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Even in Our Fair City, rules are rules. You know, "Spring forward, Fall back." Tonight, before you go to sleep, you should set your clock back. Standard time begins at 2:00 am.
So, that's good news: You get an hour more sleep tonight.
Use it wisely.
(Image Countrywhispers -- but mute your sound before you visit.)
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Rockville Central typically stays dark for the weekend, barring interesting tidbits. This weekend is the last one before Election Day, and many readers are no doubt pondering their choices for Tuesday, November 6. And, many candidates are putting in last-ditch efforts to make sure public opinion sways their way.
So, rather than inundate your in boxes, we decided to create one omnibus election roundup today. So, here are the highlights.
Get Informed
First, we recommend, if you have a minute, listening to and reading the candidate interviews we conducted of every candidate.
when you're done, you might want to take a look at a few other election guides. There's one in the Washington Post, one in the Town Courier, one in the Gazette, and one on the City's election page.
Candidate Mailers
I thought I had dodged a bullet when the postman came and there was no election-related material in my mailbox. But then I went out to a Cub Scout event and returned to a sheaf of flyers stuffed in my door. Here they are, below. (Click each thumbnail for a larger photo, or go here for the whole album of all election flyers and mailers I have received.)
Real Rockville:
Powell:
Gottfried:
Marcuccio:
Another Real Rockville:
New Yard Sign!
I have been looking and not finding . . . but just this morning I spotted a yard sign for Theo Anderson (running for City Council). Here's a snap (click it for a bigger version):
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Thank you to all who wrote to me as I wrestled with whether to post PDF versions of the candidates' finance reports. I got a lot of email, from candidates and from ordinary folks. While the information is all public record, I have decided not to post the documents.
I heard from a number of private people who would really rather not have their addresses and donation amounts posted on the Internet for any just any old yahoo to pull down and exploit. As it stands now, at least people who want the data have to expend a bit of effort.
One emailer was a recent victim of identity theft. Others mounted very convincing and sensitive arguments. Only a couple spoke out for publication.
Still, part of me wants to answer back like this: "In today's age of the Internet, and in the post-Watergate financing era, it is not reasonable for an individual to believe their political contributions are private. While they might not be very comfortable with the details being easily available, that's the world we live in. I can plug my address into a database and instantly get a list of my neighbors who have given to national candidates -- names, addresses and amounts. When a city adopts a campaign finance ordinance, that's what they are getting into. Public means public."
That makes sense for a news outlet to say, or even a blogger. But Rockville Central, while a news source, and while it exists in blog form, is more than that. It is a neighborhood hub, and I feel a strong obligation to behave in a neighborly way. Here is roughly how I explained it to a candidate:
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You may recall the recent item asking questions of the candidates as to where they stand on the roll-out of Verizon's fiber optic FiOS system. Former cable commissioner Don Libes has a blog that has been focusing on this issue. He put the question directly to all the candidates, and he can now report their answers. Most are quite thoughtful.
One commenter, who goes by the name "jtrockville," summed it all up this way:
Many of the candidates seem willing to pursue a mutually beneficial outcome. For the sake of the residents of Rockville, I hope the new regime can move the fiber deployment forward. FiOS is really worth having!
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West Argyle Street has been a legal route for City of Rockville voting district 1 commuters to gain access to gain access to I-270 via Maryland Avenue. In recent years, the City of Rockville has made changes to Argyle Street (west of Monroe) to enhance safety (speed bumps and a pedestrian sidewalk) and reduce cut-through traffic (a bumpout at Maryland Avenue and road signs redirecting traffic bound for Dogwood Park). I consider these changes to be much needed improvements.
Unfortunately, the City has recently put a No Left Turn onto Maryland Avenue from Argyle Street restriction between the hours of 7 and 9 AM, Monday through Friday. This restriction is clearly meant to redirect the local commuters in the neighborhoods of Hungerford-Stoneridge, Waddington Place, Fireside, Lynfield, Rockville Heights, New Mark Commons (Big Oak Court) and Town Center through a more circuitous and time-consuming route of traffic light controlled, left hand turns on Fleet Street.
The City Council, as currently composed, seems to consider this matter closed, despite the enduring vocal entreaties of residents from District 1 neighborhoods comprising well over 1000 households. Fortunately, in this election season there are two City Council candidates who live in the Hungerford neighborhood within Voting District 1. Both have made statements of support in reopening the Argyle discussion with affected residents.
Theo Anderson has said, "Before the beginning of my campaign and decision to run as a candidate for City Council I had responded to the Citizens for Argyle group with the commitment as an ordinary Rockville citizen to join and work with this group to try and get the Argyle Street concerns re-investigated and looked into."
Carl Henn has said, "I support allowing left turns from Argyle onto Maryland in the morning. While this would regrettably increase traffic on Argyle, it would reduce traffic up Monroe, Fleet and part of Maryland, which will improve pedestrian safety in the area close to the Richard Montgomery High School."
For their positions on the Argyle issue (and other issues) and in hopes of reopening the Argyle Street discussion with a newly constituted City Council, I will be casting two of my four Rockville City Council votes for Theo Anderson and Carl Henn on November 6, 2007. I ask other District 1 residents to consider voting for Theo Anderson and Carl Henn as well.
--Erik Read, Waddington Place
Note: Rockville Central runs occasional, edited opinion pieces by contributors. Their views are not necessarily those of Rockville Central, which takes no position on candidates. To submit your opinion for consideration, contact us.
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The first batch of last-weekend election mailers has arrived at my doorstep. We read the mail, so you don't have to!
Click on each image (front or back) for a larger version. Click here to go right to the whole album.
Hoffmann:
Pierzchala:
Powell (large image, lots of text):
Gajewski:
Gottfried:
Robbins (large image; lots of text):
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It's not only the candy that hangs around our house after Halloween
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Judging by the cryptic comments I received over the last two weeks from all manner of candidates and partisans-of-candidates (from all sides of the fence, I might add), the recap of the Rockville campaigns in the Washington Post's "Montgomery Extra" was highly anticipated. Many (again, from all sides) told me it would blow the lid off of something.
Well, I guess the pot is going to have to keep simmering. In terms of lid-blowing, the Post's piece told us that there is a divide between one group of candidates supported by outgoing Mayor Giammo, and another group of candidates supported by Real Rockville:
During Rockville's election campaign this year, the outgoing mayor posted a notice on his blog urging voters to kick out three council members. There's a chilly relationship between the incumbents and a fourth council member who is running for mayor. And some residents are bothered by what's going on.
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Events in Rockville
Friday, November 2
4th Annual Red Wine Tasting Social, Rockville Sister City Corporation hosts at the Rockville Senior Center, 7:30 PM. $25/Members $30/non-members. RSCC "Wines of the Pacific Northwest." Reservations on a first-come, first-served basis. You can join RSCC at the event. For info: 240-314-5029.
Rockville Musical Theater, Into the Woods, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20 Adults, $18 Seniors (62+), $16 Children (under 18) This musical is based on a collection of fairy tales and what happens AFTER the “happily-ever after”.
Saturday, November 3
Second Annual Fall Fest Community Health Fair, Twinbrook Community Center, 11 AM – 2 PM. Flu shots will be offered for $24. (They’ll also be accepting Medicare Part B.) Food samples and demonstrations will help everyone learn about nutrition. The kid’s corner will provide dentist and pediatrician information. There will also be games for the kids, exercise demonstrations, and free massages! Sponsored by City of Rockville Community Wellness program.
The Race for Space, Meet Betsy Kuhn, the author of "Sputnik to Apollo 11", Rockville Library, 2 PM. Learn about the space race. Part of Children's Science Series on Air and Space. I know some adults out there who would love to hear this BUT it’s for kids in grades 4, 5 & 6.
Dime Collection by Land for Tiller’s Freedom, The Lemon Tree Gourmet Market and Café, 1701 Rockville Pike, 7 PM. Dimes will be collected to buy bricks to build a home for just one family in India. The Lemon Tree will also be donating a dime for each food item purchased. Help Lafti (www.lafti.net) build a better world.
Rockville Musical Theater, Into the Woods, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20 Adults, $18 Seniors (62+), $16 Children (under 18) This musical is based on a collection of fairy tales and what happens AFTER the “happily-ever after”.
Sunday, November 4
32nd Annual Rockville 10K/5K, King Farm Village Center, 8:30 AM.$27 by Nov. 3rd, $30 on Nov. 4th from 7:30-8:15 AM. SO, it’s not too late to race! Register online by Nov. 2nd at www.mcrrc.org. For late registration call 301-881-0021. Lots of prize drawings and a post race brunch from King Farm restaurants.
The U.S. Navy Band – Chamber Ensemble, Sunday Afternoon Concert Series, Glenview Mansion at the Rockville Civic Center Park, 2 PM. It’s the first Sunday of the month again and the Band will kick-off November’s Art Exhibit.
Rockville Musical Theater, Into the Woods, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 2 PM. $20 Adults, $18 Seniors (62+), $16 Children (under 18) This musical is based on a collection of fairy tales and what happens AFTER the “happily-ever after”.
Monday, November 5
Discussion of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, Rockville Library, Children’s Programming Room, 7:00 PM. Book Discussion of this C.S. Lewis book for kids in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. Register at 240-777-0140
Tuesday, November 6
Election Day in Rockville. Polls open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you have not registered to vote, you can still register on Election Day BUT ONLY at Rockville City Hall where you will then cast your vote.
Friday, November 9
Rockville Musical Theater, Into the Woods, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20 Adults, $18 Seniors (62+), $16 Children (under 18) This musical is based on a collection of fairy tales and what happens AFTER the “happily-ever after”.
Saturday, November 10
Speaker’s Series, Eileen McGuckain, Rockville Library Meeting Room #1, 10:00 AM Eileen McGuckian will be speaking about Rockville's history and Peerless Rockville, “an award-winning nonprofit, community-based organization founded in 1974 to preserve buildings, objects and information important to Rockville's heritage.”
Washington National Opera Presents, Twinbrook Library, 1 PM. A volunteer will provide an interactive program about Hansel and Gretel, the opera, by Engelbert Humperdinck. They’ll be storytelling and crafts for ages 5 and up.
Rockville Musical Theater, Into the Woods, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20 Adults, $18 Seniors (62+), $16 Children (under 18) This musical is based on a collection of fairy tales and what happens AFTER the “happily-ever after”.
Sunday, November 11
Veteran’s Day Ceremony, Veteran’s Park, 11 AM. Special wreath laying ceremony. We all drive past this park with its large flag between Rt. 355 and Rt. 28. I see it daily on weekdays. The foliage is always red, white and blue to honor our soldiers. Take the time to stand in Veteran’s Park and show our respect for and appreciation of our Veterans.
Rockville Musical Theater, Into the Woods, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 4 PM. $20 Adults, $18 Seniors (62+), $16 Children (under 18) This musical is based on a collection of fairy tales and what happens AFTER the “happily-ever after”.
Veteran’s Day Benefit Concert by The Rockville Men’s Chorus & the Rockville Singers, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theater, 7:30 PM. This very special performance honors those who have served and those who are serving in the armed forces. No admission will be charged but donations will be accepted to raise funds to support families visiting their military family members who are receiving treatment at Walter Reed Army Hospital and the Bethesda Naval Hospital. Sponsored by the City of Rockville and Community Ministries of Rockville.
Special Community Notice:
Twinbrook Community Pool is having a Yard Sale in the pool parking lot at 13027 Atlantic Avenue , on Saturday, Nov. 17th from 9AM-Noon. You can rent a 20 x 17 ft. space for $20 by making a reservation by mail (P.O Box 705 Rockville MD 20848) before Nov. 13th and keep your proceeds. You can help out by donating items at specific times at the pool office. For info YardSale@TwinbrookPool.org. Thanks to all our friends in Twinbrook who read Weekend to Weekend! I’d like to encourage everyone to come on out and support their fundraiser!
Email cindycgblog@gmail.com if you have a fun, educational or community event to be included in Weekend to Weekend. Include links!
We will publish event listings occurring in & around our coverage area (map) on Thursdays. The inclusion of events is at our discretion.
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I discovered that the City of Rockville wants us all to “Be Healthy – Be Happy!”
As I was listing Weekend to Weekend last Thursday, I wanted to find out more about the 2nd Annual Fall Fest Community Health Fair to be held this Saturday, November 3, 2007 at the Twinbrook Community Recreation Center from 11 AM – 2 PM. Since I could not find the information on the City’s website, I called the number listed on the City’s calendar. What I learned is that we have a Community Wellness program www.rockvillemd.gov/residents/wellness ) with a Coordinator named Hillary Boguski. The City has started to offer monthly programs to help us improve our lifestyles, such as classes on cooking and maintaining a healthy weight.
Ms. Boguski filled me in on the Health Fair. Flu shots will be offered for $24. (They’ll also be accepting Medicare Part B.) Learning about nutrition will include food samples and demonstrations. The kid’s corner will provide dentist and pediatrician information. There will be games for the kids, exercise demonstrations, and free hearing/vision screenings. Plus, one of my favorite reasons for attending an event – free massages!
Certain screenings need to be registered through Rock Enroll:
Lipid profile ($35 Resident/ $38 Non-resident, Registration no. 23116) will determine is you are at risk for coronary heart disease. The tests will tell you if you are likely to have a heart attack or stroke caused by blockage of the blood vessels.
Glucose screening ($10 Resident/ $12 Non-resident, Registration no. 23117) will measure the amount of glucose in the blood and will determine if you have diabetes. The American Diabetes Association states that one third of people with diabetes don’t know it - that’s 6.2 million Americans. This disease will destroy your body over time if not treated. I’ve watched it happen.
Don’t miss this excellent opportunity to get on the path to better health. Let’s face it, we all have some improvements we can make!
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This will no doubt appear in Weekend To Weekend, but since it is coming up in just one more day, we wanted to highlight it now:
For the past 16 years, supporters of Rockville’s Sister City Corporation’s relationship with Pinneberg, Germany, have gathered to share camaraderie and excellent food and drink and provide financial support for the people to people efforts of these organizations. That tradition will continue on Friday, November 2nd, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rockville Senior Center as the Rockville Sister City Corporation hosts its 4th annual Red Wine Tasting Social. This wine tasting will be the final Rockville-Pinneberg 50th Anniversary celebration in Rockville.
“Last year’s red wine tasting event introduced wines from the Australia and New Zealand,” said Wayne Savage, a member of the Rockville Sister City Corporation Board of Directors “This year we will be sampling wines of the Pacific Northwest, one of the fastest growing wine producing area in the United States.” The wine tasting will feature red wines of Washington and Oregon producers including a selection of Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel. A variety of foods and cheeses will also be on hand to complement the wine offerings.
Admission is $25 per person for RSCC members and $30 for non-members. Membership applications can be found on the RSCC web site under "Join US." For more information about the event, call 240-314-5029.
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Christina Ginsberg has passed along the information that all three mayoral candidates will be on TV at 5pm tonight on Channel 8. Quick, set your Tivo.
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Dear Readers:
I am trying to decide something and you can help me. As you know, we have the campaign finance reports for all of the city candidates. There is no online repository for such public information; people need to physically go to City Hall and order copies made at $.10 per page. With three mayoral and eleven city council candidates, that gets pricey and time-consuming.
So, I am considering posting PDF files of the candidate finance reports here at Rockville Central. However, I am not sure about whether I should or not. I would like to hear arguments pro and con.
First of all, according to the City, it would not violate any city election laws. These are public records, required by law to be submitted by each candidate on a set schedule. They include details on candidates' finances as well as the names and addresses of their contributors.
That's the thing. While surely everyone who gives money to a candidate knows it is a public record, they may not necessarily be comfortable that their neighbors can find out with a couple of mouseclicks who they are giving to and how much. There is a strong argument on both sides. On the one hand, this is useful information that should be out there. On the other, how easily accessible ought it to be, in an age when privacy is less and less available to anyone? There is something to be said for a few simple barriers.
My own bias is towards transparency when at all possible, so I lean towards posting the information. But I may not do so. I really want to hear from others. Please post comments or send me emails if you have opinions. I am happy to keep your thoughts confidential, but I would prefer this debate be out in public. I am especially interested in hearing from candidates and donors on this.
What do you think?
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