WHITE OAK RISING FDA expansion springs from community support. A-3
The Gazette
NEWS: Manna Food Center brings nutritious food to Colesville community. A-5
SILVER SPRING | TAKOMA PARK | WHEATON | BURTONSVILLE DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Mayanti Farah (left) of Germantown and Ina Nasution of Rockville talk in the prayer room of the new IMAAM Center in Silver Spring after an inauguration ceremony on Friday.
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Award for mathematics whiz comes on heels of a $3M math prize BY
KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER
GREG DOHLER/ THE GAZETTE
Indonesian president joins celebration RAISA CAMARGO STAFF WRITER
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25 cents
Blair alum wins a prestigious ‘genius grant’
Muslim center opens in Silver Spring
BY
SPORTS: Blair boys soccer uses depth to roll out unusual line changes. B-1
he Indonesian-American Muslim community congregated in Silver Spring Friday to celebrate the opening of their first IMAAM Center for religious worship and dispel stereotypes about Islam. The inauguration of the 11,266-square-foot building was two decades in the making.
Firdaus Kadir is one of the founders who pioneered the efforts to open the center. Kadir envisioned a place where the Indonesian Muslim community can find unity, with social services. He delivered a sermon to a roomful of men wearing traditional black caps known as peci and women using jilbabs, or Indonesian Islamic head scarves. Kadir reiterated the need to embrace Islam in a multicultural society. “Pluralism does not require leaving our identi-
ties behind,” he told the crowd during the traditional Juma’h prayer. The Indonesian Muslim Association in America, or IMAAM, is a nonprofit, religious, charitable organization based in Rockville. In June, IMAAM purchased the vacant building at 9100 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring for $2.7 million, according to
See CELEBRATION, Page A-8
Jacob Lurie deals with a realm foreign to many, one of algebraic geometry — the study of complex polynomial equations — and algebraic topology, which uses algebra to study shapes. But since graduating from Montgomery Blair High School’s science, mathematics and computer science magnet program in 1996, Lurie — now a mathematics professor at Harvard University — has been trying to make such topics less foreign. His work has introduced new ways of looking at geometry and other fields, along with how to make such subjects more interesting to the average student. The way mathematics is taught in many high schools and colleges is like a music class in which an instructor makes students play scales over and over, Lurie said. That does not make a
MACARTHUR FOUNDATION
Jacob Lurie, a 1996 graduate of Montgomery Blair High School’s science, mathematics and computer science magnet program, recently was awarded a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, one of the most prestigious academic honors.
lot of students want to learn the subject, he said. “I think that it would be much better for a lot of people if they wanted to take one mathematics class in college, that
See GENIUS, Page A-8
Takoma Park residents urge Springbrook parents upset council to rethink co-op needs over disinfectant injuries n
City reviewing proposals to develop lot BY
KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER
Numerous residents urged the Takoma Park City Council on Monday to consider an alternative plan by the Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-op to redevelop some city-owned land near the natural foods grocery store. The city is considering four proposals by developers for a lot that is zoned for mostly residential uses at Takoma Junction around the intersection of Carroll and Ethan Allen Avenues. The finalists are The Ability Project, Community 3 Develop-
ment, Keystar and Eco Housing, and Neighborhood Development Co. “This process has not been easy,” said Marilyn Berger, director of administration for the co-op, which is owned by area residents and shoppers. The co-op, which wants to double its space to about 12,500 square feet, seeks to add a food preparation kitchen, community room and other space, as well as buildings for smaller businesses such as a credit union or incubator around it, she said. Of utmost importance, no matter which developer is chosen, is that the store needs to be able to stay open during construction with access to
Some turn to lawyers because of wounds linked to football equipment n
BY
LINDSAY A. POWERS STAFF WRITER
A disinfectant improperly used on football equipment caused rashes and burns on multiple Springbrook High School players who used helmets and shoulder pads during
See CO-OP, Page A-8
Business owners differ on minimum wage Most say they already pay employees above level; some see impact on teen workers n
BY
KEVIN JAMES SHAY STAFF WRITER
As the first phase of Montgomery County’s minimum-wage hike kicks in Wednesday, some local business owners doubt there
INDEX Automotive Calendar Classified Entertainment Opinion Sports
B-11 A-2 B-7 A-11 A-10 B-1
will be much impact, while others see more cause for concern. Under a law passed by the County Council late last year, the minimum wage for most employers with at least two workers increases from $7.25 per hour to $8.40 on Wednesday. It will rise incrementally each October until reaching $11.50 in October 2017. That’s larger than the state hike, which is slated to increase to $8 per hour Jan. 1 and rise more slowly to $10.10 by mid-2018.
See WAGE, Page A-6
A&E
NEW LIFE IN THE DAYLIGHT
Wingless fairy makes new friends in Imagination Stage’s production of “The Night Fairy.”
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“I don’t anticipate much impact, especially at the beginning,” said Meaghan Murphy, co-owner of Takoma Park café and bakery Capital City Cheesecake, which has 17 full- and part-time employees. “We’re already paying the large majority of our employees above $8.40 an hour. For the second phase, we are working to get ahead of the curve. We have to time to address it and be
Volume 27, No. 40, Two sections, 28 Pages Copyright © 2014 The Gazette Please
RECYCLE
a Sept. 16 practice. Some upset parents have enlisted lawyers and are looking for answers that they say the Silver Spring school is not providing. Rob Wendel, the high school’s athletic director, said he thinks 15 to 20 players were injured to varying degrees. A letter from Principal Samuel Rivera posted to Springbrook’s website said it appeared that a football player had a staph infection, so the
school’s boys’ football locker rooms were disinfected on Sept. 15. Football equipment was cleaned on Sept. 16 with the same disinfectant used to clean the locker rooms. He apologized in the letter, writing, “The actions in this instance, while done with good intent, were unacceptable.” Valorie Gillespie said that when she saw her 17-year-old son Jordan, on the evening of
See INJURIES, Page A-8
RISING MINIMUM WAGE Montgomery County’s minimum wage is slated to rise to $11.50 by 2017, faster than the state’s increase. Minimum wage Montgomery Prince George’s Washington, D.C. Maryland
Oct. 2014
Oct. 2015
Oct. 2016
Oct. 2017
$8.40 $8.40 $9.50 $7.25
$9.55 $9.55 $10.50 $8.25
$10.75 $10.75 $11.50 $8.75
$11.50 $11.50 $11.50* $9.25**
*increases indexed to inflation; **will rise to $10.10 on July 2018 SOURCES: COUNTIES AND INDIVIDUAL ENTITIES