot of great, rich r choral talent in the area, and it hasn’t really been explored,” said Georgina Javor, program director at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.

On Saturday, Strathmore will host a show called “Make A Joyful Noise: Best of Maryland Gospel,” featuring three choirs from Prince George’s County.

Two are church choirs — the James E. Jordan, Jr. Adult Choir associated with the Refreshing Spring Church of God in Christ in Riverdale, and the Tribe of Judah choir associated with the Victory Temple Redeemed Christian Church of God in Bowie.

Javor has also invited the well-known Oxon Hill High School choir.

Each choir will perform its own mix of traditional and contemporary gospel music.

“They’ll run the gamut of the repertoire,” Javor said.

There will be some a cappella

The James E. Jordan, Jr. Adult Choir from Riverdale, directed by Courtney King (foreground), will perform with two other choirs from Prince George’s County on Saturday at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. The show, “Make a Joyful Noise: Best of Maryland Gospel,” is the first time Strathmore has brought together local church choirs to perform on stage.

See GOSPEL, Page B-4

PHOTOS FROM MARGOT SCHULMAN

Raising Jasmine Former ‘A Different World’ actress talks about new show and fighting sex trafficking n

BY

WILL C. FRANKLIN STAFF WRITER

Most probably remember Jasmine Guy for her role as Whitley in “The Cosby Show” spinoff “A Different World” back in the late 1980s.

Younger audiences might know her as Sheila “Grams” Bennett on The CW’s hit show “The Vampire Diaries.”

For more than 30 years, Guy has been a presence in television, on stage and in movies. The multital-

RAISIN’ CANE: A HARLEM RENAISSANCE ODYSSEY n When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 n Where: Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd., Cheverly n Tickets: $40, $55 VIP seating n For information: 301-277-1710; arts.pgparks.com n Note: Jasmine Guy’s masterclass will be at 11 a.m.

Saturday. Tickets are $20, or $15 if you buy a ticket to the show

ented actor, singer, and dancer will star in “Raisin’ Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey,” at the Publick Playhouse on Saturday.

The show, which features the Avery Sharpe Trio, highlights the explosion of art and important works in Harlem shortly after World War I. “It started as a reading that we did in universities,” Guy said. “I’ve always loved the period of the Harlem Renaissance — that decade between 1919 and 1929 — and I knew a lot about it, but I had no idea how much I didn’t know until I started doing this show.”

Guy said even though art, poetry,

See JASMINE, Page B-8 PGPR MEDIA

THE GAZETTE

Page B-2

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

Complete calendar online at www.gazette.net

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY’S ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR For a free listing, please submit complete information to noravec@gazette.net at least 10 days in advance of desired publication date. High-resolution color images (500KB minimum) in jpeg format should be submitted when available.

THEATER & STAGE Bowie Community Theatre,

“Dark Passages,” coming in February, Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Drive, Bowie, 301-8050219, www.bctheatre.com.

Busboys & Poets, Hyattsville, TBA, 5331 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, 301-779-2787 (ARTS), www.busboysandpoets.com.

Greenbelt Arts Center, “The Vagina Monologues,” to Feb. 8, call for prices, Greenbelt Arts Center, 123 Centerway, Greenbelt, 301-441-8770, www.greenbel-

tartscenter.org.

Hard Bargain Players, TBA, 2001 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, www.hbplayers.org.

Joe’s Movement Emporium, Feb. 6; BOOMscat & Proverbs Reggae Band in Concert, 8 p.m. Feb. 7; Joe’s Movement Emporium Valentine’s Day Swing Dance, 7 p.m.

Feb. 14, 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, 301-699-1819, www.joesmovement.org.

Laurel Mill Playhouse, Neil Simon’s “45 Seconds from Broadway,” To Feb. 8, call for ticket prices, times, Laurel Mill

Playhouse, 508 Main St., Laurel, 301-452-2557, www.laurelmillplayhouse.org.

Montpelier Arts Center, Dinner and a movie: “Bird,” 6 p.m. Feb. 15, 9652 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, 301-377-7800, arts.pgparks.com.

Prince George’s Little Theatre, “You Never Know,” coming in May, call for tickets and show times, Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Drive, Bowie, 301-957-7458, www.pglt.org.

Publick Playhouse, “Raisin’ Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey” starring Jasmine Guy and the Avery Sharpe Trio, 10:15 a.m.

Feb. 7, 8 p.m. Feb. 8; Masterclass with Jasmine Guy, 11 a.m. Feb. 8; Songs of Freedom, 10:15 a.m. and noon, Feb. 11, 5445 Landover Road, Cheverly, 301-277-1710, arts.pgparks.com.

2nd Star Productions, “Funny Money,” Jan. 31 to Feb. 15, Bowie Playhouse, 16500 White Marsh Park Drive, Bowie, call for prices, times, 410-757-5700, 301-832-4819, www.2ndstarproductions.com.

Tantallon Community Players, August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars,” coming in February, Harmony Hall Regional Center, 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, 301-262-5201, www.tantallonstage.com.

A CLOSER LOOK

VISUAL ARTS Brentwood Arts Exchange, Bill Harris, to March 8, opening reception on Jan. 18, 3901 Rhode Island Ave., Brentwood, 301-277-2863, arts.pgparks.com.

Harmony Hall Regional Center, TBA, gallery hours from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10701 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, 301-203-6070. arts. pgparks.com.

David C. Driskell Center, “Charles White - Heroes: Gone But Not Forgotten,” opens Jan. 30, University of Maryland, College Park. www.driskellcenter.umd.edu.

Montpelier Arts Center, “Direct Current: A Multimedia Exploration of Black Life Within Prince George’s County,” to Feb. 24, gallery open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, 9652 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, 301377-7800, arts.pgparks.com.

New Deal Cafe, Marjorie Gray. collage, opening reception from 7-9 p.m. Feb. 2, through March, 113 Centerway Road, Greenbelt.

301-474-5642, www.newdewalcafe.com.

University of Maryland University College, Joseph Sheppard

- “The Art of Portraiture,” opens April 1, 3501 University Blvd., Adelphi, 301-985-7937, www. umuc.edu/art.

NIGHTLIFE Hand Dancing with D.C. Hand

PUBLICK PLAYHOUSE

JASMINE IN HARLEM Actor/singer Jasmine Guy and musician Avery Sharpe bring the Harlem Renaissance to life at Publick Playhouse on Saturday.

Dance Club, free lesson from 4 to

5 p.m., dancing from 5 to 9 p.m.

Sundays at the Coco Cabana, 2031-A University Blvd. E., Hyattsville, $10 cover, www.dchanddanceclub.com.

Old Bowie Town Grill, Wednesday Night Classic Jam, 8 p.m. every Wednesday, sign-ups start at 7:30 p.m., 8604 Chestnut Ave., Bowie, 301-464-8800, www.oldbowietowngrille.com.

OUTDOORS Dinosaur Park, Dinosaur Park programs, noon-4 p.m. first and third Saturdays, join paleontologists and volunteers in interpreting fossil deposits, 13200 block Mid-Atlantic Blvd., Laurel, 301-627-7755.

Mount Rainier Nature Center,

Publick Playhouse Saturday, Feb 8, 8pm

301-277-1710 301-277-0312/tty

Raisin’ Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey starring Jasmine Guy and the Avery Sharpe Trio

Toddler Time: hands-on treasures, crafts, stories and soft play, 10:30 a.m.-noon Thursdays, age 5 and younger free, 4701 31st Place, Mount Rainier, 301-927-2163.

Prince George’s Audubon Society, Bird Walks, 7:30 a.m. first Sat-

urdays, Fran Uhler Natural Area, meets at end of Lemon Bridge Road, north of Bowie State University, option to bird nearby WB&A Trail afterward; 7:30 a.m. third Saturdays, Governor Bridge Natural Area, Governor Bridge Road, Bowie, meet in parking lot; for migrating and resident woodland and field birds, and waterfowl. For beginners and experts. Waterproof footwear and binoculars suggested. Free. 410-765-6482.

REC CENTERS Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex, Senior Days at

the Sportsplex, 8 a.m.-noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, seniors allowed free use of the fitness center and pool, age 60 and up, 8001 Sheriff Road, Landover,

Seat Pleasant Activity Center, Line Dancing, 6:30-8 p.m.

Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saturdays, $40 series, $6 drop-ins, age 18 and up, 5720 Addison Road, Seat Pleasant, 301-773-6685.

ET CETERA College Park Aviation Museum, Peter Pan Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m. second and fourth Thursdays of every month, activities for preschoolers, $4, $3 seniors, $2 ages 2-18; Afternoon Aviators, 2-4:30 p.m. Fridays, hands-on aviationthemed activities for age 5 and up, $4, $3 seniors, $2 ages 2-18, events free with admission, 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park, 301-864-6029, www.collegeparkaviationmuseum.com.

Women’s Chamber Choir Auditions, by appointment for the con-

cert season of women’s chamber choir Voix de Femmes, 7:45-9:30 p.m. Thursdays, 402 Compton Ave., Laurel, 301-520-8921, annickkanter@gmail.com.

Yearn to Learn Tours

$55/VIP seating

Early entrance, pre-show reception

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LOCAL DAY TRIPS WITH TRANSPORTATION AND MEAL /OVERNIGHT AND INTERNATIONAL TRIPS! Motown the Musical,

arts.pgparks.com

“Life Story of Berry Gordy” On Broadway, New York City Orchestra & Front Mezzanine Wed, April 9, 2014 • $199 w/Brunch If you missed it last year, it is not too late!!!

The 27th Annual Gullah Festival & Tour

May 22 to 26, 2014

$769 PP DBL/$1,095 SGL/Triple $709 5 Days 4 Nights of Fun & Learning!

Deluxe Motor Coach Transportation, Hotels, Charleston & Savannah Tours, Breakfast Daily, Gullah Musical with meal & dinner in Savannah included. “A trip you don’t want to miss!”

NEW ORLEANS – 9 DAYS AND 8 NIGHTS JUNE 14 THRU 23RD, 2014 JUST $755 Per Person DBL

Join us for family & friend style travel!

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Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom

(Escorted) Tour Johannesburg, Soweto and Cape Town 10 Days & 8 Nights • October 16th-25th, 2014 $3,200 DBL occupancy / SGL $4,000 A trip you will never forget!! (Limited seating)

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Let Yearn to Learn Tours Take you away for one or more days!

Invite your friends & family to join you.

Get flyers and brochures off the web for our 2014 tours at www.yearntolearntours.com Call Barbara at 301-390-5835 1910987

***11 YEARS IN BUSINESS***

THE GAZETTE

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

Page B-3

Warhol and more

n

Maryland artists shine in diverse UMUC show BY

VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER

The general public will soon gain a glimpse into the University of Maryland, University College’s vast number of paintings and art works in a new exhibit titled “Unveiled: Works from the UMUC Art Collections.”

“It’s an opportunity to do a formal introduction to how the collection is growing,” said Eric Key, director of UMUC’s Arts Program.

The exhibit, featuring the work of more than 30 artists, runs from Sunday to March 30 in the Arts Program gallery at the UMUC Inn and Conference Center in Adelphi.

An opening reception scheduled for Feb. 20 will be attended by UMUC officials and some of the artists, Key said.

“Many of these exhibits have not been exhibited before,” he said.

The UMUC Arts Program, which began displaying its donated and acquired works at the Inn and Conference Center in 1981, currently has 2,600 works, according to the exhibit catalog.

The focus of the collection is on artists who have lived or worked in Maryland, as well as art from Asia, including China and Japan.

Also included is art from other parts of the world, which is served by the university’s online programs, many of which serve military personnel stationed overseas.

Most of the pieces in the current “Unveiled” exhibit were created in the early 2000s, Key said.

“We’re gearing up to be a contemporary collection,” he said.

There are two color screen prints by Andy Warhol of a Pine Barrens tree frog and a giant panda, commissioned by a couple concerned about endangered species.

There are also two pieces of pottery from the Western Han dynasty in China dating back 2,000 years.

Other pieces include realistic, impressionistic and abstract oil paintings, watercolors, silk screens, collages and pen and ink drawings, as well as a diptych painted on two panels by a former expert in Soviet affairs.

JOHN WOO

“Trapeze,” by Patrick Craig is one of 33 pieces from UMUC’s Arts Program collection that will be on display in the “Unveiled” exhibit running Sunday to March 30 at UMUC in Adelphi.

UNVEILED: WORKS FROM THE UMUC ART COLLECTIONS n When: Sunday, Feb. 9-March 30. Opening reception: 6-8 p.m., Feb. 20 n Where: Arts Program Gallery, Lower Level, UMUC Inn and Conference Center, 3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi n Tickets: free n For information: 301-9857937, umuc.edu/art

There are sculptures made of maple wood, cherry wood and interwoven aluminum and copper.

And there is a woman made out of glass, beads, thread and wire searching for her child.

Piece by piece Among the works is an oilon-canvas piece, “Trapeze,” by Patrick Craig, an associate professor at UMUC who specializes in painting, drawing and mixed media.

The painting is 9 feet long and 5 feet high, with “dramatically lit abstract forms in an animated, precariously balanced space,” according to Craig’s description in the exhibit catalog.

“It’s a vivid, wide-awake, break of day lucid dream, a fascination with an implausible narrative of constant steadiness versus freedom,” he wrote.

Trained as a sculptor, Tom

Davis uses collage techniques to create two-dimensional works, some with blank faces, including his piece, “Why You Waiting.”

“I create a mysterious environment or a mysterious portrait so the viewer becomes part of the interaction within the painting and hopefully engages in a conversation or dialogue with themselves,” Davis wrote in the catalog.

Davis invites the viewer through the empty space between the figures to encounter a brick wall and a possible question posed by the graffiti, according to catalog notes.

In her painting “Watteau’s Musicians,” Grace Hartigan refers to 18th-century French artist Jean-Antoine Watteau, who placed aristocrats in contrived settings. Her linear style, coupled with broad expanses of color, also brings to mind Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, according to the catalog.

A vanity and painted wardrobe, called “Philodendron,”

by Tom Miller, represents the first pieces of contemporary furniture in the UMUC Arts Program’s collection.

A student at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Miller repainted old furniture with acrylic or enamel paint, evoking a tradition of Southern plantation furniture re-purposed by slaves and freedmen in the mid-1800s.

Japanese artist Yoshiko Oishi-Weick’s “Orchid and Plum” India ink on paper work exemplifies sumi-e ink painting, which is closely related to calligraphy.

“Variations in black and gray

brushstrokes are used to create detail,” she said in the catalog.

“The flow is interesting and creates tone. The painting comes to life as if the colors are there.”

The variety of work by local and regional artists, and the donated work from Asia, reflect the mission of the UMUC Arts Program.

“For me, this really shows UMUC’s commitment to collecting and presenting art,” Key said. vterhune@gazette.net

JOHN WOO

“Philodendron” by Tom Miller is one of 33 pieces on display in the “Unveiled” exhibit running Sunday to March 30 at UMUC in Adelphi.

March 14, 2014 - 7pm

FREE

Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on the Campus at the University of MD

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Continued from Page B-1 singing, with other songs accompanied by piano, organ, horn, drums and guitar, she said.

The night before, Strathmore is also hosting a ticketed community sing for the public.

Members of the Tribe of Judah choir will talk about the history of gospel music and invite the audience to join them in singing some songs. No experience is needed, she said.

“We’ll be singing some traditional gospel songs, some hymns and one or two African songs,” said Mobolaji Ogunsuyi, choir representative for Tribe of Judah.

Leaders of both church choirs said their members enjoy singing on stage and also see their performances as part of the churches’ missions to spread the good news.

“We’re very much about the ministry, we’re very cognizant that we want to [spread] the word of God through song,” said Courtney King, director of the Jordan choir. “We want people to know that no matter what your situation, there is hope.”

Javor said she first heard the two Prince George’s County church choirs at the How Sweet the Sound regional competition at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C,, in September 2011.

The Tribe of Judah choir, which incorporates music from Africa and is directed by Pastor Bayo Babajide, won Best Small Choir at the event.

The Jordan choir won the People’s Choice Award, the Best Large Choir Award and the East Coast Regional Choir Award at the event, in part because of its choreographed moves.

“They really dominated, they blew everyone away,” Javor said. “It was completely infectious and jaw-dropping.”

“The pure joy with which they sung – it moved you in different ways, even if you’re not religious,” she said. “It travels with you and touches you.”

The chance encounter definitely stuck with Javor, who began contacting the choirs a year later about performing at Strathmore.

Strathmore had previously pre-

GOSPEL COMMUNITY SING n When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 n Where: CityDance Studio, Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda n Tickets: $8

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE:

BEST OF MARYLAND GOSPEL n When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 n Where: Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda n Tickets: $21-$26 n For information: 301-581-5100, strathmore.org

sented nationally known gospel performers such as Yolanda Adams but had never hosted a gospel concert featuring local singers.

“It’s the first time we’ve worked with gospel choirs from the community,” Javor said. “We wanted to do a production that’s home built, not prepackaged.”

Javor also wanted to include young people from the Oxon Hill choir, directed over the past 17 years by Emory Andrews.

“We also wanted to include future generations of gospel,” Javor said.

Oxon Hill High School “Make a Joyful Noise” will open with 45 students from the Oxon Hill choir, which has performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, the White House and venues overseas.

In 2010 the students won the Stellar Gospel Music Award for Best Children’s Performance, and in 2012, it released a CD called “The Storm is Passing Over.”

“The kids are excited,” said Andrews, director of choir and choral studies at the high school. “It’ll be our first time at Strathmore. We feel it’s like the Kennedy Center.”

Andrews said the choir typically begins a performance with an a cappella spiritual, “so they know we can sing,”

TRIBE OF JUDAH

The Tribe of Judah church choir from Bowie will perform with two other choirs from Prince George’s County on Saturday at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. he said laughing.

A teacher for 37 years, Andrews said he doesn’t require his students to audition.

“I feel I am the scientist of the voice, and if they desire to sing, I have the desire to teach them,” said Andrews, who teaches everything from Vivaldi choral pieces to American musicals to the national anthems for Japan and South Africa.

Andrews said he also asks students to write a paper about whatever music they are learning.

“It’s part of interpreting the music and knowing about what they’re singing,” he said. “What was the writer’s culture, and why did they write this way?”

“When you see how the writer felt, you can better interpret the phrasing and why they put [an emphasis] in a certain place,” he said.

Tribe of Judah The Tribe of Judah choir has been in existence since the founding of the Victory Temple church in 1997.

Babajide, who is also a singer and pianist, earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka before emigrating to the United States in 1999.

“We’re honored and humbled to

be a part of this,” he said. “We hope to come together with other communities and other choirs.”

The Tribe of Judah choir typically numbers 25 to 35 members of the church, depending on whether musicians and students are performing, he said.

In December 2011 the choir was invited to sing at the annual Christmas tree lighting at the White House.

At Strathmore, the choir plans to sing a mix of contemporary and African songs, as well as original church songs.

The songs will be in English, but there may also be some phrases in Yoruba, the language of Nigeria.

In 2010, Tribe of Judah released an EP called “Exalt,” said choir deputy and choir member Ariike Okanlawon.

“We’re doing more work on the project,” she said.

James E. Jordan, Jr. Adult Choir King said she’s been a member of the Refreshing Spring church in Riverdale since she was 9 years old.

She grew up singing in the choir, took on directing duties for the young adult choir and five years ago became director of the adult choir, which is named after the pastor, James E. Jordan, Jr. The choir has performed at the Kennedy Center and last year sang on

the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, For the Strathmore concert, the 65-member group plans to sing some spirituals along with traditional and contemporary gospel songs.

Principal of the James Madison Middle School in Upper Marlboro, King said appreciation of gospel music is alive and well among the younger generation.

“There are contemporary artists who appeal to youth,” she said, mentioning names such as Tye Tribbett, Jonathan Nelson, Anthony Brown and Kierra Sheard.

“There are different genres of gospel music, and they’re really growing — there’s even gospel rap and gospel go-go,” she said.

Many appreciate gospel music as a form of entertainment, but it also continues to serve a religious purpose at churches, where music is very much a part of the mission.

“Whatever comes, whatever the obstacles are in 2014, God is there, and you can have hope and faith in him,” King said. “We want to uplift the audience and show there is hope and faith in God.” vterhune@gazette.net

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AT THE MOVIES

‘Labor Day’: Joyce Maynard novel loses credibility on screen MICHAEL PHILLIPS

BY

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The thesis of “Labor Day,” taken from Joyce Maynard’s novel, was summed up well by The Washington Post headline affixed to the Post’s book review: “Sometimes it’s okay to pick up a scary drifter.”

LABOR DAY n 2 stars n PG-13; 111 minutes n Cast: Josh Brolin, Kate Winslet, Gattlin Griffith, Clark Gregg n Directed by Jason Reitman

In the fictitious town of Holton Mills, N.H., 13-year-old Henry has become the emotional caretaker for his depressed, agoraphobic single mother, Adele. Numerous miscarriages have eroded her sense of stability; monthly trips to the local supermarket are all she can handle. On one of those shopping trips, Henry’s confronted by a prison escapee, Frank, who is bleeding from the gut (he escaped during surgery), and is looking for a place to lie low for a while.

Half-threateningly, half-reasonably, he persuades Adele to aid in his plan.

Over an eventful and sun-dappled Labor Day weekend, Frank reveals himself to be the honor-bound, charismatic handyman of Adele’s dreams.

He teaches Henry to throw a baseball.

He teaches a wheelchair-bound neighbor kid to play baseball. He changes the oil in Adele’s station wagon. And in the

most solemnly cringe-worthy scene of the new movie year, Frank pries open Adele’s and Henry’s love-starved hearts with his stunning kitchen skills, as he bakes his newfound makeshift family a peach pie with a crust so flaky and filling so photogenically luscious, it’s as if he has become the star of his own show: “Top Chef, Convicted Murderer Division.”

We can buy a lot in fiction, on the page. The movies make romantic balderdash easier to swallow in some ways but tougher in others. Writer-director Jason Reitman’s studious adaptation of “Labor Day” has too much taste and high-minded respect for Maynard’s book to play up the pulpy exploitation angle. So we’re left with some first-rate actors doing what they can to fill every sensually fraught glance with trace elements of human character.

Kate Winslet has such sound and reliable dramatic instincts (That Face doesn’t hurt, either) she very nearly makes something of Adele. Josh Brolin lets his mellow, insinuating voice do the heavy lifting as tight-lipped Frank, a hunky amalgam of Shane and a drifter out of an William Inge play. Gattlin Griffith is young Henry, in the throes of confused adolescence; Toby Maguire provides the voice-overs as older Henry, looking back at the Labor Day weekend of his youth, when an escape to Canada was on the horizon and his feelings regarding Frank, and Henry’s amiable but distant birth father (Clark Gregg), made for some serious soul-searching.

Reitman has made his considerable name on a peppy, slick brand of comedy, beginning with the gently satiric “Thank You for Smoking,” moving on

Sharing the wealth:

American craft beer exports on the rise As other countries discover the creative talents and brewing prowess of American craft beers, the industry has witnessed a stupendous growth in exports.

In 2012, American craft beer

BREWS BROTHERS STEVEN FRANK AND ARNOLD MELTZER exports increased by 72 percent to almost 190,000 barrels, the equivalent to the ninth largest craft brewery. Almost half the exports are to Canada followed surprisingly by Sweden and then Great Britain. Beer exports also are going throughout Europe, the Far East, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

Exports, however, are not a major part of most U.S. brewery sales. In virtually all cases, the percent of total sales is less than 5 percent and usually under 2 percent. There are exceptions, most notably Brooklyn Brewery which expects to export 25 percent of its projected production of over 200,000 barrels in 2013 to 20 countries. Brooklyn’s General Manager Eric Ottaway said that “selling beer in France isn’t much different than selling beer in Oklahoma.”

The earliest craft beer exports came about by chance. In 1985, Jim Koch, founder of the Boston Beer Co., was called by a friend living in Munich who ventured that “Boston Lager is better than anything in Germany,” so Koch sent Boston Lager to Germany. Almost a decade later, Rogue Brewery became the second craft exporter when an American expatriate living in Sapporo, Japan, met with Rogue founder Jack Joyce and convinced him to sell beer there.

Rogue now exports to 32 countries, probably more than any other American craft brewery.

The reasons breweries export vary. Sierra Nevada started exporting their beers to England in order to “protect our trademark, quality and integrity” from bootleggers. Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery has a similar story that “we know a gray market exists for our beers overseas and these have not been handled up to our quality standards. We decided to take control of our exports.”

Brooklyn Brewery began seriously exporting beer in 2005 after Carlsberg gave brewmaster Garrett Oliver an award, and this relationship evolved to Carlsberg becoming the Brook-

lyn importer. Deschutes started exporting to Canada after many Canadian visitors asked where their beers were available.

Breweries have different experiences about which styles to export. “IPAs are hot in every country,” according to Deschutes. Rogue has similar experiences as do several other breweries. On the other hand Brooklyn Lager accounts for about 80 percent of Brooklyn’s export sales, much higher than their domestic sales. Boston Lager also is Boston Beer’s most requested style.

Among the more popular exports are: • Samuel Adams Boston Lager (4.9 percent alcohol by volume, ABV) is brewed by the Boston Beer Co. It has a an earthy, bready and malty nose with a hint of noble hops. The slightly effervescent front has a light bready sweetness which continues in the middle. A mild floral hop is added in the finish which increases in the aftertaste of this crispy and refreshing brew. Ratings: 7.5/7.5.

• Dead Guy Ale (6.6 percent ABV) is produced at the Rogue Ales brewery in Newport, Ore., and is Rogue’s best selling export. This Hellerbock style brew has a caramel, apricot and faint berry bouquet. The modest sweet caramel malt front melds into a middle where a trace of sweet berry is added. A touch of bitter hops emerges in the finish and grows to medium in the aftertaste where there is a lingering caramel malt. Ratings: 8/8.

• Torpedo Extra IPA (7.2 percent ABV) is made by the Sierra Nevada Brewing in Chico, Calif.

Torpedo, Sierra Nevada’s highest exported IPA and a well balanced and smooth brew, has a robust grapefruit hop aroma.

The moderate malt front is joined by a muted citrus hop with notes of lemon and grapefruit in the middle. The hops elevate in the finish and again in the aftertaste to a balanced medium bitterness. Ratings: 7/7.5.

• Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale (8 percent ABV) has a complex nose of apricot, lemon, pepper and melon. Very smooth, the medium-bodied Tank 7 begins with a restrained lemon and melon sweet front. A pinch of pepper joins in the middle and a pleasant grapefruit combines in the finish. In the aftertaste the grapefruit increases to medium, with a delicate bitterness, a mild dryness, and a hint of alcoholic warmth. Ratings: 8.5/8

PHOTO BY DALE ROBINETTE

(From left) Kate Winslet is Adele and Josh Brolin is Frank in “Labor Day,” written for the screen and directed by Jason Reitman. to “Juno” and “Up in the Air,” though others prefer the meaner edge of his recent “Young Adult.” “Labor Day” is Reitman’s fifth feature and his first tonal

misfire. For all his skills, Reitman hasn’t fully mastered the director’s most important tool: the B.S. detector. If he had, he wouldn’t have allowed composer

Rolfe Kent to lard the film’s pie-baking sequence with the most egregiously sensitive solo guitar lines ever heard outside a freshman dorm room.

Gazette Health 2014 Special Issue featuring

Senior Health Children’s/Family Health Women’s/Men’s Health in partnership with local hospitals

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Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

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Page B-7

AT THE MOVIES

‘That Awkward Moment’: Sex and the city and three bros BY

MICHAEL PHILLIPS CHICAGO TRIBUNE

More grating than peppy, the Manhattan-set romantic comedy “That Awkward Moment” proceeds as a series of awkward moments in search of a premise and a protagonist a little less stupid.

Zac Efron bed-hops around as writer-director Tom Gormican’s narrator/hero. He’s a graphic designer whose life is one long hookup interrupted by beers and shots and trash-talk and Xbox with guy friends. This lady-killer, meant to be fetchingly blase on the surface and a fine fellow underneath, comes off like such a pluperfect egotist, you find yourself rooting for everyone but him.

The casting exacerbates matters. The film stars Efron and co-stars several other youngish performers more interesting and wittier than Efron.

We could start that list with Mackenzie Davis, a genuine talent with unpredictable comic timing and a self-effacing quality. We could move on to Miles Teller (demeanor of a Cusack, voice like Jonah Hill, but with his own thing), lately of “The Spectacular Now.” Or to Michael B. Jordan of “The Wire” and “Fruitvale Station,” stuck playing a neutered tag-along to his horn-dog pals. Or to Imogen Poots, the woman who shakes Efron’s character out of his arrested adolescence.

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT n 2 stars n R; 94 minutes n Cast: Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Mackenzie Davis, Imogen Poots n Directed by Tom Gormican

Gormican’s gimmick goes like this. When Mikey, the Jordan character, gets dumped by his wife, Jason (Efron) and Daniel (Teller) make a vow with Mikey to stay single and horn-doggy forever. No serious relationships! But they all start falling for their respective special someones and then go to aggravating lengths to hide the fact they’re falling. The women are doormats, waiting for the men to grow up, or not.

It’s nice to see a movie in love with New York City, but “That Awkward Moment” sets such a low bar for Jason’s redemption it becomes a drag.

When Jason hits rock bottom, emotionally speaking, he fails to show up at his sort-of-girlfriend’s father’s funeral. Efron does his limited, earnest best to activate the drama inside the comedy, while everybody else practices their throwaway technique. The best scenes belong to Davis and Teller; they’re loose and truthfully awkward, as opposed to artificially so.

Zac Efron and Imogen Poots star in Focus Features’ “That Awkward Moment.”

PHOTO PAUL GORDON EMERSON

Company E returns to the U.S. for two nights with the world premiere of “POLVERE” by renowned Italian choreographer Walter Matteini and other dances in an evening of international voices and visions. Pictured are Jason Garcia Ignacio, Robert J. Priore and Julia Stiefel.

Many ‘VOICES’ The Washington, D.C.-based Company E will present “VOICES,” featuring choreography by artists from six countries and the world premiere of celebrated Italian choreographer Walter Matteini’s “POLVERE,” at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring. “VOICES” is Company E’s first concert in the U.S. in more than a year, during which time the company toured the globe, from Kazakhstan to Argentina, Spain, Italy and Tajikistan. For more information, visit montgomerycollege.edu/ cac. Visit companye.org.

I do...

Join us as we showcase everything Bridal on February 27th in our Prince George’s edition of the Gazette.

Share your offerings with the bride-to-be!

We will feature everything from the perfect venue, bridal boutiques, party favors to all that’s unique, fun and crazy.

Join us on this special day!

ADVERTISING DEADLINE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014 5PM

Call today 301-670-7100

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FOCUS FEATURES

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Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

RELIGION CALENDAR To submit a calendar item online, go to calendar.gazette. net and click on the submit button in the lower left-hand corner. To find an item, go to The Gazette’s home page at www. gazette.net. You can mail them to The Gazette, 13501 Virginia Manor Road, Laurel, MD 20707; fax, 240-473-7501. Items must be received by Wednesday to appear the following week.

FEB. 7 Sweetheart Charity Ball, 7 p.m.

to midnight, St. Ambrose Church, Fannon Hall, Cheverly. A potluck dinner and dance fundraiser to support the anti-human trafficking work of Fair Girls and Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services and Refugee Center. Cost: $20 per person. Contact sweetheartcharityball@gmail.com.

Matters of the Heart Women’s Conference, 7:30 p.m., RAWW-

WNation Ministry, 7752 Landover Road, Landover. Each year, the women’s ministry hosts the Matters of the Heart event to provide natural and biblical tools that will empower women to reach their fullest potential. This year’s conference will begin with a fashion show Friday night and conclude

JASMINE

Continued from Page B-1 literature and songs are still relevant and enjoyed almost 100 years later, we as a society don’t talk about that period enough.

“It’s like from Harriet Tubman to Martin Luther King and just skip everybody in between,” Guy said.

Jazz bassist Avery Sharpe, who has worked with Wynton Marsalis and Pat Metheny, wrote the original score for the show.

Guy said she felt extremely comfortable working with Sharpe.

“Avery and I have been friends for the last 30 years,” Guy said. “We met on a tour of a show called ‘Bubbling Brown Sugar.’ He’s such a soft-spoken genius. He’s a wonderful bass player, but also a brilliant com-

with classes and a keynote address Saturday. Cost: $25, adults (18 and older) and $15 (17 and younger, and seniors). Contact Charlenedudley@aol.com or knt19501@ yahoo.com.

FEB. 8 Christian Writer’s Critique Group, 9 to 11:30 a.m., Largo Com-

munity Church, 1701 Enterprise Road, Mitchellville. A critique and writing group that meets every second Saturday. Contact lrw941@verizon.net.

Heart Healthy Lecture, 11 a.m., Prince George’s Muslim Association, 9150 Lanham-Severn Road, Lanham. Dr. Malik will educate you about heart disease and how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Contact 301-459-4942, Ext. 1.

Community Spaghetti Dinner, 4 to 6 p.m., Christ Episcopal Church, 8710 Old Branch Ave, Clinton. Free will offering ($10 suggested). Contact 301-868-1330 or christchurchclinton@verizon.net.

Black History Gospel Celebration, 6 to 8 p.m., Hillcrest Heights

Community Center, 2300 Oxon Run Drive, Temple Hills. Learn gospel music’s role in black history. Performances from local church choirs with dancers will cap the evening. Refreshments

poser. He’s very sensitive and well-read on all that we’re doing, so he keeps things very authentic in the show. We’re having a ball because I’ve known him for so long.”

Guy will also host a masterclass on Saturday morning at Publick Playhouse, prior to her 8 p.m. show. She said the class, which is intended for advanced theater students, will focus on all aspects of her career — singing, dancing and acting.

“Whatever way I can get my message across is what I use,” Guy said. “I think it helps because I know what I’ve done – we could all read a book – but I know from my experiences what works and what doesn’t work. It works for me that I do pull from my life experience in television, film, stage, recording, all the wonderful teachers and men-

served. Contact 301-505-0896; TTY 301-206-6030.

FEB. 9 Let’s Talk About It, Then Act

To Stop Bullying, 1:15 to 3:45 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Hyattsville, 6201 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville. Free family and teen workshop. Light snacks and dinner served. Pre-register at 301-9276133 or email carterwilli@theisgrp.

ONGOING Women’s Bible Study, 9 to

11 a.m. every Thursday, Berwyn Baptist Church, 4720 Cherokee St., College Park. Study the book of Romans. Women of all ages are invited. Cost of $6.50 for textbook.

Contact 301-474-7117 or secretary@berwynbaptist.org.

Mount Rainier Christian Church will conduct Praisercise, a Chris-

tian exercise group meeting at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays at the church, 4001 33rd St., Mount Rainier. The exercise group will have exercise education about nutrition and more. Professional instruction from University of Maryland, College Park, kinesiology students and the program. Open to people of all ages and fitness levels. Free.

Call 301-864-3869 or visit www.

facebook.com/groups/praisercise/ or email brianpadamusus @ yahoo.com.

Largo Community Church is revising its fitness program, Mon-

days and Wednesdays, to include Latin-infused dance. Classes start at 7 p.m. and the fee is $5. The church is at 1701 Enterprise Road in Mitchellville. E-mail justfit4life @yahoo.com.

Body and Soul Fitness presents “I’m All In,” Bethany Community

Church, 15720 Riding Stable Road in Laurel. Sessions start with cardio/strength classes from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday, with a co-ed session from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. For more information, call Abby Dixson at 301-5491877, email abbyfitness@aol.com or visit www.bodyandsoul.org.

Touch of Love Bible Church, conducts weekly support group meetings for people who are separated or divorced, 11 a.m. every Saturday at the church, 13503 Baltimore Ave. in Laurel. Call 301210-3170.

Ladies Bible Study Class on the book of Esther, Maryland City

Baptist Church, 1:45 p.m. Tuesday afternoons at the church, 326 Brock Bridge Road in Laurel. Free nursery. Call Tammie Marshall at 301-498-3224 or visit mdcitybaptist @yahoo.com.

Free First Place 4 Health series, 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Berwyn

Baptist Church, 4720 Cherokee St. in College Park. Call 240-601-1640.

Anti-domestic violence and stalking support group meetings,

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday. Abigail Ministries offers the meetings in Hyattsville. Call 301277-3775 for exact location.

Maryland Family Christian Center’s Praise Dance Ministry, 7

p.m. Tuesdays at North Forestville Elementary School, 2311 Ritchie Road in Forestville. Ministry teaches people to dance. Call 240392-2633.

New Creation Church Bible study meetings, 7 p.m. Wednes-

the campaign.

“Child sex trafficking in our country has existed for many, many years,” Guy said. “Right now, with us knowing as much as we know, that we do not do any more to stop it is kind of where I’m coming from with I Am Not Yours. I want to promote awareness and talk about what is going on out there. It’s kind of a problem that’s swept under the rug.

“The Super Bowl is … a big one. That’s when they bring a

Urgent call for 50 prayer warriors, noon to 1 p.m. Monday

through Friday. Christian Outreach International Center calls for prayer warriors in intercessory prayer with Bishop Janie Carr at the church, 3709 Hamilton St. in Hyattsville. Call 301-927-1684.

Hidden Strengths Support Ministry Inc. Phone Line Prayer Ministry, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. every

Wednesday. Email requests to hssministryinc@aol.com. Call 202372-7716.

Victory Church International prayer services, 6 to 8 a.m. daily at

days at the Bladensburg High School auditorium, 4200 57th Ave. in Bladensburg. Sunday services are at 10 and 11 a.m.

the church, 9308 Allentown Road in Fort Washington. Call 301-4497706.

God’s Choice Christian Bookstore, 1454 Addison Road South in Capitol Heights. Call 301-499-5799 for information.

Friday and at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Sundays at the church, 8311 Old Branch Ave. in Clinton. Call 301877-7702.

New Broken Vessels Ministry Women’s Bible Study and Discussions, 9 a.m. every Friday at It’s

Vocalists/singers needed to harmonize “Inspirational Music,”

every Saturday at 8221 Cryden Way in Forestville. Call 301-5990932 or 301-219-4350.

Baha’i devotions, 10 to 11:30 a.m., first and third Sunday of

“The Super Bowl is … a big one. That’s when they bring a lot of children in to the major cities when there’s some big event going on and they actually sell these children for sex.” tors that I’ve had along the way … I kind of use my whole life to teach the class.”

When Guy is not performing, she spends her time as a spokesperson for the I Am Not Yours Campaign, which looks to put an end to sex trafficking, especially when it relates to children. Human trafficking has been in the news a lot lately, since the Super Bowl is “commonly known as the single largest human trafficking incident in the United States,” according to

every month. Breakfast served at 10 a.m. All are welcome. The devotions are at 14200 Livingston Road in Clinton. Call 703-380-7267.

lot of children in to the major cities when there’s some big event going on and they actually sell these children for sex.

I’m glad that people are talking about it now and I hope it’s the beginning of the end now that we know what’s going on and we’re aware of what’s going on.”

Guy has plenty to keep her busy for the foreseeable future.

She has a new movie “Big Stone Gap,” with Patrick Wilson, Ashley Judd and Whoopi Goldberg,

Heavens Best Healing and Deliverance Baptist Church revival services, 8 p.m. Monday through

Church on the Hill “School of Healing,” 3 to 5 p.m. the first and

third Sunday of each month at the A.D. Headen Chapel, Refreshing Spring Church, 6200 Riverdale Road in Riverdale. For registration information, call 301-333-0499.

coming out later this year. She will continue touring “Raisin’ Cane,” for the next three months and, after that, she has a book she’s writing that will be out in 2015.

Until then, she plans on putting on a tremendous show at the Publick Playhouse. Guy said she hopes the audiences walks away with a sense of pride for who they are as Americans.

“I hope they understand that sometimes giving voice to the voiceless also is through art, it’s through poetry, it’s through saying what is not popular, it’s for standing up for who we are as human beings and that’s what the Harlem Renaissance did for us as a country,” Guy said. “I think people will be surprised.” wfranklin@gazette.net

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

Page B-9

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

SILVER SPRING : Dwntwn Flower Ave. Unfurn 2br 1ba Apt. HOC Welcome $1250 202-246-1977

UPPR MARLBORO:

2BR, 2 FBA w/d, hrd flrs, nr Largo metro NS/NP $1400/neg incl wtr 703-953-5113

GERMANTOWN

on WSSC’s Dispute Resolving Board (DRB) for a two-year term.

GERM: Male 1Br in The DRB reviews customer disputes of unpaid water/sewer bills TH Share bath & and issues rulings on the disputes. Training and staff support will kitchen $450 ut inc Nr be provided by WSSC.

MARC/Buses, Ref’s Req. 240-370-2301

HYATTSVILLE: Rm

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

LAUREL: 1Br furn, GERMAN: HOC

Welcome 3 lvl TH, 3br, 2.5ba nr 270/shops $1699/mo avail now Call: 301-906-0870

MV/GAITH: Huge 4lvl

3Br 2.5Ba TH w/FP. Newly renov. 2100 sf, NS, NP. $1750 + utils.

301-990-9294

COLLEGE PARK

Lovely SFH 3BR, 2.5BA, hdwd flrs, SS appls, granite, W/D, cent AC, gar, walk to metro, NS $2200/mo + dep Avail 3/1. Call 240-461-8884.

2 BRs V A L E N T I N E S LAUREL: FOR w/priv Ba in TH w/util SHOPPING incl: (1) Mbr Suite, Y O U ! $825 (1) Lrg rm $575 Let me do your Valentinr Mall 240-533-8053 nes day shopping for you. Card"s, flowers.

SILVER SPRING: wines, you name it I Room avail Mar.1st am a personal $550 w/private bath shopper with shared kitch & utils, years of personal shopW/D 301-404-2681 ping experince, so SS: NEW 1BR Apt 1st make a list. Send to floor private ENT, KIT, (ptheevangelist@gmai Be ready BA, PARKING. $1100 l.com) make him quiet and Sunny! call to or her happy. Phone 301-879-2868 (301-283-1029)

TAKOMA

PARK:

Rooms for rent $750 each, shrd bath util incl. All furn! Near metro. 240-421-6689

BELTSVILLE: Room in SFH, share Ba & kit,CATV/int/utl all incl $450/mo, nr I95, bus & shops 202-340-2559

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

BOWIE: Furn rm in SFH, $550/mo utils incl Free Cable. Available March 1st! Call: 301-509-3050

WHEATON: 2 BD in

w/ priv ba in SFH for female only $650/m util incl.mins to AAFB 3018560849 after 6pm

A minimum of four customers is needed to serve on the DRB panels, which will meet approximately once a month (TBD) at WSSC’s Headquarters Building, located on Sweitzer Lane in Laurel, Maryland. WSSC reimburses for mileage and dependent care.

Contact: Mpande Musonda-Langley at 301-206-8840.

(2-5, 2-6-14)

in apt, shrd Ba, W/D, nr 295, shops $600 inc util, + free CTV, pls call : 301-793-8882

WASHINGTON DC: Brentwood NE,

CLINTON- Furn bdrm

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Mature Male, Furn Seeks Customers to Serve Dispute Resolving Board BRs. Util not incl. Near 61 Bus Line. Maria WSSC is seeking enthusiastic, detail-oriented customers to serve 240-671-3783

SFH Share Bath, NP, NS. $500 and $600, Util incl . Call 240271-3901

WHEATON:

On Georgia Ave. 1 MBR w/prvt ba. $650 util incl Nr Metro & Shops.

Npets 240-441-1638

FUNDRAISER: The

Capitol Steps @ Montgomery Blair High School !! Support Blair After Prom Party via this fun community event! DATE: Sun, F e b r u a r y . 2 3 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Tickets: only $30 (less than same show downtown and Free Parking!); See Ms. Fus/Blair at Main Office or on-line @ brownpapertickets.co m

FOR SALE: Adora-

ble, Playful Healthy Male Yorkie Pup. Silky, toy pure bred. 3 months on Feb 5th 2014 Has shots. Please Call: 301-613-3322. $450

GE RMA NT OWN :

Indoor Sun Feb 9th 10-4 Many treasures!

Snow Blower, Wood Furn, Refrigerator,DJ Equipment, etc. 13807 Rockingham Rd.

CNA, Home Health Aides and Companions

Visiting Angels Homecare Agency of Prince George’s County. All applicants must have verifiable home health or institutional experience. We will accept new CNA graduates. For detailed job description go to www.gazette.net/careers. Apply Mon-Fri 9am to 4pm ONLY Visiting Angels 9701 Apollo Drive, Suite 297 Largo, Maryland 20774 Or call 301-583-8820 for interview

Groomer Horse care & barn maint. 35-40 hrs, $525/wkly. Temp/seasonal. LAUREL PARK RACE TRACK, Laurel, MD: 3/1/14-12/31/14 w/travel to NJ Racetracks. Equip & trans provided. Lodging avail. 4 post. Call Carlos 410-963-8387.

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

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

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.

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

VETERANS NEEDED Use your GI Benefits NOW for training in Healthcare.

JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE Offered.

Call Now 1-888-3958261 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

to advertise call 301.670.7100 or email class@gazette.net

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

GC3194

*$695 after January 31, 2014

TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE CALL 301-670-7100

Page B-10

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

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

Financial

TELLER/CLERK

Cash experience, typing skills, PC knowledge, HS Diploma or GED all required Call: 301-474-5900 Or apply at: 112 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD Or email resume to: greenbeltfcu@verizon.net

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

Looking for a change?

HVAC INSTALLATION MANAGER Needed for Bowie/ Crofton area. Top pay & benefits

Career Training Need to re-start your career?

No Calls!

Recruiting is now Simple!

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Local Companies Local Candidates

Email Resume & Salary Req. to: careers@belairen gineering.com

Ready to invest in your future?

Find valuable career training here and online.

GazetteJobs.net

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo

Automotive

Page B-11

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

4 NEED AUTO FINANCING ASSISTANCE? 4 TIRED OF HASSLES? 4 WANT A FRESH START? ALL APPLICATIONS REVIEWED WE HELP EVERYONE!

1-866-464-1618

FOR CAR !

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

G558500

YOU ALWAYS GET YOUR WAY AT OURISMAN EVERYDAY

$5,000 OFF

2013 Beetles & Beet Convertibles le 13 Available In Stock Units On ly

OURISMAN VW

2013 MODELS SALE

2014 JETTA S

#7380482, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

14,999

$

2014 PASSAT S #9009449, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP $22,765 BUY FOR

18,999

$

OR 0.9% for 60 MONTHS

2013 GTI 4 DOOR

#4116048, Automatic, Power Windows/ Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP $26,960 BUY FOR

#3096366, Automatic, Power Windows/Power Locks, Keyless Entry, Heated Seats, Bluetooth, Cruise Control

2014 PASSAT S 2.5L

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

MSRP $20,860

MSRP $17,810 BUY FOR

2013 GOLF 2 DOOR

22,955

$

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

BUY FOR

16,999

$

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

MSRP $22,765 BUY FOR

18,999

$

2013 BEETLE

2013 JETTA TDI

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

#7415025, Automatic Power Windows, Power Locks, Bluetooth

MSRP 24,490 - $5,000 OFF $

BUY FOR

19,490

$

OR 0% for 60 MONTHS

2014 PASSAT TDI SE

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

MSRP $27,385 BUY FOR

23,399

$

OR 0.9% for 60 MONTHS

MSRP $25,510 - $5,000 OFF

20,155 2014 TIGUAN S 4WD BUY FOR

$

#13543457, Automatic, Power Windows, Power Locks, Keyless Entry

MSRP $28,936

BUY FOR

24,999

$

OURISMAN VW WORLD AUTO CERTIFIED PRE OWNED 22 Available...Rates Starting at 2.64% up to 72 months

2011 Jetta Sedan......#V0019A, Gold, 47,603 miles................$12,491 2009 GTI..................#V551811A, White, 99,448 miles.............$12,991 2006 Dodge Charger. .#V007711A, Yellow, 65,873 miles........$14,491 2011 Toyota Corolla #VP0020, Black, 30,992 miles................$14,991 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 2013 Jetta SE............#V693295A, Red, 3,179 miles................$18,492 2011 CC.....................#VP0032, White, 36,116 miles................$18,991 2011 Honda CRV.....#V003776A, Gray, 37,086 miles..............$18,992

2011 Tiguan S..........#VPR0017, White, 32,529 miles..............$18,995 2011 CC.....................#VP0022, Black, 30,272 miles................$19,991 2013 Jetta SE...........#VPR0027, White, 6,101 miles...............$19,995 2013 Jetta SE............#VPR0030, Silver, 4,340 miles................$19,995 2011 Chrysler 200..#V006539A, Silver, 21,797 miles..............$20,995 2013 Passat S...........#VPR0026, Black, 6,891 miles................$20,995 2013 Beetle Conv...#V827637A, Black, 20,496 miles..............$21,991 2011 Ford Ranger...#V373771A, Black, 17,869 miles..............$21,995 2013 Passat SE........#VPR0029, White, 5,964 miles...............$23,999 2013 Passat SE........#VPR0028, White, 5,010 miles...............$23,999 2012 Routan SE......#VP0033, Maroon, 12,853 miles..............$24,991

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 02/28/14.

Ourisman VW of Laurel

Looking for a new convertible?

3371 Fort Meade Road, Laurel

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

G558496

G558498

EMAIL US AT BUILDMYCREDIT@JIMCOLEMANAUTO.COM OR CALL

CA H

Search Gazette.Net/Autos

Check out the Gazette’s auto site at Gazette.Net/Autos With 2 great ways to shop for your next car, you won’t believe how easy it is to buy a car locally through The Gazette. Check the weekly newspaper for unique specials from various dealers and then visit our new auto website 24/7 at Gazette.Net/Autos to search entire inventories of trusted local dealers updated daily.

Dealers, for more information call 301-670-7100 or email - class@gazette.net

Page B-12

Thursday, February 6, 2014 bo