County Council Rejects Ambulance Fees

>Rockville Central friend Jennifer Deseo, who established and runs the excellent Silver Spring Penguin, has passed along the news that the Montgomery County Council has rejected a proposal to charge insurance companies for ambulance services.

Her story:

In a 5-to-3 vote, county council members decided to keep ambulance rides free for people in Montgomery County, as well as for parts of The District and PG County that sometimes get help from nearby MoCo fire and rescue units. Council member Nancy Floreen (D-At large) abstained.

The decision puts to bed (at least for now) MoCo exec Ike Leggett’s objective of hauling an additional $15 million in county revenue from the fee. According to his plan, health insurance companies would have billed $300 to $800 for each ambulance trip; uninsured patients would have rolled for free.

Leggett’s advocates argued that insurers already charge policy holders for ambulance services, and that the county would be collecting cash money that’s already been paid for. But council president Phil Andrews (D-District 3) suggested Tuesday that patients would still sweat the bill because insurance companies would only pass the tab on to them.

“I don’t believe insurance companies would eat the cost. They’re not charities,” Andrews told colleagues on the public-safety committee.

There’s more; keep reading at the Penguin.

Thank you, Jennifer, for the excellent report.

Rockville City Schedule For July 3-4

>From the City: The Fourth of July, which falls on a Saturday this year, will result in a number of closings within the City of Rockville. Rockville will observe the holiday on Friday, July 3, and City Hall, as well as other facilities will be closed. Residents should be aware of a change in hours at some locations that will remain open on Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4. (more…)

Northwest Boychoir Visits

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The Northwest Boychoir is performing in Rockville. This Grammy-nominated Boychoir from Seattle recorded for the Valkyrie movie soundtrack and The Shoe Bird. They will present a 90-minute program without charge at Christ Episcopal Church as part of its two-week Summer 2009 East Coast Concert Tour on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 7:30 PM. The concert features sacred favorites, secular and patriotic songs.

When composers need the unique sound, they often turn to the Northwest Boychoir whose professional talents have also been used in the film Millions and on the soundtrack for Sea World Florida’s spectacular show, Blue Horizons. They have performed in France, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico. The boys attend 27 diverse public and private school in the Greater Seattle area and range in age from 9 to 14.

From their press release:

In its 35 years, the Northwest Boychoir has trained thousands of young singers, and more significantly, shaped the lives of its members by instilling important lessons in personal commitment, and the value of teamwork and diligence. Led by Joseph Crnko, now in his 25th year as music director, Northwest Boychoir members are skilled musicians who read music fluently and perform professionally with confidence.

Free-will offering to benefit Community Ministries of Rockville and The Christ Church Choir Scholarship Fund.

POTD: Lightning Strikes

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This important photo is by Rockville Central friend and Rockville Living creator Helen Triolo. Here’s what she says:

“The chimney of this house across the street from our former home in Hungerford was struck by lightning on Friday evening. The rain guard was blown right off, along with half the chimney. There are even bricks strewn on the grass below. I don’t know what other damage was sustained — I believe the owners are away and I send them my deep sympathy. (We once returned home from a vacation to find the upper floor of our house completely burned — not a good welcome home). Coincidentally, over the weekend someone posted a link on Twitter to an article about the increase in lightning strikes this year. I wonder if there is anything we can do to prevent this kind of disaster in our homes. At least we should be aware of the increased danger to ourselves and not be outside during a thunderstorm.”

Planner: City Events This Week (06/29/09)

Here are the City meetings we know about for the week. It’s a light week! All meetings below are at at >City Hall (111 Maryland Ave.) unless noted otherwise.

• Tue., Jun. 30, 7:00 pm at the Rockville Presbyterian Church - West End Citizens Association
• Wed., Jul. 1, 7:15 pm - Rockville Bike Advisory Committee

We are trying to add to this service so it is not just City-sponsored meetings but also other important civic meetings throughout Rockville. Please send us a note to let us know about your civic meeting. We will post them on the calendar available here. For clubs and events, use the Rockville Living add event form. We can’t publish everything, but we we will do our best to be inclusive.

4th of July Fireworks

>S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night! Rockville is celebrating the 4th of July at Montgomery College Rockville (51 Mannakee Street) from 7-10 PM with concerts, food and a loud to do.

At 7 PM Redline hits the campus stage with their rock, Motown, country & blues - a real crowd pleasing mix with talent. At the same time the Fugitive Brass Quintet are taking the football stadium stage followed by the Rockville Concert Band at 8 PM, until 8:45 PM when Mayor Hoffmann and the City Council kick-off Rockville’s Census 2010 outreach efforts.

The fireworks are scheduled to go off at 9:30 PM and they are visible from spots all around Campus. Bring blankets and lawn chairs because the bleachers fill up quickly.

Parking is available in the campus parking lots or at the Board of Education lot on the corner of Mannakee Street & Route 355. Everyone always tells me it takes a very long time to get out of these lots so I’ve never parked there. Last year we watched from the field by the Swim Center. Do you have a good spot to recommend?

The rain date is Sunday, July 5th. No barbecuing, open flames or alcohol are permitted on campus.

Click here for information, directions, and a site map.

Happy 4th of July!

Lunching in the DMV: La Tasca

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Dskco and her boyfriend visited La Tasca in Rockville Town Square, and here’s how she begins her review of the restaurant on her blog, Lunching in the DMV:

Hi everyone, another Iphone post! For my bf’s birthday he wanted to try Paella since he’s seen and heard so much about it on the Travel Channel and Food Network. We decided to go to La Tasca in Rockville to try it out because of their paella and sangria selections.

As Dskco mentions, the price can add up and it’s good but …

Lunching in the DMV is a local Rockville blog reviewing restaurants throughout the metro DC area. Whenever, she writes about a restaurant in Rockville, we post a link to her article. She goes out to eat far more than me and we’re glad to share her experiences with our readers.

POTD: Feet

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This is a neat shot by Julia Defino Leiby, who often contributes her excellent work.

It's Sculpting Time at VisArts

>VisArts at Rockville‘s current exhibit is like Rockville Central. How? Both welcome comments.

Each piece in Sculpting Time has a black sketchbook hanging on the wall with a question on the cover. Visitors are invited to pick up a small pencil and answer. Some of you may have waited your whole life to answer such questions. Kyan Bishop’s installation on the floor called A fascination with the potential of completely falling apart ($18,000) invites you to answer the question “Is this art? Why or Why not?”

With this interaction between artist and viewer, the exhibit goes beyond the hay, tree stumps, and pottery on exhibit. You can respond to the artwork on the spot.

A video on making ceramics is tucked away in the corner, along with another showing Louise Radochonski installing Fallen Figures in the Portfolio Gallery. Before I read the question for this piece I thought I sometimes felt like the figure, half-finished and torn apart. When the question was “Is it finished?”, I already knew my answer.

Some of my favorites from this exhibit:

Catherine White’s clay slips hang on the wall like signs weathered by the ages. In addition to manipulated plates, she also has a piece called Sketchbooks which is an assortment of books opened on a wall. The piece makes you feel like you’re getting a look inside her head, into her creative train of thought.

When looking at clouds and trees we sometimes imagine resemblances. Eric Serritella’s Birch Stump Teapot belongs in a fantasy world and one can’t help but be glad it’s preserved.

Laurel Lukaszewski’s Nameless Night ($8,400) hangs from the ceiling, a modern cascade of black stoneware and steel.

In the Children’s Discovery Gallery, kids can color pots and lids, glue pieces together, and learn about ceramics from around the world.

In this exhibit the “… artists have released clay from conventional forms to explore how time permeates everything.” Find out how until July 26, 2009.

Neighborhood Meeting On Beall's Grant II Set For June 30 [UPDATED]

As most readers of >Rockville Central know, there are ongoing negotiations between a committee of the West End Citizen’s Association and the affordable housing developer Montgomery Housing Partnership over what is known as Beall’s Grant II.

Beall’s Grant II is a proposed development on Beall Avenue that would include affordable housing. The developers need a letter of support from the Mayor and Council in order to secure state funding guarantees and move forward with construction. Neighborhood resistance caused the Mayor and Council to ask that MHP and residents negotiate to reach a plan that is agreeable to all. [UPDATE: The M&C didn't ask for the negotiations to take place. I was misremembering. The committee that is negotiating with MHP was formed by WECA of its own accord.]

A committee of WECA and MHP representatives have been meeting regularly for six months, and are evidently close to an agreement. There’s now a memorandum of understanding that has been proposed, though I am told there are still some possible unresolved issues.

All that is context to make this important announcement:

A general membership meeting of the West End Citizens Association has been set for Tuesday, June 30 at 7:00 pm, to be held at the Rockville Presbyterian Church.

It’s expected that this meeting will be the culmination of these ongoing negotiations and the memorandum will be formally presented to the community.

This has been a very politically charged issue and tempers have at times been short all around. I want to be very clear where I stand — I support Beall’s Grant II and have done so from the beginning. Here is a letter I wrote to the Mayor and Council making my case. Editor Cindy Cotte Griffiths is also on record as being supportive.

Rockville Central itself has tried to be balanced in its coverage, as we try to be on all issues. There was a time when we were getting criticized for not being as transparent as we could have been on this issue, so I am trying to be very up front!

We welcome reader submissions on this issue, whether you are for , against, or other.

POTD: Bzzzzzzzz.

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Now this is an electric vehicle! Old skool.

ZeniMax Acquires id Software

I am not sure many readers are aware of this, but Rockville has a big gaming company. >We’ve profiled ZeniMax before, which is the company that is responsible for a number of big-deal games such as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

ZeniMax has announced it has acquired id Software, the company responsible for such iconic games as Doom and Quake.

I just love that we have a top-drawer gaming company in town. You typically think of them out West. But Rockville is a real center of innovation, which is something I keep getting reminded of!

Event Pick of the Week 6/25/09

>Pick of the Week

Picture from the Montgomery County Historical Society

Pet Expo and Heritage Days at the Beall-Dawson Historical Park
Sunday, June 28, 2009 from 12 -4 PM

The Montgomery County Historical Society is going all out for this year’s Montgomery County Heritage Days with a Pet Expo related to its current exhibit The Other Member of the Family: Montgomery County Pets, currently on display in the Beall-Dawson House.

• A Pet Fair with local pet related businesses
• Your pet photographed by a professional photographer, Tom Meeks (donation requested)
• Pet-related crafts
• Demonstrations by the Pets ‘R Us 4H Club (2:30-4:00)

The museums will be open for tours with hands-on activities in the Beall-Dawson House. Dr. Stonestreet will be holding office hours in the Stonestreet Museum of 19th Century Medicine. View and ask questions about the NEW 19th Century Heirloom Garden.

Pets are welcome in the park, but unfortunately are not allowed in the museums and fenced garden. Dog walkers will be available. Spanish and Chinese speaking translators will be available for visitors needing that service.

There is limited parking on-site, but parking is available on Woods Lane and on the street. Free. Call 301-762-1492 for information www.montgomeryhistory.org

Locations throughout the County will be open for Heritage Montgomery 2009 this weekend. Here’s the complete schedule. Also open in Rockville is the Latvian Museum and Church.

Events in Rockville

Here’s the links to Rockville Living’s events in two formats - a one week list or six week calendar.

Six Week Calendar

This community event listing is a partnership between Rockville Central and Rockville Living. If you would like your community event to be listed, you must submit your request through Rockville Living using this form. We need your help collecting and posting events — that is how this resource will get better and better. Please become a regular contributor by requesting a username so that you can enter the information directly to the database.

POTD: Build A Little Birdhouse

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I was walking my new puppy, Lola, and I just spied this neat birdhouse. I liked it.

Quality Of Life Efforts To Be Recognized

Our friends at >the Gazette tell us that the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board is “re-launching its program to recognize efforts that enhance the quality of life for residents as well as highlight community initiatives. . . . The recognition program, which is not a competition, will help facilitate the sharing of information about successful programs in the community. Recipients include civic and homeowner associations, PTAs, service clubs, businesses and individuals.”

This is a great chance for local groups to stand up and be recognized for all they do!

Here are the criteria:

Purpose

• The purpose of the program is to recognize efforts that enhance the quality of life in our community and to highlight community initiatives. This is not a competition.
• The “effort” being recognized should be visible in the community and shared by many. The recognition program will help facilitate the sharing of information about successful programs in the community.
• Examples of recipients: civic/homeowner associations, PTA’s, service clubs, businesses, and in exceptional cases, individuals.

The deadline is the end of each month, for consideration the following month. More info on the program is here, and forms are available here.