The first full week of the month used to be an easy one for Penguin reporters — no civic meetings to attend, no expense reports to pad, and a newly replenished budget for donuts.
Apparently, Da Man had different ideas for November. This first week is packed with meetings on the Purple Line, skateboarders, gay couples, urban planning, and crime prevention. The only thing missing from the Penguin newsroom’s planner is a swine-flu vaccination clinic.
The worst part: Someone’s already snarfed all the leftover Halloween candy that was dumped in the Penguin conference room. If any week called for high-fructose fuel, this was it. Yet there’s not a mini Snickers bar or Kit Kat in sight. This crime has “guys in the Penguin mailroom” written all over it.
Munch ‘em if you got ‘em. You’re going to need the calories to get through this week:
Monday
7:00 p.m. The Maryland Transit Administration holds a focus-group meeting to discuss the Purple Line mass-transit project with residents of Silver Spring’s central business district. This free event takes place at the Silver Spring library (8901 Colesville Rd) and is open to the public.
Tuesday
10:15 a.m. County council member Nancy Navarro (D-District 4) introduces a bill that would require certain county contractors to extend insurance benefits to their employees’ same-sex partners. This free event takes place at the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville), third floor, and is open to the public.
10:15 a.m. County council members Nancy Floreen (D-At large) and Michael Knapp (D-District 2) introduce a bill that would require the county’s growth policy to undergo review every four years instead of the current two years. This free event takes place at the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville), third floor, and is open to the public.
Wednesday
7:00 p.m. The county’s parks department speaks with area residents about its proposed temporary skateboard “spot” in Woodside Urban Park. This free event takes place at the planning board auditorium (8787 Georgia Ave) and is open to the public.
8:00 p.m. The Forum Theatre Co. presents Tony Kushner’s award-winning drama “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches”. This event takes place at the Round House Theatre (8641 Colesville Rd); tickets are $25 each.
Thursday
9:30 a.m. The county council’s public safety committee explores crime-prevention measures derived from the Safe Silver Spring summit. This free event takes place at the council’s office building (100 Maryland Ave, Rockville), seventh floor, and is open to the public.
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Boxed wines and rosés are back in vogue. Just ask The Penguin's sommeliers.
If you are going down Fenton mid-day, better to walk than drive. They keep tearing up the street — it was down to 1 lane at Easley, almost to Safeway. This is probably vital utility work, but I do not see any advance warning anywhere. If you do walk, be extra careful. Fuming drivers can get impatient, unfortunately.
It is WSSC contractors doing the water mains on Fenton & Georgia — and yes, don’t ride the bus there id you have back troubles. You will need traction.
This probably isn’t the right place to post, but I don’t know where else to put it.
I have a suggestion for a campaign I think the Penguin should take up. Let’s move the penguin statue to a better location. Right now, the poor lonely creature is sitting in the middle of traffic near the corner of Spring & Ellsworth. Why not move it somewhere in the newly developed downtown? Either in front, by the Downtown Silver Spring fountain or somewhere along the plaza seem like good spots to me. However, there are lots of potential spots. Anything would be better than its current location where nobody really sees it.
What do you say, SS Penguin? How about helping out your relative?
This is for Sunday, but just so people can plan ahead; the Metrobus S2 &S4 will be affected by a race, so will the 70 bus.
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=4134