the town market square fountain …towncourier.com/2013/g3/pdf/tcgthree0813web.pdfmarching bands,...

Photo | Phil Fabrizio

The Hobbs family of Silver Spring, Md., clip a Dorset ram lamb at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, which runs through Aug. 17. For a complete schedule and pricing, visit www.mcagfair.com.

Local Schools Get Ready for New Year

By Maureen Stiles

S ummer 2013 is almost in the books, and area public schools are get-

ting prepared for the upcom-ing academic year. The first day for Montgomery Coun-ty Public Schools’ students is Aug. 26.

Rachel Carson Elementary School [RCES] will wel-come approximately 970 stu-dents on Sept. 25. Principal Larry Chep is “looking for-ward to another great year as staff and students return and

The

To

wn

Co

uri

er

309

Mai

n St

reet

Gaith

ersb

urg,

MD

2087

8

PRSR

T-ST

D U.

S. P

OSTA

GE P

AID

Gaith

ersb

urg

MD

Perm

it #1

722

Gaithersburg’s Hometown Newspaper | Serving Kentlands, Lakelands, Quince Orchard Park and More

Vol. 10, No. 16

CourierTheToWN

August 16, 2013www.towncourier.com

n new SCHool yeAr Continued on page 4

Market Square Fountain Ready for Transformation

By Jeff Kinney

I f all goes well, the fountain at 506 Main Street in Kentlands Market Square, which has sat in

disrepair for more than two years, will be transformed into a planter by the end of August.

Steve Eckert of Classic Communities, owner of the of-fice building and the fountain, said on Aug. 1 that the stonework around the base has been re-paired. The bowl of the fountain will be filled with dirt and a vari-ety of plants, thereby completing a renovation plan approved by the city of Gaithersburg.

Eckert said it was probably a good idea to turn the fountain into a planter because the struc-ture has been a target of repeated vandalism.

“It continually was vandalized, and we rehabbed it on three dif-ferent occasions. We determined that it would no longer be an at-tractive amenity for the com-munity if that was going to con-tinue,” Eckert said. “With the new plan, it will be a nice visual

amenity when we’re done.”The fountain has been a di-

lapidated eyesore for quite some time — so long, in fact, that it at-tracted the attention of city reg-ulators, who levied fines for code violations.

According to Kevin Roman, neighborhood services chief for the city’s Department of Planning and Code Administration, an ini-tial violation notice was issued on June 20, 2011. Fines of $100 were imposed on Sept. 7, 2011, and Oct. 4, 2011.

A court issued an order for the owners to repair the fountain on Jan. 17, 2012.

Eckert acknowledge that the renovation has taken too long to complete.

“It probably didn’t get the lev-el of attention that perhaps it should have by both the city and ourselves,” he said. “Once we all focused on it, we were able to get it through the process fairly quickly.”

Director of Planning and Code

n FounTAin Continued on page 6

Summer AdventuresBy Maureen Stiles

“M om, I am bored.” A common summer lament, yet these words will never be uttered by some teens and young

adults this year who found adventure outside of Gaithersburg city limits.

Washingtonian Woods resident Quinn Rowe headed to Annapolis and the Naval Academy for a four-day, three-night lacrosse camp. This was the 10-year-old’s first experience at an overnight camp, but he had no hesitation. “I loved it!” he said.

The camp issued a detailed document containing stringent rules, and the kids were held to the stan-dards of plebes and midshipmen. No hats indoors, no walking on the grass, sandals or slides only with socks, and random inspection of bunks were but a few of the restrictions on young campers.

Rowe did not mind a bit. “There were a lot of rules,” he explained, “but once you got used to them and learned to listen to your commander, it was not that hard.”

The camp itself was a hit as well, with “fun drills

n ADvenTureS Continued on page 8

Photo | Submitted

Georgetown university junior and u.S. Army roTC cadet Conor Spauld-ing plays with one of the monkeys on the military base in Cilodong, indonesia, where he went for a military training program.

The Town Courier August 16, 2013

August 16, 2013 The Town Courier

There’s still plenty of free outdoor entertainment happening nearby this month! Check out these upcoming events:

Washingtonian Center Summer Event SeriesLakefront Live! Concert Series:

Every Friday through Sept. 6, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Lakefront Plaza at Washingtonian Center

Nando’s Spicy Saturday Nights Concert Series:

Every Saturday from through Aug. 31, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Lakefront Plaza at Washingtonian Center

Little Tots AM:Every other Wednesday through

Aug. 21, 10:30 a.m., RIO’s Atrium at Washingtonian Center

Little Tots PM:Every other Wednesday through

Aug. 28, 6 p.m., Lakefront Plaza at Washingtonian Center

For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.washingtoniancenter.com/events.

Star Diner Tiki Bar Concert Series

• Aug. 16 — On The Bus Band• Aug. 17 — Colorado Bluebird

Sky• Aug. 23 — Platform Soul• Aug. 24 — Film at Eleven• Aug. 30 — The Capital Blues

Ensemble• Aug. 31 — Live Action Hero

Music is from 7 – 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights outside Star Diner in Kentlands Downtown. For more information and concert sched-ule through September, visit www.stardinerkentlands.com.

Summer on the Square at Rockville Town SquareKids Night:

Tuesday nights through Aug. 20,

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Two live stage shows every Tuesday

night, and kids eat free at participat-ing restaurants.

Movies on the Square:Wednesday nights through Aug. 21,

8:45 p.m.

• Aug. 14 — “Les Miserables”• Aug. 21 — “Hotel Transylvania”

Wine Down:Thursday nights through Aug. 22,

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Listen to live acoustic music and

sample wine and food.

Friday Night Live:Friday nights through Sept. 27,

6:30 – 9:30 p.m.Listen to live music across many

genres, with beer and food venders.

For more information and full schedules, visit www.rockvil letownsquare.com/events/special-events.

Compiled by Claire Fleischer

5K Road ClosuresThe Kentlands/Lakelands 5K Run, Walk and Kids’

Fun Runs will take place on Saturday, Aug. 31 start-ing at 8 a.m. on Main Street near Market Square Plaza. To ensure the safety of all race participants, race streets will be closed to parking before and during the race, and car traffic will be restricted from 12 a.m. – 12 p.m. on the day of the event.

Residents who need to drive before 11 a.m. should move their cars to a location that is not in a “tow-away zone” on Friday, Aug. 30. Options include: Lakelands Park Middle School, Lakelands Park park-ing lot past Kersten Street, Rachel Carson Elementary School, Kentlands Boulevard, and the Whole Foods or former Bally’s parking lots.

Cars left on the course after 12 a.m. on Race Day will be towed at the owner’s expense and left be-hind Michael’s Crafts. Please see the “5K No Parking Map” at www.kentlands.org/5K/documents/KL5Kcoursemap.pdf and plan accordingly.

For a complete list of restricted streets, visit www.kentlands.org/5K/info/.

It’s not to late to register or volunteer for race day events. Visit www.kentlands.org to learn more.

Labor Day Parade to Honor Gaithersburg Police

The city of Gaithersburg and the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Fire Department will hold the 75th Annual Labor Day Parade on Sept. 2 at 1 p.m. This year’s parade is dedicated to the law enforcement community in honor and celebration of the 50th an-niversary of the Gaithersburg Police Department.

The parade features an assortment of high school marching bands, costumed characters, cars and fire engines, horses, clowns and more in Olde Towne Gaithersburg. City of Gaithersburg and Montgomery County police equipment, including motorcycles, cruisers, segways, and a Bearcat armored vehicle, will also be on display.

The event will take place rain or shine. Free park-ing and shuttle bus service will be available.

For more information call 301.258.6350 or visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov/parade.

Labor Day Recycling PickupCollection of recycled materials for city of

Gaithersburg residents whose regular recycling day is Sept. 2 will take place the preceding Aug. 31. This includes newspaper, mixed paper, corrugated card-board, and commingled materials, as well as brush, branches, grass clippings, leaves and other yard trim-mings, picked up by the city’s recycling contractor.

Regular trash and garbage collection for city resi-dents is handled by private contractors. Please contact your HOA or your private contractor regarding the holiday collection schedule for regular trash and gar-bage collection.

Bulk items are collected by city crews on the first recycling day of the month. Bulk pickup will take place on Sept. 9 for residents whose regular pickup day is Sept. 2.

For more information contact the city’s Department of Public Works at 301.258.6370, or visit www.gaith-ersburgmd.gov/recycling.

Community ChorusThe Kentlands Community Chorus Ambassadors

Show Choir will hold auditions on Sept. 9. The show choir, which meets on Mondays from 6:15 – 6:40 p.m. at the Kentlands Clubhouse, sings solos and en-

ArounD Town

n ArounD Town Continued on page 9

summereNTerTAINmeNT GuIDe

Organic Infill Planned for Lakelands Park Synthetic Turf Field

By Karen O’Keefe

O n Aug. 5, the Gaithersburg mayor and City Council members got an in-depth

look at what “infill” will be the foun-dation, or the sub-strata, of the city’s first synthetic turf field — an organic potpourri of ground fiber from coco-nut husks, cork and rice husks.

The briefing was a detailed exam-ination of a critical aspect of the syn-thetic turf soccer field planned for Lakelands Park, which, in an agree-ment with the city of Gaithersburg,

will be shared by Montgomery County’s Lakelands Park Middle School. The Aug. 5 briefing fol-lowed an informational presenta-tion by city staff at the July 27 may-or and Council meeting in which staff presented detailed answers to many questions previously raised by members of the city council and the mayor.

In the Aug. 5 presentation, Gaithersburg Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Michele Potter said city staff compared and contrasted three options for the

foundation of the field, including “traditional” crumb rubber and sand; “Nike Grind,” which consists of recycled shoes and sand; and “or-ganic infill.”

In addition to obtaining infor-mation from manufacturers, so-liciting the experience of Harford County’s Department of Parks and Recreation with synthetic turf and other research, Potter and colleagues visited three synthetic turf fields. She described to the mayor and City

n SynTHeTiC TurF Continued on page 8

New Sidewalk Proposed for Main Street/Route 28 Entrance

By Jenny Chen

M ain Street is a long road that winds from the heart of Kent-lands, through the Lakelands

community, and spills out to Route 28, or Darnestown Road. However, the sidewalk that lines Main Street doesn’t quite make it all the way to Route 28, instead crossing over to Lake Street and the residential areas at that point.

After the issue was brought to City Manager Tony Tomasello’s at-tention by several community mem-bers, as well as City Council member Ryan Spiegel, Tomasello decided to look into the possibility of adding a new sidewalk, extending the existing Image | Courtesy City of Gaithersburg

The city of Gaithersburg has proposed adding a new sidewalk along Main Street to connect the existing path with the sidewalk along route 28 (Darnestown road).n SiDewAlk Continued on page 8


also looking forward to working with our PTA and parents.”

Parents can get a glimpse of what is in store for the school year at two Back-to-School Nights: Sept. 10 for kindergarten through second grade; Sept. 11 for third through fifth grade.

Two new administrators have joined the staff, making RCES one of only four ele-mentary schools in the county with three administrators. Srelyne Harris is the new assistant principal and Elena Dennis will serve as assistant school administrator. The school will also benefit from work per-formed to the building over the summer including new bathroom fixtures, HVAC systems and the conversion to wireless Internet.

Enrollment at Diamond Elementary School has “exceeded expectations” ac-cording to Principal Carole Lange. The current number has swelled to 660, requir-ing a fourth relocatable classroom. The school has three Back-to-School Nights planned. The first is Aug. 22 for kinder-garten families, followed by grades three through five on Sept. 11. Back to School Night for grades one and two will take place on Sept. 12.

Lange said she also is proud to welcome back students to “a much brighter school inside due to the summer replacement of the entire ceiling including all light fix-tures.” Overall, she and her staff are “excit-ed to begin again and to challenge our stu-dents and ourselves to achieve our goals.”

At press time, Fields Road Elementary School had not responded to requests for information about the upcoming school year. Back-to-School Night dates were not yet listed on the school’s website.

Lakelands Park Middle School [LPMS] Principal Deborah Higdon estimates en-rollment at 1,045 for the coming year. Although the school is not rolling out any new programs or offerings this year, Higdon says the entire staff is “excited to receive our students in a challenging envi-ronment that will inspire them to continue to ‘Get Smart at Lakelands Park!’”

Back to School Night for LPMS parents is scheduled for Sept. 3.

An array of new programs awaits the approximately 665 students returning to Ridgeview Middle School (RMS). Principal Monifa McKnight said, “Exciting new changes are in store including new

elective courses for students including pho-tography and awareness of language elec-tives, Flex Academy after-school program options, and a mentoring program for African American males.”

Parents will gather for Back to School Night on Sept. 19 and will participate in an arena-style parent conference event be-ing reinstated in November.

McKnight stressed that “the focus for the year will be to continue to build a school that meets the needs of all students. We will work to ‘Bridge the Gap’ and pursue the goal that RMS students learn H.E.R.E (High Expectations, Rigor and Engagement).”

Quince Orchard (QO) High School was closed to community activities this sum-mer due to work performed on the build-ing. Students and staff will return to many updates including upgraded computers and a fire alarm system that will include visual as well as audio warnings. Principal Carol Working added that, “the big glass enclosed staircase has had the opaque window re-placed so now you can see the courtyard, which is such a lovely upgrade.”

Parents will learn details on these items and more at Back to School Night on Aug. 29.

In addition, Working said, “There are a lot of new staff members this year giving a great energy to the school, and we have grown our staff, which is great as well.”

Those staffing changes include saying goodbye to beloved Athletic Director Lisa Schrader. Schrader had been at the school since its inception and with the county school system for over three decades, ac-cording to Working. Although she will be greatly missed, said Working, “We are so excited for her opportunity to work at a private high school and wish her only the best.”

George Awkard will take over the po-sition and will also serve as a counselor at the school. Awkard comes to QO from Olney’s Sherwood High School where he was in the athletic department as well.

Working has high marks for the incom-ing senior class, saying, “The seniors set the tone for the building, and this group is well suited to do that. Their class mot-to is ‘Expect more from the class of one-four,” and they are certainly poised to live up to that given their performance in the preceding years.”

Enrollment at QO for the 2013-2014

n new School year from page 1

n new SCHool yeAr Continued on page 18

309 Main StreetGaithersburg, MD 20878

For Advertising: 301.279.2304Also on the Web at www.towncourier.com.

©2013 Courier CommunicationsThe Town Courier is an independent monthly newspaper providing news and information for the communities of Kentlands, Lakelands and Quince Orchard Park in Gaithersburg, Md. The paper is published by Courier Communications, which is responsible for the form, content and policies of the newspaper. The Town Courier does not espouse any political belief or endorse any product or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be signed and may be edited for length or content. The Town Courier is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers Letters to the Editor and Commentary do not necessarily ref lect the views of the staff, management or advertisers of The Town Courier.

Claire Fleischer Managing Editor301.330.0132

[email protected]

Debi Rosen Advertising Manager

301.279.2304 [email protected]

Sandra ChristianAdvertising Sales240.401.1020

[email protected]

Staff Photographer Phil Fabrizio

Staff Writers Nora CaplanJenny Chen

Mike Cuthbert

Maureen FriedmanBetty Hafner

Sheilah KaufmanJeff Kinney

Karen O’KeefeDonna Marks

Syl Sobel Maureen StilesMichael Willis

Student WritersChristina Xu

Diane Dorney Publisher


Matt Danielson President


CorrectionIn the Aug. 2 Town Courier, Lakelands resident Beth Bell was misquoted in “Seeing

Double: Twins on the Rise.” Bell and her husband, Tom, did not know the gender of their sons until after the babies were born and did not make purchases other than a larger car in preparation for the birth of their twins.

C The Town Courier

www.facebook.com/TownCourier

Stay up to date on our Facebook page.


Applications Now Being Accepted for MCP Citizen Academy

T he Montgomery County Police De-partment is currently accepting ap-plications for future sessions of the

Citizen Academy. The program is free, but participants must be 18 years of age or old-er and either live or work in Montgomery County.

Participants who are selected for the pro-gram are required to attend 14 of the 18 classes to be eligible for graduation. Some of the topics covered include: firearm safe-ty, Maryland traffic law, investigating major crimes, drug identification, scams and fraud, prostitution, forensics/crime lab, physical/sexual child abuse, a canine demonstration, DUI/underage drink-ing, and the procedures of the Emergency Response Team. Academy members also have the option of touring the Montgomery County Detention Center and participat-

ing in a ride-along with a police officer.The first Citizen Academy was held in

January 1994. It was developed as an ex-tension of the Department’s communi-ty policing efforts. Community members who went through the program came out with a greater awareness of the functions of the police department, the various roles of police officers, and a better understanding of why and how officers do their jobs.

Each year two sessions (spring and fall) of the Citizen Academy are held at the Public Safety Training Academy located at 9710 Great Seneca Highway in Rockville. Classes are offered on Tuesday evenings from 7 - 9:30 p.m. for 18 consecutive weeks.

The 2013 fall session of the Citizen Academy is scheduled to begin in

LPMS Donates Money to City Scholarship Fund

On Aug. 5, representatives of the Lakelands Park Middle School (LPMS) PTSA presented a $740.76 check to the city of Gaithersburg for the Dolores C. Sawyer Camp Scholarship. The money was raised at the middle school’s seventh annual Basketball Night event this past spring. The camp scholarship provides financial assis-tance to local needy families so that their children may attend city of Gaithersburg summer camps. The scholarship has been a beneficiary of the LPMS basketball fund-raiser for the last three years.

“It was a really great night, and I hope to do it again,” said Cara Copeland, chair of this year’s event.

Parks, Recreation and Culture Report Shows Improvements

Gaithersburg’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture released its Annual Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 on Aug. 8. The report detailed the achievements of the past year including the completion of major renovations to the Water Park, Senior Center and Community Museum, installation of four new public artworks at locations throughout the city, increased volunteer contributions and increased par-

ticipation in city programs.

“FY 12 was a year of challenges as we continued to work with-in these tough economic times. Through it all, the department continued to pro-duce high-quali-ty programming, to meet revenue goals, and to pro-vide outstand-ing customer ser-vice,” wrote Michele Potter, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture.

View the full report at: http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/documents/recre-ation/FY12_RecDeptAnnualReport.pdf.

City Ponders Changes to Midcounty Highway

The Gaithersburg City Council is talking to the county about possibilities for build-ing an extension to Midcounty Highway as a way to divert traffic from Md. 355. The majority of the City Council support-ed a plan that would build a new four-lane

highway between Midcounty Highway and Watkins Mill Road that would link Gaithersburg with Clarksburg. At the same time, Mayor Sidney Katz supported an al-ternative plan that would improve upon the intersections along the existing Md. 355.

According to Rob Robinson, the city’s long-range planner, “Alternative 9 [build-ing an extension to Midcounty Highway] is the preferred build alternative, but we would suggest that the intersection im-provements of Alternative 2 be incorporat-ed into any build alternatives.”

The record on this matter will remain open until 5 p.m. on Aug. 23.

Commercial BurglariesOn 08/07/2013 at 2:13 a.m., a commer-

cial burglary was reported at the Liberty Gas located at 12175 Darnestown Road. An unknown suspect(s) entered the busi-ness and removed property. Gaithersburg Police investigation is ongoing.

On 07/30/2013 at 9:32 a.m., a commer-cial burglary was reported at Jersey Mike’s located at 249 Kentlands Boulevard. An unknown suspect(s) entered the unoccu-pied business but removed no property.

Source: Gaithersburg Police Department

CITysCeNe Compiled By Jenny Chen

POLICeBLOTTer

8/19Mayor and City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m., City Hall

8/21Planning Commission Meeting, 7:30 p.m., City Hall

8/22Health Care Reform Public Forum, 7 – 8:30 p.m., Upcounty Regional Center

8/26Mayor and City Council Work Session, 7: 30 p.m., City Hall

8/28Kentlands Citizens Assembly Board of Trustees, 7 p.m., Kentlands Clubhouse

9/3Mayor and City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m., City Hall

9/5Historic District Commission Meeting, 7:30 p.m., City Hall

For the latest information on city meetings, visit the city of Gaithersburg website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

MEETING CALENDAR

n poliCe beAT Continued on page 12

POLICeBeAT

City Investigates Possibility of Quiet Zones in Olde Town

In response to several complaints about train horns in Olde Town, City Manager Tony Tomasello is investigating the possibility of setting up a quiet zone in keeping with guidelines from the Federal Railroad Administration. The Federal Railroad Administration establishes quiet zones by reducing the number of times trains are required to sound their horns in exchange for higher safety measures.

“The [safety] standards are very high, and they may be prohibitive,” said Tomasello. However, Tomasello said his team would investigate the possibility further. Any thoughts and suggestions can be directed to [email protected].


John Schlichting said all required approv-als have now been issued. “The conversion to a planter resolves the maintenance issues associated with the fountain, and it will be an attractive addition to Main Street,” he said.

The fountain is at the center of art-work entitled “Market Square Colonnade” and is part of the Art in Public Places (AIPP) program sponsored by the city of Gaithersburg. According to the city’s web-site, the mission of the program is to “de-

velop works of art throughout the city to create a sense of place and pride for the Gaithersburg community.”

“Market Square Colonnade” was in-stalled in 2001 and is constructed of cast stone, steel and aluminum. Yale graduate and professor Kent Bloomer created the colonnade, curved peristyle and fountain, as well as the meditative circular seating area adjacent to the Main Street pavilion.

The AIPP subcommittee of the city’s Cultural Arts Advisory Committee ap-proved the design for converting the foun-tain into a planter in February 2013, and the final plan was approved in May.

Coming Soon: Chef Wiedmaier?No official word yet from RW Restaurant

Group on the Robert Wiedmaier restau-rant rumored to be coming to the former O’Donnell’s Sea Grill space in Kentlands. In an interview with Montgomery Community Media before his restaurant’s closure in late July, O’Donnell’s owner Bill Edelblut stated Wiedmaier will bring a

“top notch” restaurant to the community.Last weekend, Chef Wiedmaier’s restau-

rant group opened its newest Mussel Bar and Grille, located in Arlington, Va., join-ing locations in Bethesda and Atlantic City, N.J. Other restaurants owned by RW Restaurant Group include Wildwood Kitchen in Bethesda; Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck in Washington, D.C.; The Butcher’s Block by RW and BRABO in

Alexandria, Va.“We are in the process of opening an-

other Mussel Bar and Grille,” said RW Restaurant Group spokesperson Polly Wiedmaier in an email in July. “From a press and strategy standpoint, we will only talk one restaurant at a time.” Wiedmaier stated the company will make an offi-cial announcement about its next venture shortly.

shOPTALk By Claire Fleischer

Expires 8/31/13

Lebanese Bistro Receives Warm WelcomeTables are full at kentlands lebanese bistro and Arts Café on this early August evening. The restaurant, which opened in late July, offers live music on the weekends, as well as Family nights on Tuesday and wednesday evenings and art classes on Saturday mornings. For more information and menus, visit www.kentlandslebanesebistro.com.

Photo | Diane Dorney

n fountain from page 1

Image | Courtesy City of Gaithersburg

The city of Gaithersburg has approved plans for transforming the Market Square fountain into a planter.


• Private and Group Music Lessons• Piano, Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, Guitar, Percussion and Voice• Chamber Ensembles• Early Childhood through Adult - All Levels• Instrument Sales and Rentals• Music Books, Accessories and Gift s

Your Kentlands Neighborhood Music Center!325 Main Street Gaithersburg, MD 20878

www.PritchardMusic.com — [email protected]

• • Piano, Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, Guitar, Percussion and Voice• Chamber Ensembles• Early Childhood through Adult - All Levels• Instrument Sales and Rentals• Music Books, Accessories and Gift s

AssIGNmeNTeDuCATIONBack to School Safety Reminders

W ith public school starting the last week of August, the Gaithersburg Police Department offers these re-

minders to students, parents, motorists and bicyclists to ensure a safe and healthy school year:

Students• Discuss with your family the safest

route to school. Identify intersections with crossing guards and the route with the fewest street crossings. Avoid parks, vacant lots, fields and other places where there aren’t many people around.

• Walk to and from school with a friend, neighbor, brother or sister.

• Know your home phone number and address, your parent’s phone number at work and that of another trusted adult, and how to use 911 for emergencies.

• Never talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers. A stranger is anyone you or your parents don’t know well or don’t trust.

• Check in with a parent or neighbor as

soon as you get home if you’ll be there alone after school. If you’re staying late after school or going to a friend’s house, get permission, and keep your parents informed about where you are.

• If you see anyone doing something that makes you uneasy or you think isn’t right — a stranger hanging around the school, a bigger kid bullying a young-er child, vandalism or graffiti — tell your parents, a teacher or trusted adult immediately.

Pedestrians• Cross the street only at marked cross-

walks and intersections. Obey crossing guards.

• Before crossing, look left, right, then left again.

• Use pedestrian pushbuttons.• Wait for the “Walk” signal to begin

crossing the street.• Wear clothing that makes you as vis-

ible as possible, especially after dark and in inclement weather.

Motorists• Parents, don’t drop children off in

middle lanes. Pull over to a curb to allow your child to exit the car safely.

• Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks.• Slow down and obey the posted speed

limit.• Use caution when passing stopped

vehicles.• Look for pedestrians stepping out from

between parked cars.• Share the road with bicyclists. Allow

at least 3 feet clearance when passing a bicyclist on the road, look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out from a parking space, and yield to cyclists at intersections and as direct-ed by signs and signals. Be especial-ly watchful for cyclists when making turns, either left or right.

Bicyclists• Wear properly fitted bicycle helmets

every time you ride. It is the single most effective way to prevent head in-

jury. This applies to all ages.• You are considered a vehicle opera-

tor and are required to obey the same rules of the road as other vehicle oper-ators, including obeying traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.

• Ride in the same direction as traffic when cycling in the street.

• If you are riding on a permitted shared side path such as a sidewalk, you are considered a pedestrian and should dismount and walk your bike at street crossings.

• Increase your visibility by wearing flu-orescent or brightly colored clothing during the day, dawn and dusk. When riding at night, use a front light and a red reflector or flashing rear light, and use retro-reflective tape or markings on equipment or clothing.

For more information contact the Gaithersburg Police Department at 301.258.6400 or visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov.

The following links may be helpful for additional information and resources:MCPS Department of School Safety and Security

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/security/

National Center for Safe Routes to Schoolhttp://www.saferoutesinfo.org/

Maryland State Highway Safety Campaign Booklet – Pedestrians, Cyclists, Motoristshttp://www.choosesafetyforlife.com/pdfs/CSFL_Booklet.pdf

Maryland Department of Transportation Bicycle/Pedestrian Safetyhttp://www.mdot.maryland.gov/Office_of_Planning_and_Capital_Programming/Bicycle/More_BikePed_Info.html

Maryland State Highway Administration Bicycle Safetyhttp://roads.maryland.gov/index.aspx?pageid=357&d=77

Montgomery County Department of Transportation Bikewayshttp://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-dte/bikeways/index.html

Council of Governments Street Start Campaignhttp://www.mwcog.org/transportation/activities/planning/safety.asp

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Bicycle Safety Videoshttp://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Bicycles/Bike+Safe+-+Bike+Smart+(25MB+and+146MB,+WMV+format)


Main Street path to Route 28, to facilitate bikers and runners who might want to get to the larger road.

“When Council member Spiegel brought it up, it jogged my memory that this has [come] up before,” Tomasello said. “So I brought it to our public works direc-tor, and he made a graphic. It seems afford-

able ... and we could probably do it with our own crews.”

Tomasello said his department is now looking into the possibility of using porous concrete for this new sidewalk to let rain water drain through to Lake Placid.

“We’ve looked at using porous concrete before, but it’s never worked out. So this could be our pilot project,” he said.

The proposed sidewalk would be about 400 feet long and 6 feet wide, and the esti-mated cost is $15,000.

FUNDRAISER FOR PETCONNECT RESCUETuesday, August 27th

5-9pmCheeburger Cheeburger

14921 Shady Grove Rd (Falls Grove Shopping Center)Rockville, MD 20850

PETCONNECT WILL RECEIVE 20% OF THE PROFITS OF ALL TAKE OUT AND DINE-IN ORDERS WITH THE FLYER FOR THE EVENT! PLEASE VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR A COPY OF THIS FLYER OR EMAIL AMY FOR A

COPY (CONTACT BELOW)!Please contact Amy Costanzo at [email protected] for more info

www.petconnectrescue.orghttps://www.facebook.com/PetConnectRescue

PetConnect Rescue is a non-pro� t 501(c)(3) animal rescue organization dedicated to helping animals in need. We save dogs and cats from euthanasia. From high kill shelters to foster homes to caring adoptive families,

PetConnect handles every step of the rescue process.

Council firsthand observations on each of the three different kinds of infill, including information at each site on how much the field is used, its age, information about in-juries and other data.

Gaithersburg staff also noted the ambient air temperature at the time of the visits to each site — visits were recent and tempera-tures were typical for summertime — and the temperature of each field.

Overall, the organic infill performed best, Potter said in her presentation.

“The next step is to finalize and adver-tise the bid for the construction. The may-or and City Council do not review the language in the [Request for Proposal] for solicitation of bids; the Department of Finance, Procurement, and city attorney

ensure the document meets all the legal requirements,” said Potter following the meeting. “Once the deadline arrives for bids, staff will then evaluate the bids and make the recommendation of the preferred vendor.”

City Manager Tony Tomasello explained the selected contract would then go to the City Council for approval. “I imagine this will take several months.”

“The staff did an excellent job on this,” said Mayor Sidney Katz, referring to all of the background amassed and ques-tions answered in response to health and safety concerns associated with synthetic turf. “In the future, this field will be the one everyone turns to [for answers about synthetic turf fields.] Some of the fields may have problems, but they will say ‘in Gaithersburg, they did it the way it should be done.’”

n Synthetic turf from page 3

n SiDewalk from page 3

n aDventureS from page 1

and a really hard rejecter that made practice harder than at a regular camp,” Rowe said. Seeing the plebes in training was a bonus, as well as being able to eat and sleep in the same historic buildings students utilize.

Kentlands resident and Georgetown University junior Conor Spaulding’s sum-mer took him to Indonesia through an ROTC program called CULP (Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency Program). This program brings together a select group of cadets from all over the country and places them on teams, which are then assigned missions around the world.

“Our mission was military-to-mili-tary contact, a task that required us to en-gage and interact with soldiers from the Indonesian Army. Our primary goal was to further strengthen U.S.-Indonesian re-lations through joint-military training and cultural familiarization,” said Spaulding.

Although the group did have the oppor-tunity to tour the major surrounding cit-ies and mountains, the experience was pri-marily focused on the mission.

“The majority of the three weeks were spent at an infantry base in Cilodong. This is where Garuda Shield was conducted. During the 10-day-long training exercise we, along with soldiers from our own coun-try’s esteemed 82nd Airborne Division, conducted a variety of training alongside TNI-AD troops. Weapons familiariza-tion, room-clearing, door-breaching, pa-

trolling, and jungle survival training were the primary focus for this year’s exercise,” said Spaulding. “The favorite among the U.S. soldiers was jungle training, where we were shown different edible fruits and plants and taught how to capture, handle, kill and cook pythons and cobras. We even got to drink cobra blood and feast on a va-riety of snake meat. As future [U.S.] Army officers, this opportunity was absolutely

invaluable.”This was a life-altering experience for

the Kentlands resident. “Indonesia is a beautiful country filled with rich and vi-brant culture and truly kind people who are genuinely curious and extremely ac-cepting of foreign ways of life. I will, with-out a doubt, hold this experience close to me for as long as I’m alive. It taught me things no professor could ever teach me in a classroom setting,” he said.

Lakelands resident Brandon Goldstein took to the pool in Irvine, Calif., this summer to compete on a national level. The 15-year-old qualified for the Speedo

Junior National Championships, the last long course event of the swim season and the most competitive for 18-and-under swimmers. Long course meets are dou-ble in length; a 25-meter event becomes 50 meters and so on. Though he was lucky enough to be in sunny California, Goldstein’s days were mostly spent swim-ming. His trip was punctuated with a lunch in Huntington Beach and a final dinner in Newport Beach on his last night there.

The pool was the highlight for Goldstein, though. “Speedo Junior Nationals was a great opportunity for me to compete against the best 18-and-unders in the country. This was the first year I qualified for this meet, and it helped me understand what I need to do to take my swimming to the next level,” he said.

Honing skills was also the goal for Annie Coulson as she headed to New York City to participate in the weeklong Broadway Artists Alliance with 160 other kids from across the country. “It was everything I thought it would be and more,” gushed Coulson, a Lakelands resident.

Her mother, Jennifer, echoed the senti-ment, saying, “She had a great time. My favorite quote from her during the week was, ‘Everyone is really good — no, really good!’”

Not only did the Coulsons enjoy the camp, but they managed to “stalk a mov-ie set outside our hotel and meet Taylor Lautner, who was super nice!”

Coulson has been featured in many lo-cal plays and shows and plans to continue to perform using her experience from the summer to grow as an actress.

While for many, the lazy days of sum-mer are a welcome respite, clearly there are many options to keep kids on the move, learning and growing while having fun as well.

Photo | Submitted

washingtonian woods resident Quinn rowe (left) in the dorms at the naval Academy with friend ryan Splaine.


semble numbers at special events through-out Gaithersburg. The choir is open to singers in grades three through 12; partic-ipants must also be a member of either the Youth or Teen Glee Chorus. Fee of $95 in-cludes materials.

Apply to audition by emailing [email protected].

For more information about all Community Chorus programs, visit www.kentlands.org.

Hospice CaringHospice Caring will hold Gardens of

Memories Tribute, a new event to honor and remember loved ones, on Sept. 7 at 1 p.m. at the Hospice Caring Cottage, 518 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg.

Since 1989, Hospice Caring, Inc., a non-profit, non-medical hospice, has provided practical and emotional support to adults and children facing life-threatening illness and grief, without charge.

The event, inspired by the gardens sur-rounding the Cottage, will include the reading of names, music, poetry readings, and the dedication of bricks and pavers in the memorial garden walkway. The new Book of Memories, illustrated with flowers and to be on display at the Cottage, will include the names of those honored and re-membered during the Tribute.

To include a name to be honored or re-membered, send a check for $35.per name, payable to Hospice Caring, or to pay by

credit card, contact Jamie at 301.990.8903, or [email protected]. To have a brick or paver inscribed, the cost is $100 and $250, respectively. Contact Jamie for additional info.

Gaithersburg to Host Fall Golf Classic

On Sept. 27, the city of Gaithersburg will host its annual Fall Golf Classic at the Clustered Spires Golf Course in Frederick, Md. This four-player scramble format tour-nament is limited to the first 30 foursomes.

Proceeds from the Gaithersburg Fall Golf Classic benefit the Youth Coaches Education Program, providing train-ing and support for the dozens of coaches who work with city of Gaithersburg youth throughout the year.

The $85-per-player/$340-per-foursome admission includes greens fees, cart, door prizes, souvenirs, and a post tournament luncheon. Advance payment and registra-tion is required. Deadline for registration is Sept. 13. Payment can be made with check or Visa/MasterCard/Discover.

Sponsorships are also being accepted for the tournament. Companies or individuals wishing to donate prizes or sponsor various holes and contests will be acknowledged in the official tournament brochure.

For a registration form and more information please visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov or contact Jim McGuire at the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture, 301.258.6350.

from page 3

ArOuNDTOwN


New Guidelines Community Event Sponsors

At the July 9 QOP HOA board meeting, members voted on new guidelines for merchants, individu-als or businesses interested in helping to underwrite community association sanctioned events as events partners or sponsors.

Parties interested in sponsoring events may contact Ruchita Patel or Quinn Chase at The Management Group Associates, or the HOA board of directors. For more information, for a listing of events, or to request to sponsor a QOP community event, please see the Sponsorship Agreement PDF in the Documents section of

the website, under the Sponsorship Agreement category (www.quin-ceorchardpark.com).

Volunteer for the QOP Development Committee

The QOP board is seeking a chair and members for the newly structured Development Committee.

The new charter for the Development Committee can now be found on the community website (www.quinceorchardpark.com). The committee monitors matters related to Quince Orchard Park including our surrounding neighborhoods and other groups, and issues such as tran-sit. The committee will inform and

advise the board of directors.Please consider helping the com-

munity by stepping up to serve on this vital and interesting commit-tee. Contact Ruchita Patel ([email protected])

Sign Up By Aug. 19 for First Aid/CPR and AED Class

Plans are being made to hold a First Aid/CPR and AED (automat-ed external defibrillator) class at the community center. Dates are still be determined. A minimum of eight participants is required. Please contact Quinn Chase at The Management Group Associates, Inc., no later than Aug. 19 ([email protected]).

Got QOP News?Contact Karen O’Keefe at the Town Courier.

[email protected] • 301.529.9451

The ParkPagesNews and Current Events for Quince Orchard Park n E-mail your contributions to: [email protected] n august 2013

Meeting calendarAug. 26 — Condo I Board Meeting, 7 p.m.Aug. 28 — Condo II Board Meeting 7 p.m.Sept. 10 — HOA Board of Directors’ Meeting, 7 p.m.

ManaGeMent MentionS

trash and recyclingTrash, which is collected on Tuesday and Friday, must

be placed in lidded trash cans. Trash should not be left for collection in bags — they are ripped open by dogs, birds and other pests, and trash is strewn throughout the community. Continued use of bags may result in fines.

Recycling is picked up on Fridays. Containers with lids are available from the city of Gaithersburg. Please contact the city at 301.258.6370 to have a lidded bin delivered and the old one picked up. The new bins will lessen the problem with trash in the neighborhood. Lids may be attached to bins by drilling small holes and at-taching with twine.

Consider painting your house number on your trash cans and lids so they may be returned on windy days. It is also helpful to label recycling bins with house num-bers and to place bagged newspapers and magazines atop commingled materials in the bin.

Trash cans and recycle bins must be stored out of sight on non-pickup days.

Bulk recycling pickups are the first Friday of each month. Sept. 6 is the next bulk recycling pickup in QOP.

The city of Gaithersburg and Potomac Disposal (301.294.9700) both offer collection services for bulk items at no cost. Under no circumstances should items be dumped in the woodlines or natural areas, including yard waste.

Dog DutyCleaning up after dogs is the legal responsibility of

every canine owner walking a dog in the community. Dogs are not permitted off-leash on common property in the city of Gaithersburg.

Contact Information for Gaithersburg Animal Control.

To report after hours/emergency animal service calls, city of Gaithersburg residents must now contact the Montgomery County Emergency Communication Center (MCECC) at 301.279.8000. MCECC will then notify and dispatch a Gaithersburg Animal Control Officer for response.

To report non-emergency animal service calls and for information on related animal matters during regular business hours, residents may contact the Gaithersburg Animal Control Office directly at 301.258.6343. Regular hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov/animal.

WebsiteAgendas for meetings, as well as many important doc-

uments (minutes and meeting summaries) can be found at the QOP website: www.quinceorchardpark.com.

crime watchNew to the neighborhood? Join the QOP neigh-

borhood crime watch program. Email Tom Reddy at [email protected].

QoP Management contact informationQuince Orchard Park Community Managers,

Ruchita Patel and Quinn ChaseC/o The Management Group Associates, Inc.

20440 Century Boulevard, Suite 100Germantown, MD 20874Phone: 301.948.6666Fax: 301.963.3856Email: [email protected] [email protected]

QoP newS

Around 100 residents of all ages joined a group from Kicks Karate, members of the Gaithersburg City Council, Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz, at least a dozen uni-formed and plainclothes police officers, Assistant State’s Attorney Hannah Gleason, and McGruff — the Crime Dog (sponsored by the National Crime Prevention Council) in Quince Orchard Park (QOP) on Aug. 6 to recognize “America’s Night Out Against Crime.”

Activities included speeches, a demonstration of kara-te moves by the youngsters from Kicks as well as demon-stration of police crime-fighting activities featuring two Gaithersburg police dogs.

The Gaithersburg’s Canine Unit’s “Max,” a Malinois (or Belgian shepherd dog), and his handler, Officer Chad Eastman, gave excited viewers a riveting presen-tation involving pursuing and “taking down” a fugitive, played by another officer wearing a padded arm protec-tor. German Shepherd “Judah” and his handler Officer Jon Bennett showed how a police dog uses scent to find people and objects.

Police officers offered many tips for resisting crime including reporting suspicious activity as soon as it is noticed (the non-emergency number is 301.279.8000). Sargent Scott Scarff advised that theft from automo-biles is the “number one crime in all of Gaithersburg” and urged residents to ga-rage their vehicles if possible. “The garage is your best protection against auto theft.” He reminded residents to keep cars locked at all times. Finally, he warned, “Don’t leave anything in your car.”

Seven Kicks Karate students performed numerous moves including kicking wood-en boards into pieces.

The event was organized by Neighborhood Crime Watch coordina-tor Tom Reddy and QOP Board mem-ber and Social Committee Chair Chuck Crisostomo.

National Night Out Against Crime a QOP Success

Photos | Karen O’Keefe

Quince orchard park residents Matthew and Meghan Mckenna were on hand Aug. 6 to support national night out Against Crime. “it’s good,” said Matthew, and his sister agreed.

Students from the north potomac kick karate studio gave an impressive demonstration at Qop’s national night out Against Crime observance Aug. 6.


Charlie Holbrook, RealtorTheresa Holbrook, Licensed AssistantRE/MAX Metropolitan RealtyDirect: 240-447-6610 Offi ce: 301-947-6500 x 222Email: [email protected]

305 Beckwith Street Kentlands $1,050,000Charleston inspired elegant and stately single family home with 5,500 sq ft of living in style. Gorgeous through-

out! Offi ce or bedroom suite over the 2-car garage. Recent updates to the kitchen.

8866 Woodland DrDowntown Silver Spring

$600,000

25124 Frederick Road Clarksburg$350,000

Totally remodeled; 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1/2 acre lot, 3-car oversized garage.

732 A Main St Lakelands$379,000

726 Turtle Pond Ln. Lakelands$900,000

FOR SALE!

FOR SALE!

FOR SALE!

SOLD!

SOLD!

James BeattyBranch Manager

301-728-3286 [email protected]


If I Do Say So Myself …

I t is a stream of con-sciousness really, not an actual conversation.

I hear my voice wafting through the air unrefuted, and there is some satis-faction in it. But there is mortification as well be-cause I am unabashedly talking to myself. And it is not the first time.

I can’t say exactly when they started, these conversations with myself, but they are becoming more frequent. Maybe it be-gan in the solitude of living alone before marriage and kids and the general loss of my sanity and viable brain cells.

Yet, I don’t remember talking to myself in my 20s. All of my thoughts lived in my head in perfect order with nary a chance of interruption. Now I talk to myself as a mechanism to keep ideas from getting swallowed up in the chaos of the moment, most often between the pleas for food and the beeping of the microwave.

Most of these conversations seem to hap-pen in the kitchen and the car where the kids buzz around me like flies. I swat at them with random, stray thoughts subcon-sciously hoping to disarm or momentarily stun them. Unfortunately, they would ac-tually have to be listening to me for this to be effective.

That is why I often talk to myself, just so I know my voice can be heard aloud. No one else seems to hear what I say, so it is a little checkpoint for me. Sort of like plugging your ears to hear what your voice sounds like without the music on when you sing.

Now my kids use this against me. When I have to repeat myself, they counter with the defense that they assumed I was just talking to myself again. To which I auto-matically retort, “I do not talk to myself.” Owning the lie keeps me from looking at them in the gulf of silence that follows, complete with eye rolls and smirks, I am sure. I don’t care if they pity me as long as they do what I ask them to do.

Other times I talk to myself because it is calming. For instance, when Reed is re-peatedly stomping the back of the driver’s seat as he sits behind me trying to shove

his feet into last season’s cleats on the way to soccer while I am driving 65 miles per hour on I-270. Repeating, “He’ll be done in a minute,” “He’ll be done in a minute,” over and over keeps me from veering off the road and throwing the cleats off an overpass.

I know lots of women of a certain age who talk to themselves. I know not one man. So we can just add this little tic to the long list of genetic cruelties rendered an eventuality at birth. We have monthly cycles, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, mammograms and, apparently, mindless chatter with ourselves. My mother talks to herself and her mother talked to herself — this gives me solace even if it gives my husband a reason to relentlessly make fun of me.

On the rare occasions when I work from my office, there is a buzz in the open pit of desks as we all mutter to ourselves. I reached an all new low recently when I ac-tually called myself Maureen Margaret as I lamented my stupidity while editing a document. None of the women even gave it a second thought. Well, at least no one laughed out loud, which is what I expected.

Which brings me to an unexpected ben-efit of getting a dog. Instead of talking to myself, I am going to start talking to Murphy. The fact that he can’t actually an-swer is inconsequential when compared to the overall advantage of having a tar-get audience. So now, no more wonder-ing aloud where my keys are. I will sim-ply say, “Murphy, where are my keys?” His ears will perk up at the sound of his name, and he will appear as if this is a scintillating exchange.

See boys, Mommy isn’t crazy, she is en-gaging the dog so he feels like a worthy and valued part of the household.

And this household, as usual, needs to take their cues from the dog. He loves me unconditionally. I bet he finds my chat-ter comforting or at least useful as an au-dio compass enabling him to follow me around the house all day. And that is the lesson here … follow the chatter. Because you never know when I might throw you a bone amidst that annoying stream of consciousness.

Doctors First Walk In Clinic

Now open seven days in gaithersburg!Monday — Friday: 8 AM – 5 PM • Saturday and Sunday: 9 AM – 4 PM

Book appointments online at Drs� rst.com or call 301-515-2902

806 W Diamond Avenue, Suite 110 • Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Also open extended hours at our Germantown offi ce:19785 Crystal Rock Dr., Suite 209 • Germantown, MD 20874

301-515-2901Monday — Friday: 9 AM – 6 PM

• All ages• Providing premier

primary care services• On-site labs and

diagnostic studies

• Minor injuries• Illnesses• Dot exams • Work exams• Sports physicals

Se Habla Español

fIrsTPersON

By Maureen Stiles

September. Applications from those wishing to enroll in the fall session must be received by Aug. 23. Once the fall session is full, all other applications will be held for potential enrollment in future Citizen

Academy classes. The 2014 spring session of the Citizen Academy will begin in March. To learn more about the Citizen Academy or to download an application, please visit www.mymcpnews.com/resources/how-to/join-citizen-academy/.

from page 5

POLICeBeAT

www.towncourier.com


Being Dr. Stonestreet

I n appearance, Clarence Hickey in no way re-sembles the historic

personage he reenacts — the legendary 19th centu-ry physician Dr. Edward E. Stonestreet of Rockville, Md.

The famous doctor had mutton chop whis-kers, a receding hairline and a serious gaze. He was probably taller than his reenactor, who cuts a dapper fig-ure with his white, slightly curling longish hair, derby hat, old time gentleman’s black frock coat, trousers and vest buttoned over a white shirt and black string tie (some-times a cravat with a pearl stick pin). This may seem inappropriate attire for a busy practitioner, but in the mid-1800s, this was the typical gentlemanly outfit of many doctors. Trotting along in his one-horse buggy, Stonestreet could have easily been mistaken for a prosperous businessman, unless one noticed the ubiquitous black medical bag at his feet.

Hickey spent four years researching Stonestreet, his family and times, Civil War-period medicine and medical pro-cedures, and Rockville and Montgomery County history. It was the doctor’s hu-manitarian reputation that especially in-spired Hickey to “know more and to bring this person ‘back to life’ for his commu-nity today.” With all the information he had acquired, Hickey wrote “Send for the Doctor,” a biography of Stonestreet, which was published by the Montgomery County Historical Society in 2009. All proceeds go to the Society. Hickey further informs the public about this notable person through the Montgomery County High Schools (MCPS) Speakers Bureau, the Stonestreet Museum and the MCHS programs for schools.

To hone his skills, Hickey often par-ticipates in workshops and training ses-sions for docents and re-enactors. He is a member of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Md., and the Society of Civil War Surgeons, which is “a present-day organization of Civil War re-enactors and others interested in the his-tory and historical truth of Civil War medicine.” He considers the docent train-ing sessions sponsored by the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium and the Tourism Council of Frederick County some of the most worthwhile in this area.

The real Dr. Stonestreet received his med-ical degree from the venerable University of Maryland School of Medicine. After two years he returned to practice in his hometown of Rockville, where his fami-ly had constructed a small cottage-like of-fice for their son on the grounds of their home and property near what is now Monroe Street. The office has had a fas-cinating history of its own, having once been tarted up to serve as the ticket office for the Rockville Volunteer Firemen’s fair-

grounds. Fortunately, it has been beautifully restored and moved to the grounds of historic Beall-Dawson House, headquarters of the MCHS in downtown Rockville. Now the Stonestreet Museum of 19th Century Medicine, the office contains memorabilia of the doc-tor and exhibits of 19th century medicine bot-tles, medical tools and surgical instruments, sure to intrigue young visitors.

Seeing Hickey in ac-tion as Dr. Stonestreet is both highly enter-taining and instructive. During Montgomery County’s Heritage Days, he stands coat-less in his white long-sleeved shirt and black string tie in a repli-ca of a Civil War army tent beside a supposed-ly wounded soldier. The realistic dummy has a battle-smoked face and unkempt hair. He has sustained a leg wound from one of the dev-astating minie ball bullets and another in-jury to his arm. He could have represented one of the thousands of casualties from the Battle of Antietam in 1862.

Before operating on the “victim,” three imaginary contract surgeons have already decided his leg can be saved from ampu-tation. The reenactor then demonstrates several devices to anesthetize the patient with ether; one surgeon is prepared to hold down the soldier in case he reacts to the anesthesia.

Hickey has ingeniously dug a hole in the leg of the fake victim so he can demon-strate two Civil War-period instruments that extract an authentic bullet from the mannequin. He “cleans” the wound and packs it with lint (a substitute for cotton) to stop the bleeding. If the bullet hole needs suturing, Hickey demonstrates how nat-ural silkworm-produced silk thread and a large needle were used for stitches. He en-rolls a bandage (perhaps wound by women on the homefront) to bind the wound.

After his talk and demonstration, a small child and his mother returned to the tent “to see if the soldier is still dead.” Hickey carefully and assuringly tells the little boy, “Oh, he isn’t dead. He’s going to get better. He will be going to the hospital,” which after the Battles of South Mountain and Antietam was the Rockville courthouse, converted to an intermediate care hospital for the recovering wounded.

Despite their differences in appear-ance, Clarence Hickey and Dr. Edward Stonestreet share the same concern for their “patients’” well being.

ORIENTAL RUGS • FURNITURE & CUSTOm WINdOW COvERINGS • PICK

UP &

dELIv

ERY • CLEA

NIN

G &

REPAIR • C

HA

Nd

ELIER INSTA

LLATION

& REPA

IR • ORIENTAL RUGS • FURNITURE & CUSTOm WINdOW COvERINGS • PIC

K U

P &

dEL

IvER

Y • C

LEA

NIN

G &

REP

AIR

• C

HA

Nd

ELIE

R IN

STA

LLAT

ION

& R

EPA

IR •

Persiano Gallery201 Market Street Gaithersburg • 240.683.1022

www.persianogallery.com • [email protected]

We now offer Hunter douglas Window Coverings & Custom drapery design.

Let our window specialist, Melanie Young, help you find the perfect solution to your drapery needs!

Beautiful design at competitive pricing.Complimentary Design Consultation with this Ad

NOrA’sCOrNer

By Nora Caplan

Photos | Submitted

Middle school campers visit Summer Archaeology Camp at the Stonestreet Museum for a discussion of 19th century medicine. Here, a Civil war soldier mannequin helps to demonstrate battlefield surgery and medical care of the wounded.


Jewish High Holidays Are Around the Corner

T he Jewish holidays are coming very early this year so

most of the ingredients for these dishes can be found at farmers markets that offer honey, chees-es, and of course fresh produce. The recipes are from SPICE: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean by Ana Sortun, a James Beard awarding win-ning chef of Oleana in Cambridge, Ma.

The recipes in Spice offer an explosion of flavors in ingenious Mediterranean recipes. It is a gorgeously photographed book, and Ana shows the readers how to use her phi-losophy of using an incredible array of de-licious spices and herbs used in the Eastern Mediterranean to create wonderful dishes in their own homes. The artful use of spic-es and herbs rather than fat and cream is key to the full, rich flavored cuisine. The book is organized by spice, detailing the ways certain spices complement one anoth-er and how they flavor other foods.

Istanbul-Style ArtichokesMakes 6 Artichokes

6 whole artichokesSalt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons flour1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)1 cup extra virgin olive oil1 cup dry white wine12 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half4 scallions, root ends trimmed and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F.Trim the stem end halfway off of each

artichoke with a serrated knife, and then cut the top third of each artichoke off. Pull off the dark green outer leaves with our fingers, stopping when you can see the tender yellow leaves.

With a paring knife, clean and shape the base of the artichoke by trimming it down and removing most of the dark green color. You’ll want to keep the shape of the arti-choke but pare it down uniformly.

Split each artichoke in half lengthwise and remove the fuzzy insides by scraping them out with a small teaspoon.

Season both sides of each artichoke with salt and pepper and then place the arti-chokes cut-side down in a heavy roasting pan or Pyrex dish.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour with the honey, lemon juice, and olive oil and pour this mixture over the artichokes.

Add the wine and garlic to the pan and cover it tightly twice with foil.

Bake the artichokes for 30-40 minutes, until they are cooked through. Some of the liquid will evaporate and slightly glaze each artichoke.

Sprinkle the artichokes with scallions and dill and serve them warm or at room temperature with any extra braising liquid for dipping and extra salt and pepper.

Spinach Bundles with Warm Goat Cheese

You can substitute chard leaves for spin-ach and use 12 instead of 20, cutting the chard leaves in half.

Makes 6 Large Bundles Using 2-ounce Ramekins or 12 Bundles Using 1-Ounce Ramekins

Salt to tasteIce cubes20 large, flat spinach leaves, washed (you will have extra for patching)2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

15 ounces soft goat cheese1 tablespoon dried mint2 teaspoons nigella seedsPepper to taste

Bring a small pan of water to a boil on high heat. Add salt.

Prepare a bowl with ice cubes and cold water for shocking and cooling the spinach down quickly.

Add the spinach leaves to the boiling wa-ter and cook them until they wilt and are soft; this takes less than 1 minute.

Drain the spinach into a small colander and then tip the leaves into the ice water, enhancing their green color. Let the spin-ach sit in the ice water for a couple of min-utes, stirring to melt the ice.

Drain the spinach leaves in the colander again and squeeze them into a little ball. Pull the leaves apart and place them on a paper towel to drain more.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Brush the olive oil onto the insides of six

2-ounce ramekins.Line each ramekin with two spinach

leaves (smoothest side down), so that they completely line the ramekin and hang over the sides. Use a third leave if two don’t do the job. Place the ramekins on a small bak-ing sheet.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the goat cheese, mint, and nigella seeds and mix well with a spatula or wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill each ramekin with 3 generous table-spoons of goat cheese and fold the spinach leaves over the cheese to make little bun-dles. Press down to pack them into shape.

Bake the bundles until the cheese is soft and melted, about 12 minutes.

Invert the ramekins onto plates and serve warm with cranberry bean salad, tzatzi-ki, and/or Crick-Cracks (see page 176 of Spice) and a glass of ouzo or raki to slightly wet the lips between bites.

For more recipes or details about Sheilah Kaufman, visit www.cookingwithsheilah.com.

By Sheilah Kaufman

kAufmAN’skITCheN

Enter a world of magic, of romance ... of style. Fun parties, new friends and lots of dancing. Nobody

dances alone at our studios.

... Disco BallroomFox TroTswing, slingHusTlewalTz, rumBacHa cHaTango, mamBoPolkamerencuesamBa, salsa

a simPle meTHoD To learn ... any or all!

Learn To Dance ......let us show you How!

N. Potomac(301) 424-0007

Silver SPriNg(301) 589-7373

FallS church(703) 207-7050

call now For a Free Trial lesson

• Private&groupinstruction• Qualifiedinstructors• Friendlyatmosphere• Personalattention• Nopartnersneeded• Couples:twoforthepriceofone

www.nowandthendancestudios.com

Palace Bread: Syrup-Soaked Bread Pudding with Thick Cream and PistachiosServes 8

3 3/4 cups sugar1 1/4 mild honey1 tablespoon rosewater1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice1 large baguette (about 12 ounces), cut into four 6-inch pieces, crusts trimmed and removed1 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature1/2 cup finely chopped, lightly toasted pistachios

In a large, shallow saucepan or saute pan bit enough to hold the loaf of bread, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring this to a boil over medium-high heat.

Stir in the honey, bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until the honey-syrup darkens to light amber. This will take about 18 minutes.

Add the rosewater and lemon. At this point, the syrup should be quite thick.Put the bread in the pan and carefully push it down into the syrup with the back of a ladle. Ladle the syrup on top. Slowly sim-

mer the bread in the syrup for 30-40 minutes, continuing to submerge and basted the bread with syrup. From time to time, care-fully add small amounts of water to thin the syrup and prevent it from becoming too dark and sticky.

When the bread has turned a translucent amber color all over, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to let the bread cool slightly and absorb most of the remaining syrup.

Transfer the bread to a cutting board and, with a serrated knife, cut into 8 squares and then again into 16 small triangles.Serve 2 pieces of bread on each plate, topped with 2 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese and a generous tablespoon of chopped

pistachios over the mascarpone.


“The Way, Way Back” (PG-13) *****This is a perfect mov-

ie in many ways, but cer-tainly perfect for this sea-son because it’s about summer — that summer when character emerges from cliché, when adult-hood emerges from child-hood and where grown-ups are forced to realize that they are jerks or worse.

The film starts with 14-year-old Duncan sitting in the way, way back of a cher-ry station wagon owned by his mother’s boyfriend, Trent (played by Steve Carell). Duncan (Liam James) and his mother (Toni Collette) are on their way to a summer on the Cape along with the boyfriend and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). They move into a cottage surrounded by Trent’s friends from his first marriage. They include a hopelessly inadequate and somewhat alco-holic Betty (Allison Janney); her daughter, Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb); and younger brother, Peter (River Alexander).

Also among Trent’s closest friends are Kip and Joan (Rob Corddry and Amanda Peet). Joan and Trent have a dalliance that is one of the crucial turning points in the film while the rest can merely witness the destruction of a relationship as Pam comes apart, recognizing a pattern she has lived through before. As she says sadly to a fu-rious Duncan, “We do things to protect ourselves because we’re scared.”

But the central relationships in this mar-velous film are Duncan’s. First, his pain-fully shy attempts at a relationship with the “older woman,” Susanna, are absolutely winning because of the sweetness of Robb. She is willing to be his friend but noth-ing beyond that. Duncan is so naïve that he doesn’t even see the rejection coming, but we are not surprised even though our hearts ache for Duncan.

The transcendent relationship in the sto-ry is that between Owen (Sam Rockwell) and Duncan. Owen is an older guy, a hap-py-go-lucky assistant manager of a water park. Wisecracking, fibbing, kidding and relentless in his attempts to loosen up the tense Duncan, Owen never even threat-ens to become a molesting pervert as some might have made him. His friend Roddy (Ned Faxon) aids and abets the two by be-

ing another nice guy. The whole Water Wizz staff, including Lewis ( Jim Rash) and Caitlin (Maya Rudolph) as a complex pool manager with a past with Owen, is ster-ling and funny and kind and welcoming to Duncan who begins to climb out of the way, way back to join society.

Trent’s friends leave much to be desired — it is the Water Wizz staff and customers who allow Duncan, dubbed “Pop ‘n Lock” when he becomes a staff member, to find adulthood with kindness while his mother and friends do their best to impress upon him by example how awful adult life is. The script is masterful, the acting impec-cable and every chance this movie has to turn into a big “coming of age” banality is skillfully avoided. The heartbreak is well-earned, the triumphs are as well as the film moves to a satisfactory and honest ending with Duncan still in the way, way back but with a different and elevated sense of self and his place in the world.

Rewarding, charming, loving, and emo-tionally vibrant, this is a film not to miss. If you need any more bona fides for it, con-sider the fact that it was written by Faxon and Rash who, with Alexander Payne, won an Oscar for “The Descendants” in 2012. Don’t miss this one if you like film at all.

“Blue Jasmine” (PG-13) *****Another sterling adult success, this one

by Woody Allen, who also directs.Let’s be up-front: Cate Blanchett should

sew up an Oscar for her riveting perfor-mance of the slow deterioration of the ti-tle character, who may actually be named Jeanette. Jasmine, you see, is living in a narrowing world of lies, deceit, shock, drugs (“My Xanax didn’t kick in.”) and self-deceit. Whether all her problems were of long standing or were the result of the trauma of her husband’s (Alec Baldwin) in-fidelities, perfidy, dirty dealing and even-tual suicide is not clear, but that is one of the prime reasons that Blanchett’s perfor-mance is so stunning.

For the most part she hides secrets very well. From the pinnacle of New York high society and the Hamptons, a relatively des-titute Jasmine has come to San Francisco to live with her estranged and lower class sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins). Ginger has a boyfriend, Chili (Bobby Carnnavale),

who is, if anything, even lower class than Ginger. Appalled at how they live, Jasmine lobbies for Ginger to dump Chili and find somebody more elevated. At a party Jasmine meets a wannabe-senator, Dwight (Peter Sarsgaard), who hustles her pretty heavily, and a rosy ending is assured, es-pecially since Ginger has found the man of her dreams in a sound engineer named Al (Louis CK).

Needless to say, the road to Paradise is not a smooth one, and Blanchett gets better and better as she completely comes apart. Thus we have a story about class. [Upon meeting Hal (Alex Baldwin) and Jasmine at their Park Avenue condo, Ginger drops a lovely curtsey!] In a flashback we discov-er that Jasmine clearly does not want any-thing to do with Ginger and her then-hus-band Augie (Andrew Dice-Clay). That Augie is not in the picture for long is be-cause Hal has made bad investments that took Augie and Ginger’s $200,000 lottery winnings and blew them entirely, leading to a divorce.

So there is bad feeling all around, and it does not get better. It unwinds in a series of short backstory flashbacks that are never confusing, but they are depressing. Is this a story of vanity and class snobbery or the story of a woman so self-deluded that she creates for herself a persona she can never live up to? Maybe a healthy bit of both and totally absorbing as Jasmine deteriorates before our eyes.

I wish most adolescents could see and understand this film and its themes, but it might be a reach. Younger ones will be entirely confused. This is a film of great physical beauty and minds and souls bru-tally portrayed with lots of humor. The mix makes the underlying themes even more poignant. Another “don’t miss” film for the summer.

“We Are the Millers” (R) ***Yes, Jennifer Aniston is very hot as the

stripper-“wife,” Rose, of small-time drug dealer David Clark ( Jason Sudeikis). And yes, the script is as madcap as you can imag-ine from the trailers you’ve seen. What you probably don’t know is that Nick Offerman and Anna Gastoyer are hysterical as the traveling Fitzgeralds, and Will Poulter is a smash as the “son,” Kenny, of the er-satz family traveling to Mexico to pick up

a “smidge-and-a-half” of marijuana from an infamous gang. Emma Roberts as the “daughter,” Casey is adequate in a part that is simply not as funny as that of Poulter or the rest of the cast.

David gets a huge RV that looks like it was made for the Greyhound company, and the Mexicans pack every available nook and cranny with bricks of pot. Needless to say, there are troubles getting it past the border back into the United States and in keeping the drug lords from reclaiming it once it is clear that there is a double cross going on. That is engineered by Ed Helms as the cocky, greasy Brad Gurdlinger, wait-ing for his supply to come in.

There are a couple of classic scenes in the film, one in which David is going to try to get the keys back to his RV from Don Fitzgerald. The Fitzgeralds wake up, and Mrs. F admits that she would like to mess around a little, having never “swung.” Don is all for that, as is Sudeikis. What ensues is a great scene in many ways. Another, for totally different reasons, is Rose’s strip for the Mexicans in a warehouse. The lighting is clever, the choreography steaming and the effect is stunning, as Aniston has kept in great shape.

Yet another funny scene involves teach-ing virginal Kenny how to kiss using his “sister” and “mother” as teachers. Poulter, a Brit, is making his major film debut and has a great future as a physical comic. The only real fault with the film is in its over-emphasis on matters sexual. The “F” word is entirely over-used by everybody and the constant attention to things gen-ital gets tedious, though funny in one case in which Kenny gets bitten on the scrotum by a spider.

The film does a nice job of allowing the four “family” members to bond in vari-ous ways. A bit more emphasis on that el-ement and less on the scatological could have helped the overall effect of the film. Still, you’ll laugh at the bits and at the Fitzgeralds and will have a decent summer break in the process.

“Elysium” (R) ***In this film Matt Damon as Max is

stabbed, shot, poisoned, irradiated, tased and seems at times to be caught in an epi-

mIkeAT The mOVIes

By Mike Cuthbert

n Mike AT THe MovieS Continued on page 16


sode of “Dexter.” His only hope of surviv-al from the radiation is to get to Elysium, a satellite world built to house the rich and privileged while the rest of the world de-scends into anarchic ghettos. That Elysium looks vaguely like Malibu is no accident. He faces staunch odds because a ruthless Jody Foster, the Elysium head of Homeland Security, and one of the coldest villains ever, Kruger (Sharito Copley), stand in his way along with Carlyle, a bureaucrat with no heart and lots of artificial wiring.

A lot of folks are talking about “what it means,” but most of the audience for this film is going to care more about the cool weaponry that is unleashed in long fight scenes. There is a love interest between nice kids who grew up together (Damon and Alice Braga as Frey), but that mere-ly serves as a breather for the fight scenes. Frey also has a daughter with leukemia, and she could use one of those machines on Elysium that heal any wound or sickness at the start of an app. Could she be Damon’s secret daughter?

In a bit of clever writing, Max (Damon) is guaranteed a certain period of immor-tality since in his brain is software that will reverse the control of Earth and allow all its citizens access to the glory of Elysium.

He just has to be downloaded to make it happen. Actually, Elysium, as a metaphor for heaven reserved for rich people, sounds very dull and a bit of a cliché, but everybody seems to want to live forever. That’s unfor-tunate since a recent poll of Americans in-dicated that something less than 50 percent think that would be a good idea.

One serious quibble about the technical aspects of the film: subtitles for the lengthy scenes in Spanish (this is LA in 2054, you might remember) are done in white let-ters often against a white background. The result is often impossible to decipher, and much of the exposition of the film is in those subtitles. Mistake. The other is leav-ing Max exposed to the public eye after his transformation into something more or less than a human. It sort of draws attention to him when you see all his tubing and read-out screens in the open air.

Hip teens have seen it all before and will love the weapons and snooze through the hints at romance. Adults may fool themselves into believing there is some-thing heavily philosophical going on. Concentrate on the weapons.

“Planes” (PG) ***Yes, it is unfortunately largely “Cars 2”

with wings. Dusty the crop-duster has dreams of winning the “Wings Around the

Globe” air race and has a professional field to beat, including the villain, Ripslinger. Dusty has one problem: He’s afraid of heights. No problem when you’re flying 50 feet or less off the deck to dust crops but a distinct disadvantage when trying to fly over the Himalyas! The second hurdle to overcome is heckling from the city types because Dusty is from Propwash Junction.

But what is victory without some chal-lenges? With the help of his loyal en-tourage and an old Corsair from WWII, Dusty does conquer all as adults will figure out he must when the credits start.

This is fine for kids except possibly a rath-er grim crash at sea that may spook some of the younger set. Comic relief is provided by El Chupacabra, the Mexican entry, and Rochelle, a pink entry from Quebec. His serenade to her, “I’m Just a Love Machine,” is quite clever.

The only jarring note, seeing the audi-ence, is the heavy metal score. It doesn’t fit the film, its themes or the age group for this film. Order a large popcorn, keep track of which row your little one is in and relax as much as possible.

“Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” (PG) **

Another action film based very loose-ly on stories of Greek gods and their off-

spring. In this case, the Half-bloods (half endowed with special characteristics such as horns and hooves and half human) are trying to protect their shield that protects their island from the encroachment of bad demigods such as Luke. In order to do that, they have to travel to New York and find the Golden Fleece. Yes, I said New York.

This is a film, like the others in the se-ries, with lots of out-of-time moments. That they provide the humor in the film makes only somewhat more acceptable the total hash the script makes of Greek my-thology. Since this is a series aimed directly at the hearts (not the minds) of teens and younger, what does it matter?

I’d list the major cast but they don’t mat-ter. This is a movie that is 99 percent CGI-driven. In fact, it is a showpiece, not for actors, but for programmers. As such it turned me off early. I knew from the start that any problems the characters got into could be escaped by computer, and I was right.

Stanley Tucci plays a notable cameo with no computer assistance. His tic is that he never gets folks’ names right, and the gag lasts for a surprisingly long time. Not a film to absorb the mind of anyone over 13.

Enjoy more of Mike’s movie reviews at www.towncourier.com.

Schaeffer’s Piano Co., Inc.Est 1901

NEW • USEDRENTALS TOO!Tuning • Repair

Refinishing

105 N Stone Street Ave.Rockville, Md 20850

301.424.1144www.schaefferspiano.com

We’ve Moved!Visit us at our new location!

Exciting Opportunity with a National Advertiser!

Outside Sales - Generous commission + excellent benefits, flexible schedule, home base, growth

opportunities. EOE.

Email [email protected]

GORDON S. GROISSER DDS, MSD, PCSpecialist in Orthodontics for Children, Adolescents & Adults

PREFERRED INVISALIGN® PROVIDER WASHINGTON CONSUMERSʼ CHECKBOOK BEST SPECIALIST

MOST INSURANCE PLANS ACCEPTEDCONSULTATION & INITIAL EXAM ALWAYS FREE OF CHARGE

555 Quince Orchard Road Suite 230Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878(301) 869-4242www.DrGBraces.com

iBrace • iSmile • iS

ee • D

rG!

proudly serving Montgomery County, MD since 1989

Celebrating 25 years of Loving CareMid-Day Dog Walking • Pet Sitting • House Sitting

(301) 840-1989www.FFFpetsitting.com*Refer a Friend and get one visit FREE!*Book 6 Visits and get 1 visit FREE!*(Pet sitting only)

Professional Service Directory

einkElectronic Ink 703.669.5502

PublicationsGraphic Design

Web 2.0

R. E. DavisHome Improvement ContractorAll phases of residential remodeling & repairs,

consultation & teaching for DIYers

"With over 40 years experience, I can teach you the tricks of the trades to lower your costs"

240-599-6567 [email protected]

Licensed and Insured

from page 15

mIkeAT The mOVIes


An Evening with Ricky SkaggsOn Aug. 14, from 7 – 9 p.m., country

and bluegrass music master Ricky Skaggs will share stories and music from a lifetime of working with the greats through his personal journey, from prodigy to legend. At “An Evening with Music Legend Ricky Skaggs,” presented by Gaithersburg Book Festival and Politics & Prose, in association with Asbury Methodist Village, Scaggs’ will debut his new memoir, “Kentucky Traveler: My Life,” and will sign books fol-lowing his presentation.

Skaggs is a Grammy Award winner and member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The cost for the event is $30 for one ad-mission ticket and one copy of “Kentucky Traveler,” or $40 for two admission tickets and one copy of “Kentucky Traveler.”

Purchase tickets at http://www.brown-papertickets.com/event/428974. Note: There is a small service fee included in the final purchase price.

The event will take place at the Rosborough Cultural Arts Center at Asbury Methodist Village, 301 Odenhal Ave. Enter at the gate at the intersection of Odenhal Avenue and Lost Knife Road.

Coming Soon: ‘The Jungle Book’Disney’s “The Jungle Book” is coming

to the Arts Barn Sept. 7 – 22. With col-orful characters and a toe-tapping rhythm, the jungle will be jumpin’ with jazz in

this KAT 2nd Stage Production of the Disney classic. Join Mowgli, Baloo, King Louie and the gang as they swing their way through madcap adventures and thwart the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan. Specially adapted from the beloved film, this musical includes all such favorite Disney tunes as “The Bare Necessities” and “I Wan’na Be Like You.”

Shows will run on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for nonresidents; $16 for city of Gaithersburg residents; and $9 for children through grade 12. There is no senior discount for this production.

For tickets call 301.258.6394 or visit RecXpress online at recxpress.gaithersburgmd.gov.

Oil and Acrylic Paintings at Kentlands Mansion

The city of Gaithersburg presents an exhibit featuring oil and acrylic paint-ings by Arlette Jassel and Farzin Sadeghi at Kentlands Mansion now through Oct. 4.

Maryland artist Jassel has shown inter-nationally in a one-person museum exhi-bition in Kaliningrad, Russia, and in the Arts in Embassies program. Her work is featured in many private collections. Jassel has taught art at Georgetown University School, The Smithsonian Institution, Marymount University, Montgomery College, and Montgomery County Public

Schools. This exhibit features images of flowers that go through metamorphosis. Single blossoms painted in oil on canvas begin as intense flower shapes, then change as they struggle with shapes in the back-ground. Petals lose their fragility, in the process becoming both stronger and more aggressive. Flowers become drones, ro-bots and war machines as they withstand the pressures of life and abandon their pas-sive role.

Sadeghi, a naturalized Persian-American, is a painter, craftsman and builder, with an extensive past as an architect and en-gineer. He has been on a quest for many years to express eternal universal spiritual values through new artistic modes that re-flect the insights of advanced scientific cos-mology and philosophy but draw deeply

from the thought and art of the past, espe-cially the transcendental poetry and classic esthetic sensibility of his native Iran. This can be seen in his use of light and color as evocations of metaphysical transcendence. Sadeghi seeks inspiration from not only modern art as a historic whole, but that of far earlier times. His paintings are basically abstract, technically almost ultramodern, yet display a playful bright color sensitivity reminiscent of Persian carpets.

Viewing is by appointment only. Call the Mansion at 301.258.6425 to schedule a visit.

For more information, please contact Andi Rosati at 301.258.6394 or [email protected] or visit Kentlands Mansion at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/kentlandsmansion.

8/16“Medieval Story Land,” 8 p.m., Arts Barn

8/17Steven Gellman, 6 - 7:30 p.m., at the Concert Pavilion

“Medieval Story Land,” 8 p.m., Arts Barn



8/24Domenic Cicala and Friends, 7 - 9 p.m., at the Concert Pavilion

“Medieval Story Land,” 8 p.m., Arts Barn


8/30Comedy & Magic Society, 8 p.m., Arts Barn

9/7 - 9/8, 9/14 - 9/15, 9/21 - 9/22Disney’s “The Jungle Book,” 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Arts Barn

ArTsCALeNDAr

ArTs& eNTerTAINmeNT Compiled by Claire Fleischer

Full Service In-house Interior Design Services available

MICHAEL ARAMJULISKAANALI

TEA FORTE’THYMES CANDLES AND SCENTS

KAT BURKI CANDLESSTONEWALL KITCHEN

GOURMET GIFTSSAXON CHOCOLATESYOLKA CHOCOLATES

JT INTERIORS AT POTOMAC HOUSEHours: Monday-Saturday 10-6 PM, Sunday 11-5 PM

9906 River Road, Potomac, MD 20854

301.299.0487

at Potomac House

Fantasy, Comedy Combine in ‘Medieval Story Land’In partnership with Red

Knight Productions, the Arts Barn presents “Medieval Story Land,” a fast-paced, action-packed comedy ad-venture that parodies the fantasy genre. Featuring furious swordplay, trolls, knights and wizards, the show runs through Aug. 25 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Admission is $16, $14 for city of Gaithersburg res-idents, and $9 for students through grade 12.

Originally written for the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater, “Medieval Story Land” follows Todd, a simple elf boy who is given a magic sword. Todd must leave his home and venture off on a dangerous journey to save Medieval Story Land from the terrible “Dark Black Darkness” and the “Dark Wizards of Dark Wizard City.” Sketch comedy meets fairy tale in this show intended for adults and children alike.

Childhood schoolmates Scott Courlander (artistic director) and Nicholas Hitchens (director of development and outreach) reconnected and formed Red Knight Productions for the purpose of producing “Medieval Story Land.” Courlander and Hitchens attended elementary school together at Dufief Elementary and acted together at Wootton High School. Hitchens studied act-ing under Mike Nichols at the New Actors Workshop and performed improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York. Hitchens now teaches English at Wootton, having completed his master’s degree in arts management at American University.

For more information and tickets call 301.258.6394 or visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov/theater.

Photo | Submitted

“Medieval Story land” is at the Arts barn through Aug. 25.


school year is approximately 1,870 students, said Working.Northwest High School’s enrollment is projected to be

2,044, and parents will learn about the upcoming school year and highlights on Aug. 29 at Back to School Night. Principal Lance Dempsey and his staff are excited about many new offerings to expand learning opportunities for students in the 2013-14 school year.

In addition to introducing a Robotics Team and expand-ing the school’s partnership in learning with Montgomery College, Northwest is rolling out two new programs. The first is the ACES Scholars Program, designed to offer stu-dents a challenging course of study in the science disci-plines. “Students follow a comprehensive curriculum combining honors level and rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) level course work,” said Dempsey. “The program en-courages students to take more accelerated science courses, offers structured support and skill refinement, and broad-ens students’ career choices.”

Additionally, The Academy of Biotechnology is proud to announce a new partnership with Emergent BioSolutions that will feature “a series of round table discussions at [Northwest] on topics that include regulatory science, clinical and non-clinical manufacturing, legal, business development and laboratory science. This leading pharma-ceutical will also be teaming with [our] teachers to deliver hands-on lab activities, field trips to the company’s local laboratory, on-site job shadowing, and summer internship opportunities,” Dempsey said.

Dempsey turned to legendary coach Lou Holtz for a quote to sum up his expectations for the school year, “Ability is what you are capable of doing, Motivation de-termines what you do. Attitude determines how you do it.”

SPorTSQO, Northwest Set for Concussion Prevention

By Michael Willis

T he NFL’s recent focus on taking preventative measures to limit the harmful effects of concussions seems to have finally trickled down to the high school level.

The Montgomery County Board of Education approved four contracts in June to administer baseline testing for all student athletes in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

The baseline tests are designed to determine if and when a player can participate again in their respective sport af-ter sustaining a concussion. The examinations themselves take place prior to the start of the season and determine a player’s cognitive functions in areas ranging from memory and concentration to balance and problem solving skills.

When a head injury is suffered, a player must then retake the test after the injury, at which point the results are com-pared with the baseline test results initially administered. This helps to determine whether or not the player has re-gained all of his or her cognitive functions after sustaining a concussion, which would allow them to be medically cleared to continue participation in the sport again.

Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital of Maryland, ATI

Physical Therapy, MedStar Sports Medicine and Metro Orthopedics, and Sports Therapy were awarded the con-tracts to administer the testing.

The total cost of the MCPS baseline concussion test-ing will be $99,140. Of that, $18,750 is being set aside to buy the proper computer software necessary to provide the testing.

Though this year all county athletes will participate in concussion testing, Quince Orchard (QO) High School has offered the service on a voluntary basis for the past four years. According to Colleen Kelly, a QO comput-er science teacher and athletic staffer, the school provided concussion testing for a $5 fee, which was good for two years of testing.

“Either I or an athletic trainer would administer the concussion testing,” she said.

In addition to the concussion testing, MCPS is also providing parents with an assurance that their child re-ceive with professional care in the event of injury. Physical trainers, according to Lew Lyon, vice president of MedStar Sports Medicine, will provide complimentary services to schools within Montgomery County. All four companies are providing trainers free of cost to specific schools.

“We had told [Dr. William G. Beattie, MCPS director of systemwide athletics,] that it would be prudent for them not just to deal with concussions, but [to have a] much broader [focus] — bring in an athletic trainer, request one to each of the schools,” Lyon said. “That became a fiscal problem. If they could get the money, they’d love to be able to do it. We told [MCPS] we’ll provide the athletic trainer for free just to be able to ensure that if a [student athlete] gets dinged out there on the field, that we have somebody who can do a proper diagnosis and [the ath-lete can] be sent out to the correct physician or proper personnel.”

Per stipulations laid out in the contract with MCPS, Adventist Rehab will provide physical trainers to Quince Orchard and Northwest high schools, as well as 10 others including Gaithersburg, Watkins Mill and Wootton.

By all accounts, the expanded programs appear to be garnered towards protecting student athletes and main-taining safety in the sport. While QO will still charge the $5 fee for concussion testing, Kelly believes paying the small amount for peace of mind is still a no-brainer.

“We figure, $10 to cover a kid while they’re in high school for the possibility of a concussion? It’s nothing.”

Crave more photos?www.towncourier-photos.smugmug.com/kentlands-Gaithersburg

n new School year from page 4

Photo | Phil Fabrizio

The Quince orchard Marching Cougars are hard at work on Aug. 13 practicing for the upcoming fall football season. For fall Qo sports information and schedules, visit www.qocougars.org.


Let The Town Courier help your business reach more people

in 2013!• Direct mail base of 7,500 homes and thousands

more readers.

• Dedicated readership that gives each paper great shelf life.

• Business profiles and expanding business beat.

• Delivered to Kentlands, Lakelands, Quince Orchard Park and other surrounding communities.

Debi Rosen [email protected]

301.279.2304

Sandra Christian [email protected]

240.401.1020

For rates, contact:


17 Kent Gardens CircleKENTLANDS • $669,000

441 Placid StreetLAKELANDS • $2,850/mo

150 Chevy Chase #205KENTLANDS • $469,900

Sold

Rented

Active

202 Hart MewsKENTLANDS • $585,000

526 Leaning Oak StreetLAKELANDS • $799,900

Sold

Sold

972 Featherstone StreetLAKELANDS • $809,000

Sold

120 Little Quarry RoadKENTLANDS • $689,000

150 Chevy Chase Street #304CHEVY CHASE • $439,000

Sold

Sold

706 B Main St.LAKELANDS • $424,900

115 Leekes Lot WayKENTLANDS • $950,000

203 Chestertown Street KENTLANDS • $784,900

120 Golden Ash Way LAKELANDS • $489,900

Featured

Property

Sold

Sold

150 Chevy Chase Street #306KENTLANDS • $642,000

Sold

942 Rockborn StreetLAKELANDS • $849,900

441 Clayhall StreetLAKELANDS • $495,000

I Found the Buyer

7 Booth Street #105THE COLONNADE • $241,000

Sold

Sold

Sold

Wondering the Value of Your Home?

Request a FREE Home Market Analysiswww.elainekoch.com

140 Chevy Chase Street #204KENTLANDS • $410,000

604 B Main StreetLAKELANDS • $392,500

Sold

Sold

31 B Golden Ash WayLAKELANDS • $414,900

Sold

706 A Main Street LAKELANDS • $375,000

Sold

342 Hart RoadKENTLANDS • $ 799,900

605 Gatestone MewsLAKELANDS • $519,000

Sold

Sold

QO Park • $420,000 QO Park • $359,900 QO Park • $345,000QO Park • $469,900 QO Park • $420,000 QO Park • $615,000

Elaine Koch #2 Remax Agent

16 Granite Place #183THE COLONNADE • $275,000

Sold

[email protected]

KENTLANDS OFFICE345 Main Street

North Potomac, MD 20878301-947-6500

7 Booth Street #308THE COLONNADE • $249,900

TOONew

PhotoFORFOR

Active

Active

TOONewTOONewTOOActive