Stories for April 2013

Celebrity Softball Classic

The Big Train Celebrity Softball Classic attracted crowds to Shirley Povich Field at Cabin John Regional Park on Saturday, April 20.

Classified Advertising April 24, 2013

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Editorial: Connection Guide to Parks Wins ‘Best in Show’

Investigative reporting, in depth coverage, education writing, photography, art, design, sports, garner Virginia Press Association honors.

The Connection Newspapers won dozens of awards from the Virginia Press Association, with winners announced on Saturday, April 20, in Norfolk.

Saturday/April 27 Free Workshop. “Clicker Train Your Dog to Behave” from 10 a.m.-noon at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 6030 Grosvenor Lane. Speaker Laurie Luck, trainer and instructor at Karen Pryor Academy, will teach you all the ins and outs of how to use the clicker. We will also do some myth-busting. Come see just how fast (and easy) clicker training works and how you can use it with your dog to teach manners or change a behavior. Leave your dog at home. To register, go to http://yourdogsfriend.org/blog/free-workshops/or call 301-983-5913.

Entertainment P 4/24/2013

Traditional, Folk Dance at Strathmore Choreographer Asanga Domask brings a collection of Sri Lankan traditional and folk dance to the CityDance Studio Theater at Strathmore on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 28 at 6 p.m. Nruthya Manjarie will premiere original choreography of several group and solo works that are dedicated to the preservation of Sri Lanka's traditional Kandyan, low country, and folk dance. To purchase Tickets, visit www.strathmore.org, call 301-581-5100 or stop by the Music Center at Strathmore Ticket Office at 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD. All tickets are $25.

Holy Child’s ‘Tiger Trot’ Yields Fundraising Success

School’s wellness programs and Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department to benefit.

Almost 400 runners and walkers participated in the 3rd annual “Tiger Trot” 5K run/walk held on Sunday, April 14 — a beautiful, sunny breezy day. While many participants came from nearby Potomac and Bethesda, many racers journeyed all the way from Alexandria, Warrenton, Germantown, Kensington, Arlington — and even from Hermosa Beach, Calif., Mt. Penn, Pa., — and points beyond to participate with the friends, family, students, parent, alumnae and faculty of the Connelly School of the Holy Child.

Bullis Fills Manna Truck with 1,367 Boxes of Cereal

With need so great, that’s a week’s worth.

Twenty-six 4th grade students at Bullis received hands-on knowledge April 17 of how powerful a group can be if each one just gives a little. They were responsible for loading 1,367 boxes of cereal donated by the students and families of Bullis onto the Manna truck — and those 1,367 boxes nearly filled the truck to capacity. When working out the math, the students realized that it only required each Bullis student to bring in two boxes of cereal to fill the truck and stock the Manna shelves. “That’s enough cereal to feed my family forever,” one student said. “How long do you think it will last at Manna?” asked their teacher, Kate Powell. “Maybe a week — or maybe two,” the students answered. Manna’s Development Manager Allison Krumsiek Anderson verified that the amount of donated cereal would last at least a week. “We give out 192 boxes of cereal every day,” she said. “We rely on community donations to help us provide 20,000 pounds of food a day. It is so important to provide breakfast to families. Studies show that kids who don’t eat breakfast can’t learn. They have better behavior and can function much better, particularly when the breakfast has high nutritional value. We are truly grateful to Bullis for such a huge donation.”

Entertainment MV 4/17/2013

Calendar

The National Philharmonic Singers, under the direction of conductors Stan Engebretson and Victoria Gau, will present a free spring concert on Saturday, April 20 at 8 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 107 South Washington Street, Rockville. The concert will feature Benjamin Britten’s "Choral Dances" from Gloriana, which was composed for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953. The Singers will also perform the Coronation Anthem No. 1, "Zadok the Priest," by George Frideric Handel. Three modern settings of “Ubi Caritas” by Maurice Duruflé, Ola Gjeilo, and Paul Mealor are also on the program. Music by Vaughan Williams and contemporary arranger/jazz pianist Larry Farrow round out the program with settings of English folksong and spirituals, including “Deep River” and “Every Time I Feel the Spirit.” The concert is free, but donations in support of the Community Ministries of Rockville will be accepted. Visit nationalphilharmonic.org or call 301-493-9283, ext. 116.

Potomac School Notes April 24

School notes for Potomac natives

Marketing Tips from Agents

Precise pricing is key.

Homes in Potomac have always been considered desirable — but the numbers sold and the values of the properties have ended their declines since their highs in 2006.

Volunteers Assist in 6th Annual C&O Canal Pride Days

On Saturday, April 20, the C&O Canal Trust, in partnership with the C&O Canal National Historical Park, kicked off the 6th annual C&O Canal Pride Days, the single largest volunteer event to take place in the park.

South County Soccer Club Bonds in Bermuda

While other Elite Clubs National League soccer teams took a well-deserved break, one team went on the trip of a lifetime. FC Virginia U14s traveled to Bermuda over the Easter holiday, having the opportunity to experience island life while also playing against the full Bermuda women’s national team, and a high school team from Florida.

‘Kids Helping Kids’ To Benefit Local Organizations

Annual fundraiser adds “Buddy Run.”

The fifth annual “Bullis Gives Back” 5K Run/2.5K Walk will take on a new meaning this year as more and more Bullis students are committed to the theme — “Kids Helping Kids.” Besides running in the 5K and walking in the 2.5K, Bullis students will be running and walking with a “buddy” from The Diener School, from K.E.E.N (Kids Enjoy Exercise Now) and from The Treatment and Learning Centers/Katherine Thomas School 9TLC/KTS) in an inaugural “Buddy Run.”

One to Three Months To Live: Now What?

Potomac resident writes of her triumph over diagnosis.

She returned to Potomac to die — a 30-year-old woman who had been given the diagnosis that she had a lethal non-cancerous cervical spinal cord tumor and would not live more than three months. What is it like to be given this diagnosis — and then survive? How did she wake up each day with the strength and courage to fight the prognosis and still be able to be a wife and a mother to her three young sons?

Many Share in Jaden’s Smile

Notes from The Homefront

Jaden stepped off the bus holding back his tears and revealing a new gaping hole in his frown. Although this first-grader at Potomac Elementary should’ve been thrilled to lose his first upper top tooth while riding the school bus, the napkin where he stashed it had been tossed into the bus’s trash can when the tooth had seemingly disappeared from it.

Military Notes

Marine Corps Pvt. Remy D. Bourdeaux, a 2012 graduate of Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, earned the title of United States Marine after graduating from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S. C.

Schools

School Notes

Email announcements to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon. Photos are welcome. Yongkyoung Park, a senior hotel and restaurant management major at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, received an Undergraduate Student Academic Achievement award from the University at Shady Grove.

Classified Advertising April 17, 2013

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Potomac Home Sales: March, 2013

In March 2013, 31 Potomac homes sold between $5,000,000-$523,000.

Potomac Home Sales: March, 2013

Column: A False Sense of Security

Not that there’s anything wrong with that; in fact, as a four-year, stage IV, non-small-cell lung cancer survivor, it’s amazing to have any security, false or otherwise, whatsoever.

‘We Have Not Forgotten’

Residents rally in Vienna to support stricter gun control measures.

Less than six miles from the National Rifle Association (NRA) headquarters in Fairfax, more than 100 people gathered on the Vienna Town Green Saturday, April 13, to urge Congress to support stricter gun control measures.

Bulletin Board P 4/17/2013

Email announcements to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon. April 18-21 Mind-Body Week. U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio will be one of the presenters at the event, which is held all over Bethesda. Other events include activities conducted by local wellness studios such as meditations and yoga. For a full schedule and tickets visit www.mindbodyweek.com.

Whitman Softball Beats Richard Montgomery

Seniors Rosenthal, Gertzog lead Vikings to winning record.

The Whitman softball team improved to 4-3 with a win over Richard Montgomery on Monday.

Norwood School Student Displays Art at Yellow Barn Gallery

Student presented her first collection of artwork at a Maryland gallery.

When Neelam Shaikh was in nursery school, she had an extraordinary fascination with her ability to create.

Countdown to College Decision Day

Local college counselors offer advice on making the right choice.

As the May 1 national college decision day looms, the day students must shell out hefty deposits to secure their spots at colleges and universities, students like Daniels are feeling pressure.

Celebrating Purim

Purim was celebrated at B’nai Tzedek in Potomac on Saturday, Feb. 23. More than 200 attended, dressed in costume. This year’s spiel (Purim Play) which reenacts the Story of Queen Esther, was called “Oh What a Spiel! The Jersey Boys Megillah.”

It’s Official

Telegraph Road Interchange Project completed. Complete with 11 new bridges and flyover ramps, the $265 million Telegraph Road Interchange Project is officially opened. Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sean T. Connaughton along with federal, state and local officials celebrated the completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 4.

At the Matzah Factory

The children of the Greenzaid Early Childhood Center of B’nai Tzedek in Potomac, participated in a Matzah Factory last month. They learned about mitzvah and each child baked his or her own matzah in preparation for Passover.

Potomac Real Estate: February 2013 Top Sales

In February 2013, 23 Potomac homes sold between $1,802,000-$263,000.

Potomac Real Estate: February 2013 Top Sales

Classified Advertising April 10, 2013

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Entertainment

Calendar

Megan Dominy and Bradley Foster Smith in Imagination Stage’s “From Here to There.” ‘From Here to There’ Imagination Stage brings Natasha Holmes, director and cofounder of Tell Tale Hearts Children’s Touring Theatre Company, from the United Kingdom to mount a new production of “From Here to There”, a play about building bridges, involving puppetry, comedy, live music, and poetry.

“Flourishing After 55”

“Flourishing After 55” from Arlington’s Office of Senior Adult Programs for April 21-27. Arlington senior centers: Aurora Hills, 735 S. 18th St.; Walter Reed, 2909 S. 16th St.; Culpepper Garden, 4435 N. Pershing Dr.; Langston-Brown, 2121 N. Culpeper St.; Lee, 5722 Lee Hwy.; Arlington Mill at Fairlington, 3308 S. Stafford St.; also Madison Community Center, 3829 N. Stafford St.; TJ Comm. Center, 3501 S. 2nd St.

Bulletin Board

Email announcements to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon. Tuesday/April 23 Open House. 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Har Shalom. Tour the building, visit classrooms and meet the staff. 11510 Falls Road. Call 301-299-7087.

Cleaning Up the River

Hundreds turn out to collect trash, recover recyclables.

Volunteers on Saturday, April 6 removed trash at 600 sites throughout the Potomac watershed during the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s 2013 Potomac River Watershed Cleanup. The Potomac Conservancy organized volunteer efforts at the River Center at Lock 8, Fletcher's Boathouse and Theodore Roosevelt Island.

News

This Week In Potomac

2.61 Mile Bike Path Improvements The county will soon begin construction of an eight-foot wide, 2.61-mile bike path along MacArthur Boulevard between I-495 and Oberlin Avenue. The county’s Department of Transportation estimates that the project will be completed in one year.

A Place to Read

Family turns cluttered “catch-all” into elegant library.

When a family of four, which includes two young daughters, decided to create dedicated reading space in their home, the wanted to blend serenity and style. The couple enlisted the help of interior designer Debbie Wiener of Design Solutions.

School’s 8th Graders Debate Gun Control

Touched by the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, the 8th grade at Christ Episcopal School studied gun violence in America and around the world. The early discussions centered around the question of whether there should be a federal law restricting gun ownership.

‘Peter Pan’ Takes Flight at Winston Churchill

Performance opens April 19.

Details “Peter Pan” the musical will be presented at the Winston Churchill High School auditorium on Friday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 20 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors and children under 12. Tickets can be purchased online at www.wchsarts.com or in the lobby box office outside Bish Auditorium, 11300 Gainsborough Road, Potomac. The box office will be open one hour before each performance. Peter, Pan, Wendy, John, Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, Tiger Lily and definitely the notably evil Captain Hook will be journeying by air and sea to the Winston Churchill High School auditorium on Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21.

2013 DC Design House Unveiled

Annual event raises money for Children’s National Medical Center.

Details: The home opens for public tours on April 14. Hours are Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at HYPERLINK "http://www.dcdesignhouse.com" www.dcdesignhouse.com.Details “It’s exciting to be part of such a wonderful cause and to share in the creation of a design house with such talented designers.” — Jamie Brown, Akseizer Design Group

Potomac Village Garden Club Celebrates 50 Years

Luncheon highlights awards and service to the community.

With a DVD running on two screens documenting the decades of service the Potomac Village Garden Club has given to its community through the talents and dedication of its members, present club members enjoyed the event in the home of Julie Perlman on April 9. Twenty-five of its present members atended the luncheon, including Rosemarie Moulton who has been with the club for its entire 50 years. Also honored were the club members serving with the club for 49 and 48 years, Myra Wormald and Dianne Gregg. Perlman was presented with a tray for her work in bridging the club’s activities to the next generation of members.

Classified Advertising April 3, 2013

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Bullis Boys’ Lax Beats Coronado Islanders

Senior Goldberg scores five goals for Bulldogs.

The Bullis boys' lacrosse team beats opponent from California.

Potomac Entertainment Calendar April 3

Information on entertainment events going on in the Potomac area.

Bulletin Board

Email announcements to almanac@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Thursday at noon. Thursday/April 4 Event. 7-9 p.m. at Normandie Farm Restaurant, 10710 Falls Road. There will be a panel discussion on college admissions featuring admissions experts. Free. Hors d'oeuvres will be served. RSVP at http://accollegepanel.eventbrite.com.

Artists Unite for New Exhibit

This month the Art Gallery of Potomac presents the exhibit “Color, Light, Drama.” The show will feature paintings by Martha Spak and five of her students. They met at the Yellow Barn Studio in Glen Echo, in Spak's still life painting class.

GLEN HILLS SEWER STUDY

The Glen Hills Study Phase 2 report proposes construction of 13 unneeded sewer lines at a cost to property owners of close to $6 million. After the county branded over a third of the community as not likely to be sustainable on septic, real estate agents are asking how they can market and sell property to potential Glen Hills homebuyers.

BRICKYARD COALITION UPDATE

The Board of Education has voted to adopt policy guidelines for the leasing, licensing and use of property held for future school sites, including the Brickyard site. The Policy Committee of the Board of Education to draft these policy guidelines may use task forces, work groups, public forums and other venues to seek public input.

Where Have All the Trees Gone?

Our tree canopy is already under considerable stress. Age, disease and pollution have taken a toll on the area’s mature trees, deer are destroying the young understory trees that replace trees as they die, and trees are lost as additions and bigger houses are built in older neighborhoods.

WMCCA Meeting

The West Montgomery County Citizens Association will meet at the Potomac Community Center on Wednesday, April 10, 7:15 p.m. If schools are closed because of inclement weather, the meeting will be cancelled. Speakers will be Jerry Pasternak, Pepco vice president for Maryland Affairs, and Daniel Landry, Pepco senior staff forester.

Promise Delivered: Scotland’s New Center

The Potomac Master Plan, approved and adopted in 2002, promised the Scotland community a needed expansion of its community center. Scotland is a historically African American community off Seven Locks Road in Potomac.

Potomac Elementary Moving?

Brickyard Road site to be considered.

Montgomery County Public Schools has been conducting a feasibility study for the modernization of Potomac Elementary School. “In response to community inquiries, the study scope has been expanded to explore the possibility of relocating Potomac Elementary School to the MCPS property known as the Brickyard Road Site,” according to MCPS documents.

Benny’s Bar and Grill To Open

New restaurant promises “Best Drink in Town.”

Potomac entrepreneur Benson Fischer will soon be revealing a new concept in dining and entertainment to open this spring in the Cabin John Shopping Center. Benny’s Bar and Grill, debuting in the former Popeye’s location, has been remodeled, expanded and retrofitted into a 240-seat restaurant. Fischer has designed the eatery, resplendent with comfortable leather booths, stonework, retro tin ceilings, open-air seating and a two-sided bar with the latest in mixology machines.

‘Giving Kids the Drive’

Third annual First Tee luncheon to support program.

Thousands of children in Montgomery County have learned to play golf each summer through a junior golf program called The First Tee of Montgomery County. Through this organization, they gain more than learning to putt, chip and drive the ball.

Holy Child’s ‘Tiger Trot’ Returns

School teams with firefighters for 5k Run/Walk.

Runners will assume their positions and leap forward at the sound of the starter’s gun — and walkers will follow behind, enjoying a stroll through picturesque neighborhoods of Potomac. The 2013 Holy Child “Tiger Trot” — a 5k run/walk that spans the hills of Avenel and then circles onto Persimmon Tree Drive and ends back at the Bradley Boulevard school grounds will take place on the morning of April 14.