CONCERNS County resolving Beazer Home complaints. A-3
The Gazette
NEWS: Fireworks display ends the Germantown Glory celebration. A-4
GERMANTOWN | CLARKSBURG
NEWS: Three artists bring their bold colors to BlackRock’s gallery. A-4
DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
25 cents
Developer to spend $7.5M in town center Murphy’s Grove pond to get fishing pier, sidewalks, benches n
BY
VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER
Mexican painter Frida Kahlo will come to life in a free living-history performance on Friday at Montgomery College Germantown as part of the Maryland Humanities Council’s annual Chautauqua series. Interpreting Kahlo’s life and work will be Silver Spring performer Marian Licha.
Clarksburg Town Center residents who live near Murphy’s Grove pond should soon see significant improvements in their neighborhood, following a settlement announced July 2 between Montgomery County and a developer. Work by the Newland Co. that’s valued at $7.5 million is due to start immediately on brick sidewalks in the area, as well as landscaping, benches and a fishing pier at the pond west of Stringtown Road, according to a county news
See PROJECT, Page A-9
PHOTO BY MARYLAND HUMANITIES COUNCIL
Spotlight on history n
Through actors, O’Keeffe, Dickinson, Kahlo visit Montgomery College BY
VIRGINIA TERHUNE STAFF WRITER
Audiences can step back in time to meet three famous, ground-breaking women of the arts during this week’s Chautauqua series of free living-history performances at Montgomery College Germantown. Called “Creative Women: Breaking the Mold,” the series highlights American modernist painter Georgia O’Keeffe on Wednes-
day, Massachusetts poet Emily Dickinson on Thursday and Mexican painter Frida Kahlo on Friday. “The focus [this year] is on three creative, strong women,” said Judy Dobbs, program officer for Maryland Humanities Council based in Baltimore. “Arts and literature – we feel it’s a rich theme.” This is the Council’s 20th year of presenting Chautauqua performances, which evolved much earlier from a Methodist summer retreat on Lake Chautauqua in upstate New York in 1874. The initial religious lectures and educational programs grew in scope to also include talks about current issues in literature, politics, economics and
science. The Council performances are running to July 14 at venues around Maryland. Interpreting O’Keeffe’s life and work is college instructor and former news anchor Kelley Rouse of Salisbury. Bringing Dickinson to life is Germantown poet and performer MiMi Zannino, who also wrote her show. Zannino is poetin-residence for the Maryland State Arts Council and conducts poetry workshops for students and adults. Interpreting Kahlo’s life and work is performer Marian Licha of Silver Spring, who
See PERFORMANCE, Page A-9
Area taxi companies sue Uber n
Businesses say rival’s pricing system is illegal BY
ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER
A group of Maryland taxi companies and some of their drivers are suing Uber and some of its drivers who formerly were affiliated with the Checker Cab Association, saying Uber is illegally hurting their business. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in
See TAXIS, Page A-9
Group’s film will highlight ag reserve Montgomery Countryside Alliance raising money through crowdsourcing n
BY SARAH SCULLY STAFF WRITER
Caroline Taylor wants to show that Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve isn’t just a relic of past life outside of Washington, D.C., but an economic driver, home to many, and a gem of culture and history. She’s making a film to share the reserve’s stories and asking supporters to fund the final cuts through crowdsourcing site Indi-
INDEX Automotive Calendar Classified Entertainment Obituaries Opinion Sports
egogo. Taylor, executive director of Montgomery Countryside Alliance, the organization producing the film, wants to show the relevance of this rare expanse of undeveloped land that, as sheep farmer Lee Langstaff pointed out, is only 30 miles from Dupont Circle. Langstaff, who moved from Georgetown to Comus in 1998 to raise sheep, is one of many highlighted in the upcoming film. After gathering about 30 hours of footage over the last two years, Taylor and her team are in the post-production phase, trying to cull interviews into a 30-minute film that they aim to finish by the end of August and
premiere shortly thereafter. As of July 8, the campaign had raised $2,475 from 40 supporters, toward a goal of $20,000 by the time the campaign ends on Aug. 5. Depending on how much supporters donate, they receive different levels of gifts or benefits, ranging from products from local farms, to VIP tickets to the film premiere, to a personalized tour of area farms. Taylor hopes that the film can help more people understand the reserve’s relevance to the rest of the county, in growing food and contributing to the economy.
See FILM, Page A-9
SPORTS B-6 A-2 B-5 B-8 A-7 A-9 B-1
Clarksburg teacher, former student takes over as coach of the girls soccer team.
B-1
Volume 31, No. 28, Two sections, 32 Pages Copyright © 2014 The Gazette
Please
RECYCLE
July 17, 2014 1934308
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
Lee Langstaff bottle feeds one of the baby sheep she keeps on a farm owned by her brother. Langstaff was interviewed for a film about the agricultural reserve being made the Montgomery Countryside Alliance.