BLUES POWER
&
Iconic rockers hit the road again with an impressive set list. B-3
The Gazette POTOMAC | NORTH POTOMAC
DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
25 cents
Calling all animal lovers:
New Montgomery shelter now open
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
Katherine Zenzano, a community outreach coordinator for the Montgomery County Police Animal Services Division, holds Lulu, a 5-year-old domestic shorthair cat at the new Montgomery County Animal Shelter in Gaithersburg. Lulu and another cat were surrendered because the owner had died.
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
(From left) The Revs. Zachary Dominguez, Dan Wilson and Michael Mullan, all priests at Our Lady of Bethesda Church in Potomac, take a walk along River Road in Potomac before heading back to Starbucks for hot chocolate Monday.
SNOWFALL:
Center prepared to care for dogs, cats, livestock, birds, reptiles n
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
Spencer, a 3-year-old Chihuahua mix, was frightened when he came to the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center as a stray on Feb. 26. Two days later, with the help of nurturing staff, he was comfortably gobbling up treats and excitedly licking his human admirers. Spencer is one of many animals moving into rooms at the new $20 million Derwood shelter, which opened on Sunday. The 49,160-square-foot facility at 7315 Muncaster Mill Road replaces the county animal shelter on Rothgeb Drive in Rockville, which is operated by the Montgomery County Humane Society. The county contracted with the Humane
See SHELTER, Page A-7
A helping hand, or two
A windfall for some, budget meltdown for many Some cursing, others enjoying winter’s icy grip n
BY
GAZETTE STAFF
Winter has wrought a meltdown on the budgets of many local governments, but for some businesses this year’s snowfall has been a windfall. Monday’s wintry blast, with about 4 to 8 inches falling throughout Montgomery County, was the latest blow. In Gaithersburg, there is little opportunity to save money on snow days because of the high cost of the city’s snow removal services and materials, according to City Manager Tony Tomasello. “True, the buildings are (mostly) dark and there are probably some reduced utilities, but there is little chance that offsets the overtime and materials (salt, sand, etc.) costs that come with a snow event,” Tomasello said in an email Monday. Even though some city services, such as recycling, were suspended Monday, Tomasello said it will most likely be rescheduled for Saturday, eliminating any savings. Poolesville has blown through its salt
A team of snowplows works its way down Md. 355 in Gaithersburg on Monday. budget this year. “The town annually budgets approximately $10,000 for salt. We have spent about $50,000 at this point,” Town Manager Wade Yost said. Those extra funds are coming from the town’s reserves, which total about $800,000 right now, he said. But town officials hope
BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
that Maryland’s declaration of a state of emergency for this year’s storms will help provide some state and federal reimbursements. The town of Kensington, responsible for 8.2 miles of town roads, was not as hard
See SNOWFALL, Page A-8
Parents to rally for school construction money Leggett and other leaders to join event and push for action in 2014
n GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE
Emma Fitch, 5, of Howard County receives a skating lesson from Ari Palttala of North Potomac on Sunday at Cabin John Ice Rink in Rockville. Children of parents with multiple sclerosis were treated to a free skating session at the rink Sunday, an event organized by Dreammakers, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit support organization for children of parents who have multiple sclerosis. Emma’s mother has MS, as does Palttala’s wife.
BY KATE S. ALEXANDER AND LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITERS
As Maryland lawmakers brace for a potential multiyear battle on school construction funding, the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations
SPORTS
HEALING THROUGH BASKETBALL
Teressa French
Covenant Life community uses basketball to work out grief of two deaths in three days.
B-1
will rally this week to make sure Maryland’s General Assembly knows just how big Montgomery’s overcrowding problem has become. Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, County Council President Craig L. Rice, school board President Philip Kauffman and Public Schools Superintendent Joshua P. Starr are expected to headline the Thursday evening rally in Annapolis and make the case for Montgomery. Leggett (D) said the program sought
Automotive Calendar Celebrations Classified Entertainment Opinion School News Sports Please
RECYCLE
by his county, as well as Prince George’s and Baltimore counties, would establish a steady, predictable stream of state money to leverage borrowing for school construction, similar to the program created last year to provide money to Baltimore City for school construction. Legislation proposed by Montgomery County delegation leaders creates the Supplemental Public School Construction
See MONEY, Page A-8
B-10 A-2 A-10 B-7 B-3 A-11 A-9 B-1
Check out our Services Directory ADVERTISING INSIDE B SECTION
1906257