Daylight Savings Time Begins This Sunday Morning

As we told you in the most recent Weekend To Weekend, Sunday morning is the beginning of Daylight Savings Time.

When you go to bed Saturday night, spring forward and turn your clock ahead by an hour. That way you won't be an hour late for everything!

Did you know that a recent study indicates that we're wasting energy by having Daylight Savings Time? The paper is evidently remarkable for the "unambiguous" nature of its conclusion. I have to admit, though, I don't much care: I hate it when it gets dark so early in the winter.

(Want a coffee mug like the one in the picture? I would, frankly, be shocked if that were not the case. We are here to help. Simply go to this page. If you do, this band will thank you.)

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Ritchie Park Students Learn to Act

For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by
doing them. -Aristotle, Greek Philosopher

How can we teach children to care enough to serve others? The Ritchie Park Elementary School PTA has a Community Service Committee, chaired by Rori Kochman and Sharon Mayl, that endeavors to provide the opportunities to make it possible.

Last night RPES students and their families came together with a burst of energy to make 300 lunches for the homeless in the Men’s Emergency Shelter and Stepping Stone. Each grade was assigned a food item and the students gladly made their donations earlier in the week. This generous outpouring was supplemented by a donation from Bloom.

The All Purpose Room was a combination of many production lines in order to get the job done. As soon as they arrived, the parents were enlisted to make the meat and cheese sandwiches. Meanwhile the kids were busy decorating cards that said “Have a Sunny Day!” to include with each lunch. Finally, the students could grab paper bags, walk around the room and fill each one with a drink, two snacks, fruit, and a sandwich, plus a special donation of Girl Scout cookies from the first graders.

As if this wasn’t enough of a feat, the children also assembled gift boxes for the kids at Children’s Hospital. At January’s “Music and Dance Night” admission was free, but students could donate money or toys for this project. Large bags were decorated with colorful stickers and happy messages, then they were filled to overflowing with toys to brighten the patients’ days.

When asked why they were participating, all of the kids from the youngest to the oldest responded that they were “helping people”. They were “helping the homeless” and “giving food to people who don’t have any food”. Everyone was in high spirits as they explained it was “fun”.

Each of the public elementary schools has their own version of the “character counts” program. At Ritchie Park they are called “Proud Panthers” when they show responsibility, respect, caring, cooperation, honesty, and moral courage. Seeing the kids in action with a true understanding of what they were accomplishing, made it very evident that their education went beyond simply saying these traits. They were learning by doing with many “Proud Parents” to help.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

College Admission Angst -- "A Statistical Mirage"

Whether I'm at a book club meeting, on a scout campout, or attending a friend's birthday party, parents in my corner of Rockville inevitably turn to talking about the college admissions scene. With kids in gifted and talented programs, Richard Montgomery's IB, and Wooten's signature programs, they lay out their strategies, discuss the odds and express their anxiety over the impending application process whether it's one year away or ten.

Having been a senior administrator at a selective liberal arts college and now consulting for several colleges and universities (from Ivies like Yale to rising stars like Oglethorpe), I used to butt into these conversations. I'd try to reassure my fellow parents, give them the latest scoop on admission rates and demographic trends. I'd tell them that the flipside of applicant competition is college competition, which has driven once-complacent institutions to become better and better. The truth is there are scores of fabulous colleges and universities out there -- both well known and gems worth discovering -- that accept over half of their applicants.

I say, "used to" because despite my reassurances parents often seem reluctant to let go of their worries. A story in this week's Chronicle of Higher Education called "Admissions Angst Doesn't Afflict as Many as It May Seem" (subscription required) says that may be because "people love the drama" and the hype about college admissions tells parents "their anxieties are important."

While it may make intriguing cocktail party conversation to fret over college admissions, according to the story, "National statistics say students are wise to remain calm. In 2007, for instance, 80 percent of current first-year students were admitted to their top-choice college, according to an annual survey of more than 270,000 freshmen conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles. . . .Nationally, the average acceptance rate for applicants is close to 70 percent, a number that has changed little since the mid-1980s, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, known as Nacac."

Me, I'd rather not worry. More importantly, I'd rather my kids not worry. With thin envelope/fat envelope season around the corner and summer campus tours not far behind, maybe we can all butt into a few more conversations to help fellow MoCo parents get off what one friend recently called the "Montgomery County-Ivy League obsessive track."

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Pay For Parking In Town Square Starting Monday 3/10

As Rockville Central readers know, paid parking in Town Square is set to begin on Monday, March 10. Just the other day I got a helpful little brochure in the mail from the City that had a nifty map of all the parking in and around Our Fair City's downtown.

Never one to pass up an opportunity to fiddle around online, I made a map of some of the key parking spots and here it is.

View Larger Map

On the map, green lots are City-owned, and blue lots are owned by other folks. (To orient you, the pink blobs are important features of Town Square like the Library and the court yard).

On the City lots, here are the details:

• Open 24 Hours, no overnight parking
• $1 per hour
  
• Payment required 7a-7p M-F
• Free Sa/Su

Now, you may have noticed all those machines that look like ATM's but really say there for parking in the Town Square garages. Using them is easy -- just think of them as parking meters. It may take some getting used to, but you can do it.

Here's how they work:

Basic steps:
1) Enter you space number
2) Choose “Purchase Ticket”
3) Select “Hourly”
4) Enter the number of hours you plan to park
5) Pay by cash or credit card (V/MC)
6) Take your receipt with you

Then, to add time, at any pay station:
1) Enter your space number
2) Select “Add More Time”
3) Enter Add Time Number from your receipt (you kept it, right?)
4) Enter number of hours of extra time you plan to park
5) Pay by cash or credit card (V/MC)
6) Take your receipt with you

Parking is free at the Library, but you have to go about it in two steps like this:
1) Enter your space number
2) Choose “Purchase Ticket”
3) Select “Library 15 min Free”
4) Take receipt with you to the library
5) Go to the Library pay station
6) Enter your space number
7) Choose “Purchase Ticket”
8) Select option for free parking, up to 2 hours at a time
9) Follow directions on the pay station
10) Take your receipt with you

Why the Library rigmarole? First, it makes it simple to just get 15 minutes free if you need to drop off a book or some such. The second step (the two-hour-increment part) is to make it so that people don't abuse the free parking.

Questions? Here's the City's Town Square Parking Page.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: Goldilocks' Foes

You know I have a thing for little lawn ornaments. I love this family of bears.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Update On Home Based Businesses And RORZOR

Rockville Central friend Rich Gottfried, founder of the community group that, I think, has one of the best names around, passed this information along. His group is the Home Based Business Action Team, or HBBAT -- silent "h" so it's pronounced "Bee-Bat." I love that.

Anyway, this group's chief purpose is to ensure that the needs of small, home-based businesses in Rockville remain at the forefront throughout the process (called "RORZOR") that is slowly resulting in a new zoning law.

Rich reports:

On Wednesday, March 5, 2008, the new Draft Zoning Ordinance (DZO) Article 9 Section 7 on Home Based Businesses was discussed during the City of Rockville Planning Commission work session at City Hall from 9:15pm until 11:00pm.

After testimony from the HBBAT as well from the general public, the Planning Commission endorsed a significant number of the HBBAT’s recommendations to change the Draft Zoning Ordinance. The Planning Commission directed City Staff to re-write the language of the ordinance with regard to home based businesses.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. A NO IMPACT home based business enterprise category was added, with up to 10 visits per week, no registration and no fees to City of Rockville.

2. The requirement for all home based businesses to log visits was ELIMINATED from the regulation.

3. A variance for a home based business may be granted by filing a special exception with the Planning Commission and gaining the approval of the Board of Appeals

4. The section on inspections of home based businesses will be rewritten. Although a homeowner may voluntarily allow a City inspector to enter a home if the City decides to conduct a home inspection, the homeowner also has the right to deny access. If the homeowner denies access to the inspectors, the City would have to obtain a warrant to enter the home. The Planning Commission found that the section as written did not follow good practice in law. [Comment from Commissioner Johnson “We still have to follow the Constitution of the United States.”]

Other areas in the regulation that still need to be addressed:

1. A definition of what constitutes a complaint and on whom the burden of proof rests is still under discussion.

2. Area Limitation is still under discussion. No decision has been made. Current limitation maxes out at 300sf.

3. Signage is still under discussion. No decision has been made. Staff is resisting changes to the sign ordinance, which is a different part of the DZO.

4. Use of Accessory Buildings is still under discussion. No decision has been made.

5. Other topics:

a. Staff was instructed by the Planning Commission to come back with suggestions in the areas of parking, grandfathering, and nonconformities

b. Number of home based businesses in one home will not be limited to only 2, but the total number of visits will be the limiting factor.

c. There will be no exemptions for “upper class” businesses such as doctors, dentists and lawyers, which require a degree and a license to practice. Categorization for all businesses will be based on the number of visits.

WHAT WE LEARNED:

The City CAN charge a registration fee. The Mayor and Council have the authority to set the fee amounts. The Planning Commission will recommend a nominal fee – let’s see what the Mayor and Council actually do.

The City probably CAN’T charge an INCOME TAX on HBBs without negotiating that authority in Annapolis. The City probably CAN charge an IMPACT TAX – again this authority rests with the Mayor and Council.

The RORZOR members on the Planning Commission denied that it was RORZOR’s intent to infringe on HIPAA regulations with the log of visits.

The section as written on home inspections did not follow current good practice in law for defining the authority to inspect – this will be changed by the Planning Commission.

Repeats of the broadcast can be seen on cable channel TRC 11 (check the City’s website for times).

The City Staff presented a power point slide of the questions they had for the planning commission as well as their recommendations to the planning commission in paper format (see link to staff’s recommendations).

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Weekend to Weekend 3/6/08

Events in Rockville

Thursday, March 6

Rockville's Energy Future, Location: 315 Dean Drive, Rockville, 7:30 PM. Presentation and discussion by Carl Henn, former City Council candidate and advocate for a sustainable future.

Friday, March 7

Art After Hours, VisArts, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM. If you haven’t visited VisArts, this is an excellent way to be introduced. The Galleries are open (featuring the current exhibit, Photography: Face fo the World). The artists are in their studios (stained & fused glass, furniture & fabric design, ceramics, Chinese brush painting, jewelry & metal design, quilting/fabric art.) HearArts is presented (from 7:30-9:30). This month HearArts will feature Elisavietta Ritchie, a fiction author who teaches creative writing, premiering her newest chapbook, Real Toads. Charles Mokotoff, a talented classical guitarist who has been hearing impaired for a good deal of his life, will entertain for the musical half of this very special program.

March Madness, Twinbrook Recreation Center, 7 PM – 9 PM. Rockville City Police Officers will play 3 on 3 with students in grades 5 through 8. Parents can watch.

White Wines from Around the World, 16 Winter Spring Wine Tasting Social by the Rockville Sister City Corporation, Glenview Mansion, 7:30 PM. $30 per person/$25 for RSCC members. Riesling, Mosel & Chardonnay selections from around the world will help you find some new favorites. A delicious array of foods and cheeses will compliment the wines. Early registration is recommended.

Virtuosi Violinists Concert by the Rondo Music Society, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. Tickets $33, $38 & $43. Violinists from the famous Russian School of Violin will perform pieces from well-know composers.

The Joint Cheifs, Austin Grill Rockville, 9:30 PM. There are nine bands in the US with this name but I can’t find one in our area. Give me a link!

Saturday, March 8

The Digits, Austin Grill Rockville, 9:30 PM. They will play “a collection of eclictic rock tunes with a sprinkling of originals”. If you belong to Woodley Gardens Pool, you know they play there each summer. Their benefit concerts have raised over $10,000 for many good causes and this one will raise funds for the Richard Montgomery High School Post Prom Party and Booster Club.

Sunday, March 9

Daylight Savings Time Begins! Set those clocks ahead 1 hour at 2 AM.

Tuesday, March 11

Internet Safety – Protecting Children in Cyberspace, Julius West Middle School, 7 PM. Shelly Lipton, a Program Specialist for the Montgomery County Police Department Family Crimes, will tell parents what they need to know about Myspace and Facebook, how to manage your kid’s computer use, and what resources are available to parents.

Thursday, March 13

Patty Reese, Austin Grill Rockville, 8:30 PM. She’ll be playing every second Thursday. In 2007 she was awarded “Best Rock Vocalist” by the Washington Area Music Association.

Friday, March 14

Montgomery County Abused Persons Program Fundraiser, Ten Thousand Villages Rockville, 4 PM – 8 PM. When you make a purchase at Ten Thousand Villages you are supporting the disadvantaged artisans in a lesser developed nation which made it. On this night 10% of your total purchase will also benefit this organization which works to help those struggling to make it here in our community.

Spotlight on Broadway, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $17.50/adults, $15.50/Seniors & Students. Musical Theatre Center’s performing ensembles Singular Sensations and Upbeat Unlimited will entertain with classic as well as contemporary showstoppers.

Can’t Hang, Austin Grill Rockville, 10 PM. They’ll be playing their “reggae rock punk” every second Friday.

Saturday, March 15

Spotlight on Broadway, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 2 PM & 8 PM. $17.50/adults, $15.50/Seniors & Students. Musical Theatre Center’s performing ensembles Singular Sensations and Upbeat Unlimited will entertain with classic as well as contemporary showstoppers.

Bond and Bently, Austin Grill Rockville, 9:30 PM. They be coming down from Baltimore and they don’t want a girl that blames them for everything. Acoustic but they can also ROCK hard, so be prepared.

Sunday, March 16

Spotlight on Broadway, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 2 PM. $17.50/adults, $15.50/Students, and special price of $8.50/Seniors. Musical Theatre Center’s performing ensembles Singular Sensations and Upbeat Unlimited will entertain with classic as well as contemporary showstoppers.

OUT ON THE TOWN

Stonefish Grill Rockville has two great ongoing specials that I highly recommend. Their Executive Lunch costs just $8.95 Monday through Friday with soup and sandwich or salad. Happy Hour at the Bar is Monday through Friday 3 PM – 7 PM with half price appetizers, all draft beers $2.50, and $1 off all rail liquor and glasses of wine.

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.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: THANK YOU

Just the other day (and I knew it had been announced but it still caught me by surprise), these speed cameras sprung up along MD-28 right near Laird. See them to the left? People constantly ignore the 30mph limit there. So . . . I say to the police . . . THANK YOU.

Now, can we do something about the many people who blow off that light when it turns red, endangering the kids walking to school who have to cross there? I see that happen in front of me every other week or so.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

How About Lunch at the Stonefish Grill?

Yesterday, Anil Lahori, the owner/manager of Stonefish Grill, (100 – B Gibbs Street, Rockville) emailed me about their ongoing lunch special for Weekend to Weekend, and then a friend offered to take me out to lunch. As it seemed destined, we decided to give it a try.

For just $8.95 Monday through Friday, the Executive Lunch Menu offers a choice of soup with a salad or sandwich. That’s a whole $1.05 cheaper than the Town Center Discount Lunch offered last month.

We chose a booth with high tan seats and comfortably settled in for what turned out to be a two hour lunch since we were not rushed and stayed to talk. The floors are stone with black tables. The bare tan walls with large fish create an open feeling, while the raised fireplace adds warmth. Jazz music blends in to create a very sophisticated atmosphere.

My lunch partner, Christine, is from the San Francisco area so she has experience with seafood. Stonefish Grill prides itself on fresh fish options. Christine had the Crab and Vegetable Chowder which was very well spiced, not bland at all. My Corn Chowder had thin slices of potato in a light cream base with a slightly hot finish. The Grilled Shrimp Quesidila which Christine ordered came with many side toppings and vegetables, quite healthy and filling. My Grilled Catfish on Herb Garlic Tortilla was refreshingly tasty. As I usually don’t have fish on a tortilla, this was a new combination, quite a treat. We recommend both and would order them again. Sandwiches come with a choice of coleslaw or French fries. The lemon-flavored ice tea tastes so good unsweetened that you won’t even notice if you don’t add sugar.

Mr. Lahori has been in the restaurant business for 18 years and knows how to treat his guests. We enjoyed our conversations with him and felt very much at home. All of the staff was friendly, attentive, and personable. The whole experience lifted my spirits.

On Sunday (11:30 AM - 2:30 PM) and Saturday evenings (8 PM – 11 PM) you can also enjoy live soft jazz music at the Stonefish Grill. Soon an additional jazz band will be playing on Friday nights and their spacious bar will beckon everyone to this new nightlife option.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: Beep Beep

(With apologies to The Playmates.) This little fella has been here for at least a year; sometimes I drive by it in the morning and it cheers me. I have been meaning to snap it for some time.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Rockville Named A "Preserve America" Community

Way to go, us! Our Fair City has been named a "Preserve America" city by the White House. We join a select few cities in Maryland (Annapolis, Baltimore, and Frederick).

The Preserve America initiative, according to the City's press release:

recognizes communities that protect and celebrate their heritage. This designation recognizes Rockville’s success in using historic assets for economic development and community revitalization while also encouraging residents and visitors to experience and appreciate local historic resources through education and heritage tourism programs.

“We take great pride in celebrating Rockville’s rich heritage and history,” said Rockville Mayor Susan Hoffmann. “To have our First Lady recognize Rockville with this honor means a great deal to our residents who are so desirous of preserving and protecting our past.”

According to one Rockville Central reader who drew my attention to this, it is "[g]reat news honoring the work of the City and its partnership with Peerless Rockville"

Couldn't have said it better m'self.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Answers From Council Member Gajewski #4 and #2: Water Delivery and The Rockville Resident Of The Future

As Rockville Central readers know, one attendee at Council Member Piotr Gajewski's "Town Hall" meeting earlier this month posed a series of questions in an email afterward. They are listed at the end of our recap of the meeting.

Council Member Gajewski has been working on answers to those questions, asking City staff to run down details. He's already answered Question #3, about bulk trash pickups. Here are the next two answers, to question #2 and question #4. (Piotr is sending the asnwers along as he gets them):

Question #4, with respect to water delivery to Twinbrook Commons and Rockville Pike redevelopments, and the City in general:

WSSC will provide water and sewer at Twinbrook Commons; the Rockville Pike area is in the City’s service area.

The Rockville water system is a City-wide system (with the exception of the few areas that are serviced by WSSC). The ready to serve charge already in place and the proposed replacement program are set up so that all users bear an equitable share of the cost for the entire system. The replacement program, if enacted, will be staged so that oldest, least reliable pipes (the vast majority of which are east of route 355), will be replaced first.

Question #2, with respect to the future “projected profile of a Rockville resident:”

In the foreseeable future we can expect Rockville population to remain much as it is today. Contrary to trends in some other parts of Maryland, Rockville is expected to continue a slow (approximately 2% per year) increase in population. The present ethnic diversity is expected to continue and perhaps increase slightly. The cohort of ages 20-44 is expected to show a percentage decrease and the cohort of ages 45-64 may also show a slight percentage decrease. A slight increase is expected for the 0-19 cohort and the population age 65+ is expected to continue to increase (much as it is nationwide).

Thanks, Piotr!

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Detail On City Council Opposition To Proposed Court House Site

Here is the press release recapping the unanimous vote the City Council took last night at their meeting:

Rockville’s Mayor and Council Vote Unanimously to Oppose Courthouse Site

Although Supportive of a New Courthouse Within the City, Mayor and Council Dispute Proposed District Court Location

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 4, 2008 — At their March 3 meeting, Rockville’s Mayor and Council voted unanimously to take an official stand against the site selected for the proposed District Courthouse. While committed to the construction of a District Courthouse in the City of Rockville, the Mayor and Council oppose the location of the District Courthouse in its currently proposed configuration at the Southwest corner of East Jefferson Street and Maryland Avenue. The Mayor and Council plan to testify before the State Legislature to express opposition to the current courthouse proposal.

“We don’t oppose the District Court, “said Rockville’s Mayor Susan Hoffmann, “but no other entity would be allowed to build anywhere in Rockville without first examining traffic impacts, pedestrian access, and compatibility with surrounding uses. The state has not responded to our ongoing concerns about these issues.”

Concerns raised by the Mayor and Council and the Rockville community since 2001 center on the building’s incompatible location, lack of parking, and pedestrian safety. Additionally, the proposed building does not meet the City’s zoning codes. Specific concerns are the courthouse’s proximity to a church, a pre-school, an elementary school and an historical neighborhood. As planned, the District Court’s highest point will be adjacent to several historic homes.

Plans for the courthouse do not include parking for the public or the majority of the court’s employees. It is the policy of the state to provide little or no parking for its District Courts. The courthouse is expected to attract thousands of visitors; the majority will have to cross MD Route 28 to access parking.

“There is no doubt that a new District Court is needed,” continued Hoffmann, “but it must be an asset to the community now and in the future.”

The Mayor is expected to testify at upcoming budget hearings in Annapolis.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...