THE 4th SILVER SPRING BLUES FESTIVAL - more than just a day of blues!

(This is a 'guest blog' from Alan Bowser, Chair of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., the folks responsible for this amazing event.)

The 4^th Silver Spring Blues Festival at Downtown Silver Spring is less than a month away. Here’s an update.

We kick off the Festival and first-ever “Silver Spring Blues Week” with a fundraising/ticketed event at Pyramid Atlantic on June 8th, from 6 pm to 9 pm, 8230 Georgia Avenue  Silver Spring, MD 20910.  Lisa Martin, Silver Spring Town Center's Executive Director, has arranged an exciting three-hour program that includes food, drink and live music performed by Silver Spring's own Jonny Grave!  Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.  We hope that you can attend.  Thanks to Jose Dominguez & Pyramid Atlantic for their support of our kick-off program.

Our first-ever “Silver Spring Blues Week” (June 8 – June 15) includes live blues performances, and food and drink specials throughout downtown Silver Spring.  As of today, the venues include Fire Station 1, Zev’s, McGinty’s, and the Big Greek Cafe, and others.  Lisa has plans to present blues bands on Veterans Plaza during that week, and we expect to present popular singer/songwriter Patty Reese at McGinty’s on Thursday night.

The 4^th Silver Spring Blues Festival takes place on Saturday, June 16, from 10 am to 9 pm on two stages—the Fountain Stage on Ellsworth Drive, and the Market State on Veterans Plaza at the Fenton Street Market.  

Like last year, we’ll have acoustic blues music on the Market Stage, with some incredible performers including Eleanor Ellis, Ruben Dobbs of Swampcandy, Sheryl Sears, Gina DeSimone, and the Archie Edwards Blues Ensemble.  Special thanks go to Willie Leebel & the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation for producing the Market Stage program.  Performances on the Market Stage go from 10 am to 3 pm.  Many thanks also to Megan Moriarty & Fenton Street Market for their continued support.

On the Fountain Stage, we’ll have a dizzying array of acoustic & electric blues performances from 2 pm to 9 pm.  Starting at 2 pm, we have a solo guitar performance from NEA honoree Warner Williams, followed by the School of Rock, Nate Foley & FLLD, the Moonshine Society, Fast Eddie & the Slowpokes, The Unruly Blues Band, the DC Blues Society Band featuring Ayaba Bey, and, for the finale, Clarence “The Blues Man” Turner.

There will be an after-party at McGinty’s featuring the popular group “Hard Swimmin’ Fish” starting at 10 pm, as well as live acoustic music at Zev's Coffee Cafe starting at 9 pm.

The Festival performances on the Fountain Stage will be videotaped again by Montgomery Community Media (Channel 21).  Our celebrity emcees will be Ida Campbell of WPFW-FM (returning for her 4^thFestival), Cortney Hicks of Majic 102.3,  and Ted Kelly of andmagazine.com

This year’s Festival sponsors include Downtown Silver Spring ▪ DC Blues Society ▪ Statland & Katz Ltd ▪ Monument Bank ▪ Home Properties ▪ Montgomery Community Media ▪ Prudential Foundation ▪ Courtyard by Marriott▪ Fenton Street Market ▪ Pyramid Atlantic ▪ McGinty’s Public House ▪ Atomic Music ▪ Silver Spring Voice ▪ Silver Spring Patch ▪ Safe Silver Spring ▪ Dale Music ▪ Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation ▪ Silver Spring Regional Services Center.

Stay tuned for more information on the Silver Spring Blues Festival, and regularly check out our website www.silverspringblues.com or our Facebook event page http://www.facebook.com/events/227033237401703/   We also have a new Festival blog at http://silverspringblues.wordpress.com/

Thank you very much for your support.

WHAT IS DPS & WHY SHOULD I CARE?

The Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board (SSCAB) is occasionally asked to have representatives on other "boards, committees, and commissions" set up by County government to enhance the opportunities for community input in critical policy issues.  One of these 'b/c/c/' that has asked the SSCAB for representation is the County's Department of Permitting Services Advisory Committee.  We are fortunate to have an SSCAB member Susan Zusy (suzyzusy@longandfoster.com) representing us on this critical county-wide committee... The following is her 'guest blog' explaining why this is so important.

The Department of Permitting Services (DPS)  is responsible for building construction, land development authorization and enforcement of building codes, environmental laws and zoning laws. 

DPS is very interested - as are all County agencies - in receiving feedback from its customers and community members at large. However, since DPS customers are subject to DPS regulatory and enforcement authority, some may be reluctant to provide feedback on the Department’s performance.  The DPS Advisory Committee is set up to address this.  The Committee can and does provide constructive, candid and truthful feedback without disinclination.  The Advisory Committee includes a cross-section of interests affected by DPS including the business community, development community and civic interests. 

Over the last couple of years, the DPS Advisory Committee has advised DPS on issues as varied as:

• ·         DPS Budget and DPS Permit Fees
• ·         Memorandum of Understanding Identifying Lead Agencies on Development Projects
• ·         Field Enforcement regarding renovations and infill development

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Looking ahead, among the subjects the DPS Advisory Committee will be advising on include:   

• ·         Streamlining Development Initiative
• ·         Outreach Education Materials on Residential Infill Development
• ·         Permitting and Code Enforcement Issues
• ·         Providing Recycling Information to Contractors of Demolition Permits
• ·         Code Enforcement Strategies. 

We encourage you to peruse the DPS website (permittingservices.montgomerycountymd.gov) for information about the subject areas listed here as well as other DPS initiatives and services.  As the Department continues to evolve and the number of DPS consumers grows, please communicate with SSCAB regarding your permitting questions and concerns.  We represent you!

[TIMELY NOTE: Park & Planning will hold an information session on MONDAY MAY 21st on how accessory apartments should be zoned for (and subsequently permitted.) The session will be held at their headquarter on Georgia Ave & Spring Street at 3 and 7pm.]

TASTE THE WORLD IN FENTON VILLAGE – MAY 6th 2012

What is Taste the World in Fenton Village? Why is it happening? To what end? How can we maximize our experience?

Taste the World in Fenton Village is the brainchild of the amazing volunteers that have given of their time to serve on the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and other people that live near Fenton Village, the area generally bounded by Georgia Avenue to the West; Fenton Street to the East; Wayne Avenue to the North; and Sligo Avenue to the South.

Those of us that live nearby know the area well. Its feel is definitively eclectic and different – and that is a good thing! The area hosts literally hundreds of businesses, many small, local and independently owned. The number of car-repair shops has been documented in one of our other blog postings. The presence of a diverse faith community in the area and its near vicinity is felt every Sunday on the streets and heard loudly inside the various houses of worship. This area has a rich history that contributes to the fabric of what is Silver Spring.

The area is a relatively small area, easily walkable, welcoming of drop-ins, and inviting to those passing by. The Taste the World in Fenton Village intends to affirm and celebrate what is there today. Today’s Fenton Village has one of the highest concentration of ethnic, independently owned restaurants to be found anywhere in the metro area. Approximately 25 of these restaurants will be participating in The Taste the World in Fenton Village celebration SUNDAY MAY 6th from 1-5pm.

 This is a ‘taste’ event with a twist. The restaurants will not come to you at a central location. Rather, you are invited to go to the restaurant, have a sampling of their offering at their location, then walk to the next restaurants, discovering the Fenton Village magic along the way… If you are looking for a good time to ‘be, spend, and enjoy local’, this is it!

The best way to ‘experience’ the celebration is to start at the parking lot located on Fenton Street, just north of Silver Spring Avenue (the block south of Safeway.) There you can pick up your ‘passport’ and enjoy the company of volunteers, as you are entertained before beginning your worldly culinary journey. Once you walk around and taste the offerings of some of the participating restaurants, you are invited to return to the starting point and submit your passport for one of various drawing of gifts contributed by area merchants.

Why do we do this ‘event’? Well, first of all, this is not an ‘event’; this is a ‘celebration’: An invitation to enjoy what is here now; to appreciate today’s Fenton Village… To partake of what makes Silver Spring great: the variety of choices for how we want to engage community…

Community does not only happen in the confines of meeting rooms. But rather, culture happens where community and commerce connect… It is at gatherings and celebrations like the Taste the World in Fenton Village that we ‘bump’ into friends, acquaintances, visitors and strangers that we would normally not bump into… These are the opportunities to spark that conversation about how we are building community, particularly with people that may not necessarily be as intensely involved in the traditional civic life as some of us might be… It is at these celebrations that – if we are intentional and deliberative – we can identify individuals that may not have been ‘involved’ in the past, but might just be interested in joining us as we ‘build a bigger table’ to continue in the process towards a more robust, vibrant, diverse, and inclusive Silver Spring.

KEY LINKS TO THE TASTE THE WORLD IN FENTON VILLAGE:
General Info
http://www.tastetheworldfentonvillage.org/
Descriptive article
http://www.tastetheworldfentonvillage.org/articles/news/take-trip-around-world-silver-spring
Awesome map of participating restaurants
http://www.tastetheworldfentonvillage.org/restaurants
 Another map (and more info on Silver Spring’s downtown)
http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/taste-the-world

Look for "Taste the World in Fenton Village 2012" IN FACEBOOK!

Around the world in one (work day) in Silver Spring

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It all started with a breakfast meeting at a Salvadoran diner on Piney Branch to discuss how to use sports to build a diverse community. Then it was time to go to the office in the Civic Building to continue developing a strategy to engage our growing Ethiopian storefront establishments – one of which served as the place for a lunch meeting with a civic activist that is bringing together African cultures to share in song.

Early afternoon tasks included calls with an African-American to discuss events in Silver Spring; an elder White civic leader to learn about the history of some of the lesser known areas in the Region; and, an Asian investor interested in having a major presence in the downtown area.

After a coffee break at the quintessential American coffee place on Ellsworth, it was time to get ready for back-to-back-to-back meetings and presentation. It is always invigorating to meet with young people, especially when they are pursuing dreams of what seems impossible to some. So, my meeting with a group of youth seeking to do a concert to raise awareness about the importance of registering to vote was certainly uplifting. I had to leave the meeting early in order to make it to the session on the Dream Act held at Montgomery College by the Governor’s Hispanic Commission.

Then it was on to Takoma Park for the screening of the amazing documentary “Three Stories From Galicia”, produced by a Ukrainian film-maker in cooperation with a Lebanese film-maker. The stories included one about the Jewish experience, another about the Ukrainian legacy of the area, and a third about a Polish priest and his passion for respecting all faiths.

On the way out of the event, someone was handing out postcards for another screening. The best I can gather that screening will be about lawnmower racing, something close and dear to me since my high-school friend from south Georgia (USA) is the world champ!

By 9pm it was time to come home for some excellent Cuban food… It’s raining tonight, so I have to skip the (Dominican) cigar...

…I wonder where in the world Silver Spring will take me tomorrow…

(I know where it will take me SUNDAY MAY 6Th: On that day [noon to five] we’ll be having our second annual “Taste The World in Fenton Village” to celebrate culinary worldly experiences right here in Silver Spring… Stay tuned for more details!)

A Very Busy Civic – and Community Engagement - Week!

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The week of April 9th will be one of the busiest civic weeks our community has seen in a long, long time. From Monday through Thursday there will be no less than 7 critical meetings, open houses, and/or networking opportunities well worth attending.

Obviously, no one can be at all of these. BUT: most every group, association, and organization interested in our civic and community engagement world can assign different members to attend the different gatherings. This way, we will all be able to at least say “yeah, I know what is going on” and/or “yep; I put in my 2-cents worth!”

MONDAY, APRIL 9

[] SILVER SPRING CITIZENS ADVISORY BOARD REGULARLY SCHEDULED MONTHLY MEETING (7pm, Civic Building) This meeting will focus almost exclusively on the County Executive’s recommended operating budget. If you want to get more into the budget before the meeting, see our previous blog post here. For the Board Packet, which include a wealth of information regarding the Board’s recent work click here.

[] MIDDLE SCHOOL #2 SITE SELECTION (5pm, Park & Planning – 8787 Georgia Avenue) The Montgomery County Planning Board will meet to review and discuss public sites evaluated in the Report of the Site Selection Advisory Committee for the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Middle School #2. This impactsthe western neighborhoods of the Silver Spring Regional Area. For the agenda, click here.

TUESDAY APRIL 10

[] ZONING REWRITE PROJECT OPEN HOUSE (5-8pm, Park & Planning – 8787 Georgia Avenue) This is not a meeting; there will be no presentation… Rather, it is an opportunity to learn about what is going on regarding this critical topic… Montgomery County planners have undertaken a comprehensive rewrite of the county’s Zoning Ordinance. In concert with a team of consultants and a public steering committee, planners are simplifying a complex, outdated code to reinforce Montgomery County’s enviable quality of life. The zoning code was last comprehensively rewritten in 1977. For more info, click here.

[] YOUTH EMPLOYMENT NETWORKING (6-7:30 El Golfo Restaurant – 8739 Flower Ave) This is not a meeting either… Rather, it is “an evening with friends and neighbors, young and old, to connect youth to jobs.” The event is coordinated by Impact Silver Spring, Gandhi Brigade, MANUP, MMYC, and the Silver Spring Regional Center. See flyer here.

[] FOREST GLEN PASSAGEWAY FEASIBILITY STUDY (7-9pm Sligo Middle School – 1401 Denis Ave) While this is technically outside the Silver Spring Regional Area, it is of utmost importance to any of us that drive on Georgia Avenue and are interested in pedestrian safety and access. Also, this effort is aligned with the study being done for re-doing Georgia Avenue from Forest Glen down to 16th Street. For more info on the Passageway click here.

[] BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING (7pm, Council Office Building 3rd Floor – 100 Maryland Ave, Rockville) This is your opportunity to voice your opinion to County Council on the recommended operating budget for Fiscal Year 2013, which starts July 1st of this year. For more info click here.
(For our previous blog posting to help you navigate the budget, click here.)
NOTE: This opportunity is repeated Wednesday and Thursday at 1:30 and 7:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 11

[] BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING (see Tuesday)

[] SAFE SILVER SPRING (7pm, Civic Building) The Safe Silver Spring initiative brings it monthly meetings to the Civic Building once a quarter to provide an opportunity for a dialogue with our 3rd Police Precinct. This meeting in particular will focus on the business community, with Lt. Robert (Bob) Carter presenting information on the new “Safe City” program. For more info on Safe Silver Spring visit here.

THURSDAY APRIL 12

[] BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING (see Tuesday)


If you and your group were to be representing at each of these convenings, you will be able to most expediently come up to speed with nearly all that is ‘going on in Silver Spring’!

Again: We encourage you to make sure your group is represented in all these great opportunities to ‘engage our community’.

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Area

Why do we do the (community) work we do, what drives us, what binds us?

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There is no better time to reflect about these questions than the beginning of Spring; "out with the old, in with the new" and all that good stuff...

The folks that are regular readers of this blog know that the postings are truly eclectic and all over the map... Some postings are philosophical and deep, while others are whimsical and fun... (But wait! Can't something be philosophical, deep, whimsical, AND fun at the same time?... hmmm... Maybe some day we'll get there!)

Anyway: Rather than prepare a new posting to address the question at hand, below are references to a series of postings over the last couple of years that highlight a progression of thought on this topic... Interestingly, it starts with one of the earliest postings (done over two years ago) that approaches the broadest of questions (what ARE our common values?, and concludes with a recent posting with a very practical and pragmatic 'shout out' to "Get involved!"

I encourage you to (re?)visit these posting; leave comments; and pass on to others... enJoy!

[NOTE: The posting's title should be descriptive enough to indicated their content. They are all 'hyper-linked'.]

Silver Spring Common Values
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/12/silver-spring-common-values.html

How to Maximize Volunteer Assets
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-maximize-volunteer-assets.html

On Community Engagement
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/01/on-community-engagement.html

What Are Our Community's Assets?
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-are-our-communitys-assets.html

Hi-Tech Hi-Touch
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/03/hi-tech-and-hi-touch.html

The Task at Hand: Connecting to Community
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/04/task-at-hand-connecting-to-community.html

The (Imperfect) Table of Civic and Community Engagement
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2010/09/imperfect-table-of-traditional-civic.html

Community Leadership at Work: SSCAB's Committees
http://silverspringspeaks.blogspot.com/2012/01/community-leadership-at-work-sscabs.html

Recommended FY13 County Operating Budget On-Line Links & Next Step(s)

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Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett announced his recommended $4.56 billion operating budget for fiscal year (FY) 2013 that begins July 1. The budget strategically restores some of the most critical and important services that were cut back dramatically over the past five years as the County faced unprecedented budget challenges.

While reviewing the budget may seem like a daunting exercise, it can be relatively easy – if you take it in small ‘chunks’… Here’s one suggested way for getting to know the recommended budget – and how to chime in with your ideas and comments.

Step 1: Overall Overview
You may want to start by reading the press release which is sort of an ‘executive summary’ of the recommended budget’s key points, found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=8329

Step 2: Visual Representation
There are a handful of color charts that provide a real good visual representation, and compare the recommended budget to previous year’s budget, found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/Blog/pioBlog.asp?BlogID=28

Step 3: Budget in Brief
This document includes a bit more information than the press release, but not as much as the actual full ‘book’. It is easy to read and places the recommended budget decisions in the context of the County Executive’s mission statement, found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/omb/fy13/psprec/pdf/budget_in_brief.pdf

Step 4: The Full Document
In many ways, the on-line version of the full recommended budget is much more ‘user friendly’ than the old printed version. (If you are new to this exercise, you may want to read Section 2 of the “Overview” – How to Read the Budget… It will make your browsing more efficient!) The “linkable” full document can be found at:
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ombtmpl.asp?url=/content/omb/fy13/psprec/index.asp

WHAT’S NEXT:
The County Council must approve the budget by June 1st. There’ll be a series of public hearings where anyone can express their opinion on any aspect of the recommended budget. (Stay tuned for specific dates and locations.) In the meantime, you can submit on-line questions, suggestions, and comments by completing a simple form found at:
http://montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/mcginfo/budgetcomments.asp

Happy browsing!

Reemberto Rodriguez, Director
Silver Spring Regional Area