April 2009 Ebca Newsletter

Neighborhood News WWW.EBCA.ORG

APRIL 2009

Representing the 1200 households North of East-West Highway, South of Jones Bridge Road, East of Wisconsin Avenue and West of Columbia Country Club.

President’s Notebook By Ilaya Hopkins, President Spring has sprung and it is wonderful to see everyone out and about. Be sure to mark May 9th on your calendar for our annual Neighborhood Day of park cleanup. This year we will also have a special celebration for our newly installed playground equipment that I hope everyone has had a chance to try – at least if you are 512 years old which are the ages the equipment is designed to accommodate. Inside this issue of the newsletter are lots of ways to roll up your sleeves and help out East Bethesda. From providing input to the Woodmont Triangle Action Group, to forwarding names to this year’s nominating committee, to volunteering for various activities in the neighborhood, there is something for everyone. There are also some resources listed based on input and feedback from the March 18th meeting. Meeting notes can be found on our website, www.ebca.org. We’re delighted to continue our newsletter sponsor program and welcome Champions Field House. Why include a sports facility in Rockville? Well, Jenna Ries, Founder and CEO of Champions Field House, was raised in Bethesda and has been an active member of the community for the past 20+ years. Jenna and her husband, Dave, are proud to be raising their family in such a wonderful neighborhood as East Bethesda. Champions Field House

is Montgomery County’s newest recreational and fitness facility. CFH offers a variety of activities focusing on the development of niche market sports such as field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, futsal, volleyball, softball and baseball. Champions Field House creates a “clubhouse” environment that caters to team development and enhances the athletic experience. To learn more, check out the ad or visit the website at www.championsfieldhouse.com. We also want to thank Smith, Thomas & Smith, Inc., another neighborowned business, for their support earlier this year and for the ongoing support of Marcie Sandalow and Jane Fairweather. In addition, local businesses like Strosneiders, Razor Sharp Men’s Grooming and Hollywood Tans have supported our newsletter over the last months and we hope that neighbors will help to support these businesses as well. If you are interested in helping keep the EBCA Neighborhood News going, please see information at www.ebca.org. The newsletter, website, and events are the threads that tie our community together by providing the opportunity to share information and come together as a neighborhood. I appreciate the efforts of so many neighbors to keep one another informed and engaged. Our community is better for it. See you ‘round the neighborhood!

Neighborhood Day in the Parks: Sun, May 9th Neighborhood Day is Saturday, May 9th. Please stop by the gatherings at your parks, meet some neighbors and see what can be done to maintain our community's environment. One immediate action will be cleaning up our parks and public spaces, such as the trail and the footpaths that run between the streets. At 11:00 a.m. (mid-way through the day) we'll take a break for a group photo by the new play equipment. Come a little early, stay a little later, and everyone can chip in to get our parks ready for spring. We will be cleaning up Cheltenham, Chase and Lynnbrook Parks. Any time you can spare will be most welcome. Groups will gather at Cheltenham and Lynnbrook. We will be picking up brush, spreading mulch and planting, so bring rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows. Anyone interested in raising awareness regarding community issues such as BRAC, the trail or the use of Lynnbrook Recreation Center and other public buildings should contact Kevin Kraus. At least stroll by and look at the renovated playgrounds. Please RSVP to Kevin Kraus at 301-6562813 or [email protected]. Advance contact facilitates organizing the groups.

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Committee Jobs Open EBCA has a number of active committees and is looking for people to help out in a variety of ways. Social Committee Our most visible committee plans and organizes our social events which include the Labor Day Picnic and the Halloween Parade. In the past we have also had a spring time community yard sale, happy hours, theater nights and coffees. We need a few good people to help organize and recruit volunteers to make these events a success. We are looking for either a chair of the committee or lead organizers for our big events. Membership Committee This important committee helps to promote, recruit and retain members. Our revenues are based solely on membership dues. We are eager to develop ways to make it easier and more fun to contribute to the success of the organization. We are also looking for someone to manage the membership spread sheet. Newsletter/Communications We currently publish the newsletter ten times a year. We need people to write content, drum up support in the form of advertisements, and follow through with the printer and sponsors. We also need help keeping the website fresh and interesting for residents. Parks & Playgrounds Committee Our parks and public spaces are treasures for all of us to enjoy. This committee organizes clean up days and works with Montgomery County Parks Department to stay on top of maintenance and repair. There are a variety of ways to get involved in the neighborhood and broader community. If you’ve got an idea, please contact [email protected] to get involved.

APR 2009

Examiner Newspaper Delivery Debated At the March 18th general membership meeting, an item on the agenda was the unsolicited delivery the Examiner newspaper to the neighborhood. The debate and any vote on whether to stop delivery neighborhood-wide was postponed until the May meeting because representatives from each side of the issue were not available. The issue of unsolicited contacts of any kind was discussed and provided below are some resources to help individuals control what they receive. While some may enjoy receiving a free newspaper similar

to the Gazette, the Examiner does not honor individual requests to stop delivery. Nevertheless, the contact information is included below. It also became clear that while the Glenbrook Village area gets fairly regular delivery of the Examiner (at least twice a week), other parts of the neighborhood do not receive it. If you do get it on your block, please email [email protected] so that we can include that street in the request to stop delivery if that is the decision of the membership.

Contact these organizations to stop junk delivery: • Examiner Newspaper: Call 703 560-4000 or visit www.dcexaminer.com by clicking “newspaper delivery service” and then “stop delivery.” • Gazette Newspaper: Call 301-670-7350 or email [email protected]. • Federal Trade Commission Information: Visit www.ftc.gov/privacy/ protect.shtm or, for Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and Email: Where to Go to “Just Say No,” www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/ alt063.shtm. • National Do Not Call Registry: Call 888-382-1222 or visit www.donotcall.gov. • The Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Mail Preference Service: Visit www.dmachoice.org.

East Bethesda Citizens Association, Inc. PO Box 41020 Bethesda, MD 20824 www.ebca.org Neighborhood News Jay Briar, Editor [email protected] Sponsorship, Vacant [email protected]

Ilaya Hopkins, President David Saltzman, 1st Vice President Tori Hall, 2nd Vice President A.B. Carneal, Recording Secretary Jack Hayes, Treasurer Dan Fox, Immediate Past President Andy O’Hare, Crescent Trail Monica Hayes, Education Rebecca Fayed , Membership Eleanor Rice, NIH Liaison Kevin Kraus, Parks & Playgrounds Social Events, Vacant Carmen Abrams & Dorian Patchin, Website Leslie Weber, Welcome Packets

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APR 2009

East Bethesda is Picture Perfect By Jennifer Dunbar A casting agent asked me if I wanted to audition for a commercial right in the produce section of the Arlington Road Giant. After a callback audition convinced me that it was not a joke, a crowd of ad agency people, directors, producers, and camera people descended on our beautiful neighborhood to shoot a spot featuring their brand of natural products. They were all uniformly impressed by Lynnbrook Park and the close-knit, leafy simplicity of East Bethesda. Patrick Kanold and Judy Tso opened their home for “staging” along with their kitchen where nearly 40 pizzas were cooked to sizzling perfection! Although it was a long day, the kids had a blast and I learned all about the fifty or so people it takes to make even a thirty-second television ad. Thanks to everyone in the neighborhood for putting up with the extra cars!

Get updates every week at www.EBCA.com!

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APR 2009

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Protecting Local Waterways & Yards By Kristen Mosbaek & the East Bethesda Garden Club So much of our community incorporates paved surfaces that we might not realize that this has a harsh impact on our environment. Problems include erosion, flash floods, water table depletion, and pollution. The Minnesota Pollution Control Board says “all stormwater pours any contaminants directly into the local waterway. All the paint, dog poo, carwashing soap, etc., goes directly into the local water,” the Chesapeake Bay, in our case. There is no intermediate cleansing as there is for sewage. Landscape your property to accommodate excess water to prevent as much of it as possible from leaving your yard. Use different kinds of vegetation to slow down and redirect the water. Even consider a rain garden: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ Content/DEP/Rainscapes/pdf/ harvesting.pdf. Uncontrolled runoff can create gullies and deep channels in your yard. Runoff carries sediments and pollutants into your local streams, eventually delivering them to the Chesapeake Bay. The key to controlling runoff is to encourage water to move away from your house slowly, soaking into the ground as it passes through vegetation in your yard and into the public drainage system or stream. During dry summer months, you may want to encourage some water to stay near your thirsty grass and gardens. Water leaves your property in three ways: infiltration (filtering through the soil), runoff across land, and evaporation. Infiltration

recharges your groundwater and the water can be used by plants as it trickles through the soil. You want to encourage infiltration by planting vegetation and maintaining good soil texture. Improve soil texture by adding organic material, such as peat or compost. Clay soils may require a little extra sand. Plants also promote infiltration when water trickles along root channels in the soil and a significant amount of water is lost through their leaves as evaporation. Consider creating walkways, driveways, and patios that are permeable. Construction techniques and materials that allow water to filter through the soil are called permeable. Permeable materials, such as vegetation, wood chips, or gravel, protect soil, allow rain to penetrate into the ground, and prevent muddy shoes. Large stones surrounded by gravel or groundcreeping vegetation, wooden decks, or even bricks with sand in between allow more water penetration than blacktop or cement. The soil in your yard can help filter contaminants such as fertilizer and roof runoff. It will also slow down the deluge that comes during our heavy summer downpours. It’s this sudden rush of water that caries debris that can clog our street drains. The garden club meets the second Tuesday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. and guests are welcome. For more information about EBGC, contact Nancy at 301-656-8754.

For more information: www.concretenetwork.com/pervious/index.html www.metrocouncil.org/Directions/water/water2007/yardcare.htm www.chesapeakebay.net/pubs/781.pdf

APR 2009

Medical Center Update With the opening of the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center just 18 months away, improvements outside the fence continue to be discussed. Gridlock is already unbearable, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours. An additional 4,000 people (that’s 8,000 trips) a day will begin by September 2011. Currently, the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is looking at four key intersections identified by Montgomery County as some of the worst. They are Old Georgetown Road and Cedar Lane, Cedar Lane and Rockville Pike, Rockville Pike and Jones Bridge Road, and Jones Bridge Road and Connecticut Avenue. SHA says that the improvements under consideration are short-term fixes to deal with the immediate needs of the influx of people. A second project is being considered to improve access to the Medical Center Metro for users on the east side of Wisconsin Avenue. Plans range from a pedestrian bridge over Wisconsin Avenue to a bank of high speed elevators to the Metro’s mezzanine level. Montgomery County is also hoping to improve pedestrian and bikeways around the base through a grant from the Department of Defense. The Montgomery County BRAC Implementation Committee (BIC) meets the third Tuesday of each month to discuss these and other updates. More information can be found at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ brac.

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APR 2009

Neighborhood Roundup 5K Charity Run Our Lady of Lourdes School will sponsor a 5K run, the "Lions Roar," on Saturday, April 25th at 9 a.m. The run begins and ends at the school, 7500 Pearl Street, and will take place in the neighborhood adjacent Lourdes. There will also be a 1K fun run for children beginning immediately after the 5K. Stay after the runs for live entertainment, games for children and refreshments along with an awards ceremony. Prizes will be awarded in many categories. All proceeds will benefit their drive to build a Library Media Center in the school. Visit www.lionsroar5K.com to register. Registration forms are also available at the school office weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Woodmont Triangle Group As envisioned by the 2006 Woodmont Triangle Central Business District Sector Plan Amendment, the “Woodmont Triangle Action Group” is being set up to “coordinate and monitor the progress of development, retail revitalization, and the provision of amenities and facilities as it pertains to the 1994 Approved and Adopted Bethesda Central Business District Sector Plan.” The group's objectives and purpose will be formulated and formalized in a series of meetings. Andy O’Hare, a past EBCA President, has agreed to serve as the EBCA representative to the group. At this stage, the group is collecting input on changes to the Woodmont Triangle area; for example, a suggestion to engage an "anchor" retailer that would achieve the sort of foot traffic and mingling that the

theater and Barnes & Noble create at Bethesda Row or a grocery store. If you have ideas for this area of Bethesda, please forward them to Andy at [email protected]. Bilingual Volunteers The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health is a residential "place like home" for sick children and their families. Volunteers are needed to staff the welcome desk and greet families as they arrive at The Inn to provide front-line customer service in person and by telephone. Educational Aides provide English tutoring to non-English speaking residents. Volunteers typically serve once a week or every other week. Volunteers must speak fluent Spanish. If you are interested in finding out more information, please contact Laura King, Director of Volunteers and Community Outreach, via email at [email protected] or by phone at 301-451-9454. Youth Job Expo The Youth Job Expo will be held on April 25th from Noon to 4:00 p.m. at 916 Ellsworth Drive, Downtown Silver Spring. For more information and future updates: www.letsgetitstartedyouthjobfair.com. Nominating Committee Each year, the East Bethesda Citizens Association nominates a new slate of candidates to fill officer positions. This year the Nominating Committee will be chaired by Allen Rothenberg. Allen currently serves at an EBCA representative to the Chevy Chase Fire Department. If you or

someone you know is interested in running for President, Vice President (1st and 2nd), Treasurer or Recording and Assistant Recording Secretary, please contact Allen. He is also looking for individuals to help him on the committee. He can be reached at [email protected] or 301-907-0232. Parking Tips East Bethesda enjoys a peaceful setting most of the time. We know that when the community was developed back in the 1930s and on, there was not a lot of attention given to cars and how many each family would own. This becomes an issue on our narrow streets when multiple cars get parked in such a way as to block safe passage of school busses, solid waste trucks and other large vehicles. Sometimes it is difficult to maneuver your own car around. Please pay attention to how and where you park and ask your visitors to do the same. We don’t want to block the streets and we don’t want cars to get scratched or dinged. English Classes Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced English Classes for Speakers of Other Languages are offered in partnership by the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center and the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center. Classes are free, however a $10 deposit is required and there is a $20 book fee. The classes are held at the BCC Regional Services Center at 4805 Edgemoor Lane. Call the instructor, Mr. Su, at 301897-5382 for more information.

Public Pet Problems By Kevin Kraus, Parks & Playgrounds Chair With the coming of spring, our four-footed neighbors are spending more time outdoors prompting a gentle reminder to pet owners to keep their pets under control. • Pets on their own harm wildlife and are more vulnerable to diseases, accidents and predation. • Dogs off-leash in parks, right of ways and neighbors’ yards raise many complaints. When multiple dogs are off-leash, the loss of control can frighten children and injure nearby pets and people. • Pet waste is a health problem all its own that is best controlled by the owners by cleaning up after their pets, as required by law. • Animals found without owners may be taken by animal control; those who do not keep their pets on leash or who do not pick up waste are subject to fines. • Pet waste bags are available from two dispensers at Lynnbrook Park. • Dog parks are available throughout Montgomery County. For locations, visit: www.mc-mncppc.org/ parks/facilities/dog_park/dog_parks.shtm.

5/1/09

5/1/09

Advocate for the best schools for East Bethesda! Become a member of EBCA today! Please support our neighborhood activities, this newsletter, and the community activism that makes East Bethesda one of the most desirable places in which to invest and raise a family. $15 per member, but additional contributions are always welcome. EBCA - Membership P.O. Box 41020 Bethesda, MD 20824 Members _____________________________________ Address _____________________________________ Phone _____________________________________ E-mail _____________________________________ Number of Members _____ x $15 each = $_____ EBCA will not share your contact information with anyone outside of the organization.

Inside This Issue Newspaper Delivery ................. 2 Medical Center Update ............ 5 Neighborhood Roundup ........... 6 Dog Walking Reminders .......... 7

Coming Up Next Neighborhood Day Parks Cleanup Sunday, May 9th, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. General Membership Meeting Wednesday, May 20th