February 5, 2016

Gaithersburg’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Kentlands, Lakelands, Quince Orchard Park and More
Courier
The
TOWN
Vol. 13, No. 3
www.towncourier.com
February 5, 2016
City Fights for
Full Interchange
By Pam Schipper
T
Largest Snowfall in 50 Years
Photo | Mac Kennedy
PRSRT-STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
GAITHERSBURG, MD
Permit #1722
Sunday, Jan. 24 dawned sunny and bright, if still cold. Residents of Thrift Street worked to dig out homes and cars after more than 30
inches of snow fell in Gaithersburg.
he Maryland State
Highway
Administration (SHA) is contemplating changes to the
full diamond Watkins Mill
Interchange, scheduled for
construction this year. The
project is fully funded, but
SHA cancelled bids in November without informing
the City of Gaithersburg. In
an internal memo, SHA staff
recommended a partial interchange with only exit ramps
from I-270 and no access
from Watkins Mill Road to
the highway, should the project go forward.
“As a city, we’re trying everything we can to get this
back on track,” said Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman
after a Monday meeting
with Maryland’s Secretary of
Transportation Peter Rahn.
In the meeting, Secretary
Rahn and staffers addressed
why changes are being considered. “The project came in
n
watkins mill Continued on page 9
QO Senior Wins
First County Title
By Jennifer Beekman
The Town Courier
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
C
ougars senior Liam Walsh
has been one of the county’s
strongest distance runners
since he was a freshman; truly in
the upper echelon the past two seasons. But he’s turned a corner this
winter, Coach Seann Pelkey said.
Though standing out in Montgomery County middle and long distance running is not easy, Walsh is
no longer content settling for top 5.
He has the capacity to win events,
Pelkey said, and he’s finally truly
embracing that.
Walsh won his first county title
on Jan. 20 in the 800-meter run,
an event dominated in recent years
by 2015 Northwest graduate Diego
Zarate, and finished second in the
1,600m run. Those performances,
Pelkey said, should help catapult
him into the postseason.
Photo | Mac Kennedy
At press time Feb. 2, Peppers Taco Bar is still open but workers are taking the side awning down.
Photo | Seann Pelkey
At the Virginia Tech Invitational this past
weekend, Quince Orchard senior Liam Walsh’s
mile time was 4:24, putting him at no. 3 in
school history and just 1.5 seconds shy of
the record.
“When Liam was a younger runner on the team, he always just kind
of was there hanging (with the top
guys), doing whatever they did and
sometimes passing them, but he
n
walsh Continued on page 25
Peppers, Beatty
Reach Agreement
By Pam Schipper
P
eppers Taco and Wine Bar
and landlord Beatty Management Company reached
an agreement Jan. 21, one that
enables renovation of the entire
building at 705 Center Point Way
to proceed through completion in
early spring. Renovation to the
former Star Diner space that will
soon be home to Vasilis Mediterranean Grill began mid-November 2015.
At issue was accommodation
of the building’s existing tenant.
n
agreement Continued on page 8
Page 2
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
February 5, 2016
The Town Courier
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfowl, But
Stop and Take a Look
Page 3
AROUND TOWN
Compiled by Pam Schipper
By Ellyn Wexler
I
n any game of duck, duck, goose,
Robert Thomas would have the
advantage. The 86-year-old retired
fish and wildlife agent can look at any
feather and identify the species of waterfowl from which it came, said his
daughter Barbara Thomas, in whose
Quince Orchard Knolls home he
has lived for the past year. “About 75
percent of the time, he can even tell
whether the feather is from a hen or a
drake, and he can always identify the
birds flying over,” she added.
Since her childhood, Thomas’
“highly skilled” father has shared his
knowledge with her, taking his daughter to work long before such days were
customary. “As a kid, I would go out
with him on the refuges—from the
point of view of a conservationist, not
a hunter,” she recalled. “We would
catch and band doves and red-wing
blackbirds.” The latter, she noted, are
protected birds that live around marsh
areas.
The refuges were multiple since the
family moved around a lot to facilitate
her father’s career advancement. In his
native Indiana, the lifelong hunter and
woodsman worked for the state; when
he signed on with the federal government, his assignments took them to
Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Wisconsin and Wyoming, to name a few.
Now, en route to shop for groceries
in Kentlands, Barbara Thomas habitually slows down, pulls her car into a
convenient spot near one of the Kentlands or Lakelands lakes, grabs her
binoculars, and checks out “who’s visiting.” Sometimes, her father and his
Photo | Submitted
AWLMC has a Valentine’s Day gift for you: Adopt a cat from the no-kill
shelter for only $14.
The Cat’s Meow
Photo | Christine Darton-Henrichsen, potshots by Christine
A great blue heron surveys Lake Varuna on a winter’s day.
caregiver accompany her on her forays.
As Thomas reported on the Nextdoor Kentlands site, “the variety of
waterfowl visiting the Kentlands/
Lakelands ponds throughout the winter is amazing. Ducks and geese you
don’t normally see in the summer are
stopping by for a day or week as they
pass by on their way south or north.
These migratory birds are very special
to see in their small flocks.” During the
past year, she has seen species of ducks
including coots, small flocks of canvasback, hooded merganser and ringnecked, as well as a single ruddy, common merganser and pied-billed grebe.
Mallards, Canada geese and a great blue
heron, she said, are year-round dwellers here. She added descriptions of the
birds that she found in her copy of the
National Audubon Society’s “Field
Guide to North American Birds.”
Despite her lifelong fascination
with waterfowl, Thomas said, “It’s a
personal interest for me. It didn’t appeal to me as a career. I would hate to
make it work.” Instead, having studied
marketing at Madison Area Technical
College in Wisconsin and Virginia
Commonwealth University, she owns
and operates Creative Tactics, an advocate marketing company, and is the
author of the forthcoming book, “Advocate Marketing: Strategies for Building Buzz, Leveraging Customer Satisfaction, and Creating Relationship”
(Pearson FT Press, April 1, 2016).
Thomas, who fell in love with the
area on a post-college visit to her sister, has lived in the Washington area
for more than three decades and in
Quince Orchard Knolls for about 16
years. What she likes most about living
here, she said, are “the trees, parks and
wildlife, yet (the convenience of being)
so close to businesses.”
City of Gaithersburg’s Stand on
Chemical-Free Turf
By Sharon Allen Gilder
W
hether or not the City of
Gaithersburg should consider adopting Montgomery County’s Healthy Lawns Act
(Bill 52-14), passed on Oct. 6, was
a topic introduced for discussion by
Councilmember Robert Wu during
the regular session of Gaithersburg’s
Mayor and City Council on Jan. 19.
Wu, council liaison to the city’s Environmental Affairs Committee (EAC),
was prompted to further explore the
city’s stand on chemical-free turf after
a presentation to the EAC on Jan. 12
by Alex Stavitsky-Zeineddin and Jennifer Quinn of Safe Grow Montgomery. Independently governed municipalities within the county such as the
City of Gaithersburg are not subject
to this law. The EAC voted to recommend to the council that the city
adopt Bill 52-14.
In Wu’s opening remarks to May-
or Jud Ashman and his fellow councilmembers he said, “I’d like to get
a sense from the council … and start
the discussion as to whether or not we
want to adopt or opt-in to the Healthy
Lawns Act, or adopt something else
and bring our own approach to the
reduction of pesticides here in the
city.”
In response to Wu’s inquiry, councilmembers Neil Harris, Henry Marraffa, Michael Sesma, and Ryan Spiegel each voiced their opinions and
indicated a universal concern about
the potential harm from the overuse of pesticides and an interest in
exploring a version of Bill 52-14 that
is appropriate for the city that would
include public input and education.
“We can have a discussion about this
in the future as to whether it makes
sense to adopt the county’s bill whole
cloth or sort of craft our own jurisdictionally appropriate measures,”
said Spiegel.
Harris, a Kentlands resident who
has witnessed his community’s process
of instituting organic lawn treatment,
noted that the change from chemicals
to organic was for selected parts of the
common property in the community rather than a mandate impacting
private property. He said, “There’s a
significant amount of education that
is required in order to let residents in
the city know that if they’re not to use
chemical herbicides any longer, what
they should do instead and how to
make it work, where to find help. For
larger communities like homeowners’
associations, finding lawn care companies that know how to deal with this
on a larger scale is not easy at this point.
So, I think if we do this, it’s not a simple mandate. I think we have to budget
and allocate resources to a significant
amount of education and outreach to
make this work and then we have to
n
Healthy Lawns Continued on page 9
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the Animal Welfare
League of Montgomery County (AWLMC) in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society will help
adopters find “The One” for them — that one fuzzy
true love, patiently waiting to make the love match
of their lifetime—with $14 adoptions for cats until
Feb. 15. The no-kill shelter is located at 12 Park Ave.,
Gaithersburg. For more information, visit www.
awlmc.org.
K25 Gala
Save the date! The K25 Committee has just announced that tickets for a gala on April 16 to celebrate
Kentlands’ 25th anniversary are on sale now. The
dressy, semi-formal gala will be held at The Atrium
at MedImmune, 7 to 11 p.m., and include two cocktails, soft drinks and coffee, as well as a full buffet
dinner. Music from the ‘80s will be performed by The
Reagan Years. Tickets are $100 per person. For more
information, visit kentlands25.com.
Senior Connection
What if you had to give up your car keys and depend on someone else to get you where you needed to
go? This is happening to more and more of our senior
neighbors every day.
Senior Connection is looking for volunteers to
drive seniors to medical and other appointments.
Training and liability coverage are provided, and
you can set your own volunteering schedule. New
volunteer trainings take place each month. The
next are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 10
a.m. and Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Park Senior Center at 3950 Ferrara Dr., Silver
Spring. Contact [email protected],
call 301.962.0820 or visit www.seniorconnectionmc.
org for more information.
Photo | Christine Darton-Henrichsen, potshots by Christine
This beaver is working on his winter lodge in the watershed pond behind
Lakelands Drive. Beavers live inside these lodges during the winter and
their baby kits are born and nursed there each spring.
Page 4
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Gaithersburg Police Will Not Seek Illegal Immigrants
By Scott Harris
309 Main Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
For Advertising: 301.279.2304
Also on the Web at www.towncourier.com.
Diane Dorney
Publisher
[email protected]
Matt Danielson
President
[email protected]
Pam Schipper
Managing Editor
[email protected]
Debi Rosen
Advertising Manager
301.455.5721
[email protected]
Leslie Kennedy
Advertising Sales
301.330.0132
[email protected]
Staff Photographers
Arthur Cadeaux
Christine DartonHenrichsen
Phil Fabrizio
Staff Writers
Jennifer Beekman
Nora Caplan
Mike Cuthbert
Gina Gallucci-White
Sharon Allen Gilder
Betty Hafner
Scott Harris
Sheilah Kaufman
Donna Marks
Syl Sobel
Maureen Stiles
Ellyn Wexler
Social Media
Consultant
Mac Kennedy
©2016 Courier Communications
The Town Courier is an independent newspaper published twice a month that provides news
and information for the communities of Kentlands,
Lakelands and Quince Orchard Park in Gaithersburg,
Md. The paper is published by Courier Communications, which is responsible for the form, content and
policies of the newspaper. The Town Courier does not
espouse any political belief or endorse any product
or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters
submitted for publication must be signed and may be
edited for length or content. The Town Courier is not
responsible for any claims made by advertisers Letters
to the Editor and Commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, management or advertisers
of The Town Courier.
T
he Gaithersburg Police Department has
no plans to assist the federal government in a renewed effort to catch and
deport illegal immigrants.
The statement echoes a recent assertion
from county leaders, which attempted to allay the deportation fears of some in Montgomery County’s substantial Central American population.
On Jan. 4, Homeland Security Secretary
Jeh Johnson announced the Department of
Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had apprehended
and planned to deport 121 illegal immigrants, and that additional raids were in the
works. ICE has actively sought, and is con-
tinuing to actively seek, agreements with local law enforcement agencies to participate in
these efforts.
In response to the ICE plan, on Jan. 11
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and the entire Montgomery County
Council issued a joint statement asserting
that county law enforcement would not be
part of those efforts and urging the county’s
immigrant population to continue following
normal routines.
“We in Montgomery County, especially our public safety officers, have worked
extremely hard to build trust with our immigrant population. We are convinced this
is the key to reducing crime and building a
thriving, welcoming community where all
can live in peace,” the statement read in part.
“We are very concerned that any federal enforcement actions in our county not undermine this trust and threaten public safety in
our community. … To the members of our
Montgomery County community who are
justifiably concerned about the federal government’s most recent deportation actions,
we encourage you to go about your daily activities free of fear.”
Those sentiments were echoed by the
Gaithersburg Police Department, which said
it has no plans to partner with ICE for any
enforcement efforts around immigration.
“The Gaithersburg Police Department
has not been contacted nor do we have any
involvement in the enforcement of federal
n
immigrants Continued on page 10
POLICEBeat By Gina Gallucci-White
More Information, the Better for Police When
Trying to Thwart Drug Deals
O
fficers with the Gaithersburg Police
Department were called to the 400
block of Tschiffely Square Road in
Kentlands around 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 for a suspicious situation later believed to have been a
drug transaction.
No arrests have been made, said Officer
Dan Lane, department spokesman.
So how do you know when a drug deal
may be happening in your neighborhood?
Little, if any, personal interaction and a short
meeting are clues. Two vehicles pulling up
to each other and the occupants quickly exchanging goods. Individuals meeting on a
sidewalk with no greeting, a quick hand-tohand swap and immediately walking away
afterward. A driver pulls up to an address and
a person emerges from between two homes
to briskly transfer goods. “You are going to
look for what they are doing specifically,”
Lane said.
Police ask residents to call in with as much
information as possible such as sex, race, and
clothing of those involved along with the di-
rection of travel for the individuals, vehicle
description, tag number. Also alert authorities to the quick interaction between the two.
Say you just call in with the information
of a dark vehicle on Main Street where a guy
walked up and then jogged away. “We will
send an officer in the area to drive around but
really there is not much information for us to
go on,” he said.
If you call in with information like a black
n
police beat Continued on page 10
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 5
State to Determine and Correct
Possible Funding Errors
By Ellyn Wexler
T
his month, the Maryland State
Comptroller’s office expects to credit
misallocated income taxes that could
be as much as $15 million to the Montgomery County coffers. The revenue appears to have been misapplied to several of
the county’s 19 municipalities, the error
explained as a consequence of the state’s
antiquated systems and the county’s complicated tax districts. The state has engaged
a third party to audit its records.
“Accuracy is our priority here, so we’re
not prepared to conclude the review until the work is completed,” said Andrew
Friedson, spokesman for Comptroller Peter Franchot. “But we are certainly aware
of timelines related to fiscal and budgetary
realities and have instructed the outside
firm to finish its work as expeditiously as
possible.”
With budget challenges across the board
for fiscal year 2017, that “as soon as possible” timing may not sit well with the
affected government entities. The official
amount is not yet available, but the preliminary figure, $2.5 to $3 million a year
misappropriated from 2010 through 2014,
is significant, whether a windfall or a debt.
“We agonize over the use of every dollar,”
County Finance Director Joseph Beach
observed.
Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman said
that city officials “were quite surprised to
learn about this issue and, currently, we’re
still gathering information. It’s not at all
clear yet how much money we’re talking
about, or what specifically went wrong
with the comptroller’s formula for allocating these tax dollars.” He noted that “the
questions persist” since “no representative
from the comptroller’s office ended up
making it to” the Montgomery County
Council’s Jan. 14 Government Operations
and Fiscal Policy Committee (GO) work
session on the matter.
According to GO Chair Nancy Navarro’s Dec. 21 memo, Beach informed the
council on Dec. 4 “that some income tax
returns for county residents had been incorrectly assigned. The coding error may
have resulted in certain returns having
been assigned to municipalities (Gaithersburg, Rockville and the Chevy Chases) when in fact those returns should have
been assigned to addresses outside of the
municipal boundaries.” Subsequently, on
Dec. 12, the state’s Revenue Administration Director Wayne Green told Beach that
a “reallocation of previously filed tax returns may be necessary.”
n
funding errors Continued on page 10
cityscene Budget Forum Set
Want your voice heard on how the City of
Gaithersburg spends its money? Clear the
evening of Feb. 8 because the city wants to
hear from you.
Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman and
the City Council will host the annual Budget Public Forum at City Hall beginning at
7:30 p.m. Staff will present the financial state
of the city, how the city ended the last fiscal
year, and their projections for fiscal year 2017.
The results of the biennial Citizen Survey
completed in the fall also will be discussed.
The forum allows residents to let their
opinions be heard as staff drafts the FY 2017
budget.
Advanced registration is not required.
Each person will be given three minutes to
By Gina Gallucci-White
speak. Additional comments may be sent
to [email protected].
Hospice Caring Inc. Receives
Foundation Grant
The volunteer, grief support organization, Hospice Caring, Inc., has received a
$100,000 Grief Reach grant from the New
York Life Foundation.
The Gaithersburg-based group plans to use
the funds to expand their Good Grief Clubs
program, which provides school and community-based support groups for school-aged
children grieving the death of a loved one.
The expansion includes adding translating
materials and clubs in other languages.
n
city scene Continued on page 10
MEETING CALENDAR
2/8
Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 7:30 p.m.
Mayor and City Council Budget Forum, City
Hall Council Chambers, 7:30 p.m.
2/12
2/9
Community Advisory Committee Meeting,
Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 6:30 p.m.
Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting,
City Hall Gallery, 7 p.m.
Transportation Committee Meeting, Public
Works Conference Room, 7 p.m.
2/10
Board of Appeals Meeting, City Hall Council
Chambers, 7:30 p.m.
Multicultural Affairs Committee Meeting,
Educational Enrichment Committee
Meeting, Wells/Robertson House
Conference Room, 7:30 a.m.
301-657-3332
2/16
Mayor and City Council Meeting, City Hall
Council Chambers, 7:30 p.m.
2/17
Planning Commission Meeting, City Hall
Council Chambers, 7:30 p.m.
2/19
Economic and Business Development
Committee Meeting, City Hall Gallery, 7:30 a.m.
For the latest information on city meetings, visit the City of Gaithersburg website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.
301-299-5222
Page 6
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
With New Food Safety Procedures, Chipotle Tries to Roll
Its Way Out of Perfect Storm
By Pam Schipper
I
’ll admit it. I have been engaged in a
burrito love affair with Chipotle for
years, and the past six months have
been rough. Food-borne illnesses linked
to my beloved burrito chain have broken my heart. We are now separated, but
Chipotle—with its new food safety procedures—is trying to woo me and many
other lovelorn customers back.
On Jan. 15, Chipotle tweeted: “We’re
having a national employee meeting on
2/8 to discuss recent and future food
safety changes. All US locations will be
closed until 3pm.” Founded by Steve Ells
in 1993, Chipotle locations now number
1,900, including 22 restaurants outside
the U.S.
This bold move is perhaps not unexpected. Chipotle has long been admired
by some for its decision to use only nonGMO ingredients that are fresh, not frozen, and locally sourced when possible.
A call to the Kentlands Chipotle, 96
Main St.—a location that has not been
involved in any of the food-borne illness outbreaks—to talk about the new
food safety procedures was referred to
corporate. Chris Arnold, public relations
director for the company, could not be
reached.
So what is Chipotle doing to address
the spate of food-borne illnesses caused
Photo | Pam Schipper
All U.S. Chipotle locations will close for several hours on Monday, Feb. 8 to discuss recent and future food safety changes.
by the norovirus, E. coli and salmonella
that have affected about 500 people in 12
states?
On Dec. 10, Chipotle founder and CoCEO Steve Ells told Mark Lauer on “TODAY” that the restaurant chain is “doing
a lot to rectify this.” Chipotle brought in
Do you have moderate to
severe facial acne?
If so, you may be eligible to participate in a clinical research
study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a topical treatment being used to help with facial acne.
Qualified participants must:
food safety specialist and epidemiologist
Mansour Samapour, chief executive of
IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group,
and is implementing his recommendations.
Ells said that these new safety procedures will put Chipotle 10 to 15 years
ahead of industry standard. He hopes that
soon Chipotle will be the “safest restaurant to eat at.”
A rundown of new food safety procedures on the company website, www.
chipotle.com/food-safety, includes ingredient testing, handling and preparation;
crew education and training; and more
frequent in-house and third-party audits
and assessments. Ingredients testing that
shoptalk
goes beyond mandatory state and federal food safety requirements, according to
the company website, consists of a series
of DNA-based tests performed frequently on small batches of ingredients before
they are shipped to restaurants. Improved
handling and preparation includes submerging some fresh produce items for 3
to 5 seconds in boiling water to help sanitize them.
In August, Chipotle had a market value
of $23 billion. Recently, the company’s
market value is $14 billion but stock prices are trending upwards in response to the
announcement of new food safety procedures. A robust marketing campaign will
be launched mid-February.
Compiled by Pam Schipper
• Be at least 12 years of age
• Have moderate to severe facial acne
• Meet the study criteria
Qualified participants will receive:
• All study-related medical care
• Medication
• Compensation for time and travel
To learn more about this study and to see if you qualify
please call:
Lawrence J. Green M.D., LLC
15005 Shady Grove, Suite 440
Rockville, Maryland
(301) 610-0663
Photo | Pam Schipper
General Manager Reed Krakowitz, nutritionist Monica Reinagel, spokesperson Maggie McDermott and co-owner Brad
Hoag were on site Saturday for the grand opening of Nalley Fresh’s Kentlands location.
Nalley Fresh Opens
On Jan. 27, superior fast-casual Nalley
Fresh opened its first location outside of the
Baltimore metro area at 261 Kentlands Boulevard. Co-owner Brad Hoag said that the
company chose Kentlands over other, newer
locations because it is an established community.
Co-owner and executive chef Greg
Nalley was on site opening day to greet
customers, and Saturday brought Hoag,
spokesperson Maggie McDermott and nutritionist Monica Reinagel for the restaurant’s grand opening celebration. Hoag, a
Baltimore native and Qdoba franchisee, said
that he had been flying all over the country
n
shop talk Continued on page 19
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 7
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Photo | Mac Kennedy
DJ Dunmyer performed at a Jan. 12 Quince Orchard versus Northwest boys’ varsity basketball game.
DJ Dunmyer Has Got Game
By Mac Kennedy
W
hether you enjoy it or not, there is
no denying the fact that electronic music has become a huge part of
mainstream music. Artists all over the world
are taking advantage of this craze and developing it into extremely successful careers.
This obsession started overseas and gradually
made its way into our radio stations and music playlists. It has now found its way into
the hands of one of our own.
Evan Dunmyer, a Quince Orchard High
School sophomore, spent this past summer
touring 18 cities across North America as an
opening act. What is even more impressive
is whom he opened up for during that onemonth span, a band called One Direction. It
undoubtedly comes as a shock to know that
one of QO’s own has toured with one of the
biggest music group in the world, but to a
soft-spoken 15-year-old, it’s just another day
in the life.
It all started when superstar David Guetta, French DJ, record producer and remixer,
reached our airways, releasing hit after hit
with a new style of pop-infused electronn
NEW Laser Treatment
for Toenail Fungus
Jon M. SherMan, DPM, FaCFaS
Board Certified in Foot Surgery
Diplomate American College of
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301-330-5666
dj dunmyer Continued on page 21
60 Market Street, Suite 202
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
arts& entertainment
Compiled by Pam Schipper
‘Third Annual Art League of
Germantown (ALOG) Exhibit’
Through March 20; call 301.258.6425 for
viewing hours, Kentlands Mansion
This exhibit features art in many
media by members of ALOG. www.
gaithersburgmd.gov
Main Street Farmers Market
Feb. 6 & 13, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Main Street
Pavilion
Products available for purchase include a vast assortment of fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies, various herbs,
cut flowers, and potted plants, baked
goods, dog treats, meat, eggs, and honey. www.gaithersburgmd.gov
Lunar New Year Celebration
Feb. 6, 10 a.m., BlackRock Center for the
Arts
This free, family fun day features artist
demonstrations and art-making activities
with a Lunar New Year theme, as well as
performances of traditional Asian music
and folk dance to celebrate 2016 the Year
of the Monkey. Advance registration is recommended. Drop-ins are welcome. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.
www.blackrockcenter.org
Discovery Day – Making Valentines
Feb. 6, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Gaithersburg
Community Museum
Valentine’s Day cards used to be homen
arts & entertainment Continued on page 20
assignmenteducation
Compiled by Pam Schipper
Public Education Forum on Budget
Process Planned
Montgomery County Council Education Committee Chair Craig Rice, Montgomery County Public Schools Interim
Superintendent Larry Bowers and Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard on Feb. 17 will host the first of five
public forums to provide information, and
seek input, on the programs and budgets
of the county’s public school system and its
community college. The first forum will
be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Bioscience
Educational Center (BE Building—Room
www.kentlandsfootdoctor.com
Persiano Gallery
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151) of the Germantown campus of Montgomery College, 20200 Observation Dr.,
Germantown.
LPMS Student to Compete in China
Lakelands Park Middle School (LPMS)
student Sara Mercer, 13 of Darnestown,
was one of the athletes selected to represent
the United States at the World Acrobatic
Gymnastics Championships scheduled for
March 21 through April 5 in Putian, China. Mercer will compete with teammates
Sophia Handel of Annapolis and Cameron
Jones of Potomac.
n
assignment education Continued on page 17
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Page 8
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Photo | Melissa Rand
Former Quince Orchard football standout Tyrell Williams
is welcomed home in a recent gathering with former
teammates, coaches and friends. Williams is recovering
from a severe neck injury he suffered while playing for
Georgetown last season. The City of Gaithersburg will
welcome Williams home during the City Council meeting
on March 7, 7 p.m. at City Hall. The public is welcome.
■ agreement
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from page 1
Peppers Taco Bar occupies a 400-squarefoot space in the building’s southeast corner and was not aware of design plans until
a Gaithersburg Planning Commission public hearing announcement. At the Oct. 7
hearing, the Planning Commission asked
Beatty to involve owners Mike and Jyoti
Bhatnagar in renovation and construction
plans and reach an agreement before renovations begin on the Taco Bar space.
As reported by this paper on Dec. 31,
landlord-tenant agreement on proposed
renovations broke down over a relocation
clause in a Nov. 25 letter of agreement
drafted by Beatty that would have allowed
Beatty to relocate Peppers at any time to
a comparable space within the shopping
center. Also, the Bhatnagars did not know
when and for how long their business
would need to close, and how they would
protect their equipment. Exterior renovations to the Peppers Taco Bar space involve
taking out two walls and doing extensive
rewiring.
The signed Jan. 21 letter of agreement
does not include a relocation clause and of-
fers rent abatement only for February and
March, with compensation for lost business should Peppers need to remain closed
beyond March 31. Also, Peppers’ kitchen
equipment will be protected through the
construction of a temporary partition.
Jyoti Bhatnagar said she hopes renovations are completed by March 31, as she
looks forward to reopening the Taco Bar
this spring. She does not have a definite
Taco Bar closing date yet, but she has been
told renovations to the space will begin as
soon as possible after Feb. 1.
Mike Bhatnagar said Peppers will remain open for business at its second floor
251 Market St. West location Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for dinner, 5 to 9 p.m., and for breakfast and all
day on Saturday and Sunday. Peppers will
be closed on Tuesday. When the Taco Bar
closes for renovations, the Bhatnagars will
post a sign directing diners across the street
to their upstairs location.
The city was prepared to hold another Planning Commission public hearing
on 705 Center Point Way renovations if
an agreement between Peppers and Beatty had not been reached by Feb. 3, Mike
Bhatnagar said.
BID FEB. 9 - FEB. 16
VA16
Photo | City of Gaithersburg
At the Mayor and City Council meeting Feb. 1, the Kentlands Community Foundation presented $10,500 in proceeds
from the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K to the Dolores Swoyer Scholarship Fund, which helps with financial requirements
so Gaithersburg children are able to participate in the city’s summer camp program.
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
■ watkins mill
from page 1
and they took another look,” said Ashman.
“They want to go through a larger, more
holistic process, do a study of reducing 270
traffic. … (SHA) staff is concerned that onramps for the full interchange would be too
close to 124 on-ramps, creating a dangerous
situation and traffic congestion.
“The city is skeptical (of this),” Ashman
added. “This has been 15 years on the table.”
The state will put out an RFP, most likely
in May, and vendor selection might take until
the end of the year, Ashman said. The full
Watkins Mill Interchange would not be off
the table, but one of the options considered
in the I-270 study.
The city heard about possible design
changes to the interchange “second and third
hand,” said Ashman. Montgomery County
came across an internal memo from SHA
staff, dated Nov. 23, 2015, that addressed
possible interchange modifications, and the
county alerted the city.
Designed to ease congestion at the MD
124/MD 355 intersection that currently operates at more than 25 percent over capacity
and at the often congested MD 117/MD 124,
the Watkins Mill Interchange was identified
as a need more than 20 years ago. It has long
■ HEALTHY LAWNS
from page 3
determine how we’re going to enforce it.”
In tandem, Mayor Ashman and City Manager Tony Tomasello said, “The city currently isn’t using pesticides on our properties.” Tomasello added, “We use herbicides
for poison ivy, which I think is exempt from
the county law.”
Ashman added, “The impact we’re looking at would be on the residents, not on the
city.”
In a follow-up email Tomasello further
explained, “The city does not use pesticides
on its properties unless there is a threat to
safety such as a large yellow jacket or hornet’s
nest or similar situation. Additionally, we
will spot-use Roundup on flower beds, such
as at the Kentlands Mansion. We do use fertilizer and weed control, subsequent to soil
analysis, on certain ball fields. These are applied by state-certified applicators. If broadleaf weeds are not controlled on ball fields,
they will crowd out grass and then die in the
summer heat, leaving us with dirt areas that
can become hard-packed and dangerous. We
do not treat any other areas, such as medians
or lawns, with fertilizers— just ball fields.”
Marraffa said, “We don’t have a Plan B.
been an economic development priority for
city and county.
Both felt secure in commitments made by
the state of Maryland that the full diamond
interchange would be built.
Following discovery of the internal SHA
memo, the Gaithersburg Mayor and City
Council wrote to SHA on Jan. 11. “We are
writing to not only express our dismay that
we were not informed substantive changes
were being considered but to strongly disagree with the findings that these changes address traffic concerns in the short term. The
City is not supportive of anything less than a
full interchange.” The letter notes substantial
“negative economic development and vitality impacts to the City of Gaithersburg and
the Upcounty area” should redesign plans go
forward.
On Jan. 19, the Montgomery County
Council wrote to Governor Larry Hogan and
Secretary of Transportation Peter Rahn, emphasizing the state’s commitment to this project. “It has remained one of our highest State
transportation priorities over the last decade.
During the Transportation Trust Fund’s lean
times we provided $4.9 million in County
funds to allow MDOT to continue progress
in designing the full interchange. The City of
Gaithersburg has dedicated about 23 acres of
land for the full interchange. In 2013 the State
fully funded this interchange in exchange
for our support of the gasoline tax increase
that year. With its programing in the CTP,
we have dropped it from our priorities letter,
knowing that it was a ‘given.’ The news of
a potential delay and down-scoping of this
interchange has already caused much distress
in the business community and among our
Upcounty residents,” the letter states.
On Jan. 22 the Montgomery County Delegation wrote to Gov. Hogan, calling for
the project to go forward as planned. The
Delegation detailed economic revitalization
contingent on the construction of a full interchange. These include more than 250,000
square feet of mixed use real estate, 930,000
square feet of office space, some 400 hotel
rooms, a local FedEx distribution center,
expansion of Lockheed Martin offices, relocation of The Humane Society of the United States’ national headquarters, and an unnamed biotechnology prospect considering a
$150 million project.
Charlie Gischlar, SHA spokesperson, said
Monday, “The Maryland Department of
Transportation’s State Highway Administration reviewed the project and saw the potential for a change and a possible conflict with
the overall corridor project. SHA continues
to work closely with our stakeholders on the
project.”
If we want to really talk about it, let’s talk
about all the issues. Let’s have the manufacturers come in and talk because they have
their own ideas. Not everybody agrees on
the pesticides. Let’s hear the whole story and
find out what Plan B is. I never like to pass
any kind of an ordinance or law if we don’t
have a back-up plan. … Let’s educate ourselves and then make a decision which way
we want to go.”
Sesma added, “I’m not willing to let the
county be in charge of enforcement in the
City of Gaithersburg for this kind of thing,
so I agree with Henry (Marraffa). We do
need a back-up plan, but it’s worth beginning the discussion. We have the experience
to benefit from the notoriety of the Kentlands community’s attempts to implement an
integrated kind of pest and landscape management. … It’s been adopted and pointed to
both in the region, and probably nationally
as well, as a model approach to doing it, but
Neil (Harris) can also relate the cost included in implementing that plan, which is considerable. So the cost to HOAs is something
that we need to look at as well. There aren’t
any simple solutions, there’s probably a multitude of answers.”
Ashman summarized, “So, I’m hearing
that we’re up for a discussion and I think,
Tony, probably the best way to go about this
is to schedule a future work session to start
this discussion.”
According to Tomasello, “The discussion
of this topic has not been scheduled. Looking at the current draft calendar, it appears
we are looking at late spring or the summer.”
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POLICEBLOTTER
Burglaries
ty from a vehicle.
On 12/26/2015 at 12:38 p.m., a residential
burglary was reported in the 200 block of
Chestertown Street. An unknown suspect(s)
entered an unlocked garage and removed
property.
Attempted Armed Robbery
On 12/24/2015 at 11:44 p.m., a residential burglary was reported in the 300 block
of Inspiration Lane. An unknown suspect(s)
entered an open garage and removed proper-
Page 9
On 01/20/2016 at 10:01 a.m., an attempted
armed robbery of a citizen was reported in the
400 block of Tschiffely Square Road. Three
unknown suspects approached the victim and
assaulted him. One of the suspects referenced
a handgun but one was not seen. The suspects
obtained no property and fled the area.
—from Gaithersburg Police Department reports
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Page 10
policeBeat
from page 4
Dodge Charger with a 4 and 5 in the license
plate driven by a male went up Main Street
and turned right on Market Street while the
pedestrian then walked to a certain address
on Main Street, police are better prepared.
“A little more information gives us more
credibility to investigate more and be able to
try to identify things,” he said. “When it is
very vague, it is a little bit harder.”
Those who are doing drugs in the area may
also leave behind trash like homemade smoking devices such as plastic bottles with aluminum foil inside or blunt wrappers.
Suspicious situation calls vary depending
on time of year and location. “We push for
‘If you see something, say something,’” Lane
said. “When we talk to community groups,
we tell them what to look for.”
Residents should alert police when they
spot potential drug deals. “It’s your community,” he said. “You are a stakeholder in it.
You don’t want that activity in your neighborhood. You don’t want it around your kids
and family.”
If more than one resident sees a suspicious
situation, they should call in tips as well because they may have additional specific information that others didn’t see. Also, don’t
assume people have called in yet. “If you are
going, ‘Hmmm. Is this something I should
call (about)?’ Call us,” Lane said. “Let us
make that determination that there is nothing really to it because at least then you can
go to bed at night saying, ‘Well, you know
what? At least I called that in.’”
The Town Courier
■ immigrants
from page 4
immigration laws,” said Dan Lane, public
information officer for the Gaithersburg
Police Department. “We value the diversity
of our community and are only concerned
with people that are involved in criminal
activity. As such, the Gaithersburg Police
Department is not and will not partner with
ICE to enforce immigration laws.”
When asked to comment on the county
■ funding ERRORS
from page 5
Also in her memo, Navarro identified
two priorities that should be implemented
via the state’s Income Tax Revenue Fund:
that the county “be made whole as soon as
possible,” and that “fair and non-disruptive
repayment plans for municipalities that received excess distribution” be established.
The comptroller’s office declined her invitation to attend the Jan. 14 GO meeting.
In what Adam Fogel, Navarro’s chief of
staff, called “a private, staff-level meeting
organized by the Finance Department,”
on Jan. 15, Green and Andrew Schaufele,
the state’s director of revenue estimates,
briefed county and municipal representatives. According to the summary compiled
by Monica Marquina, legislative affairs
manager in the Gaithersburg City Manager’s office, the error occurred during the
manual review process of returns. Perhaps
due to its outdated system (which should
February 5, 2016
statement, Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman
said in an email that immigration enforcement is “not even remotely a city matter.
“We are not authorized to carry out enforcement of federal immigration policy,”
Ashman wrote. “So I honestly don’t feel
that the city should be asserting itself one
way or another on the county executive’s
statement.”
Although local police departments are not
typically involved in such efforts, ICE has
for years established working relationships
with local law enforcement agencies toward
the goal of identifying and deporting illegal
immigrants. Its latest initiative on this front,
the Priority Enforcement Program, was established in late 2014 “to work with state
and local law enforcement to take custody
of individuals who pose a danger to public
safety before those individuals are released
into our communities.”
According to ICE statistics, the agency has agreements with 32 local law enforcement agencies in 16 states, including
the Frederick County Sherriff ’s Office in
Maryland.
be put out for bid in the near future), certain returns were coded incorrectly, resulting in the municipalities receiving “17 percent income tax when 100 percent should
have gone to the county.” The error was
revealed “when the Chevy Chases had a
great deal of fluctuations in income tax
over the last several years.”
The audit, which will be statewide although the comptroller’s office is “fairly
certain this problem is confined to Montgomery County,” Marquina noted, will
include a sampling of all returns in the
designated years. “We believe that this is
limited to Montgomery County due to the
complicated nature of its special taxing districts, which can create confusion and require extra administrative layers to ensure
that returns are processed for the correct
taxing district and that the money is allocated accordingly,” Friedson said.
Once the audit is completed, the state expects to use its Income Tax Revenue Fund
to restore the funds to the county, and municipalities will pay the fund back over a
not-yet-determined, but lengthy—perhaps
10 years—period of time. The Office of
the Comptroller has statutory authority to
make this happen without separate action
by the General Assembly.
Although the municipalities offered to
send current street listings for the state to
compare to its records, Marquina said the
state expressed confidence that the addresses are up to date, and indicated that federal
guidelines prohibit their sharing addresses
for filers they have coded in a municipality.
“It’s important to recognize that this is
an administrative issue between different
levels of government—municipal, county and state—and that taxpayers are not
directly impacted by this,” Friedson said.
Furthermore, he added, “In terms of responsibility … we aren’t interested in or
focused on who’s to blame, but on how we
can ensure that it’s fixed now and for the
future. That’s why we’ve moved forward
in the proactive, thorough and transparent
manner in which we have.”
The Office of Comptroller briefed the
state’s Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on Jan. 28. The office, Marquina
said, agreed “to do its best” to comply with
the municipalities’ request for another
meeting, once the report is completed but
prior to its release. Fogel said the GO committee is likely to hold a follow-up meeting
this month.
cityscene
from page 5
The two-year grant is provided through a
program aimed at helping providers to overcome barriers to bringing grief support services to youth not served by current bereavement programs.
Passport Services at City Hall
Looking to get away from all the snow
and cold temperatures to a tropical destination outside the United States? Get your
passport ready by making an appointment
at City Hall Mondays through Fridays, 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Be sure to bring a completed application,
proof of U.S. citizenship, 2 x 2-inch color photograph, proof of identity containing
your signature and physical description or
photograph, and a check or money order. For
those 16 years and older, the cost is $135. For
those 15 and under, the cost is $105. Expedited service is available with an additional
$60 fee.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Participants Sought
Want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a
fun way? The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, hosted by the City of Gaithersburg, the
Harp and Shamrock Society of Gaithersburg
and the Peterson Companies/Washingtonian
Center, needs community groups and other
organizations to take part in this year’s event.
Set for March 16 at the Washingtonian Center, past parades have included bagpipe bands,
school groups, fire trucks and Celtic dancers.
Participant applications are available online at www.gaithersburgmd.gov in the related documents section. If you want to become
a sponsor, email Mary Gray at schaffgray@
verizon.net. Those who wish to be a vendor
can email Laurie Yankowski at lyankowski@
petersoncos.com
Deep Water Well Open at Center
After several patrons inquired about the
availability of the deep water well at the
Gaithersburg Aquatic Center, officials have
opened it up for deep water recreation.
Patrons will not be allowed to dive from
boards or jump from the sides during these
sessions. For those who choose to use the
well, you must bring your own equipment.
The well will be available Mondays and
Wednesdays during open swim and Fridays
amid family recreational swim from 6:30
to 7:30 p.m. During all other family recreational swim times, it will be open for diving
board use only.
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
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The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
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February 5, 2016
Page 13
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m
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S
m
Su
and
A Trifecta of Soccer Camps
By Pam Schipper
A
spiring soccer stars in our area are
fortunate. They have three great
soccer summer camp options, all
run by distinguished soccer players turned
coaches and designed to help young athletes improve their game.
Local resident Ali Feldman Khrizman
brought her Pivotal Play Soccer program to the Lakelands Park field last summer. Khrizman played semi-professional
soccer while she was a student at Churchill
High School, attended George Mason on a
sports scholarship, and has coached varsity
soccer at Winston Churchill High School
for the past eight years. She has offered private clinics and camps to teams for many
years, but last summer was her first offering
a neighborhood camp.
“It was a success,” she said. “We had a lot
of new players, a lot of new families, and a
lot of returning students.”
This summer Pivotal Play Soccer will
again offer two one-week sessions, July 11
to 15 and July 25 to 29 at the Lakelands
Park field. Lil’ Soccer Stars is for boys and
girls ages 3 to 6. The 9 to 11 a.m. camp
focuses on coordination and balance, fundamental soccer skills and play.
Four-year-old Beckett Safa had fun at
the Lil’ Soccer Stars Camp last summer.
“I love kicking the ball,” he said. “I liked
when my coach pretended he was a Transformer, and we had to kick the ball and hit
him in his leg. It was so fun.” Other highlights for Beckett were crab walking and
talking to his coaches at snack time.
Beckett’s mother, Marisa Safa, said, “I
really credit the coaches for figuring out
fun ways to engage such young kids, i.e.,
acting like a Transformer to essentially
start teaching the kids to pass the ball.”
Pivotal Play Soccer runs clinics and
classes year-round, and Beckett, who loves
soccer, is enrolled in classes. Safa said, “At
his age, it’s so important for him to practice following directions, working with his
n
soccer camps Continued on page 14
Photo | Submitted
Young soccer players ages 3 to 6 can learn basic skills at Lil' Soccer Stars Camp, held at the Lakelands Park field.
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Page 14
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Summer Camps and Schools
■ soccer camps
from page 13
teammates, trying new things, and just having fun. The practices also help the little
kids hone various coordination skills, and I
noticed Beckett really felt a sense of pride
when he ‘mastered’ a skill.”
Day Camp is for boys and girls ages 7 to 18.
The 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. camp teaches technical
skills and tactical training. Different topics
are covered each day. Khrizman said that last
summer’s Day Camp “was an intense camp.
We really worked the kids, and the parents
appreciated that. Each camper went home
with a lot of touches on the ball.”
Campers can enroll for both weeks. Topics covered in each camp session will be
the same, Khrizman said, but campers will
do different drills and may have a different
coach with a different teaching style.
For more information about Pivotal
Play
Soccer
Camps,
visit
www.pivotalplaysoccer.com.
Another soccer camp entering its second
summer is GPS Soccer Camps founded
and run by Kevin Gnatiko, a soccer star at
Watkins Mill High School who attended
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
on scholarship and played professionally with
Crystal Palace Baltimore. Gnatiko is now
head boys’ varsity soccer coach at Quince
Orchard High School, and QO varsity soccer players work at all GPS Soccer Camps.
“It’s a great way for the local youth players
to learn and play with the high school soccer
players,” Gnatiko said.
Nine-year-old Joryn Fleischer liked
working with QO athletes last summer, and
said that he would recommend GPS Soccer
Camps to his friends because “this is a coach
from QO, and he’s really, really good.”
Joryn, who started playing soccer when he
was four, was enrolled in the full-day camp,
9 a.m. to 3 p.m., last summer. “I loved playing the games and learning passing routines
and getting wide if you’re a defender,” he
said, adding that most of what campers do
each day is soccer.
Full-day and half-day camps (9 a.m. to 12
p.m.) offer youth soccer players the opportunity to improve their technical foot skills
and ball control while also developing character strengths like commitment, sportsmanship, focus, teamwork and dedication.
Dutch, Brazilian and Spanish soccer, countries that have produced some of the world’s
greatest players, are studied in a nurturing
environment.
Joryn’s father, Brad Fleischer, said, “Kevin (Gnatiko) is an incredible coach, and he
knows soccer. But it’s not just about soccer.
He teaches kids life skills like sportsmanship,
soccer as a passion, diet and exercise, commitment.”
“I value his ability to help the kids maintain their passion,” Jill Fleischer, Joryn’s
mother, said. “He makes it a sport that
the kids want to have a future in. … He’s
grooming the next set of kids for high school
sports.”
Thirteen-year-old Elliott Eager attended
GPS Soccer Camp for five weeks last summer, and felt that he became an even better
player. “It helped me so much!” he said. “I
play for the Potomac Soccer Association and
I’ve been playing for four years.”
Eager said he enjoyed creative games designed to get touches on the ball and was
surprised by how effective they were. “The
skills we learned were basic moves,” he said,
“but got challenging as we put them together. I would definitely recommend this
camp, especially if you need to get good at
certain skills, if you want to get good in a
short amount of time, or if you want some
extra practice.”
GPS Soccer Camps, open to boys and girls
ages 6 to 18, run in one-week sessions from
June 20 through July 1 and July 25 through
Aug. 5. Camps are held at Quince Orchard
High School. For more information, visit
gnatikoprosoccer.com/soccer-camps.html
and consider attending a free Go Premier
Soccer Skills Clinic for boys and girls ages 7
to 13 on Feb. 15, 10 a.m. to noon. The clinic
will be held at Ridgeview Middle School,
16000 Raven Rock Dr., Gaithersburg.
Check www.gnatikoprosoccer.com for
more information
SAM Soccer Camps at the Maryland
SoccerPlex in Germantown have been an
integral part of the Soccer Association of
Montgomery (SAM) program for the past
nine years. The first few years, the camps
were offered in partnership with the now
disbanded Washington Freedom, said Annie Gavett, marketing manager. “Our goal
is to have kids all year. … SAM is mainly a
rec league where they can build their skills.
Then they can move on to more professional
play.”
Enrolling young athletes ages 6 to 16 with
full-day and half-day options, SAM Soccer Camps “teach the fundamentals of the
game—passing, dribbling, shooting—and
use fun games,” said Jimmy Escobar, director of programs. “It’s hot out there, so
we vary things and make it interesting. …
A group might play a fun game like Capn
soccer camps Continued on page 16
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 15
Summer Camps and Schools
IMAGINE…
a Barnesville Summer
Campers explore arts, science, sports, nature, and other
fun, theme-based offerings. Our 50-acre campus in the
Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve is the
ideal setting for summer camp adventures for
children from age 3.5 years through 8th grade.
IMAGINE a Barnesville Summer. Come EXPLORE with us!
BarnesvilleSchool.org/camp
301.972.0341
!
R
E
T
N
E
C
S
T
R
O
!
P
s
s
e
S
l
d
n
Y
E
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e
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E
A
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e
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t
i
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Start Your Journey to Fun at www.discoverysportscenter.org.
Page 16
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Summer Camps and Schools
Photo | Submitted
Coach Gary Burke works with young soccer players at SAM Soccer Camp.
■ soccer camps
from page 14
CRAYON
CR
AY
ON
ture the Soccer Ball and then break up into
individual groups with one coach and a
CIT.” Camps also sometimes use the indoor Discovery Sports Center during the
heat of the day, and lunch is always eaten
there. Campers can bring lunch from home
or purchase it at the Discovery Sports Center Café.
SAM Soccer Camp is run by Gary Burke,
an English soccer star. “Gary Burke is really fabulous,” said Gavett. “He has a ton of
experience and played on high-level teams.
He has a great personality, good rapport
with the students. Some call SAM Soccer
the Gary Burke Camps.” One-week sessions run June 20 through Aug. 12.
Another great camp option for young
athletes is the Soccer/Tennis Camp, held in
partnership with Montgomery TennisPlex.
Campers concentrate on soccer during the
morning and then tennis in the afternoon.
Now entering its third summer, the Soccer/Tennis Camp has been very popular.
“We typically have 180 to 200 campers for
SAM Soccer Camps,” Escobar said, “and
this jumped to 340 with the Soccer/Tennis
Camp.” One-week sessions are held June
20 through Aug. 12.
For kids ages 5 to 13 who like to play
a lot of different sports, there’s the Fun
For All, All For Fun Summer Camp. This
camp offers basketball, dodgeball, soccer,
kickball and flag football with fun activities like a talent show and field trips to the
Germantown Splash Park. One-week sessions run June 20 through Aug. 26.
For more information on camps held
at the Maryland SoccerPlex, visit www.
samsoccer.org/camp/soccertenniscamp/
index_E.html.
N
CRAYO
N
CRA
YO
POWERED BY STEAM. FUELED BY FUN!
The Goddard School’s Summer Camp offers a broad range of programs and mini camps crafted to pique the interest and curiosity
of every child; there is something for everybody!
Call today to enroll!
SNEAK PEEK OPEN HOUSE
Monday, February 15 - Friday, February 19 • 9 AM - 12 PM • Summer Sneak Peek
Saturday, March 12 • 10 AM - 2 PM • Science Fair
Monday, March 14 - Friday, March 18 • 9 AM - 12 PM • Science Fair
Saturday, April 16 • 10 AM - 2 PM • Spring Fling
ENROLL TODAY!
GAITHERSBURG • 900 Wind River Lane • 301-208-8787
(Near the Kentlands)
GoddardSchool.com
The Goddard Schools are operated by independent franchisees under a license agreement with Goddard Systems, Inc. Programs and ages may vary. Goddard Systems, Inc. program is AdvancED accredited. © Goddard Systems Inc. 2016
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 17
asignmenteducation
from page 7
Barnesville Students Return to
School, Embrace Snow
While many area schools closed for the
entire week after the blizzard, Barnesville School of Arts & Sciences held classes
Thursday, Jan. 28 and Friday, Jan. 29, including outdoor science activities and sledding at recess.
Kindergarten and second grade science
classes built snow volcanos. A few weeks
ago when it was still unseasonably warm,
kindergarteners were learning about the
letter “V” and planning to build a snow
volcano when they got the chance. Friday,
Jan. 29, they suited up, built a mountain
of snow, and put a cup inside full of baking soda. They added food coloring and
then vinegar to create a chemical reaction
that erupted. Kindergarten teacher Ellen
Landriau said, “Mount Barnesville gave us
a wonderful lesson in planning, teamwork,
and chemical reactions.”
The third grade visited “Explorer
Woods,” an outdoor student-driven collaboration activity held every week. Students
trudged through knee-deep snow on Friday
Photo | Submitted
Former Quince Orchard High School Drum Major Rachel
Sze has been named president of The Michigan State
University Spartan Marching Band.
Marching Cougars Alumna Leads
Spartan Marching Band
Rachel Sze, former two-time drum major for the Quince Orchard High School
Marching Cougars, has been named the
president of The Michigan State Spartan
Marching Band (SMB). Sze was elected
by ballot by fellow band members to lead
the 300-member band for the 2016-2017
season. As president, Sze is responsible for
working with the drum major and band
vice presidents to set policy, manage freshman orientation education, and oversee implementation of leadership initiatives. Sze
has performed with The Spartan Marching
Band at The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl,
two Big Ten Championship games, The
Rose Bowl, The Cotton Bowl, and most
recently, a college football playoff game.
Sze has held the leadership position of squad
leader with the SMB. Sze is studying music education, and has plans to teach at the
high school level following her graduation.
to uncover the outdoor “town” they had
been constructing. They problem-solved
how to rebuild structures that collapsed under the impact of the tremendous snowfall.
The entire school had outdoor recess, including snowman building, sledding, and
other outdoor fun. “We believe in getting
the kids outside to enjoy our beautiful campus every chance we get,” said Assistant
Head of School Vickie Roos. “We have
the independence to be able to reopen and
get back to school as soon as it is safe, and
we also have the unique ability to let our
kids enjoy the excitement of snow-covered
fields.”
Photo | Submitted
Mrs. Ellen Landriau’s kindergarten class builds a snow volcano on Friday, Jan. 29 at Barnesville School.
Page 18
The Town Courier
The ParkPages
News and Current Events for Quince Orchard Park
n
February 5, 2016
Meeting Calendar
Feb. 3 — Condo I Association Meeting, 7 p.m.
Feb. 9 — HOA Board Meeting, Clubhouse, 7 p.m.
Feb. 15 — ACC Meeting, 7:30 p.m.
E-mail your contributions to [email protected]
QOP NEWS
n
february 2016
MANAGEMENT MENTIONS
Planning for Improvements
Trash and Recycling
Spring is a great time for home improvement projects. Just please remember to submit an Architectural Change
Request before you start. These applications should detail the project as
thoroughly as possible, including plans
and specifications with sketches, photographs or catalogue illustrations showing the shape, color, dimensions and
materials; and a copy of the survey plat
of the property with the change location
marked and the signatures of neighbors
adjacent to the property.
QOP Architectural Control Committee (ACC) volunteers review all applications for proposed exterior additions,
changes or alterations to houses and lots
according to the most recently approved
“Design Guidelines for Quince Orchard
Park Community Association.” Design
guidelines are available on the QOP
website, www. quinceorchardpark.com.
Please take special care with paint colors and obtain ACC approval before you
start. Keep in mind that paint colors fade
over time. Simply matching the paint
you intend to use with the current color
on your home may not be acceptable. If
the wrong color is used, the HOA may
require that the freshly painted areas be
repainted.
The ACC meets on the third Monday of each month (except December)
in the QOP Clubhouse, 7:30 p.m. These
meetings are open to all homeowners.
Applicants not satisfied with ACC decisions may appeal to the QOP Board of
Directors.
Trash is collected on Tuesday and
Friday and must be placed in lidded
trash cans. If left for collection in bags
only, trash is ripped open by animals
and strewn throughout the community. Continued use of bags may result
in fines.
Recycling is picked up on Fridays.
Containers with lids are now available
from the City of Gaithersburg. Please
contact the city at 301.258.6370 to
have a lidded bin delivered and the old
one picked up. Bulk recycling pickups are usually the first Friday of each
month. This month, the bulk recycling pickup will be Friday, Feb. 5.
Trash cans and recycle bins must
be stored out of sight on non-pickup
days.
The City of Gaithersburg and Potomac Disposal (301.294.9700) both
offer collection services for bulk items
at no cost.
Photo | City of Gaithersburg
Mayor Jud Ashman presents QOP resident Andrea
Faris Roberts with a Certificate of Recognition Jan.
19 at the Mayor and City Council meeting at City Hall.
City Recognizes QOP Resident’s
Extraordinary Work
Through the advocacy and charitable
organization that she founded in 2004,
Reece’s Rainbow, Andrea Faris Roberts has been helping U.S. families adopt
children with Down syndrome and other disabilities. Adopting a special needs
child from an orphanage abroad can cost
$25,000 to $30,000, sometimes more.
Reece’s Rainbow helps families to raise
these funds. To date, Reece’s Rainbow
has helped support some 1500 adoptions.
On Jan. 19, the Mayor and City Council
gave Roberts a Certificate of Recognition for her extraordinary work..
Photo | Christine Darton-Henrichsen, potshots by Christine
Dog Duty
Photo | Matt Perlman
Younger QOP residents like Jake and Jack
Perlman had fun while helping to clear
driveways and sidewalks.
Photo | Christine Darton-Henrichsen, potshots by Christine
When the skies cleared, residents were out with shovels and
snow blowers.
Blizzard 2016
W
inter Storm Jonas, Jan. 22
through 24, was one for the record books. Gaithersburg Mayor
Jud Ashman posted to Facebook Jan. 25,
“According to City Staff, the largest single
snowfall we have on record was 37 inches
in 1966. Based on staff estimates and measurements I’ve seen from many of you, we
were somewhere between 30 and 34 inches, which would make this the second largest on record and the largest in 50 years. In
a 26-hour period, we basically went from
being a city to being a set location on ‘The
Revenant.’”
Quince Orchard Park was prepared.
Snow removal, accomplished by the city
and crews contracted by the HOA, began
when snowfall reached three inches and
continued throughout the storm. All of the
roadways in Quince Orchard Park are city
maintained and were cleared by the City of
Gaithersburg. Alleys behind single family
and duplex homes were cleared by Quince
Orchard Park. Quince Orchard Park also
cleared all sidewalks except those directly
in front of or next to homes or condominiums. Condominium parking lots and sidewalks were cleared by the Condominiums,
managed by Main Street Management.
The consensus on the Quince Orchard
Park Facebook page was good: Streets
were cleared quickly. Babak Noohi wrote,
“I just wanted to appreciate the HOA for
managing the snow plowing of our community. Year after year they have proved to
be on top of it. I have compared our community with others and I can say that they
have done an excellent job. So thank you
to all of those who have been involved.”
His post received many “likes” and a comment by Stephanie Sand Udler, “Agreed!
Thank you. I can’t believe how quickly our
roads were cleared.”
Cleaning up after dogs is the legal
responsibility of every canine owner walking a dog in the community. Dogs are not permitted off-leash
on common property in the City of
Gaithersburg.
Website
Agendas for meetings, as well as
many important documents (minutes and meeting summaries), can
be found at the QOP website:
www.quinceorchardpark.com.
QOP Management
Contact Information
Quince Orchard Park Community
Manager Ruchita Patel
QOP Assistant Community
Manager Alex Deering
c/o The Management Group
Associates, Inc.
20440 Century Boulevard,
Suite 100
Germantown, MD 20874
Phone: 301.948.6666
management notes
Pool Pass Information
Look for pool pass applications to arrive in your mailbox within the next two
weeks. Residents who already have pool
passes need to submit new applications
only if one of the following changes apply:
adding or deleting members from mem-
bership; giving or revoking permission for
children, ages 13 to 17, to come in without an adult (requires completion of new
form); name change; new homeowner; or
new tenant.
April Board Elections
The Annual Meeting of the Quince
Orchard Park Board is Tuesday, April 12,
7 p.m. Elections will be held then to fill
vacant board seats. If you wish to run for
the QOP Board, please file a Candidate’s
Qualifying Statement. These forms will
be mailed soon. Contact Community
Manager Ruchita Patel, 301.948.6666 or
[email protected], with any questions.
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 19
shoptalk
from page 6
looking for a new, healthy dining concept
when a friend happened to take him to Greg
Nalley’s second location in a Hunt Valley
office building. Hoag said he had an instant
rapport with Nalley and an affinity for the
food. Together, the partners who include
Brad Hoag’s father, Phil, have taken Nalley
Fresh from a lunchtime eatery to an all-day
destination.
QOSTC Tennis Dome Collapses
On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 23, during
the height of Blizzard 2016, the tennis dome
at Quince Orchard Swim and Tennis Club
(QOSTC) collapsed. Executive Director Tim Harvey informed members of the
16601 Roundabout Dr. club via email Sunday evening, writing that an eight-member crew fought to preserve the dome 24/7
throughout the blizzard. Fortunately, QPSTC’s swim dome survived, Harvey wrote,
perhaps because “air and pool water heat can
significantly aid in snow melt.”
Wine Harvest, Giant
Open During Blizzard
Despite the historic snowfall and almost
impassable roads, two local businesses stayed
open through the weekend of Jan. 22. Andrew Meyrowitz, owner of The Wine Harvest, braved the blizzard to open the 114
Market St. shop by 3 p.m. on Saturday, upholding a Wine Harvest tradition of remaining open through snow storms. The Kentlands Giant at 229 Kentlands Boulevard also
remained open and kept its regular hours
throughout the storm.
Fleet Feet Holds Poker Run
Photo | Jennifer Lagomarsino
Snow may have slowed business the weekend of
Jan. 22, but local real estate sales continued.
Owners of 100 Golden Ash Way were so happy about
the sale of their home that Jennifer Lagomarsino
photographed husband Dmytri Ilin and daughter
Olivia with their “Sold” sign. Realtor Elaine Koch
said that the house closed on Wednesday, Jan. 27.
Fleet Feet’s Valentine’s Day Poker Run/
Walk on Thursday, Feb. 11, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
is back by popular demand after a hiatus
of a few years. Sponsored by Brooks Running, this free run/walk takes you through
Kentlands, collecting playing cards as you
go. By the end of the route, you will have
an entire poker hand. Three winning poker
hands will take home prizes from Brooks.
www.fleetfeetgaithersburg.com
Photo | Pam Schipper
Owner Verelyn Gibbs, Bakery Manager Clarissa Robinson, and Franchise Operator Ashley Jones Hatcher welcomed
customers during Nothing Bundt Cakes’ busy grand opening weekend.
Nothing Bundt Cakes Opens
On Saturday, Jan. 30, the line at Nothing Bundt Cakes ran out the door and
down to the Artisans Gallery in The Shops at Potomac Valley. During the new
bakery’s second day of grand opening festivities, customers were treated to
samples of Nothing Bundt Cakes’ most popular flavors.
Owner Verelyn Gibbs, a former Lakelands resident who now lives in Germantown, said she tried Nothing Bundt Cakes a couple of years ago while on a business trip to Houston. She loved the cake so much that she decided to open her
own franchise and spent some time convincing corporate that the Gaithersburg/
Quince Orchard area was the perfect location. Nothing Bundt Cakes has 160 locations across the United States, but only two other locations on the East Coast
in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, and Virginia Beach.
Mailbox Rental
Private. Secure. Professional.
Top Reasons to have a Private Mailbox:
1. Security and privacy.
2. You get a street address for a professional, permanent
appearance.
3. UPS & FedEx packages can be delivered even when
you’re not available and costs less to ship to a
commercial address like ours.
4. Mail can be forwarded or held whenever you like.
5. No waiting to get a box. Begin sharing your box number
the same day.
3 Months FREE Rental
with your 6 month or more
mailbox agreement
New mailbox rentals only. Other restrictions may apply. Only valid
at this Parcel Plus location. All Parcel Plus locations are individually
owned and operated.
Offer valid until February 29, 2016
Kentlands Square Shopping Center
267 Kentlands Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD
301-990-1070
[email protected]
Page 20
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
arts& entertainment
from page 7
branches/quinceorchard.html
made affairs, using what materials were
at hand and often recycling old cards and
magazine clippings into new cards. Drop in
and make your own unique valentine. Donations are requested to cover the cost of
materials. www.gaithersburgmd.gov
‘A Grand Night for Singing’
‘The Winding Stream’
Feb. 6, 4 p.m., BlackRock Center for the Arts
There is a stream that runs through
American roots music. Its source is in the
Appalachian foothills in a place called Maces Springs, Virginia. It was there that A.P.
Carter, his wife Sara and his sister-in-law
Maybelle began their careers as three of the
earliest stars of country music. Don’t miss
this film about the Carter family. Tickets
are $5. www.blackrockcenter.org
iPad Clinic/Downloading e-Books
Feb. 9-March 29, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Quince
Orchard Library
Sign up for free, customized 45-minute
one-on-one help using your iPad to learn
basic features or learn how to download
e-Books and e-Audiobooks on your mobile device like the Kindle, Nook or Android. Registration is required. Register at
the Quince Orchard Library Information
Desk or call 240.777.0200 to sign up. For
iPad users, please bring your Apple ID and
password. For Kindle users, please have
your Amazon login and password. www.
mont g omer ycou nt y md .g ov/ l ibr a r y/
Feb. 12-27, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 p.m.
(additional 2 p.m. matinee on Feb. 20),
Sundays at 2 p.m., Arts Barn
In partnership with Montgomery Playhouse, Arts on the Green presents “A
Grand Night for Singing,” Broadway’s
tribute to the genius of Rodgers & Hammerstein. There are more than 30 songs
from Rodgers & Hammerstein shows. ...
It doesn’t get more grand than this! Tickets
are $22 for adults, and $12 for children 14
and under. www.gaithersburgmd.gov
Chinese New Year Celebration
Feb. 13, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Quince Orchard
Library
Usher in the Chinese New Year 4713,
Year of the Monkey, with the Gaithersburg
Chinese School. Enjoy folk dancing, performances, and arts and crafts. This event
is presented by the students and staff of the
Gaithersburg Chinese School and sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Quince
Orchard Chapter. Call 240.777.0200 for
more information about this free event.
w w w.mont gomer ycou nt y md.gov/ l ibrary/branches/quinceorchard.html
District Comedy
Feb. 13, 8:30 p.m., BlackRock Center for the Arts
Back by popular demand—it’s Comedy Night on Valentine’s Day! Treat your
sweetheart to a laugh-filled night of the
unexpected—and the hilarious—as DC’s
District Comedy brings their urban edginess to the ‘burbs. You’re invited to come
and enjoy some local humor and some local
beer and wine in the evening’s special café
club seating. Tickets are $18-$30. www.
blackrockcenter.org
Ruthie Foster
Feb. 14, 5 p.m., BlackRock Center for the Arts
Those who have followed Ruthie Foster’s eclectic musical history know that she
can burn down any stage with her combustible blend of soul, blues, rock, folk and
gospel. She recently earned the 2015 Koko
Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) at
the 36th annual Blues Music Awards. Tickets are $32-$40. www.blackrockcenter.org
Shenandoah Run
Feb. 18, 7:30 p.m., BlackRock Center for the
Arts
Shenandoah Run is a nine-member
Americana folk band from the Washington, D.C., area. Formed in 2011, the band
blends rootsy vintage, classic and contemporary folk music in a manner that appeals
to a diverse audience. Tickets are $26-$28.
www.blackrockcenter.org
The Frederick Douglas Story: From
Slavery to Freedom
Feb. 20, 2-3 p.m., Quince Orchard Library
This free, one-man dramatic presenta-
tion tells of the life journey of an enslaved
child who dared to learn to read, a young
teen who dared to be all that he could be,
a young man who dared to escape to freedom and a free man who dared to challenge
his country to live up to its promises for all
of its people. Call 240.777.0200 for more
information. This program is sponsored by
the Friends of the Library, Quince Orchard
Chapter.
www.montgomerycountymd.
gov/library/branches/quinceorchard.html
sfz salon series – Brahms and Bunch
Feb. 20, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Kentlands Mansion
This series encourages a creative dialog between artists and audience. Karin
Brown, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra violist, performs music of Johannes
Brahms and Kenji Bunch. Kenji Bunch’s
unique brand of “New American” music
contrasts and complements the traditional,
yet innovative music of nineteenth century Romantic composer Johannes Brahms.
Alex Peh, pianist and sfz curator, provides
background information. This program
features distinctive wines paired with the
music of the evening. Tickets are $25 for
adults and $12 for youth 18 and under.
www.gaithersburgmd.gov
Kentlands Acoustic Jam
Feb. 23, 6 p.m., Kentlands Clubhouse
Bring your acoustic instrument and
voice to join in the jam session, or just
listen. Free. www.reverbnation.com/
kentlandsacousticjam
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 21
kaufman’skitchen
Easy Ways to Fabulous Healthful Food Without
Spending a Lot of Time
W
hen Paula Jacobson and I (cookbookconstr uctioncrew.com) first spoke
to Malia Dell, and she explained her concept to us,
we were very curious about
how it would work. But
when we received the By Sheilah
Kaufman
manuscript to edit and
tried some of the recipes
and techniques, we were astonished at how
easy the concept was to carry out.
Malia explains her concept better than I
can, so I am quoting a lot of her information.
Most of us work long hours, so we need
fast, healthful, portable breakfasts and lunches. Then when we get home at night, we need
easy delicious dinners that can be assembled
in about the same amount of time it takes
to change into our sweatpants. Having
a busy schedule does not mean we must
compromise our health, settling for subpar
meals in a restaurant or from a cardboard box
or drive-thru window.
You work hard; you deserve fresh
food. Malia Dell created this food system so
you don’t have to think. You can go to the
store with a complete shopping list and come
home with a plan for the whole week.
Malia’s new book “Food That Works: Real
Meals to Survive the 9 to 5” is a cookbook for
busy people who want access to homemade
meals Monday through Friday. This weekly
food system offers five great weekly menus
to choose from, all paired with shopping
lists, prep instructions, and realistic recipes
for the week. Your fridge will become the
ultimate grab-n-go, stocked with nutritious
whole foods ready to assemble on the fly.
You’ll become a savvy shopper, selecting the
best quality ingredients by reading ingredients labels, and you’ll move away from settling for processed and packaged foods.
With this book in hand, you will no longer dread going to the grocery store. “Food
That Works” arms you with a simple, welldevised shopping plan. When you get home
from the store, Malia seamlessly walks you
through the prep work, as if she were standing there with you in your kitchen. This
166-page cookbook is full of funky collages,
illustrations, informational guides, and refreshing humor.
Malia told me, “I was tired of spending
money at restaurants and settling for eating
all my meals out. We all go through the same
routine of going to the store, deciding what
the heck to cook, and recreating the wheel
each week. I figured there had to be a better way to capture a well-thought-out plan
for a week’s worth of groceries and realistic
recipes in one palatable spot, so I wrote this
book.”
With the idea for this book in her heart,
Malia left her corporate job in Boston to
live in Spain and Turkey and research how
other cultures managed their diets. In 2012,
Malia washed up on the shores of Rockland,
Maine, to write this book. For the past four
years she has been devoutly writing, testing,
illustrating, photographing, and perfecting
this food system. Malia is a certified wellness
coach, a fitness instructor, and an advocate
for ending food waste.
“Food That Works” is available on
Amazon or through the “Food That Works”
website, www.foodthatworks.info.
■ dj dunmyer
rection, Drake, Lil Wayne, and The White
Panda, Dunmyer has been fine-tuning his
production skills in his bedroom while working on his debut project, “Xiver.” “It will be
self-produced and will include features from
friends around the area,” said Dunmyer, who
was adamant about the fact he wants to be
surrounded by friends during the time he is
producing his album.
DJ Dunmyer recently played at a QO boys’
basketball game, and he is hoping to be able
to perform at more events at his high school.
“The QO community has been extremely
supportive,” he said, “and I want to show my
appreciation by performing in front of my
friends and family.” Until Dunmyer becomes
one of those artists he watches on YouTube,
he will be in his bedroom, working and
dreaming big.
from page 7
ica. “I was hooked,” said Dunmyer. “My
dad would show me videos of popular artists
performing at festivals and shows and their
performances are what drove me to make my
own music.” DJ Dunmyer made his professional debut at Maryland Laced Up in Germantown, a sneaker event. He did such a
good job that this launched him into more
paid gigs at parties and events. Dunmyer continued to play at events and at colleges like
James Madison University until he eventually ran into Toby Knapp of Hot 99.5. Knapp
set Dunmyer up at Nationals Park to play at
a VIP party for One Direction. The rest is
history.
Besides performing for artists like One Di-
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Total Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
This is where Buffalo Chicken meets
Chop Salad. YUM! This salad is one of
my all-time faves. I used to order it out in
restaurants a lot. But then I realized I could
make it much better at home, exactly the
way I like it, and with better quality ingredients. Psssh.
One chicken breast split between two
people may not seem like a lot of meat to
you. A suggested serving of meat is about 4
ounces, so think about the size of a deck of
cards. Doesn’t look like much? Well, your
body doesn’t need much at one sitting. Add
this proper meat serving to the top of your
already protein-dense salad of spinach, cottage cheese and egg, and you’ve got yourself a filling meal.
1 cup cottage cheese, style of your
choice
Drizzle of Buffalo sauce or dressing
of your choice
1 baked chicken breast (from Prep
Day, page 32), sliced or cubed
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or
cheese of your choice
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
2 hard-boiled eggs (from Prep Day,
page 35), peeled, rinsed, dried and
chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 carrots, scrubbed and shredded
(optional)
2 scallions, light green and white
parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
If you are taking this salad to go, start by
putting the dressing and wet ingredients at
the bottom of the container so that they
don’t make the rest of the salad soggy.
Divide the ingredients equally between
two to-go containers. Cover and refrigerate.
n
kaufman’s kitchen Continued on page 23
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Page 22
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
reader’schoice
‘What Comes Next and How to Like It: A Memoir’
Written by Abigail Thomas
A
bigail
Thomas’
books have called to
me ever since I saw
one in a bookstore and was
struck by her style—short,
powerful entries of a page
or two, occasionally even
just a sentence or two. Her
By Betty
highly acclaimed earlier
Hafner
memoir, “A Three Dog
Life” (2007) covered her struggle with the
tragic loss of her husband from an accident.
Her newest memoir, with its intriguing title
“What Comes Next and How to Like It”
(2015), is an honest, no-nonsense and of-
ten witty look at her life in the years that
followed, the bleak, joyful, significant, and
incidental moments.
This is an enormously readable book.
Who wouldn’t like a peek in the window
of such a bright, accomplished woman?
From Thomas’ direct and unsentimental
narrative, we learn that she is messy, she
binge-watches TV series (mostly horror),
she naps indiscriminately, she claims not to
think much about death but seems to have
it on her mind constantly (she’s around 70),
and she’d much rather live with a bunch of
dogs than with a man. (What if he wanted
to talk about mortgage rates or cesspools,
she muses. “You can’t shut people up with
the offer of a dog biscuit.”)
Life happens and much of it is hard—an
aging body with its problems, a daughter’s
cancer, the pull of addictions to alcohol and
tobacco, and the terminal illness of her best
friend. That friend is Chuck, and he plays a
central role in her story. They met in ’79 at
a New York publishing house where “It was
my job to train him,” she writes, “but all
I wanted to do was make him laugh.” She
details a catastrophic episode that blew the
friendship up years before, but it survived
and became even stronger.
Throughout the book we watch Thomas
find joy and peace as she paints. She doesn’t
think of herself as a painter but more a writer
who happens to paint with toxic oil-based
house paint on large surfaces of glass. She
instinctively tilts and jars the wet surfaces
to see if she can make something beautiful.
As the story develops, I came to understand
that is also what she does with her life. Her
prescription for liking what comes next is
working with what comes to you in life, not
wasting energy by fighting it and allowing
for the surprises and pleasures you get from
what you have made of it.
Her message was not wasted on me. I’m
eager to hear more from Abigail Thomas.
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The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 23
MIKEAT THE MOVIES
Carol (R) ****
This one has been out
for some time but we saw
it to make sure we saw all
the Oscar-nominated films
for a review of them. I’m
glad I got to see this one.
Set in the 1950s at the
height of American prejudice against anything and
By Mike
everyone “different,” the
Cuthbert
story tells of a sophisticated, know-everything woman named Carol
(Cate Blanchett) who is in her 30s and the
innocent, know-hardly-anything 20-something woman Therese (Rooney Mara).
Carol is experiencing a rebound from a
broken-up lesbian relationship with Abby
(Sarah Paulson) when she casts her eyes on
Therese, who is working as a clerk in a department store at Christmas. Therese has a
steady boyfriend ( Jake Lacy as Richard) who
cares for her more than she cares for him,
but she is more confused than hateful toward
him. The reasons for her confusion soon become clear: “I should have said no to you
but I never say no. I always say yes to everything.” This is said to Carol, but part of the
charm of Mara in the part is that she shows
us this tendency long before she realizes she
has it!
The plot thickens when Carol’s husband,
Harge (Kyle Chandler), sues for sole custody
of their daughter, Rindy, for reasons of violation of a “morals clause” with Abby “and
suspected others” years ago. Carol, packing
a pistol, easily convinces Therese to go with
her “West.” They finally make love in Waterloo, Iowa, and it is a remarkably passionate
film consummation.
Mara is actually on-screen a few minutes
longer than Blanchett in the film, but she
is nominated for Supporting Actress while
Blanchett is up for Best Actress. The two are
magical together—the elder by Blanchett
and the innocent adolescent Mara. This is a
love story as much anguish is in it, and the
film is spellbinding as it unwinds its inevitable path. It does not preach either side of the
sexual preference controversy. Interestingly
enough, Sarah Paulson had a long lesbian relationship in her life, the author of the novel,
Patricia Highsmith, is gay, as is the writer of
the screenplay, Phyllis Nagy. That may explain the sensitivity of the film, which totally
eschews spectacular exploitation. Beautiful
work by all but Jake Lacy, who seems to be
embarrassed by the whole idea.
that are celebrated weekly in theaters. A very
worthy film, and it should prove to be extremely popular.
The Finest Hours (PG-13) ****
Jack Black does a better than usual job
with the character he has made his own, Po,
the Kung Fu Panda. Po is in trouble, along
with his whole colony as the villain Kai starts
rolling up chi across China. Po’s chi is also
imperiled and with it, his entire mixed bag
colony of peaceful and delightful characters.
Faced with annihilation, and helped by his
father whom he hasn’t seen for nine years,
Po realizes the only way to escape fate is to
train the colony into a Kung Fu Panda army.
His key to training is, “Do your own thing
as best you can.”
That is exactly what they do, and a monumental battle at the end has only one likely
outcome, especially if your thing is making
dumplings. DreamWorks does a fantastic job
with the animation of the final battle scenes
and the entire movie has an Oriental delicacy that is beautiful to watch without boring
the younger set. Even the sweetest moments
were eaten up by the capacity Rugrat crowd
I was with, and it was a joy to hear them
react so vociferously to such a delicate film,
even given Black’s grossest clumsiness in the
slapstick. Hearty material for the entire family and not condescending.
This is a stunning motion picture on many
levels. It is based on a true event from the
1950s when four U.S. Coast Guardsmen observed duty rather than common sense and
saved 32 men from a tanker that had split in
two in the midst of a raging storm. I will
leave you to Google for all the details, but
the story of that rescue, still referred to as
“the most heroic small boat rescue in the
history of the Coast Guard,” is a compelling one of bravery, native knowledge of the
seas off Massachusetts, and cooperation by
both Coast Guard and the members of the
tanker who survived the breakup of the ship.
When I say “breakup,” I’m not exaggerating:
Warnings are expressed by the tanker crew
before the storm smashes into them that the
weld amidships is suspect. It proves to be
worse than that.
The special effects in this film dominate
the acting, as you might imagine, but there
are some fine acting jobs done here nevertheless. Chris Pine as the youthful Bernie
Webber who commands the Coast Guard
boat, Casey Affleck as the intrepid chief engineer of the tanker, Ray Sybert, and British
actress Holliday Grainger as Miriam Webber
lead the cast, but the lesser roles are distinguished by their stoicism and ensemble cooperation. Miriam is what one would call
“cute,” and she is the innocent who falls in
love with Webber. She wants the CO of the
Coast Guard, Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana), to
call the men back from their mission.
Webber realizes the weight of his mission
as a Coast Guardsman and refuses to leave
the site of the sinking stern of the tanker
with its human cargo even though his rescue boat is hopelessly overloaded. Designed
for twelve, he brings back his own crew plus
thirty-two survivors.
One notable thing that audiences should
appreciate: The sound mixing is so well done
that you can hear the dialogue in the middle
of a raging storm. That is very unusual in the
days of “blow it up and damn the dialogue”
kaufman’skitchen
from page 21
Before eating, shake the container vigorously to toss the salad well and combine the
flavors.
Chop salads are quite beautiful; if you are
serving one on a plate, arrange your toppings in neat little piles.
Extra Dressing Options
Serves 2
Creamy Blue Cheese: 4 tablespoons
Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons crumbled
blue cheese, 1 dash Worcestershire
Sauce, ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons water
Honey BBQ: 2 tablespoons BBQ
sauce, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon
apple cider vinegar, 4 teaspoons water
Honey Mustard: 1 tablespoon honey,
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon
water
Raspberry Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon raspberry preserves, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Mix the dressing ingredients of your
choice in a jar and shake vigorously, or
whisk well in a bowl with a fork. Taste, adjust seasonings to your liking. Refrigerate
and use within 7 days.
Tip: Baked chicken breasts are like
blank canvases to start any creative meal.
You can thinly slice them for sandwiches,
cube them for chicken salad, shred them
into pulled chicken, or serve them whole
in a hot meal. Keep them ready in your
fridge, always!
Editor’s note: For more edible delights
by Sheilah Kaufman, go to www.
cookingwithsheilah.com.
Kung Fu Panda 3 (PG) ****
Jane Got a Gun (R) ***
Wow! An almost old-fashioned Western,
shot in New Mexico. I say “almost” because
it has a female lead, Natalie Portman, as the
title character. Set in various years in the late
1870s in New Mexico, the story involves
Jane Ballard (Portman) and her daughter,
Mary. Complicating her story is the fact that
she is married to outlaw Bill Hammond but
had a previous liaison with Dan Frost ( Joel
Edgerton) and worked for some time as a
hooker. She also learned to shoot a rifle but
needs work on her handgun technique.
The formula here is an old one and done
without apologies by Director Gavin O’Connor. Hammond is shot by the Bishop gang.
They also have a grudge on for Jane, so they
pursue Hammond to a ranch house where
he is slowly healing from three shots in the
back, tended by Jane. She solicits Frost’s help
in defending against the Bishop gang and he
promptly builds a ditch filled with dynamite,
kerosene, nails and other objects of mass destruction to protect the farmhouse. She assures husband Hammond: “This is a job for
him. Nothing more.” She proves it by giving
Frost a roll of bills in payment for protection.
Frost has his own rationale for declaring
his former passion for her dead: “When I saw
you holding another man’s child, I knew you
didn’t belong to me. That said to me what
war never could.”
The movie winds to its inevitable conclusion with Jane’s somewhat stoic acceptance
of fate. “Whatever happens,” she says, “I
gotta put my face to it.” Very satisfactory for
Western fans.
Enjoy more of Mike’s reviews at www.
towncourier.com.
Page 24
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Sports
Teamwork Blows
Game Open for
Lady Cougars’ Win
By Mike Cuthbert
G
ood coaches constantly remind
their players: “A good pass always
beats the feet chasing it.” Lady
Cougar Coach Chris Campbell has
clearly reminded his team of that fact,
and they demonstrated their command
of the pass to crush Seneca Valley on
Jan. 30 at QO, 68-29. Not only passing
accuracy and quickness, which opened
up numerous shots, but unselfishness,
leading to better shots than the passers
had, turned a close game into a rout in
the second quarter.
After a 14-10 lead after one, the Cougars blew the game open in the second,
outscoring the Screamin’ Eagles 317. Danni Lehner, QO’s junior center,
scored 9 of her 11 points in the second.
Jordan Odom led the Cougars with 13.
Another vital stat in the game was
turnovers. The Cougars had 14 for the
game, but only 5 in the first half to Seneca Valley’s total of 30 for the game.
Aaliyah Cheatham led the Eagles with
9. Lehner credited the fact that this was
the first game back after the snow break.
“We had a lot of extra energy,” she said.
They also had that great passing habit.
Lehner noted, “We try to get as many
assists as we can.” The had more than
they needed against Seneca Valley.
QO added another win on Monday
with a 45-34 triumph over Damascus.
Odom was the top scorer with 15 points.
Neither Snow, Nor Ice, Nor a Saturday
Morning Tip-Off Can Stop QO
Syl Sobel
T
he Quince Orchard Cougars weathered
an eight-day layoff, some early rustiness, and a rare morning game time in
topping a big, physical Seneca Valley squad,
60-43, at Seneca last Saturday.
The high-scoring tandem of juniors Johnny Fierstein and Matthew Kelly led QO’s attack with 17 and 15 points, respectively. But
it was the tough inside play and defense of
Daniel Dorsey and Ulric Ayivi-Fandalor that
neutralized the Screaming Eagles’s size advantage.
“Big win,” said a pleased Coach Paul Foringer. The win raised QO’s record to 12-2 as
they position themselves for the playoffs. The
game was rescheduled from the previous evening, a result of the weeklong school closure.
QO also will have to make up another game
postponed because of the blizzard.
QO showed the effects of more than a
week without play or practice as several early
shots rimmed in and out. But they tightened
their defense to force numerous turnovers in
the second quarter and went in to halftime
with a 27-14 lead.
“We’re living off of defense,” said Foringer.
Dorsey personified the Cougars’ grit. Only
a sophomore and a slender 6’2”, Dorsey was
outsized by Seneca’s frontcourt players by
several inches and perhaps 20 pounds. But a
half dozen times or more he stepped in front
of larger players driving for the basket, drawing several offensive fouls and often getting
knocked hard to the floor.
“Daniel is never going to let you drive to
the basket uncontested,” said Foringer with
Photo | Syl Sobel
Johnny Fierstein and fellow Cougars converge on defense as QO topped Seneca Valley on Saturday to raise its record to
12-2.
admiration. “He’s going to take a charge.”
Said Dorsey, “Coach instills defense into
us.” He acknowledged that his effort on defense sometimes affects his offense, but “to
me it doesn’t really matter as long as I’ve got
my teammates’ backs. That’s all that matters
to me.”
Fandalor, 6’3” and sturdy, asserted himself
underneath for 11 points, scoring on several
putbacks and inside moves around the hoop.
He also credited Foringer for motivating
him by expecting more out of him and convincing him that “I’m strong enough to go
up and finish against pretty much most of the
kids in the county, so I just got to put that
in my head saying nobody’s going to stop me
when I go up.”
Seneca scored the first five points of the
second half, but QO’s defense triggered a 9-0
run to open a 36-19 lead. Fierstein caught
fire in the third quarter for 11 points, slashing
inside for lay-ups and free throws, and QO’s
lead at times exceeded 20 points in closing out
the win.
The Cougars got a scare near the end of
the first half when point guard Damon Daniel
(6 points) got dragged to the floor on a hard
foul while driving for a layup. He appeared to
reinjure a shoulder that he had hurt earlier in
the season, but returned to play in the second
half and did not seem to show any ill effects.
The victory over the 9-4 Screaming Eagles
was important for several reasons. Seneca had
n
basketball Continued on page 26
Northwest Eyes State Sweep
By Jennifer Beekman
I
t was only minutes into the first day of indoor track and field practice when Northwest High School Coach Robert Youngblood began envisioning freshman Taylor
Wright’s future as a top jumper.
“I saw a spring in her step,” Youngblood
said. “The very first day we had her, she was
jogging beside me and I noticed how she ran
and was, like, ‘That’s not normal.’ Her gait
was like a bounce. I said, ‘Hey, I’m going to
convert this girl into a jumper.’ (My assistant
coaches) were like, ‘Who is this girl?’ I was
like, ‘Trust me.’”
Though hesitant at first, Wright is now the
reigning Montgomery County triple jump
champion and said she is quite glad she took
Youngblood’s advice. Her season-best mark
of 39 feet, 2.50 inches (Montgomery Invitational) is the state’s longest. The freshman also
won the 55-meter dash at the county championship Jan. 20—her time of 7.15 seconds tops
the county and is third in the state—and finished second in the 300 dash.
It’s been an influx of young talent—particularly Wright and classmate Cori Brown, who
won the 300 dash at counties—coupled with a
strong core of versatile returning athletes, such
as senior Leondra Correia (long jump county
champion, 55 hurdles runner-up) and junior
Stephanie Bateky (high jump runner-up,
third in long jump), that has lifted the Jaguars
back to the top of county, possibly state, track.
The 2011 state champion Northwest girls’
track team won three consecutive county titles from 2011-13. But the spotlight has more
recently been on their male counterparts, the
two-time defending state champion. On Jan.
20, the Jaguars swept the county championship—it was the Jaguar boys’ third straight
state title—and it was a special moment,
Correia said, for the entire program to enjoy
championship success at the same time.
“We’ve seen the boys get all the glory that
we haven’t had for a while,” Correia said.
“This year we knew we were going to have to
step it up, no matter what age or grade level.
Everyone has to give 110 percent.”
While Northwest has benefitted from some
of the state and country’s best athletes over the
past decade, the team’s success doesn’t hinge
on just one or two standouts alone, Correia
said. The Jaguars have the tools to score points
across the board, and it’s been the commitment of individual athletes to playing their
respective roles—even if it might mean competing in an off event—that’s helped turn a
strong team into a true program over the past
few years.
The combination of top talent, invaluable
leadership and versatility also means more
competitive practices, Youngblood said.
While extremely supportive of one another, and there is a great camaraderie between
both boys’ and girls’ sides, teammates are also
pushed by each other every day in training.
Winning counties, while an honor, was
also just the first step toward Northwest’s ultimate goal of sweeping the state championship.
Performances at the county championship
certainly helps gauge the Jaguars’ potential,
but there are many other factors to consider
when it comes to the season-ending competition, such as the omission of horizontal jumps,
Photo | Submitted
Northwest freshman Taylor Wright won the 55-meter dash
at the county championship Jan. 20.
which affects point distribution. Northwest’s
boys and Clarksburg’s girls are likely the favorites going into the season-ending competition, but Northwest’s girls are certainly
n
nw track Continued on page 26
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
Page 25
QO Brothers Push Each Other on the Wrestling Mats
By Jennifer Beekman
S
ibling rivalry—jealousy and competition among brothers and sisters—
is a natural part of growing up. Not
as common, however, is the genuine hope
Quince Orchard High School senior wrestler Antonio Lopez has for his younger
brother, sophomore Alejandro, to surpass his
own achievements on the mat.
“A lot of older brothers would be like, ‘I
want to be the greatest, the greater one in the
family,” the younger Lopez said. “(Antonio)
sees me kind of differently. He tells me, ‘I
want you to be better than me. I know you
can be greater than me.’ He really helps me.
He tells me, ‘I want you to be the two- or
three-time county champion,’ and ‘I want
you to win states.’ Stuff that he probably
can’t do now, he tells me he wants me to do
them.”
Make no mistake, though. Pride is always
on the line when the two, who have somewhat contrasting styles, spar. And there is no
letting up, by either side. The brothers are
incredibly supportive of each other, Coach
Rob Wolf said, and motivated by each other’s success—neither wants to be outdone.
But Alejandro does have the benefit of
more time in the sport and Antonio, who
missed his freshman season after undergoing
surgery, said he is intent on doing what he
can to help his younger brother make the
most of it. Alejandro, who said he is inspired
by his brother, is very receptive to the elder
Lopez’s guidance.
It was Antonio, currently ranked No. 11
in the most recent Maryland State Wrestling
Photo | Submitted
QO wrestlers Alejandro and Antonio Lopez push each other
to excellence on the mat.
Association standings in the 120-pound
weight division and in contention for county, region and state titles, who is responsible
for the two getting into grappling. He took
up Jiu-Jitsu in eighth grade and Alejandro,
who was in sixth grade at the time, tagged
along. Though Alejandro didn’t compete in
wrestling prior to his freshman year, he attended many of Antonio’s practices, which
served as a great introduction to the sport.
“When Antonio was a sophomore, Alejandro was in middle school, watching him,”
Wolf said. “It motivated him to start getting
on it and be ready to hit the ground running
when he got to high school. He didn’t wrestle before high school but he did Jiu-Jitsu,
strength and conditioning. The guys worked
pretty hard to get themselves in shape to be
competitive.”
It is a huge advantage in wrestling to have
a good practice partner, Wolf said. And having each other to train with and against, An-
tonio and Alejandro said, has played a major
role in their development and success.
The elder Lopez, who has pushed himself
back into top shape after suffering what he
feared would be a season-ending knee injury
earlier in the season, improved to 16-3 with
two wins over the weekend. His younger
brother (126-pound division), who has been
wrestling with a fractured coracoid process
(broken shoulder), is now 15-3 after a twowin weekend. The two have helped Quince
Orchard to a 7-2 record in Montgomery
County. If the Cougars win out the rest of
their season, they will be in line to qualify for regional duals, something they just
missed out on a year ago.
“Steel sharpens steel,” Wolf said. “If you
go against someone you can beat all the time,
it doesn’t help you all that much. If you’re
getting pushed, you have to improve. It’s a
huge advantage to have a good practice partner. And if it’s your brother, someone in the
same house and you have the opportunity
to do something together, it’s a huge advantage.”
The Lopez brothers match up well against
each other physically—they compete in similar weight classes—which intrinsically ensures productive training sessions. But they
can also learn from each other’s different approaches on the mat, the two said.
Both are quick on their feet, Wolf said.
But Antonio, who aims to compete at the
NCAA Division I level, is more of a cerebral wrestler, reliant on his ability to outthink and outmaneuver his opponents. He’s
methodical, Wolf said, and his matches can
n
wrestling Continued on page 26
■ walsh
from page 1
was doing very little work on his own when
it came to racing,” Pelkey said. “When they
graduated there was a transition and Liam had
some trouble ... in terms of racing and taking
ownership for himself. I refer to it as learning
how to win.”
That is exactly what Walsh has done. He
has always been one of Quince Orchard’s most
gifted athletes, Pelkey said, but that doesn’t always translate into race wins. The first step is
being able to visualize oneself as a champion.
Tactically, Walsh has seen and experienced
it all. But now, he’s at the point, Pelkey said,
where he has confidence in the miles he’s put
in. And he’s reading races better than ever.
Led by Walsh and Gregory D’Elia and Dylan
Bikim, who took first and second, respectively, in the high jump, Quince Orchard’s boys
finished third at counties, one point out of
second. The Cougars are looking to build on
that moving forward into the postseason.
“The person in the lead is going to do more
work than anyone else in the field, in terms of
energy output,” Pelkey said. “There is a certain level of anxiety that if you’re in the lead,
you’re in control of a lot of the variables, but
you have no idea what’s going on behind you.
But you have instincts, like the sound of the
crowd, sound of steps coming up behind you,
sound of breathing. Liam has built that. He’s
well aware of what’s going on around him. …
You get to a point where you’ve been doing
this now for several years and you can look
around and say you’ve done as much, if not
more, than any single one (of your competitors). So, why not make it me? Once Liam got
into that phase of his life, (he’s taken off ).”
?
g
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mili
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i
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s
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Why
SAM SOCCER
Find out more at www.samsoccer.org
Page 26
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
■ basketball
from page 24
beaten the Cougars during last year’s summer league playoffs, and Foringer had told his
squad this was “payback time.”
More importantly, QO’s last game before
the snowstorm layoff was a heartbreaking 5956 defeat at Clarksburg, when the Coyotes
hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to secure the
■ nw track
from page 24
making a case for themselves as a serious
contender.
The Class 4A West Region meet, which
sets the tone for the upcoming state competition, was scheduled for Thursday afternoon. The top four finishers in each event
automatically advance to the season-ending
championship; other athletes can reach the
state meet by achieving pre-determined
standards specified by the Maryland Public
Secondary Schools Athletic Association.
Led by University of Pittsburgh recruit
Shyheim Wright, who owns the county’s
■ wrestling
from page 25
often resemble a game of chess.
Alejandro, who said he has benefitted from
his brother’s high wrestling IQ, is propelled
more by sheer athleticism and explosiveness.
“From what I’ve seen from brothers, you
still want to beat your brother, but then once
win. That loss had preyed on the Cougars
ever since.
“We had a tough loss against Clarksburg,”
said Fandalor. “We had to come back and
show what we’re really about. No more
games like that.”
The Cougars won again on Monday night,
beating Damascus, 75-32. Dorsey led the way
with 14 points. Kelly had 13, and senior Jack
Ropelewski added 12.
all-time fastest 55-meter hurdles time (7.27
seconds) and is in the top 5 of five events
on the county’s 2016 leaderboard, Northwest’s boys have at least one athlete in the
top 10 of every individual event that will be
contended at the state championship, and at
least two in eight of them.
The girls, led by Correia and Wright,
have also peppered the county’s leaderboard.
“Versatility is so important,” Youngblood said. “I’ve stressed to both girls and
guys, if we can have depth at key events,
top tier depth, we can do exceptionally
well at events like counties, regionals and
states. That’s why our program has gotten
so much stronger.”
someone else is going against them, you’re
all in for your brother,” Wolf said. “You can
beat up on your brother but no one else can.
… Oh, yeah, Antonio wants Alejandro to
surpass him. He talks about how over the
next few years, he’d like to see his brother win the state tournament. He has a high
ceiling for his brother over the next two-plus
years.”
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February 5, 2016
The Town Courier
Page 27
Page 28
The Town Courier
February 5, 2016
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