WSSC Restricts Water Use

For the next few days while the >Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) will be repairing a 96-inch water main in Potomac. This a major transmission main within WSSC’s distribution system. If customers do not conserve, some users could experience a drop in water pressure so all WSSC customers in Montgomery and Price George’s Counties are being asked to conserve. WSSC expects the drinking supply to remain safe and clean during the repairs.

The restrictions do not apply to water supplied by the City of Rockville so if you get a City bill, you are not directly affected. However, all of King Farm, College Gardens, Plymouth Woods, as well as portions of Twinbrook, Potomac Woods, Chadsberry, Montrose and Woodley Gardens do get water from WSSC.

If you work at or will visit a place with WSSC water in Montgomery County, please conserve water as much as possible.

Water supplies will be reduced by about 30 percent. Although there will be enough water for most indoor water uses, it is essential that WSSC customers conserve water whenever possible so that fire and rescue services, hospitals and other emergency services will be unaffected.

Here’s an update from WSSC:

7/1/2010, 3PM Update:
Digging has begun near Tuckerman Lane and Gainsborough Road in Potomac to replace a weakening 16-foot section of a 96-inch water main. While the work is going on, all WSSC customers (residential and business) in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties are asked to reduce their water usage by one-third. This will ensure customers continuing service and pressure for fire protection and hospital/medical uses.

The water main did not fail. A fiber optic monitoring system detected a problem, and WSSC acted immediately to order emergency repairs before the problem could become a major issue. Those repairs will continue around-the-clock until complete.

Outdoor water use is banned including:

• Lawn watering
• Homeowner car washing
• Filling or topping off private pools
• Washing outdoor paved surfaces

Water must be conserved indoors:

• Use dishwashers and washing machines with full loads only.
• Decrease shower time.
• Turn off the water while shaving or brushing teeth.
• Take this opportunity to check all faucets, pipes and toilets for leaks and repair them. Leaks can waste 10 percent of a household’s water use.
• Install a low-flow shower head if you don’t already have one to save water and energy.

These are helpful conservation tips even without the shortage.

If people don’t conserve and water pressure drops fire departments might not be able to fight a blaze. WSSC is in contact with local fire departments so they can take appropriate measures.

All pools are included in the restrictions; public, private and commercial should not be topping off and should refrain from any non-essential use of water.

Car washes are NOT affected if they recycle their water.

If you see a violation in Montgomery County, call 311. Your call will then be referred to the appropriate enforcement agency for follow up. Violators could receive a $500 ticket.

Sister City Program Seeks An Internship and Host Families [Updated]

Norm Hampton has asked us to spread the word about a visiting student from Germany who needs an internship starting next month. The student has completed his studies and already interned with a business in Germany. Here’s the >Rockville Sister City Program Press Release explaining how we can help with this need and the exchange program during the next few years:

Rockville’s Sister City Corporation, as part of the 50+ year relationship between Rockville and its Sister City of Pinneberg, Germany, will host three exchange students who will intern or attend Rockville schools during the period 2010-13.

The first student will arrive in Rockville on or around July, 2010 to complete a 3 to 12 month internship at a Rockville organization to satisfy academic requirements. The exact duration of his stay will be dependent on the convenience of his host family and employer.

The other two students; one male, the other female; will attend High School in Rockville during the 2011/12 and 2012/13 school years respectively. They will visit Rockville in July, 2010 so that they are available to meet and get acquainted with prospective host families.

The students will stay in homes of Rockville families to maximize their learning experience about America. In preparation for these student exchanges, the Sister City Corporation is seeking area families, preferably with one or more students at home, to commit to hosting the exchange students.

The Rockville Sister City Corporation (RSSC) will provide administrative, advisory and logistical support for the visitors (such as arranging for the students to attend school and finding suitable employment for the intern). The students will pay for their own incidental expenses (such as lunch and entertainment). The host family will be responsible for expenses related only to room and board.

“This is just as much of a learning experience for the host family as it is for the student,” said Norm Hampton, a member of the RSSC Board of Directors whose family hosted a Pinneberg student several years ago.

Hampton said his family, like many other host families, developed a long-lasting relationship with the student who stayed in their home. “We have another kid now who is almost like family,” he said.

Update 6/16/10: The exchange student seeking the internship is now slated to arrive in November and intern for 9 months. If you can help out with an interesting internship, please let RSSC know.

Here’s some background on the program:

The Sister City program was formed as part of an outreach initiative during the Eisenhower administration. Cities from the U.S. were matched with cities in other parts of the world in regard to their similar demographics and characteristics. Few relationships between cities have stayed as active and strong as the relationship between Rockville and Pinneberg that was established in 1957. Exchanges over the years have included cultural, athletic, technical and political visits. A number of Rockville and Pinneberg firefighters and police officers have participated in the exchanges.

After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, a children’s athletic club of Pinneberg collected more than $6,000 earmarked for youngsters affected by the tragedy. A representative from Pinneberg brought the check to the U.S. and presented it to Rockville in November, 2001. The City passed the money to the Maryland Survivors Scholarship Fund, which has provided college or vocational education financial assistance to young family members of victims killed in the attack on the Pentagon.

Other news:

In addition to the three students from Pinneberg who will be visiting Rockville during the next 3 years, several other exchanges are planned between the cities in the future. This summer, about a dozen Wooton High School students and the Rockville Chorus plan to visit Pinneberg and in the fall, about a dozen students from Theodore Heuse Schule in Pinneberg are scheduled to visit Rockville.

To help:

Families interested in hosting a Pinneberg student or businesses/organizations willing to provide an internship should contact Norm Hampton at 301-251-8651.

New Teen Dance Competition

If you know dancers between the ages of 14 and 18, encourage them to form a crew and compete in the “Rockville’s Best Dance Crew” competition.Team must have 10 or fewer members and sign up by Friday, July 30th. The other requirements are attending a mandatory rehearsal seven to 10 days before the competition and completing a waiver form. Crewmembers do not have to be Rockville residents. To encourage participation in this fun, new event, registration is free.If you want to see the competition, they’ll be dancing in Rockville Town Square on Saturday, August 14, 2010 from 5:30 – 8:30 PM.From the >City’s Press Release:

“There are a lot of really talented young dancers here in Rockville, and we’re hoping they will form some crews and compete to be Rockville’s best,” said Nina Herndon, teen programs supervisor. “The contest is a great way for dancers to get some exposure or just practice performing in front of a crowd.”

The top three crews will receive prizes from local businesses for each crewmember and will be promoted on the teen website and Rockville Channel 11. The best dance crew will also receive an edited video of their performance and rehearsal clips. The video will be available on the teen website and the City’s YouTube channel and played on Rockville Channel 11.

To register, crews should download and complete a registration form available on the Rockville Teens website.

For more information contact Nina Herndon at nherndon@rockvillemd.gov or 240-314-8634.

Gajewski Townhall Canceled Tonight (Feb. 11); Will Be Rescheduled

We’ve learned that, due to the ongoing snow cleanup and still-dicey roads, >the town hall meeting councilmember Piotr Gajewski was set to hold tonight has been canceled. Here is his message:

Dear Neighbor,

Due to the ongoing snow emergency, the Townhall meeting, originally scheduled for tonight (Thursday), will be rescheduled for a later date.

If you would like to speak to me this evening, please feel free to call me on my cell phone at 202-957-8692.

Meanwhile, I urge you to stay off the streets, if at all possible, in order to facilitate the ongoing snow removal.

Snow Procedures and Cancellations: Move Those Vehicles! [UPDATED]

The announcements are starting to settle in my inbox like the snowflakes we expect this weekend.The National Weather Service is now saying:>

A major winter storm comparable to the December 19, 2009 event is now imminent for the region. Winter storm preparations should be rushed to completion. 16-24″ of snow possible for Montgomery County with near Blizzard conditions likely Saturday. Event onset is around noon tomorrow with several inches expected by the Friday Afternoon rush hours. Travel may become extremely difficult if not impossible Friday evening through Saturday.

How You Can Help

The City of Rockville is asking all of us to do our part to help with snow removal this weekend to make it as quick as possible.

To allow crews to clear roads, we are asked to remove all vehicles from roads by 10 AM on Friday, including neighborhood streets. All vehicles should be parked in garages and driveways whenever possible.

Typically, those without garages or driveways are asked to park on a designated side of the street. However, because the predicted storm this weekend is for a significant amount of snow, the City is asking residents to remove all vehicles from the road.

Residents with garages or driveways should park all vehicles off the street. Those without a garage or driveway are asked to find alternate parking arrangements when possible.

During this weekend’s snowstorm, residents are reminded of the snow ordinance, which states:
Snow must be removed from sidewalks, steps, driveways, parking spaces and similar paved areas for public use (including access ramps and curbs) within 48 hours after a snowfall of more than three inches.

When clearing paved areas, provide a safe, unobstructed, passable path 36 inches wide.
Ice must be removed or treated within 24 hours, and surfaces must be treated to prevent re-freezing.

We’ll try to keep this post updated with the latest cancellations from this “potentially paralyzing” storm, but we should all probably expect all the events from Friday through – at least – Sunday to be cancelled.

Check the City’s Weather Lines for updated information on closings for City activities and events.

The only question is whether the events will be rescheduled. Here’s what we have:

Strathmore:

Strathmore has announced the cancellation of the Music Center at Strathmore 5th Anniversary Celebration concert “Luck Be a Lady” on Friday, February 5 at 8 p.m. The anniversary festivities, including cake and an after party are rescheduled to coincide with the Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour concert on Friday, February 19. The Gato & the Palenke Music Co. concert is postponed until Friday, April 9 at 9 p.m.

The entire Strathmore campus is closed on Saturday, February 6 and Sunday, February 7. This includes all education classes and performances in the Music Center and Mansion.

Patrons who have already purchased tickets or enrolled in a class should go to www.strathmore.org or contact the Strathmore ticket office for more information at (301) 581-5100.

VisArts

The Friday, February 5, 2010, opening for Points of Departure has been postponed to
Tuesday, February 9th from 6:30-8:30pm. They will announce the winners of the three prizes at the new time.

Art After Hours and The Drumming Circle has been canceled for February. My face has a very sad look, really. We wanted to drum with our music teacher Nancy Nuttle.

It’s supposed to be a big one! If you’re on Twitter, Brad Rourke is calling for the official hashtag for this weekend’s snowstorm to be #snomg2dc. Don’t forget the #rkv so it shows up on all our Rockville sites!

[UPDATE:]

City of Rockville closings:

All City of Rockville facilities and programs will close early Friday, Feb. 5, and will remain closed Saturday, Feb. 6. Some programs and facilities will remain closed on Sunday, Feb. 7, and officials will make that decision on Saturday. Check the City’s Weather Lines for updates.

• Fallsmead and Montrose Discovery Preschool Childcare Programs will close at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5.
• All after-school programs canceled Friday, Feb. 5. Those include Beall Kidz Club and Twinbrook Renaissance.
• All teen programs canceled Friday, Feb. 5, through Sunday, Feb. 7.
• All sports programs canceled Friday, Feb. 5, through Sunday, Feb. 7.
• All classes are canceled Friday, Feb. 5, through Sunday, Feb. 7.
• Rockville Civic Park Center, including Glenview Mansion and F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, will close at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5. It will remain closed Saturday, Feb. 6, and Sunday, Feb. 7. All performances canceled or postponed.
• Rockville Senior Center will close at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, and will remain closed on Saturday, Feb. 6.
• Rockville Swim and Fitness Center will close at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, and will be closed on Saturday, Feb. 6.
• Thomas Farm Community Center will close at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, and remain closed Saturday, Feb. 6.
• Twinbrook Community Recreation Center will close at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, and remain closed Saturday, Feb. 6.
• Lincoln Park Community Center will close at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, and remain closed Saturday, Feb. 6.
• Croydon Creek Nature Center will close at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, and will remain close on Saturday, Feb. 6.
• The Board of Appeals meeting scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, has been canceled

Montgomery County’s closings:

• Public Libraries – closed Saturday and Sunday. Materials due on February 5 through 10 will have their due dates extended by one week. There will be no fines charged from February 5 through February 10. Customers are asked not to return library materials until libraries re-open and not to leave materials anywhere on the premises.
• Recreation Facilities – closed Saturday and Sunday;
• Community use of schools activities – cancelled Saturday and Sunday to allow schools to concentrate on plowing operations.
• Solid Waste Services Transfer Station – closing at 5 p.m. Friday; closed Saturday and Sunday. There will be no yard trim pickups next week.
• County-operated Liquor Stores – closing at 5 p.m. today; closed Saturday;
• Bethesda Circulator (trolley) – service suspended at 9 p.m. Friday; no service Saturday

For the latest snow information on closing, plowing operations, etc. go to the Montgomery County website.

Science & Tech Postdoc Career Fair Set

This just in from our friends at >Rockville REDI:

Rockville Economic Development, Inc (REDI) announces the organization of the fourth annual S.T.E.M. 2009: Postdoc Conference and Career Fair to be held July 22, 2009, 8 am – 4 pm at the Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center located at 5701 Marinelli Road. Designed for postdoctoral fellows with scientific, technical, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.) backgrounds exploring professional opportunities in the Washington metropolitan region, the conference and career fair includes:

• plenary speakers;
• workshops on interviewing skills;
• resume reviewers;
• immigration experts;
• information on careers beyond the bench including journalism, law, government, non-profits, entrepreneurial opportunities and working for established companies

“The event is designed to help postdoctoral fellows who are performing research at federal laboratories and local universities connect with companies who are looking to recruit this fresh talent for their knowledge-based businesses,” said Sally Sternbach, Executive Director of REDI.

Follow this link for more information.

Get Your Coupons for Free Town Center Parking

>Starting Monday, June 1, 2009 through December 31st, you can pick up a coupon code for 12 free parking visits in the Rockville Town Square parking garages. The only catch is you must live in the City limits, go in person to get the code, and have a picture ID and proof of residency when you do. Only one code per household so you’ll have to share with family members or roomates but it won’t expire.

When the Mayor and Council approved expanded hours for paid parking to begin in the Fall, they also decided to provide some free parking for Rockville residents.

In today’s Press Release from the City, Mayor Hoffmann explains,

It’s very important for the community to have an opportunity to come to Town Square and these free parking coupons will help make that possible. In these challenging economic times we want people to Buy Rockville by shopping and dining locally but even if you aren’t buying something, come hang out in Rockville Town Square.

Here’s where you need to go for your coupon code:

– City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Residents are advised to call ahead to verify evening hours, at 240-314-5000.

– Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, 12920 Twinbrook Parkway, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

–Thomas Farm Community Center, 700 Fallsgrove Drive, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

The coupon codes are good only for the three City-owned parking garages in Rockville Town Center at 215 North Washington Street, 30 Maryland Avenue, and 330 Hungerford Drive (Route 355) between East Middle Lane and Beall Avenue.

Most of the time I walk over to Town Square!

Watch For A New Look!

Speaking of being >In A Rut, our friends and readers might have noticed that Rockville Central has long looked . . . well, pretty much the same as it always has.

But, we are nearing our second anniversary (our first post was June 4, 2007) and we’re bored, so we are planning a whole new look! Glory be!

We just wanted to let you know so that: a) you’re not surprised; and b) you are forgiving when we have the inevitable downtime and hiccups.

We’re hoping to do the changeover sometime next week or the one after, in the wee hours one night, so you are likely to wake up to a whole new Rockville Central.

As always, we welcome feedback and comments.

Thanks!

IMPORTANT About Rockville Roundtable Tomorrow

Dear readers, as you know, >Rockville Roundtable is set for tomorrow at 12:30 at Spice Xing in Town Square. We wanted to make sure you knew that a couple of familiar faces won’t be attending to morrow, but the event is still going on.

Brad Rourke, John Tyner, and Kathy Cohen can’t make it. We thought you might want to know, as they are regulars.

However, Rockville Central editor Cindy Cotte Griffiths will be there! So come on down!

Rockville Roundtable Is Next Week!

Don’t forget, the next Rockville Roundtable will be held on >Wednesday, May 13, at 12:30 pm. We will meet at the new Indian restaurant in Town Square: Spice Xing. That’s on Gibbs Street.

What is the Rockville Roundtable? I am glad you asked that. It’s just an informal lunch. We meet every month, always on a different day (so different people can come). It’s come-as-you-are, very casual, there are no speeches, it’s low pressure, and some people even say it’s fun! There is usually about a dozen of us, but sometimes our numbers grow. Why, look, there’s a photo from our last lunch.

It’s just a chance to get together and talk about anything that seems interesting.

Hope to see you on the 13th! If you think of it, please shoot me an email rsvp’ing, but if you forget, don’t worry: just show up.

See you there!

Hometown Holiday Headliners Announced

>Everywhere I went, people kept asking about the bands for Hometown Holidays. Each year the City keeps the information under tight wraps, but today is the day for the big announcement.

Drum roll …

The Wailers, the reggae-backing band of Bob Marley on Sunday and

Pat McGee on Saturday.

Now we all know.

I have ALWAYS wanted to hear the Wailers in person and now I don’t have to go to Jamaica. It’s a good day mon! My first college radio show was all reggae. The music is just made for laying back in the warm outdoor weather!

The 21st annual Hometown Holidays will roll into Rockville Town Center from Saturday May 23, 2009 until Monday, May 25th featuring seven full stages of constant entertainment and the VisArts Fine Arts Festival. From 1 PM to 10 PM on both Saturday and Sunday the streets of Rockville Town Center will be filled with children’s rides, teen activities, an environmental expo and the Taste of Rockville.

Can’t Hang, a reggae rock band from Baltimore who have often played at Austin Grill Rockville will open for the Wailers at 7 PM on Sunday.

Sharon Little, a soulful bluesy singer, open for Pat McGee at 7 PM on Saturday.

Monday‘s Memorial Day observance includes a performance by the Rockville Concert Band and Chorus at 9 AM, and one of Rockville’s most precious traditions – The 65th Annual Memorial Day Parade at 10:30 AM. In between, a 9:30 AM ceremony remembers and honors those who died serving their country.

Last year more than 60,000 people attended Hometown Holidays on a perfect weather weekend.

Rockville residents can get the full scoop on Hometown Holidays, with parking information in the May/June edition of Rockville Reports insert or at www.rockvillemd/ events/hth/index.html. You can also click the Saturday, Sunday and Monday links above for each day’s schedule.

Next Rockville Roundatble Is May 13!

We >had a boffo time at the last Rockville Roundtable, so let’s continue the fun!

The next Rockville Roundtable will be held on Wednesday, May 13, at 12:30 pm. We will meet at the new Indian restaurant in Town Square: Spice Xing. That’s on Gibbs Street.

What is the Rockville Roundtable? I am glad you asked that. It’s just an informal lunch. We meet every month, always on a different day (so different people can come). It’s come-as-you-are, very casual, there are no speeches, it’s low pressure, and some people even say it’s fun. There is usually about a dozen of us, but sometimes our numbers grow. There’s a photo from our last lunch.

It’s just a chance to get together and talk about anything that seems interesting.

Hope to see you on the 13th! If you think of it, please shoot me an email rsvp’ing, but if you forget, don’t worry: just show up.

See you there!

Rockville Roundtable Is Tomorrow!

Don’t forget! The next >Rockville Rountable is scheduled for Tomorrow, Thursday, April 16, at 12:30 pm at the Hollywood Diner (this used to be the Broadway Diner but is under new ownership and they have incredible desserts).

The Roundtable is just an informal lunch, each time on a different day and at a different place. Anyone is welcome, there are no speeches or anything fancy, and it is usually a blast. Our numbers have been growing slowly but surely. (There we are, on the right, at a recent lunch.)

We look forward to seeing you there! If you think of it, it would be helpful to rsvp by sending me an email. But if you forget, don’t worry. Just come!

Final Phases of the new Refuse and Recycling Program

>
As we know, Phase I of Rockville’s long-awaited new Refuse and Recycling Program was implemented for approximately 3,500 homes and now the rest of us are finding out when it’s our turn.

If you haven’t been included in the new program and want to check which phase you will be in, you can go to the City’s Refuse and Recycling website and type in your address. Your home will pop up on a map along with other information such as your voting precinct, Neighborhood Resource Coordinator, and neighborhood association.

Here’s the long list which was just released by the City. My home is in the last phase and I can’t believe I have to wait until December to receive my new bin for the expanded recycling!

Phase 2 will begin the week of July 27, and will include 16 communities, or portions of them, and four individual streets:

Burgundy Estates
College Gardens
Fallsbend
Fallsmead
Fallswood
Flint Ledge Estates
Glen Hills Club
Remaining areas of Horizon Hill
Jefferson Place
King Farm
RedGate Farms
Rockcrest Courts
Rockshire
Saddlebrook
Silver Rock with the exception of streets located to the east of Edmonston Drive.
Twinbrook with the exception of streets located to the east of Edmonston Drive.
First Street (200 block)
Hectic Hill Lane (8200 and 8300 blocks)
Scott Drive (9000 and 9200 blocks)
Veirs Drive (9304, 9612, 9708)

Phase 3 will begin the week of September 28, and will include six communities, or portions of them, and one individual street:

Chadsberry with the exception of streets located to the west of Edmonston Drive.
Montrose with the exception of streets located to the west of Edmonston Drive.
North Farm with the exception of streets located to the west of Edmonston Drive.
Silver Rock
Twinbrook
Twinbrook Forest Condominiums
Baltimore Road

Phase 4 will begin the week of December 7 and include the remaining communities, or portions that were not listed for prior phases:

Cambridge Cluster
Cambridge Heights
Carter Hill
Chestnut Lodge
Courthouse Walk
Fallsgrove
Glenora Hills
Great Pines
Griffith Oaks
Heritage Park Co-op
Homes at Fallsgrove
Lynfield
Markwood
New Mark Commons
Rockshire (Glenmore Terrace, Northrup Court, Lodge Court, Lodge Place and Windy Knoll Court)
Thirty Oaks
Watts Branch Meadows
West End
Woodley Gardens
Woodley Gardens West End
Darnestown Road (9100 block)
Dav Road (4)
West Montgomery Avenue (1450)

Rockville Roundtable Set For April 16 At Hollywood Diner

If you are reading your >Planner, you know that the next Rockville Rountable is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, at 12:30 pm at the Hollywood Diner (this used to be the Broadway Diner but is under new ownership and they have incredible desserts).

The Roundtable is just an informal lunch, each time on a different day and at a different place. Anyone is welcome, there are no speeches or anything fancy, and it is usually a blast. Our numbers have been growing slowly but surely. (There we are at a recent lunch.)

We look forward to seeing you there! If you think of it, it would be helpful to rsvp by sending me an email. But if you forget, don’t worry. Just come!