Thursday, January 30
Debate Over School Budget Continues
Later start times, class size among topics at School Board public hearing.
Later start times, class size, and cuts to needs-based staffing were major themes of the testimony given at the Jan. 27 public hearing on Superintendent Karen Garza’s proposed budget.
Board Cites Lack of Funds for School Renovations
Aging schools collide with increasing student enrollments.
While the 2015 to 2019 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) passed at the Fairfax County Public School Board meeting on Thursday, Jan. 3, many board members expressed concerns with the program.
Wednesday, January 29
Youthful Guards Hatch, Meyers Spark Vikings
Sophomore, freshman lead Whitman girls’ basketball to win.
The Whitman girls' basketball team defeated Quince Orchard on Jan. 23.
Cooking for the Cold
Local chefs suggest hearty, bone-sticking recipes
On a frigid winter day, you might find Chef Cary Prokos preparing chicken for a long soak in a red wine marinade for Coq au vin, standing over a cauldron of bouillabaisse to ensure that his scallops, rockfish and other seafoods are seasoned with hefty proportions of saffron and garlic to create a hearty soup. His goal is to create meals with enough brawn to stand-up to the ravenous, cold-weather induced appetites of the patrons at his Potomac restaurant, Normandie Farm.
Toy-buying Changes with the Times
After 20 years in Potomac, the specialty toy store, Toys Unique, will be closing in March, leaving a hole in the hearts of area residents of all ages. Since it opened in 1994, the neighborhood shop has been supplying locals with a variety of high quality classic toys expertly selected by its owner and displayed in an old-time setting.
Eight Family Adventures To Brighten Winter Days
Some ideas for getting out of the house.
Bundle up with hats and mittens, head out of the house, and take advantage of these cold days with some new adventures.
Local Students Perform in ‘Beauty and the Beast Jr.’
Musical to be presented by Bravo@Kat.
Bravo@Kat (Kensington Arts Theatre) will present Beauty and the Beast Jan. 31-Feb. 2, at the Randolph Road Theatre, 4010 Randolph Road, Silver Spring.
Friday, January 24
Brief: Name Own Adoption Fee This Month
Through Jan. 31, the Montgomery County Humane Society, located at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, 14645 Rothgeb Drive, is allowing adopters to name their own adoption fee for the shelter’s cats, dogs and other animals.
Brief: Advice on Weathering Freezing Temperatures
With below-freezing temperatures in the forecast this week, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue offers a few simple steps to keep your family safe and your home’s pipes from freezing.
Brief: Libraries Launch New Online Services
Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) has kicked off the New Year by launching three new online services — Zinio for Libraries, 3M Cloud Library e-book lending system and Learn4Life.
Brief: Board Seeks Nominees for Service Awards
The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking nominations from the public for its 17th Annual Awards for Distinguished Service to Public Education.
Thursday, January 23
Classified Advertising January 22, 2014
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Rescued Owl Released
Great Horned Owl takes flight back into her territory after rescue.
A group of curious well-wishers looked on as a Great Horned Owl spread her formidable wings and lifted off from the arms of her rescuer back into the Potomac forest. It was a happy ending to a brief saga that could have ended much differently.
Don’t Take Safe Drinking Water for Granted
In the wake of the chemical spill in West Virginia, weighing the threats to local drinking water.
Most of the 5 million residents in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area have no idea that their drinking water comes from the Potomac River, said Hedrick Belin, president of the Potomac Conservancy. “Until last week, the same could have probably been said for 300,000 residents in Charleston, W. Va.,” Belin added.
Wednesday, January 22
Into the Budget Fray
Bulova highlights accomplishments, challenges in annual address.
Despite the lingering impact of an anemic economy, and the regional ripple effects of federal sequestration, Fairfax County residents will see some concrete signs of progress this year.
Editorial: Extend Health Coverage in Virginia
Standing on what is essentially scorched earth, Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly have condemned hundreds of thousands of poor Virginians to living without health coverage even though it would be fully funded by Federal money for the next three years, and with Virginia paying 10 percent after five years.
Friends Forever
Since it had been more than a few months, today I summoned up the courage to Google my long-time friend and fellow stage IV lung cancer survivor, Suzanne. Suzanne and I had been years out of touch (for no real reason other than initiative and the geographic consideration that she lived in Barnstable, Ma. and I live in Burtonsville, Md.) and recently back in touch – due to our identical cancer diagnoses. I learned that she had succumbed to her disease back in October, 2013. We last had contact electronically back in the summer. She was extremely weak then, she said, too weak to talk, so e-mailing was best. In that e-mail, ultimately her last, she wrote that the most recent chemotherapy drug with which she was infused was no longer effective and that her oncologist had no other drugs left to recommend. Not that she said it in so many words, but at that point her prognosis was grim. She offered that her two boys were with her and from them she would gain great comfort. The news was very unsettling to me and I was afraid that this e-mail might be our last – and so it was.
Friday, January 17
Potomac Home Sales: December, 2013
In December 2013, 48 Potomac homes sold between $2,198,000-$453,500.
Potomac Home Sales: December, 2013
Thursday, January 16
Classified Advertising January 15, 2014
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Wednesday, January 15
By the Numbers
The Montgomery County Council will hold full-day worksessions on Jan. 14, 15, 16 and 21, starting at 9:30 a.m. on the first proposed major changes in the County Zoning Ordinance since 1978
‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Congregation Har Shalom
A cast of 51 performs classic on Jan. 25-26 in Potomac.
Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the movie, The Har Shalom Players of Potomac is skipping down the yellow brick road with its theater-in-the-round production of L. Frank Baum’s classic “The Wizard of Oz” on Jan. 25-26.
From Late Night Comedy to Your Bedroom
Why the General Assembly matters more in Virginia than most states.
The Virginia General Assembly began its annual session last week on Jan. 8. The actions of the Virginia General Assembly matter more to localities than it would in many other states. In Virginia, localities have only the power specifically granted by the General Assembly, the Dillon rule. So, for example, Montgomery County and Prince Georges County in Maryland recently voted to increase the minimum wage in those localities. They didn’t need permission from Maryland General Assembly to do so. Arlington and Alexandria might be inclined to follow suit (the District government also voted to increase the minimum wage) but do not have that power.
In Case Someone Is Wondering
I don’t mind being alive, really I don’t. Occasionally though, I receive well-intended inquiries – electronic and otherwise, from people (who know my cancer story) who are sort of wondering if perhaps I’m not. When people haven’t heard from me in a while – and this is a category of people with whom I don’t have regular/recurring interactions, but rather a group of people who reach out and attempt to touch me (figuratively speaking) every three or four months or so – there is a presumption on their part that my silence (so far as they know) is not in fact golden, but rather ominous, as in the cancer might have won and yours truly didn’t. And when I respond, their pleasure/relief at my not having succumbed to the disease is quite positive, generally speaking. Their honesty and joy in learning that I’m still alive is both rewarding and gratifying. Rewarding in that they care and gratifying in that I must be doing something right which enables me to sustain myself through a very difficult set of medical circumstances: stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer, the terminal kind (is there any other kind?).
Let Sun Shine on Virginia’s Financial Disclosure Laws
State legislators turn attention to ethics in wake of McDonnell gift scandal.
As members of the Virginia General Assembly convene for the first time since last February, legislators are stampeding to introduce ethics legislation in response to the gift scandal which engulfed then Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R). The revelations last spring about numerous undisclosed gifts and purported loans from businessman Jonnie Williams to McDonnell — including a $6,500 Rolex watch engraved to the "71st Governor of Virginia" and $35,000 in gifts and catering for his daughters’ weddings — shined a spotlight on Virginia’s porous financial disclosure laws.
Summer Camp: Start Planning Now
Applications for many camps open in January.
The frigid January temperatures can make summer feel like a distant fantasy of sunscreen and popsicles, but it’s actually not that far away. If you have children who want to attend camp after the current school year ends, now is the time to start planning, said experts. In fact, registration for many camps begins this month.
Potomac Library To Host ‘Love Crazy’ Author
Parents’ letters inspire memoir.
Looking for some indoor activities during the winter blast? This Thursday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m., Selby Fleming McPhee will speak about her new book “Love Crazy” at the Potomac Library located on 10101 Glenolden Drive.
Creating Books with Children
Experts say helping little readers become authors can deepen a love of reading.
K.J., 8, and his sister Kalina, 3, love reading books, particularly books they’ve written themselves or with their mother. In fact, K.J. is an avid reader of both homemade and traditionally published books, and his sister is following in his footsteps.
Thursday, January 9
Classified Advertising January 8, 2014
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Wednesday, January 8
Living With My Decisions
On multiple occasions throughout my nearly five years of being treated for stage IV, non-small cell lung cancer, my oncologist has given me opportunities to stop and/or take a break from my treatment, or to consider alternatives to the normal protocols – for the expressed (literally) purpose of sustaining/enhancing the unexpected, above-average quality of life I have mostly experienced during my nearly non-stop, every three-week chemotherapy infusions which began in early March, 2009. The goal being to enable me to enjoy my life and not be subjected to/beaten down by the ravaging and debilitating effects of chemotherapy.
Kitchen Organization for the New Year
Local organizers, designers and culinary experts offer smart tips for making space and clearing clutter.
If organizing an unruly kitchen, one where there never seems to be enough space for storage containers and pots and pans, is on your list of resolutions this year, the project might be less daunting than you think. From creating a system for grouping spices to keeping plates in easy reach, local experts share secrets for a well-maintained kitchen. Hang pots and pans inside pantry doors, says Sallie Kjos of GreyHunt Interiors in Chantilly. "It organizes them, but decoratively can look effective."
Top Designs of 2013
Local builders look back on their most impressive spaces.
From outdoor patios with the comforts of indoor family rooms to a stark white bathroom replete with Carrara marble flooring, local designers said they’ve created some spectacular living spaces in 2013. Their personal favorites may be surprising, and include a lot of kitchens and bathrooms.
Trendiest Color for 2014: Radiant Orchid
Local designers offer tips on using this exotic hue tastefully and share their own color predictions.
It has been called exotic, vibrant and even magical. Now it has been named the 2014 color of the year: orchid, or radiant orchid to be exact.
Style and Harmony on a Bookshelf
Clever ideas for organizing bookcases.
Whether one’s bookshelves house a literary library or a mixture of photos and media equipment, most do double or triple storage duty. Because bookshelves are multifunctional, however, it is easy to end up with a chaotic and unorganized space.
Bathroom Organization for New Year
Simple strategies for storing bathroom essentials.
Cluttered bathrooms where the medicine cabinet contains everything from batteries to old toothbrushes and a linen closet where towels and sheets are intermingled with flashlights and scrub brushes can be the bane of anyone’s existence. However, a new year can offer a fresh start in one of the most-used rooms in one’s home.
Calendar Events for 1/8/14
Calendar Events from 1/8/14
New Year’s Resolutions To Live By
New Year’s Resolutions To Live By
Local Ping-Pong Club Brings New Look to the Table
On the Job with Potomac Country Table Tennis Club President Herman Yeh.
Accordingly, during his club’s 2013 Fall Open at the Potomac Community Center, Yeh snapped a picture of more than 100 ping-pong competitors and fans in attendance. Then, using the image as masthead, Yeh set about creating a new website to encourage more people to join in the sport.
2014: Election Year
Candidate filing deadline in February.
With almost all state and local offices on the ballot in 2014, intense jockeying is underway between potential candidates for many offices.
School Notes for 1/8/14
School Notes for the week of 1/8/14.
Thursday, January 2
Classified Advertising January 1, 2014
Read the latest ads here!
Wednesday, January 1
Potomac Man Sentenced for Banned Services to Iran
A naturalized U.S. citizen born in Iran and living in Potomac was sentenced Friday, Dec. 20, 2013, to eight years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiring to illegally provide satellite related services to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Iran Trade Embargo.
Top Sports Moments of 2013: Potomac
The year 2013 provided several exciting moments in local sports. For Whitman High School, the girls’ basketball team won a region title before suffering a one-point loss in the state semifinals. The girls’ soccer team made it all the way to the state final --- and won. For Wootton, the golf team repeated as state champion while the field hockey team fell just short of a state title. Here is a look at the top moments in Potomac sports for 2013.
Holy Child Freshman Wins Junior Grand Prix Medals in Ice Dancing
Lorraine McNamara was 3 years old when she gingerly stepped onto the ice at a local skating rink while her mom was taking a lesson. Eleven years later, she is an accomplished ice dance competitor.
Zoning In On Deer?
Archery hunters to use bow and arrows 50 yards from homes?
Bill MC 5-14 is just one of the hundreds of Bills that Maryland’s Delegates and Senators will debate when the 434th session of Maryland’s General Assembly convenes at noon on Jan. 8, 2014 in Annapolis.
WMCCA Looks at Local Drinking Water Supply
WMCCA Meeting at the Potomac Community Center
Potomac Bulletin Board for 1/1/14
Potomac Bulletin Board for 1/1/14
Potomac Calendar for 1/1/14
Potomac calendar for 1/1/14.