CLEANUP Sewage leak fixed in creek at state park. A-6
The Gazette
NEWS: Eagle Scout from Sandy Spring takes mission global. A-8
SPORTS: Gaithersburg High boys basketball player grows into a new sport. B-1
GAITHERSBURG | MONTGOMERY VILLAGE DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Lighting up the night Sounds of music, fireworks to fill the air at city’s July 4 celebration BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
The stars and stripes will wave proudly when the city of Gaithersburg hosts a spirited Independence Day celebration on July 4 at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Live music will fill the air throughout the event, with performances by Elizabeth, Phil & Chris at 5:30 p.m. and Lloyd Dobler Effect at 7 p.m. Strolling entertainers and family friendly activities — like balloon creations, magic tricks and juggling — will
also add to the celebration. A fireworks display will light up the sky after dark. Thousands of people are expected to attend the event at 16 Chestnut St. in Gaithersburg. Gates open at 5 p.m. and admission is free. “The city of Gaithersburg’s Independence Day celebration is fun for the entire family with games and entertainment for all ages,” said Andi Rosati, the city’s senior recreation program supervisor. “Lots of delicious food
See FIREWORKS, Page A-9
25 cents
Katz victory surprises other candidates Spiegel and Moore, primary losers, plan to continue as city councilmen
n
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
The Montgomery County Council District 3 race was expected to be a close battle between three municipal officials, but as the election results streamed in, one took a clear lead. Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz earned 40.9 percent of the vote and the opportunity to take over Councilman Philip M. Andrews’ seat on the council. Andrews ran for the Democratic nomination for county executive and lost to incumbent Isiah Leggett. The other contenders, Rockville Councilman Tom Moore and Gaithersburg Councilman Ryan Spiegel, drew 33.2 and 22.5 percent of the vote, respectively. Spiegel said he was surprised by the breakdown of votes given the strength of his campaign, but he was content knowing that he put forward as much effort as possible. “...[A}t the end of the day, I know we ran the best race we possibly could, stayed positive, and left it all out on the field,” he wrote in an email to The Gazette. The election’s low voter turnout — 16.6 percent countywide — is likely to have had a heavy impact on the outcome of the race, Spiegel said. He also thought some of Moore’s campaign tactics could have affected the results. Moore “embraced a decidedly negative tone in the final few weeks, sending mailers that unfairly attacked me and trying to pit the City of Rockville against the other areas of the district,” he wrote.
See ELECTION, Page A-9
At-home school program may be in for big changes City brainstorms ideas for new park property Nature center, multipurpose field, indoor sports complex among suggestions n
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
Gaithersburg is determining how to proceed with redevelopment of its recently acquired former Consumer Product Safety Commission laboratory testing facility site. City officials and staff toured the 9.54-acre parcel Monday evening and began discussing how the space could be used as a recreational area. The site is at 10901 Darnestown Road, surrounded by the Washingtonian Woods neighborhood. Nine buildings — many of them moldy and crumbling — and a guard house currently sit on the land. Assistant City Manager Dennis Enslinger said staff is recommending that the city demolish all of the existing structures with the exception of a large warehouse, which was built in 2003 and is the newest building.
INDEX Automotive Calendar Classified Entertainment Obituaries Opinion Sports
1934305
NEWS B-10 A-2 B-6 B-11 A-8 A-10 B-1
2013 FILE PHOTO
Gaithersburg officials are considering how to use the former Consumer Product Safety Commission lab testing facility on Darnestown Road.
Council members had several ideas regarding potential uses for the property. Councilman Henry Marraffa talked about adding picnic pavilions and a multipurpose field for sports games. The warehouse could be transformed into an indoor sports complex, he said. “That way you can have an area that people
Affects services for those with physical, emotional, disciplinary problems BY
LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
can come and use,” he said. Councilwoman Cathy Drzyzgula said previoustalkaboutconstructinganaturecentercould lend to having an environmental education focus on the site, where supervised groups, such as school classes and summer camps, could visit. Councilman Jud Ashman wasn’t quite sure how he thought the land should be used. “I’d be interested to see different options laid out based on the need in this particular area of the city,” he said. Enslinger said the next step is to establish an ad hoc committee comprising neighbors, residents and staff to figure out how best to redevelop the site. He also said staff will come back before the City Council in the near future to present a timetable for committee meetings and decisions. A Nike missile control center was first constructed on the property in 1955, functioning as a radar tracking site for the off-site Nike launch area nearby. The Consumer Product Safety
Montgomery County Public Schools is trying to improve its program for instructing students who can’t get to school for physical, emotional or disciplinary reasons. School officials say the current approach is outdated and insufficient. Plans for changes to the Interim Instructional Services program include personalized learning plans, various ways for students to take part in lessons, and a focus on students’ social and emotional well-being, said Ursula Hermann. Hermann was director of the school system’s department of student services before she retired on Monday. Hermann told the county school board on Monday that it’s necessary to update the current model, which was created many years ago, and to do a better job on services that keep students engaged and current. “This is about them. This is about what they need,” Hermann said. “This is about what special conditions they bring to the table. This is about how we help them stay engaged in really meaningful instruction, even if they can’t be in the school building.”
See PARK, Page A-9
See PROGRAM, Page A-9
FULFILLING A GREAT NEED Clinics provide health care to needy minority residents.
A-5
n
Volume 55, No. 27, Two sections, 32 Pages Copyright © 2014 The Gazette
Please
RECYCLE