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The Gazette POTOMAC | NORTH POTOMAC
DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
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Citizens group resurrected North Potomac volunteers revive moribund association
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PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
When reports of the imminent demise of the North Potomac Citizens Association got out, North Potomac
citizens got moving. Several volunteered to fill empty spots on the board and take on the roles needed to keep the association alive. With a revamped slate of officers and seven board members, the group held it first meeting Thursday since then-President Dan Drazan said the association would fold last Dec. 31 because of lack of leadership.
Potomac students earn green thumbs
Drazan, who was president for six years, said in November that he was retiring from the group because it was time for him to move on to other things. He also said the other two board members, Vice President Rick Terselic and Secretary Julie Krieger, wanted to spend time on other pri-
Association recognizes integrated approach to environmental education
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See CITIZENS, Page A-12
PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
From writing on both sides of sheets of paper to collecting rain for their butterfly garden, Potomac schoolchildren are learning lifelong green habits. The children attend six area schools that have been recognized for their educational programs and activities showing their commitment to environmental education and sustainable practices. They were among those named Maryland Green Schools by the
Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education on May 13. Bells Mill, Cold Spring and Potomac elementary schools in Potomac, plus Jones Lane Elementary School in North Potomac all received the certification for the first time. Geneva Day School in Potomac and Travilah Elementary School in North Potomac received recertification. “The awards program is looking at an integrated approach to environmental education,” said Laura Johnson Collard, executive director of the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education.
See GREEN, Page A-12
What’s next? Ask Liz NBC4 consumer reporter Crenshaw retires after 34 years in television
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Flawless BY JULIE ZAUZMER THE WASHINGTON POST
To write a Torah, a scribe must pen 304,805 Hebrew letters using a feather quill on sheepskin parchment — without making a single mistake. Forget autocorrect. Even one error would invalidate the whole text, making it unfit for use in a Jewish house of worship, according to custom. So completing a Torah is a cause
PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
For holy text, Potomac man wrote 304,805 letters without a single mistake
for celebration. Completing one as an amateur is almost unheard of. Richard Epstein, 74, a psychiatrist and a member of Chabad of Potomac, did just that on Sunday. He inked in the final letters of the scroll that took him eight years to write, an accomplishment that was marked by singing, dancing, and wonderment at the synagogue.
See TEXT, Page A-12
Liz Crenshaw, NBC4’s consumer reporter, has shared her last piece of advice with Washington area viewers. She is scheduled to sign off on Wednesday, retiring from television after 34 years at the station. “Its time for me to put down the microphone and see what else there is for me to do, what else there is to accomplish,” Crenshaw, a former Potomac resident,
Above: Richard Epstein (wearing sunglasses) and Rabbi Mendel Bluming carry the Torah on Sunday. Below: Rivky Bluming, 7, and her brother Levi, 6, watch as Epstein puts the finishing touches on the Torah.
Bethesda’s, others open Saturday through Labor Day n
BY
ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITER
Montgomery County-operated outdoor pools are scheduled to open Saturday, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. The Bethesda Outdoor Pool at Little Falls Parkway and Hillandale Road is expected to see about 89,000 visitors this season, according to Judy Stiles, spokeswoman for the county’s recreation department. This summer, the county’s seven outdoor pools are expected to draw more than 1 million visits, Stiles said. The number of people out for a swim at any particular facility depends on how popular that particular pool is and, of course, the weather. “On the hotter days, those pools will fill to capacity; on the
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DRUG COURT Program helps adult criminals kick substance habits.
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QO PUTS ITS STAMP ON THE NFL Three graduates from 2007 state title team sign deals with teams.
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See CRENSHAW, Page A-12
Everybody in the pool
PHOTOS BY KATHERINE FREY/ THE WASHINGTON POST
SPORTS
said. She said she is a woman of accomplishment, one who always knew what came next. “I’ve always known exactly what I’m going to do next. I graduated from high school number one in my class and then it was college. Everything was very clear” she said. “I’ve had a very programmed life. I’ve never been spontaneous about anything.” Now though, she said, she really does not have a plan. She just knows it’s time to leave television and... “I want to be open to whatever happens,” she said.
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cooler days, we’ll have closer to 1,000 [visitors],” Stiles said. With mostly clear skies expected and temperatures forecast in the 70s to about 80 through Monday, the pools could be busy this weekend. Admission to any of the pools is $7 on weekends and $4 Monday through Friday for youth under 18 years old who live in the county. For adults, admission is $8 on weekends and $6 weekdays for residents. Admission is good for the whole day. Summer pool passes also are available. The Bethesda outdoor pool is open noon to 6 p.m. weekends and Memorial Day starting Saturday through June 13. Hours expand starting June 14; then, the pool is open noon to 8 p.m. on weekends and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays. Pools do close at 6 p.m. July 4, however. Hours are reduced again Aug. 18 through Labor Day.
See POOL, Page A-12
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