Kentlands Under the Lights Delights!By Sharon Allen Gilder

T he third annual Kentlands Under the Lights on Satur-day, June 17 lent truth to the

expression “if you build it, they will come.” Like a scene from the movie “Field of Dreams,” what be-gan with a few people trickling in quickly grew to throngs of children and adults partaking of the delights of the evening. “This event’s like a barn raising,” said co-chair Sil-vio Renzi. “The community gets to gather and makes it happen. Everyone also gets the word out. Other than our banners we don’t do much advertising, but the event still draws a massive crowd.”

It’s estimated that perhaps 2,000 attended the free, open-air soirée in Market Square hosted by the Kentlands Community Founda-tion (KCF). Food was available for purchase from several tents, in-cluding Batik, Not Your Average Joe’s and Thai Tanium, as well as full restaurant menus from Pep-pers and Thai Tanium. Additional options were available from Sweet Farms’ and Kona Ice’s food trucks. Ride Allegheny’s tent sold sundaes with proceeds going to Operation Second Chance. A variety of beer and wine libations were available for purchase from The Wine Har-vest’s tent.

Incandescent string lights strate-

gically strung among the trees add-ed to the festive atmosphere and, as the sun began to set, the ambient bulbs provided a magical, almost Disneyesque aura to the square. “You have to be careful that you actually hang more lights than you break,” grinned Don Zelm who has lived in Kentlands for 15 years and helped hang the lights.

“I thought this was going to be a rainout,” said one attendee, ref-erencing predictions threatening the chance of scattered thunder-storms. Fortunately, good weather karma prevailed the entire night as

Theatrical Variety Is the Spice of Life for ‘Dial ‘M’’ DuoBy Ellyn Wexler

This article was originally pub-lished by CultureSpotMC.com.

V ariety enhances the lives of at least two primary mov-ers in Sandy Spring The-

atre Group’s (SSTG) production of Frederick Knotts’ 1952 clas-sic mystery-thriller “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” on the Gaithersburg Arts Barn stage from July 7 through 23. Both have managed to indulge their passion for theater while earning their livings in complete-ly unrelated spheres. “Dial ‘M’” Director David Levin is a retired medical doctor who lives in Poto-mac, and lead actor and Kentlands resident Mark Steimer is a policy/communications analyst for a gov-ernment contracting company.

Back in 1969, Levin “was given the choice of doing my military service in Saigon or Bethesda.” The Chicago native opted for two years at the National Cancer Insti-

tute; he ended up working there as a statistician doing cancer pre-vention research until his 2007 re-tirement. As a result of the nature of his work, another prop will re-

place the cigarette box specified in Knotts’ original “Dial ‘M’” script.

Levin did “a little bit” of theater in high school and even found time to do a musical during a clinical rotation at University of Chicago Medical School. “I’ve been acting and directing in the (Washington) area since 1970,” said Levin. “I also have designed sets, produced, etc., etc. for several groups. I haven’t worked with SSTG for many years and am having a great time with a very supportive production team and a fine cast.”

Locally, Levin’s first role was the long red underwear-clad Emperor in the Sterling Players’ “The Em-peror Wears No Clothes.” Acting in Rockville Musical Theatre’s (RMT) “Fiddler on the Roof,”

Vol. 14, No. 13 June 30, 2017www.towncourier.com

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n ‘DIAL ‘M’’ Continued on page 8

n COMMUNITY MEETING Continued on page 4n KENTLANDS UNDER THE LIGHTS

Continued on page 8

Photo | David Levin

Max Halliday (Mark Steimer) and Tony Wendice (Ted Culler) face off in Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s production of Fredrick Knott’s “Dial ‘M’ for Murder.”

Photo | Silvio Renzi

Approximately 2,000 people attended the third annual Kentlands Under the Lights on June 17.

Community Considers Cohesiveness for Downtown Projects

By Pam Schipper

K entlands town architect and DPZ partner Marina Khoury set the tone for

the June 14 community meeting on downtown redevelopment projects. “We espouse and we believe in … working on build-ing people-centered places … connected, compact, convivial, walkable, and that goes to the downtown as much as it does for the residential areas,” she said to the 100-plus residents, city of-ficials and developer represen-tatives assembled in the Rachel Carson Elementary School gym. “And the residential areas are pretty much … built up, but the downtown is going to evolve tre-mendously in the next 20 years and so we want to try to figure out a way to see how we are go-ing to frame that discussion.”

Khoury and former Kentlands town architect Mike Watkins, now principal at Michael Wat-kins Architect, LLC, were in-troduced by Ruthzaly Weich, chair of the Kentlands Com-munity Foundation (KCF). For the past eight months, the KCF has acted to “provide and facili-tate a conversation” among chief stakeholders Kimco, Saul, S&T Kentlands, LLC, the Kentlands

Citizens Assembly (KCA) and Lakelands Community Associa-tion (LCA) concerning redevel-opment of the Kentlands down-town areas. “The KCF asked Michael Watkins Architect and DPZ to take a closer look at the downtown and find a context solution,” she said. “How are we going to look at all the moving parts?”

These moving parts are Kent-lands Market Square, purchased by Kimco in August 2016 and currently in phase one planning for a paseo and façade facelift; Kentlands Apartments proposed for the Diya restaurant and park-ing lot site, currently in the city’s schematic development plan stage; Main Street, now without an official merchants’ association following the disbanding of the Kentlands Downtown Partner-ship; and the Kentlands Square phase one mixed-use redevel-opment proposed for the current Kmart and parking lot area, now in the city’s sketch plan stage.

Khoury opened with the leg-acy of Kentlands and Lakelands, reminding those assembled that “it’s a special community.”

She was preaching to the choir.Watkins, who was the original

Page 2 THE TOWN COURIER June 30, 2017

June 30, 2017 THE TOWN COURIER Page 3

Sharing a Love of Books and CommunityBy Pam Schipper

J ane Henley and her two daugh-ters, Katie and Carrie, moved into Kentlands in November 2016 with

a lot of boxes of books. They were in love with the community, she said, and the high foot-traffic situation of their home on Kent Square Road—draw-ing walkers to and from downtown, the lakes and the Arts Barn/Kentlands Mansion—inspired an idea. Why not

sponsor a Little Free Library to give back to the community?

First they did their research. “We went through the KHT (Kentlands Historical Trust) in March,” Henley said. “What I love so much about this neighborhood is the architecture. I didn’t know how they would feel about this, but they were very receptive to it.”

She purchased the library from little-

Compiled by Pam Schipper

Communities Plan Independence Day Celebrations

Kicking off on Saturday, July 1, Gaithersburg communities will hold large and small Indepen-dence Day celebrations. Here is a brief roundup.

New this year is the city’s SummerFest at Bohrer Park. This event combines and expands upon the best aspects of the traditional July 4th  Fireworks and the Celebrate! Gaithersburg street festival, creating one large summer lawn party on the expansive grounds of Bohrer Park. The free event takes place on  Saturday, July 1 from 5 to 11:30 p.m. and features live music, food and activities, all leading up to a fireworks dis-play and SummerGlo After Party.

The Quince Orchard Park community’s an-nual Independence Day parade and celebration is planned for Saturday, July 1, 9:45 a.m. to noon. Following a parade that will include city offi-cials, residents are invited to a cookout and party at the clubhouse. Andy’s Parties will bring inflat-ables and other kids’ activities. New this year are glitter tattoos!

Get ready for Kentlands’ annual July 4th pa-rade at the Community Breakfast & Bike Deco-rating 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Tschiffely Square Road. Then head down the road to the Rachel Carson Elementary School staging area. The pa-rade kicks off at 9:45 a.m. A carnival follows the parade, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., on the Kentlands Clubhouse lawn. For more information, visit www.kentlandstowncrier.com.

The Village Hosts Brain Health Presentation

The Village at Kentlands & Lakelands invites you to attend a short presentation and Q&A on “Saving Your Memory and Your Mind: 7 Steps to Better Brain Health” by Susan I. Wranik, BS, MA, speech-language pathologist who blends linguistic, cultural and medical expertise to pro-vide an understanding of what is happening to your memory and what you can do about it.

This free event is part of the Village’s educa-tional and social events calendar designed to help neighbors live healthy, socially engaged, and vi-tal lives in their own community as they age.

Plan on joining the Village at Kentlands Man-or on Tuesday, July 25 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Please use the entrance to Kentlands Manor on Kentlands Boulevard across from Panera. A light lunch will be served, sponsored by CarePlus at Kentlands Manor.

Become a Village member or Village volun-teer so you can take part in a variety of activities, including music with the Harmony-Express, an interfaith discussion on refugee issues, a wine tasting sponsored by the Grape Escape, and a selection of Montgomery College’s Lifelong Learning program. Visit www.villagekentland-slakelands.org for more information.

Kentlands/Lakelands Field Day ComingGet ready for some friendly competition! You’ll

find games and activities for ages 6 and older. For more information, visit www.lakelands.org.

n AROUND TOWN Continued on page 7

AROUND TOWN

Find Your New Beginning With Retirement Coach Fran Randolph

By Pam Schipper

I n change lies opportunity. That’s the old adage, of course. But it begs the question: How do you make the most

of that opportunity? As we all know, change can be hard.

One of the biggest life changes is retire-ment, and it’s a bit of misnomer. While you are retiring from one phase of your life, you’re beginning another. What will this new chapter of your life bring? What sort of adventure will you embark upon?

“Retirement,” Fran Randolph said, “it’s all about doing what is really your passion.”

Randolph is a certified retirement coach who also holds a doctorate in pub-lic health. When she retired from her job with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, where she developed programs to help people with serious mental illnesses, she discovered her own passions—The Village at Kent-lands & Lakelands, which she started in

2014 to help meet the needs of older peo-ple so that they can “age in place,” and coaching others through the important retirement transition.

For Randolph, finding purpose in re-tirement began shortly before she left her federal career. “In 2013, I took a course in internal coaching,” she said, “and a light bulb went off. I enjoyed it and wanted to

learn more.” She coached others within the government until leaving her position a year later.

In 2014, she decided that she wanted to be a coach. Her course of study with the International Coaching Federation, “the Harvard of coaching programs,” was in-tense and took a year to complete. In ad-dition to 120 hours of coaching that were reviewed and critiqued, Randolph took a four-hour written exam and two oral ex-ams before attaining certification.

Coaching someone, Randolph said, is about “dancing with them in the mo-ment.” A coach never tells the client what to do. “The person knows what the answers are,” she stressed. “You’re en-couraging the person to go deep within themselves to get the answers.”

Sometimes fear and anxiety get in the way. “You ask questions about that fear,” she said, “get in touch about the anxiety. … What would it take to get rid of the fear?

Paving the Way to Make Kentlands Boulevard a ‘Complete Street’

By Sharon Allen Gilder

N inety-degree heat didn’t deter an entourage comprised of 14 com-munity leaders, architects and

engineers from taking a walking tour of Kentlands Boulevard on June 13 in preparation for a Kentlands Community Foundation (KCF) lecture that evening. “We found all the shady spots we could,” smiled KCF Chair Ruthzaly Weich as she welcomed everyone gathered in the Arts Barn for the latest in KCF’s new urban-ism lecture series entitled, “Can Kent-lands Boulevard Be a Complete Street?”

Smart Growth America defines “Com-plete Streets” as streets for everyone that are “designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.”

The excursion along Kentlands Boule-vard included City of Gaithersburg rep-resentatives Trudy Schwarz, Rob Robin-son, Ollie Mumpower, John Schlichting, and Alyssa Rolf; Michael Watkins Ar-

chitect principal Mike Watkins; Brian O’Looney and Mike Mabaquia from the architectural firm Torti Gallas & Part-ners; Saul Centers’ Vince Burke; City of Gaithersburg Transportation Commit-tee Chair Joe Allen; Kentlands Citizens Assembly President Barney Gorin; KCF Chair Ruthzaly Weich; Gaithersburg Police Department Sergeant Scott Scarf; and registered transportation engineer

Richard A. Hall.Hall, president of Hall Planning & En-

gineering, Inc. shared his recommenda-tions for the Kentlands Boulevard corri-dor, addressed the changing approaches to community roads, and the need to design streets in context with the community to assure a livable environment for all users.

In his opening remarks Hall applauded

Photo | Submitted

Retirement Coach Fran Randolph has lived in Kent-lands with her husband, Robert Randolph, since 2002.

n RANDOLPH Continued on page 12

n LITTLE LIBRARY Continued on page 11

n LECTURE SERIES Continued on page 11

Photo | Sharon Allen Gilder

Richard A. Hall spoke at the Arts Barn June 13 in the latest Kentlands Lecture Series organized by the Kentlands Community Foundation and its chair, Ruthzaly Weich.

Photo | Submitted

Jane, Katie and Carrie Henley are the stewards of Kentlands only Little Free Library at 100 Kent Square Road.

Page 4 THE TOWN COURIER June 30, 2017

Kentlands town architect, noted that the first resident who called him the town architect was sitting in the audience, as was the resident who dropped by his Firehouse Lane office and asked about current downtown redevel-opment. “We want to look back to see where we started, understand that trajectory, and then understand where we might go,” he said.

Following a review of Kentlands history, the meeting highlighted the various commer-cial redevelopment projects and their different stages. Of special focus was Saul’s Kentlands Square sketch plan, proposing up to 1400 res-idential units and up to 785,000 square feet of commercial and scheduled for work session review July 10 by the Mayor and City Coun-cil.

Khoury and Watkins looked at four aspects of the Kentlands Square sketch plan: street network and hierarchy, open space, heights, and design standards.

“Most of us are excited by more density, more vitality on Saul’s property,” Khoury said. “There are some that may not be. … They (Saul) do have mixed-use zoning enti-tlements on that property, so it’s not that that won’t develop,” Khoury said. “It’s too valu-able not to develop, so it shouldn’t be a discus-sion of whether it should develop but how we make it be as best as it can possibly be through its redevelopment efforts.”

Watkins concurred. “We’re supporting (Saul) in principle, but we think there’s op-portunities to refine it further.”

New urbanist principles call for an “inter-connected network of streets,” Watkins ex-

plained, that serve cars, pedestrians, bicyclists and public transit. He suggested something that he admitted might be unpopular: fin-ishing the connection between the Kentlands Square property and the Colonnade property. “In principle the right thing to do is to make those connections. … What happens is if you have that interconnected network is the traffic is dispersed. If that connection isn’t made, all that happens is the traffic goes on someone else’s street.”

He and Khoury also suggested taking a closer look at street hierarchy, or the A-, B- and C-designated streets.

Size and programming of open and civ-ic spaces was discussed, with a comparison drawn to other communities like Crown, Rockville Town Square, Bethesda Row, and Reston Town Center. “We recommend pro-viding adequate and varied civic spaces and civic uses in buildings, not only in Saul’s property but throughout the entire down-town, and it should be thought of compre-hensively,” Khoury said. “Mike likes to list all the civic amenities that Joe Alfandre provided to Kentlands when Kentlands was put forth, and that’s why a lot of us live here. We need to clarify and program the uses of the open space.”

Building height, Watkins said, should be reallocated but not reduced. The 2008 Kent-lands Boulevard Commercial District Mas-ter Plan details building height by block, but Watkins suggested that height be controlled street by street in relation to buildings across the street.

Design standards, Khoury said, need to be created for all Kentlands commercial devel-opments. “Couldn’t we find a way to agree on

what certain standards should be?” Khoury asked. “We don’t know what those standards should be, but we do know that we need a cohesive set of documents so that they col-lectively amount to something more than just individual projects. … Your architecture is timeless, and it’s rooted in the vernacular and the climate of what this region is all about. Hopefully, the downtown will be that way as well.”

The KCA has hired Bob Gibbs to perform a market analysis for all downtown areas. “This will detail the market absorption potential for retail in Kentlands and Lakelands,” Khoury said.

Residents were encouraged to share their thoughts with the city, and to attend the July 10 Mayor and City Council work session on Kentlands Square. “The idea that it’s going to stay in the shape it’s in right now is highly unlikely,” Khoury said, “because that land is valuable. … What we have to do is hold them to certain standards—let’s make it as good as possible.”

Watkins added, “Fight it if you want to—that’s your civic responsibility.”

After a Q&A session, Saul representative Vince Burke thanked Watkins, Khoury and Weich, and reassured the community that “we are long-term holders. We are good stewards of our real estate, and we build prod-ucts that we are proud of—we want to get the details right and we want to do it in a timely manner.” Saul has hired Torti Gallas archi-tects and master planners, specifically Kent-lands resident and architect Brian O’Looney, to execute the design.

Burke stressed, “This is a long-term plan. This could take 20 or 30 years to build.”

309 Main StreetGaithersburg, MD 20878

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©2017 Courier CommunicationsThe Town Courier is an independent newspa-

per published twice a month that provides news and information for the communities of Kentlands, Lakelands and Quince Orchard Park in Gaithersburg, Md. The paper is published by Courier Communica-tions, which is responsible for the form, content and policies of the newspaper. The Town Courier does not espouse any political belief or endorse any product or service in its news coverage. Articles and letters submitted for publication must be signed and may be edited for length or content. The Town Courier is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers Letters to the Editor and Commentary do not necessarily re-flect the views of the staff, management or advertisers of The Town Courier.

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June 30, 2017 THE TOWN COURIER Page 5

Watkins Mill Interchange Construction Proceeds

Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc. has been se-lected for the construction of the Watkins Mill Interchange project.  The Notice to Proceed is scheduled for July 31.

Body-Worn Camera Policy Meeting Planned

The Gaithersburg Police Department will begin outfitting uniformed operational offi-cers with body-worn cameras starting with a phased approach in late 2017. The public is invited to comment on the draft policy at

a community information event on Monday, July 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Activity Cen-ter at Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Ave.

Meeting topics include the purpose of the program, review and timeline of de-ployment, policy discussion and impact on public, demonstration of body-worn cam-eras and video presentation, and a question and answer period. You can find an over-view of the body-worn camera program by viewing the June 5 Mayor and City Coun-cil meeting (sirepub.gaithersburgmd.gov/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=2821&doc-type=AGENDA). For more information, call 301.258.6400.

CITYSCENE Compiled by Pam Schipper

POLICEBEAT By Scott Harris

Legal Loophole Costs Local Homeseller $9,742 in the Sale of Their Gaithersburg Home

Montgomery County, MD - When you're buy-ing or selling a home, there are many small but important legal issues that you may be unaware of that are, nevertheless, critical to understand. Residential real estate is not an uncomplicat-ed process. When such a major investment is transferred from one party to another, there are subtle details to take care of that can turn into major problems if not handled correctly.

It is essential to understand the legal ins and outs that will properly protect you when you buy or sell a home. There are several issues that will certainly cost you if you are not properly informed. In a recent situation right here in the

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This report is courtesy of Jonathan Lahey, Salesperson, RE/MAX Fine Living. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2016

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Three Arrests in High School Student Double Homicide

O n June 5, two seniors at Germantown’s Northwest High School were killed in a hail of bullets the night before

they were set to graduate. On June 17, the Montgomery County Police Department an-nounced the arrests of three suspects.

Shadi Adi Najjar, 17, and Artem S. Zi-berov, 18, died when assailants shot 30 bullets into the blue Honda Civic they sat in on the 8200 block of Gallery Court in Montgomery Village.

Twelve days later, police arrested Edgar Garcia-Gaona, 24, of Gaithersburg, Roger Garcia, 19, of Germantown, and Jose Ovilson Canales-Yanez, 25, of Gaithersburg. They were charged with two counts of first-de-gree murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

“Although detectives have made these three arrests, this by no means should be in-terpreted that the investigation has conclud-ed,” said Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger. “These most recent de-velopments are the result of the community taking an active role in this investigation. It is believed that, considering the progress made … there are additional sources of information who have yet to come forward.”

Spokespeople from the Montgomery County Police Department referred inqui-ries on the case to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office. Ramon Korionoff, a spokesman for that office, declined to com-ment for this story, noting that “we are limit-

ed as to what we can say pre-trial.”Although the case is still pending, ac-

cording to MCPD statements, investigators learned that Najjar had committed a drug-re-lated robbery in December or January, pur-portedly stealing drugs from a female during a drug transaction. Furthermore, not long before his death, Najjar told a friend he was planning to sell a graduation ticket to Garcia. Garcia’s brother, Edgar Garcia-Gaona, was shot in February during a botched drug deal in Montgomery Village. Garcia-Gaona was ultimately determined to be the boyfriend of Kara Yanez, the purported victim of the rob-bery committed by Najjar.

The developing motive for the shooting, police stated, was that it came in retaliation for Najjar’s robbery of Kara Yanez. It is un-known whether there was any motive for Zi-berov’s murder, or if his death was incidental to the killing of Najjar.

All three suspects are being held with-out bond and could be facing multiple life sentences, according to a court hearing last week.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call  the MCPD Major Crimes Division at 240.773.5070. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers of Mont-gomery County, which is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any information that leads to additional arrests and indictments. Tip-sters can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1.866.411.TIPS (8477).

Page 6 THE TOWN COURIER June 30, 2017

Compiled by Pam Schipper

Zumba in the ParkJune 30, July 7 & 14, 7-8 p.m., City Hall Concert Pavilion

All ages are welcome for this fami-ly-friendly event. Free. www.gaithers-burgmd.gov

Main Street Farmers MarketJuly 1, 8 & 15, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Main Street Pavilion

Products for sale include a variety of fruits and vegetables, herbs, jams and jellies, baked goods, crab cakes, meat, eggs, hon-ey, cut flowers, potted plants and dog treats. www.facebook.com/GaithersburgMarkets

SummerFestJuly 1, 5-11:30 p.m., Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm

The city has kept all the best highlights of its lively street festival, with multiple stages of live music, great food and plenty of activities for kids, and will cap off the evening with spectacular fireworks and an illuminating SummerGlo After Party. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Inquiring Minds: Building DayJuly 5, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Gaithersburg Community Museum

Young visitors are invited to explore with Imagination Playground blocks, Lin-coln Logs®, and more. Free. www.gaith-ersburgmd.gov

Thursday Morning Kids Concert: Mark H. RooneyJuly 5, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., City Hall Concert Pavilion

Mark H. Rooney, a solo improvisational taiko artist, studies, performs and teaches taiko, a dynamic form of full-body drum-ming based in Japanese tradition. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Evenings in Olde Towne: Ruthie & the WranglersJuly 6, 6-7:30 p.m., City Hall Concert Pavilion

Ruthie & the Wranglers play rockin’ American Roots music. They are based in the DC area. After 25 Years of Wrangler Twang, including touring, radio airplay, and releasing six albums, the band remains a cornerstone of the DC roots music scene. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

‘Point of View’Jul. 7-Aug. 7, Arts Barn

  This juried photography exhibit ex-plores each artist’s unique choices of sub-ject matter and visual style. Free artists re-ception July 20. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Moonlight Movies at the Mansion: ‘The Sandlot’July 7, 7:30-11 p.m., Kentlands Mansion lawn

Grab your family, friends, lawn chairs, and blankets and enjoy a movie under the stars. Light snacks, sweets, soft beverages, beer and wine will be available for pur-chase. Sponsored by Dart Homes. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Skywatching: SaturnJuly 7, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Observatory Park

Saturn is the night’s focus with a pre-skywatching talk on Saturn and the Cassini Mission by Ted Avra-ham, NASA solar system ambassa-dor. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

‘Dial ‘M’’ for MurderJuly 7-23, 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Arts Barn

In partnership with Sandy Spring Theatre Group

A retired tennis pro plots the murder of his wife—but when she turns the tables on her attempted assailant, she is convicted of murder. Can the police detective who brought her to trial now decipher the clues that will save her life? Tickets are $20 for adults, and $12 for children (14 and under). www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Kentlands Acoustic JamJuly 11, 6 p.m., Kentlands Carriage House

Bring your voice and instrument and join in, or just come to listen. Free.  www.reverbnation.com/kentlandsacousticjam

Yoga in the ParkJuly 11, 7-8 p.m., City Hall Concert Pavilion

Bring a yoga mat, towel or blanket. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Inquiring Minds: Earth Science DayJuly 12, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Gaithersburg Community Museum

Young visitors are invited to explore the earth sciences through experiments. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Thursday Morning Kids Concert: BarynyaJuly 13, 10:30-11:30 a.m., City Hall Concert Pavilion

The Russian music, dance and song ensemble Barynya is a world-renowned group that enjoys exalted stature as the premier Russian folk ensemble outside of Russia. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Evenings in Olde Towne: The SidleysJuly 13, 6-7:30 p.m., City Hall Concert Pavilion

Combining material from both of their previous projects, as well as brand-new songs, Annie and Steve Sidley have cre-ated a unique sound that is high-energy, melodic, soul-influenced indie rock. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Moonlight Movies at the Mansion: ‘The Princess Bride’July 14, 7:30-11 p.m., Kentlands Mansion lawn

Grab your family, friends, lawn chairs, and blankets and enjoy a movie under the stars. Light snacks, sweets, soft beverages, beer and wine will be available for pur-chase. Sponsored by Dart Homes. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

‘Countryside Artisans Create’Jul. 14 – Sept. 1, Kentlands Mansion

n ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Continued on page 7

ARTS& ENTERTAINMENT

KENTLANDSMarket Square — 718 Center Point Way

301-990-0398

Bethesda • 301-657-33324942 St. Elmo Avenue

Potomac • 301-299-522210130 River Road

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June 30, 2017 THE TOWN COURIER Page 7

QO Teacher HonoredQuince Orchard High School’s Elena

Morozova was one of five educators hon-ored by the ESOL/Bilingual Advisory Committee for their work helping ESOL students to reach high levels of academic achievement. The other educators recog-nized were Dr. Harold Barber at JoAnn Leleck Elementary School at Broad Acres; Martha R. Babcock and Roberta L. Coo-per at Strathmore Elementary School; and Megan E. Sands at A. Mario Loiederman Middle School.

Meet the New RCES PrincipalKentlands residents are invited to

meet the new Rachel Carson Elementa-ry School (RCES) principal, Mrs. Dene-ise Hammond, in an event sponsored by the Kentands Citizens Assembly Board

on Monday, July 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Kentlands Clubhouse. Students are wel-come. Please contact KCA Chair Chris Campbell at kentlandschair@gmail.com and let him know how many in your fam-ily plan to attend.

Local Students Recognized by MCPS Board

At its June 13 meeting, the Board recog-nized local students for their achievements. Erick S. Abad (Northwest High School) and Ana E. Gomez (Quince Orchard High School) were recognized as Hispanic Al-liance for Education 2017 Distinguished Hispanic Scholars Awards recipients. Jemi-mah Alisa Joe (Northwest High School) was recognized as a George B. Thomas,

Sr. Learning Academy, Inc. High Achieve-ment Scholarship recipient.

Board of Education Approves FY 2018 Operating Budget

The Board of Education approved a $2.52 billion FY 2018 operating budget for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) at its June 13 meeting. The op-erating budget reflects an increase of $59.6 million (2.4 percent) from the FY 2017 operating budget, which will allow the district to make targeted investments to manage significant enrollment growth, ac-count for the rising costs of operations, and implement new strategies to ensure that all students are able to achieve at higher levels.

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ASSIGNMENTEDUCATION Compiled by Pam Schipper

Photo | Mac Kennedy

Rachel Carson Elementary students raised more than $5,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation Mid-Atlantic. To cele-brate, school administrators and teachers took part in a pie-throwing activity.

The Countryside Artisans Group will be showing with the City of Gaithersburg for the first time this year. The studio-cen-tered artists portray the agrarian beauty of Montgomery County. Free artists recep-tion July 27. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

SportsFestJuly 15, 8:30-11 a.m., Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm

Sponsored by Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and presented in partnership with the Gaithersburg Giants and Washington Kastles, SportsFest in-vites youth entering grades K through 8 to participate in a variety of activities. Free. www.gaithersburgmd.gov

from page 6

ARTS& ENTERTAINMENT

KidServe and Kentlands Kingfish Raise Funds for Dwelling Place

KidServe, a volunteer organization sponsored by the Kentlands Community Foundation, partnered with the Kentlands Kingfish swim team on Friday, June 16 to raise funds for a local homeless shelter, the Dwelling Place. With a dunk tank donated by Andy’s Parties, burgers, hot dogs, lawn games and more, the two groups raised more than $750.

from page 3

AROUNDTOWN

Photo | Montgomery County Public Schools

Elena Morozova (center) was honored by the ESOL/Bilin-gual Advisory Committee for her work.

Page 8 THE TOWN COURIER June 30, 2017

and gigs for Burtonsville Players ensued, but mostly, he directed for Rockville Little The-atre (RLT), where he also served a 10-year term on its board of directors. That responsi-bility recently removed, when SSTG invited him to direct, he happily accepted.

Asked his preference for acting or direct-ing, Levin said, “They are two entirely dif-ferent things. Being director involves a lot more time: you have to be at every rehearsal, and you have to plan.” In addition, Levin, who was en route to paint the set during the interview, noted that he also does his own set design, and this time, even took the publici-ty photos since the regular photographer was not available.

SSTG’s “Dial ‘M’” will be “a traditional presentation that follows the script closely,” Levin said, noting that even Alfred Hitch-cock took 90 percent of his 1954 movie straight from the script, adding a few scenes (and a 13-second cameo appearance) with his characteristic twists.

Pittsburgh native Mark Steimer, who plays Max Halliday in “Dial ‘M’,” said he “first learned to love the staged arts as a performer in junior and senior high school choirs and ensembles, plus plays and musicals including ‘George M!,’ ‘The Best Man’ and ‘Bye Bye Birdie.’”

His local theater beginnings were on sev-eral levels: as performer and crew member in musicals, and as contributor to develop-ing a local variety show’s concept and theme. In 1980s Los Angeles, Steimer worked at a television production company, performed in one-act plays, sang in church choirs, small bands and ensembles, and as a wedding solo-ist, and composed pop and country music. He also managed to study briefly with Frederick Combs of the LA/Actors Lab.

Upon relocating to Montgomery County in 1990, Steimer worked in public relations and strategic communication, and contin-ued to perform—in a gospel choir, numerous musical ensembles as well as faith-based and community theater productions. The Uni-

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n ‘DIAL ‘M’’ from page 1

n KENTLANDS UNDER THE LIGHTS from page 1

n ‘DIAL ‘M’’ Continued on page 11

Kentlands Acoustic Jam’s rockin’ beat kept toes tapping. During band breaks, fancy foot-work by The Duffy School of Irish Dance and music from the wandering minstrels—John Santeel on accordion and John Vreeland on mandolin—kept lively strains of music in the air. “This mix of food, drinks and great mu-sic with communal tables and lights strung up throughout the square certainly provides the right setting for people to enjoy themselves,” said Renzi.

For 17-year Kentlands resident Rich Grimaldi, the event was a chance to “meet a lot of the neighbors in the community that you don’t normally see. Also, the restaurants display their wares outdoors and I like to eat outdoors whenever I can.”

Jennifer Hough, who has lived in Kent-lands for five years, said the event is a “nice feel … a community gathering of people in the neighborhood … of friends you know and have come to know very well and co-workers too.”

John Ingrassia, KCF’s vice-chair and co-chair of the event, noted that KCF “aims to seed things that can take off. We’d like to see business and property owners come together and put some resources into it to really bring this space to life.”

Renzi added, “The more they (business owners) participate, the better off they are. Batik sells out every year and gains new cus-tomers.”

My Gym drew the younger set with its booth effervescing with a bubble machine. “I like playing here and I love the music and my favorite food is mac and cheese,” smiled four-year-old Julian Udaka, son of City of Gaith-ersburg Councilmember Robert Wu. Udaka was dining on a spring roll from Thai Tanium and mac and cheese from Not Your Average Joe’s. His family’s Papillon named Dibels was all ears as she, like many of her fellow canines keeping their owners in tow, listened to the band and buzz from the bustling scene.

Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Marilyn Bal-combe enjoyed the universal sense of cama-raderie. “It’s neighbor meeting neighbor, it’s

community, it’s family, it’s what summer’s all about, and it’s great to see the kids and see this place activated.”

Yvette Monroe, the newest member of Gaithersburg’s City Council, said the event provided “the perfect atmosphere for the gathering of people together. … There’s something very homey about it to sit down and have some food together.”

County Councilmember Sidney Katz, who said he and his wife, Sally, have been to ev-ery Kentlands Under the Lights, smiled and noted, “You get to see friends that you see fairly often and friends you see every once in a while … and the food is good.”

Chris Marsh, Joe Dell’Orfano, Rene Burk-son, Mike Weich, and The Wine Harvest’s Andy Meyrowitz along with co-chairs In-grassia and Renzi comprised the committee that worked diligently to make the evening a success. They gathered resources and a variety of sponsors, including Batik; Everest Tutors and Test Prep; Foundry Fitness; Katy Thoms Team; Kentlands Acoustic Jam; Kentlands Psychotherapy; Kona Ice; Meredith Fogle of Old Line Properties; Mike Aubrey Group; Morton Towing; My Big Finds; My Gym; Not Your Average Joe’s; Stiles Dentistry; Ride Allegheny; Total Wine & More; The Wine Harvest; and Winkler Automotive.

“We’re showcasing new urbanism and Kentlands specifically,” said Ingrassia. “One of the three missions of the KCF with respect to new urbanism is to showcase what a new urbanism community really should be—the walkability of Kentlands, the businesses, and the downtown of Kentlands. … That was the original idea, and that’s still the idea.”

Renzi said KCF hopes the event “facilitates both building new friendships and promoting our downtown district. There is no purpose other than helping to build a stronger, more friendly community.”

Ingrassia added, “I would call it a coming together of the community, of friends and neighbors who just enjoy a summer night to-gether under the lights, under the stars, eat-ing, drinking, individuals, families, kids, ev-erybody really. … It’s just a way for everybody to come together to celebrate the Kentlands, the start of summer and to celebrate life.”

Renzi noted, “We hope to continue the trend.”

June 30, 2017 THE TOWN COURIER Page 9

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Page 10 THE TOWN COURIER June 30, 2017

QOP Independence Day CelebrationThe community’s annual Independence

Day parade and celebration is planned for Saturday, July 1, 9:45 a.m. to noon. Fol-lowing a parade that will include city offi-cials, residents are invited to a cookout and party at the clubhouse. Andy’s Parties will bring inflatables and other kids’ activities. New this year are glitter tattoos!

Yoga and Fitness Instructors Needed

Now that the fitness center expansion is complete, the Board would like to add fitness and yoga class offerings for QOP residents. We are looking for instructors! If you are interested, please contact Alex

Deering, community manager, at adeer-ing@tmgainc.com. Classes will be held in the clubhouse social hall.

Social Hall Makeover PlannedAmy Schwartz, interior designer and

QOP resident, will present ideas and plans for the clubhouse social hall redesign at the next Board meeting on July 11. Come see what promises to be an exciting makeover.

Timely Exterior Modifications Approval

The average turnaround time between when an architectural change request is submitted and when it is approved is less than 30 days.

Not sure if you need approval for your architectural change? The types of exte-rior modifications that require approval from the Architectural Change Com-mittee (ACC) are listed in the Design Guidelines. Visit the QOP website, www.quinceorchardpark.com, and select the “Architectural Info” tab on the homepage.

QOP Residents Enjoy Discount at PGC

Quince Orchard Park residents receive a 20 percent discount at Potomac Garden Centers (PGC) North Potomac and Urba-na locations (with limited exclusions). Just show your driver’s license to the PGC ca-shier. No coupons are needed.

News and Current Events for Quince Orchard Park n E-mail your contributions to pam@towncourier.com n JULY 2017

The ParkPages Meeting CalendarJuly 11 — Board of Directors Meeting, 7 p.m.July 24 — QOP Condo 1 Board Meeting, 7 p.m.July 26 — QOP 2 Condo Board Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

QOP NEWS

QOP Summer Social CalendarSaturday, July 1

Independence Day Celebration, 9:45 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sunday, July 16 Float Day at the Pool, 1-3 p.m.

Saturday, July 22 Movie Night at the Pool, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 30 Float Day at the Pool, 1-3 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 1 National Night Out

Saturday, Aug. 12 Adult Happy Hour at the Pool, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 13 Float Day at the Pool, 1-3 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 26 Movie Night at the Pool Pool, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 27 Float Day at the Pool, 1-3 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 4 Doggy Swim

MANAGEMENT MENTIONS

Feedback on Pool WelcomeIf you have suggestions on how to

make the QOP pool more comfortable and inviting, please let The Manage-ment Group Associates know as soon as possible. You can email Communi-ty Manager Ruchita Patel at rpatel@tmgainc.com. The management com-pany would like to correct issues with the pool as they arise.

Trash and RecyclingTrash is collected on Tuesday and

Friday and must be placed in lidded trash cans. If left for collection in bags only, trash is ripped open by animals and strewn throughout the communi-ty. Continued use of bags may result in fines.

Recycling is picked up on Fridays. Containers with lids are now available from the City of Gaithersburg. Please contact the city at 301.258.6370 to have a lidded bin delivered and the old one picked up.

Please remember that trash cans and recycle bins must be stored out of sight on non-pickup days.

The City of Gaithersburg offers bulk trash pickup (furniture, appliances, mattresses, etc.) on the first recycling day of the month. The next bulk trash pickup is Friday, July 7. The City of Gaithersburg and Potomac Disposal (301.294.9700) both offer collection services for bulk items at no cost.

Dog DutyCleaning up after dogs is the legal

responsibility of every canine owner walking a dog in the community. Dogs are not permitted off-leash on common property in the City of Gaithersburg.

QOP Management Contact InfoQOP Community Manager

Ruchita Patel

Co-Manager Alex Deering

c/o The Management Group Associates, Inc.

20440 Century Blvd, Suite 100Germantown, MD 20874

Phone: 301.948.6666

Easy Paint Color SelectionThinking of refreshing the exterior

of your home? Just refer to Quince Or-chard Park’s list of approved colors, in-cluding manufacturer, before you paint and take this information to the paint store. It is important that the paint store match the exact color from the QOP paint chart.

Please note that matching a paint chip that you take off an existing painted sur-face will not give you an approved col-or. Exterior paint fades over time. Us-ing a non-approved color is costly and time-consuming, as you will be asked to repaint.

June 30, 2017 THE TOWN COURIER Page 11

versity of Maryland, College Park journalism graduate has been on stage in RMT and RLT shows, as well as backstage as assistant pro-ducer and sound technician.

Steimer’s original musical, “Together Again for the First Time,” has had two staged readings; in the 2016 RLT show, he sang and played a role; he directed the reading at the 2017 Barton College New Works Festival in Wilson, North Carolina.

While he cited Gooper Pollitt in RLT’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” as his favorite part to date, he said, “Every role brings different challenges. Playing Max Halliday in ‘Dial ‘M’’ is stretching me to be more vulnerable on stage—to let acting decisions follow emo-tions rather than the other way around.” He credited producer Mara Bayewitz for having “gone out of her way to help me get out of my own way and know Max at a deeper, more meaningful level.”

This is Steimer’s “first time working with SSTG, and they’re making it a great expe-rience. I’ve worked with David (Levin) be-

fore, but this is the first time I’ve been un-der his direction—also a great experience.” Steimer and Levin were fellow cast members in RMT’s “The Music Man” and Steimer, a cast member, and Levin, prop master for RLT’s “Cat” (2014). For RLT’s “Our Town” Steimer was assistant producer and Levin, stage manager.

Why should people see this play? “It’s a great mystery,” Levin said, “especially in the intimate setting of the Arts Barn. Everyone likes mysteries, so I’m sure it will sell out quickly.”

Steimer offered another reason or two: “Knott’s story and characters are just plain fun. The cast and crew are deeply commit-ted to excellence. And no one needs a reason to spend a couple of hours at the Arts Barn. What a great venue!” Note: Steimer’s Kent-lands residence is “ just a short walk from” said venue.

Sandy Spring Theatre Group’s “Dial ‘M’ for Murder” will be on stage from July 7 to 23. Shows start at 8 p.m. Friday and Satur-day, and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20, $12 for age 14 and younger. Call 301.258.6394 or visit www.gaithersburgmd.gov/leisure/arts/theater-at-the-arts-barn.

freelibrary.org but wanted its roof to match those in Kentlands. Serendipity played a role. “One day an 18-wheeler pulled up across the street with cedar shingles,” Henley said. A neighbor was reroofing, and she went over and asked if the roofer could put cedar shake shingles on her Little Free Library. He agreed. “He said that it was like a little doll house.”

Kentlands’ only Little Free Library de-buted a few weeks ago, and since then the Henleys have gotten a few dozen notes, thanking them. It holds two dozen books for

all ages and in a mix of genres. The Henleys also have a great stock of books in reserve.

Katie Henley has been doing administra-tion for the library, processing and stamping donated books and checking comments left by borrowers. The Little Free Library invites borrowers to leave feedback in a comments book, and the Henleys are thinking of creat-ing bookmarks so borrowers can leave short reviews for the next reader.

“We sometimes see people happily look-ing through the library,” Henley said. “I think this is a positive contribution.”

You can find The Little Free Library at 100 Kent Square Road. Book donations are welcome! Just leave them in the library or on the front porch.

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Kentlands as one of the “premier walkable communities in the United States.” He ex-plained the shift from the “auto dominant” thinking of the 1930s through 1980s to the new urbanism focus on a balance of modes that include walkers, cyclists, transit users and motorists.

He discussed speed and the percent of pedestrian fatalities: 20 mph/5 percent; 30 mph/50 percent; and 40 mph/80 percent. On the walking tour, Hall carried a portable ra-dar device and captured the average speed of vehicles entering Kentlands Boulevard from Great Seneca Highway, and he found speed levels to be within Kentlands’ posted 25 mph. The average entering speed was 24–26 mph; circulating on the roundabout 16–18 mph; and exiting the roundabout 24–28 mph.

He noted the importance of creating a balance on the roundabouts for north/south and east/west traffic. “Splitter islands” was the term he assigned to the islands separat-ing the four lanes on Kentlands Boulevard because they split the traffic. He suggested moving crosswalks closer to the roundabout for pedestrian safety. Other recommendations included extending the east/west splitter is-lands, narrowing the “overall pavement to

help manage speeds, adding down direct-ed lighting on pedestrians in crosswalks at night,” and adding a “reverse superelevation of two percent ... that slows down the circu-lating vehicles.”

He recommended bold, light and dark “ze-bra” bars, not the current pavers or bricks, for crosswalks. “Zebra bars are most visible to motorists.’” He also suggested the instal-lation of solar walk signals at roundabout crosswalks with a push button and rapid flash that “doesn’t flash all the time” as “warning beacons.”

Hall’s “Top 10” Walkability Factors are from 10 to one: street trees; traffic volumes; sidewalks; narrow streets; interconnecting streets; on-street parking; lower traffic speeds; mixed land use; buildings fronting streets; and number one, small block size.

He said it is evident the “vision is continu-ing for Kentlands” with Kentlands Square renovations, the planned transit station, and the new residential construction. He noted big box stores were “a good thing for what was needed at the time. … Now the compact development is going to come in. My strong recommendation to improve the entire town is more access to Great Seneca Highway with some kind of access from the north … having a left turn in improves network distribution of traffic,” advised Hall.

n LECTURE SERIES from page 3

n LITTLE LIBRARY from page 3

n ‘DIAL ‘M’’ from page 8

Page 12 THE TOWN COURIER June 30, 2017

‘Lab Girl’Written by Hope Jahren

H ope Jahren an-nounces at the start of her award-win-

ning memoir “Lab Girl” (2016) that “people are like plants; they grow towards the light.” As she rolls out the story of her rural Min-nesota childhood, we un-derstand how she chose sci-ence as her path, as the safe place to be. She had a “deep orphan-pain” from her repressed mother and the “silent to-getherness” of her Swedish-American family. The joy in her childhood came every day af-ter school when she went to the college where her father taught, and for hours the two of them prepared the experiments, demonstra-tions and equipment for the following day’s classes. In the silence of the building, “he was the king and she was the prince.”

Jahren was praised as a schoolgirl for her performance in the sciences, yet during col-lege and graduate work, she was shocked by the demeaning treatment she received as a female from the male biologists, often over-hearing crude comments about her gender through the office walls. She now views that consciousness as an opportunity—since no one really knew what a female scientist was, she made it up as she went along.

Toward the end of her PhD work as an as-sistant in undergrad courses, she identified a disheveled loner named Bill as being excep-tionally bright and determined. Something

in the energy and curiosity of this oddball clicked with Hope, and Bill became her right-hand man from then on. Throughout the early years, she found small lab spaces in which to work, Bill literally camped out in corners at night, and the two fueled each other with energy and creativity in their re-search. Their verbal sparring frequently lifts the story to hilarious heights.

Jahren scatters specific information about the trees and plants, seeds and roots she studies amongst the events of her life. These breaks, though sometimes hard for the layman to follow, contain fascinating information about plant life around us. They also bring a special richness to the book with their hint at how much all living things have in common.

Jahren succeeded in becoming a true scien-tist—one who develops her own experiments rather than conducts those of others—and thereby, becomes one who “generates wholly new knowledge.” Yet this type of science, which is sometimes called “curiosity-driven research,” only exists when it’s funded by the National Science Foundation, so a life of science means a life of constant worry about money. Readers know that Jahren hopes we voters are listening carefully.

After only a chapter or two, I started iden-tifying girls or young women I know who might be inspired by this engaging memoir. With Jahren’s warning that trees are being wiped from the earth and we are in big trou-ble, I am hoping that there are a lot more budding scientists out there, ready to dig in.

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READER’SCHOICE

By Betty Hafner

“People face a lot of fears about retire-ment,” Randolph said. “The number one fear is not having enough money.” Financial wor-ries play out in a number of ways, she add-ed. Variations on a theme include “running out of money before I die; getting sick and not having enough money; a stock market crash and losing my savings; having to sell my home and move elsewhere; and retiring but having to work part-time for the rest of my life.

“Pensions are not common anymore, even for federal workers,” she noted, “so you’re retiring on Social Security and savings. The average Social Security check is about $1355 per month, and you can’t live on that.”

Also hugely important is purpose in re-tirement. “Many retire not knowing what they’ll do,” Randolph said. And yet, “we’re not retiring the way our parents retired. We live longer, we’re more educated, we do more and still have a voice. We want to contribute in some way.”

According to the 2010 census, Randolph noted, 25 percent of Kentlands and Lakelands residents are age 65 and older. And statistics show that 65 percent of the U.S. population will retire by age 65.

“We have an aging community,” Ran-dolph said. “People are living longer.” The average 60-year-old man will live 18 more years. The average 60-year-old woman will live 20 more years.

So deciding what to do—and how to do

it—in retirement is no small matter.There are five major things that people

contemplating retirement need to work on, Randolph explained. In addition to finances and purpose, you need to create a new iden-tity in retirement, consider how you will give your days structure, and stay social. “Your work is your community,” Randolph said. “When people retire from their jobs, those relationships are dissolved. It’s important to have a network of family and friends. If you don’t have a network, there are serious im-pacts—health-related, emotional, physical problems.”

Randolph, together with partner Jane Ker-schner, has been offering one-on-one retire-ment coaching and workshops through their business, K & R Coaches. This summer, she is forming a retirement support group.

“The discussion group really recognizes the fact that there are people that need some-thing that’s really preliminary,” she said. To enter that “deeper thinking process about retirement … they just need a little nudge.”

Randolph plans two-hour sessions, and will use assessment tools to see where peo-ple are in terms of retirement. She will act as facilitator.

“There will be people who get what they need from conversation,” she said, but not-ed that “others may want more one-on-one coaching.”

For more information on retirement sup-port groups, contact Fran Randolph at franl-randolph@gmail.com or 240.812.9789. You can learn more about K & R Coaches and explore their blog at www.KRCoaches.com.

n RANDOLPH from page 3

June 30, 2017 THE TOWN COURIER Page 13

Rough Night (R) *****There may be those

who quibble with the high rating, but when a film makes me laugh this hard and this long on a day when the temperature outside is scorching, par-don my glee. Kate McK-innon steals another film as Pippa, the Australian who is called “Kiwi” by an insensitive Alice ( Jillian Bell).

Alice organizes a reunion weekend that brings together old college buddies 10 years after their graduation to have a blast before the wedding of Jess (Scarlett Johansson). Joining them are Blair (Zoë Kravitz) and Frankie (Irina Glazer).

Let me say at the outset that this is a very rude, adult film. There is no nudity but plenty of raunchy dialogue and sight gags (including a pair of sunglasses with male member attached) that are sure to offend the easily offended. At my age and station, I just couldn’t help myself and laughed with everybody else.

The situations are so ludicrous and laughable that they kept the audience in hysterics for all but a few moments of the film. Blair tries to get a possibly incrimi-nating tape back from Pietro and Lea, the next door neighbors (Ty Burrell and Demi Moore), and ends up in a reluctant three-some. An assumed male stripper dies when Alice knocks him over into the edge of the

fireplace and the girls eventually try to get rid of him. Cops are confused for strippers and Jess’s fiancé, Peter (Paul W. Downs), plays “sad astronaut,” wearing adult diapers and drinking can after can of energy drinks while taking stimulants in order to reach Jess and make sure she’ll still marry him—you have to see it to believe it.

McKinnon has the Aussie accent down perfectly (“Little bit o’ bread and Vegemite and you have a meal!”), and is a master of physical comedy. The other four commit mayhem with straight faces and warped senses of reality appropriate to the atmo-sphere. Let your inhibitions go, listen care-fully and don’t leave the theater until after the very last closing credit. There is an ex-tra scene after the outtakes that is worth the wait. For adults only!!

Cars 3 (G) *****Another superb effort from the famed

Pixar Studios, this time with a twist. Fem-inism is having a surge in popularity in the film world and “Cars 3” adds its voice to the movement.

“Cars 3” does this very subtly by in-troducing us to Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo), a trainer for the fading Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson). At first, she is just a demanding and competent trainer for McQueen in the new Sterling (Nathan Fil-lion) stable of racers, created as a showplace for McQueen’s exploits on the tracks of the US. As the story moves along we learn more and more about Cruz, her background and

her dreams for the future. Always put down because she was a girl in a man’s world, she still dreams of being a driver, not a trainer.

While Lightning tries to resurrect his ca-reer against the odds of technology and the person of Jackson Storm (Arnie Hammer), he begins to realize that the time may be up for him. It might be time to let go of the keys to his car. He tries, on dirt tracks, to prove he can win again and even enters a ridiculous demolition derby, the lowest he can go at Thunder Hollow under an assumed name and a mud-covered car so he can duck under the media radar. From there on, things move at a lightning (par-don) pace until he finds himself in the big race in Florida. Win and he has a career;

lose and he loses everything.Those of you who think you know how

the franchise is going to handle this dilem-ma may think you have it figured out, but hang on. The film makes its feminist point and its national one as well: Cruz Rivera is a Latina and both identities are fully ex-ercised as the film moves along. There is a fantastic cast of voices in the film: Chris Cooper, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Sha-loub, Bonnie Hunt and Kerry Washington, just to name a few. This film is certified high-quality Pixar. Take the family and enjoy!

Enjoy more of Mike’s reviews at www.towncourier.com.

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Page 14 THE TOWN COURIER June 30, 2017

Remembrance of Coach Griff:‘Taught Life Lessons Using Basketball as an Example’

By Syl Sobel

D ave Griffin left an impression.The first impression you’d get

watching him coach from the sidelines was of a bear of a man growling instructions with a voice that boomed throughout the gym.

“I was definitely intimidated at first,” con-fessed former player Evan Sirkey.

But it didn’t take long for Sirkey and so many others who were fortunate to play for or otherwise know Dave Griffin to realize that the intensity with which he coached re-flected a passion much deeper: He cared.

Griffin, the long-time assistant basket-ball coach at Quince Orchard High School and youth basketball coach in Montgomery County, died last week after a two-year bat-tle with cancer.

“Griff,” as most people called him, “be-lieved he had a moral responsibility to teach kids through coaching,” his obituary said, and basketball coaching became his calling.

He became an assistant to QO basketball coach Paul Foringer in 2001 and also coached middle school teams in the I-270 league, in-cluding many boys who would play at QO.

“He was more than an assistant coach to me,” said Foringer. “He was my friend. He was an amazing guy—selfless, always there for others, made you feel special, a com-petitor in every way, hated weakness, loved hardworking kids.”

“The unique thing about Griff was how much he cared,” said former player Alex Griffith. “Yes, he cared about winning and losing, but he cared about us as people. He treated us as if we were his sons, getting to know each of us off the court and our per-

sonal lives. … He was a part of each of our families.”

“Griff has been a constant presence in my life,” said Colin Crews, a senior on this year’s QO team that made it to the state finals, and who first played for Griff as a 7th grader. “I was lucky enough to know Griff as a coach and as a mentor, but also as a family friend.”

“Dave is one of my longest, closest, best friends and a brother in every sense of the word,” said Steve Feldman, a QO parent who met Griff at 14 and remained lifelong friends with him. “He was caring, warm and loving. Dave was a ‘giver.’ He gave of him-self, all in, whether you were his friend or one of his basketball players, he always gave fully and from the heart.”

Griff had a knack for teaching basketball

and motivating teenage boys. Former player Ben Kelly appreciates Grif-

fin’s “commitment to the process. … All he really cared about was consistency and im-provement over time.”

“Everything I know about basketball to-day I owe to Coach Griff,” said Sirkey, who now coaches and administers youth basket-ball programs. “I use the same drills and teachings when I’m coaching. He helped shape our lives, he was a big part of it. … He taught us life lessons, and he used basketball as an example.”

Griffin knew when a boy needed extra attention. Daniel Dorsey, a rising senior on this year’s QO team, said, “As a 7th grade kid going through a lot of personal family issues Coach Griff helped me use basketball as an escape from all my problems. He was a mentor and father figure as well as a coach.”

He also loved underdogs. “He gave me a chance,” said Griffith, who realized that he did not have the talent of some of his class-mates when he was cut from his middle school team. “He taught me how to get bet-ter. ... And yeah, I improved as a basketball player because of that, but I also improved as a person.”

And so it was poignant that Griffin’s great-est group of underdogs achieved their great-est on-court successes in this, his final year. QO’s basketball team composed largely of boys that Griffin had coached since middle school advanced through the regional play-offs, upset undefeated and top-ranked Wise in the state semifinal, and lost the state final by three points in overtime to Perry Hall.

Griffin, by then too ill to attend the tour-

n GRIFFIN MEMORIAL Continued on page 15n QO AWARDS NIGHT Continued on page 15

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SPORTSStudent Athletes Recognized at QO Awards Night

By Mac Kennedy

I t was a remarkable year for Quince Orchard athletics. QO saw multi-ple state championship runs from

both team and individual performanc-es, along with many region and divi-sion championships. This year’s Sports Awards Night aimed to celebrate all of the athletic achievements with a new and improved style.

The Town Courier’s own Syl Sobel hosted the first-ever QO Sports Awards Night that covered every season in one night. Typically, there is an Awards Night after the fall, winter and spring seasons are over, but this year, they were all compiled into one charming eve-ning. Sobel, dressed in a tuxedo donned with a red bow tie, announced the fol-lowing awards.

• Academic Team of the Year – Boys Tennis (3.74 GPA)

• Most Improved Team of the Year – Softball

• Dan Shea Athlete Award – Joseph Canova (Male), Lindsay Kohan (Female)

• Hard Hat Award – Field Hockey• Service Award – Girls Basketball• Mike Lanahan Athletic Direc-

tor Award – Turner Thackston (Male), Carly Porter (Female)

• Most Spirited Team Award – Boys Lacrosse

• Team Cougar Award – Swim & Dive

• Senior Athlete of the Year – Grif-fin Mann (Male), Skylar Saffer (Female)

• Coach of the Year – Paul Foringer• Team of the Year – Boys Basket-

ball

Photo | Mac Kennedy

Dave Griffin, known to countless student athletes as Coach Griff, passed away Sunday, June 18 after a two-year battle with cancer.

June 30, 2017 THE TOWN COURIER Page 15

Senior Turner Thackston, a favorite amongst his peers and the fans, won this year’s Mike Lanahan Athletic Director Award alongside senior Carly Porter. Thack-ston was a multi-sport athlete who exempli-fies what it means to have pride in his school. Thackston, who felt immense support and love after winning this award, said, “It means a lot to me to be a QO athlete. I have worked hard to be where I am today.”

Senior Skylar Saffer had similar emotions after winning the Female Senior Athlete of the Year. She said, “This program holds a special place in my heart and has shaped me

into who I am today. I hope those who come decide to get involved and play a sport! It’s been a great ride, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my coaches, team-mates and parents!”

And after being on stage with his team-mates to receive the Team of the Year Award, senior basketball player Mitch Czworka said, “There were a lot of great teams this year that went on deep playoff runs and to be on the team that was named the Team of the Year means a lot. We were a special group of guys that worked hard for four years to achieve something special, and it is nice to know people enjoyed watching us compete.”

Congratulations to all of the 2017 QO athletes on a record-breaking year.

nament, watched on streaming media. “I waited 16 years for us to get to this point, and of course, I can’t be there,” Griffin told The Washington Post.” He gave the players final pregame instructions over Facetime, telling them simply, “I love you guys. I’m proud of you. Go win it.”

“Griff, he was the one who believed in us when we didn’t even believe in ourselves,” said Crews. “I think that’s what pushed us to accomplish what we did this season.”

“They really played for him because they felt like this could be his last hurrah on this earth,” Foringer told the Post.

“Basketball, it allows you to touch people in a certain way,” said Griffin to the Post. “I think I’ve done that with a lot of guys I’ve

coached. And this team this year … Man, what they did touched me to my core.”

Griffin touched them, too.“I will always carry Coach Griffin in my

heart,” said Crews.“I’ve given Coach countless gross sweaty

hugs over the years,” said Griffith, “both happy and sad. I’d give anything to give him one more.”

A celebration of Griff’s life will be held at Union Jack’s in Gaithersburg on Sat-urday, July 8 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. To assist in planning, an Evite has been created for the event. Please contact Denise Feldman at dfeldman1005@yahoo.com to receive the invitation.

Town Courier staff member Mac Kennedy and intern Johnny Fierstein, both of whom played basketball for Coach Griffin, contributed to this article.

n GRIFFIN MEMORIAL from page 14

n QO AWARDS NIGHT from page 14

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