Homicide In King Farm; Suspect In Custody

According to the Montgomery County Police, Friday night in King Farm, a murder occurred:

At approximately 10:15 p.m. on February 8, Montgomery County Police received the report of a shooting in the 200 block of King Farm Boulevard. Rockville City Police and Montgomery County 1st District officers responded and found an adult male lying on the ground suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead from the injuries he received.

The victim was identified as Jason David Hadeed, 33, of the 1000 block of Reserve Champion Drive in Rockville.

Detectives say the suspect, currently in custody in Fairfax, Virginia, is Michael Wayne Adams, age 44, of the 200 block of King Farm Boulevard in Rockville. He will be charged with second-degree murder. Police had received a 911 call saying he wanted to turn himself in.

UPDATE: According to the Examiner, police say the two men knew one another, but the motive for the killing is not yet clear.

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Prepping For The Potomac Primary

While most of the media oxygen is taken up by the major parties' presidential contenders, our upcoming "Potomac Primary" on Tuesday, February 12 is an opportunity not only to choose our favorite executive nominees, but school board members, judges, and congressional representatives as well.

From past experience we know that many Rockville Central readers visit the site looking for election information on the weekend before election day, and in case that is you, here is this quick roundup:

• What: Maryland's primary elections
• When: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 from 7:00 am through 8:00 pm
• Where: Plug your address in here, to find out! t will be one of the locations on this list. Note that this is not a City election, so your polling place may be different than the one you visited last November.
  
• Who:
• Party nominee to be candidate for President of the United States
• Party nominee to be candidate for U.S. Representative
• Circuit Court Judge (choose two; they are running for retention, unopposed)
• Delegates to your party's convention
• Board of Education -- at-large member

Here is a link to the Gazette's local election roundup, which has lots of good information.

More questions? Go check out the county board of elections, or even the state board of elections.

See you Tuesday!

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Robin Feeding Frenzy

When we moved into our house six years ago, we were amazed that the holly trees were higher than our two-story roofline. Bright red berries filled the trees during the holidays, providing a natural decoration to keep us in the spirit.

On a cold and snow covered day in February, masses of American Robins descended on the trees in a complete frenzy, just like a riot. Over the course of three days, they lived in the trees on our property and ate every berry while a squirrel screamed at them. Our toddler and infant son spent hours looking out the window at the commotion. We decided that the robins must have been very hungry and could not get to the worms due to the snow.

However, this phenomenon happens every year in February. This was the week! The berries were numerous and now they are all gone.

Since both my kids were home sick, I spent the week in the house and could keep close tabs on the activity. The robins always start at the top of the tree and work their way down. They don’t mind being together in close proximity to each other. Our vehicles and the ground are covered in droppings. They make a big mess! The squirrels didn’t get upset until today, when the berries were almost gone. I guess they are willing to share but not lose all of the food.

When I went outside, several robins would fly down at me as a warning to keep away from their stash. The loud noise from all those birds filled the air. Hundreds of birds dashed this way and that.

Do the robins do this to other holly trees in Rockville during the winter? Have they been to your neighborhood? Do you expect them to visit?

You can report robin sightings to Journey North.

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Mayor And Council Agenda 2/11/08 Available

The agenda for the next meeting of the Mayor and Council, Monday, February 11, 2008 at Rockville City Hall, has been posted to the City's website. It is available here. (My understanding is that, if the agenda is amended, that same link will reflect the changes.)

This upcoming meeting, since it is a worksession, will not be televised on The Rockville Channel, though (I am led to believe) it is open to the public. Those who have time may wish to attend, as there is an important item set for discussion: details on the next fiscal year's budget, for FY2009.

Some have asked the Mayor and Council to rethink their recent decision to stop televising such worksessions, a decision they took in order to create an atmosphere more conducive to getting work done.

In any event, for those who cannot personally attend this meeting, here is a note from staff that may serve to reduce anxiety:

Tonight’s presentation seeks the Mayor and Council’s concurrence with the current direction of budget preparation, specifically the FY 2009 enterprise fund rates (with the exception of the water rates). There will be other opportunities for the Mayor and Council to provide additional guidance and direction during the public hearings, scheduled for March 31, 2008 and April 14, 2008, and/or during the next Mayor and Council worksessions, scheduled for April 28, 2008 and May 5, 2008.

That is, this is not the only time the budget will be considered, and there will be public input opportunities.

That one the day before Tax Day sounds like a hoot.

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission Growing In Rockville

I love how many interesting national and global institutions you can find in Our Fair City. Here's one.

The Business Gazette reports that one of the most important agencies in the nation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is poised for growth -- they have just signed a 75,000-square foot lease to take all but the ground floor of the new 21 Church Street (pictured here in the wee hours of morning). This keeps the agency's employee's just a Metro ride away from one another.

"That leaves only the 6,000-square-foot first floor vacant on the 89,000-square foot building, a rare development in the current heavily speculative market," according to the article.

Good news, but that's not all. The agency is also looking for 200,000 square feet or more around their headquarters, near White Flint.

(Photo by Rockville Central.)

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POTD: Waiting For The Sun

(With apologies to The Doors.) Still perversely pulling out my snow photos in the midst of nice weather. . . .

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We Have Deleted Court House Poll

Dear Readers:

As many of you know, we recently put up a "poll" asking what people thought about the State's idea to build a new district court house where the old public library building is. This building is next to a school, a church, and an historic district, and has no parking available neither now nor in any plans. It is a testament to the power of this particular issue that our traffic more than doubled over the norm.

But, I have deleted the poll. It was ill-advised.

Why? Three reasons:

1. People appeared to be gaming the poll. Near the end of the day today, there were sudden floods of visitors from the same Internet addresses, corresponding with a sudden flood of votes. They came one after the other, all from the same place. The system doesn't allow the same computer to vote twice, but it looked as if whole offices were all voting at once -- from Bethesda, Frederick, Silver Spring and other places outside of Rockville. It's one thing to motivate your network, another to try to stuff the ballot box. That is what it looked like was happening.
   
   
2. People were clearly positioning to use the "results" as political ammo. No Internet poll like this even comes close to being "valid" for anything other than a lark, which is what this was intended to be. But from the emails I was getting, people were pinning a lot on the results, as if they might actually mean more than they do. I did not want to see anyone claiming a "Rockville Central poll shows" that they were right, or the other side was wrong.
   
   
3. There were problems with the wording of the questions. This was less of an issue for me than the first two, but it is valid. Some people thought the questions were biased against the "move the court house" position (this even though I have been very clearly on the move the court house side and have a "move" sign on my lawn). The main beef was that I did not include the idea that the Giant option might still be on the table. In any event, one side felt hard done by because of the poll and that was not the point -- and it damaged the overall credibility of this space.
   

In retrospect, I should have anticipated all of the above.

It added up to a clear decision. It would be painful, and involve admitting a mistake, but that's what grown-ups do. My main purpose in starting this site was for it to be useful in people's lives and for it to be a space for civil dialog about issues that matter. This was just too big a lightning rod and was clearly going to do more harm than good.

So, there you have it. I can take my lumps. I am sorry if my experiment raised the anxiety level. If you were really looking forward to voting later, you will have to look elsewhere.

In the future, if I try another poll, it will be about something benign, like Hard Times vs. Giuseppe's. Hmm, maybe not that, either.

Thanks for bearing with me. This is as new to me as it is to you.

--Brad Rourke

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Weekend to Weekend 2/7/08

Events in Rockville

Friday, February 8

Sixth Annual Heart to Heart Family Valentine’s Day Dance, Twinbrook Recreation Center, 7 PM – 9 PM. $2/person. You can register through RockEnroll Activity #24098 but pre-registration is not required. An adult must accompany children as they dance to a dj, play games, win prizes and make Valentines. Wear that RED!

Songs of Love, Mulan Foundation, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $25/adults, $15/Seniors & Students. Music for lovers. Western and Chinese music combined. Alessandra Marc's voice has been described as "an instrument of unsurpassed beauty and impact.

"Can’t Hang, Austin Grill – Rockville, 9:30 PM. (Never a cover charge at Austin Grill.) It’s reggae time again! Transport your mind to a warmer place.

Saturday, February 9

Chinese New Year Celebration, Piano Concert, Twinbrook Library, 3 PM. The students of Li-Ly Chang will perform Chinese, as well as, classical pieces. Ms. Chang will also play her Chinese compositions and tell stories.

Lunar New Year Celebration, Rockville Library, Meeting Room #1, 3 PM – 5 PM. The Kuang Chi Chinese School will perform a lion dance by the “East Rising Lion Dance Troupe” which will include Chinese folk dance. Hands-on activities for ages 6 & up. Demonstrations of water-color painting, calligraphy, and Chinese New Year customs. What an excellent way to share in the celebration!

Tamburitzans, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $30/adults, $25/Seniors & students. The Duquesne University group will present the music, song and dances of Eastern Europe and neighboring cultures.

Billy Coulter Band, Austin Grill – Rockville, 9 PM or so. (Never a cover charge at Austin Grill.) He’s had a great year of rock/pop and has been nominated for three Wammies (Washington Area Music awards)!Sunday, February 10

Sweetheart Sunday, VisArts at Rockville, 12 PM – 3 PM. During "The Face of the World" Photography Exhibition Opening, the Artists-in-Residence will be having a Valentine’s Day Sale for you to buy your loved one a special present – art! You may also want to surprise your special someone with a Valentine’s Portrait. A picture’s worth a thousand words.

Boogie Babies, VisArts at Rockville, 2 PM – 4 PM. $10/child, parents free. Art, music and movement for your little one ages 2-4. Program by Gymboree Play & Music of Betheda. Sponsored by Whole Foods Rockville.

Meet a cocoa farmer from Ghana, Ten Thousand Villages in Rockville, 107 Gibbs Street, 2 PM. Visit with Cecilia Appianim, and try out the wonderful chocolates at the new Town Center location. You can stock up on Divine Chocolates for Valentine’s Day and help a community of cocoa farmers- all at the same time!

Rockville Concert Band, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 3:00 PM. Free, no tickets necessary but donations will be accepted. Swingtime will include jazz, big band, AND swing with special guests: Rockville Swing Band and the Walt Whitman High School Jazz Ensemble.

Monday, February 11

Darryl Davis will present “Kross Kolor Kommunication”, Montgomery College Rockville Campus Theater Arts Building, 1 PM – 3 PM. Free and open to the public. Darryl is the son of Rockville resident Bill Davis. He is a musician/author and this promises to be a dynamic performance in celebration of African American History Month. (Thank you Ruth Hanessian for sending along this announcement.)

Tuesday, February 12

Election Day – Make time to Vote!

Youth Speak Out, Bauer Drive Recreation Center, 12 PM – 2 PM. Grades 8 through high school. Food served. Student Service Learning hours. Talk about what would make you and your friends connect better with school. http://www.collaborationcouncil.org/ for info and registration form.

Wednesday, February 13

Parent Orientation for Students to Enter 6th Grade, Julius West Middle School Cafeteria, 7:30 PM. This is the only parent orientation session that will be offered. The letter mistakenly said it would be on Thursday but it is definitely on Wednesday (with a snow date on Valentine’s Day.)

Plaque Dedication in Memory of Marg Collins, Elwood Smith Center, 7:30 PM. Marg was a longtime activist in Rockville, known by many in City Hall, as well as civic and nonprofit organizations. She lived on West Lynfield for 53 years and served this community well. She will be honored with a plaque on the Rec Center where she spent most of her Thursday nights at exercise class. When something needed to be done around Rockville, especially in the area of mental health advocacy, people knew who to call. She is missed tremendously.

Thursday, February 14

Young Musicians, Twinbrook Library, 7 PM. Talented young artists will play solos, duets and trios on piano, violin and cello. Enjoyable for all ages!

Patty Reese, Austin Grill – Rockville, 8:30 PM. (Never a cover charge.) Celebrate Valentine’s Day and “Trust this Heart Again”, with Patty’s roots rock.

Friday, February 15

Nelly’s Echo, Austin Grill –Rockville, 8 PM. (Never a cover charge.) He just played acoustic and this is to be the full show. “Live Love N Laugh” Good advice from this very original musician.

“The Elixir of Love” by the Victorian Opera Company, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20/adults, $15/seniors & students. Donizetti’s comic opera sung in English. Come find out if the poor, shy young man gets the beautiful, rich woman. Is it possible? Will the elixir from the con artist work?

Saturday, February 16

“The Elixir of Love” by the Victorian Opera Company, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20/adults, $15/seniors & students. Donizetti’s comic opera sung in English. Come find out if the poor, shy young man gets the beautiful, rich woman. Is it possible? Will the elixir from the con artist work?

Sunday, February 17

“The Elixir of Love” by the Victorian Opera Company, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 2 PM. $20/adults, $15/seniors & students. Donizetti’s comic opera sung in English. Come find out if the poor, shy young man gets the beautiful, rich woman. Is it possible? Will the elixir from the con artist work?

Out on the Town

Check out the Discount Lunch in Town Square, February 6 - 14.

Email the information for any fun, educational or community events to be included in Weekend to Weekend. Also, send along any specials or discounts. Include links!

We will publish event listings occurring in & around our coverage area (map) on Thursdays. The inclusion of events and specials is at our discretion.

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Feedback On The Courthouse Poll

Dear Readers:

We have gotten quite a bit of feedback on our "move the Court House?" poll that we announced yesterday. Some is substantive, and some relates to usability.

Usability: It appears that for users of AOL, your default browser does not play nicely with the Google poll. There is a workaround, which is to use a different browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, but I recognize that this is a pain. Secondly, I have gotten a report of a disappearing "Vote" button. Suffice to say, this is a work in progress and we are getting what we pay for! I apologize.

Now, to substance. I was going to post this in the comments of the original announcement post, but I thought it important enough to make its own article.

The second question makes it sound like if you choose option 1, we’ll lose funding and the project won’t happen. Is that true? If it’s speculation, then it should be removed from that second statement or it should be phrased so it sounds like it’s someone’s opinion that the funding might not happen. . . . I also don’t think the wording on the first option conveys why people are so upset about the whole thing. In my mind, when Town Center was being planned and they said a new courthouse was going to go where the old library is, it wasn’t presented as if there were other options. Were there at the time? If there weren’t options then, but now there are (like the old Giant site), somehow that needs to be conveyed. . . . Personally, if I didn’t know the issues and casually looked at the questions, I’d vote for #2. It sounds more appealing, the way it’s worded.

This was not the first such response; I am just including it because it is well-worded.

Here is how I replied:

Thanks for the feedback. I was trying to be fair to both sides. Maybe I was more fair to the other side, but I am not so sure about that. In my experience, one always thinks the other side is argued more strongly than one's own.

The "lose funding" argument is the crux of the "don't move" point (#2). They don't believe that we'll be able to keep the funding our our place in line, notwithstanding promises to the contrary. (There concern is honestly felt, even if one doesn't agree that it is warranted.)

On the "move" option (#1), I considered including something about Giant but a) I am not hearing proponents seriously saying Giant is on the table anymore and b) I wanted to force a choice rather than imply that one option has the "silver bullet" answer, which would duck the question. To me, this is an honest dispute that has real trade offs that need to be faced. With the "move" side seriously raising the idea of just stopping the court house, the question becomes not where it goes but whether it happens. Remember, I say all this as a proponent of the "move" option.

Since voting has already begun, it is impossible to edit the questions. But, I believe it is worth airing these concerns. Do both sides of this debate have a point? Is the poll inadvertently slanted? Are there other issues I am overlooking?

What do you think?

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Our (Slightly) New Look! Let Us Know Your Thoughts

Dear Readers:

If you visit Rockville Central, you might notice a few things have changed. It was not as easy as you might think, but we have added a long hoped-for third column to the layout. This is because, over time, we've grown and want to include more information to help you navigate the many articles that are available.

We know that, for a very small share of users (about 5%), this may mean that to see both columns you will have to scroll right or left -- but the full width of every article should be visible. We didn't make this change lightly and if it gets in the way of your enjoyment, we apologize.

The switch may seem small but it allows us to do more. Please let us know what you think, and what other features might be useful to you. If we can do it and it makes sense, we'll try it out!

So, please, do let us know.

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POTD: Thnks Fr Th Mmrs

(With apologies to Fall Out Boy.) This warm and lovely weather broughht out my perverse streak. Lucky for me, Rockville Central friend Mark Pierzchala sent along a clutch of POTD candidates, and this one was among the bunch.

Of it, he says: "Yellow On White: A school bus stands out on a snowy day like this. Taken in a hurry from within my house on Fordham Street."

Want to submit a photo for consideration as Picture Of The Day? Delightful! Just email it to me. Rules (there are rules): Taken by you; Exclusive (not published anywhere else); In Rockville city limits; Pretty recent. How easy is that?

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Take Our Poll: Move The Courthouse?

As Rockville Central readers know, the question of where to put a new District Court House building is quite controversial.

I thought I would try an experiment. I have set up a poll (here on the site, in the upper right)

• The State wants to build a new District Courthouse where the old public library was. Some people don't agree. What do you think?
  
  
• Don't put it at the library site, even though this change might derail the whole project. There's no parking there, and it's right next to a school.
  
  
• Keep on track and put the building on the library site. The plans have been on the books a long time and complaints now are too late. We need a new court house. If we don't move forward, we will lose the funding.

Voting closes Wednesday morning (2/13) at 5:23 am.

If this goes well, this may become a series.

Come on over and vote!

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Maryland Primary Feb. 12

Perhaps yesterday's "Super Fat Tuesday" activities have whet your appetite for voting and you are chomping at the bit to cast your very own ballot on Tuesday, February 12. Or, maybe it has reminded you that there is some sort of election thingy coming up and you probably ought to pay attention. Or, maybe you are somewhere in between and wouldn't mind a roundup of what's going on to help you get your head in the game.

We're here to help.

If you are a registered voter (and if you are not, why aren't you?), you should have received a little pamphlet in the mail that looks like the one in the photo, which is mine so no peeking. This is what passes for a "voter guide" in Maryland.

The upshot is that, on Tuesday, February 12, Maryland voters will cast their ballots for:

• Party nominee to be candidate for President of the United States
• Party nominee to be candidate for U.S. Representative
• Circuit Court Judge (choose two; they are running unopposed)
• Female delegates to your party's convention (four)
• Male delegates to your party's convention (four)
• Board of Education -- at-large member

The links above go to the page at the Washington Post that covers the candidates that apply to folks living in Rockville. This is a Rockville blog, after all. But, in case you are reading this from outside our coverage area, here is a link to the Washington Post's main page for coverage of this primary.

Here is a list of all the candidates: State-level and higher and Montgomery County only. (Don't ask me why they are separated out like that.)

If you have registered to vote with a particular party, you will be able to choose your party's nominee. If you are independent, you're out of luck and will just be picking a school board candidate and judges.

Speaking of school board, one candidate has contacted me with a press release describing his candidacy, Rob Seubert, and his press release (about an endorsement he received) is here. This is not an endorsement of Rob; I would do that for any candidate.

Want to know for sure where you should vote in this election? Plug your address in here, and find out. It will be one of the locations on this list. Note that this is not a City election, so your polling place may be different than the one you visited last November. (For instance, for City elections I vote at Beall Elementary; for this election I will be voting in the Board of Education building.)

Yes, we still need election judges. Really, you should do it. Follow the link for more info.

See you on Tuesday!

(P.S. Want a mug like the one in the photo? Of course you do.)

(P.P.S. Thanks to Rockville Central friend Rich Gottfried for prompting this article.)

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