Kensington
Heights Citizens Association
On-line
Newsletter
March
2008
Here
Comes Spring!
Greetings and Happy Spring,
neighbors! I have included many of the
news items in Isiah Leggett Reports March 2008. You can sign up for these reports and access
the entire newsletter at www.montgomerycountymd.gov
EARTH DAY IS
"EARTH MONTH" IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
It's never been more
important for us to step up and be good stewards of the environment. So, rather
than just celebrate Earth Day, I want to take the concept one step further and
designate April as Earth "Month" in Montgomery County.
Although the County's main
observance of Earth Day will be held on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27
with the next Seasons of Service countywide volunteer event, there are many
other opportunities to get involved throughout the month.
My next newsletter will have
more details on how to sign up and what kind of projects need help. If you want
to make plans now to do what's right for your community and the environment, I
invite you to visit the Montgomery County Volunteer Center's website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/volunteer
and check out the many projects that could use your help. Or, if you choose,
organize your own group to do an Earth Day Project. The Volunteer Center has
resources that can help.
This is a good way for
individuals, neighborhood groups, families, businesses, schools etc. to give
back to the earth that gives so much to us. So, check it out, sign up, and mark
your calendars.
ONLINE OR IN
PERSON
On March 20, you'll be
able to share your thoughts and concerns with me about issues facing Montgomery
County via two events.
First, from noon to 1 p.m., I
will host a live online chat with residents who have submitted
questions. There couldn't be an easier way to "talk" with me without
leaving your home.
You may submit questions
anytime at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/news/Discussion/pioDisc.asp?discID=1.
You can see answers to some of these questions at the beginning of the live
session. Selected questions will be answered during the chat. Both questions
and answers can be viewed during and after the chat.
That same evening, beginning
at 7:30, I'll host our first Town Hall Meeting of 2008 at Briggs Chaney
Middle School, 1901 Rainbow Dr., Silver Spring. These meetings -- which have
drawn thousands of residents, to date -- have proven to be an excellent way for
me to find out what's on the minds of our taxpayers.
No need to sign up; just come
prepared to share your concerns and ideas.
SILVER
SPRING'S FILLMORE: THE NEXT STEP
On March 4, the Montgomery
County Council approved the second half of the $4 million in County funds
needed to make the Fillmore Music Hall in downtown Silver Spring a reality. The
last step in the funding process is for the General Assembly to approve the
final $2 million of the State's $4 million contribution to the project, which
is in the Governor's recommended capital budget. Funding for the project is a
priority of mine and the County Council.
This project will...
·
Enrich
Silver Spring's and the county's entertainment scene by bringing in world-class
music in a range of musical styles and formats;
·
Boost
downtown Silver Spring's economy by putting more customers in Silver Spring
restaurants and stores;
·
Result
in an estimated public profit/benefit to the County and State of $1.6 million
annually from the very start;
·
Put
the Fillmore Music Hall at the old J.C. Penney site, vacant for 18 years and an
eyesore at the gateway to downtown Silver Spring;
·
Provide
for free and discounted use of the facility by community groups when not used
for performances; and
·
Make
possible an exciting synergy between the Fillmore and the American Film
Institute and Discovery Communications.
A CHANCE TO
SERVE: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
I am issuing a call for
residents of the Silver Spring community to apply to serve on the new Silver
Spring Arts & Entertainment District Advisory Committee. The group will
advise me on issues related to arts and entertainment venues in Silver Spring.
Throughout the recent process
to bring a new entertainment venue to Silver Spring, we told residents that
this type of committee would be established. It's important that their input
continues to be received in matters relating to arts and entertainment venues
in their community.
Resumes should be submitted -
no later than Friday, March 21 - to Gary Stith,
Director, Silver Spring Regional Services Center, 8435 Georgia Ave., Silver
Spring, 20910; or email gary.stith@montgomerycountymd.gov.
For additional information,
contact Gary at 301-565-7300.
CRIME
INFORMATION AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR RESIDENTS
The effort of our Police
Department to keep residents informed about crimes that have occurred in their
neighborhoods has taken a big step forward.
Chief Tom Manger has
announced that his department is now publishing data online about local
incidents. Thanks to a partnership with a software development company, Public
Engines, Inc., residents can use the CrimeReports
service by logging on to the Police website www.montgomerycountymd.gov/police
and linking to the CrimeReports website.
They will see a Google map
from which they can review the latest crime activity for any location within
the jurisdiction of our County Police. They may also receive free email crime
alerts that will be sent when incidents occur nearby or close to any other
address of interest - such as a school, business or community center. Users can
actually control the alerts they receive by specifying the address, types of
crime, and the distance from the address for which they wish to receive alerts.
CrimeReports is a great
asset to the County's long-standing commitment to community policing, and I
commend our Police Department for offering this valuable service to our
residents.
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ON THE MOVE
The Montgomery County
Department of Economic Development (DED) tracked 160 new or expanded companies
within the county during 2007, directly assisting more than 100 of them through
its targeted programs and services. These companies created or retained 10,231
jobs in the county and own or lease nearly 2.6 million square feet of
commercial office space.
In spite of the slump in the
national economy, there has been a steady growth in businesses - both large and
small, in various sectors - in Montgomery County during the past year. These
new and expanded companies are international firms and more than 30 are located
in the County's Business Innovation Network facilities.
DED recently launched an
aggressive visitation and engagement program with the county's largest
employers who play a crucial role in our economic strength. The department has
also stepped up outreach efforts to Montgomery County-based small and minority-
and women-owned firms, with the goal of providing more critical services to
this important sector of the economy.
Advice to
Consumers: Never Hire Unlicensed Contractors
Following an investigation
into "an increasing number of unlicensed home improvement contractors
[who] also have criminal histories," the Office of Consumer Protection
(OCP) warned county residents never to hire an unlicensed contractor. Residents
are advised to take the following steps before contracting for any home
improvement work:
·
Contact
the Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) at 410-230-6309 or www.dllr.state.md.us to see if a firm is licensed by the
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Maryland law requires
that home improvement contractors be licensed by MHIC.
·
Check
to see if any complaints have been filed with OCP against the contractor by
calling 240-777-3636 or go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/consumer.
Also check with the Better Business Bureau at 202-393-8000 or www.dc.bbb.org.
·
Check
the Maryland Judiciary Case Search at http://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/inquiry/inquiry-index.jsp
to see if an individual is involved in any legal actions.
·
Beware
of contractors who solicit business by saying they "have material left
over from another job in the area and can give you a real good price."
This is a classic sign that the contractor may be unlicensed and just passing
through the area.
·
Read
OCP's brochure, "Guide to Home
Improvements," before selecting a contractor. By law, a contractor must
provide a written contract stating the contractor's license number and he/she
cannot charge a down payment that exceeds 33 percent of the total job.
Consumers can file a claim of
up to $15,000 from the Home Improvement Guaranty Fund if they suffer a loss
when doing business with a licensed contractor.
For more information and to
check any merchant's complaint record, call 240-777-3636 or visit the OCP
website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/consumer.
OCP investigates thousands of
complaints each year involving automotive sales and repairs, new home
purchases, home improvements, credit issues, retail sales, internet services,
and most other consumer transactions. OCP provides pre-purchase information to
consumers, as well as speakers to the community on consumer issues.
COUNTY
HISTORY IS A CLICK AWAY
For anyone interested in the
history of Montgomery County -- how it came to be and the people and happenings
that have shaped its character - the 2008 revised version of "Montgomery
County, Maryland - Our History and Government" is available online at www.montgomerycountymd.gov,
then click on the icon of Gen. Richard Montgomery.
The 30-page document --
produced in cooperation with the Montgomery County Historical Society --
features a history of the county, principal historic events, the official
symbols, and a listing of county executives and county council members, plus
updated county demographics.
History buffs, students, and
others interested in knowing more about local history should visit not only the
County's website but the Montgomery County Historical Society site at www.montgomeryhistory.org.
(end of Isiah Leggett March 2008)
Unhappy about
Street Paving?
Residential
streets in the Kensington area and throughout the county were resurfaced in
recent years with a rough, unattractive material called 'micro pave.' Numerous
citizen associations have received extensive complaints from residents who are
so upset over micro pave's rough texture that inhibits recreation, is ugly in
appearance, and was poorly applied. A campaign is underway to organize micro
paved communities into a single voice that can urge the country to restore
these newly degraded residential roads.
This effort is more critical than ever because the County Executive's capital
budget proposes a 100% increase in road resurfacing funds to terminate micro
pave in favor of hot mix asphalt and other smoother materials. This is good
news for other communities that will now be spared micro pave. But at the
current time, the County has no plan to restore neighborhood roads that remain
harmed by micro pave. Unless the County Council and executive take notice, our
communities will be left behind with no relief in sight.
Fritz Hirst of the Rollingwood
Citizens Association (Chevy Chase area) is trying to identify citizen
associations that are willing to sign a letter to the County Council requesting
relief for micro paved communities by an early date certain. If this is an
issue for you or your neighborhood, please contact Fritz at fhirst@msn.com.
A website is also under development that provides additional information: www.sosmontgomery.com.
Town Of Kensington News
Subject: PR Firm Presentation
There will be a Warner Circle
Committee meeting on Monday, March 24th at 7pm in the Town Hall. This meeting
is unique because the Town's new PR Firm (www.maierwarnerpr.com) will be making a
presentation on Warner Circle AND Town revitalization. In less than a month,
the firm has gotten an immense amount of positive attention for Kensington,
which is sparking interest from new businesses.
After this meeting, we have a regular Town Meeting on Monday, March 31st at
7pm.
Crime Reports
KHCA is looking for someone
to volunteer to be the Crime Statistician.
In the meantime, there are a few links to local crime statistics. This information will hopefully not frighten
us but inform and protect us.
Mayor Peter Fosselman writes:
"Over the last few
evenings there have been several auto vandalisms in the area. Although not all
of you are in the "Town" of Kensington, most are in the zip code and
most likely in the same Police District, Number Two. I am working with MO CO PD
Sergeant Thompson to make sure all incidents have been reported and patrols are
increased in the area. Please call 301-279-8000 to report any further non-
emergency crimes." Peter Fosselman Mayor
******
Developed by John Walsh from
Americas Most Wanted.
It is www.familywatchdog.us
When you visit this site you can enter your address and a map will pop up with
your house as the small icon of a house and red, blue, green, dots surrounding
your entire neighborhood. When you click on these dots a picture of a person
will appear with an address and the description of the crime he or she had
committed. The best thing is that you can show your children pictures and see
how close these people live to your home or school. This site was developed by
John Walsh from Americas Most Wanted. Another tool to help us keep our kids
safe.
******
This is a compilation of
where crime reports were taken, not necessarily where the crimes occurred, but
still it is interesting info. You can search by date and type of crime, etc.
Volunteer Opportunities
Montgomery County Board of Elections
Call for Election Judges for 2008
The Board of Elections has
begun their 2007/2008 Election Judge Recruitment Program. The need for Election Judges for the upcoming
Presidential Primary to be held on February 12, 2008 is considerable. We predict that we will need nearly 4,000
poll workers for the 2008 election cycle which includes the Primary and the
November 4, 2008 General election.
Interested voters willing to
serve your community as Election Judges can download the application (2009
Election Judge Questionnaire) by visiting our website: www.777vote.org or they can call 240-777-8533 to request
that an application be mailed to them.
For further information contact our recruiters: Democrats on 240-777-8570 or 8571 and
Republican & Others on 240-777-8575 or 8576.
Election
judges perform a vital and valuable civic service. Please help your community.
Donate
Workplace Attire for Women's 'Shopping Spree' Program
The Eastern Montgomery
Regional Services Center is seeking donations of professional workplace attire
for its Wonderful Opportunities for Women (WOW) "Shopping Spree" to
be held in April. The program is designed to assist women who are re-entering
the workforce and have been victims of domestic violence, abuse, or poverty.
The "Shopping
Spree" program supports these women's efforts by helping to bolster their
self esteem and increase their confidence by providing clean, professional
clothing for job interviews, as well as for the workplace. Suits, blouses,
shoes, and accessories should be cleaned, on hangars, and ready to wear.
Spring and summer clothing
donations will be accepted Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Donations should be dropped off at the Eastern Montgomery Regional Services
Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Rd., Silver Spring.
For more information about
the program, call 240-777-8400.
Wheaton in Winter Family Arts Performances
Annual Children's Series Planned Through April
Wheaton in
Winter gives families an opportunity to visit downtown Wheaton and
participate in free, kid-friendly events that focus on arts, music, and
culture. The events will take place on
the second Sunday of each month through April in parking lot 13 at the corner
of Grandview Avenue and Reedie Drive in a heated
outdoor tent.
April 13 --
"It's a Small World After All" will explore different cultures
through music with Nada Brahma.
Downtown Wheaton, designated
in 2006 as an Arts and Entertainment District by the State of Maryland, holds
several events throughout the year which showcase the visual, culinary, and
performing arts of the area.
For more
information, visit www.montgomerycounty.gov/wheaton
or call 240-777-8100.
Job Fair for Young People
May 31, 2008
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
What: A Youth Job
Fair for Young People- Ages 16-21
Where: Montgomery
College Rockville Campus Gymnasium
More Information: www.letsgetitstartedyouthjobfair.com
A Magic Link!
A neighbor shares a tip:
"I have had great success with this office. Just fill out the form and it
is almost like magic. A few days later
the pothole is repaired." Thanks, Irv! Now, we can do
so much more than complain!
www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Pothole
Local
Newsletters
The March issue of the Mid-County Sparkler is
now available online. If you have items to include in future issues of the Mid-County Sparkler
please email them to us by the 25th of the month midcty.citizen@montgomerycountymd.gov
Check out our wonderful community web site where all KHCA
information, including past President's Reports, can be accessed at: http://www.kensingtonheightsweb.com
Come explore our wonderful community website – it's interactive –
add your own comments about local businesses! Just click on the
"Home" logo in the upper left-hand corner of the home page. Check out the photos from the Block Party!
We also have a wonderful events calendar– also interactive:
http://www.kensingtonheightsweb.com/events.cfm
or http://www.kensingtonheightsweb.com
and click on "EVENTS".
Your officers can be reached easily. (Please be patient on
responses; we do have day jobs!) Click below to send a message:
President
Wayne Goldstein (Jennings Rd) WayneMGoldstein@hotmail.com
Vice President
Sean Neary
(Findley Rd) SeanNearyNYC@hotmail.com
Secretary (and KHCA's website guru)
Carl Day (Drumm Ave.): carlday@earthlink.net
Treasurer
Karen Cordry
(Torrance Dr.): KarenC425@aol.com
Immediate Past President
Donna R. Savage (McComas Ct.): Donna@IntelligentFingers.com
Newsletter information can be sent to christina.sarlo@gmail.com