After roughly five decades of discussing options and drawing routes… purchasing parcels of land and dealing with politics… rising costs and controversy… the Intercounty Connector (ICC) finally opened yesterday.  As readers likely know, this east/west road will ultimately connect I-270 to I-95 and Route 1.  It will make trips to BWI airport a breeze, and will link jobs and friends from across the state.

On Monday, Governor Martin O’Malley led the ribbon-cutting for the first segment of this road. This long overdue event, held in the bitter cold (with rain for good measure), was well-attended by current and former elected officials, business leaders, and long-time community members who have consistently supported this transportation improvement.

The significance of this long-awaited (and for some, long-dreaded) day was reflected by the presence of U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who joined his Deputy, former MD Transportation Secretary John Porcari at the ceremony.  Former Governor Bob Ehrlich, former County Executive Doug Duncan, and many former transportation, business, and legislative leaders were also in attendance.  The Mayor, City Manager and entire City Council of Gaithersburg were there to celebrate; Rockville was represented by City Manager Scott Ullery.  State Senate President Mike Miller asked local State Senator Jennie Forehand to represent him; Maryland House Speaker Mike Busch asked the same of Del. Kumar Barve.

What does the opening of the ICC– the new Route 200– mean to you?  Check it out and see (best to do so before tolls kick in on March 7th).  You’ll find it attractive, clean, and quick… and your taxes helped build it!  I suspect we’ll all choose BWI as our airport more frequently now that it is so much easier and quicker to get there.   Check out www.mtaiccbus.com for the details on the $5.00 trips that are scheduled hourly between the Shady Grove Metro station and the airport.  Thanks to the ICC, it will be much easier to get to the airport without worrying about traffic or steep parking fees!

It will be interesting to see how many drivers choose the Intercounty Connector for their regular commute or for pleasure trips.  The sticker shock of the tolls will certainly dissuade many of us, but transportation officials predict that the time savings will entice drivers onto the road.  Remember that– just like Metro– the ICC uses time-sensitive pricing.   Rush hour commuters (those using the road 6 -9am & 4-7pm on weekdays) will pay $1.45.  It will be less expensive for off-peak hours ($1.15 from 5-6am, 9am-4pm and 7-11pm on weekdays, and 5am-11pm on weekends) and a bargain at 60 cents for the overnight hours of 11pm-5am.

I’ve heard from a number of people who hope their commutes will be quicker based on other people using the Intercounty Connector.  It remains to be seen how many of us will become “those people” who will choose the ICC on a regular basis.

Cheryl Kagan served in the MD House of Delegates from 1995-2003 and supported the ICC throughout her tenure.

This is a Reader’s Note. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, meetings, and more. Get in touch with us at hello@rockvillecentral.com if you would like to submit something!

This Contributor Review is from Rockville Central friend, Cheryl Kagan, who recommends one of Rockville’s newest dining locations, YumBurgers in King Farm.

When one’s tastebuds are all primed for Russian blini, caviar, and goulash, it’s not the most pleasant surprise to find that the restaurant at King Farm has been replaced by a joint called “YumBurgers.” Lucky for us, the four of us decided to stay and enjoyed the discovery of an affordable new Rockville dining establishment.

I have a bias for locally owned restaurants and shops. In my opinion, they are more attuned to our community, more generous in their local giving, and more responsive to customers’ reactions. Michael Passas, a resident of Gaithersburg, bought this space with his wife when it came on the market in November. They’ve kept much of the experienced staff while transforming the menu and décor.

Addressing the menu first: it is in some ways, a straightforward burger joint, with hot dogs, burgers, and chicken with countless condiments and accompaniments. (Think Cheeburger, Cheeburger without the screaming kids and insane portions.) Michael is of Greek heritage, and his chef is Peruvian. There is a bar menu of options that reflect both.

While we were waiting for our food, we enjoyed a deliciously decadent appetizer called “Chester’s Sweet Tots.” The sweet potato nuggets were warm and tender insider the crispy exterior; the Buttermilk Garlic dressing and parmesan cheese made for a perfect complement!

The Greek-spiced lamb chops were completely delectable and very reasonably priced at approximately $12. The cole slaw that accompanied our dishes was tasty and without the mayonnaise gloppy texture I’ve sometimes found. We also enjoyed their chili, which was served (after they generously allowed us to sample it) in a large bowl over pasta. It was meaty with large chunks of tomato. It definitely had a bite but wasn’t overwhelmingly spicy. Lastly, the namesake of the place, their burgers, were delicious. I chose a customized “That’s My Burger” with my choice of cheese, 4 regular toppings, and 2 premium toppings. Although the kitchen accidentally left off the promised fries (which I didn’t need), I found the meal to be filling without the insane portions one finds at many restaurants. One can choose the burger with a bun or in a bowl; an extra dollar buys a second 5-ounce patty.

The owner was diligent in checking in to be sure we were satisfied. His eagerness for feedback makes it likely that the table service (fairly average) and kitchen will improve in the coming months. I’d recommend “YumBurgers” for a family with or without kids. It’s neither fancy nor fast food, but the friendly ambiance and tasty meals make it a new place worth patronizing soon!

Cheryl C. Kagan

YumBurgers Grill
800 Pleasant Dr, Suite 160
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 355-4979
Eat@YumBurgers.com
www.yumburgers.com
Hours:
Sunday thru Thursday: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM – 1:00 AM
Free Wi-Fi

This is a Contributor Review. We welcome submissions on all sorts of things — shopping, restaurants, performances, art, cultural events, and more. Rules: it should be in Rockville, and you should try to be nice. Get in touch with us, Hello@RockvilleCentral.com if you would like to submit something!

Here is Cheryl Kagan’s statement:

Cheryl Kagan

I am running for the State Senate because tough times like these call for effective leadership. The Washington Post and a dozen community organizations (listed here) have endorsed me because they know I will provide the kind of energetic advocacy in Annapolis that Rockville (as well as Gaithersburg and Garrett Park) need and deserve.

As a Rockville resident, I’m gratified to have received the endorsements of city leaders like Councilmembers John Britton and Mark Pierzchala, former Mayor Jim Coyle, former Councilmembers Jim Marrinan, Anne Robbins, John Hall, Glennon Harrison, Nina Weisbroth, Dave Robbins, and Bob Wright and respected Peerless Rockville founder Eileen McGuckian. They know that I will be an effective advocate for municipalities in the State Senate. Many of them were kind enough to post comments here on Rockville Central; Mark Pierzchala wrote recently, “Kagan… has my support. Not just because of her opponent’s negativity, but because I know that Cheryl will do a great job and put enormous energy into her State Senate days.”

We need a change in fiscal priorities to make sure Annapolis insiders don’t balance the state budget on the backs of Montgomery County’s taxpayers. We need a Senator who is sensitive to the desires of neighbors when planning large public projects like the new District Courthouse. And we need a change in political ethics, so that the source of every campaign donation is disclosed.

Congressman Chris Van Hollen recently commended me for my commitment to campaign finance reform; I’m equally proud of my record of standing up for kids, whether by sponsoring a 139% tobacco tax increase to discourage teen smoking, or providing foundation grants to improve childhood nutrition.

I hope in the final days of a heated campaign, voters will not be distracted from answering a simple question: do you think this is the right time for the status quo? Or do tough times demand change — after 32 years — to more active, engaged leadership? I offer that change, and that’s why I ask for your support. You can learn more and “Check the Facts” about the personal attacks by my opponent at www.cherylkagan.org.

To see a roundup of all Rockville Central coverage on this election campaign, see this article.

(Photo credit Jerry Eisner)

Fitting for President’s Day! This photo is by Fons Marcelis, and was sent in by Cheryl Kagan. Of it, she says: “Our wonderful neighbor, Fons Marcelis, took this pic of our flag. Despite the snow, ‘The Flag Was Still There. . . .’”

Here’s another one from back when we had snow on the ground. It is from Cheryl Kagan. Of it, she says, “Love our sculpture ‘Marilyn’ caught up in the snow.” I think it’s pretty cool, too!

Players came from around the region to compete in one of four divisions based on their ratings from past tournaments. I met competitors from NY, CT, PA (Philly as well as Pittsburgh), in addition to DC, VA and all around Maryland.

A number of players returned again to Rockville who had played in the tournament we hosted in March. Denise Mahnken drove down from Long Island (NY) for the second time. She thought it was worth the drive because “the venue is beautiful, and the windows don’t make you feel like you’re inside on a lovely day.” Additionally, she enthused that, “The town [Town Square] is quaint and lovely to walk around, and the hospitality is wonderful!”

Roberta Borenstein brought a friend with her from Connecticut to stay for the weekend. She built a sight-seeing trip around the tournament.

Nancy Konipol and her husband came down from New York City. They called VisArts a “gorgeous venue” and indicated that they would definitely come back. As a photographer herself, she loved seeing the exhibits between matches. They also stayed in a hotel they liked very much and sampled a few different Rockville restaurants.

Dave Engelhardt didn’t mind coming down from Baltimore and thought that the “free parking is really nice.”

Linda Wancel came from Queens and appreciated both seeing the artists at work… and the chance to buy art if something appealed to her. She also likes the great choices for places to eat. She said that “Rockville should host once a month. We’ll keep coming back!”

That’s a quick report from this second Rockville-based tournament. No matter how you scramble the Scrabble tiles, it sounds to me like ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT… and definitely FUN too!

For more information about the weekly Scrabble matches in Chevy Chase, visit http://dcsclub.org and join us!

Cheryl Kagan, a Rockville resident and political activist, is also a Scrabble fiend!

Editor’s note: Kagan, a former state delegate in District 17, is a candidate for state senate in 2010.

To submit your own reader’s note for consideration, just drop us a note!

This cool shot is by Cheryl Kagan, who took it while on a helicopter ride-along with the police. It’s our very own Rockville Town Square, with Beall Ave. right there in the middle (see?).

Did you know that QI and ZA are real words? Scrabble nuts like me do, and we had lots of opportunities to play these and many other odd-sounding words this weekend.

At my urging, the DC-area club of the National Scrabble Association (NSA) hosted a two-day tournament here in Rockville. Thanks to the generosity of VisArts, we were able to bring about 80 visitors from around the region and around the country to our great City. Players came from New York, Boston, Texas . . . and even Hawaii (!) to play in this NSA-sanctioned competition.

Fourteen games is a LOT to play in just two days! It’s fairly easy to memorize the 101 two-letter words. It’s quite a challenge, however, to learn the 1,015 three-letter words well enough to retrieve them in a hard-fought game. Oh, and did I mention that the games are timed? Each player gets a maximum of 25 minutes for the entire game, which means that one must be conscious of the time remaining when hunting for the perfect place for your “Bingo” (a word using all seven letters, which adds a coveted 50 point bonus to one’s score).

In addition to the (generally) friendly sparring, Rockville was a big winner. All weekend, I was delighted to receive compliments on VisArts as a venue and on all the attributes of Town Center.