A short work week means only one thing: lots and lots of work. And of course, all the heavy lifting goes down on Thursday, right before the freakin’ holiday.

Monday also looks busy — for me, anyway. I’ll be pounding the pavement, distributing more of those “Friend of The Penguin” discount cards for your dining pleasure. Check the “Friend of The Penguin” web page during the week for new card locations.

Here’s what else is cooking this week:

Tuesday

Get ready to drop some extra coin on parking in downtown Silver Spring. Short-term meters, and the garages on Wayne Avenue and Ellsworth Drive, now run you 75 cents per hour; long-term parking goes for 50 cents per hour.

Thursday

9:00 a.m. A mixed-use project at 1050 Ripley St goes through the planning board’s wringer, with a review of its preliminary and site plans. The show opens at MNCPPC headquarters (8787 Georgia Ave) and is open to the public.

9:30 a.m. The planning board takes a whack at improving the intersection of Dale Drive and Colesville Road. Make it a double header at MNCPPC headquarters (8787 Georgia Ave). After all, it’s free and open to the public.

2:00 p.m. Go for the trifecta. The planning board chews the fat over housing, and whether there’s enough to meet the demand. You know where the party’s at.

Friday

All day. The county observes Independence Day. Libraries, courts and county offices are closed, and don’t expect trash collection until Saturday. On the bright side, you can still score hooch at most county liquor stores until 6:00 p.m.

Too buzzed to drive? Metro bus and rail, plus Ride-On buses, run on a Saturday schedule. Otherwise, you can park at county lots, garages and curbside meters for free.

Lead image courtesy of Flickr user Cayusa.