THE FATE OF JUDAS
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Forum Theatre celebrates 10th season with production of biblical trial. B-5
The Gazette GAITHERSBURG | MONTGOMERY VILLAGE
DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
25 cents
Bluegrass and barbecue take center stage
Family time
Aaron Rosenzweig, his wife Jen-Lien Fang and their children Akiva Rosenzweig, 8, and Rachel Rosenzweig, 10, use the Quattrocycle to go from school to their home on May 22.
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IF YOU GO n When: Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday n Where: Olde Towne, at the intersection of Summit and Diamond avenues
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
DAVIS
STAFF WRITER
Aaron Rosenzweig and his wife, Jen-Lien Fang, pick up their two children from school at the end of the day. But unlike other parents, they don’t drive or walk to get there. They pedal. The Gaithersburg family travels around the city on a Quattrocycle, a
four-wheel bike that can accommodate up to seven people. Four riders can pedal each in their own adjustable seat and with a gear shift. The cycle also has electric assist. “I used to ride my bike to work and the children wanted to ride bikes with me, too, but there’s not a lot of places I feel comfortable riding with them,” said Rosenzweig, pointing to his concerns
n Cost: Free
Gaithersburg residents will pour into the streets of Olde Towne on Sunday when the city hosts the 32nd annual Celebrate! Gaithersburg festival. Bluegrass music, barbecue food and other activities will take over near the intersection of Summit and Diamond avenues from noon to 5 p.m., where nearly 20,000 people are expected to gather, according to Lauren Neal, a recreation program coordinator for the city.
Gaithersburg family hits the pavement in Quattrocycle BY JENN
Thousands of attendees expected at Celebrate! Gaithersburg
that children can accidentally veer into road traffic while riding and often can’t keep up with the pace of adult cyclists. After much Internet research, Rosenzweig discovered a company in the Netherlands called Quattrocycle. Knowing that buying in bulk would help defray shipping costs,
n More information: 301258-6350 or parksrec@ gaithersburgmd.gov
“For me, it celebrates our community and hopefully brings people out from different cultures and different backgrounds to come and meet each other and have fun at City Hall,” she said.
See FESTIVAL, Page A-11
Cougars let out final roar Quince Orchard High School boys celebrate their graduation on May 28. Back row: Ben Brown, Tobin Pagley, Colin Jones, Sam Shin, Andrew Fink and Bradley Walker. Front row: Johnny Jung, Sam Gurowitz and Nate Myers.
See QUATTROCYCLE, Page A-11
Note to readers
Dear readers,
You may have noticed some changes in your newspaper lately. The Gazette built its loyal readership by providing news and information about neighborhoods, schools, businesses and communities, and as the media industry has evolved, we realized we must return to these roots in a meaningful way. Over the last several months, we’ve refocused on publishing extremely local community news. As part of the changes we’re implementing, beginning June 18, The Gazette will consolidate from eight editions to five in Montgomery County. All five will feature much more content spe-
cific to the communities we serve. As we increase the number of newsstand locations to make sure The Gazette is available in high-traffic public locations, we will discontinue home delivery in some areas of the county. Other homes may begin receiving a different edition of The Gazette. Our five editions in Montgomery County will continue to be a mix of home delivery and newsstand delivery to meet the needs of our readers and advertisers. If you no longer find the newspaper at the end of your driveway, you may choose to have it delivered to your mailbox by subscribing for $29.99 a year. Of course, you can still pick up The Gazette free at supermarkets,
drugstores, libraries and many other convenient locations. Beginning June 18, to subscribe or to find the paper free near you, visit Gazette.Net, where you can also view the print editions free online. As The Gazette stands committed to being a trusted provider of community news and advertising in Montgomery County, we rely on you, our loyal readers and advertisers, to let us know how we’re doing. We look forward to serving you for many years to come.
Sincerely, Karen Acton CEO, The Gazette
PAIGE PAGLEY
Homeowners, businesses may get tax credit for reducing asphalt City officials looking to incentivize green practices n
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
Gaithersburg homeowners could pay less taxes if they do things like swapping asphalt for another impervious surface.
The city is considering a new policy that would encourage property owners to invest in a stormwater management system by giving them a break on the fee they pay toward that program. Assistant City Manager Dennis Enslinger and two representatives of AMEC Environment & Infrastructure of Johnson City, Tenn., presented information about a potential credit policy for property owners to the City
SPORTS
NEWS
FINDING SUCCESS ON TWIN PATHS
FAREWELL TO COACH
Watkins Mill assistant track coach dies from apparent heart attack.
Colons helped lead their respective Gaithersburg High teams.
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B-1 Volume 55, No. 23, Two sections, 36 Pages, Copyright © 2014 The Gazette
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Council at its May 27 meeting. Since the start of the year, city staff and officials have discussed making several changes to the stormwater management program, which is being based upon anticipated state permit requirements that the municipality will need for its storm drain system. A new billing model for the stormwater fee will be implemented, and the idea behind it is to bill private owners
based on every 500 square feet of impervious surface on their property, rather than the city’s current “Equivalent Residential Unit” model, which is assessed on all single-family and townhome residences on a flat cost basis. Detached single-family homes now pay $92.60 per year and townhomes are charged $30.56 annually, regardless of the amount of impervi-
Automotive Calendar Classified Community News Entertainment Celebrations Opinion Sports Please
ous surface on the property. The estimated yearly charge under the proposed program for a 2,500-square-foot single-family home — the median size of homes in the area — is between $77 and $83. Under the proposed policy, residential homeowners could receive a 50 percent reduction of that fee if they
See TAX CREDITS, Page A-11
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