Homeowners' property tax credit workshop in Rockville August 25

The Twinbrook Citizen's Association is hosting a free homeowners' property tax credit workshop on Tuesday, August 25, from 1:00-3:00 PM, at the Twinbrook Recreation Center at 12920 Twinbrook Parkway.

Richard Gottfried, CPA (and president of the TCA), will be the speaker.

Bring your 2014 federal tax return to the event. According to the event announcement, if your household income is less than $91,000 per year, and your net worth is less than $200,000 (not including the value of your home or qualified retirement savings), you could qualify for tax relief on the first $495,000 of your home's assessed value.

For questions, or to RSVP (it's not required to RSVP), email Richard Gottfried at richgott3 [at] verizon [dot] net.

New Team Rockville slate for Mayor and Council forming?

Having a formal slate of candidates is one Rockville electoral tradition that doesn't seem threatened with extinction anytime soon. Just when it seemed that 2013's Team Rockville slate was history, the 2015 contest is threatening to get interesting again.

Thursday's announcement by former Rockville City Councilman Mark Pierzchala that he is seeking a return to his old seat was followed Friday by a cryptic Facebook post from a former Team Rockville teammate. Incumbent councilmember Virginia Onley hinted at a big announcement she plans to make "about the upcoming Mayor and Council elections" Monday evening.

The interesting part? Her announcement will be at the same time and place as Pierzchala's previously-scheduled campaign kickoff event.

Mark Pierzchala to run for Rockville City Council again

Former Rockville City Councilman Mark Pierzchala wants his old seat back. Pierzchala announced his candidacy Thursday evening in a message to friends and supporters. He will be holding a campaign kickoff event Monday night, August 24.

In his announcement, Pierzchala cited his "financial and budgetary expertise", promotion of economic development, and fiscal conservatism on the council "during the Great Recession." The former councilman has expertise in survey methodology and statistics, and runs a Rockville-based consulting firm specializing in those areas.

Pierzchala was a member of the Team Rockville slate as a mayoral candidate in 2013. Outgoing councilmember Tom Moore was a member of that slate, as well. Moore recently hinted that he would be backing candidates in the November 3 election, and would reveal his plans to that end in the near future.

However, Team Rockville did not always vote as a bloc. The most constant two Team Rockville votes on the council have come from Moore and Councilmember Julie Palakovich Carr. Councilmember (and former Team Rockville member) Beryl Feinberg more often voted with Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton on controversial issues that drove angry citizens to testify at City Hall, such as the weakening of the standards on school overcrowding, proximity of self-storage facilities to schools, and backyard chickens. Feinberg is not running as part of a slate in this election.

Councilmember Virginia Onley also voted independently from her Team Rockville colleagues many times, often seeking to find a middle ground between disparate positions. In fact, Onley, Feinberg and Newton were more often than not a strong, 3-vote bloc as the current council term unfolded. But Onley cast the decisive vote to weaken school capacity standards, reversing her position a few months earlier to join Moore and Palakovich Carr.

One of the more interesting things we'll find out this fall in Rockville, is whether the APFS school standards votes will have any impact on the election results.

Pierzchala has not yet announced if he will run as part of any slate in this election, but promises to offer more details on his campaign Monday night.

Photo via Team Rockville website

Regal Rockville theater to begin searching moviegoers' bags

Regal Cinemas has responded to the latest movie theater shootings with a new bag check policy at its theaters nationwide. The cineplex giant operates the Regal Rockville in Rockville Town Center. Its new policy reads as follows:

Security issues have become a daily part of our lives in America. Regal Entertainment Group wants our customers and staff to feel comfortable and safe when visiting or working in our theatres. To ensure the safety of our guests and employees, backpacks and bags of any kind are subject to inspection prior to admission. We acknowledge that this procedure can cause some inconvenience and that it is not without flaws, but hope these are minor in comparison to increased safety.

The security check policy applies to bags, backpacks and packages, including purses.

Regal's corporate Facebook page is blowing up with customer backlash against the new policy, with many patrons feeling their 2nd and 4th Amendment rights are being violated. A few posters thanked the chain for ensuring their theaters would be gun-free zones.

Regal patrons weighed in on
both sides of the issue on
the chain's Facebook page

However, Regal's policy does not explicitly state which legal or illegal items would not be allowed to be brought into the theater. Nor does it specifically refer to firearms, even though it would seem obvious that weapons and explosives would be the primary intent of the policy.

Such a policy would not have prevented the infamous Aurora, Colorado theater mass shooting in 2012. In that incident, the shooter left the theater through the emergency exit. He then retrieved weapons, explosives and other materials from his car, and re-entered through that exit, which he had propped open enough to prevent it from locking.

That case made clear the security issues caused by a lack of ushers regularly patrolling theaters, as they once did not that many years ago. Had an usher simply ensured that door was closed on a routine walkthrough, and thereby locked to outside intruders, the shooter would have been foiled.

Southlawn Industrial Area Feasibility Study public meeting set for September 10

A third public meeting on the Southlawn Industrial Area Feasibility Study, a land-use and compatibility study that is currently underway, will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2015, from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Lincoln Park Community Center. The center is located at 357 Frederick Avenue in Rockville.

VHB, the consultant hired by the city, will give a short presentation on its latest findings and analysis. Questions and comments from residents and business owners will be taken afterward. This feedback will be utilized in preparing the study's final recommendations.

The study is designed to identify compatibility problems between the Southlawn area's industrial uses and adjacent neighborhoods, as well as consider future opportunities to improve the area, and what types of development should be considered there. For more information, visit the city's website on the study.

Twinbrook back on Historic District Commission agenda for Thursday

The agenda for the Rockville Historic District Commission for its Thursday, August 20 meeting includes an "update on HDC meeting with Twinbrook Citizens Association." Discussion of historic preservation options for the Twinbrook neighborhood, and a potential meeting with their association, has been postponed at least twice this year.

The talk of such options has raised some concerns among Twinbrook homeowners, and the topic was discussed at the TCA meeting in April. Many Twinbrook homes fall within the 50-year window for consideration as historic, Commissioner Jessica Reynolds noted this past March.

Other notable items on Thursday's agenda include an update on a draft Historic Preservation text amendment, and a courtesy review of the proposed new ADA-compliant parking lot for the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre and social hall.

Thursday's meeting will be at City Hall, and will begin at 7:30 PM.

New Americans Expo October 4 in Silver Spring

(Una traducción española de este artículo se puede encontrar a continuación)

Nonprofits, businesses and government agencies will gather at the Silver Spring Civic Center on October 4 from noon to 6:00 PM for the New Americans Expo 2015. The event is a one-stop shop for new Americans to learn about programs, services and products that will help them in adapting to and navigating life in America.

This year's expo is being led by 4 New Americans Ambassadors, YouTube personality and model Cindy Gamez, Kemi Fadojutimi of the TV show All Eyes on Africa, Miss Maryland 2013 Lyz Denizard, and John Cabrera of CF Alliance.

Attendees will be able to get information and assistance on legal services, insurance, banking, education, travel, how to obtain a driver's license, and employment options.

There will also be live music and performers, including singer-songwriter David Amaya, who is composing a song specifically for the event. Giveaways will include free toys for kids.

Two awards will be given during the afternoon - a Community Inclusion award for a local nonprofit, and an Appreciation Award for the organizations and volunteers participating in the expo.

Proceeds from the New Americans Expo 2015 will be distributed among four nonprofits that serve the immigrant community: Catholic Charities, Identity, El Poder de Ser Mujer and Etnika Foundation.

Admission to the event is free. You can register online.

* * *

Organizaciones no lucrativas, empresas y agencias gubernamentales se reunirán en el Centro Cívico de Silver Spring, el 4 de octubre desde el mediodía hasta las 18:00 de la Expo Nuevos Americanos de 2015. El evento es una ventanilla única para los nuevos estadounidenses a aprender sobre programas, servicios y productos que les ayudará en la adaptación a la vida en Estados Unidos.

Expo de este año está siendo dirigido por 4 nuevos americanos Embajadores, YouTube personalidad y la modelo Cindy Gamez, Kemi Fadojutimi del programa de televisión All Eyes on Africa, Miss Maryland 2013 Lyz Denizard, y Juan Cabrera de CF Alianza.

Los asistentes podrán obtener información y asistencia sobre servicios legales, seguros, banca, educación, viajes, cómo obtener una licencia de conducir, y las opciones de empleo.

También habrá música y artistas en vivo, incluyendo el cantautor David Amaya, quien está componiendo una canción especialmente para el evento. Sorteos incluirán juguetes gratis para los niños.

Dos premios se entregarán durante la tarde - un premio de Inclusión Comunitaria para una organización no lucrativa local y un premio de la apreciación de las organizaciones y voluntarios que participan en la feria.

Producto de la New Americans Expo 2015 se distribuirán entre cuatro organizaciones no lucrativas que sirven a la comunidad de inmigrantes: Catholic Charities, Identity, El Poder de Ser Mujer y Etnika Foundation.

La entrada al evento es gratis.