potomac farewell to high school · to be leaving.” whitestar property management, to which...

Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com online at potomacalmanac.com

June 18-25, 2014

Pho

to

by Lo

uise K

rafft/T

he A

lm

anac

Real Estate, 0

❖

C

lassified, Page 14

❖

C

alendar, Page 15

Behnke NurseriesMoving Out ofPotomacNews, Page 2

Primary: SchoolBoard at LargePolitics, Page 8

Sheriff PrimaryPolitics, Page 9

PotomacPotomac Farewell toWalt WhitmanHigh School

News, Page 3

Farewell toWalt WhitmanHigh School

News, Page 3

Walt Whitman Class of 2014 students enterConstitution Hall on June 11 to the cheers andapplause of their family and friends.

Page 13

2 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

By Carole Funger

The Almanac

After 16 years in Potomac, thefamily-owned Behnke Nurser-ies, located at 9545 River Road,is pulling up stakes and mov-

ing back to its flagship garden center inBeltsville. The nurseries will remain openthrough the Fourth of July weekend. In thewords of Stephanie Behnke Fleming, grand-daughter of the founders and the last fam-ily member still working in the business,“We are going home.”

Leaving the area was a hard decision. TheBehnkes acquired the property back in 1998from a former nursery. Over the followingyears, the nurseries transformed the 6-acreproperty into one of the area’s premier gar-den centers. With its focus on buildingstrong customer relations, nurturing staffloyalty and creating a welcoming store at-mosphere, Behnkes attracted customers andemployees who have remained loyal fordecades. “Our employees are all so wonder-ful and dedicated,” said Fleming. “Every-body has such good hearts here and we haveworked so hard over the years to makeBehnkes what it is today. We are devastatedto be leaving.”

Whitestar Property Management, towhich Behnkes sold the property in 2006,was forced to raise the rent last year. Thetwo parties tried in vain to come up with amutually beneficial solution to help thenurseries stay on. In the end, they could not.Said Fleming, “Our friends at Whitestar aresad to see us go. Unfortunately, we just can’tafford the rent any more and though wetried hard to come to an agreement, sadly,we could not. In the end, it’s just business.”

Behnkes Nurseries was founded in 1930

Behnke Nurseries To Close Up Shop in PotomacBusiness movingback to its Beltsvillegarden center.

by Fleming’s grandparents, Albert andRose Behnke, who emigrated from Ger-many. They established their business onold-fashioned principles centered aroundknowledgeable staff and education inplant care. Today, Behnkes is a customerfriendly, employee-focused company offer-ing a variety of plants and landscape ma-terials as well as a broad selection ofclasses on such diverse topics as nativeplants, orchid repotting, controlling pests,and designing with containers. Its employ-ees and customers have remained loyal fordecades. “We have a wonderful group ofpeople,” said Fleming. “In fact, many ofour customers end up working for us,” shesaid.

Bill Mann, current manager of the Gar-den Center, has worked for Behnkes foralmost 30 years. “I stopped counting after25,” he said. Like many employees, Mannworked his way through most depart-ments, including the production facility atLargo. He was also a supervisor, woodyplant manager and buyer for the shop.“Overall, I do whatever they ask,” headded with a laugh.

Mann is an expert on trees, shrubs andplant care and can tell customers what will

work in a given area and what will posemore of a challenge. He’s great with begin-ning gardeners and is known for being ableto bring order to chaos among the thou-sands of plant varieties available for sale.Said Taylor, “If you put yourself in Bill’shands, you’re likely to have a beautiful yardyear after year.”

Orion Taylor, current manager of the Gar-den Shop, came to Behnkes in 1987. LikeMann, he has worked in almost every de-partment. His focus in the shop is on thegreen industry. “It’s all about going back tobeing green,” he said. “We are trying to re-ally assess our product line and to evaluatewhat we offer to assure that it will be safefor the Bay and for the environment.” Headded, “We use recycled materials and havea pretty broad selection of organic prod-ucts.”

Before managing the shop, Taylor ran thewoody plant department, where he workedon integrated pest management (IPM) strat-egies designed to pose the least possiblehazard to people, property and the environ-ment. “We try to find the best post-pest so-lution and if we have to resort to usingchemicals on our plants, we choose the lessoffensive oils and pyrethrins (natural or-ganic compounds derived from chrysanthe-mums) first. They are easier and safer touse,” he said.

“We are also particularly concerned aboutthe collapsing health of bees and other pol-linators,” he added. In concert with the en-vironmental group, Friends of the Earth,Behnkes has instituted a company policyregarding the sale of neonicotinoid-contain-ing insecticides at the nurseries, pledgingto end use of any chemical that will harmbees. “We wrote to our vendors and askedthem to let us know when they also stoppedusing these products so we could alert ourcustomers as to which plants are free ofthese substances,” he said.

In addition to focusing on green recyclingand organic products, Taylor enjoys hismany roles at the nursery. As an unofficial“plant counselor,” he regularly attends tocouples and families who come in with noreal experience with plant or landscape cul-ture. “They often lack consensus on whatthey’d like to purchase,” he said. “I am able

to show them a wide range of plant optionsand broker agreements. You could say that Ihelp resolve plant disputes.”

One of Taylor’s favorite jobs is playing plantdetective. Customers often come to Behnkesseeking a particular flower or plant withwhich they have fallen in love. “They’ll say,‘It’s a green plant with pink flowers,’” he said.“I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure outwhat they’re talking about. When I finallyfigure it out, I am positively elated. It’s re-ally just a matter of eliminating all the pos-sibilities.”

Three winters ago, during a period ofheavy snow, Taylor and the store managerat the time, Alex Denker, now horticuluralistfor the National Air and Space Museum, rodeout a storm in the nursery. “We were basi-cally snowed in here. The power went downand we had all the plants to protect,” saidTaylor. He spent the day plowing out theparking lot, then retreated inside to fire upthe generator so it could power a pair of elec-trical heaters to keep the houseplants warmthrough the night. “Every three to four hoursone of us would get up to refill the genera-tor,” he recalled. “One of us slept in a smallcloset close to the water heater and the otherwas just outside the door to the nursery.”

Added Fleming, “This is a weather-basedindustry. It can be hard when you have springafter spring of really cold weather. It if rainson Mother’s Day, people go the mall insteadto buy chocolates. We are like farmers thathave to get up every day to milk the cows.Instead, we get up every day to water theplants.”

After a period of decline in the gardeningindustry, Fleming sees the business comingback strong. “These days we are really ex-cited because we’re seeing a lot of youngfamilies come out,” said Fleming. “All of asudden gardening and finding the joy of get-ting out there and getting dirty is becomingpopular again.” Behnkes is witnessing aresurging interest in edibles, vegetable gar-dens and fruit trees in particular. “Peoplewant to grow their own food. It’s a thrill tosee if they can do it,” she said.

To meet the growing demand, Behnkes hascreated a wide range of low-cost activitiesgeared toward families and kids to exposethem to the wonders of the garden. “We try

Photo by Carole Funger/The Almanac

Behnkes

See Behnke's Page 5

Photo Contributed

Rose Behnke at Sylvan Lake Lodge in 1962

Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

Farewell to Walt Whitman High School

WaltWhitmanSGA presi-dent JorgeRichardsonprepares tolead hisclassmatesinto the hallfor thecommence-ment exer-cises.

Beatriz Atsavapranee, Kamilla Beisenova andEmily Baker take their places in line for theprocessional.

Drew Aherne, Abaar Ahmad and Fionn Adamianwatch as Michael Adelson poses for a selfie.

Kouroush Ashtary-Yazdi is con-gratulated by a friend beforejoining his classmates.

Aliza Wolfe and Ryan Savage,members of the Class of 2014,were both chosen to address theirclassmates at the graduationceremony.

Senior class advisor Todd Michaels calls for theattention in the wings as he relays one last time theprocedure for the processional into ConstitutionHall.

The Walt Whitman Symphonic Orchestra directed by Terry Alvey performs “America the Beautiful” followed byThe Walt Whitman Alma Mater. The graduation ceremonies were held on June 11 at D.A.R. Constitution Hall.

Members of theWalt WhitmanWomen’s Choir,Catherine Trant,Sophia Glazer, LilaHobby and ErinCraig.

Family and friendsof the graduatesstand, applaud andtake photos as theClass of 2014proceeds into theHall.


Apparently unaware of a three-daysearch effort, a kayaker made hisway home safely after capsizing in

his kayak near Great Falls.Search managers with the Montgomery

County Police Department sought thepublic’s assistance in identifying the ownerof a kayak found on the Potomac River southof Great Falls on Friday, June 13.

A multi-jurisdictional search for a kayakerbelieved to be in distress began at approxi-mately 1:45 p.m. on Friday, June 13, whenwitnesses in the area of the ObservationDeck at Great Falls near the Virginia shorereported seeing a white male in a red kayakwith a white paddle. Some time later, akayaker down river located a red kayak andwhite paddle, the kayak floating upside

Park service helicopter searches over Great Falls on Sunday, June 15before the search for the possibly missing kayaker was called off.

MCFRS Battalion Chief 2, Kent Mallalieu, operates Unified CommandPost near river’s edge at Old Angler’s Inn boat ramp as part of a three-day search that included dozens of staff, plus boats and helicopters.

Kayaker Safe at Homedown near the Anglers Inn boat ramp inPotomac.

Rescue crews including boats, helicoptersand a ground effort searched Friday, Satur-day and Sunday morning for the presumedmissing kayaker. Police released a photo ofthe kayak and other equipment found in theriver.

On Sunday, the kayaker was identifiedthrough others who recognized the equip-ment. After speaking to him, police deter-mined that the kayaker had experiencedtrouble in the water Friday afternoon andwas able to swim to shore, leaving the boatin the water.

“He did not realize that his boat had beenrecovered and that he was the subject of asearch,” police said.

Pho

to

by M

ary K

im

m/T

he A

lm

an

ac

News

Pho

to

co

urtesy o

f Pete Pirin

ger, M

CFR

, via tw

itter


Come join us in Lorton, Virginia on June 20 - 21Meadowood Recreation Area • 10406 Gunston Road

Friday Preview, 2pm - 7pm • Saturday Adoption, 8am - 4pmAdoption by First Come, First Served

Directions: From I-95, take exit 163 for Lorton and VA-642. At the endof the exit, travel East on VA-642 briefly (.4 of a mile if you’re comingfrom the North and .2 of a mile if coming from the South). At the lightintersection for Lorton Market St., turn right. There will be a grocerystore and strip mall on your left. At the light intersection for Route 1,continue on straight ahead. This will put you on Gunston Cove Road,

which changes to Gunston Road/VA-242. In about 2 miles you’ll passthe main entrance to the Meadowood Recreation Area on your right.Don’t turn here, rather continue on another half of a mile. You’ll turnright through a gate onto a dirt drive. If you use Google Maps,Mapquest, or other GPS, you can use these coordinates as your desti-nation and it will take you right to the location: 38.670731,-77.190827

Thank you for supporting the Wild Horse and Burro Program since 1971.

Combos available Monday thru Friday, 11am–4pm.Additional charge for priced condiments.

Good for dine-in and carryout only.Not valid with other offers.

Behnke Nurseries To Close Up Shop in Potomac

News

Photo Contributed

Letter to Rose Behnke from Bessie Truman

From Page 2

to make it so the kids will have memories of growing upwith Behnkes,” said Fleming. “We are showing people thateven if they’re in an apartment with only a balcony theycan put out a pot of tomatoes and see things grow.”

INTRODUCING PEOPLE to the wonders of garden-ing and creating memories is one of the many Behnkefamily legacies. It all began with violets and the first la-dies back in 1930 whenAlbert and Rose first es-tablished the nursery.Rose started a traditionin which she welcomedevery first lady to theWhite House with a giftof violets.

“My grandmothercame from Germany andshe wanted to welcome all of the first ladies to the WhiteHouse,” said Fleming. “We still have all their hand-writ-ten thank-you notes, including one from Bessie Truman,in which she writes about packing up the violets and tak-ing them on the train with her to their summer house.

“All of this may seem surprising, but back then we werethe only Garden Center in town,” she added.

Evelyn Kinville has been the resident Behnkes floristfor 13 years. Her shop, located in a tiny peaked roof build-ing adjacent to the nursery, is a throwback to old timeswith its wood-framed greenhouse and arched windowsand fresh flowers in tin buckets. “I have always been drawn

to a naturalistic kind of feel and it seems to have workedout well,” she said. Three assistants have worked with herfor years, creating arrangements out of flowers obtainedfrom all over the world, including Africa, Israel and Aus-tralia.

Like Taylor, she has toughed out a number of stormsover the years in order to assure the safety of her flowersand plants. “I’ve stayed here through several weather situ-

ations over theyears,” she said. “It issafer for the plantsand it helps assure Iget here the nextday.” Kinville, wholives in Virginia, willnot be followingmany of the employ-ees to Beltsville.

“That’s a bit long of a commute,” she said. For now, as shepacks up her shop, she is focused on telling her customersthe news and making sure they are taken care of. “When Iknew for sure the news was official, I went through a longlist of names of customers and called many of them per-sonally to thank them for their business.”

True to its founding principles, this family owned busi-ness still cares deeply for its customers, even as it movesback to Beltsville.

For more about Behnkes, its sales and upcoming eventsat the Beltsville store, including “Gardeners Night Out,”now in its fourth year, go to www.behnkes.com.

“I have always been drawn to anaturalistic kind of feel and it seemsto have worked out well.”

— Evelyn Kinville


POTOMACALMANAC

www.PotomacAlmanac.com

Newspaper of PotomacA Connection Newspaper

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

PUBLISHERMary Kimm

[email protected]@MaryKimm

EDITORIALPHONE: 703-778-9415

E-MAIL:[email protected]

EDITORSteven Mauren, 703-752-4013

[email protected]

SPORTS EDITORJon Roetman,703-224-3015

[email protected]@jonroetman

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSSusan Belford, Carole Dell,

Cissy Finley Grant, Carole Funger,Colleen Healy, Kenny Lourie,

Ken Moore

ContributingPhotographers

Harvey Levine, Deborah Stevens

Art/Design:Laurence Foong, John Heinly

Production ManagerGeovani Flores

Special Assistant tothe Publisher

Jeanne Theismann703-778-9436

[email protected]@TheismannMedia

ADVERTISINGFor advertising information

e-mail:[email protected]

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESDisplay Advertising:

Kenny Lourie [email protected]

Andrea Smith 703-778-9411Classified Advertising

[email protected]

Debbie FunkNational Sales & real Estate

[email protected]

Jerry VernonExecutive Vice President

[email protected]

Potomac Almanac is publishedby Local Media Connection LLC

Five Time First PlaceAward-WinnerPublic Service

MDDC Press Association

Four TimeNewspaper of the Year

An Award-winning Newspaperin Writing, Photography, Editing,

Graphics and Design

Brickyard CoalitionEndorsementsTo the Editor:

After a two-year battle with the County Ex-ecutive, the Brickyard school site is back inthe hands of the Board of Education. Now theBoard of Education and the county are con-sidering using this site as a location for a newschool bus depot that could house approxi-mately 400 school buses which would jam ourlocal roads — especially Falls, River andMacArthur Boulevard. This is a very bad ideaas the location of a bus depot at the Brickyardsite would cause traffic gridlock in our com-munity.

The Brickyard Coalition, a community civicorganization representing the interests of nu-merous community groups and over 2,000 citi-zens and voters in Montgomery County hasselected candidates it is endorsing in the up-coming June 24 primary election. The “Brick-yard Ballot” endorsements were made afterextensive evaluation of the candidates and re-sponses to questionnaires.

The Brickyard Ballot recommends the fol-lowing candidates. A brief explanation as towhy we are supporting the candidates is in-cluded but more information is available atour website www.brickyardcoaliton.org.

Governor Doug Gansler and Lt. Gov-ernor Jolene Ivey: Gansler lives in Mont-gomery County and knows and understandsour issues. We believe he would be a real as-set to our community as Governor.

Attorney General-Brian Frosh: Cur-rently our state senator from District 16, Froshhas proven good judgment on matters affect-ing our community and our state. He has beenour friend as a State Senator and he would bea great Attorney General.

District 15 State Senator: Brian J.Feldman and District 15 DelegatesKathleen Dumais, David Fraser-Hidalgo, and Aruna Miller. All membersof the District 15 delegation have been ex-tremely helpful to the Coalition and were lead-ers in securing the letters from legislators tothe County Executive and Board of Education.Keeps this great team working for you.

District 16, Senator: Susan C. Lee andDistrict 16 Delegates-Bill Frick, AriannaKelly, and Marc Korman. The incumbents,Lee, Frick and Kelly have worked with theCoalition and all signed the legislative letterto the Board of Education. We agree with theWashington Post that Marc Korman would bea valuable addition to this legislative team.

County Executive-Doug Duncan. DougDuncan has provided strong support for aneducation farm at the Brickyard site to be usedby the children of our county. He has pledgedto seek community input and we appreciatehis support in the Ten Mile Creek fight to pre-serve our future drinking water.

County Council At-Large (votes forfour): challenger Beth Daly and incum-bents Marc Elrich and George Leventhal.All have committed to oppose the location ofa bus depot at the Brickyard school site. BothElrich and Leventhal were very helpful duringthe Brickyard fight. We also need aCouncilmember from the upcounty with afresh perspective and new ideas and we agreewith the Gazette that Beth Daly would be agreat addition to our County Council.

County Council District 1-Roger Ber-

Letters

liner. Berliner also has committed to opposethe use of the Brickyard site for a bus depotand he is working with the Coalition to findthe best future use for the Brickyard site. Healso worked for and voted to preserve Ten MileCreek and our future drinking water.

At-Large Board of Education- JillOrtman-Fouse. Jill has been endorsed byboth the Washington Post and the Gazette, andwould be a strong independent voice on theBoard of Education.

For more information or to print out a copyof the Brickyard Ballot, please go to our websitewww.brickyardcoaliton.org. The Coalitionmembers realize how critically important voterturnout is in this election primary and encour-age everyone to vote on June 24. The electionwill be decided by the primary in most cases.In the general election, we will select fourmembers of the Board of Education.

Brickyard Coalition Inc. Directors — CurtUhre, Maria Fusco, Keith Williams, TedDuncan, Susan Shallcross Rufkahr,Charles Doran and John Phillips

Best Choice forCounty ExecutiveTo the Editor:

Many may recognize me through my dedi-cation to the Brickyard Coalition, which re-cently fought a battle for process; and we won.Connection noted, many may be surprised tolearn that I have voted for Phil Andrews as ournew County Executive, while the BrickyardCoalition has endorsed Doug Duncan.

Phil Andrew’s platform of strengthened ac-countability and fiscal responsibility is what weneed in our county.

I learned a lot in our battle for process. Know-ing what I do now, it would be surprising forme to vote for any other County Executive can-didate. This primary has consequences as im-portant as a presidential election for Montgom-ery County (and will likely be felt more).

The Brickyard Coalition makes decisionsbased on what they/we feel is best for our com-munity. We are a group of neighbors trying toensure that our larger community will have thebest ability to be heard and considered withissues that will affect our neighborhood. So,why did the Coalition endorse Doug Duncanfor County Executive? Partial answers: Someon the coalition knew Doug from his past ad-ministrations where he helped our community(i.e.: conservation site close to Brickyard andMacArthur; neighborhood infrastructure;safety). Add that Duncan was impressive dur-ing our discussions: Definitively answering ourconcerns and then offering possible suggestionsthat the community might find amenable, withthe promise of community inclusion. DougDuncan seemed savvy in business and politicswithout a doubt; and he won the majority sup-port; so, we all agreed to the Brickyard Coali-tion endorsement of County Executive candi-date Doug Duncan.

Phil Andrew’s platform of strengthened ac-countability and fiscal responsibility is what weneed in our county.

After having gone through almost two yearsin court (citizen paid); reading copiousamounts of discourse between the incumbent,his staff, various county departments and theMontgomery County Board of Education mem-bers regarding the Brickyard issue, I knew that

I wasn’t going back.Phil Andrews isn’t taking donations from any

developers, PACs or Unions. Why? To dissuadeany possibilities of clouded judgment. To dohis utmost towards good governance. Thisdoesn’t mean that he’s against business; rather,it means fair opportunity for all businesses.

If we find many people suggesting a vote forone candidate as “the lesser of two evils,” whileat same time speaking well of third candidate,but they feel he “won’t win.” May I suggest thefollowing: If we all vote who we believe wouldbe the best of these three candidates, then PhilAndrews will be our next County Executive -hands down.

Phil Andrews represents the type of open,accountable and fiscally responsible govern-ment that I want to be a part of. Key to allelected officials is to work with them as a com-munity — to know that your voice matters. Weall know that our voices matter to Phil — afterall, he can’t seem to get enough of them, andso he’s knocking on our doors. As activists,parents, leaders, we must vote for the changewe want — we must be the change we want tosee.

And, here are some other candidates I sup-ported with my primary election vote:

Board of Ed: Jill Ortman-FouseAt-Large, County Council: Beth Daly and

Marc Elrich.Dist. 1, County Council: Roger BerlinerAttoney General: Brian Frosh (dedicated, all

around good)Delegate: Aruna Miller (a definite fave),

Marc KormanMd. Senate: Brian Feldman and Susan LeeThe Brickyard battle changed my life forever.Look to the recent Virginia election: Our

votes equal our voice equal our power. Use yourpower: Vote.

Maria Fusco, PotomacBrickyard Coalition

WeAreMoCo.org

Working To EaseIntersection Back-up

The following letter was addressed to Allen Cohen whowrote “Tuckerman Light: Enough Is Enough,” letter,Potomac Almanac, June 4.

I am writing to follow up on our telephoneconversation and your subsequent emails toCouncilmember Berliner and to Arthur Holmes,director, Department of Transportation regard-ing delays to northbound Falls Road traffic atthe subject intersection.

I have observed the intersection on Friday,June 6 as well as having our traffic manage-ment aircraft monitor this location during theevening peak traffic period. What we havefound is that traffic volumes in this area of FallsRoad are rising for the evening peak periodearlier than we had previously found. In re-sponse we have adjusted the timing of the sig-nal to begin using its evening peak settingsbeginning at 2:30 p.m.. This provides a longercycle length overall as well as additional greensignal time to the Falls Road approaches. Ourthought is that by beginning the evening peakprogram earlier we can stay ahead of the in-creasing demand.

B.C. MangumManager, Transportation Systems

Engineering Division of Traffic Engineering and

OperationsDepartment of Transportation


Get a FreeConsumer’s Guide

Introduction to:Hearing Aid Technology

Latest Features

Brand Comparisons

✓

✓

✓

LET’S TALKReal Estate

For professional advice on all aspectsof buying and selling real estate, call:

MICHAEL MATESELong & Foster Realtors

[email protected]

by Michael Matese

Think Rightto Live Right

In order to guarantee your success andsatisfaction; follow the well-troddenadvice rendered by thousands of success-ful home-owners and investors. Use theseguidelines to prepare your mind for theprocess and outcome of buying a home.

Adjust your Headspace to find yourideal Living-space

First, you must concede that clichés arewell circulated for good reason. Location,for example, is indeed of centrifugalimportance when selecting and bidding ona home. Ask yourself before the processsucks you in; Do you like the area, and theschools? Does it have the important fea-tures you want? Where do you work, andhow does the transportation scenariolook? These things may seem secondary toaesthetics in the beginning, but in thelong run they are the key factors in ahappy life.

Second, consider that not all amenitiesare created equal. Square footage can lookvery different depending on layout, and apool in Arizona reaps far more return oninvestment than one in Michigan. Avoiddisqualifying or unnecessarily seekingproperty based on stringent criteria.Otherwise you may find yourself eitherpleasantly or unpleasantly surprised.Third, keep an open mind, and alwaysmake decisions based on the future. Ahome is a huge purchase that requirescare and patience. Carpet can be replaced,but the essence of a home is as fixed asyour mortgage payment.

Lastly, be realistic, trust your gut, anddon’t get discouraged. You may have tolook for some time before you locate thatperfect home, but it is far better to lookand remain optimistic than to settle andsquirm under the burden of an unwantedmortgage. If a home does not “feel” right,trust yourself, and remember that this is areal-world decision, so holding out for the“deal of the century” is as fruitless asjumping at the first opportunity thatcomes along.

SHILLELAGHS TRAVEL CLUB100 East Street SE, Suite 202 • Vienna, Virginia 22180

703-242-2204 1-800-556-8646Please visit our Web site at: www.shillelaghtravelclub.com

for a listing of all our upcoming trips and socials.

BERKSHIRES, MA for Tanglewood & Boston Pops! Aug. 4-8.....................................................$1399Includes Coach Transportation from Vienna or Rockville, 4 Nights Hotel with Daily Breakfast & DinnerSightseeing and Performances – CALL FOR DETAILS

NORTHERN NATIONAL PARKS, Aug. 29-Sept. 5.........................................................................$2019Includes Air from Dulles, 7 Nights hotels with Breakfast, 4 Dinners, Transfers, Sightseeing – CALL FORDETAILS

CANADA-NEW ENGLAND CRUISE FROM BALTIMORE, Oct. 16 – 24......$944 includes all taxes9-Nights on RCCL’s Grandeur of the Seas with All meals & entertainment – CALL FOR DETAILS

Celebratingour 50th

Year!

Election Day is Tuesday, June 24. Early Votingends Thursday, June 19.

❖ Early voting hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. andvoting hours on Election Day 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Whether you vote early or on Election Day, youmust be in line to cast your ballot by 8 p.m. If youcan, avoid the rush and vote in the late morning ormid-afternoon.

❖ For Election Day, find your polling place, bychecking the sample ballot mailed to your home,visit the official polling place locator at 777vote.orgor call the Montgomery County Board of Electionsat 240-777-VOTE.

Business

Huschmand Launches‘Exclusively Entertainment’Full-service entertainmentcompany opens in Potomac.

By Susan Belford

The Almanac

A new company located in Potomac Vil-lage, Exclusively Entertainment, isavailable to meet residents’ event en-

tertainment needs. Owner Iman Huschmandoffers 15 years of experience “creating an at-mosphere of fun and excitement and provid-ing the best in professional disc jockeys, em-cees, musicians and dancers.” His services alsoinclude comprehensive lighting, videographyand event planning.

Huschmand, who grew up in Rockville,graduated from Richard Montgomery HighSchool and earned both a Bachelor’s Degreeand MBA from the University of Maryland.While in high school, he built a successful nicheDJ business with his cousin, providing musicand emcees for Persian weddings. After hiscollege graduation, he was employed at theRitz Carlton in Doha, Qatar.

“While overseas, I discovered that I didn’tlike working for other people. My true pas-sion was music and entertainment and Iwanted to return to this area to open a profes-sional full-service entertainment company,” hesaid.

In 2007, he launched Exclusively Entertain-ment in Bethesda and began to throw all his

energy and effortsinto becoming oneof the bestmulticultural eventplanners in theD.C. area. He iswell-known as amaster of ceremo-nies and as a creative and experienced enter-tainment professional. He plans many corpo-rate events and also initiates and facilitatespublic events, including a brunch party everySunday at Malmaison Restaurant, a masquer-ade party at the Warner Theater and the Per-sian version of American Idol.

Huschmand recently celebrated hiscompany’s move to Potomac with a Cinco deMayo Grand Opening Party on May 5. Formerlyin Bethesda, his new office is located at 10020Falls Road in a house just past the Bank ofAmerica Building in Potomac Village. “I likethe homey feel of having my business locatedin the home where I live,” he said. “When cli-ents come, they feel more comfortable and re-laxed than in a regular office. I love residingin Potomac and look forward to getting to knowmore residents, even though I feel right athome because I have planned weddings formany Potomac brides and grooms.”

Also connected to his home is a photogra-

phy studio called Focus Fine Photographywhich makes it “one-stop shopping” for manyan event planner.

Huschmand has produced a video called“Lights, Camera, I Do” — a staged marriagevideo that demonstrates his talent. “You haveto trust the people you hire and feel that theyreally care about you,” he said. “What it comesdown to is that this is the most important dayof your life, and you want it to be the mostspecial. We work incredibly hard to fill all thegaps, to make the bride and groom, the wed-ding party — and the parents and family havea stress-free day. We are totally available tothem and give them white glove service.”

Besides supplying music services and/ormusicians, Exclusively Entertainment providesuplighting, intelligent lighting, pin-spotting,monogram projection and dance floor and ceil-ing washes. They coordinate everything for thespecial day — the floral arrangements, siteselection, caterer and menu selection, photog-raphy, furniture and décor, logistics manage-ment and the event design and production.Check out Exclusively Entertainment informa-tion and videos on its websitewww.exclusivelyentertainment.com or callHuschmand at 888-881-3936. He is also avail-able through email [email protected] and thecompany is also on all Social Media sites in-cluding Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Iman Huschmand

❖ Bring a sample ballot to the polling place. Readthe sample ballot carefully, make selections in ad-vance, and take it to the polling place to use as a guide.

❖ First-time voters in Montgomery County may berequired to show proper identification such as adriver’s license or official document including nameand address. It can also be helpful to bring a voterregistration card, but it is not required to vote.

❖ If you have a question or problem at the polls, donot hesitate to ask for assistance. Election officials aretrained to assist voters with physical disabilities andanswer questions about the voting process.

❖ The ballot is available in both English and Span-

ish. Voters can also bring their own interpreter tothe polling place to help them with the voting pro-cess.

❖ If you make a mistake on your ballot, notifythe election official immediately so that you can geta new ballot before you cast it.

For more information, call 240-777-VOTE, visitwww.777vote.org, our mobile app at 777vote.org,the Maryland State Board of Elections’ website athttp://elections.state.md.us, or follow the Mont-gomery County Board of Elections on Facebook orTwitter.

Be Involved and Vote - Primary Is June 24

8 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

SheriffDarren MarkPopkin

Sheriff Darren M. Popkin waselected as Montgomery County’s61st Sheriff on Nov. 2, 2010. Priorto his election Popkin spent 12years as Chief Deputy, directingthe daily operations of theSheriff’s Office. During his 27-year law enforcement career,Popkin rose through the ranks, serving in the Sheriff’s Officetransportation, civil and criminal divisions.

Sheriff Popkin received a B.A. degree in law enforcementfrom the University of Maryland, College Park, and graduatedfrom the former Robert E. Peary High School. Popkins’s off-duty passion has included coaching boys’ and girls’ softball andbasketball teams in local leagues and national tournaments.He was an active basketball player in the Montgomery Countyadult athletic league.

A family man and life-long county resident, Popkin lives inOlney with his wife and their three children. Their son attendsMontgomery County Public Schools, and their daughters arerecent college graduates.

Sheriff Popkin has extensive involvement in major law en-forcement policy making and professional organizationsincluding: President and Board of Directors member, MarylandSheriffs’ Association; Past Chair and current board member,Montgomery County Criminal Justice Coordinating Commis-sion; Member, National Sheriffs’ Association; Member,International Association of Chiefs of Police; Member, Frater-nal Order of Police; Member, Montgomery County DeputySheriff’s Association; Special Deputy, U. S. Marshal’s Service;Graduate, FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Semi-nar (LEEDS); Board of Directors, Montgomery Hospice.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, established in1777, has a diverse workforce of 148 sworn law enforcementofficers and 29 civilians providing a wide range of judicial, lawenforcement, and domestic violence intervention services foralmost one million Montgomery County residents.

Sheriff Popkin has assigned deputies to participate in theU.S. Marshals Service, Capitol Area Regional Fugitive TaskForce, to enhance the Sheriff’s Office ability to apprehend fu-gitives that have fled from Montgomery County.

In cooperation with the Montgomery County Police andMontgomery County Schools, Popkin recently initiatedSheriff’s Office participation in the School Resource OfficerProgram, by assigning a deputy sheriff on a full time basis tothe Magruder High School campus. The school principal, staff,students, and parents have been extremely supportive andappreciative of these outreach efforts.

Popkin played a crucial role in planning an innovative crimeprevention program designed to reduce the incidents of domes-tic violence in Montgomery County. He was a member of theinitial strategic planning committee responsible for designingand implementing the interagency Montgomery County Fam-ily Justice Center (FJC) which opened in May 2009 and hassince provided assistance to more than 6,000 victims of domes-tic violence. Popkin continues his executive management rolewith the FJC.

Popkin plans to continue providing fair and impartial lawenforcement services using a diverse work force. He plans toextend the Family Justice Center’s domestic violence reductionprogram to include educational programs that encourageshealthy teen interpersonal and dating relationships.

Popkin expanded the Sheriff’s Office participation in thecounty’s gun violence reductions efforts with assignment of adeputy from the domestic violence unit to the MontgomeryCounty Police Firearms Investigative Unit. Typically, when adomestic violence protective order is issued, the respondentin the order is temporarily prohibited from possessing firearms.Cross-assignment of a domestic violence deputy to the FIUfacilitates effective enforcement of the domestic violence courtorders.

With the advent of the Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC)statewide information technology project, he intends to updateSheriff’s Office management systems and processes to integratewith the MDEC system. A firm believer in using innovativetechnology to enhance communication, Sheriff Popkin can fre-quently be found on social media providing updates on recentlaw enforcement matters.

Popkin has developed cooperative working relationshipswith federal, state, and local governmental public safety lead-ers that directly improve the efficiency and effective deliveryof public safety services to our community. His extensive ex-ecutive leadership experience in effectively managing theSheriff’s Office; leadership of the statewide Maryland Sheriffs’Association; and participation of the Joint Legislative Commit-tee of the Maryland Sheriffs and Police Chiefs has given himan in-depth involvement in major statewide public safety de-cision making that will improve delivery of essential servicesto our community.

TomFalcinelli

E d u c a t i o n :Good CounselHigh School,1978; Universityof MD, BA 1982;Howard Univer-sity School ofLaw, 1985. Mem-ber of Marylandand Federal Bars

Employment:Dual Career: Police Sergeant, MontgomeryCounty Police, 1985 to present, Sergeant since1997; Attorney, Bay and Falcinelli, Rockville,MD since 1987; retired football official –worked all levels to include Arena, NCAA andended with NFL; currently Director of Officialsfor the IFL (Indoor Football League), a nation-wide indoor football league. http://www.goifl.com/about-the-ifl/ifl-staff

To answer your question as to why mycandidacy matters to Potomac resi-dents?

One reason only: To return MontgomeryCounty Police officers to your Potomac neigh-borhoods during the overnight hours, ratherthan forcing them to perform the duties of theSheriff’s Department. Do you really care whothe Sheriff is? The answer is probably “Not re-ally. What do the Deputies do, anyway?”Although there are many reasons I should beelected, I will provide one monstrous reason forPotomac residents to be concerned with whooperates the Sheriff’s Department.

I have been a midnight supervisor in theRockville/Potomac area since 1997. Since then,your county police officers have been taken outof your Potomac neighborhoods at night, toconduct routine transport (taxi) service for pris-oners between the Rockville Jail, ClarksburgJail, and Shady Grove Hospital. In addition,your county police officers must guard all pris-oners in the hospital in excess of one, as theDeputies will only guard one prisoner. Potomacofficers are assigned this task because theRockville jail is located in one of the Potomacpolice beats, Baker One. If the citizens wereaware that almost every night, police officersare stripped out of their neighborhoods inPotomac, leaving these neighborhoods uncov-ered, so that the officers can conduct taxiservice between the aforementioned facilities,they would care who was running the Sheriff’sDepartment. Under the current and past Sher-iff regimes, nothing has been done to rectify thisissue. You can speak to any midnight officer orsupervisor in the Germantown (where theClarksburg jail is located) or Rockville policedistricts, to verify this constant drain of policeresources. If you check the Sheriff Department’swebsite, you will learn that the first “duty”mentioned under “Duties” are “Court securityand prisoner transportation.” It should add“only during daylight hours, because the policewill do it for us, overnight.”

Why should you elect me?Do not elect me because of my exemplary

qualifications (extensive education; advanceddegrees; vast experience as an attorney andbusinessman; 29 years of experience working asa cop on the streets of Montgomery County).Elect me for the reason that I will put Montgom-ery County police officers back where theybelong at night. In your Potomac neighbor-hoods, looking for the thieves who break intoyour cars and homes. When I am the Sheriff, thedeputies will be performing the transports andguarding of prisoners, 24/7. Your midnightcounty officers will be able to return to patrol-ling your neighborhoods overnight. They willthank you for putting them back where theybelong. In your neighborhoods. Elect me be-cause the Deputies themselves, haveoverwhelmingly endorsed me, not my oppo-nent, for this position. This alone should speakvolumes to the public. I recommend you visitmy website Falcinelli4Sheriff.com.

Jill Ortman-Fouse

Upon graduation from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.A. in mediacommunications, I produced andhosted television programs at net-work affiliates on issues ofimportance to the community. Tofulfill a desire for direct public ser-vice, I volunteered for a year withHabitat for Humanity and builthomes in Central America and theU.S. I met my husband who wasalso a volunteer, and we moved to D.C. We have lived in SilverSpring for the last 23 years. I worked on a variety of advocacyissues professionally and as a volunteer over the years, includ-ing lobbying and education efforts for environmental justice.When our first child began kindergarten, I turned my advocacyefforts toward the schools. Our son is now in 7th grade, and ourdaughter is in 9th grade. I want to serve on the board to en-sure that we are using our resources to best meet the needs ofall our students; and that the voices of the parents, educatorsand the community are informing the policy of our large andgrowing school system.

What does my candidacy mean to voters?As a longtime school and community activist in Montgomery

County, I will bring an independent voice to the Board of Edu-cation. My priorities are building a more responsive,accountable and transparent school system, attacking the grow-ing achievement/engagement gap with proven strategies, andsupporting whole child learning.

Over the past 10 years I have served as a PTA president,MCCPTA delegate, MCPS Parent Advisory Council member,YMCA advisory board member, and neighborhood associationpresident. I have seen just how wonderfully talented, intelligentand resourceful the residents of our county are — many of themeager to help with our schools — and I know from experiencethat working with our knowledgeable residents and their localcommunities makes far more sense than keeping them out. I ama collaborator and relationship builder at heart, and when itcomes to a large school system that can have such a powerfulimpact on all residents — a school system that consumes abouthalf, or $2.3 billion, of our county tax dollars — I think it’s criti-cal that parents and all community members be brought intothe policy and decision-making processes.

Unfortunately that has not always been the case, as the resi-dents of the Potomac area know all too well. Only a few yearsback, an organic farmer working on a school-leased plot onBrickyard Road for over 30 years suddenly lost his lease underthe watch of the Board of Education. The lease was given to thecounty for the purpose of a soccer complex without adequateprocess and in violation of the open meetings act. Hundreds offrustrated local citizens turned out at the first meeting to op-pose the plan when it was publicly announced. I congratulatethe residents of this community for paying attention and orga-nizing. The school system is an integral part of the community,and must demonstrate good faith to be a trusted communitypartner.

I would like to see Brickyard Educational Farm as a center-piece of experiential learning for MCPS. This type of outdooreducation is part of whole child learning, which needs to gobeyond standardized tests and include arts, music, field trips,bilingual education and needed emotional support structures.

I am proud that the Washington Post has endorsed me for theBoard of Education, citing my “common sense approach” andemphasis on parent engagement. I have also been endorsed byThe Gazette, elected leaders such as County CouncilmembersMarc Elrich and George Leventhal, and a host of advocacy andcommunity organizations including Montgomery County NOW,the Sierra Club, and most importantly, the Brickyard Coalition.I hope to have your vote and support in the primary this com-ing June 24.

Jill Ortman-FouseCandidate, Board of Education At LargeWeb: www.Jill4AllKids.comTwitter: @Jill4AllKidsFacebook: Jill4AllKids

ShebraEvans

I have beenan active edu-c a t i o nadvocate forthe past sixyears servingthe students ofthis county inmany capaci-ties. As anelected officerwith the Montgomery County Council ofPTAs I served as vice president for programsand vice president for educational issues.These positions allowed me to spend timelearning the needs of the community. In ad-dition I represented the Wheaton Cluster formany years and am intimately familiar withthe challenges facing our schools with serv-ing populations with high rates of povertyand a growing population of students forwhom English is not their first language.

My experience and leadership with thelocal and county PTAs have enabled me tobuild strategic alliances that are criticallyimportant in moving MCPS forward in edu-cating students. My priorities will be tocontinue engaging the community to makea difference in the academic success of stu-dents. I believe we can strengthen ourschool system by creating more opportuni-ties for career education beginning inmiddle school to provide students with op-tions such as being assigned a careermentor. Students would get access to reallife experiences and exposure to the workenvironment prior to graduation and hope-fully think about their skills and theirpassions and how to build upon that under-standing to follow their dreams.

Work to close the achievement gap. Con-tinue expanding our communitypartnerships in support of our schools andstudents with families, community mem-bers, the county government, and publicand private partners. I am deeply commit-ted to equity and excellence and washonored to be selected as a co-chair of theAfrican American Student Achievement Ac-tion Group where I am helping to lead acritical community conversation about theurgency of closing the achievement gap. Inaddition, I have a degree in economics andfinance, which will serve me well on theschool board. In my role with MCCPTA, Iserved for two years on the MCPS Operat-ing Budget Review Workgroup, which hasallowed me to gain a deeper understandingof the development and preparation thatgoes into the operating budget process. Fi-nally, my endorsements by the MontgomeryCounty Education Association (MCEA), TheCoalition of Asian Pacific American Demo-crats of Maryland (CAPAD-MD), Casa inAction, SEIU Local 500, and the AfricanAmerican Democratic Club of MontgomeryCounty reinforce the organizations believein my leadership and the work I continue todo on behalf of all of our children.

http://shebraevans.com/Facebook: Shebra4boeTwitter: @shebraevans

MerryEisner-Heidorn

Merry Eisner-Heidorn, 22-yearMontgomery Countyresident and 19-yearPotomac resident, hascontinuously endeav-ored to listen to abroad cross-section ofstakeholders, believing as she did when she was aPTA and PTSA president in the Churchill community,VP Legislation of MCCPTA and VP Legislation of MDPTA that we are all best served when parents, teach-ers and students come together for the good ofeducation. Eisner-Heidorn augmented her advocacyexperience with three years work experience as a leg-islative aide in Annapolis, providing legislativeresearch and constituent service support to two del-egates in the Maryland General Assembly. Currently,Eisner-Heidorn is serving as legislative director ofStart School Later both nationally and in Montgom-ery County, working to affect change both in ourlocal school system as well as to pass legislation inMaryland and other states. She also serves on theMCPS Math Assessment Work Group, examining fail-ure rates on exams in the county, and continuing thework she began when she participated in the MathWork Group and served on the Assessment Team.

Merry Eisner-Heidorn believes that we are fortu-nate to have one of the best school systems in theU.S. However, significant gaps remain, and we havea host of issues that need addressing (math assess-ment failure rates, the elementary school report card,ensuring gifted and talented students opportunitiesfor placement within the new curriculum, shiftingthe focus from litigation to collaboration when ad-dressing the needs of our special education students,etc.) Eisner-Heidorn has identified three key focusareas for improvement – and believes that if theBoard of Education works to enhance their perfor-mance in these areas, our issues stand a betterchance of being resolved in a manner that works forall of the county’s stakeholders. These three focusare:

❖ Time: Every teacher talks about the time crunch.One of the first areas to take a hit when budgets werecut was planning and collaboration time. As MCPShas introduced new curricula over the years, and asthe system continues to roll out the common core,the MCPS equivalent — C.S. 2.0 — and the new stateassessments, time for teacher planning and collabo-ration is critical.

❖ Talk: The Board of Education should be doingall that it can to encourage participation from indi-vidual parents and diverse parent groups. It shouldserve as a representative and advocate for everystakeholder involved in the county’s education sys-tem. No group should feel that their input isn’twelcome, or that a particular issue isn’t worthy ofdiscussion. No group should feel that their role ismore important that any other, or that one group hasan advantage over others. In a county as diverse asMontgomery County - where the objective of ourBoard of Education is to ensure the best possibleoutcome for all students - every voice should feelheard.

❖ Transparency: MCPS creates a number of docu-ments that are essential reading for parents if theywant to understand how our school system works.These documents range from curriculum guides tothe Capital Improvement Program (the allocation ofbudget dollars to school construction) to the AnnualOperating Budget (the allocation of budget dollarsto the day-to-day running of our school system).Given that all of these documents are public, Eisner-Heidorn believes that it’s incumbent upon the Boardof Education to request that MCPS provide them ina manner such that they’re transparent and easy tounderstand. If stakeholders can understand how theBoard of Education and MCPS are allocating re-sources, it ’s more likely that we can ask foraccountability, and integration of school spendingwith county funds that also benefit public school chil-dren.

Eisner-Heidorn has been endorsed by the Mont-gomery County Public School Retirees Association(MCPSRA) and the Sierra Club. Her website is: http://Merry4BOE.wordpress.com; her Facebook page ishttp://facebook.com/Merry4BOE and she tweets as@merryeisner.

EdwardAmatetti

As candidatefor Board of Edu-cation my top twopriorities are to:1) finally beginclosing theachievement gapwith commonsense solutionsthat are simplebut powerful; and2) bring order and accountability to the bud-get process.

I can do both because my background com-bines 15 years experience as an operationsauditor and improvement consultant to localgovernments, with seven years experience asa classroom teacher in Montgomery County,Prince George’s County, and D.C. I know bypersonal experience what makes a successfulclassroom. I also understand budgets and howgovernment agencies can run more effectively.

As an operations auditor and consultant, Ihelped cities and counties as big as Cleveland,Providence, and Contras Costa County, as wellas dozens of regulated utilities improve theiroperations and service to their customers.

As a teacher, I accepted assignments in themost challenging schools in suburban Mary-land. I consistently had among the highestperforming classes, and I never had to lowerstandards or expectations in my diverse stu-dent populations. I was a content-drivenscience teacher, who helped students to mas-ter materials and concepts beyond the requiredcurriculum. In other words, I closed theachievement gap in my classroom every year.I also observed other teachers and schoolsthroughout the U.S. that succeeded in closingthe achievement gap. It can be done, but notwith top-down approaches such as No ChildLeft Behind, “teaching to the test,” or with newcurriculum fads. Improvement can only comethrough what these teachers and schools suc-ceeded in doing.

My priorities are:ACHIEVEMENT GAP/EDUCATIONAL

QUALITY❖ Free administrators to utilize their best

teachers and reward them accordingly. If theycan teach more children, or are better withchallenged students, give them more of thesestudents and pay them. We want our bestteachers in front of as many students as pos-sible.

❖ Free teachers of unhelpful bureaucratic re-quirements so they have more time to planlessons, and to work directly with students andparents.

❖ Promote individualized teacher-to-teachermentoring, so the most effective teachers areraising up the newest or less effective teachers.

BUDGETING AND FISCAL STEWARDSHIP❖ Conduct a long overdue full-scale audit of

the budget and operations.❖ Get the BOE involved in the budget pro-

cess at the beginning of the budget process❖ Institute budget reform for effective cost

control and demand that all programs aremeasured against educational objectives.

CURRICULUM❖ Introduce basic business, personal fi-

nance, and entrepreneurship in HS.❖ Introduce foreign language earlier.❖ Make certain that all students master “life

math” concepts.❖ Establish Student Internships with local

business/non-profits so students gain work-place exposure.

OVER-CAPACITY/AGING OF FACILITIES❖ Conduct a comprehensive review of op-

tions including: low-cost construction options(such as pre-fab buildings); virtual learning;and four-day weeks for upper class HS, amongothers.

❖ Demand a fair share of State funding forconstruction for Montgomery County.

Primary for Board of Education - At Large Primary for Sheriff

Amatetti

Montgomery County Board of EducationBecause members of the Montgomery County Board of Education are nonpartisan, not identi-

fied by political party, there is only a primary if there are more than two candidates for a particularseat. This year, there are four candidates for the one at-large seat that will be on the ballot inNovember. Voters of any party can vote for Board of Education, and choose one in the primary.The top two vote-getters will appear on the ballot in November.

There are seven members of the Montgomery County Board of Education, plus a student mem-ber. Two members serve at-large, while the other five members live in their geographic districts.But all members are elected county-wide, and serve staggered terms. Members of the Board ofEducation are non-partisan and elected without identifying as belonging to any political party.

Email announcements to [email protected]. Include date,time, location, description and contact forevent: phone, email and/or website. Photosand artwork welcome. Deadline is Thursdayat noon, at least two weeks before event.

SUPPORT GROUPSAdult Bereavement Groups. Dates and

times vary depending on groupmembers. Hospice Care, 518 S. FredrickAve. Gaithersburg. Peer driven supportgroups in those in need of support. Free.Contact Penny Gladhill at 301-990-8904,or [email protected].

ELECTION JUDGES NEEDEDThe Montgomery Board of Elections

needs election judges with basic IT andcustomer service skills to serve duringthe June 24 primary and Nov. 4 generalelections. The board is in particular needof judges who are bilingual in Spanishand English and those who areregistered as Republican or notaffiliated. Part-time and full-timepositions are available, and training isprovided. To apply or for moreinformation, call the Board of Electionsat 240-777-8533 or visitwww.777vote.org.

SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONSThere are new school immunization

requirements for the 2014-2015school year for students enteringkindergarten and seventh grade.Students who do not show proof of therequired immunizations will be excludedfrom attending school. Students enteringkindergarten must have two varicellavaccinations. Students entering seventhgrade must have one Tdap (tetanus-diphtheria-attenuated pertussis) and onemeningococcal (MCV4) vaccinationbefore beginning seventh grade. Avaccination clinic for eligible childrenwill be held Saturday, Aug. 23, 11 a.m.-2p.m., at Montgomery County PublicSchools’ Carver EducationalCenter, 850 Hungerford Drive,Rockville. Appointments are requiredand can be made online atwww.montgomerycountymd.gov/Resident/vaccination.html or by calling311.

THURSDAY/JUNE 19Application Deadline. The Walk Your

Way pedestrian safety program islooking for students to be a part of aphotoshoot on June 26. Applicants mustbe age 14-18 and attend a MontgomeryCounty high school. To apply, [email protected] by June 19with a closeup photo of a serious face,your time availability on June 26, yourcontact information and high school.Compensation is $40. Visit http://montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-pedsafety/SRTS/WalkYourWay.html.

SATURDAY/JUNE 21Informational Meeting on a Bradley

Hills “Village.” 2-4 p.m. Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center,Room A (2nd floor), 4805 EdgemoorLane, Bethesda. Attendees will learnabout the village concept and what theexploratory committee has discovered,discuss next steps and how to beinvolved, and connect with neighbors.Free. [email protected].

MONDAY/JUNE 23Proposal Deadline. 11 a.m. a request for

proposals for suitable reuse of sevenpark activity buildings, including the oneat North Chevy Chase Local Park.Proposals due by June 23 at 11 a.m. Theactivity buildings will be offered for rentat market rate to private entities or

individuals in an effort to covermaintenance costs and generaterevenues. To make a proposal, visitwww.montgomeryparks.org/permits/park_activity_building_comments.shtm.

Red Cross Blood Drive. 1:30- p.m.Montgomery Chapter House, 2020 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring. Visitredcrossblood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS to learn more and make anappointment.

TUESDAY/JUNE 24Election Day. Montgomery County

primary elections. Visitwww.777vote.org or call 240-777-VOTE.

Workshop on Networking andInterviewing. 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at12320 Parklawn Drive, Rockville.Intensive workshop for job-seekers age50 and older by the Jewish Council forthe Aging. $100 includes lunch.Registration required. Contact EllenGreenberg at 301-255-4215 [email protected].

MONDAY/JUNE 30Red Cross Blood Drive. 2-7:30 p.m. The

Chateau, 9727 Mt Pisgah Road, SilverSpring. Visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to learn more andmake an appointment.

TUESDAY/JULY 1Increased Bus Fare. The County Council

approved an increased fare to ride thebus making it $1.75 without and $1.25with a SmarTrip card. Transfers remainfree. Visit montgomerycountymd.gov.

TUESDAY/JULY 8 Advisory Committee Meeting. 8 a.m.

North Bethesda Conference Center,Cabin John Room, 5701 Marinelli Road,Rockville. Presentation on rebrandingthe zone between Rockville andBethesda. Help come up with a name.Visit www.whiteflint.org/ai1ec_event/white-flint-downtown-advisory-committee-meeting/?instance_id=137.

Bethesda Downtown Plan. What doesthe ideal Bethesda look like? While itdevelops the Bethesda Downtown Plan,the county planning department isasking residents to take a survey onwhat sort of streets, gathering spacesand landscaping are best for each of theBethesda neighborhoods. Survey resultswill help to inform the department’sstaff as they develop recommendationsfor the Bethesda Downtown Plan. This isnot a scientific survey; it is forinformation-gathering purposes only.Participate online at www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/bethesda_downtown/vsurvey.shtm.

Bethesda Farm Women’s CooperativeMarket. The market, which has been atits current location at 7155 WisconsinAve. since the Great Depression, istaking a survey to find out from itscustomers how it can be even better;e.g., different vendors, different hours ofoperation. Take the survey atwww.farmwomensmarket.com/customer-survey.html.

GUIDE DOG FOSTERS NEEDEDGuiding Eyes for the Blind –

Montgomery Region is looking forvolunteers to foster and train futureguide dogs. Volunteers will foster aspecially bred guide dog for 14 months,attend bi-monthly training classes, andteach the pup house manners, peopleskills and socialization within thecommunity. Dog crates, trainingequipment and monthly medications areprovided. Contact Margie Coccodrilli at301-869-2216 or [email protected] visit www.guidingeyes-md.org.

Bulletin Board

Eisner-Heidorn Evans Ortman-Fouse Falcinelli Popkin

Find all Potomac Almanac Election coverage atwww.PotomacAlmanac.com/news/Election/Potomac


De

n Lane

d

use

RRoad

oad

h

Road

495

2

1

3 11911 Falkirk Drive — $750,000

Photos by Deb Stevens/The Almanac

Address .............................. BR FB HB ... Postal City .. Sold Price .... Type ...... Lot AC .. PostalCode ....... Subdivision ......... Date Sold

1 10144 COLEBROOK AVE ....... 5 .. 2 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ..... $785,000 .... Detached .... 0.28 ......... 20854 ........... BEDFORDSHIRE .......... 03/20/14

2 10408 DALEBROOKE LN ........ 4 .. 4 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ..... $761,500 .... Townhouse . 0.07 ......... 20854 ....... PINEY GLEN VILLAGE ...... 03/18/14

3 11911 FALKIRK DR ................ 4 .. 2 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ..... $750,000 .... Detached .... 0.22 ......... 20854 ......... HIGHLAND STONE ........ 03/31/14

4 8604 WILD OLIVE DR ............ 3 .. 2 . 1 ...... ROCKVILLE ..... $680,000 .... Detached .... 0.21 ......... 20854 ......... REGENCY ESTATES ........ 03/07/14

5 7529 HEATHERTON LN ......... 4 .. 3 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ..... $667,000 .... Townhouse . 0.09 ......... 20854 ........ INVERNESS KNOLLS ....... 03/28/14

6 8613 AQUEDUCT RD ............ 4 .. 3 . 1 ....... POTOMAC ..... $615,000 .... Detached .... 0.21 ......... 20854 .... MONTGOMERY SQUARE .... 03/04/14

7 14003 COMMONS WAY ......... 5 .. 2 . 1 ...... ROCKVILLE ..... $550,725 .... Detached .... 0.26 ......... 20854 ........... HORIZON HILL ........... 03/28/14

8 12047 GATEWATER DR ......... 3 .. 1 . 0 ....... POTOMAC ..... $385,000 .... Townhouse . 0.03 ......... 20854 ............. FALLSBERRY ............ 03/31/14

Copyright 2014 RealEstate Business Intelligence. Source: MRIS as of April 15, 2014.

Potomac REAL ESTATEPotomac REAL ESTATEMarch, 2014Sales from

$385,000 to$785,000

In March 2014,

29 Potomac homes sold between

$2,430,000-$385,000.

1 10144 Colebrook Avenue —$785,000

2 10408 Dalebrooke Lane — $761,500

4 8604 Wild Olive Drive — $680,000

6 8613 Aqueduct Road —$615,000

5 7529 Heatherton Lane —$667,000


The Bethesda Big Train were infirst place in the Cal Ripken Colle-giate Baseball League standingsentering Tuesday’s action.

Bethesda started the season 9-1, 2.5 games ahead of the second-place Alexandria Aces.

After 10 games, the Big Trainhad several players among the sta-tistical league leaders. LoganFarrar (.410) and Stephen Alemais(.409) were fourth and fifth, re-spectively, in batting average.Farrar is tied for first with 10 RBIs,and Alemais is third with nine.

Kit Scheetz is tied for firstamong pitchers with two wins.Jake Valdez and J.P. France are tiedfor fifth with 13 strikeouts. Franceis tied for the league lead in ERAat 0.00.

Bethesda will host the Alexan-dria Aces at 7:30 p.m. on Wednes-day, June 18.

Jake Valdez, pictured earlier this season,and the Bethesda Big Train are in firstplace in the Cal Ripken Collegiate BaseballLeague.

Sports

BethesdaBig TrainAtopCRCBLStandings

Email announcements to [email protected]. Deadline is Thursday at noon.Photos are welcome.

Potomac resident Michelle Healey spentspring break serving others through James Madi-son University’s Alternative Spring BreakProgram. Healey, a junior media arts and designmajor traveled to Tahlequah, Okla. to volunteerwith Cherokee Nation Early Childcare and HeadStart Program.

Senior Oumar Muhtar, the son of Mansurand Hadiza Muhtar of Bethesda, has been namedto the principal’s list at Randolph-Macon Acad-emy.

Seventeen Montgomery County PublicSchools seniors from eight high schools havebeen awarded corporate-sponsored NationalMerit Scholarships. These scholarships, whichrange from $500 to $10,000, are financed by cor-porations, company foundations, and otherbusiness organizations. The students are among35 high school seniors in Maryland and around1,000 seniors nationwide to be selected as partof the 59th annual National Merit ScholarshipProgram. MCPS winners, their intended field ofstudy, and sponsors include: Walt Whitman HighSchool students Emily A. Rosenthal, Leidos,Inc., undecided; and Zeya L. Luo, NorthropGrumman, chemical engineering. WinstonChurchill High School students Allen Guo,Leidos,Inc.; computer science, Amy Lin,Lockheed Martin, mathematics; Jeanine M.Liu, Northrop Grumman, economics, and KevinA. Schecter, GEICO, computer science. Tho-mas S. Wootton High School studentsChristopher G. Long, Boeing, computer sci-ence, Xiaoyu Cai, General Dynamics,ophthalmology, and Lanson T. Tang, Leidos,Inc., biomedicine.

MCPS placed 11 schools on the 2014 Best

High Schools list, published by U.S. News & WorldReport Tuesday. Seven MCPS high schools re-ceived a gold medal for being among the top 500schools in the nation, and four received a silvermedal for being among the top 2,019 schools. Thegold and silver medal MCPS high schools and theirnational rankings include Walt Whitman (61)and Thomas S. Wootton (65).

Twenty-two St. Mary’s College of Maryland stu-dents were initiated into the Zeta Chapter of PhiBeta Kappa at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, in-cluding Emily Buetow of Potomac, majoring inPublic Policy.

Amelia Oliver, daughter of David W. Oliverand Galina J. Mikhlin-Oliver of Potomac, and amember of the women’s indoor track and fieldteam at Bates College, received New EnglandSmall College Athletic Conference All-Academicdistinction for the winter 2013-14 season. A 2011graduate of Sandy Spring Friends School, Oliveris majoring in English and Russian.

Eliana Foltin was named to the fall 2013dean’s list at Harpur College of Arts and Sciencesat Binghamton University.

Alexander Reges graduated from the Univer-sity of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science inBusiness Administration degree in Operations andSupply Management.

Patrick Jung, Kathryn Shniderman, AnatKimchi and Amanda Filie were initiated intoThe Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at the Univer-sity of Maryland, College Park.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporationannounced this year’s National Merit $2,500scholarship winners, including: Steven L.Berger, Savannah Du, Bryan B. Ho, AaronMatthew Hwang, Hope H. Kean, Daniel D.Liu, Isaac S. Weinberg and Katie Y. Zhao.

School Notes


People

By Colleen Healy

The Almanac

What started as a personal goalby one dad to get in shape be-came a friendly “biggest loser”

battle between two local Catholic churches.The group of dads joined together to be-

come the Fraternal Order of Fasting Fathersor FOOFFs. The idea got started three yearsago when Potomac resident Michael Roseattended a St. Raphael CYO basketballmeeting.

“I was not feeling too good about whereI let myself go. I saw my friend and doctorwalk in the room looking just as robust asme. I started looking around the room andsaw quite a few other friends and dads thatcould use a little bit of competition andhelp. I went up to my doctor after the meet-ing and asked him if he was interested in aweight loss competition. Before I got to thelast word he said, ‘I’m in.’ All of the other10 ‘apostles’ were easy pickings as well. Ifigured I wanted 12 apostles to be in thecompetition to reflect our religious theme.And I figured we needed to do a team con-cept so that people would stick to the pro-gram. It is easy to give up and let yourselfdown, but harder to let down others onyour team. That first competition threeyears ago bred into this latest competitionwhere we had 12 apostles from St.Raphael’s challenge 12 apostles from St.Mary’s,” Rose said.

Captain of the St. Mary’s team, VictorMuzzatti, “was really excited to be a partof the competition between the two par-ishes, the concept is awesome. I wanted tobe a part of the competition because Ithought it would be a great way to loseweight and it is for a good cause. The feed-back that I received from my team is thatthis competition jump started them to getoff of the couch and start doing somethingto improve both their physique and theirhealth and we all pretty much succeeded.With regard to my team, I actually hadmore than 12 that were interested in beinga part of the competition and that causedme to have to pick and choose, we did in-clude the ‘alternates’ in our back and forthbanter.”

A friendly rivalry between St. Mary’s andSt. Raphael’s parishes developed. “Thethought of having two parishes involved inan ongoing competition is something thatVictor and I have been dreaming up for thepast couple years,” Rose said. “We havebeen trying to organize sporting eventsgetting one parish against the other in or-der to meet more people and to incite ca-maraderie. This competition seemed likethe best way to kick off our idea. The ban-ter back-and-forth between the 24 fathershas been hilarious. We are all on one emailchain and constantly are jawing back-and-

Competition Benefits Dads and Their ChurchesWelcome to theFraternal Order ofFasting Fathers.

forth to encourage each other or to just givepeople a laugh during the day. The bestprank was a mountainous basket ofTwinkies, Ho-Hos, MoonPies, Tastykakesetc. that was sent to me for my birthday bymy good friends at St Mary’s only days be-fore the final weigh in.”

Dave DeSalle agreed: “I think it was greatfor fostering camaraderie among and be-tween the St. R’s and St. Mary’s men.”

According to Rose, “As the competitionwent on, St. Raphael won the first round.And that caused the St. Mary’s apostles togather around and to really put it to us onthe finals. St. Mary’s won the second roundand the overall competition so would havewon the lion share of the $2,400 pot. Butin the true act of sportsmanship and Catho-lic giving, the entire team elected to splitthe pot $1,200 per team. Both teams do-nated the money to their church andschools.”

The wives of all the FOOFFs are thrilledwith the results as well. Tricia Rose said,”My husband’s commitment to the FOOFFsis a commitment to our family. The fact thathe is taking steps to get healthier and tochange his ways will only make him livelonger and be more active so that my kidsand I can have him for so many more yearsto come.”

Michael Rose agreed: “I know my wife isvery proud of me and loves how I look andhow I feel. And all of the other wives havecome up to me personally thanking me for-getting their husbands involved. I think itis something that our children are learninga lot from as well as far as self-control, ex-

ercise, proper diet, commitment to your-self and your teammates.”

Lilly Muzzatti said, “I was pretty proudof Victor, considering the fact that we wenton a spring break all inclusive vacationduring the competition and stuck to hisdiet, which had to be tough as the girls andI enjoyed anything we wanted. He wasthrilled to be able to fit back into his“skinny” clothes too (although I’m not plan-ning on getting rid of the ‘bigger sizedclothes’ just yet).”

As for Sue DeSalle, “I think Dave willkeep the weight off if he stays away frompotato chips and continues to abstain fromlate night eating — that made a big differ-ence.”

Emily Hannapel thinks “it is a win-win-

win competition where the men lose weightand get healthier, enjoy lighthearted jocu-larity, and this year raise money for theirschools. It is always interesting to see thedifferent weight loss tactics and results. Brag-ging rights are a big motivator for a lot ofthe guys, and they all are friends and havefun with the competition. Hopefully the guyswill keep the weight off, or at least most ofit. If not, they can always be a FOOFF againnext time.”

Now that the dads have lost the weight,do they intend to keep it off for good or willit be hard to maintain the FOOFFs diet? “Ithink everyone is going to say that they in-tend to keep the weight off. But remember,this is the second competition that St.Raphael’s has had to engage in over the lastthree years. Doing the competition over 31/2 months was the most grueling. It wasnot a get rich quick scheme. It was more in-tended to change your way of life. That trans-lates into keeping a lot of the weight off inthe first year. It’s the second year that causesthe trouble.

“We have all committed to a ‘where arethey now’ competition for September. Wewant to make sure that we maintain our lowlevels. And if it takes more competition, sobe it,” Michael Rose said.

Victor Muzzatti added, “I immediately putback on a few pounds but felt that I shouldtry to make more of an effort to keep theweight off, especially since I feel so muchhealthier. It’s amazing how easy it is to putweight on and how difficult it is to take itoff.”

As for the Biggest Loser of the competi-tion, it was Tom Antonucci who lost almost30 percent of his bodyweight and PaulLidberg who lost almost 20 percent of hisbody weight. The rest of the weight-lossranged from 5 percent to 17 percent of bodyweight.

Others who want to do something similarcan call or email Mike Rose for advice [email protected] or 301-814-3200 forthe rules and regulations as well as thespreadsheets that were used in order to havea competition.

“No sense in reinventing the wheel. I havea system that works, and would love to helpchange the lives of many others out there,”he said.

‘Sweet Indulgence’This month the Strathmore Mansion In-vitational Gallery will present a solo ex-hibition of oil paintings by Maryland-based artist, Jennifer Kahn Barlow.Barlow’s paintings of enticing, vibrantconfectionary distill precious momentsfrom the normal chaos of daily life. Com-posed amongst the trappings of the day-to-day such as reading glasses, a coffeecup, or a tea set, these oases offer a briefhiatus from life’s daily operations. “SweetIndulgence” opens at the StrathmoreMansion in North Bethesda on June 22and continues through July 27. An open-ing reception on Thursday, June 26 at 7p.m. is free and open to the public. TheMansion at Strathmore, located at 10701

Pho

to

by C

olleen H

ealy/T

he A

lm

an

ac

Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, is openTuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sun-day from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Wednesdayfrom 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

The members of FOOFFs (Fraternal Order of Fasting Fathers) at the finalweigh-in of a biggest loser weight competition. Two local Catholicchurches competed to see which team could lose the most weight. St.Raphael won the first round, and St. Mary’s won the second and overallpot. In a show of charity and sportsmanship, St. Mary’s split the win-nings with St. Raphael and both teams donated the money to theirchurch and schools. Center, from left, are Michael Rose of St. RaphaelParish and Victor Muzzatti of St. Mary’s Parish holding the champion-ship belt. First row: Dave Desalle, Jose Carbonell, Mo Rowe, TomAntonucci, Chuck Bartlett, Jeff Hannapel and Phil Aldridge. Second row:Mike Donahue, Bobby Maggio, Mark Hannan, Terry Kernan, TimOConnor and Chris Rascher. Third row: James Conway, Kevin Rowe, PaulLidberg, Bob Scanlon, Paul Wit and Tommy Sullivan. Not pictured: EdHealy, JT Triandafilou and Bob Stephens.

Pho

to

by M

ichelle A

ldridge


Potomac Village Deli Catering

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Catering

301•299•5770www.potomacvillagedeli.com

Home of YourCorporate & ResidentialCatering Headquarters

Serving theCommunity

for over35 Years

By Marilyn Campbell

The Almanac

Lisa and Erik Brown beamed with pride af-ter their oldest son graduated from highschool in Northern Virginia. They hosted apost-ceremony soiree and invited a host of

family and friends. The celebration was dampenedsomewhat, however, when a family member madean innocent, but still criticalremark about the college theirson had chosen.

“He’s the first person in ourfamily to go to college,” saidErik Brown. “It was rude anddisrespectful for them to talkbadly about the college he’schosen, especially in front ofour other guests.”

While graduation is a time ofexcitement and celebration, itcan also be a time of not onlychange but stress for manygraduates and their parents. In-nocent questions and com-ments like the Browns’ relative’scan cause embarrassment orfrustration for recent graduates.Local mental health professionals offer suggestionsfor avoiding such a post-graduation faux pas whilestill expressing excitement and pride.

“When talking to a graduate, focus on their ac-complishment,” said Linda Gulyn, Ph.D., a professorof psychology at Marymount University in Arling-ton. “They should be proud of having earned a de-gree, especially a college degree.”

Instead of commenting on the college they selectedor the major they chose, offer support and encour-agement. “Rather than saying, ‘What are you goingto do with that art history degree?’” said Gulyn, “anadult can offer to be a source of networking and sup-port. They can say, ‘Best of luck. Let me know how Ican support you.’”

Conversations with graduates can be adaptedbased on whether the person is graduating from highschool, college or graduate school. “Most high schoolgraduates know what their plans are in terms of go-ing to college, taking a gap year or getting a job,”said Karen Prince, a Bethesda, Md., based licensedclinical social worker. “It is always good to focus onthe positive and the current situation, which is a hugemilestone.”

Dialogue with a recent college graduates can bemore complicated, however, because some alreadyfeel pressured to have a plan in place. “It is moreloaded for college,” said Prince. “It is best to ask ques-tions that are easy to answer, like ‘What classes didyou enjoy most in college? Did you know in highschool that you wanted to choose that major? What

made you decide on that ma-jor?’ Those questions are easyto answer because they’ve al-ready accomplished it.”

Gulyn said to focus on thecurrent accomplishment, notfuture expectations: “It’s goodto say, ‘That sounds like a re-ally interesting major. I wish I’dtaken more art history classes.You must have learned abouthistory, art and life. Liberal artsdegrees can open a student’smind and teach them to writewell.’”

Gulyn adds that it is accept-able and even normal for recentgraduates to be uncertain abouttheir future plans. “I talk to my

college students all the time and ask them, ‘Howmany of you are sick and tired of hearing now thatyou’re graduating what you are you going to do?’They all raise their hands. It’s OK for a recent gradu-ate to have no idea about what they want to do withtheir future. This is a time to explore. Saying ‘I haveno idea’ is the right answer at this state in their lives.”

Finally, Gulyn discourages conversations that pres-sure college graduates to make immediate decisionsabout graduate school. “Students should give them-selves a couple of years to make sure they are com-mitted to getting a graduate degree,” she said. “If Ihad to do it over again, I would have waited until Iwas committed and saved money for graduateschool.”

Suggestions forconversation starters fortalking to new graduates.

Avoiding Awkward Conversations

“When talking to agraduate, focus ontheir accomplishment.They should be proudof having earned adegree, especially acollege degree.”— Linda Gulyn, Ph.D., professor of

psychology at MarymountUniversity in Arlington


ClassifiedClassifiedHome & GardenHome & GardenCONTRACTORS.copotomacalmanac.com

*Waynewood School District, Fort Hunt, Five miles south of Old Town, off Parkway*

* Walk, jog or bike to river, Hollin Hall shopping center, private pool parks, public parks playgrounds, tennis courts*

*Drive, metro or bike to work*

$2950/mo with bank wire, negotiable lease term, available 7/22, one mo deposit, credit check, house trained dog

considered with deposit, no cats due to allergies.

4BR/3BA/Country kitchen/Family room, double garage & patio room with swingset behind privacy fenced back yardPartially finished basement with private entrance, updated

bath, sink, small fridge and microwave, Modest brick exteri-or on wooded and fenced 3/4 acre lot disguises roomy

interior with many unique features

. Located in the heart of the Fort Hunt section of Alexandria. 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, country kitchen, family room with fireplace, hardwood floors and ceiling fans throughout, gas

radiator heat, ac, covered porches front and rear, plus basement with updated 3rd bath, sink, small fridge,

microwave and private entrance, washer/dryer, privacy yard with swing set off patio room and double garage separated

from house with breezeway. Storage plus in attic, basement, garage, patio room.

Easy drive, bike or metro to Old Town Alexandria, Fort Belvoir, Pentagon, Fort Myer, Navy Yard and DC.

Conveniently located less than a mile fromthe George Washington Parkway for easy access to 495,

Old Town Alexandria, Reagan National Airport, and Arlington.

*Call 703-862-7240

3 RE for Rent 3 RE for Rent

21 Announcements 21 Announcements

26 AntiquesWe pay top $ for antique furniture and mid-century

Danish/modernteak furniture, STERLING, MEN'S WATCHES, jewelry

and costume jewelry,paintings/art glass/clocks.

Schefer Antiques @703-241-0790.

Email:[email protected]

GUTTER CLEANINGGutters and Downspouts Cleaned

Small Repairs • Gutter Guards

PINNACLE SERVICESlic/ins 703-802-0483 free est.email [email protected]: lawnsandgutters.comFriendly Service with a Friendly Price!

R&N Carpentry

✦BASEMENTS ✦BATHS ✦KITCHENSForeclosure specialist/Power washing

✦Exterior Wood Rot More!Deck & Fence repair, Screen Porches

No jobs too large or smallFree est. 37 yrs exp. Licensed, Insured

703-987-5096

GGAARRDDEENNEERREnergetic gardener,

Speaks French & English.Fall Cleanup, weeding, planting, edging,

mulching, maintenance. Excellent Potomac references.

301-980-8258

GUTTER GUTTER

IMPROVEMENTS IMPROVEMENTS

LANDSCAPING LANDSCAPINGPSA Healthcare -

Clinical Care Manager, RN Northern VA

Provide case management for assigned case load. Perform on site supervisory

visits to assess nurses, patients, and families. Active role in clinical education,

skills assessments, and hiring of our field nursing staff.

Requirements: At least 1 yr nursing experience, home care and/or peds

trach/vent preferred; RN licensure in state; Degree in nursing from state

accredited RN program. Desire and ability to travel within the market area

and to provide direct patient care.Apply online at www.psahealthcare.com.

Zone 5 Ad Deadline:

Tuesday 11 a.m.

301-983-1900

Zone 5:

• PotomacEmploymentEmployment

Educational InternshipsUnusual opportunity to learn manyaspects of the newspaper business.Internships available in reporting,photography, research, graphics.Opportunities for students, and foradults considering change of career.Unpaid. E-mail [email protected]

I believe thefuture is only

the past again,entered through

another gate.-Arthur Wing

Pinero

21 Announcements 21 Announcements

Patient Access ManagerDominion Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia

We are seeking an individual who has previous healthcare orbusiness management experience with a minimum of 3 yearsdirect employee supervision.

We provide inpatient and outpatient treatment options topatients in need of emotional wellness intervention.

As Patient Access Manager, you will be responsible for:• Overseeing the daily activities of the registration area• Maintaining quality assurance standards• Payroll and employee scheduling• Hiring and coordinating training of new employees• Developing and implementing policies and procedures• Assessing and improving departmental performance• Ensuring orientation and continued education for

departmental staffIf you are a Leader who enjoys working with people and has a

desire to help others, please apply at www.parallon.com/careersWe offer a convenient location, free parking, training support,

competitive compensation, and excellent benefits that includeseveral insurance packages to choose from, paid time off forvacation, sick leave and holidays, company matching 401K. EqualOpportunity Employer.

Educational InternshipsUnusual opportunity to learn many aspects ofthe newspaper business. Internships availablein reporting, photography, research, graphics.Opportunities for students, and for adultsconsidering change of career. Unpaid. [email protected]

Newspapers & Online

HOW TO SUBMITADS TO

CLASSIFIED • CHOOSE 1 TO 6 ZONESE-mail [email protected] or call Andrea @ 703-778-9411

EMPLOYMENT • CHOOSE 1 TO 6 ZONESE-mail [email protected] or call Andrea @ 703-778-9411


(Not a cancer column, by the way.)Growing up in the 60s, if you loved

sports, as I did/still do, you spent hours lis-tening to games on a transistor radio. Therecertainly wasn’t “Cable” television backthen; heck, there wasn’t even color televi-sion, let alone “HD,” “interactive,” or what-ever else television technology has evolvedinto. And of course, there were no “bigscreen” television sets either. We had a 19"Zenith black and white television and wereceived three channels: 4, 5 and 7 (inBoston), and as much as sports was/isimportant in Boston/New England, viewingoptions, given the limited VHF/UHF bandfrequencies, meant listening to games onradio – AM radio. Games were regularlytelevised on weekends, more so if thehome team was playing on the road.

As the decades have passed, so too havetransistor radios, black and white televisionsand limited viewing on only three channels.Between “Cable,” computers, and morerecently, the introduction of hand-helddevices, access to and familiarity with sportshas grown exponentially. Add in the explo-sion of sports-talk radio and the abundanceof sports-themed content on television(regardless of whether the games are athome or on the road) and one could be inhis “man cave” for hours on end “chan-neling” his – or her – passion, for any team,in any city, at almost any time.

I don’t have a “man cave,” but I do havea passion. Annually, I buy the MLB Baseballpackage so I can watch my beloved Bostonred Sox whenever and wherever they play.It is not the bane of my existence, it is quitethe opposite; it is my raison d’être, if truthbe told. And instinctively, whenever I’m inthe car driving somewhere, if the Orioles orNationals are playing, I am listening tothem on radio, as a long-time habit. It con-jures images, memories and dreams of alifetime (adolescence, really) stretchingback over 50 years: Curt Gowdy, NedMartin and Ken Coleman on radio for theRed Sox, the legendary Johnny Most for theCeltics and Fred Cusick and Bob Wilson forthe Bruins. I hung on their every wordnightly during the week, and afternoons onweekends; typically when their games wereplayed. What I heard affected my life – tothis day. As a result (partially), I am a“sports” guy. Not a “tool” guy. Not a “car”guy. Not a “do-it-yourself/fixer-upper” guy.Nor am I any other category of “guy” youknow of or can think of. “I yam what Iyam.” Though I’ve never been a sailor man,either.

And as a “sports” guy, my dream was toplay in the Major Leagues for the BostonRed Sox. As much as I practiced, it didn’thappen (although I did play for the LittleLeague Red Sox from 1964–67, ages 9–12). But through the staying power of radio– and the frequency of baseball games(162-game schedule) – I have realized mydream of playing in the Major Leagues, orat least hearing my last name called duringMajor League games.

There is a player for the Toronto BlueJays named Brett Lawrie, an infielder, thirdbaseman, mostly. When the announcerscall his last name, it sounds nearly identicalto mine, Lourie. And when I hear his namecalled on radio by Oriole’s radio voices, JoeAngel and Jim Hunter (the Blue Jays were intown this past weekend for a four-gameseries), it almost brings a tear to my eyes.Obviously it’s not me they’re “calling,” butit sure sounds like it. And for that moment,my dream seems like a reality.

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

A DreamCome True,Sort Of

Email community entertainment events [email protected]. Include date,time, location, description and contact for event:phone, email and/or website. Photos and artworkwelcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, at least twoweeks before event.

ONGOINGLooking Back. Through July 21 at Photoworks

Gallery and Photography School, 7300MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo. Photographyfrom Vincent Ferrari and Patricia Smith.Opening reception and gallery talk on June 21.Free. Visit www.glenechophotoworks.org or call301-634-2274.

Art Exhibit. “Botanica 2014: The Art & Science ofPlants” at the Brookside Gardens Visitors Center,1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Drawings andpaintings by students and teachers in theBrookside Gardens School of Botanical Art &Illustration, June 28-Aug. 8. Exhibit is free,although most works are available for purchase.

Blue Star Museums. The National Endowmentfor the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Departmentof Defense, and more than 2,000 museumsacross America have collaborated to offer freeadmission to the nation’s active duty militarypersonnel, including National Guard andReserve and their families, through Labor Day2014. The complete list of participatingmuseums is available at http://arts.gov/national/blue-star-museums for more.

Weekly Blues Dance. Thursdays 8:15-11:30 p.m.in the Back Room Annex at Glen Echo Park,7300 MacArthur Blvd. Capital Blues presentsrotating DJs and instructors with beginnerworkshop 8:15-9 p.m., no partner necessary. $8for all. Visit http://capitalblues.org.

Argentine Tango with Lessons. Most Sundays6:30-11 p.m. in the Back Room Annex at GlenEcho Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. TangoBrillante DC offers Argentine Tango lessonsfollowed by a Milonga most Sunday evenings.Beginner lesson 6:30-7:30 p.m. andintermediate lesson 7:30-8:30 p.m. Cost is $15/lesson and includes the Milonga that follows.For dancers who wish to attend just theMilonga, cost is $10 and the open dance with DJruns 8:30-11 p.m. No partner required. Visitwww.glenechopark.org or call 301-634-2222.

Contra and Square Dance. Sundays 7-10:30p.m. in the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park,7300 MacArthur Blvd. The Folklore Society ofGreater Washington presents traditionalAmerican contra dancing. All Contras andSquare dances are taught, no partner isnecessary. There is a lesson at 7 p.m., followedby the called dance with live music starting at7:30. $13 nonmembers, $10 FSGW members, $5ages 17 and under. Visit www.glenechopark.orgor call 301-634-2222.

Late Night Comedy. Fridays (open mic night)and Saturdays (established comedians) atBenny’s Bar & Grill, 7747 Tuckerman Lane,Potomac. Benny’s is open 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridaysand Saturdays. Visit www.BennysBarGrill.com.

Art Classes. Classes are taught year-round forbeginner, intermediate and advanced students.Fridays 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-4p.m., and Sundays noon-4 p.m. At Glen EchoPark, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Call 301-634-2273or visit www.artglasscenteratglenecho.org.

Drop in Art Activities. Every Saturday 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Candy Corner Studio at GlenEcho Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., parents andchildren can explore a new art form or theme.$10/child, parent combo. Drop-in only. Visitwww.pgip.org for more.

Live Music & Dancing. 7-11 p.m. in Margery’sLounge, Normandie Farm Restaurant 10710Falls Road, Potomac. Dance to the music ofBarry Gurley on Fridays and Saturdays. Call301-983-8838 or visit popovers.com for more.

CONTEST SUBMISSIONSThe county Department of Transportation is

accepting nominations for the annual KeepMontgomery County Beautiful landscapingand amateur photography competitions. Thelandscape contest is open to community groups,businesses, public institutions and otherorganizations that undertake landscapingprojects to enhance the appearance ofcommonly owned sections of commercial orresidential properties in Montgomery County.For the photography contest, photos of countylocations are judged on effective composition,originality and interest. There is a youthcategory for aspiring photographers 18 andyounger. Applications for both contests are dueby June 20. Winners will be announced in

October. Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/DOT-dir/KMCB/BAC.html.

THROUGH SUNDAY/JUNE 29Bethesda Summer Music Festival. Bethesda

Presbyterian Church, 7611 Clarendon Road,Bethesda. This festival features tomorrow’s starsof opera and musical theater. Festivalculminates in performances: Art Songs Recital,Saturday, June 21 at 5 p.m.; Opera to PopConcert, Saturday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m.; MusicalRevue & Opera Scenes, Saturday, June 28 at 2:30p.m.; Cosi Fan Tutte, Friday June 27 at 7:30 p.m.and Saturday June 28 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $20,children free. Visit http://aamsopera.com/bsmf/events.html or call 301-795-8342 or 301-424-3379.

THURSDAY/JUNE 19Outdoor Concert. 6-8 p.m. at Veterans Park, at

the corner of Woodmont and Norfolk Avenues.Built 4 Comfort plays blues and classic rock.Free. Call 301-215-6660 or visitwww.bethesda.org.

Third Thursday. 7-9 p.m. at 155 Gibbs Street,Rockville. Contemporary dance pieceperformance as well as a quilt makingworkshop. Free. Visitwww.visartsatrockville.org/ for more.

Shared Experiences. 7:15-9:45 p.m. PotomacCommunity Center, 11315 Falls Rd., Potomac.Mr. Harvey Follender will share his experiences,travels and stories about the many differentpeople and ethnic groups he has met. Free.

Live Music. 8 p.m. at Bethesda Blues & JazzSupper Club, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda.Bria Skonberg performs. $18. Visitwww.bethesdabluesjazz.com/events.cfm.

THURSDAY-FRIDAY/JUNE 19-20Gardening Class: Miniature Hostas. 10-11:30

a.m. each day at the Visitors Center AdultClassroom at Brookside Gardens, 1800 GlenallanAve., Wheaton. Learn about the varieties andhow to care for them. Fee includes all materials.Course #272401 - Thursday or Course #272402- Friday. Fee $50 or FOBG $45. Registrationrequired at www.ParkPASS.org. Call 301-962-1451 or visit www.brooksidegardens.org.

FRIDAY/JUNE 20Waltz Dance. Workshop from 2:45-3:30 p.m.

Dance from 3:30-6 p.m. at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Featuring GreenLight Karma, playing a mix of folk waltzes andother dances. $10. No partner required. Visitwww.WaltzTimeDances.org or call Joan Kouryat 202-238-0230.

Live Music. 8 p.m. at Bethesda Blues & JazzSupper Club, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. JRCline and the Recliners with special guest JuliaNixon. Dance floor available. $20. Visitwww.bethesdabluesjazz.com/events.cfm.

SATURDAY/JUNE 21Garden Tour. 2-3 p.m. at the Conservatory

Entrance, 1500 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton.Brookside Gardens is an award-winning displaygarden, featuring an abundance of annual andperennial displays throughout the season.Course #270652. Free. Visit www.brooksidegardens.org, contact [email protected], or call 301-962-1400.

Swing Dance. Beginner lesson 8-9 p.m., dance 9p.m.-midnight at the Spanish Ballroom, GlenEcho National Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., GlenEcho. Swing dance featuring Bria Skonberg’sHot Five. No partner required. $20. ContactRobert Patch at 301-674-0080 or [email protected].

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/JUNE 21-22Art show. At the Yellow Barn Gallery, Glen Echo

Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. 12p.m.-5 p.m. both days. A reception is scheduledfor Saturday, June 21 from 5-7 p.m. Featuringthe work of Gonzalo Ruiz Navarro’s pastelstudents Alexander Riccio, Camilla David, CarolGreenwald, Joan Nelson, Jose Teruel, MadeleineSchaller, Marcia Billig, Marylouise Roach, PatRagan and Penny Smith. Visitwww.yellowbarnstudio.com for more.

SUNDAY/JUNE 22-SUNDAY/JULY 27Art Gallery. The Mansion at Strathmore, located

at 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda.

Exhibition hours 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday,Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. 10 a.m.-9p.m. Wednesday. Closed Monday.“SweetIndulgence,” solo exhibition of oil paintings byMaryland artist Jennifer Kahn Barlow. Free andopen to the public. Visit www.strathmore.org/fineartsexhibitions for more.

SUNDAY/JUNE 22Live Music and Brunch. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at

Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, 7719Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. Joan Crowe and theCharlie Barnett trio. $17.50-$35, ticket includesbrunch meal. Visit www.bethesdabluesjazz.com/events.cfm.

Live Music. 8:30 p.m. at Bethesda Blues & JazzSupper Club, 7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. Anevening with Rickie Lee Jones. $40 in advance,$50 day of. Visit www.bethesdabluesjazz.com/events.cfm.

TUESDAY/JUNE 24Garden Trip. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Conservatory

Entrance at Brookside Gardens, 1500 GlenallanAve., Wheaton. Come for a trip “back in time” aswe visit the beautiful Oatlands Historic Houseand Gardens. Course #272153. $50. Visitparkpass.org, www.brooksidegardens.org,[email protected], or call301-962-1451.

THURSDAY/JUNE 26Art Gallery Opening Reception. The Mansion

at Strathmore, located at 10701 Rockville Pike,North Bethesda. 7-8 p.m. Reception for “SweetIndulgence,” solo exhibition of oil paintings byMaryland artist Jennifer Kahn Barlow. Free andopen to the public. Exhibition runs June 22-July27, 2014. Visit www.strathmore.org/fineartsexhibitions for more.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY/JUNE 28-29Heritage Days 2014. Noon-4 p.m. The 17th

annual Heritage Days Weekend will feature 40sites all around Montgomery Countyhighlighting local history and culture, outdoorrecreation, family activities, music and food.Free admission. Visit www.HeritageMontgomery.org or call 301-515-0753.

Boyds Negro School, Boyds – practicecalligraphy, make button necklaces, playmarbles & horseshoes at this 1895 one-roomschoolhouse for African American children ~Saturday and Sunday

Historic St. Paul Community Church,Poolesville – tour the 1893 church andcemetery, learn about the founding families ofthis early African American community; gospelsingers ~ Saturday only

Josiah Henson Park, N. Bethesda – tour thehistoric Riley farm where Josiah Henson, whosememoir inspired Uncle Tom’s Cabin, wasenslaved from 1795-1830; archeology dig, makeclay marbles ~ Sunday only

Oakley Cabin, Olney – visit this restored 19th-century log cabin, home to African Americantenant families during the 1800s; storytellers,Washington Revels Jubilee Voices ~ Saturdayonly

Sandy Spring Slave Museum, Sandy Spring –see the cross section of a slave clipper ship, artspavilion, slave log cabin, and significant art &artifact collection in the Great Hall; storyteller at1pm ~ Saturday only

Sandy Spring Museum, Sandy Spring – “LocalTraditions” folklife festival (Saturday only) inthe heart of this early Quaker community;music, dance & storytelling ~ Museum openSaturday and Sunday

Underground Railroad Experience Trail,Sandy Spring – take a fascinating 2-hour hikealong a simulated Underground Railroad trail;first hike at 9 a.m. ~ Saturday only

Town of Brookeville – tour this historic Quakertown that was the “U.S. Capital for a Day”during the War of 1812 ~ Sunday only

SUNDAY/JUNE 29Waltz Dance. Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo

National Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., GlenEcho. Introductory waltz workshop 2:45-3:30p.m., social dancing 3:30-6 p.m. Featuring theensemble Addison Bleufonte. Admission $10. Nopartner required. Call Joan Koury at 202-238-0230 or Glen Echo Park at 301-634-2222, go towww.WaltzTimeDances.org or [email protected].

Entertainment

potomac farewell to high school · to be leaving.” whitestar property management, to which...

Documents