Advisory board: Higher parking rates can help fix county’s fiscal woes

By Jennifer Deseo | Jan 12, 2010

Montgomery County’s operating budget is in a deep, tar-filled pit, but Silver Spring’s citizens advisory board has an idea or two about how to fix that.

Photo: Members of the citizens advisory board at Monday nights meeting in Long Branch. Credit: J. Deseo/SSP.

Photo: Members of the citizens advisory board at Monday night's meeting in Long Branch. Credit: J. Deseo/SSP.

At its monthly meeting Monday night in Long Branch, board members proposed higher parking fees and a greater reliance on free labor to cover some of the projected $608 million shortfall in the fiscal year 2011 operating budget.

Board member Constance Wynn, of South Four Corners, said she’d be willing to pay $1.50 per hour to park in downtown Silver Spring’s public garages. That rate represents a 100 percent increase from the current $0.75 short-term hourly rate. Debbie Linn, a board member from the Sligo-Branville area, said she didn’t want to pay that much but was willing to take a $1 hourly rate.

Either way, it’s a problem, board member “Southside” Evan Glass, of South Silver Spring, and economic-development guru Mel Tull argued. According to them, the Town Square and Wayne Avenue public garages next to the Downtown Silver Spring shopping center have a 20-year agreement with the county to waive parking fees after 6:00 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends. (more…)

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State delegates propose wine sales at farmers markets

By Jennifer Deseo | Dec 16, 2009

Two state legislators have pitched a bill that would allow wineries to sell their stuff at farmers markets in Silver Spring and elsewhere, according to the Montgomery County delegation’s website.

Photo: If they can do it in Ann Arbor, Mich, then why cant we do it here? Courtesy of Flickr user Jens.

Photo: If they can do it in Ann Arbor, Mich, then why can't we do it here? Courtesy of Flickr user Jens.

“We have an emerging wine industry in Maryland with a lot of potential to contribute to our state economy,” Del Brian Feldman, who drafted the bill with fellow District 15 Dem Craig Rice, wrote in an email to The Penguin. ”This bill will help them market their product directly to consumers.”

If the bill becomes law, vintners will be allowed to sell wine by the bottle but not by the glass at farmers markets, and they’ll only be given up to 12 special-event permits each year. “We have 35 wineries in Maryland, and I believe most of them would be eligible to apply for the permits,” Feldman wrote.

Each permit would be valid for three consecutive days, the bill stated. That might mean a single winery can hit the Bethesda farm women’s co-op on a Friday, then downtown Silver Spring’s FreshFarm market on a Saturday, and then wrap up the weekend at either the Takoma Park or Wheaton farmers markets. (more…)

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Politicians parade before 2010 election

By Jennifer Deseo | Nov 23, 2009
Photo: Yeah, boyeeee! Credit: R. Pace/SSP.

Photo: Yeah, boyeeee! Credit: R. Pace/SSP.

A dry, brisk November morning brought out all the fixtures of a Thanksgiving parade — floats, big balloons, and local politicians up for re-election.

Saturday’s march up Georgia Avenue through downtown Silver Spring is an annual thang, streaming with the iridescent colors of Andean-inspired costumes, burgundy and gold from the Redskins marching band, and the black and white of one large, inflatable penguin.

But there was also lots of Democrat blue, delivered by county, state and federal incumbents out to press the flesh. This year’s Thanksgiving parade was the last before the 2010 election, in which all Montgomery County council seats, as well as District 20’s four seats in the state legislature, are up for grabs. Congressional races are also open in Maryland’s fourth and eighth districts.

Laying out some face time was MoCo exec Ike Leggett (D), who strolled with the parade’s first participants. His presence was felt later, as supporters of his proposed pedestrian bridge between the Wayne Avenue garage and Silver Spring’s new library distributed yellow plastic construction hats to the crowd. (more…)

 
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Stump the Penguin

By Jennifer Deseo | Nov 3, 2009

Dear Penguin

I live just east of Flower Avenue and would have sworn my block was in Takoma Park. But then I learned there was no voting ward in Tuesday’s election for me, as apparently I live in East Silver Spring. My mail is delivered to Takoma Park, zip code 20912. Google Maps tells me I live in Silver Spring, zip code 20912.

One Takoma Park city council member told me the long-standing boundaries are peculiar. Terrific, but can I vote in Takoma Park’s elections or what?

Lisa R (via email)

(more…)

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Burger Quest 2009: Adega Wine Cellars

By Jennifer Deseo | Aug 5, 2009
Photo: Adegas Bleus burger. Credit: J. Deseo/SSP.

Photo: Adega's Bleu's burger. Credit: J. Deseo/SSP.

REVIEW — I’m all about maintaining balance and harmony in the universe. It’s a philosophic thang — for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction, resulting in no net change. Nothing really gained, yet nothing really lost.

This pearl of wisdom (actually, the third law of motion) applies to lots of things: cold fusion, geopolitics, and even hamburgers. As this is a restaurant review and not a treatise on nuclear power or nation building, I’ll stick with the burgers.

To maintain universal balance and harmony through a hamburger, one must meet the robust, sometimes savage flavors of charred flesh with the cool, soothing balm of cheese and mayonnaise. Crisp lettuce, tomatoes and onion must counter the soft crumble of ground beef. And all of that has to work with a side of fries. (more…)

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County council quashes foot bridge to new library

By Jennifer Deseo | Jul 28, 2009

ROCKVILLE — Start building those man-sized sling shots. The county council has rejected proposed changes to Silver Spring’s development plan that would allow a pedestrian bridge to be built between downtown’s new library and the Wayne Avenue garage. (more…)

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