Monday was a big (and early) morning at Penguin corporate headquarters, as Feb 2 is Groundhog Day. Penguin staffers gathered before dawn in the parking lot just to learn whether our furry little intern would see his shadow.
And sure as shit, there it was: a thin gray shadow that waddled beside the intern as he made his way out of the kennel. Translation: six more weeks of winter.
So now what? Six more weeks of chiseling ice off the windshield? Another month and a half of slippery sidewalks? Maybe, but Penguin staffers like to look on the bright side. We’re thinking six more weeks of shredding the slopes in West Virginia. Another month and a half of chugging The Penguin mailroom guys’ “special” hot cocoa.
Thank you, Penguin intern! Thank you and your shadow.
Monday
7:00 p.m. The AFI Silver Theatre (8633 Colesville Rd) rolls the documentary “We Shall Remain”, about the 1973 standoff between Native American activists and federal troops at Wounded Knee. Tickets are free, so score them early. The box office opens at noon.
Tuesday
1:30 p.m. The county council holds a public forum on ways to cut the fat off next year’s budget. This free event takes place at the county council office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville), third floor, and is open to the public.
Can’t make it to this gig? The council members do it again at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
After all the heavy action of Groundhog Day, The Penguin intern gets a well-deserved grooming. That’s a good Penguin intern!
Thursday
10:45 a.m. The county council’s public-safety committee dissects bill 35-08, which would shift some some of those red-light and speed-camera fines to pay for ambulance services. Right now, that cash is pegged for pedestrian-safety programs. This free event hits the county council office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville), seventh floor, and is open to the public.
3:30 p.m. The county council’s planning, housing and economic development committee gets an update from the affordable-housing task force. They also talk about bill 13-07 (yeah, that “-07″ is for 2007), which would prohibit developers from dropping coin into the housing initiative fund instead of building moderately priced housing; and bill 38-07 (ditto), which would rewrite pricing methods for moderately priced homes.
Kick it at the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville), seventh floor. It’s free and open to the public.
7:00 p.m. The county council hosts a public meeting to discuss how pedestrians might access the new Silver Spring library from the Wayne Avenue garage. A street-level, mid-block crosswalk and a pedestrian bridge have been pitched. This free event takes place at the current Silver Spring library (8901 Colesville Rd) and is open to the public.
Groundhog photo courtesy of Flickr user qmnonic.
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i loathe the traffic cameras.
and why can’t library patrons cross the street like everyone else? lord help me.
Uh, does that mean public-spirited drivers would speed more so they could pay more for ambulance services? But wouldn’t they mow down more pedestrians, not only causing incredible misery but also increasing the need for ambulance services?
Who came up with this scheme — Cartman on South Park?
Editor’s note: Actually, it was county council president Phil Andrew’s response to charging health-insurance companies for EMS services. — JD (Feb 2, 2009)
I agree with Laura. It wouldn’t hurt library patrons have to actually WALK the streets of Silver Spring on their way from the Wayne Avenue parking garage to the front door of the library across the street.
Besides, why should they be exempt from being run over by vehicles running the red lights at Wayne and Fenton or being killed by the future Purple Line trains coming thru the intersection?
I don’t understand the pedestrian fear in Silver Spring – and yes I walk/bike all over downtown and Washington D.C.
Does this seriously warrant extensive conversations about HOW someone will get to the library?? I don’t need to be coddled!
WHO was the genius who scheduled Groundhog Day for the morning after the Superbowl? C’mon folks, let the poor groundhog sleep in – you know he rooted for the home time and had a very late night!