A Bike Czar Tapped, 'The Shriver Center' for Swimming Laps (?) and Redistricting Maps

The old saying about April showers is true!

After , early May has brought some delightful discoveries. My wife and I have found that the former owners of the home we moved into last summer (after the sun's "scorched earth" policy took effect in metropolitan Washington and turned most of the vegetation brown) planted some terrific flowering bushes—and random clusters of daffodils throughout the backyard. (I just wonder if these guys will start showing up.)

I've even gotten on to a softball field a couple of times, despite a couple of washouts.

We're still trying to figure out just what's a flower and what's a weed (I'm subscribing to the "If it's pretty, it can stay," policy). A neighbor recently introduced herself and complimented my wife on how she thought it was so nice that we've been fixing up the place. My wife had pulled a couple of weeds out of a flower bed and I had (finally) found a break in the rain and in the work schedule long enough to mow the lawn. Other than that, we hadn't done a thing.

Today we celebrate Mother's Day a little early with this "Thanks Mother Nature!" edition of "The Rundown":

• Last week, we told you that the City of Rockville would name its first pedestrian and bicycle coordinator. Today, we learned a bit more about who he is.
• Speaking of naming, County Executive Ike Leggett announced Wednesday that he is in honor of the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver.
• In politics it's not about renaming, its about redistricting. The Maryland General Assembly plans to take up the issue with a special session in the fall (I covered the last one of these, in 2007. We got new taxes and some big budget cuts out of it. I think a lot of people failed to see what was so "special" about it.) Montgomery County could do some redistricting of its own this year, led by a commission that is considering how to redraw the County Council districts. The commission will hear public testimony on how to redraw the county's five council districts at 7:15 p.m. on May 26 at . 
  To sign up for a three-minute speaking slot, call 240-777-7929 or email susan.mabie@montgomerycountymd.gov. Written testimony can be sent via email to: redistricting.comments@montgomerycountymd.gov  or to: Montgomery County Redistricting Commission, Attn.: Susan Mabie, 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850.
• Here at Patch we're big fans of volunteers. If you're a lover of our state parks, the Maryland Park Service has a new online statewide volunteer coordination system to connect you with volunteering opportunities.
  Visit http://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/ and click on the “volunteer” tab on the right side of the tab bar at the top. After registering and creating a profile, volunteer opportunities can be searched by keyword, ZIP code and distance, specific interest, activity, availability and park name. Users can also sign up for opportunities, enter volunteer hours and view their referrals and placements. Read more here.
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