A VETERAN REFLECTS Former physician, 89, recalls D-Day, kamikaze attack A-13
The Gazette
A&E: “Colossal,” a play about life after a serious football injury, opens in Olney. B-5
ROCKVILLE | ASPEN HILL | POTOMAC | OLNEY DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
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Consultant: Rockville vital to bus system
Sixthgraders Chase Bell (left) and Lexi Peterson work together as they learn how to use their new Chromebooks on Thursday in Jason Volz’s social studies class at Rosa Parks Middle School in Olney.
Three major routes would run through city n
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RYAN MARSHALL STAFF WRITER
“differing site condition.” And that required new plans and new approvals, which created the delay, he said. However, it did not require notifying those affected by the delay, which led to frustration, anger and accusations of incompetence by residents. For example, on Thursday, one of them, Sam Striner, sent an email to Vernon Ricks, president of the Teversall Home-
Rockville will be an important cog as the county’s bus rapid transit system is developed, and decisions made by the mayor and City Council will have long-reaching ramifications for the entire system, according to a consultant for the project. “The decisions you make now do matter” and will shape development during the next 20 years or more, Jeff Boothe told the mayor and council at their meeting Monday night. Boothe and Rich Gold of Holland & Knight, a law firm with an office in Washington, D.C., briefed the mayor and council on potential strategies and things to keep in mind as the project develops. The firm provides consulting for the city on federal funding and legislative initiatives. Rockville is different from some other municipalities in the county, serving as both the county seat and a hub for development, Boothe said. Three of the planned corridors would affect Rockville: a 6-mile stretch between the Rockville and Wheaton Metro stations; a 14-mile route along Md. 355 from Clarksburg to Rockville; and a 9-mile route, also on Md. 355 from Rockville to Bethesda. The city’s Rockville Pike Plan also will affect the future of the county project, which calls for nearly 100 miles of high-capacity bus rapid transit along 10 corridors throughout the county. Once it’s completed, the Rockville Pike Plan will include information for the county and state on the city’s desires for the
See ROAD, Page A-11
See ROCKVILLE, Page A-11
DAN GROSS/ THE GAZETTE
A brave new cyber world Olney school among first to get Chromebooks in county inititative
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TERRI HOGAN STAFF WRITER
Back to school for sixth-graders and teachers at Rosa Parks Middle School in Olney means learning to use brand-new Chromebooks, as part of Montgomery County Public Schools’ classroom technology integration initiative.
The school system launched the initiative this year to place laptops and tablets in classrooms across the district. The program will put devices — mainly Google Chromebooks — in all grade 3, 5 and 6 classrooms this year, plus high school social studies classes. The goal is to use technology to enhance teaching and learning; create more opportunities to engage students in their education; and individualize instruction. The devices will be distributed in three waves during this school year, and addi-
tional grades and subjects will be added in future years. Rosa Parks was part of the initial rollout. The sixth-graders spent Thursday having orientation to the computers in each of their academic classes. “I think they are nice to have in class,” said sixth-grader Liam Johnson. “We can access information easily and it is more convenient since we don’t have to have a
See CYBER, Page A-11
Residents waiting to hit the road again Potomac project marred by delays, lack of communication, they say n
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SPORTS: Sherwood quarterback Neven Sussman shoulders the workload. B-1
PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
Residents of Newbridge Drive in Potomac and the surrounding neighborhoods are on either one side of the road or the other — literally. The road, which runs from
River Road to Democracy Boulevard, has been closed since the middle of June, dividing the neighborhood and sometimes forcing next-door neighbors to drive 2 or 3 miles to visit each other. The problem is a culvert construction project on Newbridge that was scheduled to start June 14 and take about six weeks to complete. Cabin John Creek runs through the culverts under the road.
“They tore the street up and just left it. Nobody was working [on it] all summer,” said Cathy Malament, a resident of the Teversall community that is transversed by the road. “It’s like we are a forgotten street, a forgotten neighborhood.” Not so, said Keith Compton, chief of highway services for the Montgomery County Department of Highways. The project did begin as scheduled, but soon ran into a problem, a
Olney chamber: No to bus rapid transit BY
TERRI HOGAN STAFF WRITER
The Olney Chamber of Commerce is saying no to a bus rapid transit system in town, which would run up and down Georgia Avenue from the Wheaton Metro station. The chamber drafted a resolution that it “strongly opposes the [bus rapid transit] design alternatives presented, except for the nobuild option.” The resolution was based on information gathered at the May 14 workshop hosted by the Maryland State Highway Administration, plus subsequent presentations by the State Highway Administration and Montgomery County Department of Transportation on June 9 at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center and July 29 at the Olney Town Center Advisory Committee meeting. “The Olney chamber is an advocate of sensible progress in Olney,” said chamber President Greg Porter. “However, given the information we have gleaned from multiple presentations, there are real concerns in this case.” The resolution also opposes the use of special taxing districts and/or other tax programs taxing residents and businesses as a funding
See CHAMBER, Page A-11
New Potomac group is brainchild of theater veteran Plan is to present dramas and comedies about ‘universal issues’ n
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PEGGY MCEWAN STAFF WRITER
Two women will take to the stage at Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac on Thursday night for the inaugural performance of the Peace Mountain Players, a new theater group comprising local actors.
The group, founded this year by Laurie Freed of Darnestown, will present “Collected Stories” by Donald Margulies on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. “‘Collected Stories’ is so layered,” Freed said. “It’s about ethics in relationships. It’s timeless: Who owns the story of your life?” The story, Freed said, is about two women: an English professor and a student who works for her, who develop a close mother-daughter type of relationship. The younger woman writes a book about the older one, sharing stories and
Spring Stage, Rockville Little Theatre and, now defunct, Cedar Lane Stage. She also has worked in children’s theater at Imagination Stage and Adventure Theatre. All that experience is coming together for “Collected Stories,” according to Natalie McManus of Potomac who plays the professor in the production. “Laurie is phenomenal,” McManus said of Freed. “She really knows her stuff. She has a vision and she’s going to get it
See THEATER, Page A-11
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secrets gathered over the years of their friendship. This weekend’s shows are the culmination of a year’s work for Freed, who began Peace Mountain Players with an idea in summer 2013. Freed said she has been involved in drama groups, acting, singing and directing for more than 40 years. She has a master’s in theater from California State University, Fullerton and a master’s in drama therapy from the Los Angeles Family Institute, she said. Locally, she has worked with Silver
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Natalie McManus of Potomac rehearses for the Peace Mountain Players’ production of “Collected Stories” this weekend at Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac.