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Potomac Almanac ❖ August 13-19, 2008 ❖ 1www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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Potomac

August 13-19, 2008 ❖ Volume LII, Number 33

Potomac

This Isn’tWhatStinksNews, page 3

Get Out of TownReal Estate, Page 13

Singing HerOwn Tune

People, page 10

The C&O Canal has long been plagued by thesmell of raw sewage. Many incorrectly

associate the smell with the Canal itself, butthe real culprit is the Potomac Interceptor, a

sewer line that originates in Virginia, runsthrough Maryland and into Washington, D.C.Plans to build odor-reducing facilities along

the Canal were drawn up in 2000 but haveyet to be implemented. The current estimate

is for construction to begin in 2010.

This Isn’tWhatStinksNews, page 3

2 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ August 13-19, 2008 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

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8/30/08

Back-To-School FairMontgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will

kick off the school year with a Back-to-School Fair atthe school system’s central office location inRockville. The event for Montgomery County PublicSchools families will take place on Saturday, Aug.16, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m., on the grounds of CarverEducational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive,Rockville.

Coordinated by the Department of Communica-tions’ Division of Family and Community Partnerships(DFCP), the fair will feature information and re-sources for parents and activities and entertainmentfor children.

Some of the highlights include student and com-munity performance groups, local celebrities, inter-national food, and health screenings provided byKaiser Permanente. MCPS staff members will beavailable to answer questions and provide informa-tion. Among the offices represented will be curricu-lum, special education, food and nutrition, earlychildhood, consortia and application programs, andtransportation. A number of county organizationsalso will be present, including health and humanservices, public libraries, Montgomery College, Col-lege Savings Plans of Maryland, Montgomery CountyCouncil of PTAs, NAACP, and the City of Rockville.

Items available for attendees to take home includebooks, school supplies, and school system resources.More than 50 donated prizes will be raffled, includ-ing an iPod, bicycles, and fitness classes.

Parking will be available on the Montgomery Col-lege campus, across Mannakee Street from the fairsite. Shuttle buses will run to the fair site through-out the day from Northwest and Montgomery Blair

high schools.For more information, call the Division of Family

and Community Partnerships at 301-279-3100.

Burglary Suspect ArrestedA man suspected of breaking into Potomac Pizza

and Fortune Garden restaurant in Potomac Villagein late July was arrested last week. Frank StephenZadory Jr. was arrested by Montgomery County Po-lice detectives from the 1st and 3rd districts andcharged him with several commercial burglaries thatoccurred in Burtonsville and Potomac.

Detectives developed Zadory as a suspect throughvideo surveillance obtained from some of the storesinvolved.

On July 22 at approximately 3:21 a.m., officersfrom the 1st District were dispatched to the PotomacPizza and Sub Shop located at 9812 Falls Road inPotomac, for an alarm call. When officers arrived theyfound the front door glass had been smashed out.Officers also discovered the front door glass smashedout of the Fortune Garden restaurant. Fortune Gar-den is located adjacent to the sub shop, and sharesthe same address.

On July 23 at approximately 2:18 a.m., officersfrom the 3rd District were dispatched to a burglarycall at the Cuba de Ayer restaurant located at 15446Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. Officers foundthe front door glass had been smashed out.

On August 7 at approximately 5:30 p.m., detec-tives from the Montgomery County Police RepeatOffenders Section located Zadory in Langley Parkoperating a stolen car. It was determined that the

This Week in Potomac

See This Week, Page 4


News

See Fourth Presbyterian, Page 10

See Celebration, Page 12

Robert Paul Murphy, a resident ofthe 10700 block of Stable Lanewas reported missing Mondaynight, Aug. 11.

Detectives from the MontgomeryCounty Police 1st District InvestigativeSection are asking the public’s help inlocating him. Murphy was last seen at10 a.m. Monday at his home.

He is described as a 62-year-old whitemale. He is 6’1" tall, weighs 180 pounds,and is balding with gray hair. He waswearing a dark suit with an unknowncolor shirt and tie when he left homeMonday morning for work.

The Fourth Presbyterian School onSouth Glen Road has obtained thepermits necessary to begin con-struction on their new 66,000 square-footfacility and could break ground as early asthe first week of September.

“We do have all our permits and the onlything we’re waiting for right now is ourbond financing,” said Tim Horst, the presi-dent of the school’s board of directors. Thenew facility would roughly quadruple thecurrent facility and will allow the school to

expand from a K-5 facility to include grades6-8. According to an online search of theMontgomery County Department of Permit-ting Services, the only permits still beingprocessed are those pertaining to demoli-tion of existing buildings.

Plans for the expansion have been in theworks for several years but most neighborswere not aware of them until this spring,and many in the surrounding neighbor-hoods said were dismayed by the lack ofoutreach by the school.

School officials said then that they hadsent out a notice to the neighbors a yearago but when they heard no feedback fromthe community they proceeded withoutmaking any further overtures or attemptsto garner community feedback. School of-ficials have since apologized for not involv

By Daniel LinThe Almanac

Against a clear blue afternoon skya little boy tossed a basketballtowards a hoop. The hoop con-nected not to a pole stuck in con-crete, but to a massive multi-colored moonbounce. Across the street, parents andgrandparents lounged in the shade, watch-ing him and other children play.

On Saturday, Aug. 9, young and old,people from the Scotland community andbeyond gathered to celebrate the 20th an-nual Scotland Community Day. The annualcelebration featured food and music, clownsand even a horse.

“It’s a family event,” said Odelia Cooper,longtime Scotland resident.

Family can stretch beyond the nuclear orextended.

“You get the people who live here, theirchildren, their grandchildren. People who’vemoved come back and bring their kids,” saidAlan Heard, who grew up in Scotland andstill lives there. “People from other commu-nities come as well.”

Lining the entrance to the cul-de-sacwhere most of the day’s attractions will take

place, a series of stands hawked vital wareslike education and career opportunities forresidents.

Suburban Hospital has a longstandingrelationship with the Scotland Community,said Monique Sanfuentes, the hospital’s di-rector for community outreach. In 1993, thetwo established the Scotland Partnership,in which the hospital works together withcommunity leaders to provide better medi-cal services. Throughout the yearSanfuentes and others visit Scotland to pro-

vide various health services and Sanfuenteshas attended Community Days in the past,but this year marked the first that the hos-pital has its own recruitment booth at thefestivities.

“We’re here to welcome high school kids,speak to them about healthy living, intro-duce them to potential careers down theroad,” she said. Suburban Hospital recruit-ment director Charmaine Williams added,“Health care is the largest growing indus-try at the moment. There are a variety of

options and many different areas for peopleto get involved.”

As they spoke, soldiers in full militarygarb, camouflaged suits, boots and all, satnearby prepared to answer questions aboutvolunteering for the Army.

Beside them, Winston Churchill HighSchool had a booth to provide educationalinformation. Standing behind the boothadjacent, Montgomery College coordinator

20th Annual ScotlandCommunity Daycelebrates the bonds ofcommunity and family.

A SummerCelebration

New Scotland Community Director Kimberly Bryant standing in front of the refreshment table at the 20th

annual Scotland Community Day.

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Robert Paul Murphy of StableLane was reported missing byhis family on Monday, Aug. 11.

Missing Man

Robert PaulMurphy

Murphy works atthe CongressionalBudget Office on E.Street SW in Washington DC. He alsoteaches at George Washington Universityin Washington. He drives a green ToyotaSienna van with Maryland tags.

There is no evidence to suspect foulplay but his family is concerned for hiswelfare, according to police.

Anyone who has information regard-ing the whereabouts of Robert PaulMurphy is asked to call the MontgomeryCounty Police non-emergency number at301-279-8000.

Renovation of privateschool on South GlenRoad could startearly September.

Fourth PresbyterianPrepares to Break Ground

Potomac Almanac Editor Steven M. Mauren703-917-6451 or [email protected]


From Page 2

NewsThis Week in Potomac

By Aaron SternThe Almanac

When Mac Thornton first moved to Cabin Johnin 1996, he traveled for business a lot andspent many a late night driving back fromDulles Airport in the dark. He would take theGW Parkway to I-495, then quickly get off the American Le-gion Bridge onto the Clara Barton Parkway, and it was there,in the middle of the night, that the smell would hit him.

“I’d say ‘Oh, I must be home,’” Thornton recalled. “It wasa mixed blessing to come home.”

That smell is one that Cabin John residents and C&O Ca-nal frequenters know well. It is hydrogen sulfide and to mostit conjures up images better left in a restroom or a gross-outmovie. It is also a smell that many people identify – incor-rectly – with the Canal itself. That was what people first toldThornton when he asked about it – that the foul stench thatfrequently plagues the Canal was the water in the Canal,but Thornton wasn’t convinced and it didn’t take him longto find the real culprit.

The real culprit is a 50-mile sewer line that runs from theDulles Airport area in Virginia, under the Potomac River andinto Maryland, and through the C&O Canal National His-torical Park and into the Blue Plains water treatment facilityin Washington, D.C. On its Maryland sojourn the line, knownas the Potomac Interceptor, runs along the Canal, and airvents along its path emit the foul stench into the air above.The scent is exactly what it smells like – raw sewage – and itis particularly bad during the humid summer months.

“At some times the system smells as bad as it ever has andat other times it doesn’t,” said Thornton. “I think if you talkto people who are out on the Canal a lot there is still anunacceptable level of stink a lot of the time.”

It is a situation that residents of Cabin John long ago grew

tired of, and in the late 1990s several local civic associationsbanded together to urge officials from the Washington, D.C.Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) to do something aboutit. The Potomac Conservancy, the American Canoe Associa-tion, and the Canoe Cruisers Association filed suit againstWASA in federal court in 2003. The lawsuit was ultimatelyunsuccessful, but in its aftermath WASA officials devised aplan to permanently solve the stench problem.

“We lost the battle but won the war, we think,” saidThornton.

WASA OFFICIALS agreed to build six permanent charcoal-filter stations along roughly 30 miles of the Interceptor –three in Montgomery County, one in Washington, D.C. andtwo in Virginia – to treat the smell and to cap most of theother 50 or so air vents that emit the odor. The three sites inMontgomery County are near Old Angler’s Inn, the I-495overpass, and an old pumping station along the Canal. Thestations would also reduce the pressure of the line allowingthe other uncapped vents to serve as air intakes rather thandischarge points, according to WASA officials.

Five years on, and three years after the original target date,however, those structures are still waiting to be built. Part ofthe reason for the delay is the fact that WASA has to obtain46 permits from 17 different county, state and federal agen-cies to build the structures, but turnover within the staffs ofWASA, the National Park Service, and the Maryland-NationalCapital Park and Planning Commission hasn’t helped any-thing either, said Dave Lake, a Montgomery County repre-sentative to the WASA board of directors. Those changes inpersonnel mean design reviews have gone through differentstaffs, essentially restarting the process several times, Lakesaid.

A lack of coordination between the various agencies andsome good old-fashioned foot-dragging on behalf of WASAhasn’t helped anything either, said Thornton.

“I think the will at WASA has been lacking. That is themajor cause of the situation in my opinion,” Thornton said.

Meanwhile the smell hasn’t gotten any better, and a con-sistent pattern of action and inaction has emerged.

“They make progress and then they get a little boggeddown, we put their feet to the fire, they make some more

After years of inaction, asolution to the stench of sewagealong the C&O Canal mayfinally be on the horizon.

Stopping the Stench

This capped ventbehind the RiverCenter atLockhouse 8 alongthe C&O Canal isone of dozens ofvents along thePotomac Intercep-tor that emits thesmell of raw sew-age. Six charcoalfilter facilities areslated to be built in2010 along the 50-mile line that areintended to elimi-nate the stenchthat often plaguesthe C&O Canal andsurrounding com-munities such asCabin John and thePalisades.

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car, a 2002 Saturn L200, had been stolen dur-ing a residential burglary in the 3rd District. De-tectives stopped the car and arrested Zadory with-out incident.

Zadory was charged with three counts of bur-glary in the second degree, burglary in the fourthdegree, theft over $500, and three counts of ma-licious destruction of property over $500. Zadoryis currently being held in the Montgomery CountyDetention Center on a $150,000 bond.

Zadory may be responsible for several othercommercial and residential burglaries throughoutMontgomery County, according to police, and fur-ther charges are anticipated. Anyone with infor-mation about these crimes is asked to call theMontgomery County Police 3rd District Investiga-tive Section at 301-565-5835. Callers may remainanonymous.

Strathmore Film FestivalThe 11th Annual Comcast Outdoor Film Festi-

val benefiting NIH Children’s Charities, kicks offFriday, Aug. 15. The festival runs from Aug. 15-24. Restaurants and grounds open at 6:30 p.m.Showtime starts at 8:30 p.m. at the Mansion atStrathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike. Admission isfree though donations are requested. For moreinformation go to: http://www.strathmore.org/eventstickets/calendar/view.asp?id=1943

Tiger’s BenefitMontgomery County announced last week that

the 2008 AT&T National Golf Tournament – thesignature event of Tiger Woods – held last monthat Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, gen-erated an estimated $16.8 million in total directand indirect, positive economic impact to Mary-land, including $5.5 million in employee incomeand nearly 200 jobs. The bulk of that impact wasconcentrated in Montgomery County.

The tournament is a huge spectator draw andone of the region’s anticipated professional sport-ing events, according to a newsletter from CountyExecutive Ike Leggett’s office, but what this eco-nomic impact analysis also demonstrates is that itis an economic boon for the local economy.

“We are very proud to have this impressive eventhosted by the world’s greatest golfer, Tiger Woods,take place in Montgomery County and we will doall we can to ensure that it stays here for many,many years to come,” the letter read.

In an interview with The Almanac last monthLeggett said he hoped the Congressional CountryClub membership would approve a recommenda-tion by the club’s board of directors to hold it therefrom 2012 through 2017. The tournament isscheduled to be held there in 2009 then find anew home in 2010 as the course is renovated forthe U.S. Open, which comes to Congressional in2011. Leggett said that he would work with thePGA and TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm – formerlyTPC Avenel – to bring a high-caliber tournamentwhen that course completes a $25 million reno-vation this fall.

Some 107,120 spectators attended the AT&T Na-tional over six days in July, with an average dailyattendance of more than 25,800. An estimated10,712 of these spectators stayed overnight in theCounty. Additionally, the tournament broughtsponsors, suppliers, players, caddies, families andmedia from outside the region who accounted foran additional 3,000 overnight visits.


Annie and Zachary are 6 month-old Black Lab mix puppies. They arevery energetic and active puppies who love to play and run. They woulddo best in a home with another dog and adults or older children. They areboth altered, current on shots, and microchipped. Annie and Zachary arecurrently up for adoption through the Montgomery County HumaneSociety. If interested in meeting them, contact their foster mom Meg [email protected] or call 240-483-2846.

Both of these pets are currently residing at the Montgomery CountyHumane Society county shelter at 14645 Rothgeb Drive, Rockville.Call 301-279-9677 or e-mail [email protected].

Your Dog’s Friend, a non-profit orga-nization that educates and supports dogowners, has set its schedule for this fall.Free workshops will be held at Potomacand Wheaton community centers fromSept. 7 through Nov. 16.

Dog training classes, using positive,rewards-based methods, will be run, fora fee, at the National Lutheran Home inRockville. These include Puppy Kinder-garten, Basic Manners, and DogTraining for Kids. The fee for theseclasses helps support Your Dog’sFriend’s other free services. Dog ownerscan find more information and registerfor the workshops and dog trainingclasses by going towww.yourdogsfriend.info or calling301-983-5913.

This fall’s workshops will include:❖ Three Lessons That Every Dog

Should Know, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2-4 p.m.,at the Potomac Community Center,11315 Falls Road.

❖ Could My Dog Be a Therapy Dog?Sunday, Sept. 21, 3-5 p.m. at thePotomac Community Center, 11315Falls Road.

❖ The Emotional Life of Dogs, Satur-day, Oct. 4; 2-4 p.m. at the PotomacCommunity Center, 11315 Falls Road.

❖ What if My Dog Bites Santa?, Sat-urday, Nov. 15; 2-4 p.m. at the

Potomac Community Center, 11315Falls Road.

❖ Bring on the Doggy Police (whenneighbors just can’t seem to get along),Saturday, Oct. 18, 2-4 p.m. at theWheaton Community Center, 11711Georgia Ave.

How Dogs Can Help Individuals withAutism and other Developmental Dis-abilities, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2-4 p.m. atthe Wheaton Community Center, 11711Georgia Ave.

WorkshopsPets

SparkleStella

Partnership for Animal Welfare (PAW) is an all-volunteer, not-for-profitgroup. To adopt an animal, volunteer or make a tax-deductible donation,visit www.paw-rescue.org, call 301-572-4PAW orwrite to PAW, P.O. Box 1074, Greenbelt, MD 20768.

Stella is a female, 2-year-old,50 lbs., spayed Siberian Husky.Stella is an intelligent, ice blue-eyed young beauty, typical of heractive breed. She has great housemanners and is friendly with otherdogs. Stella needs an active familywith a well-fenced yard since herbreed was born to run andexercise.

Sparkle is a female, 2-year-old,30 lb., spayed Lab-mix. Sparkle hashad a tough life prior to PAWrescue but her wonderful personal-ity, hence her name, shinesthrough. She’s a sweet dog, a nicesize and a lovely mix. Sparkle willdo best with a nice family in a cat-free home.

Annie Zachary

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11230 Grandview Ave.Wheaton, MD 20902

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Opinion POTOMACALMANAC7913 Westpark Drive,

McLean, VA 22102

EDITOR &

PUBLISHERMary Kimm

[email protected]

EDITORIALPHONE: 703-917-6476

FAX: 703-917-0991E-MAIL:

[email protected] Site: www.potomacalmanac.com

EDITORSteven Mauren703-917-6451

[email protected]

COMMUNITY REPORTERAaron Stern

[email protected]

SPORTS EDITORAaron Stern

[email protected]

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTMatthew Razak703-917-6476

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STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERSRobbie Hammer, Louise Krafft

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSCissy Finley Grant, Carole Dell,

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John Smith, Stu Moll,Tam Nguyen, Wayne ShippProduction Manager:

Jean Card

ADVERTISINGPHONE: 703-821-5050

FAX: 703-917-0997E-MAIL: [email protected]

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESDisplay Advertising:

Kenny Lourie 703-917-6475

Employment:Barbara Parkinson

703-917-6418Andrea Smith 703-917-6401

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By Roger BerlinerCouncilmember, District 1

Arguably the Council’s most impor-tant responsibility is to fund Countyprograms and services while main-taining a balanced budget. In goodyears, when revenues are ample, as they werein 2006-2007, that is not a particularly diffi-cult task. In a rising tide, floated by revenuesfrom a strong economy, we could fundthe programs and services our commu-nity has come to expect in MontgomeryCounty and keep our commitment toyou not to exceed the “Charter Limit”on property taxes (for those of you who donot follow the County’s budget process closely,the Charter Limit was passed by the citizens toessentially limit increases in property taxes tothe rate of inflation, unless a supermajority ofthe Council, seven members, votes to overrideit).

In bad economic years, like this one, whenthe national economy is tottering on the edgeand revenues from development and real es-tate transactions have fallen off the chart, it isa horse of a different color. We entered the laststage of the budget process staring at a $300million projected deficit, the largest projecteddeficit in the County’s history. The options atthat stage are not good ones.

The County Executive proposed to the Coun-cil that we achieve a balance by increasingproperty taxes by $138 million over the Char-ter Limit, increasing the property tax rate, andreducing the rate of growth in governmentspending. I, for one, found that particular com-bination to be unacceptable. I felt that it puttoo much of the burden on our taxpayers, anddid not achieve enough savings. For that rea-son, I initially voted against the budget, a votethat forced the Council to consider other op-tions.

Most importantly, I felt that it was essentialthat our employees, generally slated to earn 8percent more this year than last year, andwhose compensation represents approximately80 percent of the County’s budget, should bepart of the solution. I felt that it was not rightto ask our taxpayers to pay this much over theCharter Limit without a sense of “shared sacri-fice.” I was not seeking to “balance the budgeton the backs of our workers,” but I was hoping

that there would be a meaningful rec-ognition that in an economy in whichour taxpayers are really struggling, somemodest voluntary concession on theirpart, particularly given the size of the

increase they were otherwise entitled to, woulddemonstrate that we must all be in this to-gether.

A number of our county employee unions —the police, firefighters, and government em-ployees — indicated their willingness to en-gage in a constructive dialogue to explore sucha result, and I was gratified by that response.However, the Board of Education Presidenttestified publicly that the school system wouldfully fund their contracts regardless of whatthe County Council did and claimed the legalright to do so. This same message was con-veyed privately in no uncertain terms. In theabsence of a comprehensive understandingwith all County employees, there could not bea deal at all.

Given that we needed seven votes to passthis budget (since it would exceed the charterlimit), it became clear that this was as goodan outcome as I was going to be able to ac-complish. It did not please me, and I statedpublicly that this was “not a budget to cel-ebrate.”

The bottom line is that we passed a budgetthat had greater savings than the County Ex-ecutive proposed, lower property taxes thanhe proposed, and held the line on the prop-

erty tax rate, which limited the increases oncommercial properties and many District 1 resi-dences. While directionally better, I take nopleasure in sharing this result.

INFILL DEVELOPMENT REFORMAs you may know, I have been working for

more than a year to find a better balance be-tween individual property rights and neighbor-hood compatibility when it comes to infill de-velopment issues. The goal is to achieve a moregraceful transformation of our older commu-nities, one that still allows for a natural eco-nomic evolution, but an evolution that honorsthe character of the community.

I am cautiously optimistic that we willachieve this goal by the fall of this year.

I am continuing to work to improve the leg-islation based on the public comments thatwere provided. For example, the current ver-sion of the legislation requires homes to besmaller even if they sit on lots that are a halfacre or larger. In my view, homes on half anacre do not raise the concerns common to“McMansions” on small lots, and thereforeshould not be included within the scope of thelegislation.

If you have views on this legislation, eitherpro or con, you should feel free to share themwith the full Council by sending an e-mail [email protected],which will then be distributed to all memberson the Council.

“THE GREENING OF MONTGOMERYCOUNTY”

I am very pleased to report that the Councilmet the goal I set in my last newsletter by pass-ing all seven of my global warming bills onApril 22 – Earth Day. It was a very nice EarthDay celebration indeed! Thank you to all the

Get Involved in Council Decision-making

CouncilUpdate

See get Involved, Page 15

SnapshotTraffic on the American

Legion Bridge heading intoVirginia from Potomac couldbe heavy and slow at timesover the next five years as theCommonwealth of Virginiamoves forward with aBeltway widening project.Construction started thismonth and will add two“high occupancy toll” (HOT)lanes in each direction fromGeorgetown Pike to theSpringfield Mixing Bowl.When complete, the separatelanes will be free for vehicleswith three or more occu-pants, and will be open tovehicles with a one or twooccupants for a fee. The tollwill vary based on theamount of congestion, withthe designers promising tokeep the HOT Lanes movingat least 45 miles per hour.American Legion Bridge, Monday, Aug. 11, 11:45 a.m.


To submit an item for the Civic Calendar,e-mail [email protected] or fax the submission to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday at noon twoweeks prior to the event. For questions, call703-917-6451.

SATURDAY/AUG. 16The Healing Power Of Grief

workshop led by MontgomeryHospice staff. 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.Robert A. Pumphrey Funeral Homes,inc., 300 W. Montgomery Ave,Rockville. Free. To register for thisworkshop call Pumphrey FuneralHomes at 301-652-2200.

Back-to-School Fair. For the first timeever, Montgomery County Public

Schools will kick off the school yearwith a Back-to-School Fair at theschool system’s central office locationin Rockville. The event forMontgomery County Public Schoolsfamilies will run from 10 a.m.–3p.m., on the grounds of CarverEducational Services Center, 850Hungerford Drive, Rockville. Call301-279-3100.

TUESDAY/AUG. 19Book-A-Librarian. Drop into the

Bethesda Library, 7400 ArlingtonRoad, Bethesda, any Tuesdaymorning between 10 and 11 a.m. forindividualized help with aspects ofthe library. Call 240-777-0970.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 20S.O.S. Sounds of Souljahs will be a

benefit concert for United NationsRefugee Agency at the Cabin JohnPicnic Area, 7701 Tuckerman Lane,Potomac. The event will raise moneyfor UNHCR and to give local bands avenue.

THURSDAY/AUG. 21Montgomery County Green

Democrats will meet from 7:30-9p.m. at Azteca Restaurant, 15855Redland Road, Rockville. The speakerwill be Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher,Dist. 18, Maryland Assembly. [email protected].

Civic Calendar

8 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ August 13-19, 2008 Potomac Almanac ❖ August 13-19, 2008 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

CalendarTo have community events listed free

in The Potomac Almanac, send mail to7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, Va.22102, e-mail to [email protected], or fax to703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday atnoon for the following week’s paper.Photos and artwork encouraged. Unlessotherwise noted, al l events are inPotomac. If you have any questions, call703-917-6451.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 13Focus Music. Big Wide Grin will

perform at O’Brien’s BBQ, 387 EastGude Drive Rockville, 8 p.m. Ticketsare $15/general and $12/members.Visit www.focusmusic.org.

Potluck Supper. Join The WellnessCommunity - Greater Washington,D.C. for a celebration of summer forpeople with cancer and their lovedones, 5:30 – 8 p.m. Enjoy a potlucksupper, music and companionship.Attendees are encouraged to bringsalad, side dish or dessert. Location:The Wellness Community- GreaterWashington, DC, 5430 GrosvenorLane, Suite 100, Bethesda. Forreservations call 301-493-5002 [email protected].

Fiction Book Group. Discuss fictionbooks with other readers at Barnesand Noble, 4801 Bethesda Ave.,Bethesda, 7:30 p.m. Call 301-986-1761.

Shadow Puppets. Puppeteer DavidBarash brings international folk talesto life as he demonstrates the ancientart of shadow puppetry at thePotomac Library, 10101 GlenoldenDrive, Potomac, 7 p.m. Call 240-777-0690.

Concert. Taylor Carson (Alternative/Pop) will perform at Bethesda Lanefrom 6-8 p.m. Located whereBethesda Avenue, Woodmont Avenueand Elm Street meet in Bethesda. Visitwww.bethesdarow.com.

THURSDAY/AUG. 14Summer Reading Club Grand

Finale at the Bethesda Library, 7400Arlington Road, Bethesda, 1 p.m.Daniel Barash Shadow Puppets willshare an Insect-themed show and theFriends of the Library will provide icecream for an ice cream social. Call240-777-0970.

FRIDAY/AUG. 15Six String Sing-a-Long. A musical

performance and sing-a-long ofchildren’s favorites with EllisWoodward at the Cabin John MallAtrium, 11325 Seven Locks Road,Potomac, 9:30 a.m.

Contra Dance. Contra dance is a typeof folk dance for all ages. All dancesfeature top quality live music. Contradances are held every Friday night atGlen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthurBlvd., Glen Echo, with a lesson at7:30 p.m. and the dance from 8:30 -11:30 p.m. Beginners are alwayswelcome. Admission: $9. ContactEmail: [email protected].

Swingin’ the Blues. The Glen EchoPark Partnership presents anotherFriday night Swingin’ the Blues for asoothing end-of-the-work-week dancein the Bumper Car Pavilion at GlenEcho Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.,

Glen Echo. This night offers dancers achoice of two different lessons: WestCoast Swing or a Slow Blues lesson,with Mike and Donna from 8 - 9 p.m.The lesson is followed by music fromBG & the Mojo Hands. Lesson from 8to 9 p.m., dance from 9 p.m. tomidnight. The $13 admission includesthe lesson. No partner required.Contact Email:[email protected].

Moths. Come discover why mothsconstitute about 90 percent of all theLepidoptera on the planet from 7:30-11 p.m. Join Dr. David Adamski inreviewing the most common mothfamilies found in the Capitol Region.After sunset, he’ll help participantsidentify the moths that are attractedto his blacklight set-up on theWoodend grounds. Audubonmembers: $19; Nonmembers$26.50. Visitwww.audubonnaturalist.org.

SATURDAY/AUG. 16Back to School Fair. Montgomery

County Public Schools (MCPS) willkick off the 2008–2009 school yearwith a Back-to-School Fair from 10a.m. to 3 p.m., on the grounds of theCarver Educational Services Center,850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville.The fair will feature information andresources for parents to activities andentertainment for children. Familiesare invited to enjoy food fromdifferent countries, live music,storytelling, a moon bounce, andmore. Contact DFCP at 301-279-3100.

Storytime. Kat Tales featuring KatAerobics will be at Barnes and NobleBook sellers, 4801 Bethesda Ave.,Bethesda at 11 a.m. Call 301-986-1761.

Laugh Riot. Enjoy five local comics andhave a chance to tell one’s own jokesat the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, 7400Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 8-10 p.m.Cost $10. Call 301-657-1234.

Carousel Tours. Carousel tours start at12 p.m. at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, and givevisitors a closer look at the 1921Dentzel carousel. Find out how it was

made, how it works, and about therest of the amusement parkattractions that were built around it.Visit www.nps.gov/glec.

Park Tour. Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, toursbegin at 2 p.m. and lead visitorsthrough a walking tour of the Park tolearn about its history and the currentprograms in arts, dance and children’sactivities. Admission is free. Toursbegin at the visitor’s desk in theArcade Building. Visit www.nps.gov/glec.

Nature Program. Come visit DiscoveryCreek Children’s Museum Forest Talesexhibition at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Spendtime with the entire family whileparticipating in engaging science andnature activities. In the former GlenEcho Park stable building, near thepark entrance. Open 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.Admission is free for members andchildren under 2, $5 for nonmembers.Call 202-337-5111 to makearrangements or visitwww.discoverycreek.org.

Swing Dance. Gottaswing.com presentsa swing dance with SingCo RhythmOrchestra in the Spanish Ballroom atGlen Eco Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.,Glen Echo. Beginner swing lessonwith Tom & Debra, 8 to 9 p.m.;dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight.Admission: $15. Contact Web site:www.gottaswing.com.

English Conversation Club. Join inpracticing and improving your spokenEnglish with the help of volunteersleading discussions at the PotomacLibrary, 10101 Glenolden Drive,Potomac, 3 p.m. Call 240-777-0690.

Canoe and Camping Trip. Comeenjoy the great outdoors with a canoetrip lead by Byron Bradley onSaturday afternoon that will start atCarderock Picnic Area and end onMinnie’s Island for a night of campingunder the stars and waking up onSunday morning at the River Centerat Lockhouse 8. Starts at 4 p.m. RSVPat www.potomac.org.

SUNDAY/AUG. 17Carousel Tours. Carousel tours start at

12 p.m. at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, and givevisitors a closer look at the 1921Dentzel carousel. Find out how it wasmade, how it works, and about therest of the amusement parkattractions that were built around it.Visit www.nps.gov/glec.

Park Tour. Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, toursbegin at 2 p.m. and lead visitorsthrough a walking tour of the Park tolearn about its history and the currentprograms in arts, dance and children’sactivities. Admission is free. Tours

begin at the visitor’s desk in theArcade Building. Visit www.nps.gov/glec.


Waltz Dance. Waltz Time presents abeginning waltz lesson from 3 to 3:30p.m., followed by an afternoon ofwaltzes and other couples dances inthe Spanish Ballroom at Glen EchoPark, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., GlenEcho. Dancing from 3:30 to 6 p.m. tothe music of Cabaret Sauvignon. Asalways, no partner is required for thisdance in the Spanish Ballroom, andthe cost is $8, including lesson.Contact Email:[email protected].

Blues Dance. The Glen Echo ParkPartnership presents a Blues Dancewith ACME Blues Company in theSpanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park,7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Fordancers who want to learn moreabout slow blues dancing, MikeMarcotte and Donna Barker offer ablues lesson from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Nopartner required. Doors open for“dance only” at 8:15 p.m. Admission:$12 dance only/$17 lesson & dance.Contact Email:[email protected].

Contra and Square Dance. TheFolklore Society of GreaterWashington presents traditionalAmerican dancing with a focus onNew England style contra dances,including square dances, countrymixers, waltzes and other coupledances at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo in theBumper Car Pavillion. All dances aretaught, and no partner is necessary.The newcomers’ welcome lesson is at7 p.m., followed by called dances withcaller David Millstone calls to AnnaPatton & Friends from 7:30 to 10:30p.m. Admission: $12 nonmembers/$9FSGW members. Web site:www.fsgw.org.

MONDAY/AUG. 18Storytime. Monday morning storytime

at Barnes and Noble Booksellers,4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 11a.m. Call 301-986-1761.

TUESDAY/AUG. 19NIH Tour. The Wellness Community -

Greater Washington, DC will sponsora free guided tour of the NationalLibrary of Medicine at NIH for peoplewith cancer and their loved ones,1:30-3:30 p.m. The tour will befollowed by a special demonstrationof medical research databases.Participants should meet at TheWellness Community at 1 p.m. tocarpool to NIH grounds. Meetinglocation: The Wellness Community-Greater Washington, DC, 5430Grosvenor Lane, Suite 100, Bethesda.For reservations call 301-493-5002 [email protected].

Science Book Group. Discuss bookson Science and Technology at Barnesand Noble, 4801 Bethesda Ave.,Bethesda, 7:30 p.m. Call 301-986-1761.

Bustles and Beaux. Join Michael Bevelfor a discussion of Booth Tarkington’snovel “The Magnificent Ambersons” atBethesda Library, 7400 ArlingtonBlvd., Bethesda, 7 p.m. Call 240-777-0970.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 20Concert. Willow Garden Theater

presents afternoon concerts atBethesda Gateway Building, 7201Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 12-2 p.m.Free. Call 301-352-5387.

Concert. Meritxell Project (Jazz) willperform at Bethesda Lane from 6-8p.m. Located where Bethesda Avenue,Woodmont Avenue and Elm Streetmeet in Bethesda. Visitwww.bethesdarow.com.

FRIDAY/AUG. 22Contra Dance. Contra dance is a type

of folk dance for all ages. All dancesfeature top quality live music. Contradances are held every Friday night atGlen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthurBlvd., Glen Echo, with a lesson at7:30 p.m. and the dance from 8:30 -11:30 p.m. Beginners are alwayswelcome. Admission: $9. ContactEmail: [email protected].

Cajun/Zydeco Dance. Dancing by theBayou presents a Cajun/Zydeco dancewith live music in the Bumper CarPavilion at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo.Admission includes an introductorydance lesson with Michael and Sharonat 8 p.m. followed by dancing untilmidnight to music by the Pine LeafBoys. Admission: $18. ContactWebsite:www.dancingbythebayou.com.

SATURDAY/AUG. 23English Conversation Club. Join in

practicing and improving spokenEnglish with the help of volunteersleading discussions at 3 p.m. at 10101Glenolden Drive, Potomac. 2 hours.Call 240-777-0690.

Storytime. Kat Tales featuring Kat

Aerobics at Barnes and NobleBooksellers, 4801 Bethesda Ave.,Bethesda, 11 a.m. Call 301-986-1761.

Swing Dance. Frankie Manning willperform in the Spanish Ballroom atGlen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthurBlvd., Glen Echo. Beginning swinglesson at 8 p.m., followed by dancingfrom 9 p.m. to midnight. Admission is$15.

Grammar Workshop. Crash course inthe common errors of spelling at TheWriter’s Center, 4508 Walsh St.,Bethesda, 1:30-4 p.m. Members, $75;non-members, $90. Call 301-654-8664.

English Conversation Club. Join inpracticing and improving spokenEnglish with the help of volunteersleading discussions at 3 p.m. at 10101Glenolden Drive, Potomac. 2 hours.Call 240-777-0690.

Laugh Riot. Enjoy five local comics andhave a chance to tell one’s own jokesat the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, 7400

Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 8-10 p.m.Cost $10. Call 301-657-1234.Carousel Tours. Carousel toursstart at 12 p.m. at Glen Echo Park,7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo,and give visitors a closer look at the1921 Dentzel carousel. Find out howit was made, how it works, and aboutthe rest of the amusement parkattractions that were built around it.Visit www.nps.gov/glec.



2008 Solar Car Derby. For childrenages eight through 14, from 10 a.m.to noon at the Eastern MontgomeryRegional Services Center located at3300 Briggs Chaney Road, SilverSpring. At the derby, children willassemble and keep a working, solar-powered model car and race theircars, weather permitting. Studentswill also learn about clean energy. To

participate, parents or guardiansshould contact DEP at 240-777-7700or [email protected] the name of the participant, theparent or guardian’s name, addressand home phone number.

SUNDAY/AUG. 24 Geology of the C&O Canal. Callan

Bentley will use rock evidence todeduce geologic history of the regionat River Center at Lockhouse 8, C&OCanal National Historical Park, CabinJohn, 10-11 a.m. Seewww.potomac.org.

Contra and Square Dance. TheFolklore Society of GreaterWashington presents traditionalAmerican dancing with a focus onNew England style contra dances inthe Bumper Car Pavilion at Glen EchoPark, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., GlenEcho. All dances are taught, and no

partner is necessary. The newcomers’welcome lesson is at 7 p.m., followedby called dances from 7:30 to 10:30p.m. Orrin Star calls to the LoveMongrels. Admission: $12nonmembers/$9 FSGW members.

Family Fun Day Carnival. 11 a.m. - 1p.m. at Congregation B’nai Tzedek,10621 South Glen Road, Potomac.Family, friends and prospectivemembers are invited to help kick offtheir 20th anniversary. Lots of adultand child friendly activities,inflatables, games and great food.Admission free; charge for food only.Call 301-299-0225.

Carousel Tours. Carousel tours start at12 p.m. at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, and givevisitors a closer look at the 1921Dentzel carousel. Find out how it wasmade, how it works, and about therest of the amusement parkattractions that were built around it.Visit www.nps.gov/glec.



MONDAY/AUG. 25Storytime. Monday morning storytime

at Barnes and Noble Booksellers,4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 11a.m. Call 301-986-1761.

TUESDAY/AUG. 26Open House. FAES Graduate School

open house for fall 2008, FAES, 9101Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, 4-7p.m. Free. Call 301-496-7976.

Book-A-Librarian. Drop into theBethesda Library any Tuesdaymorning between 10 and 11 a.m. forindividualized help at the BethesdaLibrary, 7400 Arlington Road,Bethesda. Call 240-777-0970.

WEDNESDAY/AUG. 27Focus Music. Enjoy music at O’Brien’s

BBQ, 387 East Gude Drive, Rockville,8 p.m. Tickets are $15 general, $12members. Visit www.focusmusic.org.

Concert. Ewabo (Steel Drums) willperform at Bethesda Lane from 6-8p.m. Located where Bethesda Avenue,Woodmont Avenue and Elm Streetmeet in Bethesda. Visitwww.bethesdarow.com.

Concert. Willow Garden Theaterpresents afternoon concerts atBethesda Gateway Building, 7201Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 12-2 p.m.Free. Call 301-352-5387.

FRIDAY/AUG. 29Contra and Square Dance. The

Friday Night Dancers presents Contradancing as well as some squaredances and waltzes in the Bumper CarPavilion at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. There isa Contra dance lesson from 7:30 to8:15 p.m. followed by the calleddance from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m.Beginners are always welcome. Thisevening features the band SomeAssembly. Admission: $9. ContactEmail: [email protected].

‘One Maryland, One Book’Montgomery College will host a special event Tuesday, Aug. 19, to celebrate

Maryland’s first-ever statewide community reading initiative, “One MarylandOne Book.” The initiative, developed by the Maryland Humanities Council,aims to get millions of Marylanders reading, thinking about and talking about“A Hope in the Unseen,” written by Ron Suskind about Cedric Jennings’ life.Jennings will share his personal story and sign books at 7 p.m., in the The-atre Arts Arena on Montgomery College’s Rockville Campus. This event is freeand open to the public. To learn more about the One Maryland One Bookinitiative, go to: www.mdhc.org/programs/one-maryland-one-book/.

Big Wide Grin will perform for Focus Music, Aug. 13.

Last ChanceThe Popcorn Gallery at Glen

Echo Park presents an exhibition ofartwork by students of all ages, cre-ated in classes at Glen Echo Park,through Sept. 1. Includes painting,drawing, photography, ceramics,glass, sculpture, jewelry and more.Saturdays and Sundays from 12-6p.m.

OngoingThe Metropolitan Center for the Vi-

sual Arts (VisArts at Rockville), 155Gibbs St., Rockville, presents “FromFarm to Market”, through Aug.17. This exhibit explores the impactfood has on people’s lives, revealingways in which it influences relation-ships in how it is produced and howit is portrayed through a variety of artmediums. This summertime exhibi-tion features work by local areaartists who look to food as theirsources and inspirations for theirwork. Visit www.VisArtsCenter.org.

Osuna Art, 7200 Wisconsin Ave.,Artery Plaza Lobby, Bethesda, willpresent “James Hilleary, Paintingfrom the ‘60s” and pieces from theWashington Color School throughAug. 20. Gallery hours are Wednes-day to Saturday, 12-5 p.m. Call301-654-4500 or visitwww.osunaart.com.

An exhibition by members of theAdvanced Master Printing classtaught by Frank “Tico” Herrera willbe at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo,through Aug. 29. Look for imagescovering a variety of approaches tophotography. In the Photoworks Stu-dio. Wednesdays and Sundays, 1-8p.m., and at all times during day andevening classes. Admission is free.Call 301-229-7930 or visitwww.glenechophotoworks.org.

“Sumi-E Society of America”,East Asian brush paintings and callig-raphy will be on display fromthrough Aug. 23 at the Mansion atStrathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike.Gallery hours are Monday - Friday, 10a.m. – 4 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m. –9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.Free. Call 301-581-5200.

38th Annual Labor Day ArtShow. The 38th Annual Labor DayArt Show at Glen Echo Park, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, is held inthe historic Spanish Ballroom. Thefree event, sponsored by the GlenEcho Park Partnership for Arts andCulture, runs from 12 - 6 p.m., Satur-day through Monday, Aug. 30 –Sept 1. The show features the workof more than 200 artists — both adultsand children — from the mid-Atlanticregion. Many artists have a connectionto the Park, either as students orteachers. Includes sculpture, paint-ings, works on paper, ceramics, glass,jewelry, photography, furniture andmore. Most artwork will also be forsale. A reception on Friday, Aug. 29,from 7 - 9 p.m. is open to the public,and many participating artists are ex-pected to attend. Admission is free.

The Dennis and PhillipRatner Museum , 10001 OldGeorgetown Road, Bethesda willpresent “Creative Expressions” fromSept. 3-28. A meet the artists recep-

tion will be from 10 a.m. -4:30 p.m.,Sept. 7. Museum hours are 10 a.m.– 4:30 p.m., Sundays and 12-4 p.m.Mondays – Thursdays. Call 301-897-1518.

The exhibit “Good Advice” willsurvey almost 200 years of Americanadvice books, aimed at helpingpeople to improve their lives from topto bottom. The exhibit will be on dis-play through Sept. 21, at theBeall-Dawson House, 103 W. Mont-gomery Ave., Rockville.ºMuseumhours are 12-4 p.m., Tuesday to Sun-day. Included with museumadmission ($3 adults/$2 seniors &students).

The exhibit “Breakfast” is a vi-gnette-style exhibit, on displaythroughout the Beall -DawsonHouse, 103 W. Montgomery Ave.,Rockville, in conjunction with theexhibit “Good Advice.”ºThe vi-gnettes include a family breakfast,formal breakfast, breakfast in bed,breakfast preparation, and evenGeorge Washington’s breakfast andwill be on display through Sept.21. Included with museum admis-sion ($3 adults/$2 seniors &students). Call 301-762-1492 orwww.montgomeryhistory.org.

The Photoworks gallery is openevery Sunday and Wednesday, 1-8p.m., and during all scheduled classesand workshops at, Glen Echo Park,7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo.Call 301-229-7930 or visitwww.glenechophotoworks.org.

Glassworks is the DC area’sfirst glass school located in GlenEcho Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.,Glen Echo. When classes are not insession, the studio is open for visi-tors to observe glassblowing andview the work of resident artist RickSherbert. Call 301-229-4184 or visitwww.ricksherbertglass.com.

The Art Glass Center at GlenEcho exhibits continually in the ArtGlass Center Gallery. These exhibitsfeature the work of resident artistsDiane Cab, Christine Hekimian, Bevand Zayde Sleph, and Bobbi Vischi.Sculpture, vessels, functional art,and jewelry are also for sale. All ex-hibited work is made at the ArtGlass Center Studio. The Art GlassCenter also produces other exhibitsfeaturing resident artists, faculty,students and invited artists. Thegallery and studio are open to thepublic on the weekends and by ap-pointment. Contact Bobbi Vischi [email protected].

Glen Echo Pottery. Glen EchoPottery maintains ongoing exhibits inthe Glen Echo Pottery Gallery in GlenEcho Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.,Glen Echo. These feature a specialselection of work by resident artists,instructors and students. Every Satur-day and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.Call 301-229-5585 or visitwww.glenechopottery.com.

Yellow Barn Gallery at GlenEcho Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.,Glen Echo. Free exhibits of emergingartist work and art sales. Each week-end features the work of a differentartist. Every Saturday and Sundayfrom 12 - 5 p.m. Call 301-371-5593or visit www.yellowbarnstudio.com.

Fine Arts

“Little Red Riding Hood &The Three Little Pigs” will bepresented by The Puppet Co., GlenEcho Park, Playhouse, 7300MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echothrough Aug. 31. Show times areWednesday-Friday, 10 a.m. and11:30 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday,11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Ages 3-15.Cost is $8. Call 301-320-6668.

The Puppet Co. presents “TinyTot Tuesdays,” a programdesigned for our youngest theaterpatrons (ages 0 - 4).ºThe shows areshorter, the lights stay on, the doorsstay open and the show is set up onthe floor. Performances on twoTuesdays each month (exceptDecember and January, which havejust one) at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.$5 for children (including babies)and adults. Reservations are

strongly recommended. Call 301-320-6668 or visitwww.thepuppetco.org.

Elementary school students ingrades 4, 5 and 6 can now enjoy aneducational and entertaining 45-minute play called “ClaraBarton, the Courage Within”at Adventure Theatre at Glen EchoPark, 7300 MacArthur Blvd. GlenEcho. After the play, students visitnearby Clara Barton NationalHistoric Site where Miss Bartonlived and conducted the AmericanRed Cross for 15 years. Tuesdays at10 a.m. during the school year forschool groups and other largegroups of age-appropriate children.Tickets are $8. Minimum 50-personaudience. No charge for visiting thehistoric home. Contact AdventureTheatre at 301-320-5331.

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STORAGESTRATEGY

Most buyers put storage spacehigh on their list of prioritiesfor a new home. No matter howmuch storage space a homeoffers, most people want more.

Sellers often face the minorindignity of having prospectivebuyers open all of their closetsto determine the capacity ofeach one. Even an enormouscloset looks small if it is clut-tered. Straightening and organ-izing your closets will help sellyour home. Also, if you get ridof your excess belongings aheadof time, your move will be lessstressful when the time comes!

Have a yard sale or rent astorage unit temporarily ordonate extra stuff to a charita-ble thrift organization. UncleSam currently gives you up to$5,000 in itemized deductions ifyou donate household items tosuch non-profit organizations.

When all of your closets are inorder, move on to the attic,basement, pantry, and wine cel-lar. Your storage areas will lookmuch more spacious and attrac-tive if they are neat and wellorganized.


People

From Page 3

ing their neighbors in the process moreand have held a series of community meet-ings over the summer to address concernsranging from the noise of construction tothe added traffic the school’s increased en-rollment could produce.

Deborah Bradford, who owns a homeadjoining the school’s property, said thatthat while she still isn’t excited about the

construction process she has softened herstance.

“Quite honestly I don’t think there’s awhole lot you can do about construction anddemolishing,” Bradford said. “I think thefact that they started dialogue with theneighbors and they continue to have meet-ings… I think its clear to me that they havethe neighbors’ interests at heart.”

— Aaron Stern

By Daniel LinThe Almanac

There’s a little pocket in Potomac,nestled in a bend of lush green,where thick trees drown thenoise of nearby River Road,where a woman, a wife, a mother of 2, hasbegun to see a childhood dream come intobloom, now, in adulthood, here in Mary-land. Recently, on July 13,a Sunday afternoon, forfamily and friends gatheredat her home, she performedher first pubic recital as adebut soprano soloist. Sheadmits to nerves — “Soonas I heard my introduction,as I was walking in, oh boy,I felt very nervous!” — butshe swallowed her butter-flies and delivered what herson Julien calls “perfec-tion.”

Mimi Williams is nostranger to the performing life. She’s feltthe tremble of the arena, rocked by the roarof the crowd, the nervous excitement thatrushes through both spectators and partici-pants. Her husband played on basketball’slargest stage.

Buck Williams starred in the NBA for sev-enteen seasons, playing for the New JerseyNets, the Portland Trailblazers, and finallythe New York Knicks. At each stop thesounds of the basketball court reigned, butbeneath the court’s loud clamor, a littlevoice sang. She loved the traveling, the see-ing new places and faces, all the fresh cul-tures in which to dip and learn, but sheknew “all along, through it all” that shewanted to sing.

BORN IN PHILADELPHIA, raised inWashington, D.C., Williams sang in churchchoirs all through childhood. Under theguidance of Grammy Award winning gos-

pel singer Ri-c h a r dS m a l l w o o d ,W i l l i a m snursed herlove in college,

as a member of the University of Maryland’sUniversity Choir.

Then, the dream lay prone for a while.“It just wasn’t the right time,” Williams re-calls. There was family, first theglobetrotting with her husband, then theneighborhood navigating, not just the gro-cery shopping at Potomac Village but thefrequent back and forth, from nearby bas-ketball courts to those in D.C. or Virginiaor further; wherever her sons’ games led,she followed.

This past season Julien performed wellas a freshman at Emory University andMalek as a freshman at Gonzaga HighSchool. As she watched her sons chase theirdreams, her own began its nibbling oncemore, at the tails of her imagination.

At the suggestions of her mother, Williamsenrolled in Washington, D.C.’s LevineSchool of Music. As her sons hit the gym,honing their jumpshots and perfecting their

footwork, Williams made her trips to thesound booth, warming up her chords, tun-ing her power and range.

The sessions were exhausting — “It’s aworkout!” — but exhilarating. Her persis-tence and dedication impressed her hus-band. “Most people have dreams but theymight not have the patience to work to-wards them. She puts in the time and theheart. It’s beautiful,” said Buck Williams.

It’s not for money. It’s not for fame. “It’sjust something I enjoy, something that I’vealways loved. If I can help others as I’mdoing it, make someone’s day easier throughmy singing, then that just makes everythingworth the while.”

She’s planning on holding more recitals,thinking about how to more involve hercommunity. “I would love to tie it to a char-ity, make it an annual event, maybe, withlocal singers and everything, to bring inmoney and awareness to causes that de-serve attention.”

SHE’S SINGING ALONE NOW, withoutthe comforting crutch of company, but herfamily’s providing plenty of support. Shemoved to Potomac primarily because “our

families were close. This was a great placefor us to settle in and be closer to our fam-ily.” So from a literal stance, they were al-ready close, but this experience has cer-tainly brought the family closer, from a figu-rative glance.

“I’ve played in every sport you can thinkof,” says Julien. “I’ve played in state, out ofstate, in the morning, at night, every timeand place imaginable. And she’s alwaysbeen there. She’s up in the stands, in thebleachers, on the sideline, always there,always supporting me. With this, I have theopportunity now to show her some of thesupport she’s always given me.”

Julien’s played in over 500 games, atcramped community centers and sprawlingcollege gymnasiums, for crowds large andsmall, raucous and quiet. He has had hisname called over the loudspeakers so manytimes “It doesn’t really faze me anymore.”

But on July 13, when he heard hismother’s name announced, he got shivers.Mom, as always, took note. “He was sweat-ing! I kept saying, gosh, what’s wrong withhim. He was very nervous.” But it touchedher. “He really wanted me to do well. Julien,Malek, my husband, they believe in what Ido. I think that for me is what makes thisso very special.”

She sings opera and classical, often in Ital-ian, music whose style and language trans-lates foreign to her sons, children of gen-eration hip hop, but a woman chasing herdreams — that needs no interpretation. Sothey cheer on.

“Sometimes we take baby steps in life,”said Williams. “We don’t want to step allthe way out there.” Now Williams has takenthe leap and, whether she falls or flies, herfamily’s there to catch her.

WILLIAMS WILL PERFORM next for theLevine School in Washington, D.C. and atBethesda’s Strathmore Hall. She is currentlytaking Music Theory at the Levine Schooland plans to take Italian Language in thenear future so that she can “make sure I givemy presentations the integrity they need.”Recording and further touring might becomerealities down the road but for now she isfocused on starting a local annual fund raiserwhere she and other performers will singfor the benefit of various charities.

Potomac womanfollows her dream toshare music withher community.

Mimi Williams Finds Her Voice

Mimi Williams and, from left, son Malek, hus-band Buck, and son Julien, taken on a recentfamily vacation this summer.

Mimi Williams

Silt fencing andsigns marking

stands of protectedforest areas have

gone up around theFourth PresbyterianSchool’s property in

preparation forconstruction on a

new facility thatcould begin the firstweek of September.

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Fourth Presbyterian Prepares to Break Ground

“Julien, Malek, my husband,they believe in what I do. Ithink that for me is whatmakes this so very special.”

— Mimi Williams


Lester L. Greer and Lauren T.Greer, husband and wife, have gradu-ated from the Uniformed ServicesUniversity, F. Edward Hebert School ofMedicine in Bethesda, Md. Both gradu-ates were promoted to the rank ofcaptain and commissioned as a U.S.Army Corps officer.

He is the son of William L. and KarenL. Greer of Wyndham Lane, Lansing,Kan., and brother of Robert W. Greer ofSummer Meadows Drive, ColoradoSprings, Colo. He received a bachelor’sdegree in 2003 from the U.S. MilitaryAcademy, West Point, N.Y.

She is the daughter of Peter H. andDale C. Turza of Cammack Drive,Bethesda. She received a bachelor’s de-gree in 2004 from Columbia University,New York, N.Y.

Army Cadet Evan R. Ellsworthis one of 267 cadets who attended the2008 George C. Marshall Foundation

Awards Seminar at Virginia Military In-stitute in Lexington, Va. The cadetreceived the George C. Marshall ROTC(Reserve Officer Training Corps)Award at the seminar. The award ispresented annually to the most out-standing senior Army ROTC (ReserveOfficer Training Corps) cadets in mili-tary science studies and leadershipvalues in each battalion at host univer-sities or colleges.

Upon graduation from the host collegeor university and completion of the ROTCprogram, the cadet will receive abachelor’s degree and a commission ofsecond lieutenant in the Army. The seniorcadet is a student at Wheaton College, Ill.He is the son of Phillip C. and Victoria M.Ellsworth of Garden Court, Potomac.Ellsworth is a 2004 graduate of St.Andrews Episcopal School, Potomac.

Air Force Reserve AirmanMoses A. Ross has graduated from

basic military training at Lackland AirForce Base, San Antonio, Texas. He isthe son of Wellmon and Ranjana Ross ofTuckerman Lane, Potomac. Ross is a2007 graduate of Walt Whitman HighSchool, Bethesda.

Benjamin D. Barlow has graduatedfrom the Uniformed Services University,F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine inBethesda, Md. The graduate was pro-moted to the rank of captaincommissioned to serve in the MedicalCorps of the Air Force. He is the son ofDouglas N. and Diana K. Barlow of Wind-ing Oaks Drive, Colorado Springs, Colo.His wife, Stephanie, is the daughter ofSteve and Maria Luginbill of Wall St.,Rockville. The captain graduated in theyear 2000 from Air Academy HighSchool, Colorado Springs, and receiveda bachelor’s degree in 2004 from theUniversity of Colorado at ColoradoSprings.

To have an item listed free in ThePotomac Almanac, send mail to 7913Westpark Drive, McLean VA 22102, e-mailto [email protected],or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline isThursday at noon for the following week’spaper. Photos encouraged. If you have anyquestions, call Matthew Razak at 703-917-6457.

Pottery Classes for Teens. A basicintroduction to the potter’s wheel. Theseclasses allow students to throw at theirown skill level. Classes meet for six weeksfrom 4 - 6 p.m. on Tuesdays (Sept. 2 -Oct 7) or Thursdays (Sept. 4 – Oct. 9).Tuition ($108) includes tools and sup-plies. For students attending middle andhigh school (age range: 11 - 16). At GlenEcho Pottery, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., GlenEcho. Call 301-229-5585 or visitwww.glenechopottery.com.

Joy of Dance Class. Fall semesterbegins new dance classes at Joy of Mo-tion Dance Center, 7315 Wisconsin Ave.,Suite 180 E, Bethesda. Call for more in-formation 301-986-0016.

Children’s Movement Classes.Creative Movement fall session starts atKids Moving Company, 7475 WisconsinAve., Bethesda. Classes held on Tues-days, Fridays and Saturdays. Times varyby ages. 9 months-9 years. $25/class or$375/session. 301-656-1543.

Dance Music. There is dancing everyweek from 3:30-6 p.m. at Glen Echo Span-ish Ballroom, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., GlenEcho. Blend together swing, waltz, tango,foxtrot and others for $8/person. Freedance lesson at 3 p.m. 703-425-7926.

PEP Parenting Classes. Parentingclasses for parents of children from birththrough age 18. Learn vital skills that willbring out the best in children and par-

ents. Classes are offered both during day-time and evening throughout the area.Call 301-929-8824 or visitwww.parentencouragement.org.

The Montgomery County Com-mission for Women Counseling &Career Center, 401 N. Washington St.,Suite 100, Rockville, provides personal,career, and couples counseling forwomen. Counseling sessions are avail-able in 50-minute sessions for $40. Call240-777-8300.

City Dance Center, 5301Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, is nowenrolling all ages and abilities for classes.Call 301-581-5204 or visitwww.citydance.net.

Master Greg Maye, owner, directorand head instructor of the Jhoon RheeInstitute in Potomac Village, 11815Seven Locks Road, is a 6th-degree blackbelt and certified master instructor byGrandmaster Jhoon Rhee. He is the se-nior instructor for the Jhoon RheeInstitute of Tae Kwon Do’s Washington,D.C.-metropolitan area, with 10 studioslocally. He offers private lessons, per-sonal training and seminars. Visitw w w . j h o o n r h e e i n s t i t u t e . c o m /contact_us.html for more.

The Eastern Montgomery Re-gional Services Center, inconjunction with the African Immigrantand Refugee Foundation, has added aseries of daytime ESOL (English forSpeakers of Other Languages) classes foradults. The classes will be held on Tues-days and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m.-12p.m., and will run for 20 consecutiveweeks. The center is located at 3300Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring. Childcare will be provided at no charge. Theclasses are free, but a $10 refundabledeposit and $16 book fee are required.

Registration and placement testing willtake place on the first day of class. Tosign up for a class or for more informa-tion, call 240-777-8400.

The Youth Programs division ofMontgomery College’s WorkforceDevelopment and Continuing Edu-cation offers both full and half-daycourses. The summer programs allowyouth to explore new areas of interest orreceive in-depth instruction in their fa-vorite subjects. Courses are taught ateach of the College’s three campuses –Germantown, Rockville and TakomaPark/Silver Spring. A complete listing ofofferings can be found online at http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/youth.

Art classes for toddlers, karate,dance and magic-trick lessons for chil-dren, fencing lessons for teens and yogafor adults are a few of the courses offeredby the Montgomery County RecreationDepartment at Potomac CommunityCenter. Elsewhere in the county, the RecDepartment offers courses from skate-boarding to yoga to cooking to youth art.Pick up the Montgomery County Recre-ation Department Guide a PotomacCommunity Center, 11315 Falls Road,Potomac, call 240-777-6840 or visitwww.montgomerycountymd.gov, thenclick “Departments,” then “Recreation,”then “RECord” for course information.

Dance Class. Learn ballet, jazz, hip-hop, yoga and more in a variety of classesheld daily from 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. atDansez! Dansez!, 4920 St. Elmo Ave.,Bethesda. All ages. Call for prices andtimes. 301-652-2551.

Yoga Classes. Sample lyengarmethod of Hatha Yoga, Unity WoodsYoga Center, 4853 Cordell Ave., SuitePH#7, Bethesda. Free. Call for schedule.301-656-8992.

To have an item listed mail to 7913Westpark Drive, McLean VA 22102, e-mailto [email protected],or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline isThursday at noon for the following week’spaper. Photos and artwork encouraged.Unless otherwise noted, all events are inPotomac. Questions? Call Matthew Razakat 703-917-6457.

Montgomery College offers an ar-ray of new, non-credit courses that wereformerly offered by Montgomery CountyPublic Schools. These courses, offeredprimarily during evenings or weekendsin public schools and other convenientcommunity locations, are in addition to

hundreds of other non-credit coursesavailable through the College’sWorkforce Development and ContinuingEducation unit. A complete schedule ofcourse offerings can be found online atwww.montgomerycollege.edu/wdce.Also, printed copies of the fall non-creditcourse schedule can be found at librar-ies, community centers and other suchlocations around the county. For ques-tions about continuing education coursesor to request a copy call 301-279-5188,visit www.montgomerycollege.edu/wdce/mcps/mcps.html.

Jewish Social Service Agency offers“Educational Consultation and

Support” for parents of children whohave been identified with a learning,attention, or other disability that im-pacts academic performance. Thisprogram helps parents identify andimplement the services a child needs toachieve academic success. Available tofamilies in Montgomery County. Adjust-able fees based on family income. Otherservices to children with learning, atten-tion or other disabilities include socialskills therapy groups, workshops onparenting challenging children, indi-vidual and family counseling, andsupport groups. JSSA is located at 6123Montrose Road, Rockville. Call 301-816-2633 or 703-204-9100 for more.

Schools

Classes

Military Notes

Fall semester begins September 6, 2008

5600 Little Falls Parkway Bethesda, MD 20816www.w-e-s.org • 301-652-7878 • [email protected]

WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

• Thursday, October 16, 2008, 9 a.m. • Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 9 a.m.• Sunday, December 7, 2008, 1 p.m. • Tuesday, January 6, 2009, 9 a.m.

The lessons your childlearns at The Little Gymwill fill you both with pride:How to reach higher.How to listen better.How to tackle challengeswith confidence and a smile.

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gradeschool

gymnasticskarate dance cheerleading camp

birthdayparties

parents’survival

night

Now enroll ing for fall...schedule a free trial class!Learn more at: The Litt leGym.com • Potomac Woods Plaza • tlgpotomacmd.com • 301-294-4840

Now! 1,000s ofpictures of sports,graduations, currentevents and more—never published, but postedon the Web. Free for evaluation,available for prints.


From Page 3

Sports

of admissions Cathy Kwolek readied bro-chures and pamphlets.

She called the event a “great opportunityfor us to meet students firsthand and forthem to have a face to connect with.” Thiswas her first time attending Scotland Com-munity Day but she sees great potential insuch celebrations, not just for families toreconnect, but also for the people in neigh-borhoods to forge fresh connections withnearby institutions.

“The more [members of] the communityinteract with each other, the better off ev-eryone is,” she said.

FRESHLY MINTED Director of ScotlandCommunity Center Kimberly Bryant wasbusy Saturday making sure everything ransmoothly. She is dedicated to “getting newprograms, getting the community more ofa voice.” She said, “My goal is to be able tocollaborate with community services, suchas [Montgomery County Public Schools],the Literary Council, and the Departmentof Social Services, and various private ser-

vices, like SCORE tutoring, and bringingthose services right here.”

For now, she points to the people and theevents, the face painting, the game booths,all the food and refreshments. “[Commu-nity Day] really bonds the community to-gether. Everybody has work Mondaythrough Friday, and this is the culminatingevent.”

More arrive as the day went on. The sol-dier shakes a young man’s hand. Kwolekbegins her pitch to prospective students. Inthe moon bounce, children leap and bound,and laughing and cheering. Mothers carrybabies, wrapped in their arms, to pet thehorse. People generally stayed away fromthe clown.

“It’s intergenerational,” said Bryant, “andit’s beautiful, just watching young and oldable to work together for a common cause.Everybody accepts one another. There’sgreat cultural diversity in this neighbor-hood. Everything and everyone just meshestogether.”

Cooper leaned in her chair and nodded.“Each year it’s getting better and better,”

she said.

By James GischeThe Almanac

On Sept. 15, the 4 Star TennisAcademy’s new location atthe Bullis School in Potomacwill open. The program’sfounder and executive director, Bob Pass,is a familiar face at Bullis, having coachedthe girls’ varsity team since 2001.

4 Star, based at the Four Seasons TennisClub in Merrifield, Va. for 35 years, will runclinics and summer camps at Bullis for play-ers of all skill levels. These programs willbe similar to those fromthe departing Jack SchoreTennis Training Center atBullis. However, “I predictthe total number of stu-dents involved will besmaller,” said Pass. Thesize reduction is due toPass’s plans to have onlyabout 16 students for eachtournament-level class andto dedicate more courts to private lessons.

Bullis has long been a tennis powerhouse.Under Schore’s direction, the boys’ varsityteam was consistently one of the best squadsin the nation, with nine wins and two lossesthis spring. The unit went undefeated from2005 to 2007. Starting in the spring of 2009,

the team’s coach will be Steve Miguel, aformer tennis star at Ohio State University.“I’d love to keep the [team’s] tradition” ofexcellence, said Miguel, who will also beDirector of Tennis for 4 Star at Bullis.

The Jack Schore Tennis Training Centergroomed numerous tennis stars during itstime at Bullis, but Pass is confident his pro-gram will uphold this legacy. “I don’t feelany pressure,” he said. “I’ve produced hun-dreds of nationally ranked players.” One ofPass’s strengths as a coach, according toMiguel, is that he can adapt his style to eachstudent.

AT THE SAME time, though, Pass stressesthat he does not give any special treatmentto his most accomplished players. “We’retrying to do a good job for everybody, notjust the one or two superstars,” he said. “Myphilosophy is to teach the kids to be as good

as they want to be.” In thebook “Coaching Tennis,”Chuck Kriese quotes Pass:“I think the biggest thingis caring about the person,and not just what theplayer is accomplishing,caring for them and notjust for yourself as thecoach.”

Pass says he strives tocreate a “family atmosphere” and ensurethat his students enjoy tennis. Darien Sears,who has trained with Pass since the begin-ning of the summer and will start her firstyear at Bullis as a junior this fall, describedPass as “very calm” but persistent. She alsopraised the way 4 Star operates: “We have

a lot of fun on the court,” she said.� Much of Pass’s confidence in 4

Star’s expansion to Bullis comes from hiscolleagues. “I’m bringing in a high-qualitystaff,” he noted. Besides Miguel, Pass isbringing in Raul Iriate, the former captainof Bolivia’s Davis Cup team, as the directorof 4 Star’s Young Tournament Players Pro-gram. University of Maryland productMasha Senic will also work for Pass at Bullis.Pass added that he is looking to add onemore trainer to his staff.

Schore recognized the importance of his

assistants to the success of the program heoperated at Bullis: “The fact that we havebeen able to serve over 40,000 families inthe Montgomery County area is a testamentto the hard work and excellence that mystaff has always attempted to achieve.”

During their respective teams’ seasons,Pass and Miguel plan to be at Bullis full-time. As for the rest of the year, they willsplit their time between Bullis and 4 Star’sVirginia location. “We’re really looking for-ward to helping the kids at Bullis,” saidMiguel.

Sign of the times: this sign along Bullis’s main entrance informs stu-dents and parents about the arrival of the 4 Star Tennis Academy.

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Prominent Virginiatennis programcoming to Bullis.

Changing of the Guard at Bullis

“My philosophy isto teach the kidsto be as good asthey want to be.”

— Bob Pass

Scotland Celebrates a Day of Community

The moon bounce is a great hit. The clown seems to have an aching back.


Call Specific Agents to ConfirmDates & Times.

To add your Realtor-represented Open House

to these weekly listings, please call Kenneth Lourie

703-917-6475 or E-Mail the info [email protected]

All listings due by Tues at 10 am.

OPENAug

HOUSES 16 th & 17 th

Find Your Next Home Here!

Bethesda

6211 Crathie Ln. $675,000 Sun 1-4 Jane Fairweather Coldwell Banker 240-223-4663

9 Darby Ct. $2,495,000 Sun 1-4 Jane Fairweather Coldwell Banker 240-223-4663

9004 Ewing Dr. $1,299,000 Sun 1-4 Jane Fairweather Coldwell Banker 240-223-4663

7304 Helmsdale Rd. $2,095,000 Sun 1-4 Leslie Friedson Long & Foster 301-455-8795

6106 Kirby Rd. $1,650,000 Sun 1-4 Jane Fairweather Coldwell Banker 240-223-4663

6009 Manor Oak Way $1,150,000 Sun 1-4 Leigh Reed Long & Foster 240-497-1700

9940 Mayfield Dr. $500,000 Sun 1-4 Robert Young Weichert 301-656-2500

4703 Monaco Cir. $1,049,000 Sun 1-4 Jane Fairweather Coldwell Banker 240-223-4663

5225 Pooks Hill Rd. #404s $449,000 Sun 1-4 Leslie Friedson Long & Foster 301-455-8795

8308 Whitman Dr. $829,000 Sun 1-4 Leslie Friedson Long & Foster 301-455-8795

Chevy Chase

4940 Bradley Blvd. #247 $495,000 Sun 1-4 Steve Gasque RE/MAX 301-652-0400

6902 Maple Ave. $2,199,000 Sun 2-5 Andrea Alderdice WC & AN Miller 301-229-4000

Potomac

10716 Barn Wood Lane $1,795,000 Sun 1-4 Leslie Friedson Long & Foster 301-455-8795

1405 Fallswood Dr. $699,999 Sun 1-4 Judith Casey Long & Foster 240-497-1700

8002 Postoak Rd. $669,900 Sun 1-4 Minka Goldstein Long & Foster 301-564-4900

9800 Tibron Ct. $1,675,000 Sun 1-4 Leslie Friedson Long & Foster 301-455-8795

North Potomac

456 Clayhall St. $599,000 Sun 1-4 Jai Kim Keller Williams 301-515-1155

15616 Fellowship Way $625,000 Sun 2-5 Ying Zhi Zhang Tian & Tian 301-540-8960

870 Flagler Dr. $359,900 Sun 1-5 Diane Leitner Weichert 301-540-1330

Find Your Next Home Here!

By Aaron SternThe Almanac

Forget what your neighbors sold their housefor in 2005 or 2006 and, for that matter,forget what your neighbors might have soldfor just last year. Think more along the linesof last month and no earlier than last winter.

Assessing the current reality of the real estate mar-ket is the key to buying and selling a home in Potomacthese days, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing,according to several local real estate professionals.

“We were sitting down with people in ‘03, ‘04 tell-ing them this is how much your place is worth andthey were high-fiving. … That’s not the market any-more,” said Michael Matese, a Realtor with Wash-ington Fine Properties.

Yes, the housing market has cooled off and yes,the days of getting astronomical returns on a homein just a few years are gone, but unlike the housingslump of the mid-1990s there are buyers to be had ifa house is priced realistically and presented well, hesaid.

“In this market people are out there, [but] theyhave to feel like they’re getting a good deal and anice house,” Matese said. “There are prospectivebuyers.”

ACCORDING TO FIGURES from MetropolitanRegional Information Systems, average and mediansale prices of homes in Potomac in July were downslightly from a year before. The average sales pricein Potomac last month was $1,154,484 compared to$1,217,394 last July and $1,139,823 the year be-fore; last month’s median price was $890,126 com-pared to $947,500 in July of 2007 and $1,025,000the year before. But the number of days the averagehome spent on the market alsodecreased slightly from a year be-fore – 76 days in July 2008 versus80 in July of 2007. Those numbersdon’t compare to the same time in2005 where the average homespent just 30 days on the market,but that was also a time when thefinal sales price averaged morethan 98 percent of the list price.Last month that figure was at justover 93 percent.

“We have a lot of sellers stillquoting prices from ‘05, ‘06 andwe have tell them ‘No, that doesn’twork,’” said Anne Killeen, who isalso a Realtor with WashingtonFine Properties.

MAKING A HOUSE look goodis key to getting it sold.

“Presentation is very important,its not like the old days when it can look anywayyou want,” Matese said. “The people [with homesfor sale] who are sitting out there are the peoplewho are unrealistically priced. They have no chanceof selling. That’s really the difference in this mar-ket.”

Sellers who took that approach likely could countthemselves among the 52 units that sold last month

(compared to 64 that sold in July of 2007 and 61 inJuly of 2005). As of August 7 there were 87 newlistings in Potomac, 24 of which were under con-tract and an additional 10 marked contingent con-tract.

The real estate market traditionally slows down inAugust as most prospective buyers are focusing on

one last summer vacation beforelooking to move, said Killeen. Andthe Potomac market may have todeal with a trend that the rest ofthe country does not.

As people with jobs tied to thefederal government await the out-come of November’s election thereal estate markets near Washing-ton, D.C. tend to cool a bit, saidMichael Seay, of W.C. & A.N.Miller. That will likely have agreater effect on places like North-west, D.C., Chevy Chase andBethesda, but it could also play afactor in Potomac.

“I can tell you that, this happensevery four years, that the marketalways seems a little bit slower go-ing into an election,” Seay said.“It’s been like that in the past.”

Seay said he expected the market to get back tonormal in November and December, and should sell-ers continue to be smart, and buyers patient, the mar-ket is looking up, said Matese.

“It’s probably not as bad as everyone thinks it is.There are houses that are still selling but they haveto be properly priced and they have to be in realgood condition,” he said.

Real Estate

Seller Be SmartReality and presentation are key to selling homes intoday’s real estate market.

A for sale sign along MacArthur Boule-vard. Potomac realtors say that presenta-tion and reasonable pricing are the key toappealing to prospective buyers in thecurrent market.

“We were sittingdown with people in‘03, ‘04 telling themthis is how muchyour place is worthand they were high-fiving. … That’s notthe marketanymore,”

— Michael Matese,Washington Fine Properties

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